Online Reporter
Herald Reporter
Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Mozambique and Eswatini, Victor Matemadanda passed away yesterday.
He was 66.
Ambassador Matemadanda, was accredited to the two countries, where he had been spearheading efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and deepen cooperation.
In a statement yesterday, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade spokesperson Mrs Philisiwe Chidawanyika said: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade mourns the passing on of Ambassador Victor Matemadanda in the early hours of this morning, June 21, 2026.
“Ambassador Matemadanda was, at the time of his death, responsible for strengthening Zimbabwe’s relations with the Republic of Mozambique and the Kingdom of Eswatini.
“The Ministry is deeply saddened by his untimely death. We express our sincere condolences to the Chief Diplomat, His Excellency President Mnangagwa, the Matemadanda family and the entire nation of Zimbabwe on this loss,” she said.
As a veteran ZANU PF politician and former liberation war fighter, Ambassador Matemadanda was an influential, longtime political commissar in Zanu PF and played an active role in national politics and war veterans’ affairs before taking up his diplomatic assignments.
Born on March 3, 1960, he experienced the effects of colonial displacement at an early age after his family was relocated from their land to Gokwe before later going into exile in Zambia.
Inspired by his father’s participation in the liberation struggle, he joined the armed struggle as a teenager in the 1970s, undergoing military training before operating from Zambia and Mozambique.
In 1979, he was deployed to the Mutoko front as a Zanla combatant, contributing to the country’s fight for independence.
After independence, Ambassador Matemadanda became one of the country’s most influential war veteran leaders, serving as secretary-general.
In that role, he championed the welfare of former freedom fighters and helped shape the association’s leadership and policy direction.
His political career saw him rise to become the party’s National Political Commissar in 2017. He was elected Member of Parliament for Gokwe Central in 2018 before being appointed Deputy Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs, where he played a key role in matters relating to national security and the welfare of liberation war veterans.
In 2021, he was appointed Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Mozambique with additional accreditation to Eswatini, a role in which he worked to strengthen diplomatic,
economic and historical ties with the two countries, particularly those rooted in the shared liberation struggle.
Away from politics and public office, Ambassador Matemadanda also pursued higher education, earning a degree from the University of South Africa (UNISA) before obtaining a Doctorate in Business Administration from the African Leadership Institute in 2022.
He is remembered for his steadfast commitment to preserving the legacy of the liberation struggle and for his continued service to the nation in both government and diplomacy until his death.
Funeral arrangements are yet to be announced.
