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Fortious Nhambura Senior Features Writer
Few people have such an impact in the lives of others or come from families with such a tradition and still keep their achievements a secret. One such is the Gwanzura family. Virtually unknown among the sporting arena, they were behind the establishment of the first mass sporting field in the country, Gwanzura Stadium in Highfield.

The late veteran nationalist and national hero Eric Nyakudya Gwanzura and his brother Phanuel Gwanzura were the brains behind the construction of the soccer field in the 1960s that even today carries the family name.

Their wish to provide recreational facilities to the marginalised African community was to be realised with the construction of the stadium for use by Africans who because of the governance, had been marginalised to third class citizens in their own fatherland.

Although the actual construction of the 5 000-capacity stadium is credited to his brother Phanuel, Cde Nyakudya’s contribution in the consummation of the Gwanzura Stadium dream was immense.

His father Reverend Enock Mashonganyika was a founding member of the Apostolic Faith Mission, one of the largest indigenous churches.
A fighter for social emancipation, Cde Nyakudya was instrumental in the founding of nationalist parties that went on to prosecute the struggle for independence. He was to witness the national struggle from the days of the trade unionism to the war liberation and served as senator in the second Parliament of Zimbabwe.

Despite coming from such a rich family background and having contributed immensely to the making of African nationalism in colonial Rhodesia, the late national hero did not brag about this legacy. Consequently very few people apart from family and party colleagues knew of Cde Gwanzura and his family contribution to the making of present day Zimbabwe. To their surprise, they got to know of this rich tradition at his death.

Cde Gwanzura (89) died on December 9, 2013 at his home in Chegutu and was interred at the National Heroes Acre last Sunday.

Comrades in the struggle and family friends described the late veteran nationalist as a hardworking man who worked for the development of the nation and a humble man who never bragged about his achievements.

Speaking at his burial last Sunday, President Mugabe said Cde Gwanzura was a humble community builder and leader who upheld the principles and virtues of love, patriotism and honesty from his trade unionist days until the time of his death.

He said the veteran nationalist played a crucial role in organising and giving guidance to the youths.

“He also sacrificed his resources to support the party and the revolution financially. He was naturally in our organs of the party. He played his part to the full. Never, never shaking. Never, making a mistake to step out of the order-out of the correct line. No, he always followed the correct line,” President Mugabe said.

Senate President Cde Edna Madzongwe who is sister to Cde Gwanzura described the late national hero as a unifier who would be remembered for his unwavering love for the family and the nation.

“He never got tired to work for the nation, even when they jailed him, it did not deter his love to continue working for the liberation of the majority of Zimbabweans upon his release,” said Cde Madzongwe

Family spokesman, Mr Cleopas Gwanzura described Cde Gwanzura as a hardworking man who multi-tasked and had other people at heart.
“He worked hard and ensured all members of the family got educated. He also courted wives for his brothers.

“Even though he was busy with his duties he had time for the family and there was never a time when the family suffered even during his imprisonment,” he said.

Born Eric Nyakudya Gwanzura in 1924 in Mashonganyika Village in Zvimba, he attended primary and secondary education at St Francis Xavier’s Kutama College and later to Waddilove Institute in Marondera where he trained as builder. On completion, Cde Gwanzura taught at Sandringham High School for two years before taking another teaching post at Kawara Primary school, a Salvation Army school in Mhondoro for another two years.

Cde Gwanzura left Kawara for Harare (then Salisbury) where he started his own construction company which specialised in construction of houses, tobacco barns and schools for the marginalised blacks who suffered under the colonial segregation.

Cde Gwanzura’s effort and zeal to uplift the lives of black people saw him being involved in trade unionism as vehicle to fight for better working conditions.

His work in improving the lives of his people was also recognised by Major Lewis of the Salvation Army who later invited him to Asher Institute in Matabeleland to assist in the construction of the classroom blocks and teachers accommodation at the school.

On completing his tour of duty in Matebeleland, Cde Gwanzura returned to his house in Highfield, Harare where he continued with trade unionism.

Together with Richard Jamela, Cde Gwanzura was instrumental in the formalisation of trade unionism in Southern Africa. He was instrumental in organising industrial actions and large scale demonstration such as the Rhodesian strike of 1960 and became a mastermind of township resistance of white rule in Rhodesia.

Cde Gwanzura teamed with other trade unionists, among them Tom Mboya of Kenya, Kamalizu of Tanzania, Duduza and Yotulu of Malawi to mobilise against white oppressive rule.

As men of vision, Cde Gwanzura and Jamela sought training opportunities for young African men as a way of improving their social status. Beneficiaries of the training programmes included Tom Mswaka, Tendy Chizengere and late Arano Mtutu and Isaiah Mbetu among others.

His wish to see an empowered Zimbabwean made it easy for him to join hands with other revolutionaries to form political parties to push for the country’s independence.

Cde Gwanzura together with other nationalists like Cdes Joshua Nkomo, Robert Marere, Mark Nziramasanga, Morton Malianga, Michael Mawema and others teamed up to form the National Democratic Party in 1960.

Cde Gwanzura’s immense contribution to trade unionism and political liberation of Africans saw him being invited by the Late Ghanaian president Kwame Nkrumah to share strategies to improve conditions of Africans on the continent. His trade unionism coupled with political activism earned the wrath of the Rhodesian government, leading to him being blacklisted. He was to be detained and imprisoned without trail on many occasions. In the 1960s he was detained at Whawha Prison for two years for his activism. He was to be rearrested and detained at the infamous Goromonzi prison for a further six months.

After serving at Goromonzi, Cde Gwanzura was placed under house arrest and ordered to report to Southerton Police Station daily.

This did not deter him from seeking the emancipation of his people that after the formation of the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army, Cde Gwanzura took a more dangerous role of establishing an underground communication, linking the party and fighters outside the country and masses at home.

Often he had to travel to Mozambique and Zambia to get instructions and assignments for fighters and politicians operating inside the country. His continued involvement in the struggle for independence earned him a further term at Whawha Prison from 1977-79.
Cde Gwanzura was part of the delegation to the Geneva Conference in 1976 and the Lancaster House peace conference in 1979.
At independence, Cde Gwanzura settled in Chegutu where he bought Café Capri, where he was once arrested for refusing to buy through the window marked “For natives only”. He was later to serve as a Senator in the Second Parliament of Zimbabwe and was involved in the negotiations leading to the signing of the Unity Accord in December 1987.

He remained an active member of ZANU-PF in Mashonaland West, rising in the provincial structures to the position of Central Committee member and later National Consultative Assembly due to ill health.
May his soul rest in peace.

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