Zanu PF MP Obedingwa Mguni dies after bout of coughing in Parliament

HARARE – Mangwe MP and former Home Affairs deputy Minister Obedingwa Mguni died on Tuesday after a bout of coughing while attending Parliament.

He was 57.

Mguni, who was the Zanu PF deputy chief whip, was rushed to the West End Clinic after the cough attack where he later died, the Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda said.

Legislators from across the political divide paid tribute to the quiet, unassuming MP.

“I am learning with great sadness that the Zanu PF deputy chief whip Hon Mguni has passed on. Such a good man,” said MDC MP Caston Matewu said on Twitter.

“The loss of Zanu PF deputy chief whip Hon Mguni has created a void that I deeply felt in Parliament on Wednesday. I often sat directly opposite him but yesterday, there was no-one there. He was a good man that stood for the welfare of legislators,” independent lawmaker Temba Mliswa tweeted on Thursday.

Mudenda said Mguni looked fit in Parliament before a sudden bout of coughing which forced him to go to hospital.

“He was in Parliament on Tuesday and he was looking fit indeed and conducting his duties as usual as the deputy chief whip for Zanu PF. He suddenly started coughing and he was rushed to West End Clinic where he later died,” said Mudenda.

“He was a dependable MP who carried out many duties and was always willing to listen to other people.

“He was also an active member of the SADC Parliamentary Forum headquartered in Windhoek, Namibia. Mguni was the Home Affairs deputy minister at some point and he did exceptionally well in responding to questions on behalf of the minister.”

Bulilima Mangwe Senator Simon Khaya Moyo said: “I feel part of my physical being has been ripped off. He was a committed, principled, and disciplined cadre of the revolution who was down to earth and a man of the people.”

Mguni was a second term MP, after winning elections last July. He polled 7,744 votes to his closest chalenger, the MDC Alliance’s Vincent Sihlabo who secured 4,536 votes.

The MDC-T’s Elexio Nyathi was third with 1,335 votes followed by Matthew Sibanda of ZAPU with 812 votes and Nketha Mangoye-Dlamini of ANSA who secured 639 votes.