Shamuyarira a Leading Light, Says President Mugabe
Tributes pour in for intellectual revolutionary
June 6, 2014
Farirai Machivenyika and Paidamoyo Chipunza—
Deacon Drive in Harare’s Hogarty Hill has an unmistakable sense of loss. Green trees and colourful flowers lining the road do little to mask the pervading sombreness that grips hundreds of people streaming in and out of Mrs Dorothy Shamuyarira’s house in this leafy neighbourhood. Until Wednesday night, it was a home that she shared with Cde Nathan Shamuyarira.
But the veteran nationalist died that evening, and the magnitude of the loss can be felt among the mourners; who count among their numbers grieving family, weeping colleagues and teary eyed protégés.
Cde Shamuyarira was many things to many people, and a freedom fighter to all.
Yesterday, many described him as one of a rare breed of intellectual revolutionaries who contributed immensely to organising and mobilising support for the liberation struggle.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and war veteran Cde Chris Mutsvangwa said: “The role of intellectual revolutionaries in the liberation struggle of Zimbabwe is not fully appreciated. We had a period where people were groping for direction and how to confront the entrenched racist Rhodesian state.
“It needed somebody who could abstract, who could think and who could read the national landscape and graft it on the global stage and come out with policies and programmes which then would fashion the training of the cadre, the army, the soldier.”
Cde Mutsvangwa said it was the intellectuals that gave sound ideological grounding to young, idealistic cadres who braved Rhodesian bullets and the dangers of the bush to join the armed struggle.
“That is where the role of the intellectual became paramount and Cde Nathan Shamuyarira was among those very important people in fashioning the mind of the cadre.”
Minister of State for Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs Cde Faber Chidarikire lamented that Zimbabwe had been robbed of a fountain of wisdom.
“His invaluable advice helped us as a province as he was always there when we needed him. He is someone who will be difficult to replace,” Cde Chidarikire said.
Cde Lovemore Chihota, who was Zanu-PF’s representative in Tanzania during the Second Chimurenga, spoke of Cde Shamuyarira critical role in Zanu’s formation and growth.
He said, “He was someone who was passionate about his academics and also the liberation of the country.”
Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial chair Cde Themba Mliswa, who was not yet born when Cde Shamuyarira entered active politics, told of how the nationalist was eager to mentor young politicians.
“As you know he was the first provincial chairperson for Mashonaland West and worked tirelessly to unite the province,” he said. “He left us a legacy that we still follow today and as young politicians we learnt a lot from him as he was someone you could turn to at any time.”
Minister of State for Harare Miriam Chikukwa added: “He was a father figure who assisted everyone facing any challenges irrespective of their status. His door was always open and could interact with anyone”.
Zanu-PF national chairman Cde Simon Khaya Moyo said Cde Shamuyarira’s contribution to the liberation struggle was remarkable.
“He led from the front at all times,” he said. “A man of the people, dignified and a deep thinker, whose ideas were always a good harvest.”
Zanu-PF, he said, had lost a shining beacon.
The ruling party’s national secretary for education Dr Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, who knew Cde Shamuyarira since the 1960s, chronicled how he met Cde Shamiyarira in the United States in 1966 at Yale University, and then again later in the 1970s in Zambia as they fought the good fight.
He worked with Cde Shamuyarira during the Unity Accord negotiations in the PF-Zapu-Zanu joint committee on information documentation, which coined the slogan “Unity, Peace and Development”.
Palestine’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Hashen Dajani said Cde Shamuyarira would be remembered for his role in spearheading the Zimbabwe-Palestine Solidarity Committee in the late ‘80s.
“The Palestine leadership and the people of Palestine will always remember this great hero who never gave up his staunch principled support for their just cause and the struggle to win back their freedom and self-determination to establish an independent State of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital,” he said.
Mr Brian Mangwende of the Zimbabwe National Editors Forum said Cde Shamuyarira remained an inspiration by doing the unthinkable – for that time – by becoming the founding editor of the African Daily News in 1956.
