By Stephen Chadenga
PROMINENT Gweru miner, Florence Mbizo (nee Mudzengi), was today laid to rest at Destiny Memorial Park.
She received a big send off, momentarily bringing the Midlands capital to a halt as the hearse accompanied by the convoy passed through the CBD.
Mbizo, a staunch ZANU PF supporter and women empowerment champion, passed on this past Saturday at the age of 56 after being unwell for some time.
At the time of her death, she was the MinersforED national vice chairperson.
Renowned miner, Tich Darangwa (Big Tich), who worked with Mbizo in the mining sector, said the sector had lost a giant.
He described Mai Mudzengi as a fearless and professional woman.
“We worked with her,she was a champion woman with a midas touch,” he said.
Big Tich added that, he worked along Mai Mudzengi in a territory that many women feared to indulge.
“Mai Mudzengi was fearless, she had what it takes to be a gold miner, a feat most women would not want to venture.We salute her and say rest in power mother,”
As the convoy of cars mostly led by Midlands MinersforED left the Mudzengi residence in Mtapa suburb to Destiny Memorial cemetery Wednesday it was all tears as people grappled to come to terms with the loss of a mother, a businesswoman, a fearless politician and philanthropist.
“It’s a sad day for us, we have lost a listening voice, a mother a girl empower,”said 21 year old Sharleen Moyo from Mtapa.
“Mother (Mai Mudzengi) used to instill economic empowerment in us as ghetto boys,”Moyo added.
According to Big Tich Mai Mudzengi had to face hurdles including mine and land boundaries in her mining career.
“But she remained fearless as a miner,”Big Tich said.
A champion of community empowerment himself, Big Tich and Mai Mudzengi have provided employment to many youths who could have found themselves in the abyss of drug and substance abuse.
“The likes of Big Tich and Mai Mudzengi have empowered us through employment,”19 year old Solo, who was among mourners at the Mudzengi homestead in Mtapa said.
Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Owen Ncube described Mai Mudzengi as a champion of women empowerment.
“Not only was she an astute Zanu PF member. She was a champion of women empowerment and a believer in the able leadership of his Excellency Cde ED Mnangagwa,”Ncube said.
This reporter had scheduled an interview with Mai Mudzengi a fortnight before her downfall. The interview never took off after she was taken ill.
After personally losing a mother last February Mai Mudzengi would ask, “Why do you look troubled son you lose a mother other mothers like us are there for you.”
