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State assisted funeral for non-hero Mumbengegwi

by Fidelis Munyoro and Freeman Razemba
18 Jun 2016 at 10:44hrs | Views
former Finance Minister and veteran educationist Dr Samuel Creighton Mumbengegwi, who died in Harare on Tuesday, has been accorded a State-assisted funeral. This was revealed by his younger brother, Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Simbarashe Mumbengegwi yesterday. Dr Mumbengegwi died at the age of 74.

He succumbed to hypertension, diabetes and a kidney ailment. President Mugabe on Thursday visited the Mumbengegwi family home at No. 22 Stour Road, Vainona, to pay his respects to the former Finance minister and veteran educationist.

The President, who was accompanied by First Lady Dr Grace Mugabe, paid tribute to Dr Mumbegegwi for his sterling contribution in the education sector, Government and the ruling party in the various positions he held.

"Considering the work he did as an educationist and when we worked together with him in the leadership, we say he deserves recognition, which is commensurate with his hard work," said President Mugabe while addressing the mourners.

"We want to remember him for his deeds and astuteness in the execution of his duties. He has left us with the burden to carry on with work he was supposed to continue with, but he had shown us the good way."

He urged the family members to emulate Mumbengegwi and treasure his legacy.

"No matter how educated you are and better jobs you can have, the most important thing about a family is unity and the way you co-exist with other people in the society," he said. "It is our African culture to come together, as friends and relatives and commiserate with each other in times of grief such as this."

President Mugabe also urged the family to remain united and emulate the good character their father exhibited during his lifetime so that they would not lose direction.

"Nhasi uno tinoti taive tose zuro naSam achiri mupenyu. Takanga tiritose, tichiseka tiritose. Nhasi uno tasiyana, waenda. Tirikusvimha misodzi. Asi tinosungirwa kudayi. Hatikanganwi basa rawakaita. Tinoramba tichirangarira. Zita rako rirambe ririmo mumwoyo medu. Ririmo mumwoyo meshamwari, riri mumwoyo mevese vawakashanda navo, vose vawakadzidzisa, vose vawakatungamirira.

"Izvi ndizvo zvinoita kuti tinzi tiri vanhu vomuZimbabwe vakabatana. Hatikanganwe avo vatakashanda navo, vakatipawo chipo cheruzivo rwavo. Naizvozvo ndinoda kukutendai nokundipa chanzi ino iyi kuti ndikupeyi shoko rangu rekuti tinemi vekwaMumbengegwi.

"Tinemi pamuri, tinemi pamusangano, tinemi zvakare isu tiri muHurumende. Ndinovimba kuti vanoongorora vachaongorora vogozotiudza marecommendations avangaite kuparty tive neruzivo rwekuti tingamuvige sei. Ndinoda kutenda . . ."

Dr Mumbengegwi was born on October 23, 1942 in Chivi, Masvingo. He was appointed Minister of Industry and International Trade in 2002 before serving as Minister of State for Indigenisation and Empowerment in 2005.

Dr Mumbengegwi was appointed Minister of Finance and Economic Development in 2007 and left Cabinet in January 2009 after losing the Chivi-Mwenezi Senate seat.

He is survived by his wife Salina, five children – Shuvai, Tsungai, Davis, Patricia and Simbarashe – and eight grandchildren.

Source - the herald