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Herald Reporter
Researcher and leading academic Professor Sam Moyo (61) has died. Prof Moyo, who was founder and executive director of the African Institute for Agrarian Studies died in India on Saturday evening after he was involved in a car accident on Friday. Family spokesperson Mr Nigel Munyati confirmed the death. He said Prof Moyo’s car was hit on the passenger side on his way to his hotel from a conference at the Jawaharlal Nehru University on Labour Questions in the Global South.

“They were struck on the passenger side on Friday night and he suffered heavy internal injuries,” he said. “He was rushed to the hospital, but he lost too much blood. They were not able to keep him on life support because he kept bleeding internally.” Academic associate at the Thabo Mbeki Africa Leadership Institute at the University of South Africa (UNISA) and chairperson of the Great Dyke Investments Dr Hesphina Rukato hailed his great work.

“He was my teacher and great academic. The most humble person I have worked with who was full of humour. He has left a rich legacy in all the students he taught and the intellectuals with whom he shared his idea-mostly on ‘the land question’,” she said.

Human development expert and academic Dr Charlton Tsodzo said: “In Prof Moyo, Africa has lost one of its greatest sons, academics and thought leaders on the issues relating to land and agrarian studies. His passion was simple to follow, he wanted the children of Africa to equitably access land and utilise it productively for self-sufficiency, what more can you ask for in a true patriot?”

Prof Moyo was head of the Land Reform of the Government of Zimbabwe’s Technical Advisory Team (TAT) from 1998 to 1999. Mr Munyati described Prof Moyo as an intelligent academic who devoted his life to serve Zimbabweans and his death was a huge a loss to the family.

“He was a quiet, but ‘deep thing’ man and intelligent who devoted his life trying to improve the lives of the people of Zimbabweans and people in general throughout the world through research and managing the environment and the agricultural sector,” he said. “The children have been deeply affected and the partner (Beatrice Mtetwa) is also very much affected. Mai Moyo, his mother, is devastated. The family is still in shock and we still haven’t settled.”

Mr Munyati said if everything worked according to plan, Prof Moyo’s body is expected in the country at the end of the week. He said Prof Moyo’s young brother left the country yesterday to work on the repatriation process. He was a former president of the Council for the Development of Social Research in Africa.

Prof Moyo is survived by five children.