By Own Correspondent-The Chipinge community is mourning the death of Sydney Zukuzo Gata, the Executive Chairman of the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA), who passed away on Thursday evening at a private hospital in Harare after being admitted earlier in the week with chest pains. 

He was originally from the Mutema communal area under Chief Mutema.

Nationally, Gata was a powerful and often controversial figure—widely seen as a staunch ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and a beneficiary of Zimbabwe’s patronage system. 

His career was marked by allegations of state-sanctioned corruption, nepotism, and misuse of public resources.

Yet, in his home district of Chipinge, many remember a different man: a loyal son, a generous benefactor, and a warm, accessible figure who remained closely connected to his rural roots.

Ward 23 Councillor Mr. Shingai Gapara confirmed that all political and community activities in Chipinge have been suspended in honor of Gata’s passing.

“In honoring his legacy and respecting the Gata family, we have suspended all gatherings and programs in Ward 23 of Chipinge Rural. May we find strength in our collective grief and support one another during this difficult period,” he said.

Community activist Oliver Chikumba, one of the first to break the news of Gata’s death, offered a deeply personal tribute:

“The giant has fallen. A man of few words and more action. The nation has been robbed. Dr. Engineer Sydney Zukuzo Gata—your legacy will forever be cherished. Rest in power, Mutape.”

Dr. Robbert Matikiti, an academic and consultant, described him as a “hero who has left behind a good legacy,” adding:

“We will always remember his immense contributions. Hamba kahle, true Gazaland son of the soil.”

Despite his image as a political insider and controversial power broker, Gata remained actively engaged with Chipinge, particularly through the United Church of Christ in Zimbabwe (UCCZ) and local development initiatives. He was a key advocate of Gazaland University (GU), a proposed institution in Chipinge, and played a leading role in conceptualizing an Agriculture Centre of Excellence under the project.

Mr. Phillimon Mlambo, Chairperson of the GU Taskforce, said:

“Dr. Gata was one of our greatest advocates and cheerleaders for Gazaland University. In his honor, we are even more determined to make GU a reality.”

However, not all in Chipinge remember Gata fondly.

His close relationship with President Mnangagwa—earning him the moniker Chigananda—afforded him immense political and economic leverage, which critics say he used to entrench his family’s power. In Mutema–Musikavanhu constituency, where his wife Angeline serves as Member of Parliament and Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, his influence was both feared and resented.

In Ward 5 of the constituency, Gata is accused of displacing communities through land seizures. In the June 14 by-election for the same ward, a team of activists reportedly loyal to Gata and his wife allegedly intimidated voters before and after the polls. Over 1,200 people were assisted to vote under the claim they were illiterate—a group that bizarrely included schoolteachers.

His wife’s nomination as MP was also widely criticized as the product of political imposition, which many say deepened internal divisions within the ruling ZANU-PF party. Locals argue that few dared to challenge Gata’s power due to his tribal affiliation, political connections, and proximity to Mnangagwa.

Professionally, Gata’s resume was formidable. He became the first Black General Manager of the Electricity Supply Commission (ESC) from 1981 to 1985, later serving as Chief Executive Officer and board member of ZESA through the 1990s. His controversial reappointment as Executive Chairman in 2019 came amid a deepening power crisis and mounting allegations of mismanagement and corruption within the parastatal.

Internationally, he held senior positions including as a board member and deputy chair of the Studies Committee of the World Energy Council (1992–1994). He also advised organizations such as the African Development Bank and Integrated Energy Systems Limited (UK).

Gata is survived by his wife, Hon. Angeline Gata, their children, and grandchildren.

As Zimbabwe reflects on his complex legacy—one defined by both immense privilege and lasting local impact—Chipinge grieves not the powerful insider, but the village son whose memory endures in the hearts of many.

Funeral and burial arrangements will be announced in due course.