Harare, (New Ziana) -President Emmerson Mnangagwa has sent a message of condolence to the Nyathi family following the death on Saturday of veteran author and historian Pathisa Nyathi.
He also granted a State-assisted funeral for the late renowned historian. In a statement on Monday, President Mnangagwa said he received the news of Nyathi’s passing with a heavy heart, utter sense of shock and deep sorrow.
He said Nyathi contributed immensely to performing arts including film, in ways that transformed Bulawayo into the national capital of arts. “As they grieve over their saddest loss, may they derive ample comfort from the great deeds and accomplishments of the late dear departed, many of which were done in the service of his people and his country. “To that end and in his honour, I have directed that the late Pathisa Nyathi be granted a State Assisted funeral. May his dear soul rest in eternal peace,” said President Mnangagwa.
Early this year, President Mnangagwa assigned Nyathi and Paul Damasane to document the Pupu battle of national resistance against British colonial encroachment as well as to trace the final journey of Late King Lobengula following the fall of the Ndebele Kingdom in 1893.
“I personally felt very proud and overwhelmed by the sheer fervency of his commitment to the reconstruction of our national heritage which he felt had been assaulted and injured by countless colonial narratives.
“I even urged him to embark on more such projects so the huge lacuna in our sparsely documented and vastly distorted past, could be plugged. Today that hope stands rudely dashed as it’s proponent and main actor has bowed out of this life after a long and inexorably debilitating illness. We deeply grieve over this very sad and untimely demise which has robbed our nation so irreparably,” said the President.
Nyathi was a veteran educationist who specialized in teaching Science and Mathematics and leaves behind numerous publications on Zimbabwe’s past including genealogies of communities and biographies of several national icons.
New Ziana