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| Nathan Shamuyarira has no joined the ancestors. |
June 6, 2014
Farirai Machivenyika and Paidamoyo Chipunza—
Deacon Drive in Harare’s Hogarty Hill has an unmistakable sense of loss. Green trees and colourful flowers lining the road do little to mask the pervading sombreness that grips hundreds of people streaming in and out of Mrs Dorothy Shamuyarira’s house in this leafy neighbourhood. Until Wednesday night, it was a home that she shared with Cde Nathan Shamuyarira.
But the veteran nationalist died that evening, and the magnitude of the loss can be felt among the mourners; who count among their numbers grieving family, weeping colleagues and teary eyed protégés.
Cde Shamuyarira was many things to many people, and a freedom fighter to all.
Yesterday, many described him as one of a rare breed of intellectual revolutionaries who contributed immensely to organising and mobilising support for the liberation struggle.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and war veteran Cde Chris Mutsvangwa said: “The role of intellectual revolutionaries in the liberation struggle of Zimbabwe is not fully appreciated. We had a period where people were groping for direction and how to confront the entrenched racist Rhodesian state.
“It needed somebody who could abstract, who could think and who could read the national landscape and graft it on the global stage and come out with policies and programmes which then would fashion the training of the cadre, the army, the soldier.”
Cde Mutsvangwa said it was the intellectuals that gave sound ideological grounding to young, idealistic cadres who braved Rhodesian bullets and the dangers of the bush to join the armed struggle.
“That is where the role of the intellectual became paramount and Cde Nathan Shamuyarira was among those very important people in fashioning the mind of the cadre.”
Minister of State for Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs Cde Faber Chidarikire lamented that Zimbabwe had been robbed of a fountain of wisdom.
“His invaluable advice helped us as a province as he was always there when we needed him. He is someone who will be difficult to replace,” Cde Chidarikire said.
Cde Lovemore Chihota, who was Zanu-PF’s representative in Tanzania during the Second Chimurenga, spoke of Cde Shamuyarira critical role in Zanu’s formation and growth.
He said, “He was someone who was passionate about his academics and also the liberation of the country.”
Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial chair Cde Themba Mliswa, who was not yet born when Cde Shamuyarira entered active politics, told of how the nationalist was eager to mentor young politicians.
“As you know he was the first provincial chairperson for Mashonaland West and worked tirelessly to unite the province,” he said. “He left us a legacy that we still follow today and as young politicians we learnt a lot from him as he was someone you could turn to at any time.”
Minister of State for Harare Miriam Chikukwa added: “He was a father figure who assisted everyone facing any challenges irrespective of their status. His door was always open and could interact with anyone”.
Zanu-PF national chairman Cde Simon Khaya Moyo said Cde Shamuyarira’s contribution to the liberation struggle was remarkable.
“He led from the front at all times,” he said. “A man of the people, dignified and a deep thinker, whose ideas were always a good harvest.”
Zanu-PF, he said, had lost a shining beacon.
The ruling party’s national secretary for education Dr Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, who knew Cde Shamuyarira since the 1960s, chronicled how he met Cde Shamiyarira in the United States in 1966 at Yale University, and then again later in the 1970s in Zambia as they fought the good fight.
He worked with Cde Shamuyarira during the Unity Accord negotiations in the PF-Zapu-Zanu joint committee on information documentation, which coined the slogan “Unity, Peace and Development”.
Palestine’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Hashen Dajani said Cde Shamuyarira would be remembered for his role in spearheading the Zimbabwe-Palestine Solidarity Committee in the late ‘80s.
“The Palestine leadership and the people of Palestine will always remember this great hero who never gave up his staunch principled support for their just cause and the struggle to win back their freedom and self-determination to establish an independent State of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital,” he said.
Mr Brian Mangwende of the Zimbabwe National Editors Forum said Cde Shamuyarira remained an inspiration by doing the unthinkable – for that time – by becoming the founding editor of the African Daily News in 1956.
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