Zanu-PF Masvingo Provincial Executive Member Dies 

A prominent sugar cane farmer who was a member of the Masvingo Provincial executive for Zanu-PF, Edmore Gochai Veterai, has died.

Veterai, who died at the age of 61 was a former ZRP senior assistant commissioner for Matebeleland North.

He died on Monday afternoon in Chiredzi after collapsing and rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

During his reign in Matabeleland North province the late Veterai was known for arresting and harassing human rights activists, journalists and politicians like the late MDC T president Morgan Tsvangirai and some members of the Welshman Ncube led MDC.

Like his boss during his time in police, Commissioner General, Augustine Chihuri, Veterai openly declared his political allegiance to Zanu-PF and Robert Mugabe would do nothing about it.

Veterai retired from the police a few years ago and concentrated on farming and full time Zanu-PF politics. In 2018, he contested in the Zanu-PF Bikita South primary elections and lost.

Veterai was early this year reinstated as chairperson of the powerful Zimbabwe Sugarcane Development Association (ZSDA) by the High Court after he successfully overturned the results of an election of a new executive, which he argued were rigged.

Teverai Nhapi, who worked with Veterai as an entrepreneur and women’s economic empowerment advocate, told the Zimbabwe Voice that the deceased was a champion and a true leader.

The ZSDA is one of the two biggest indigenous cane farmers associations in the Lowveld, whose membership control over 16,000 ha of sugarcane in Chiredzi, and this gave Veterai and influential role in Masvingo politics.

Credit: Zimbabwe Voice