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Herald Reporter
Veteran nationalist and Zanu founder member Cde Washington Malianga has died. He was 88. Cde Malianga died in Harare on Sunday. Zanu-PF secretary for Information and Publicity Cde Rugare Gumbo said yesterday that the party was saddened by the sudden death of the revolutionary.“Zanu-PF has learnt with deep sorrow the tragic passing on of Cde Washington Malianga, who has been a leading nationalist and founding member of the Revolutionary Council from its very inception,” he said.
“The deceased played a pivotal role during the formation of the Zimbabwe National Liberation Army (Zanla), the military with of Zanu in which he was the Secretary of Publicity and Information.
“After that, he became a member of the Dare reChimurenga up to a point when he was constrained by health issues.”
Cde Malianga’s immense contribution to the liberation of Zimbabwe started around 1947 when he became a member of the Commercial and Allied Workers Union (CAWU) of which he was the first secretary general, and then the chairman.
He was among the founding members of Zanu at its formation in August 1963 and was elected the party’s publicity secretary at the Gwelo Congress in May 1964.
When it became imminent that Zanu and the People’s Caretaker Council (PCC) which had replaced Zapu were going to be banned, Cde Malianga left the country and, together with Cde Herbert Chitepo and others, served as members of the Zanu Revolutionary Council from 1964.
He was to become a member of the Dare reChimurenga until he resigned from his post in 1973 due to ill health.
Cde Malianga, who had a great love for music, remained a bachelor.
Mourners are gathered at 35 Stratford Drive, Greystone Park and burial arrangements will be announced in due course.
Online Reporter