Air Vice Marshal (Retired) Winnie Mandeya dies at 64
Harare- AIR Vice Marshal (Retired) Winnie Mandeya has died.
She passed on Monday morning at St Anne’s Hospital in the capital.
She was 64.
Confirming her passing, Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander Air Marshal Jacob John Nzvede described the late Mandeya as a dedicated and loyal officer who served the AFZ with distinction since 1984.
“The Air Force of Zimbabwe family is deeply saddened by the passing of Air Vice Marshal Winnie Cabby Mandeya (Retired) on April 28, 2025.
“She was a committed cadre and a liberation war heroine who joined the AFZ in 1984,” he said.
Mandeya began her involvement in the liberation struggle on September 29 1975.
She underwent basic military training at Nachingweya in Tanzania and was later deployed to Gaza Province, where she served until 1978.
She was then selected for a nursing course. Following independence, she joined the President’s Department and took part in the 1981 commission of inquiry into missing persons before transferring to the AFZ on July 11984.
Born on July 14, 1960, in Rusape, Mandeya’s career was marked by many pioneering milestones.
She was one of the survivors of the Chimoio attack and became a symbol of resilience and service.
In 2022, President Emmerson Mnangagwa promoted her to the rank of Air Vice Marshal—equivalent to Major General in the Zimbabwe National Army—in recognition of her exemplary service.
A funeral parade in her honour will be held Tuesday at Manyame Air Force Base.
Mourners are currently gathered at 766 Hogerty Hill, Borrowdale, Harare.
