Zanu-PF Women’s League member Nhari buried

Patrick Chitumba/Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Reporters
THE Zanu-PF Women’s League has sent a message of condolence to the family of its former secretary for administration Cde Esphina Nhari who was buried yesterday at the Gweru provincial heroes’ acre.

Cde Nhari, 62, died when a Mazda BT 50 she was driving collided head on with a BMW near Kadoma at around 9PM on Friday.

She was on her way to Harare from Kwekwe.

The Women’s League described Cde Nhari as a committed member who worked for the development of the ruling party.

Women’s League Deputy Secretary Cde Eunice-Nomthandazo Moyo said the party was saddened by Cde Nhari’s death.

“On behalf of the First Lady Cde Grace Mugabe who is also the Secretary for Women League and on my own behalf as the deputy secretary we would like to send our deepest condolences to the family of Esphina Nyashanu Nhari following her sudden death,” said Cde Moyo.

She said the Women’s League was standing together with the Nhari family during their bereavement period.

“We want to let them know that we’re mourning together with them. We shared a lot of experiences and ideals with Nhari. We had good cordial relations with her. We’re in support of the honour that has been given her,” Cde Moyo said.

She said she knew Cde Nhari when she started her political career as a member of Zapu’s youth wing before the country’s independence in 1980.

“She was a vibrant Zapu youth working from Kwekwe, Midlands. She used to work with the likes of Cde Killian Sibanda (MP for Nkulumane Constituency) and Cde Thokozile Mathuthu (Deputy Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services) in Matabeleland North under the leadership of Cde Mthinsi, Cde Bhebhe and Cde Khona Dlamini,” said Cde Moyo.

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa led Politburo members and senior Zanu PF officials who included the Minister of State for Liaising on Psychomotor Activities in Education, Josiah Hungwe, the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development, Cde Joram Gumbo, Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Jason Machaya and Zibagwe Member of Parliament Cde Auxilia Mnangagwa at the burial.

VP Mnangagwa told mourners that he had been tasked by President Robert Mugabe to come and convey his condolences to the Nhari family.

He said the President excused him from Cabinet yesterday so that he could be at the provincial heroes’ acre.

“She was declared a liberation war heroine after the President looked at her track record. Cde Nhari was a party member who rose through the ranks until she was appointed the Women’s League Secretary for Administration,” Cde Mnangagwa said.

He said Cde Nhari was on her way to Harare to attend weekend classes at the University of Zimbabwe where she was reading for a degree.

“After the accident, she was taken to Kadoma General Hospital and even narrated how the accident happened. Later on we were told she had passed on,” said the VP.

He said Cde Nhari was a long serving member of Zanu-PF and a war veteran who was trained in Zambia at Mukushi under Zipra before she was assigned to the health department at the same camp.

Cde Nhari held several positions both in Zapu and Zanu-PF up to the level of National Secretary for Administration in the Women’s League and was at one time a Central Committee member.

She is survived by four children and seven grandchildren.

Cde Nhari was earlier this year suspended from her position after a vote of no confidence was passed against her for chanting the slogan “Down with G40” during First Lady Cde Grace Mugabe’s Meet the People rally in Gutu.