Higher Education Minister Mudenge dies

Higher Education Minister Stan Mudenge (70) collapsed and died at the Great Zimbabwe Hotel this Thursday afternoon. The Zanu PF MP for Masvingo North had been unwell for a number of years.

Mudenge was expected to officiate at a meeting of officials from regional universities at around 2:30pm when he reportedly collapsed while in his hotel room at around 12:00 noon.

Unconfirmed reports from Masvingo said Great Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor Rungano Zvobgo was in the process of introducing dignitaries at the event, including Mudenge who was expected to officiate when the minister’s aide walked into the room crying and told Zvobgo that his boss had collapsed.

Mudenge was born in 1941 in Zimuto, Masvingo.

His political career began in 1977 when he became Zanu PF secretary for External Affairs in Lesotho, a position he held until 1980.

He served as the Secretary for Education for Zanu PF in the Munyambe North District between 1990 and 1991. He became a member of the Central Committee in 1991.  From 1991 to 1993 he held the post of Senior Permanent Secretary of Political Affairs.  At the same time he was the Deputy Secretary for Commissariat and Culture, Masvingo Province.

He was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1995 before he was reassigned to become Higher and Tertiary Education in 2005 which portfolio he held up to the time of his death. Mudenge had been unwell for some time though his ailment was never been made public.

He wedded in May this year for the second time after his first and second wives died in 2001 and 2004 respectively.