He was 57.
Cde Muzenda, a former Gutu West legislator, died on the
spot after his vehicle hit an electricity pole when he lost control and it crushed
through a perimeter wall in Borrowdale suburb.
At the time of his death, Cde Muzenda was general manager
of the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe.
He was also a former Deputy Minister of Labour and Public
Service and was the last born to the late iconic Vice President and national
hero Cde Simon Vengesayi Muzenda.
In a letter to the Chief Secretary in the Office of the
President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda dated 28 April, Zanu PF Secretary for
Administration Dr Obert Mpofu confirmed President Mnangagwa’s conferment of
liberation war hero status on Cde Muzenda.
“His Excellency, the
President and First Secretary of Zanu PF, Cde Dr E.D Mnangagwa has conferred a
liberation war hero status on the late Cde Tongai Muzenda who died on 26 April
2023 and will be buried at Chindito Farm, Gutu,” said Dr Mpofu in the letter.
“The family can be
contacted through our Masvingo Provincial Office. I shall be most grateful if
you would make the usual arrangements for his burial and payment of benefits to
his family. He is from Masvingo Province.”
Eulogies have been pouring in for the late Cde Muzenda,
with many describing his death as a huge loss to Masvingo Province and the
nation at large.
His family members described him as a person who was
generous and open to everyone despite one’s standing in the community.
Speaking at a funeral service in Harare yesterday, sister
to the late liberation war hero, Cde Tsitsi Muzenda, who is also a Zanu PF
Politburo member, said Cde Muzenda will be buried on Sunday at Chindito Farm in
Gutu.
He described him as a humble and loving person.
Cde Tsitsi Muzenda is the first born in a family of eight,
while Cde Muzenda was the last born.
She said her brother was kind and sensitive.
“Am in pain since am the oldest and l would ask God that he
should have taken me instead of him since he had so much to do,” she said.
“Since yesterday, his friends from different parts of the world send their
condolences.
“He was liked by everyone and he had a good heart and was
the last born in our family.
“We were eight children in our family, but the other one
died during the liberation struggle while my twin sister died because of a hit
and run accident in 1990.
And there are five children left in our family now.”
Cde Muzenda’s brother, Chikwerete, who is the 7th in the
family said he was a generous person who put others’ needs first.
He said his brother was an outgoing person.
“He was focused from
a young age and he worked very hard to achieve his goals,” he said.
“When we were young he would sleep early and woke up early.
Tongai kept the legacy of our late father. He was interested in politics.”
Nephew to the late Mr Zenzo Ngcobo said his uncle was a
strait forward person who would not tolerate nonsense.
A church service will be held in the morning today at St
Gerards Roman Catholic Church in Borrowdale.
After the church service, his body will be ferried to
Chitindo Farm where it will be lying-in-state before burial on Sunday.
Zanu PF Secretary for Security, Cde Lovemore Matuke, who
worked closely with the Muzenda family in Gutu District, described the death of
Cde Muzenda as a loss to the nation and Gutu in particular.
Cde Matuke worked closely with the Muzenda family as the
late Vice President Muzenda’s constituency co-ordinator in the 90s.
“I know Tongai from
a tender age when I was the constituency co-ordinator of his father, the late
former Vice President Muzenda in Gutu North,” he said.
“I worked closely with him to ensure the party won resoundingly
in Gutu when his father was still a Member of Parliament for Gutu North.
“He was involved in politics and joined the Zanu PF youth
league in Gweru and was later transferred to Masvingo province.
“He loved politics and farming during his youthful days.”
Cde Matuke described
Cde Muzenda as a humble man despite coming from a prominent family.
“You could not
notice that he was the son of a Vice President,” he said. “Like his father, he
was a man of the people who mingled with everyone despite one’s standing in the
community.
“The Masvingo provincial party leadership applied for
provincial hero status for Tongai in recognition of his immense contribution to
the party.
“Cde Muzenda played a role in the establishment of
secondary and primary schools, clinics and rehabilitation of roads in Gutu.
“Through his developmental work ethic, Cde Muzenda
established Thornhill Secondary School, Ndawi Clinic in ward 29, Chavarove
Clinic and Dombo Clinic in Ward 1, Gutu West.”
Zanu PF deputy secretary for Youth Affairs, Cde John
Paradza, who took over as Gutu West MP from Cde Muzenda, said he was a hardworking
man and mentor to the younger generation.
“He handed over the
constituency to me and helped win it back to Zanu PF when he stepped down,” he
said.
“He also advised me on a number of projects to ensure we
develop the constituency.
“He recently donated 10 000 bricks to complete the
construction of Mbamba Clinic using his personal resources.
“As a successful businessman, he also donated fuel to the
District Development Fund in Gutu to ensure the successful rehabilitation of
roads in the area.”
Cde Muzenda leaves behind wife Constance and two children.
Mourners are gathered at 26 St. Brelades Road, Rolf Valley,
Borrowdale, Harare and Chindito Farm in Gutu. Herald
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