Published by the government of Zimbabwe
6 May 2008
Harare — RENOWNED artist, Pan-Africanist, author and social commentator, Ngugi wa Mirii, who died in a car crash on Friday night, will be buried in his home country of Kenya later this week.
Arrangements were being finalised yesterday to repatriate the body to Nairobi following a postmortem that confirmed the cause of death as the accident.
Ngugi's car rammed into a lorry at the intersection of Enterprise Road and Glenara Avenue killing him on the spot.
Ministers and prominent personalities from all walks of life yesterday visited the wa Mirii home to pay their respects to the late playwright and Pan Africanist.
These included the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Cde Patrick Chinamasa, Deputy Minister of Information and Publicity Cde Bright Matonga, former Cabinet Minister Cde Victoria Chitepo, former Minister of Information and Publicity Professor Jonathan Moyo, a commissioner with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Ms Joyce Kazembe, director of the Southern African Regional Documentation Centre Ms Phyllis Johnson as well as film producers, actors and journalists.
In a condolence message to Ngugi's family the Minister of Information and Publicity Cde Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said he learnt with shock of his untimely death describing Ngugi as a Pan Africanist and an astute educationist.
He said this had made it easy for the Government of Zimbabwe to grant him citizenship in the 1980s and later in appointing him as a board member of the Media and Information Commission.
"On behalf of the Government, the whole of my Ministry and on my own behalf, I am offering indeed our heartfelt condolences to Ngugi's wife and family and play writer fraternity and sorority," he said.
Cde Ndlovu said Ngugi distinguished himself at the MIC where he provided accurate advice to the board and to the Ministry and Government for the defence of Zimbabwe's sovereignty.
His deputy Cde Bright Matonga said he learnt with grief the sudden and tragic death of Ngugi (56) saying that he had lost a close friend.
"Ngugi wa Mirii was a close friend of mine. He was my boss when I was the head of electronic media at New Ziana and we also worked together when he was a commissioner at the Media and Information Commission.
"He has achieved a lot in Zimbabwe, and taking into account what he has done, one wouldn't think he was of Kenyan nationality.
"He deserves a great honour for what he has done for our country and the African community at large.
"Zimbabwe and the Pan Africanist movement have been robbed of a gallant fighter," he said.
His friends described him as a true patriot who invested so much power and effort in safeguarding Zimbabwe and Africa's independence from imperialist and neo-colonial forces.
Burial arrangements are still being finalised although his body is expected to be flown to Nairobi for burial by the end of the week.
Ngugi leaves behind his wife, Wairimu, two sons and two daughters. Mourners are gathered at 53 Harare Drive, Greendale.
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