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Variously described as controversial, flamboyant and traditionalist, Cde Herbert Musiyiwa Ushewokunze was a charming cadre who ignited Zimbabwe’s political scene with his witticism and openness.
He died on December 10 and was laid to rest on December 12, 1995.
An articulate revolutionary and eloquent speaker, Herbert Ushewokunze was a charismatic politician who could be comfortable anywhere, be it practising conventional medicine alongside traditional treatment.
It was his “rare measure of public spiritedness and high sense of sacrifice (that) contributed tremendously to the shaping of the policies of the Zanu-PF party as well as implementing them”.
Born near Marondera on June 6, 1933 as the last child of a Wesley Methodist family, Cde Ushewokunze had to be educated and brought up by his uncle after his father had died a few weeks before his birth.
It was the early orphanhood of this lonely, but intelligent boy which helped him develop sympathy for the poor and the disadvantaged in his adult life.
Cde Ushewekunze received early education at several primary schools in Chihota and Zvimba communal areas as well as Bulawayo.
Cde Ushewokunze later moved to Waddilove Institute and Goromonzi Secondary School.
In 1965, he graduated as a medical doctor from the University of Natal, South Africa.
It was while he was reading at Natal University that Cde Ushewokunze became involved in politics with his election as the president of the Black Medical Students Union.
And as a member of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), he joined the South Africans in their struggle and campaign against the enforced carrying of passes that led to the Sharpeville massacre of 1960.
Dr Ushewokunze returned to practise medicine in Bulawayo becoming the first black doctor to run a private nursing home called Marondera Clinic. He had other surgeries in Gweru and Kwekwe. In addition, he ran a charity clinic for the poor in Gokwe. Even in his surgeries, Dr Ushewokunze often treated for free patients who could not afford the fees.
Indeed, Cde Ushewokunze was a compassionate man who could relate to people of all classes and races. His popularity in Bulawayo was further enhanced by his participation in the formation of Mashonaland United Football Club (Zimbabwe Saints).
In the meantime, Dr Ushewokunze had joined Zanu’s youth branch and was extensively engaged in the underground recruitment of youths for the armed struggle. As vice chairman of the African National Council (ANC), Cde Ushewokunze played a major role in organising the black population’s rejection of the Pearce Commission of 1971.
Following the Geneva Conference of 1976, he left his medical practice to join Zanla in Mozambique convinced that his services would be of immense help to the freedom fighters.
Cde Ushewekunze was almost immediately elected Zanu’s Secretary for Health in addition to assuming membership of the Central Committee and the High Command.
Credit goes to Dr Ushewokunze for establishing clinics in guerrilla camps and refugee settlements.
Of significance was his remarkable achievement in training paramedical cadres into Zanla medical corps that even extended their services to the ordinary Mozambican people.
Cde Ushewokunze became Zimbabwe’s first Minister of Health in 1980 and introduced free basic medical care to the country’s lowly-paid and unemployed. He had won the elections as Zanu-PF candidate for Bulawayo.
Despite his medical training, Dr Ushewokunze strongly believed in the development of traditional medicine as an alternative treatment for rare illnesses. As such he was instrumental in the enactment of laws that legalised traditional medical practices thereby according healers the due respect and recognition in our society.
Of course, he personally prescribed traditional treatment whenever he felt it would be more effective than Western remedies.
From the Health portfolio, Cde Ushewokunze held various ministerial appointments including Home Affairs (1982-84), Transport (1984-88), Political Affairs (1988) and Energy, Water Resources and Development (1990-93) after which he resigned from Government to concentrate on party politics.
At the 1984 Zanu-PF Congress, Cde Ushewekunze was elected to the Central Committee and became the Secretary for the Commissariat and Culture in the Politburo. Cde Ushewokunze contested the 1985 general elections and won the Chinamora constituency. In 1990 he was elected MP for Highfield constituency in Harare.
At the time of his death he was the Zanu-PF chairman for Harare Province and was survived by 21 children.
Source: A Guide to the Heroes Acre
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