One of President Robert Mugabe’s allies, Cephas Msipa, has died after he succumbed to a chest infection at a private hospital in Harare on Monday morning.
Msipa, a former governor for Midlands province from 2001 to 2008, was 85. Mugabe has since declared Msipa a national hero. Burial arrangements are yet to be announced.
In announcing the hero status, Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa said Mugabe had directed that Msipa be declared a national hero.
“We had a chat with the president, and what we have resolved will stand. When we are talking as the presidium, the likes of (Zanu PF political commissar, Saviour) Kasukuwere will step aside. Yes, the procedure is to have the province recommend, but what we have resolved will not change,” he said.
Mugabe left the country Monday for the Comesa Summit in Madagascar.
Earlier, Kasukuwere had said the Midlands provincial committee would make recommendations to the party and the party would deliberate on it.
“We hope this will be what is going to happen,” he said.
Msipa’s son, Cephas Jnr, who is also the family spokesperson, said his father’s health deteriorated two weeks ago and was moved from Gweru, the Midlands province capital, to Harare.
He said he developed lung and abdominal infections, and it was only discovered late that the lung infection was pronounced, as one of the lungs had developed pneumonia.
“His health deteriorated more after it was seen that there were elements of side effects, despite the infection having started clearing,” Cephas Jnr said.
Lately, Msipa seemed to have crossed paths with Mugabe, accused the latter of being “arrogant” and warning him he risked “being consumed by unrestrained public anger”.
He also tore into Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko for his continued stay at a five-star hotel in the capital.
Mphoko, a former envoy to South Africa and Botswana, spent close to 600 days in the presidential suite of the hotel since his elevation to the vice president post in December 2014.
Before being appointed Midlands governor, Msipa had risen to become a Zanu PF politburo member.
He had started off as a sport and recreation deputy minister, before being appointed water minister.
Msipa left active politics in 2014 after deciding not to contest for a Zanu PF central committee position.
He lost his wife, Charlotte, in April 2013, who was buried at the Midlands Provincial Heroes’ Acre.