Felix Muchemwa

He went on to join the Birmingham Depart of Anatomy as a researcher and lecturer. In 1976 he graduated with a Master of Science in Anatomy. He went on to join the surgical rotation within the Birmingham area in January 1977.^[1]

Service / Career

After graduating at Birmingham University as a medical doctor, Muchemwa joined the Birmingham Department of Anatomy as a researcher and lecturer. After graduating with a Master of Science in Anatomy, Muchemwa joined the surgical rotation with the Birmingham area in January 1977.

In the 1990 Parliamentary Election (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Mhondoro returned to Parliament:

• Felix Muchemwa of Zanu PF with 10 610 votes,
• Douglas Chanakira of ZUM with 1 488 votes.

Turnout - 12 707 voters or 34.74 %

Events

Participation in the Liberation Struggle

In 1969 Muchemwa was elected the president of the Students' Representative Council and it was during his tenure as president of the SRC that he led student demonstrations against colonial rule. Muchemwa was expelled from university and later finished his studies in England in 1970. Muchemwa left England and joined the liberation struggle in Mozambique.

He, together with Sydney Sekeramai and Herbert Ushewokunze were among the first medical doctors to join the liberation struggle.

Positions Held

• Special Disability Advisor in the Office of the President

Authoring Book

Muchemwa wrote a book titled The Struggle for Land in Zimbabwe: 1980 to 2010. The book was published by Heritage House and edited by Dr Rino Zhuwarara and the late Alexander Kanengoni.

Death

According to Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantine Chiwenga, Muchemwa died because of arsenic poison. Chiwenga said that,

"In April 1987, while on active service in Mozambique, the general was repatriated back home after it was discovered that he had ingested poisoned wine, which was later discovered to have been sent from Songo Cabora Basa by the then apartheid South African intelligence who backed the MNR (Mozambique National Resistance) bandits with the aim of poisoning our forces. What we came to know of later was that yes, while Felix escaped death many times from enemy fire, he could not escape the enemy’s dangerous chemicals, which manifested themselves later as it became apparent that he had been a victim of arsenic poison. Thus, contrary to the public account of the cause of his death, health experts actually attribute it to what in medical parlance is called ‘peripheral neurolopathy’, secondary to arsenic poisoning, and not cancer as others want to suggest. What exacerbated his condition was the late diagnosis which was only done in 1996 in the United Kingdom, and he was transferred to Egypt where there were chemical specialists. Yes, indeed, in the course of his life, the general was successfully treated for lung and prostate cancer."

^[2]

Muchemwa died while receiving treatment in Egypt on 12 June 2016. ^[1] He was buried at the National Heroes Acre on 19 June 2016.

Further Reading

References