By A Correspondent -HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s eulogy at the National Heroes’ Acre on Thursday has drawn criticism for appearing more like a personal endorsement of a family member than a national tribute, as he praised the late ZESA Executive Chairman Dr Sydney Gata—his relative—as a “trailblazing patriot.”
Gata, who passed away on July 4 in Harare after a short illness, was laid to rest with full state honours amid sombre skies and military salutes. But beyond the ceremony, questions have resurfaced around the propriety of his controversial leadership at the helm of Zimbabwe’s troubled energy utility.
In his tribute, President Mnangagwa called Dr Gata “an engineer par excellence” and “a scientific genius” whose efforts, he claimed, left an indelible mark on Zimbabwe’s energy infrastructure.
“Dr Gata’s legacy lives in every power line and energy project he championed,” said Mnangagwa. “He helped electrify the dreams of our rural people and powered the engines of our economy.”
Yet, critics say these glowing tributes gloss over Gata’s turbulent and often questionable tenure at ZESA Holdings—marked by allegations of corruption, nepotism, and gross mismanagement of the power sector.
“This was less about honouring a national figure and more about protecting political interests,” said political analyst Tawanda Majoni. “The President conveniently omitted that Gata’s name was frequently linked to scandal and inefficiency within ZESA. Zimbabweans are still enduring rolling blackouts and an unstable grid system—hardly a legacy to celebrate.”
Mnangagwa further praised Gata’s decision to return to Zimbabwe after a successful international career, describing it as proof of his patriotism and humility.
“He never forgot who he was, or where he came from,” Mnangagwa said. “No matter how far we go in life, we must never forget that we are Zimbabweans first.”
However, observers argue that the President’s remarks ignored the broader public dissatisfaction with Gata’s leadership, including unresolved forensic audits and widespread service delivery failures under his watch.
“This is the same man who was suspended and investigated for abuse of office and yet later reappointed with no explanation,” said a former ZESA employee who requested anonymity. “If that’s patriotism, then we’re in real trouble.”
Mnangagwa also credited Gata for pioneering rural electrification and contributing to regional energy structures like the Southern African Power Pool, and used the occasion to urge youths to follow Gata’s example.
“We are in need of a new generation of heroes, innovators, technocrats, and thinkers who will continue the mission of building Zimbabwe,” the President said. “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo.”
But for many Zimbabweans, the tribute felt disconnected from reality.
“Millions still live in darkness,” commented one mourner bluntly as he left the shrine. “He may have been a brilliant engineer once, but his later years at ZESA were defined by decay, not development.”
As the flag-draped casket was lowered and the gun salutes echoed across the hilltop, what lingered for many wasn’t the grandeur of the ceremony—but the growing frustration with a system where loyalty to power often trumps performance.
“Go well, great son of the soil,” Mnangagwa concluded. “You served your generation with distinction. You have rested.”
To some, however, the more fitting eulogy might have been: You served the system well—even if the people suffered.