Zimbabwe African People’s Union bids farewell to yet another illustrious son of the soil, Comrade Naison Mgatsho Msebele, who succumbed to a short illness in a London hospital on the 8th of April 2020.

Naison Mgatsho Msebele was born in 1943 in the then Lower Gwelo, Rhodesia. He went through his education paces and afterwards, worked for Bata Company and for the Bulawayo City Council before leaving for the UK in the late 1970s with his wife, Sithandiwe and their young family.

In the UK he worked and held a number of positions including political and economic analyst, refugees advocate with Amnesty International, a local government manager, and in latter years he trained as a teacher then psychotherapist.
He continued with his education and resultantly held multiple degrees in politics, economics and psychotherapy, to name a few.

Before Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980, Mr Msebele was a loyal and committed cadre of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union – ZAPU and was treasurer of the UK chapter of the liberation movement. He also served as advisor to the ZAPU delegation to the Lancaster House talks, a delegation that included his cousin and mentor, the late national liberation hero TG Silundika.

Comrade Msebele would remain a loyal member and supporter of the mother party even after the end of active participation on its and indeed national politics.

The most loved and cherished father, khulu, brother, uncle, friend and comrade, Comrade Msebele’s values went beyond his immediate family and borders. He was passionate about family, community and the nation and was always ready to assist through whatever means and ways, regardless of ones background. His home always had an open door to all with uBaba Msebele becoming an embodiment of the spirit of ‘’Ubuntu.” His African culture but also his Christian faith was always central to his identity and personality.

He was an active and respected leader and board member of the SDA church in the UK (Plaistow)

He is survived by seven children, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. While we mourn this loss, the mother party would like to thank the Msebele family, his children, grandchildren for generously allowing us a share of the love, care, warmth and wisdom of the larger than life character and their very own, ubaba Msebele. We convey our deepest condolences to family and friends. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Iphithule Thembani kaMaphosa
Secretary for Information Publicity and Marketing
Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU)