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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu and Blessings Chidakwa

IT was a grand send-off fit for a liberator as the body of Major-General (Retired) Sikhulile Simpson Nyathi left his rural home in the Mapate area of Gwanda South yesterday on the final journey for burial at the National Hero’s Acre in Harare on Monday.

Mourners gathered at the Nyathi homestead for a farewell service following his death on Sunday morning at the Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks Referral Hospital in Harare at the age of 61.

The national hero’s body arrived at the Gwanda Aerodrome located about 5km out of Gwanda Town at 9.25am, where it was received by service chiefs. 

The body was coming from Harare.

A convoy, which comprised service chiefs, representatives of Government departments, members of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) and relatives, left for the Nyathi homestead, which is in Mapate Village, about 100km from Gwanda Town.

The body arrived at the homestead at 11.20am, where mourners were gathered for his farewell service.

Addressing mourners at the Nyathi homestead, Chief of Staff administrative staff, Major-General Emmanuel Matatu, said the late Maj-Gen Nyathi greatly contributed towards the country’s liberation.

“Simpson, as we commonly called him, joined the struggle at a tender age of 17. He was trained in Zambia and the then Soviet Union (Russia),” said Maj-Gen Matatu. 

“He played an integral part in the liberation struggle and survived many attacks by the Rhodesian armed forces. Simpson joined the Zimbabwe National Army at Independence as a very junior officer.

“I personally met him during the early 1980s when we were assigned to different branches of the Army Headquarters during the formative years of the ZNA. 

“We worked together long nights, long hours and sleepless nights working on documents to restructure the force of the ZNA and to come up with new policies and ideas. 

“He went on to teach at Zimbabwe Staff College and National Defence University.”

He described the late Maj-Gen Nyathi as a hard worker, good team player and a man of his word. 

Maj-Gen Matatu said the health of the late Maj-Gen Nyathi started deteriorating and worsened over the past five months, which was disheartening.

Speaking on behalf of the family, the sister to the late Maj-Gen Nyathi, Ms Malumisa Mpabanga, extended gratitude to Government for declaring him a national hero. She said they were also pleased to have been given an opportunity to bid him farewell. 

Ms Mpabanga said the late Maj-Gen Nyathi had always been an exemplary figure to his siblings and inspired them to do well in their studies.

Community members said in his youth, Maj-Gen Nyathi was a progressive young man and a role model to his peers. 

Fondly referred to as “Skhu” in his community, villagers said the late Maj-Gen Nyathi never forgot his roots.

Ms Betty Moyo (78), who was a friend to the late mother of Maj-Gen Nyathi, said the world had lost a fine man. 

She said his character was in line with a Bible verse on James 1v19, which says: “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath”.

“I watched Skhu grow up as a boy. He was very respectful and loved going to church. He was very active in church, he loved singing and teaching at Sunday School.”

“When he was a teenager, we would send him to attend meetings and he would come back and give us full details of what would have transpired. 

“He was unlike other children who were mischievous and notorious. When I heard of his passing on, I was heartbroken because we have lost a good man,” she said. 

The late national hero’s cousin, Mr Joshua Nyathi (62), said he not only grew up with Maj-Gen Nyathi, but also learnt with him from Grade One to Five at Mapate Primary School. He said they separated in Grade 6.

He said his late cousin was always top of the class.

Mr Nyathi said when they went for training in Zambia, the late Maj-Gen Nyathi was quickly enrolled because he was intelligent.

“Growing up, we were a group of four cousins. We went to school together, played together and did almost everything together. Sikhulile was the most intelligent one and this helped him progress in life. 

“He was the shortest among us but he was the brightest. I learnt a lot from my brother’s personality and character. His noble character and intelligence is what saw him attain great heights that we can only dream of reaching,” he said.

Another cousin, Mr Naphthal Nyathi (62), said he also learnt at the same primary school with him.

He said while his cousin was younger than him, he was a level ahead of him in school as he was intelligent. 

Mr Nyathi said while they struggled with their studies, the late Maj-Gen Nyathi cruised through.

He said he cannot recall a day when his cousin displayed violent behaviour. 

He said the late Maj-Gen Nyathi started his secondary in 1973 at Manama Mission and in January 1977, he was among youths that were transported to Zambia for military training.

Mr Nyathi said they trained together in Zambia from April to October 1977 and in March 1978 they were moved to Freedom Camp in Lusaka, Zambia, where they did commissariat studies. 

In October, the late national hero went for further military training in the then Soviet Union.

“I tried to keep up pace with my brother Sikhulile but once again because of his great intellect, he moved on to train in the Soviet Union and that’s when we parted ways. 

“The greatest lesson which my brother left is that if you are being told something you have to listen, if you didn’t hear something well, inquire and if something doesn’t sit well with you, be open about it but in a peaceful manner. Wherever you can make a contribution do so,” he said.

Mr Nyathi said while his cousin went on to occupy high military posts, he never forgot his roots and the people he grew up with. 

He said the late Maj-Gen Nyathi’s doors were always open to his community and family.

After the heartfelt farewell ceremony, the body of the late Maj-Gen Nyathi left his homestead at 2:20pm for Gwanda Aerodrome and just after 4pm, the journey back to Harare began. 

Speaking at Charles Gumbo Barracks after the body had arrived back in Harare, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage director of finance, Mr Exavier Chisoko, who was standing in for Permanent Secretary, Mr Aaron Nhepera, requested the family to allow the body of the national hero to lie in state at the Barracks until the day of burial.

“We have now been officially told that the day is Monday. Saturday has other programmes for our leadership. We have agreed we are going to have our church service at home on Saturday,” he said.

Mr Chisoko said the body of the late Maj-Gen Nyathi would be taken home to Number 6, 21st Avenue, Mabelreign suburb on Saturday for a church service expected to commence at 10am until 3pm, before the body is taken back to Charles Gumbo Barracks to lie in state.

He said a family programme will continue until Monday when the Government will take over while advising family members of proceedings.

Maj-Gen Nyathi is survived by a wife and three children.