News / National
First Mash West governor dies a pauper
27 Sep 2015 at 08:15hrs | Views
FORMER Mashonaland West provincial governor Mudhumeni Chivende has died.
He was the first provincial governor at independence in 1980 and is credited with accommodating the first group of seven freedom fighters from Zambia who later perished during the famous Chinhoyi Battle
Chivende, who was now living like a destitute, died at Chinhoyi hospital in the early hours of Saturday where he was admitted two weeks ago for an undisclosed ailment.
His wife Rosemary, at one point, disclosed the family was struggling to pay for his medication and other basic needs, following claims of neglect by his erstwhile Zanu PF colleagues after he left public office.
"It's surprising that no one is helping vaChivende, but I know they will be the first to come and give speeches at his funeral. They [Zanu PF] look after the dead more than the living," Rosemary said then.
Chivende, was one of the key facilitators of the Chinhoyi Battle of 1966 where seven freedom fighters died in a fierce battle with Rhodesian forces, left government after serving two five-year terms.
Last year he revealed that he did not benefit from government's land reform programme or car schemes since he left office in 1990.
He was the first provincial governor at independence in 1980 and is credited with accommodating the first group of seven freedom fighters from Zambia who later perished during the famous Chinhoyi Battle
Chivende, who was now living like a destitute, died at Chinhoyi hospital in the early hours of Saturday where he was admitted two weeks ago for an undisclosed ailment.
"It's surprising that no one is helping vaChivende, but I know they will be the first to come and give speeches at his funeral. They [Zanu PF] look after the dead more than the living," Rosemary said then.
Chivende, was one of the key facilitators of the Chinhoyi Battle of 1966 where seven freedom fighters died in a fierce battle with Rhodesian forces, left government after serving two five-year terms.
Last year he revealed that he did not benefit from government's land reform programme or car schemes since he left office in 1990.
Source - The Standard
