The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube / Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporters
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has sent a message of condolence to the Nleya Family following the death of national hero Cde Stanley Nleya in Bulawayo on Tuesday last week.
Cde Nleya (72), who died at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) after succumbing to a heart ailment, will be buried at the national shrine in Harare on Tuesday. The President said the death of Cde Nleya has left a huge void in society and deeply depressed all the people who were with him during the armed struggle.
“Part of a pioneering crop of cadres who volunteered and received early military training, Cde Nleya’s place and contribution to the national struggle is well recorded and will be remembered and celebrated beyond his sad and untimely departure,” said President Mnangagwa in a statement.
“Many within our current Command Element including our commander Defence Forces General Philip Valerio Sibanda went through the hands of this outstanding liberation fighter whose characteristically selfless active service to our nation continued well into our independence including the early heady days of demobilisation and integration exercise.
“Indeed his excelling performance both as a commander and as a leader showed by his elevation to the Zipra High Command during the struggle and by his appointment to command different units of our integrated national army after independence. As we mourn the sad demise of Cde Nleya may I on behalf of Zanu-PF, Government, the Zimbabwe Defence Force and on my own behalf express heartfelt condolences to the Nleya Family on this their saddest loss. Indeed, this is our loss together and one which our deeply grateful nation modestly repairs and commemorates by according him national hero status and by resting him at the national shrine we reserve for the best and most deserving sons and daughters of the nations. May his soul rest in eternal peace.”
Nleya family spokesperson and younger brother to Cde Nleya, Mr Tshaka Nleya yesterday said the late national hero’s body whose pseudonym was Elish Gagisa will be taken to his rural home in Masendu, Bulilima District in Matabeleland South before lying in state for a funeral service at White City Stadium in Bulawayo later in the afternoon.
“The family together with the Government has agreed that Cde Nleya will be buried on Tuesday at the National Heroes Acre. What will happen is that on Monday morning his body will be flown to his rural home in Masendu, it will then be brought to White City in the afternoon after which the army will take over where I understand a funeral parade will be held before the body is flown to Harare for the Tuesday burial,” said Mr Nleya.
Cde Nleya was one of the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (Zipra) commanders during the armed struggle. In announcing Cde Nleya’s hero status, Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration Dr Obert Mpofu on Friday said President Mnangagwa declared him a national hero due to his immense contribution to the liberation of the country.
He said there was no objection among Politburo members to the proposal to declare Cde Nleya a national hero.
Cde Nleya was born on 26 September in 1947 in Masendu area in Bulilima District. He did his primary education in the same district before proceeding to Hope Fountain Mission for his secondary education. He also attended Inyathi Mission in Bubi District before abandoning school in March 1968 to join the armed struggle in Zambia via Botswana.
He received military training at Morogoro in Tanzania in 1969 and his group of 100 recruits was the third to be trained there. Some of the people in his group were now national heroes like the late Retired Colonel Masala Sibanda and Major-General Jevan Maseko as well as Retired Brigadier-General Abel Mazinyane, Rtd Brigadier-General Tjile Nleya and the late Eddie Sigoge Mlotshwa.
After completing training Cde Nleya together with Maj-Gen Maseko, Rtd Brig-Gen Tjile Nleya, Sigoge and Elias Ndlovu were named the most five outstanding recruits and therefore were elevated to be instructors. During the formation of the Zimbabwe People’s Army (Zipa), an amalgamation of Zipra and Zanla, Cde Nleya was chosen as the Chief of Staff at Mgagao in Tanzania where he worked closely with the now Minister of Agriculture and former commander of the Airforce, Retired Chief Marshal Perrance Shiri.
As an instructor some of the people who went through his hands are decorated freedom fighters such as the current Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander, General Philip Valerio Sibanda, Todd Mpisi, Rodwell Nyika (Retired Brigadier-General Collins Moyo), former St Paul’s Assembly Point commander and frontal commander for NF1 and 2, Cde Nicholas Nkomo (Gilbert Khumalo).
In 1974 Cde Nleya was sent to Lebanon and led that group of five that had himself, Gen Sibanda, late Assaf Ndinda, Elias Ndou and Joel Dambudzo for a commando training course after which they were deployed along Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) guerillas.
As the armed struggle intensified, Cde Nleya was later promoted to the rank of deputy chief of operations, deputising Maj-Gen Maseko together with Cdes Richard Mataure (Ngwenya) and the late Mike Reynolds and he started getting into operational areas especially in Mashonaland West Province. He covered areas such as Hurungwe and Karoi.
At the attainment of the ceasefire he was appointed second in command to Cde Sigoge at Papa Assembly Point in Mashonaland West. At independence he led the demobilisation process before being integrated into the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) where he served as one of the senior commanders. When he left the ZNA Cde Nleya worked for Hwange Colliery Company as a buyer.
At the time of his death he was working for a liquor franchise run by his nephew and Highlanders Football Club treasurer, Donald Ndebele.
He is survived by his wife who is based in the United Kingdom and four children. Mourners are gathered at Number 30 Old Luveve.
