ZAPU mourns Arthur Chadzingwa

The Zimbabwe African Peoples' Union learns with regret and sadness the passing on of Nationalist Arthur Chadzingwa. Cde Chadzingwa passed on in Harare yesterday the 10th November 2016.

Cde Arthur Chadzingwa was born in Mutare, then Umtali on 5 August 1944. His father was a messenger with the Rhodesian Railways while his mother was a worker at St Augustine's Orphanage.

He obtained his primary education at Mutanda Government School in Mutare and St Faith Mission in Rusape.

Arthur would go to Sakubva Secondary School in Mutare, Chikore School in Chipinge and Fletcher School in Gwelo for his secondary education which he finished in 1966.

He then went to University College of Rhodesia where he graduated in 1969 with a B.Sc in Economics. He was Vice President of the Students Union in the last year of his studies.

After failing to find employment, cde Chadzingwa joined and worked at Cold Comfort keeping books and doing farm work until January 1971.

As a young man, Arthur Chadzingwa had been an active member of NDP, ZAPU and the PCC. He served the liberation movements and rose through the ranks from being Deputy National Secretary to National Organizing Secretary of the ANC. He later became London Representative of the Joshua Nkomo led liberation and nationalist movement.

From 1973 to 1976, cde Chadzingwa was detained by the colonial system first at Kwekwe Prison and later at Hwahwa Restriction Camp. At the request of Joshua Nkomo, he was released in 1976 and he was deployed as a member of the negotiating team that was in talks with the government of the time. In September 1976, Arthur was to be nominated Secretary in charge of Secretaries for the nationalist liberation movement delegation to the Geneva Conference.

Cde Athur Chadzingwa leaves a gap in the nationalist movement and struggle for a democratic Zimbabwe as fought for by ZAPU since 1980. This is after he contributed immensely to the struggle for independence and freedom which we together with him achieved in 1980. The Mother Party is saddened with his departure even at the time the struggle for democracy and fairness needed him most.

We however take comfort in the contribution he made to the freedom of his fellow Zimbabwean countrymen and ZAPU will forever cherish the sacrifices and expertise he gave to the nation.
The nation has lost a gallant fighter. ZAPU expresses heartfelt condolences to Cde Arthur Chadzingwa's family and nation at large.

May His Soul Rest In Eternal Peace!