A Citizens Coalition for change (CCC) councillor, who is the face of the Zapu logo after a Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZPRA) fighter rescued him during the war says he never had it easy in life.
ZPRA was the armed wing of Zapu.
ZPRA soldier, Seven Dube, is seen in the logo carrying Tshetshukuza Ngwenya, now a Ward 2 councillor at Izimnyama, Matabeleland South, after he found him abandoned in the bush in Zambia.
Ngwenya’s mother died in Zambia during the liberation war. He is now 47.
According to reports, Dube found an abandoned Ngwenya crying in the bush , and was advised by his colleagues to carry him back to their base for attention.
The iconic picture of a smiling Dube carrying the baby now a councillor was believed to have been taken by Zenzo Nkobi, a Zapu photographer.
The two became the face of the Zapu logo “Isotsha eliphethe umntwana”(the soldier cradling the baby).
Ngwenya said his upbringing was never easy after they returned to Zimbabwe where he was brought up by his grandmother.
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“After the war, my father went to stay in Botswana and I was left with my grandmother and her young niece,” he said.
“Life became so tough for me that I went to primary school barefooted up to secondary school.
“While at secondary school, things got worse because my grandmother struggled to pay school fees for me until I dropped out before sitting for my Ordinary Level final examinations.”
Ngwenya did his secondary education at Ivimila High.
“Other students were putting on a grey uniform while I was always putting on my khaki cloth,’’ he said.
Ngwenya is now a family man with three children.
“The only employment that I got in my life was being a herd boy for other people, but all these challenges strengthened me,” he said.
“I now have my own family and I'm a councillor for ward 2.”
He won the seat in last year’s disputed elections.
He contested the seat under the MDC Alliance in 2018 but lost.
Ngwenya said he joined politics because there was no meaningful development in his ward.
"There was no development, former Zanu PF councillors for the ward were elected and their term of office would expire without having done anything meaningful,” he said.
“I wanted to spearhead development in my area without having to hear from other people.
“We have already started fixing roads such as the one from Plumtree border via Nxele to Osabeni though not complete but bridges have been attended to.”
Ngwenya said he has engaged school authorities at Ivimila High to introduce practical lessons for school leavers.
“I'm passionate about self-help projects that involve the youth,” he said.
“My wish is that they can do income generating projects so that they do not become idle, resulting in them taking part in drug abuse.”
He also challenged the youth to stay away from drug and illegal substance abuse.
“Drinking beer is a pleasure but they should not overdo it,” he said.
