Ziyapapa Moyo Widow Dies

Bulawayo, February 07, 2010 - The widow of the late veteran ZAPU cadre Jason Ziyaphapha Moyo, Mrs Elina Mkandla-Moyo, died in Bulawayo aged 79.

Her daughter, Ms Bancane Moyo said her mother died at her North End home in Bulawayo after being bedridden since 2007 following a severe stroke.
Her late husband Ziyaphapha Moyo died during the struggle in a parcel bomb in Zambia in 1977.

Mrs Moyo was to be buried at West Park Cemetery. Her body lay in state at the North End house before burial at West Park Cemetery in Bulawayo

Ms Moyo said the Moyo family had lost a pillar of strength and wisdom who will be greatly missed by all in Bulawayo and the nation at large. Since 2007,she said her mother was being taken care of by her children.

“I have been looking after our mother and we never received any help from anybody until she passed on at the weekend,” she said.

The late national hero, Cde Moyo’s cousin, Retired Colonel Thomas Ngwenya, said the family had sent Ms Moyo’s curriculum vitae to Zanu-PF requesting a heroine’s status. However, there had not yet received a response.

Rtd Col Ngwenya said Mrs Moyo played a pivotal role in the liberation struggle because she looked after the family while Cde Moyo fought against the colonialists. "When we came back from war, we reconnected with Mrs Moyo and I can safely say she looked after the kids properly even after the death of her husband," said Rtd Col Ngwenya.

Born in a family of five, on 27 May 1930 in Ntabazinduna on the outskirts of Bulawayo, she married Moyo in 1952. They lived in 10th Street in Makokoba suburb in Bulawayo, which was the nerve of the mobilisation for the fight for the liberation struggle.

Mrs Moyo is survived by two children,George and Bancane, as well as 13 grandchildren. 

Zanu PF recently buried another widow of the late nationalist Leopold Takawira, Amai Sunny Ntombiyelanga Takawira. She was declared a national heroine and buried at the national shrine in Harare.  Zapu Zimbabwe Review