The Sunday News
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
VICE-President Kembo Mohadi’s younger brother, Cde Steven Dugish Mohadi who died in Harare last week, was yesterday buried at his rural home in Mtetengwe Village, about 40 kilometres out of Beitbridge along Bulawayo road in Beitbridge East.
Scores of people from across Zimbabwe and South Africa thronged the Mohadi homestead to pay their last respect to the liberation war hero.
Speaker after speaker described the late Cde Mohadi as a principled man who also sacrificed a lot during the liberation struggle. Cde Mohadi was a war veteran, former soldier and Zanu-PF heavy weight.
He succumbed to a short illness at the Trauma Centre in Borrowdale, Harare last Saturday and was honoured with a two gun salute. Minister of State for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs, Cde Abednico Ncube sympathised with the Vice-President’s family, adding that the nation has lost a hard working man.
“Ladies and gentlemen it is no secret that Zimbabwe’s independence did not come on a silver plate but, many people lost their lives while fighting for the liberation of this great nation. We enjoy the Zimbabwe today because of blood and sweat of men like him. Many others who are gathered here were detained in prisons and tortured.
“To the Mohadi Muleya family, I say today we stand tall and we are very proud of the man we are laying to rest here. He served the nation well and made his family proud.”
He also urged the mourners to observe and maintain peace during the elections. Zanu-PF Matabeleland South chairperson, Cde Rabelani Choeni said the late liberation hero was very influential in the party’s campaign activities in most general elections.
“Our hearts are heavy with sorrow, we have lost a brother, a friend, a comrade and a hard working fearless man. The people of Beitbridge and Matabeleland South as a whole are in deep mourning. He was a disciplined man who rose through the ranks in the party. He is one of the pioneers of the land reform around 2000 in this area. Sadly he has never enjoyed the fruits of his hard work since he spent the better part of his life in courts with the former farm occupier resisting eviction from Lot 7 and 8,” said Cde Choeni.
VP Mohadi did not attend the burial as he is receiving treatment in South Africa. VP Mohadi and Zanu-PF national chairperson Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, who has since returned after successfully undergoing medical treatment in South Africa, were part of the 49 people injured by a bomb that targeted President Mnangagwa as he left the podium on 23 June at White City Stadium in Bulawayo.
The incident claimed the lives of two security aides belonging to the two vice-presidents. The late Cde Mohadi is survived by his wife Eammar Mohadi (nee Masuku), six children and five grandchildren.
