BY OWN CORRESPONDENT
Jane Ngwenya, one of Zimbabwe’s most prominent female freedom fighters, has died.
She was 86.
Zanu PF politburo member Tshinga Dube said Ngwenya died at Bulawayo’s Mater Dei Hospital on Thursday night.
“I can confirm that we have lost our mother and one of the oldest female politicians,” Dube said on Friday.
“She passed on yesterday night at Mater Dei Hospital after being admitted for two days.
“We know that she was of age and was always in and out of hospital.”
Ngwenya was among the nationalists who formed the National Democratic Party (NDP) after the Rhodesian regime banned the ANC.
She was arrested in 1963 by the Ian Smith government for her political activities.
Ngwenya was detained at Whawha Prison and the Gonakudzingwa detention centre.
After her release, she went into exile in Zimbabwe and was instrumental in recruiting fighters for the Johua Nkomo led ZPRA through her programmes on the Voice of the Revolution Radio in Lusaka.
In 1977, Ngwenya was injured in the explosion that killed Jason Ziyapapa Moyo.
At independence in 1980 she was elected MP for Bulawayo. At one time she was Labour, Manpower an Social Welfare deputy minister.