Vice President Mnangagwa
Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter—
Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has described the late national hero Cde Sikhanyiso Ndlovu as a patriot who cherished national unity. Cde Ndlovu (78) died on Tuesday at Mater Dei Hospital following an asthma attack and subsequent stroke last week. “We worked with him in the national leadership at national level and he was one of the comrades who cherished unity and cooperation among members of the party and the nation as a whole.
“I know him as an individual who did not feel issues of tribalism and regionalism, he was above that. He was a person who mixed with everyone across the breadth of the country. He was at home anywhere,” VP Mnangagwa said. The Vice President said Cde Ndlovu valued education and played a role in the development of the sector even during the liberation war.
“He served in Government and was doing well and in the Politburo, he served in various positions particularly as secretary for education. I feel as a party, nation and Government we have lost a colleague, a patriot with a wealth of experience.
“He could have done a lot by writing about the history of the country because of his wealth of experience,” he said. He added that Cde Ndlovu’s passion for education resulted in his founding of the Zimbabwe Distance Education College that has seen thousands of Zimbabweans attaining various academic and professional qualifications.
VP Mnangagwa said he got to know Cde Ndlovu in the early 1960s when they were imprisoned at Gonakudzingwa. “I came to know Duke in the early 60s when he was at Gonakudzingwa together with the late former Vice President Joshua Nkomo when we ourselves were also in prison.
“After he left Gonakudzingwa, he went to the US to study and during his stay we were fully aware of his activities as a Zapu activist. “He came from the Midlands in Mberengwa and was a personal friend of mine for over 40 years,” the Vice President said.
Cde Ndlovu will be buried at the National Heroes Acre today.