BY KENNETH NYANGANI   MANICALAND State and Devolution minister Ellen Gwaradzimba yesterday became the second high profile government official to succumb to COVID-19. This followed the death of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement minister Perrance Shiri to the respiratory disease in July last year. Gwaradzimba died yesterday morning at the age of 60. She is said to have contracted the virus on December 26 when she threw an end of year party at her ministerial residence in Mutare, which was said to be an open event. Former Zanu PF Mutare ward 17 councillor Wellington Zambezi and Mutare Town Clerk, Joshua Maligwa, who are believed to have attended the party, also succumbed to the disease. The two died last week. Top Zanu PF officials also disclosed that some of people who attended the party, included Gertrude Mutandi, the youth wing national secretary for finance, who was currently in isolation. President Emmerson Mnangagwa said Gwaradzimba will be remembered over her war-time educational programmes during which she worked with many cadres to develop learning materials for refugees in camps during the liberation struggle. “On behalf of the party, Zanu PF, government, my family and on my own behalf, I wish to express my deepest condolences to the Gwaradzimba family, especially the children of the late departed who lost a loving mother and mentor,” Mnangagwa said in a statement. Gwaradzimba was reportedly in Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri’s camp battling for control of the province with provincial chairman Mike Madiro. She is reported to have played a key role in ensuring that Muchinguri’s faction prevailed over Madiro in the Mutare district coordination committee (DCC) re-run elections late last year after the first round was marred by alleged massive vote rigging. Binali Yard won the re-run election defeating Clever Muparutsa, who was allegedly being backed by Madiro. Yard, in his celebratory speech thanked Gwaradzimba for playing a key role in the elections. A Zanu PF official from Muchinguri faction, who however refused to be named, expressed shock over Gwaradzimba’s death. “We lost our pillar in our faction. She gave us ideas, despite her being a cool lady she was full of wisdom,” he said. Madiro confirmed the death of Gwaradzimba, but denied there were factions in the province. “Yes, I can confirm that our Provincial Affairs minister Ellen Gwaradzimba died this morning,” he said. “There are no factions in the province. Have you ever seen me wanting to comment over factions? Yes, people have different views, narrative and people who are saying that there are factions are lying.” He added: “My comment is that, if these different views degenerate into a faction, that is when I start to be worried.” Sources told NewDay Weekender yesterday that there has been a plot to topple Madiro from his post and Gwaradzimba was expected to play a key role. “This is the reason (why) there was too much fight in the DCC elections, because Madiro and Muchinguri were aware if they control the district, they will also con