Zanu-PF mourns heroine Jane Ngwenya

Zanu-PF has described the late veteran nationalist, Jane Ngwenya as an astute and unflinching revolutionary who played an integral role in the liberation of the country.  

Ngwenya, who is one of the country's pioneer female nationalist and liberation fighter died at Mater Dei Hospital last Thursday. In a statement, Zanu-PF national Chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said Ngwenya was an accomplished patriot.  

"On behalf of the party Zanu-PF, I wish to convey our deepest sympathies and condolences to the Ngwenya family and the nation at large following the demise of Ngwenya, an astute and unflinching revolutionary who contributed immensely to the liberation of the country. She will always be remembered as an accomplished patriot whose loyalty to the Nation remained steadfast," said Muchinguri.

"The revolutionary party Zanu-PF joins the nation in mourning the passing on of veteran nationalist and pioneer liberation stalwart Jane Lungile Ngwenya. A few months ago, the President and First Secretary, His Excellency, ED Mnangagwa during his working visit to Bulawayo paid a courtesy call to Ngwenya at her Coronation Cottages Home in Bulawayo to check on her. The revolutionary party is indeed poorer without Ngwenya."  

Born in Buhera, Manicaland in 1935, Ngwenya died at the age of 86.  

Ngwenya moved to Bulawayo where she became one of the first women to join nationalist politics which then was dominated by men, leading to her involvement in the formation of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and later ZAPU.  

Her political activism saw her in the early 1960s being arrested by the colonial regime and serving time at Grey Street Prison, now Bulawayo Prison and Wha Wha detention camp in Gweru before being taken to Gonakudzingwa where she met several nationalists who were also incarcerated at the camp.

In Zambia, Ngwenya used her platform on Radio Zambia to encourage young people to join the liberation struggle.  

At independence, she was elected Member of Parliament for Bulawayo East and served as Deputy Minister of Labour, Manpower Planning and Social Welfare.  

Owing to poor health, Ngwenya retired from active politics, preferring to play an advisory role.

Ngwenya was set to be conferred with the Grand Commander Zimbabwe Order of Merit Award, the second highest honour Zimbabwe confers to her most distinguished sons and daughters.