adminA family spokesperson told our Harare Bureau that Bwititi, who was one of the editorial managers of the New Era in Namibia at the time of his death, succumbed to kidney failure on Sunday morning.
“He had a minor accident last week in Namibia and hospitalised. He was supposed to have undergone a kidney transplant, unfortunately, he died on Sunday at around 11am,” said the spokesperson.
The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) has sent a condolence message to the Bwititi family.
“Bwititi’s death is a sad chapter in the media industry and is devastating as it comes barely a fortnight after the passing on of veteran broadcaster Freedom Moyo of the ZBC,” said ZUJ secretary-general Foster Dongozi in a statement yesterday.
Dongozi said the death of Bwititi leaves a void of an experienced and internationally acclaimed journalist in the country.
“He was well-versed, experienced and internationally respected. I personally worked with Bwititi at Chronicle in the 1990s and developed a very close professional and personal friendship,” said Dongozi.
He said at Chronicle, Bwititi brought a rich resume, which had seen him work for the Government as a press officer and as a journalist at Ziana where he was on the Presidential Press Corps before joining the Zimpapers stable.
“We will also cherish his work ethic, sociable personality and learn from his rich legacy. Our sincere condolences go to his wife Theresa, (Amai Owen) and his children. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” said Dongozi.
Bwititi was born in 1966 at Concession in Mashonaland Central.
He began his journalism career with the then Ministry of Information as an information officer between 1987 and 1989.
He joined the Zimbabwe Inter Africa News Agency (Ziana) as a senior reporter in 1990 where he worked as the news agency’s Masvingo Bureau Chief.
In October 1996, Bwititi joined Zimpapers and worked as the Midlands Bureau Chief.
He was transferred to Bulawayo in April 1997 where he became news editor at the Chronicle. In 2001, Bwititi was appointed editor at Manica Post, a position he held until his return to Chronicle in July 2005 as editor.
He was editor of Chronicle until his re-assignment to Manica Post in 2007.
In 2009, he was appointed editor of the Southern Times in Namibia, before joining the New Era editorial team after the end of his contract.
Bwititi is survived by his wife Theresa and three children, two sons and a daughter.
Bwititi’s body is expected to arrive in the country from Namibia either tomorrow or on Thursday. Mourners are gathered at Stand Number 10462 at the Bwititi homestead in Concession.
Online Reporter