Former Deputy Mayor for Kwekwe, Helena Mkosana, has died. The announcement was made by Mbizo Member of Parliament, Corban Madzivanyika, who expressed the loss felt by the Mbizo constituency, Kwekwe district, and Zimbabwe as a whole. The late councillor, who had been battling cancer of the colon for a while, died on Thursday morning at Kwekwe General Hospital where she had been admitted after her condition had deteriorated. Madzivanyika said:
A dark cloud is upon Mbizo constituency,Kwekwe district & Zimbabwe at large as we have just lost a decorated cadre of the Struggle.A former D. Mayor & has proven record in health service provision at Kwekwe Gen Hospital. She was currently, a PR Cllr.
Mkosana who was a member of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), served as deputy Mayor between 2008 and 2013 where she deputised the late Shadrek Tobaiwa who also succumbed to cancer. Mkosana was highly regarded for her dedicated service in the health sector, particularly at Kwekwe General Hospital. Before her role as a councillor, she had worked as a nurse at the Kwekwe City Council for 20 years.
During her tenure, Mkosana served as the councillor for Ward 4 in Mbizo and held the position of deputy mayor. However, after her term as deputy mayor and councillor came to an end in 2013, she returned to her previous profession as a state registered nurse, continuing to contribute to the well-being of others. She remained a passive member of the opposition MDC.
At the time of her death, Mkosana held the position of a Proportional Representation (PR) councillor representing the CCC. PR councillors in Zimbabwe are appointed by political parties based on the party’s proportional representation in the general elections.
Following the death of Mkosana, Kwekwe City now has only 14 councillors instead of the potential 18, as three others were recalled by Sengezo Tshabangu who claims to be the interim Secretary General of the opposition party, CCC. Out of the remaining councillors, only three are women.