The Movement for Democratic Change formation of Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is mourning the sudden death Monday of Mpopoma senator Gladys Gombami-Dube, an outspoken critic of President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF.
Gombami-Dube died early Monday after complaining of disorientation and dizziness when she was on her way home to Bulawayo from a funeral in Gokwe. She was rushed to a hospital in Kadoma where she died.
The senator was the deputy chairperson for the parliamentary select committee in charge of revising the constitution. She was also the Tsvangirai MDC's deputy chief whip in the Senate.
The late senator appeared regularly on Voice of America's news bulletins. Just last week she spoke on the crisis affecting the select committee amid reports that ZANU-PF had unilaterally instructed drafters to halt the constitution-writing process.
Deputy spokeswoman Thabitha Khumalo of the MDC formation led by Mr. Tsvangirai told Voice of America her party has lost “a very strong pillar of strength."
ZANU-PF chief whip Joram Gumbo worked with the late Gombami-Dube on the select committee. He said the committee and the MDC have lost a loyal and level headed member.
The senator, who was in her late 40s, is survived by her husband and five children.
Funeral arrangements are still to be announced.
