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Columbus Mabika-Herald Reporter

Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA)’s, Colonel Dennis Pahla whose Chimurenga name was Cde Kid Nyikandeyedu, has been declared a liberation war hero and will be buried this morning at his farm in Banket.

Col Pahla died on Monday at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals after suffering from injuries sustained in a road traffic accident, which occurred when the car he was travelling in rolled over into Gwebi River along the Harare Chinhoyi Road. 

He was 64. 

In a statement, ZNA director public relations, Colonel Alphios Makotore said: “The late Colonel Dennis Pahla who died at Parirenyatwa Hospital on 18 October 2021 has been declared a  liberation war hero . He will be buried tomorrow, Thursday, 21 October 2021, in Banket at his farm, Plot Number 7, Riverside Farm. Burial proceedings will begin at 10:00 hours,” reads part of the statement.

Col Makotore said Minister of State for Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Development, Cde Mary Mliswa-Chikoka will officiate at the burial ceremony.

Col Pahla was born on 17 October 1957 in Chipinge and attended primary education at Madhuklu, Manzire and later Rimai primary schools. 

He then proceeded to Chikore Mission for secondary education, where he failed to write his Ordinary Level examinations as the liberation war had escalated in his home area as the Rhodesian forces had increased their patrols into the area following incursion by ZANLA combatants crossing the border from neighbouring Mozambique. 

The late Col Pahla subsequently moved to Mutare where he stayed for some months before he crossed the border to join the liberation struggle in Mozambique in 1975. 

This was after ZANLA forces had attacked Mutare. Accompanied by a friend, the two crossed the border into Mozambique at Mary mount Mission. 

 In 1976, the late Colonel was selected to undergo military training in Tanzania and was flown to Nachingweya via Mutwara Airport where he was part of the Songambele group of 5000 ZANLA recruits. 

After training in 1977, Col Pahla was deployed in Tete province, Detachment ‘B’ of the Chitepo sector inside Zimbabwe then Rhodesia where he operated as a rifleman and rose through the ranks to become section Political Commissar, section Commander before he was elevated to Detachment Commander.

 At ceasefire in 1979, he went to Echo (Luwanga) Assembly Point from where he subsequently joined the ZNA on independence in 1980. Col Pahla served in various capacities in the ZNA rising through the ranks to colonel- the rank he held until the time of his untimely death. He is survived by his son, Ngonidzashe Pahla.