By A Correspondent| Zanu Pf Central Committee member for Midlands province, Timothy Gandire-Mhuri, has died.

He was 88.

Gandire-Mhuri succumbed to kidney failure at a private hospital in Borrowdale yesterday morning.

Midlands Central Committee member Emmanuel Fundira said the provincial executive committee has since written to the Politburo requesting that he be declared a national hero.

“We have written to the party requesting national hero status for one of the pillars of the province who played a pivotal role during the liberation struggle,” said Fundira.

He described the late Gandire-Mhuri as a good listener and down-to-earth person who had an open-door policy.

“Those remaining in the province and party should continue uniting people, fighting for development and providing corrupt-free leadership, which he typified for more than 60 years.

“He provided good and mature leadership. He was the most senior both in the district and province. He was a source of wisdom and advice for the party.

“He remained committed to the party before and after independence,” he said.

Born in Shurugwi on October 2 1930, Gandire-Mhuri did his primary and secondary education at Vugwi before training as a mechanic at Ndweleni Technical College in South Africa.

Upon his return, he joined Zanu-PF in 1952 and later moved to Zambia to open a transport business.

However, he remained devoted to the liberation struggle.

While in Zambia, he provided liberation fighters with accommodation and transportation and became a target of Zambian and Rhodesian colonial governments.

He worked with senior party leaders such as Herbert Chitepo, Enock Dumbutshena and President Mnangagwa.-StateMedia