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Harare Bureau
Major-General (Retired) Sikhulile Simpson Nyathi has been declared a national hero.

Zanu-PF National Political Commissar Comrade Mike Bimha confirmed the development last night.

“The Politburo this afternoon (yesterday) applauded the decision made by President Mnangagwa to confer national hero status to the late Major General (Rtd) Simpson Nyathi.

“The public will be advised on the burial arrangements in due course,” said Comrade Bimha

Maj-Gen Nyathi died on Sunday morning at the Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks Referral Hospital in Harare.
He was 61.

Relatives and colleagues yesterday described him as an intelligent and quiet man who stood firm for justice and defended Zimbabwe’s legacy.

They were speaking during a funeral parade held at the Charles Gumbo Barracks (formerly 1 Commando) in Harare.
Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander, General Phillip Valerio Sibanda led the proceedings.

As per the army’s culture and custom, the fine soldier was given a dignified parade which included parading of the coffin, a sermon from the chaplain, and laying of wreaths.

General Sibanda laid the first wreath followed by Commander Zimbabwe National Army, Lieutenant General David Sigauke while Air Vice Marshal Jacob Nzvede, who was representing Commander Air Force of Zimbabwe Elson Moyo, laid the last one.

Speaking at the funeral parade General Sibanda said the late Major General (Retired) Nyathi will be remembered for his immense contribution to the liberation struggle.

“We will always remember you as a humble, warm, likable, patriotic, and selfless team player and a true revolutionary cadre,” he said.

Gen Sibanda said the sacrifices made by the late Maj-General Nyathi together with other heroes and heroines that freed the country should always be remembered.

“It remains a challenge to us all to defend the values that they stood and fought for.

We must always remember that to be who we are today it is because somebody shed their sweat or blood as the late Nyathi and many others did.

“Let us never lose sight of this important fact, no matter kuti tinenge tadziyigwa sei,” he said.

A colleague, Major General Emmanuel Matatu said the late Major-General Nyathi was a friend, somebody with whom he shared a lot of memories.

“I knew him as a hard worker, a man who would stick to his word.

A man who would articulate especially logistics policies quite clearly for everybody to be able to understand where we were going and supposed to be doing,” he said.

Beitbridge East legislator, Comrade Albert Ngulube said the late Major General (Retired) was a class ahead of him at Manama High School in Gwanda and they crossed to Zambia via Botswana together for military training.

Comrade Ngulube said they separated briefly before reuniting in 1980 and came back home together.

“From there he is a person I knew very well.

I treated him like a brother.

We were very close as friends until up to the last days when he left us.

“He was a very quiet guy, but very intelligent.

He rarely talked even when we used to go to his farm or home, he didn’t raise his voice.

He was so cool and calculative.

He would give you advice, he was a mature guy,” he said.

The elder brother, Colonel Samuel Mpabanga, said the late Major-General was a frank person.

“He was quiet and did not bring any problems to the parents.

He was a hardworking man and very intelligent,” he said.

His sister, Ms Gildah Maphosa, said the late Major-General was an intelligent person whom the family thought would become a medical doctor but was hurt when he dropped out of school to pursue the liberation struggle.

She said the family elders tried to convince him to pursue academics, but he stuck to his decision of serving in the army.

“He was a helping brother. Losing him is hard but we have accepted it because it is the way we leave this world.

We are grateful to the army for the decent burial,” said the sister.

The late Major-General Nyathi held key appointments in the army and rose through the ranks including being Major in 1984, Lieutenant Colonel in 1990, Colonel in 1997, Brigadier General in 2010, and Major General in 2020.

He also attained several ZNA courses and attained numerous medals for his continued dedication, and selfless and exemplary service to the nation.

The body of the late Major-General Nyathi’s body will be flown to Gwanda today and then back to Harare later on in the day.

Maj-General Nyathi is survived by his wife and three children.