MARIA Msika, wife to late Vice President Joseph Msika, has died. She was 89.

Garikai Msika, son to the late deceased and a family representative, confirmed the incident on Friday.

“Mrs Msika passed on this morning at the family home in Highlands (Harare) following a long illness.

“She was battling hyper tension,” he said.

Garikai Msika said the family was set to issue a comprehensive statement about Maria Msika’s death and burial arrangements later during the day.

The late VP’s wife was early this year reportedly bedridden at the family’s home after suffering several strokes since her health started deteriorating in 2004.

She could neither speak nor eat and only ate through a tube inserted through her nose.

VP Msika died 2009 aged 85 due to renal failure and hypertension.

He was the country’s VP for nearly a decade.

Maria Msika’s death comes just a month after the death of former Vice President Simon Muzenda’s wife, Maud.

Although they did not take a visible part in the liberation war front, the wives of the country’s President and his successive deputies are all buried at the National Heroes Acre.

Sally Hayfron, President Mugabe’s first wife who was Ghanaian, was conferred with the highest honour of the land when she died back in 1992.

Mafuyana, wife to the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo died 2003, four years after her husband’s death, and was also interred at the national shrine.