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VICE-PRESIDENT Simon Vengai Muzenda has died. Cde Muzenda passed away yesterday afternoon at Parirenyatwa Hospital where he had been hospitalised. President Mugabe announced the death of the veteran nationalist in an address to the nation yesterday evening. He said: "The Vice-President had been unwell for quite some time and, through Government facilitation, was able to receive medical attention in a number of countries, including the People's Republic of China, which is where he received his last attention before being brought back home four weeks ago. "Together with the family we were quite hopeful that the Vice-President would recover from this illness and would be with us to resume the great service he had always given to his people and country. "Sadly this was not to be. For soon after his return from China it was quite clear that the odds against him were growing insurmountable by the day." He described Cde Muzenda as a veteran freedom fighter, a father figure, a cultural icon, soul of the nation, a fount of common sense, a great personality whose life encapsulated an important and integral chapter in the vast story of the nation. "To have known him was to know the living side of the rise of nationalism in Zimbabwe, our struggle for independence, for nationhood and for a Zimbabwean national personality," said the President. He said Cde Muzenda would be remembered as a true believer in national unity, "a crusade he started as far back as the early 70s and would be seized with right up to 1987 when the historic Unity Accord was signed. A true great son of the soil he indeed was. "Our nation is the poorer for his departure. On behalf of the whole nation, I express very deep and heartfelt condolences to Amai Muzenda, the children and the Muzenda family on this their huge and irreparable loss. "My heart goes out especially to Amai Muzenda who stood loyally and tirelessly by her husband�s side. She literally made her husband�s bedside her new and unhappy home right up to the last minute of his breath. Her largeness of heart, her loftiness of spirit will not be lost upon this nation. "I visited him (Cde Muzenda) yesterday (Friday) at Parirenyatwa where he was and saw his last gasps. Mai Muzenda was on his bedside. "I knew he was going. Mai Muzenda wept and I wept with her. I told her that this was the moment to be strong," said the President. He said Zanu-PF would meet soon to fulfil the formalities of recognising "this great son of our nation". President Mugabe said burial arrangements would be announced in due course. The
Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy" Groupe de communication Mulindwas "avec Yoweri Museveni, l'Ouganda est dans l'anarchie" |
