President mourns Hungwe

Felex Share Senior Reporter
President Mugabe yesterday mourned former Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union president, Mr Silas Hungwe, commending him for his immense contribution in imparting knowledge and skills to indigenous farmers.

Mr Hungwe, brother to Minister of State for Liaising on Psychomotor Activities in Education Cde Josiah Hungwe, died on Monday morning after a long illness.

He was 91.

President Mugabe, who visited the Hungwe family home in Mabelreign together with Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Cabinet Ministers, said for his role to the development of Zanu-PF and Government, Mr Hungwe would get a State assisted funeral.

“Mumwe wedu aenda tongomukungurutsa here? Saka ndati kuvakomana vangu hazvingangoite kuti titi mutoro uyu uremere mhuri, ngautiremere tose, hurumende ive nekumususukidza nekubatsira mhuri zvakakwana. Ndinovimba tichabatsirana pakuronga pakuti mumwe wedu timuradzikise ndozvatati tiitewo. Vamwe vangu vagutsurira musoro vakatiwo zvakana ngatimupurerekedze nemutowo iwoyo.”

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President Mugabe said to show his dexterity, the Zimbabwe Open University had accorded the now deceased an Honorary Doctorate in Agricultural Management even when he was not well.

“Looking at his work for the development of indigenous farmers, it was benefiting even though he was not leading a normal life as he was in a wheel chair,” he said.

“Today he is gone, yes we might all die in the end but no one will rush or volunteer to die.”

President Mugabe said Government had worked with Mr Hungwe for a long time.

“I saw a lot in him,” he said. “First he was principled in his work, leading and mobilising farmers. He showed vast knowledge in this area and he was also courageous in mobilising and uniting farmers to partner with Government. We had fought the liberation struggle to do away with the injustices created by the whites and our winning meant we are now owners of the land.”

President Mugabe added: “Hatingoreva kuti rakauya raingova ivhu chete rekuvakira musha pariri, kufudzira mombe kwete, zvaireva kuti ivhu iroro rinotoda zvino kushandwa nemasimba. The power that we applied to fight for that land is the same power that was needed for the land to bring prosperity and that is where people like Mr Hungwe were needed.”

“He did not tire, he went all places and came to us with farmers’ grievances. It could be lack of money for equipment or lack of land on the part of others. It was not possible for Government to go it alone.”

Minister Hungwe said most family members, including himself had been raised by Mr Hungwe.

“To be what I am today is because of him,” he said. “His contribution to the party (Zanu-PF) and Government centred on food security and this is what he died doing. Everyone in the family is happy with his works.”

He also thanked President Mugabe for finding time to console the Hungwe family.

Born Sarayi Dunira Hungwe on August 24, 1924 in Masvingo, Mr Hungwe attained an Advanced Master Farmer Certificate, majoring in groundnuts, sorghum, livestock and farm management.

Between 1974 and 1979, he became the vice chairman of the then Victoria Farmers’ Association, a grouping of black farmers that was formed primarily to advance the interests of indigenous farmers in Rhodesia.

In 1981, he became the vice president of National Farmers’ Association of Zimbabwe.

He became the ZFU vice president in 1991 after the merger of National Farmers’ Association of Zimbabwe and National Farmers Union under the banner of ZFU.

In 1996, Mr Hungwe became the president of ZFU.

Mr Hungwe received a number of awards from regional and international organisations.

He was awarded an Honorary Diploma in Appreciation of Exertion, Profound Efforts for Sustainable African Agricultural Development by the International Federation of Agriculture Producers (IFAP).

The Zimbabwe Open University accorded him an Honorary Doctorate in Agricultural Management. He was also a founding member of various regional and continental farmer interest groups such as the Southern African Confederation of Agriculture Unions (SACAU), which represents 14 national farmers’ unions and the Pan African Farmers Organisation (PAFO), representing farmers across Africa.

ZFU, under his leadership, became a member of the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO).

In 2014, Mr Hungwe was conferred the status of honorary president of ZFU.

Mr Hungwe is survived by wife Rhoda, five children and several grandchildren.

He will be buried in Masvingo tomorrow.