ZANU PF’s rival “Gamatox” and “Weevils” factions temporarily buried their differences when they converged at the burial of the party’s late Mudzi West legislator Acqulina Katsande on Monday.
by Jairos Saunyama
Katsande, who in December last year was fired as part of the Ray Kaukonde-led Mashonaland East provincial co-ordinating committee, died at the weekend after a long illness and was buried at her homestead in Masenda village in Mudzi.
The burial was attended by party bigwigs and senior government officials from both camps who took turns to praise the late politician.
The politicians who attended the burial included national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere, Provincial Affairs minister Biggie Matiza, Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi, Health minister David Parirenyatwa, Kaukonde and former Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs minister Simbaneuta Mudarikwa, among many others.
Addressing mourners, Kasukuwere showered praises on Katsande, describing her as having championed the empowerment of women in the province.
“This is the will of God, but we want to thank Amai Katsande for her love for this province,” Kasukuwere said.
Sekeramayi said: “We were working together with her in harmony. She became a Member of Parliament, then the Women’s League provincial boss.”
Katsande became MP for Mudzi West in 2005 and in 2008 she became the party’s provincial Women’s League secretary for administration before taking over as the women’s boss in 2013.
However, she was caught in the crossfire when she was fired together with Kaukonde after being linked to the faction led by former Vice-President Joice Mujuru.
