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Bulawayo Bureau
LUPANE East Member of Parliament and Zanu-PF Matabeleland North Women’s League secretary for Administration, Cde Sithembile Gumbo, has died.
She was 56.
Cde Gumbo, who was battling bone cancer, died on Monday evening at United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) where she had been admitted after being involved in an accident nearly two weeks ago.
The Minister of State for Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Zanu-PF provincial chairman, Cde Richard Moyo, yesterday confirmed Cde Gumbo’s death.
“She passed on at UBH yesterday (Monday) in the evening. She was one of our hardworking party members and provincial Women’s League secretary for administration. She worked well with people in her constituency which saw them re-electing her for a second parliamentary term despite knowing that she had not been feeling well for some time,” said Cde Moyo.
“Parliament had arranged that she be taken out of the country for medical treatment. On her way to Harare about two weeks ago, she was involved in an accident which left her seriously injured and hospitalised at UBH where she died.”
He said Zanu-PF Matabeleland North has already applied that she be accorded provincial hero status.
Cde Gumbo’s family spokesperson and sister Ms Phumile Gumbo said her sibling succumbed to injuries she sustained following a road accident.
“She had been battling bone cancer for almost two years. Parliament had arranged that she goes out of the country for medical treatment. But on her way to Harare about two weeks ago to finalise arrangements for the treatment, she was involved in an accident and she died as a result of injuries that she sustained,” said Ms Gumbo.
She said the family was devastated following her death.
“She was the first born in the family, so a lot of people depended on her. Her death has left us heartbroken as she was not just our family unifier, but also assisted the community that entrusted her to be their MP,” Ms Gumbo said.
Burial arrangements will be announced in due course and mourners are gathered at her rural home in Lupane.
Cde Gumbo is survived by four children.
Online Reporter