'No-one lives forever' - Mujuru mourns Kumbirai Kangai

Vice-President Joice Mujuru says no-one lives forever and Zimbabweans must not waste time hating one another.

She said this while addressing mourners at Kumbirai Kangai's home last night. He died of a suspected heart attack.

"This place (earth) is temporary. It does not matter who you are, whether you are poor or rich. There are no vice-presidents. We can just depart, we must love one another. Even those who were pompous (should) remember we are all going to die and be buried. We must always remember that we will not live forever."
 
Zanu-PF information and publicity secretary Rugare Gumbo said the death was a great loss to the party.

"I can confirm that one of our stalwarts in the party, Kumbirai, has died. He passed on this (yesterday) morning. We do not know yet the cause of his death, but we suspect it might be a heart attack," he said
 
Gumbo added that the death of Kangai was more painful as it came when the nation was in the midst of mourning national heroes Enos Nkala and Retired Air Commodore Mike Karakadzai.
 
"It is a dark hour for Zanu-PF and the people of Zimbabwe. When you lose three veterans who fought in the liberation struggle, it is not a joke. We are saddened by their departure," he said.
 
Gumbo disclosed that Zanu-PF Politburo members were "actively caucusing" with regards the honour the party will bestow on the late nationalist.
 
Zanu-PF Manicaland provincial chairman Ambassador John Mvundura revealed that they have since recommended that Kangai be declared a national hero.
 
"Kangai is a party stalwart and one of the few remaining members of the Dare reChimurenga and we believe it is befitting that he be accorded national hero status. He showed his commitment to the party when he worked hard during the run-up to the harmonised elections despite his failing health."
 
Family spokesperson Mr Reward Kangai said the late revolutionary was in a jovial mood on the day before he died. "We are shocked," he said.
 
"Yes, he was ill, but there was very little sign that he would be taken away from us. He was very jovial for much of last week and on Friday he was talking excitedly about the President's inauguration and the Politburo that the party held on the same day."
 
Kangai was a veteran of the war of liberation. He was a member of the Dare reChimurenga, which was charged with the responsibility of prosecuting the liberation struggle to its conclusion.
 
He was born on February 17 1938 in Buhera and did his primary education at Makumbe Mission before proceeding to Zimuto Secondary School where he expressed keenness in fighting the colonial regime, a move that always saw him running into trouble with the school authorities.

Kangai joined the National Democratic Party in 1959 and when the party was banned he joined Zapu.
 
He was one of Zanu's founding members in 1963. In 1965, he got a scholarship to study in the United States where he acted as Zanu's chief representative in North America.
At independence in 1980, Kangai was appointed the Minister of Labour and Social Services and went on to serve as the Minister of Industry and Commerce before being appointed Minister of Lands and Agriculture at the height of the fast-track land reform programme.
 
 Kangai is survived by his wife Miriam, 12 children and several grand children.
Mourners are gathered at Number 25 Glen Forest in Harare. Burial will be announced in due course.