THE media fraternity yesterday described the death of veteran journalist and former MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s spokesperson William Tagwirei Bango in a road traffic accident on Tuesday as a big void which would be difficult to fill.
BY EVERSON MUSHAVA CHIEF REPORTER
Bango died in a car crash late on Tuesday near Dema Growth Point in Seke as he was driving to Harare. He was 62.
Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe board chairman Alec Muchadehama said the former Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) national president contributed immensely to the journalism profession by fighting to improve journalists’ welfare and working conditions.
“Mr Bango will be greatly missed and it is our hope that journalists in Zimbabwe will continue to draw inspiration from his wisdom and unwavering commitment to the upliftment of journalism standards in Zimbabwe,” Muchadehama said in a statement.
ZUJ secretary-general Foster Dongozi said: “ZUJ has lost and journalism is poorer. He was a veteran journalist who worked very hard in training other journalists while he was still at the Daily News. The loss that we feel is difficult to describe.”
Bango joined Tsvangirai’s office in 2002 as the presidential spokesperson until 2008 when he was reassigned to head the policy department.
He co-authored Tsvangirai’s autobiography At The Deep End, a personal story about the MDC-T leader’s “trials and tribulations” in pursuit of “freedom and democracy in Zimbabwe”.
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Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka said: “Bango has left an indelible national mark on three fronts: As a hero of the liberation struggle, a one-time national leader of the journalism fraternity, and as a hero of the post-liberation struggle for real change and democracy.”
Zimbabwe Media Commissioner and former ZUJ president Matthew Takaona described Bango as one of the finest post-independence journalists and a remarkable trade union leader.
“His death comes at a time when the media looks poised for immense growth with the anticipated digitilisation that would usher in more space for television stations. This was certainly going to be Bango’s time; a journalist recognised and acknowledged for his immense training skills. The new era of media pluralism certainly calls for comprehensive training programmes for media practitioners.
“Bango was the second president of ZUJ after the late Charles Chikerema. His tenure of office would always be remembered for its smooth administration, discipline and the international networking that the union achieved.”
Bango is survived by his wife, Charity, who is a Harare councillor, four children and several grandchildren.
He will be buried at his rural home in Chivhu tomorrow.
