Retired Air Vice Marshal (Rtd. AVM) Winnie Cabby Mandeya
By Dickson Bandera
Zimbabwe this Thursday laid to rest one of its trailblazing female military figures, Retired Air Vice Marshal (Rtd. AVM) Winnie Cabby Mandeya, at the National Heroes’ Acre, where President Emmerson Mnangagwa hailed her as “a gallant daughter of the soil” and “an honest, humble and trustworthy cadre.”
Rtd AVM Mandeya, who passed away in Harare on April 27 at the age of 64, was accorded national heroine status for her contributions during and after the liberation struggle.
In a speech filled with praise and reflection, President Mnangagwa described Mandeya’s life as an emblem of patriotic service and national dedication.
“Having worked under my direct and indirect supervision in various capacities over the years,” said the President, “I can testify that she was a bold, fearless, charismatic patriot and cadre. Dating back to the days of the liberation struggle, she was unwavering in her commitment and dedication to our country — loyal, trustworthy and a dependable pair of hands.”
The President detailed Mandeya’s career, from her early involvement in the liberation war in Mozambique at Junda and Nyadzonya camps, to her rise through the ranks of the Air Force of Zimbabwe. She ultimately retired as Air Vice Marshal in August 2022.
“She never exuded an unbridled sense of entitlement, but always diligently served in the roles assigned her,” he noted. “Her professional dexterity and versatility saw her assigned to the role of Director Civil Military Relations… and Director General Service Personnel at the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Headquarters.”
President Mnangagwa emphasized the broader meaning of such a legacy, urging Zimbabweans — especially women in the security sector — to emulate Mandeya’s values.
“With hard honest work, patriotism, discipline, focus, zeal and consistency, any level of achievement can be realised,” he said. “Under the Second Republic, merit, professionalism and hard work… will always be recognised.”
The late Mandeya, who operated under the war name “Cde Cabby Rujeko-rwehondo,” was remembered not just for her military accomplishments but for her resilience and courage as a woman in a male-dominated field.
“This brave decision defied the odds of those times,” the President said of her joining the struggle at age 15. “Like many other fearless young girls at that time, she saw the cause to fight to liberate Zimbabwe as being greater than any limitation her gender could ever impose.”
In his closing, President Mnangagwa called on all citizens to honor the sacrifices of heroes like Mandeya through national unity and dedication to development.
“Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatigwa nevene vayo. Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhulekelwe ngabanikazi balo,” he declared. “This is a philosophy that our heroine understood very well.”
