The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Reporter
ONE of the silent heroes of Zimbabwe’s struggle for independence, Cde Elliot Mabhedla Maphenduka Moyo breathed his last at the age of 85 at his Nkulumane home in Bulawayo last Wednesday.
Cde Moyo, who never sought prominence although he was in the thick of things during the armed struggle will be laid to rest at the Bulawayo Provincial Heroes Acre tomorrow after being declared a liberation war hero. Born on 12 April 1935 in Kezi, the late Cde Maphenduka Moyo, whose liberation war name was James Dube did his primary school education at Hadlana and Donkwe-Donkwe. After completing his primary school education, Cde Maphenduka Moyo went to Cyrene Mission in 1952 for his secondary schooling. He failed to complete his education due to financial constraints.
In 1957, Cde Maphenduka Moyo went to Bulawayo to seek employment and was employed by Edgars Stores. After that brief period, of working, he left the country for Zambia. It was while in Zambia that he participated in youth activities under the auspices of the United National Independence Party (UNIP), the party that brought independence in Zambia.
Cde Maphenduka Moyo joined the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (Zapu) at its formation in the Copperbelt Region (Chingola). He came back to the then Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and joined the People Caretaker Council (PCC) in Tshabalala (Bulawayo), under the leadership of Edward Mkandla. Cde Maphenduka Moyo then returned to Zambia and was based in Lusaka.
In 1963, Cde Maphenduka Moyo was assigned to Tanzania where he worked at Mbeya for about six months under the leadership of Pasipanodya. He then worked at the Zapu Dar es Salaam offices with the late Benjamin Madlela and his duties included being a driver, transporting party goods from Tanzania to Zambia and then cadres from Zambia to Tanzania. Those were the cadres who were going for military training at camps such as Morogoro.
Cde Maphenduka Moyo went to the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in the early 1965 for military training, which included intelligence services. After completing training towards the end of 1965, he came back home en route Tanzania and Zambia. He entered the then Rhodesia with other cadres in late 1965, crossing the Zambezi River near Chirundu for a mission and operated in the Midlands Province with the late Walter Mbambo.
Towards the end of 1965, Cde Maphenduka Moyo was arrested with other cadres and detained at Goromonzi Police Station, Harare Central Police Station and Harare Prison respectively. The High Court sentenced him and other cadres to 10 years in prison under the Law and Order Maintenance Act for undergoing unlawful training.
He served his sentence at Khami Prison from 1966. After serving 10 years at Khami Prison, he was detained at Gwelo (Gweru) and Whawha Prisons respectively. During detention, Cde Maphenduka Moyo embarked on academic studies and completed his O-levels.
He was to be released in 1976 on condition that he will report at Kezi Police Station after every two weeks. After his release in 1976, he was re-arrested on his wedding day because of his continuous fight against the Ian Smith’s regime. He was taken back to Whawha until his release in 1979 during the ceasefire period. Cde Maphenduka Moyo then went to Juliet Assembly Point (Zezani) in Beitbridge and was later demobilised at the then Llewellin Barracks, now Imbizo on the outskirts of Bulawayo.
After that Cde Maphenduka Moyo worked for the Bulawayo City Council until his retirement in the early 90s due to injuries sustained during the war. Sadly, Cde Maphenduka Moyo died while still fighting to get his pension. According to his family, he got a lumpsum in 2004 but his signature is said to have been forged and the pension stolen.
He was now a Pastor and Trustee in the Unshakeable Pentecostal Church. Cde Maphenduka Moyo pioneered a number of churches in Matabeleland South. He pastored and then became the Matabeleland South Bishop and was in the Council of UPC Bishops in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Botswana. He was a trusted ally of UPC overseer, Bishop Haney Sawasawa.
In 2017, Cde Maphenduka Moyo suffered a stroke which left him incapacitated and his condition deteriorated in the last few months, until his death last Wednesday. He is survived by wife, Simangaliphi Maphenduka Moyo (nee Ncube), eight children and 10 grand children. Six of his children are based in the United Kingdom while two are domiciled in South Africa. Due to the coronavirus, which has disrupted international travel, his children will not be able to attend his burial.
