The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Reporter
THE advent of the Covid-19 pandemic saw a disruption of normal life with families living further apart the worst affected.
Before Covid-19, Zimbabweans living in the diaspora were able to attend important gatherings back home. However, the onset of Covid-19 saw all that disrupted as at the height of the pandemic, travelling was not easy between nations.
For those who really wanted to come home, they were required to spend time in quarantine on arrival, which made it difficult to attend any family gatherings back home.
When one of the country’s freedom fighters, Cde Elliot Mabhedla Maphenduka Moyo passed on in June 2020 with his seven children, who are based in the United Kingdom and South Africa failing to attend his burial.
The seven children could not be there to comfort their mother Simangaliphi Maphenduka Moyo (nee Ncube) during such a trying time. It was only through technology that they watched his interment at the Bulawayo Heroes’ Acre in Nkulumane following his declaration as a liberation war hero.
Last Friday, five of his children were present when Cde Maphenduka Moyo’s tombstone was unveiled at the provincial shrine.
The children, most of them based in the UK took advantage of the long school break in that country to come home during a befitting time when Zimbabwe is remembering those who fought in the war to liberate the nation from colonial rule.
His first born, Muzingaye, who is domiciled in the UK feels his father went too early before he could impart some of the knowledge to him.
“My father went too early before I knew him, my father had a lot of history, he had a lot of knowledge, unfortunately I left for South Africa and the United Kingdom, even when I used to come home, I don’t think we had enough time together,’’ Muzingaye said.
Family of the late liberation war hero Elliot Mabhedla Maphenduka Moyo at his grave at the Bulawayo Heroes Acre
The son further stated that it was really painful for them as children not to attend their father’s burial due to Covid-19.
“Things were difficult during Covid-19, watching your father being buried through videos was very stressful, all of us did not attend the funeral because of Covid-19. It was really painful, I wouldn’t lie, the fact that I managed to come down today it gives me that closure, it gives me that comfort knowing where my father is buried. I wish I was there when my father was being buried but I had no choice, there were no flights, everything was closed, as children we felt a lot of pain to have a parent buried in our absence,’’ said Muzingaye.
Mr Jonathan Maphenduka, the late hero’s uncle said with travel restrictions having been eased, it gave them comfort as a family that most of the children were able to attend the tombstone unveiling.
“Covid-19 is not with us any more that is why the children who two years ago failed to bury their father came when we unveiled his tombstone. It gives us courage that Covid-19 is no longer a factor stopping people from attending funerals. The pain of not being able to attend your father’s funeral was unbearable but we are grateful that now that we are unveiling his tombstone some of the children came,’’ said Mr Maphenduka.
Cde Maphenduka Moyo died at his Nkulumane home at the age of 85.
His burial was attended by Colonel (Retired) Tshinga Dube who underwent military training with the late hero in the then Soviet Union.
Rtd Col Tshinga Dube
Zimbabwe National War Veterans Association Bulawayo vice-chairman Cde Killion Muvuti speaking at the burial felt that because of Cde Maphenduka Moyo’s immense contribution to the struggle, he deserved to be accorded national hero status had those who were with him in Zapu presented his case to the Zanu-PF national leadership.
“If there were people who were senior in Zapu, they were going to present his case to the Zanu-PF HQ and he was to be given his recognition. It must be presented by the party for him to be a national hero, it must be through the party channels, we just arrange the burial, the recognition comes from the party. His case was never presented to the hierarchy of the party, if presented, they were going to adopt it,’’ Cde Muvuti said.
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.
Family of the late liberation war hero Elliot Mabhedla Maphenduka Moyo at his grave at the Bulawayo Heroes Acre
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. While in Zambia he participated in youth activities under the auspices of the United National Independence Party (UNIP).
Cde Maphenduka Moyo joined the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (Zapu) at its formation in the Copper Belt Region (Chingola). He came back to Zimbabwe and joined the People’s Caretaker Council (PCC) in Tshabalala (Bulawayo), under the leadership of Edward Mkandla.
Cde Maphenduka Moyo then went back 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 Cde 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.
Cde Maphenduka Moyo went to the then Soviet Union in early 1965 for military training, which included intelligence services.
Muzingwaye Maphenduka Moyo unveils his late father’s tombstone at the Bulawayo Heroes Acre
After completing training towards the end of 1965, he came back home en route to Tanzania and Zambia. He entered the then Southern 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 Cde 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 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 Maximum Prison from 1966. After serving 10 years at Khami he was detained at Gwelo (Gweru) and Whawha Prisons. During detention, Cde Maphenduka Moyo completed his O-levels.
Khami Maximum Prison.
Cde Maphenduka Moyo was released in 1976 on condition that he reports 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 ceasefire and went to join other freedom fighters at Zezani Assembly Point in Beitbridge District.
He was later demobilised at Imbizo Barracks. After that Cde Maphenduka Moyo worked for the City of Bulawayo 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 lump sum in 2004 but his signature is said to have been forged and the pension stolen.
He was 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.
Cde Maphenduka Moyo 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 until his death in June 2020.
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