News / National
Chiwenga mourns national hero Nyathi
10 Jun 2022 at 07:52hrs | Views
Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga has sent a condolence message to the Nyathi family following the death of Major-General (Retired) Sikhulile Simpson Nyathi who has been declared a national hero.
Maj-Gen Nyathi died on Sunday morning at the Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks Referral Hospital in Harare.
He was 61.
VP Chiwenga said Maj-Gen Nyathi was a great strategic thinker and dependable General Officer.
"I learnt of the untimely passing on of Major General (Retired) Sikhulile Simpson Nyathi, on 5 June 2022 at 2 Referral Hospital, with a deep sense of shock and disbelief. I knew the late General since the formative years of the Zimbabwe National Army.
"He impressed most of us, then and now, as an intelligent, focused and hardworking man with an infectious personality that endeared him to his workmates and greater society in equal measure. The late Major-General (Retired) Nyathi was a great strategic thinker and dependable General Officer," he said.
He said Maj-Gen Nyathi sacrificed his own life to fiercely fight to dislodge the deep-rooted colonial regime under the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA), from 1977 until the Rhodesians capitulated.
"He sacrificed his own life to fiercely fight to dislodge the deep-rooted colonial regime under the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA), from 1977 until the intransigent Rhodesians capitulated and we claimed our rightful independence.
"The late General continued to selflessly devote himself towards the resolute defence of his motherland, until his sad and untimely passing on. For that reason, we will dearly miss him as a revolutionary cadre, distinguished commander and leader par excellence.
"On behalf of the Minister of State in my Office Honourable Maj-Gen. (Retd) S. Khumalo, Deputy Minister Dr John C. Mangwiro, Permanent Secretary Air Commodore Dr Jasper Chimedza, Chief Directors, Directors, the entire Staff and my own behalf, I wish to convey my deepest condolences to the Nyathi family and the Zimbabwe Defence Forces on the untimely passing on of Major-General (Retired) Sikhulile Simpson Nyathi.
"May his dear soul rest in eternal peace," VP Chiwenga said.
Relatives and colleagues have also described him as an intelligent and quiet man who stood firm for justice and defended Zimbabwe's legacy.
Maj-Gen 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 attended several ZNA courses and attained numerous medals for his continued dedication, selfless and exemplary service to the nation.
Maj-Gen Nyathi is survived by his wife and three children.
Maj-Gen Nyathi died on Sunday morning at the Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks Referral Hospital in Harare.
He was 61.
VP Chiwenga said Maj-Gen Nyathi was a great strategic thinker and dependable General Officer.
"I learnt of the untimely passing on of Major General (Retired) Sikhulile Simpson Nyathi, on 5 June 2022 at 2 Referral Hospital, with a deep sense of shock and disbelief. I knew the late General since the formative years of the Zimbabwe National Army.
"He impressed most of us, then and now, as an intelligent, focused and hardworking man with an infectious personality that endeared him to his workmates and greater society in equal measure. The late Major-General (Retired) Nyathi was a great strategic thinker and dependable General Officer," he said.
He said Maj-Gen Nyathi sacrificed his own life to fiercely fight to dislodge the deep-rooted colonial regime under the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA), from 1977 until the Rhodesians capitulated.
"He sacrificed his own life to fiercely fight to dislodge the deep-rooted colonial regime under the Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA), from 1977 until the intransigent Rhodesians capitulated and we claimed our rightful independence.
"The late General continued to selflessly devote himself towards the resolute defence of his motherland, until his sad and untimely passing on. For that reason, we will dearly miss him as a revolutionary cadre, distinguished commander and leader par excellence.
"On behalf of the Minister of State in my Office Honourable Maj-Gen. (Retd) S. Khumalo, Deputy Minister Dr John C. Mangwiro, Permanent Secretary Air Commodore Dr Jasper Chimedza, Chief Directors, Directors, the entire Staff and my own behalf, I wish to convey my deepest condolences to the Nyathi family and the Zimbabwe Defence Forces on the untimely passing on of Major-General (Retired) Sikhulile Simpson Nyathi.
"May his dear soul rest in eternal peace," VP Chiwenga said.
Relatives and colleagues have also described him as an intelligent and quiet man who stood firm for justice and defended Zimbabwe's legacy.
Maj-Gen 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 attended several ZNA courses and attained numerous medals for his continued dedication, selfless and exemplary service to the nation.
Maj-Gen Nyathi is survived by his wife and three children.
Source - The Herald
