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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
BULAWAYO province is today expected to hold a send-off funeral service for national hero Cde Simon Khaya Moyo at the Amphitheatre before his body leaves for Harare for burial.

Cde Khaya Moyo will be buried at the National Heroes Acre on Monday but his body is expected to leave Bulawayo today.

The send-off funeral service will start at 8:30AM with members of the public urged to provide the national hero a befitting send off.

On Thursday, villagers at his rural home in Sanzukwi, Mangwe in Matabeleland South bade farewell to the national hero.

During that funeral service, Cde Khaya Moyo was described as an untainted servant of the people who denounced corruption.

Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Judith Ncube yesterday urged members of the public to come in their numbers to give Cde Khaya Moyo a befitting send off.

“We are going to hold a send-off memorial service for ubaba uSK Moyo tomorrow. We need to give him a befitting send-off at the service to be held at Amphitheatre from 8:30AM hence I call on the community to come for the service. After the service his body will leave for Harare. We need as Matabeleland region to honour him for the works he did before and after independence. He worked with a lot of people,” said Minister Ncube.

She said Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South provinces have been provided with three buses to ferry mourners to Harare.

“We have been given three buses as Bulawayo, Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North provinces meaning 30 mourners per province will travel to the National Heroes Acre for the burial. The buses ferrying mourners will leave here on Sunday in preparation for the burial which will be held on Monday,” said she said.

Meanwhile, condolence messages have continued to pour in for the Khaya Moyo family following his death.

In a statement yesterday, Zanu-PF acting national spokesperson Cde Mike Bimha said Cde Khaya Moyo was so dedicated to serving the nation that even when his health was failing, he offered his services.

“Ambassador Moyo was a seasoned party cadre who had wide experience in Government having traversed a number of ministries which included Industry and Commerce, Information, Mining and Energy Development as well as Tourism and Environment. Despite his vast experience and admired track record, he remained humble, jovial and approachable. He had high sense of duty and his loyalty to the party and authorities was unquestionable,” said Cde Bimha.

“He travelled widely in the region and beyond thus he gained broader outlook that presented itself as a resource to the party as we cultivated cordial relations with the outside world.”

He said Cde Khaya Moyo valued media relations and would guide the press where necessary as he believed that the pen was mightier than the sword especially at a time when Zimbabwe was facing an onslaught from western nations.

“We will sadly miss his contributions, hard work and comradeship at the Zanu PF Headquarters. He fought a brave and a good fight and serves to remain in our memories for a long time as we emulate his impressive track record that he lives behind. A man of Cde Moyo’s attributes never dies, but can only depart for higher responsibility,” he said.

“The party and staff wish to convey our deepest and heartfelt condolences to the Moyo family, and in particular to his wife, umama uMoyo and his children on their untimely loss. May they find comfort in our party and nation’s indebtedness to him for the work he did before, during and after the liberation of our great country Zimbabwe.”

Primary and Secondary Education Deputy Minister Edgar Moyo mourned Cde Khaya Moyo describing him as a humble leader.

“We are saddened following the death of Cde SK Moyo. He was a leader not just in Matabeleland South but across the country. He was a politician who was defined by honesty, being forth right, he was defined by his humility and he was never a controversial character. As such, we were following in his footsteps and we have lost a great leader. He worked diligently for the party and Government. I’m reminded how he campaigned for some of us leading to the 2018 harmonised elections. He taught us ubuntu values,” said Deputy Minister Moyo.

The John Landa Nkomo Trust also mourned Cde Khaya Moyo describing him as national leader who was also close to the Nkomo family.

John Landa Nkomo Trust chairman Mr Jabu Nkomo said as Cde Khaya Moyo stood with them when they lost their father, the late Vice-President John Landa Nkomo, his family stands with the Khaya Moyos.

“When the late VP passed on in January 2013, SK as we all affectionately called him, was one of the first people to call upon the Nkomo family to not lose sight of the great work our father had done. He advised us to quickly set up a Trust so that we ensure John Landa legacy does not die. It is his spirited assistance that inspired us to launch the John Landa Nkomo Memorial Trust in August 2014, the birthday of John Landa,” said Mr Nkomo.

“On behalf of the Trust and our mother Mrs Georgina Nkomo and the family we would like to console umama uMrs Moyo and the family on the sad and tragic loss. We have always been together and we will remain together.”

He commended President Mnangagwa and the ruling party for conferring Cde Khaya Moyo with a national hero status, saying his works spoke for themselves. — @nqotshili