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Grace Mugabe's aunt dies at 75

by Staff reporter
20 Dec 2011 at 04:27hrs | Views
First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe's aunt Mrs Regina Nhapi nee Ranga has died at 75. Nhapi died on Sunday at Mvurwi Hospital and will be buried today at the Nhapi homestead near Hwedza.

In an interview yesterday, Mrs Nhapi's brother Mr Ephraim Ranga confirmed the provisional burial plans.

Mr Ranga described Mrs Nhapi's death as a loss to the family.

"She was a dependable person and her death is really a loss to the family. She was a farmer and she used to supply her farm produce to markets in Harare and Marondera," he said.

Mr Ranga said his sister died after a short illness.

"She (Mrs Nhapi) is the second born after the First Lady's mother. The First Lady is expected to attend the burial," he said.

Mr Ranga hailed the First Family saying it had provided much help at the funeral.

Her daughter Roselyn described her mother as loving.

"She was a hard worker and we will sadly miss her," she said.

A church service for Mrs Nhapi was held at a Harare funeral parlour yesterday.

After the church service her body was ferried to her daughter's house in Marimba Park.

Mrs Nhapi was born in 1936 in Chikomba district and attended Sadza Primary and Secondary schools.

She was a successful farmer and the first National Tree Planting Day in Zimbabwe was held at her homestead in 1985 after she planted many gum trees that year.

As a farmer, Mrs Nhapi exhibited her produce several times at the Marondera Agricultural Show.

She won several awards.

Mrs Nhapi supplied the First Family with traditional rice.

Mrs Nhapi is survived by her husband Joseph and five children.

Source - TH