Senator Tichaona Mudzingwa, the Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development and former MDC's Secretary for Defence and Home Affairs, has died.

He was 69.

A medical doctor and Zimbabwe's first specialist war surgeon, Dr Mudzingwa died at the Avenues Clinic last night after a short illness. He was born on 23 December 1942 in Buhera, Manicaland province in a family of six sisters and two brothers.

His parents were peasant farmers.

Up to March 2011 was the MDC's Secretary for Defence and Home Affairs. In March 2009, he was nominated by President Tsvangirai to be a non-constituency senator and in the same month was appointed the Deputy Minister for Transport and Infrastructural Development.

He started his political career in January 1960 when he joined the National Democratic Party's Youth Wing, while learning at Fletcher High in Gweru. A former member of Zanu PF and ZAPU, Dr Mudzingwa underwent military training as a guerrilla fighter in Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia.

Senator Mudzingwa is a war veteran and during the liberation war was a member of the Military High Command from 1975 to 1980. He is the first medical doctor to receive full military training and to be deployed to the military front in Zambia and Mozambique from 1975 to 1980 when Zimbabwe attained its independence.

He is a Zimbabwe National Army Retired Colonel who served in the military from 1980 to 1994. He was commander of the Zimbabwe Medical Corps and was awarded several medals for his service in the army.

Dr Mudzingwa is a founder member of the MDC. From 2000 to 2006, he was the MDC's Secretary for Health and Security. In 2005, he was the MDC candidate for Buhera North constituency in the Parliamentary election.

Despite his hectic schedule as a minister and politician, Dr Mudzingwa was still a practising medical doctor. He was widowed and is survived by a son. Mourners are gathered at 380 Shelbourne Road, Uplands, Waterfalls in Harare.

The people's struggle for real change - Let's finish it!!!