Tinashe Sambiri

Zanu PF leader President Emmerson Mnangagwa has controversially declared the late ZESA Holdings Executive Chairperson, Dr. Sydney Gata, a national hero.

Dr. Gata, who passed away in Harare on Thursday after a short illness at the age of 79, will be laid to rest at the National Heroes Acre on Wednesday.

The announcement was confirmed by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Ambassador Raphael Faranisi.

Mnangagwa, who is related to the late technocrat, paid glowing tribute during a statement on Saturday, saying, “Dr. Gata was a visionary leader in the energy sector. His dedication to public service and development of critical infrastructure deserves national recognition. We have lost a committed patriot.”

Critics, however, have raised eyebrows over the declaration, pointing to Gata’s familial ties to the president and a controversial tenure at the helm of ZESA, marred by allegations of nepotism and mismanagement. One Harare resident said on condition of anonymity, “We don’t dispute that Gata served, but many people are asking if this is a reward based on merit or bloodlines.”

Another ZESA employee, speaking anonymously, added: “He had his achievements, yes, but there were serious issues at ZESA. Declaring him a hero will not sit well with everyone.”

Despite the controversy, preparations are already underway for the burial at the National Heroes Acre. State media has since begun running tributes praising Gata’s contribution to the energy sector, particularly during the early years of Zimbabwe’s independence.