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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
President Mnangagwa has described Major General (Retired) Sikhulile Nyathi who died in Harare on Sunday as a committed revolutionary who sacrificed his youth to free the country.
Major General (Rtd) Nyathi died at the Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks Referral Hospital.
He was 61.
In a statement yesterday, the President said Major General (Rtd) Nyathi’s death comes as a shock, days after the country buried another gallant son and national hero Maj Gen (Rtd) Godfrey Chanakira, who was permanent secretary in the Office of Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga.
“Our Nation is worse off for losing in succession part of the remaining crop of leading cadres of our armed liberation struggle.
The late general was a committed revolutionary cadre who joined the liberation struggle in his late teens.
He sacrificed both life and limb for the sake of our freedom and eventual national independence,” said President Mnangagwa.
He said Maj Gen (Rtd) Nyathi survived the horrendous Freedom Camp and Mulungushi Camp bombings, both on the outskirts of Lusaka in Zambia, by the racist Rhodesian soldiers.
The President said Major General (Rtd) Nyathi carried the scars from the war to his grave.
“After our Independence, Major General (Rtd) Nyathi carved an illustrious military career in the Zimbabwe Defence Forces where he rose through the ranks until he attained the rank of Major General on retirement.
Throughout his years in service, the late General was exemplary, steadfast and loyal to his country, a fact attested by the numerous medals he deservingly got,” said the President.
President Mnangagwa said the country joins the Nyathi family is mourning the death of Maj Gen (Rtd) Nyathi.
“On behalf of the Ruling Party Zanu PF, Government, the people of Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, and indeed on my behalf, I wish to convey my sincere condolences to the Nyathi family, especially to his wife Noleen and the children, who have lost a loving husband and father.
May they take comfort from the knowledge that the whole nation joins them in grieving the loss of their dear departed who was no longer theirs alone, but a national persona,” said President Mnangagwa.
Director Army Public Relations Colonel Alphios Makotore on behalf of ZNA Commander Lieutenant General David Sigauke said Major General (Rtd) Nyathi was born on September 12, 1960 in Matape Village in Gwanda, Matabeleland South.
“He did his primary education at Matape Primary School from 1966 to 1972.
He then proceeded for his secondary education at Manama Secondary School from 1973 to 1976 in Gwanda District.
He joined the liberation struggle under the Zimbabwe African People’s Revolutionary Army (ZPRA) after crossing the border into Zambia via Botswana on 27 January 1977.
The late freedom fighter received military training at Chakwenga Guerilla Training Camp One (CGTI) in Zambia that same year,” he said.
Col Makotore said Major General (Rtd) Nyathi proceeded to the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) for further military training in January 1978.
He said Major General (Rtd) Nyathi was attested to the ZNA in June 1981.
“He rose through the ranks to Major General in 2020 the rank he retired with from the ZNA that same year,” he said.
In an interview, the Minister of State in the Office of Vice-President Dr Chiwenga, Major General (Rtd) Sibangumuzi Khumalo described Major General (Rtd) Nyathi as a courageous soldier.
He said he knew him from the days of the liberation struggle.
“We worked together; we were together even at the Assembly Point in Gwayi for demobilisation.
But operationally, we did not get deployed together.
He was very courageous and always devoted to his duties even during the war of liberation.
We were integrated differently to the ZNA as he moved to Infantry while I was diverted to Engineering.
But as we rose through the ranks our paths crossed again as we worked together at Army Headquarters,” he said.
Major General (Rtd) Khumalo described the late general as a master of logistics planning.
“He was very good; he understood the trade of mobilising logistics and ensuring that it goes as planned and had answers to almost everything so for those who understand, he was a logistician,” said Rtd Maj Gen Khumalo.
Beitbridge West National Assembly member Cde Albert Nguluvhe said he knew Major General (Rtd) Nyathi from their high school days at Manama High School.
He said they were part of a group of students who skipped the country to join the liberation struggle with the likes of the late national hero and former Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Dr Sibusiso Moyo.
“We were together at Manama High School and we crossed together and we also trained together but thereafter we got separated.
We then met after independence as he joined the military and I joined the President’s Department.
He was my friend and I treated him like a brother. We would communicate frequently,” said Cde Nguluvhe.
“He was very intelligent and he proved himself a lot in the ZNA.
He is one of first crop to be promoted to senior ranks together with the likes of the late SB Moyo, Lieutenant-General (Rtd) Engelbert Rugeje among others.
He was an integral person in the ZNA.
He was even an instructor at the Zimbabwe Defence College.
His loss is not just to his family but to the nation because he made a lot of contributions to the liberation of this country.”
Mourners are gathered at Number 6, 21st Avenue, Mabelreign in Harare.
Burial arrangements will be announced in due course. – @nqotshili
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