President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s advisor and disability rights champion Joshua Malinga, who died on Friday, has been hailed as a passionate and hardworking leader.
Malinga succumbed to prostate cancer at the age of 79.
The former Bulawayo executive mayor died at his Richmond home surrounded by family members, his son Mpehlabayo said.
“He was diagnosed with prostate cancer four years ago and we thought it had gone into remission after treatment, but it came back aggressively and he had been too unwell for some time,” Mpehlabayo said.
Malinga was the special advisor to Mnangagwa on disability issues.
In his condolence message, Vice President Kembo Mohadi said Malinga was passionate about disability issues.
“May the family accept my deepest sympathy following his untimely death,” Mohadi said.
“Malinga was the presidential advisor and politburo member responsible for the physically challenged people and he was so passionate about his responsibility.”
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In a post on X, formerly Twitter, exiled former minister Saviour Kasukuwere, said: “He was a man so full of humour and wisdom. He stood for the disabled community with conviction. Go well, brave leader.”
Malinga was born on April 20, 1944 in Filabusi, Matabeleland South.
He lost the ability to walk after he was attacked by polio.
He was then taken to Bulawayo’s Jairos Jiri centre for the physically challenged persons by former Bulawayo mayor Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu.
Mpehlabayo praised his father’s resilence in the face of adversity.
“From the handicap at a young age, my father made the best of life from a situation where many would have given up,” he said.
“We, his 10 children, would count ourselves lucky to achieve half the things he achieved, having had to fight through discrimination to become the important voice he went on to become, especially against all forms of injustice.”
Prospective Bulawayo mayor and former Education minister David Coltart said: “Although in the last two decades we’ve been on opposite sides of the political divide, we became a good friend in the 1980s and 90s and have remained so since.
“I admired his courage under affliction.”
Malinga was elected a Bulawayo councilor in the 1990s and went on to serve as executive mayor for two terms up to 1996.
Mourners are gathered at number 1 Brooke road, Richmond.
