ZCTU Leader Kudakwashe Munengiwa Dies Aged 47 in Harare

Gweru —  Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) Second Deputy Secretary-General and long-serving employee of Gweru City Coumcil has died.

He passed away on Tuesday, 13 October 2026 in Harare. He was 47.

Born on 28 July 1979, Munengiwa joined the City of Gweru on 4 April 2004 as a contract meter reader in the Finance Department.

He was appointed Revenue Collector on 9 May 2005, promoted to Traffic Supervisor on 1 August 2014 and transferred to Credit Control Supervisor on 1 September 2016.

He served the council for over 22 years and also acted as a workers’ representative at the municipality.

Beyond his municipal duties, Munengiwa distinguished himself in the labour movement.

He served as General Secretary of the Zimbabwe Urban Councils Workers Union (ZUCWU) and rose to become Second Deputy Secretary-General of the ZCTU.

He briefly acted as ZCTU Secretary-General earlier in 2026. Colleagues remembered him as a committed advocate for workers’ rights, workplace safety and democratic principles.

In a formal condolence message issued on 13 October 2026, Gweru Mayor, Councillor Martin Chivhoko, the Town Clerk Livingston Churu, councillors, management and staff expressed profound sadness at his passing.

“His commitment to workers, his colleagues, and the residents of Gweru will be remembered with great respect,” the message stated.

Munengiwa began his public life in Gweru and was also active in opposition politics with the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

He served in the party’s Youth Assembly and later on its Standing Committee under Professor Welshman Ncube.

During the Government of National Unity, he represented the MDC on the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC) for Midlands Province. In 2013 he contested the Mkoba parliamentary constituency.

Trade unionists across sectors have described his death as a significant loss to the labour movement.

He is survived by his wife and four children.