Zanu-PF political commissar buried

THE Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial political commissar, Ruth Shelton, was laid to rest yesterday at West Park Cemetery with mourners describing her as an upcoming and fast-growing politician who had a promising future in the party.

Shelton (37) succumbed to kidney failure last week on Wednesday. Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial chairman Jabulani Sibanda said the youthful leader was well disciplined and wanted to see a united party.

"We have groomed revolutionaries like Ruth, she wanted the country to unite. She was loyal in everything that she did, even Vice-President Chiwenga said that if all our youths treated the party the way Ruth did, the party would surely move forward. May her family be proud of her, she was important to the people and the country," he said.
Sibanda said she had been recently elected in December to be the commissar of the party where she contested against male candidates in the main wing.

"This shows her strength in the party as she competed at high levels and she died while trying to unite us as a people," he said.

Party provincial secretary for security Emmanuel Sunduza said Shelton was among the youthful and emerging party leaders in the province.

"She was dedicated to duty despite the fact that she has been unwell. Indeed, the party has lost a strong and dedicated party cadre for the future generations," he said.

Shelton was born on 15 October 1984 at Luveve Clinic in the city. She was the second born in a family of four and did her primary education at Coghlan Primary. For her secondary education she went to Townsend Girls High School.

Shelton joined Zanu-PF in 1999 in Gwabalanda as a youth member and in 2009 she became vice-chairperson of Kanye Kanye A District in the Youth Wing. In 2011 she was elected youth chairperson of Inyanda District and from 2012 to 2013 she was appointed provincial deputy secretary for administration in the Youth League.

From 2017 to 2019 Ruth was the secretary for tourism and environment Bulawayo Province Youth League
In June 2018 the late Shelton attended Chitepo School of Ideology in Harare and again in March 2019 gaining a Certificate of Trainer of Trainees Chitepo School of Ideology.

In June 2021 Shelton became secretary for commissariat in the Main Body in Kutshwekhaya District.

In January 2022 provincial Elections the late Ruth Shelton was voted the provincial political Commissar, a position she held until the time of her passing on. The late Ruth Shelton is survived by her seven-year-old daughter Pauline Chidavayenzi.

Meanwhile, Bulawayo Province has requested a Liberation Hero Status for the late John Ndlovu who passed away at United Bulawayo Hospitals on Wednesday last week.