Harare, (New Ziana) – President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday described the late national hero Dr Sydney Zikuzo Gata as a loyal technocrat whose life’s work was dedicated to the growth and transformation of the energy sector.

Dr Gata, the former Executive Chairman of ZESA Holdings, passed away on July 3 in Harare after a short illness at the age of 77.

Addressing thousands of mourners at the National Heroes’ Acre in Harare, President Mnangagwa hailed Dr Gata’s remarkable legacy as a pioneering engineer, a patriotic educationist, and a man of unmatched dedication to national development.

“Dr Gata was a guru in the engineering and energy landscape, a loyal technocrat who devoted his life to developing the energy sector. His passing is a great loss to our nation,” he said.

President Mnangagwa extended heartfelt condolences to the Gata family, especially to his widow, Angeline, and the children, urging them to find comfort and solace from the fact that the nation shares their loss.

Dr Gata was a fervent advocate for renewable energy, and just a week before his passing, he was recognized for his immense contribution to the regional energy discourse by the Southern African Power Pool during its 30th Anniversary commemorations.

President Mnangagwa commended Dr Gata’s instrumental role in advancing Zimbabwe’s energy infrastructure and vision for industrialization.

“Our national Vision 2030 is anchored on a modern, industrialized economy. It is through heroes like Dr Gata that we lay down the necessary infrastructure to achieve that vision,” he said, urging Zimbabwean youths to emulate Dr Gata’s life of service, intellect, and patriotism.

“Let us always remember that Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatirwa nevene vayo (a country is built, ruled and prayed for by its people). The life of our national hero reflected a deep understanding of this philosophy,” he said, adding Zimbabwe is ready for a new generation of heroes, trailblazers and inventors, who will uplift the nation.

President Mnangagwa added that the development being witnessed under the Second Republic is the beginning, as the country is rising.

He said Dr Gata will be remembered not only for his professionalism and academic excellence, but for his humility and relentless commitment to transforming the energy sector in Zimbabwe.

Born on 17 December 1946 in Chipinge, Manicaland province, Dr Gata was shaped by the oppressive realities of colonial rule.

With family members who perished during Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle, his life was marked by deep revolutionary consciousness.

An exceptional scholar, Dr Gata studied science in Canada and later specialised in engineering in the United Kingdom, earning a PhD in solar energy engineering.

He lectured in top universities including the University of London and City University, majoring in aeronautical and mechanical engineering and, despite a promising career abroad, he returned home post-independence to help rebuild the country, first teaching engineering at the University of Zimbabwe and playing a key role in establishing national training institutions.

As the first black General Manager of the Electricity Supply Commission (ESC), he helped form ZESA and spearheaded monumental projects including the Hwange Power Station stages 1 and 2, and the Rural Electrification Program.

Dr Gata held senior regional and international energy roles, including at the World Energy Council and African Development Bank, and was a founding member of the Southern African Power Pool.

In the political arena, he served ZANU PF loyally in various provincial capacities, while as s community member, he remained engaged in local development in Chipinge. Reappointed in 2019 as Executive Chairman and CEO of ZESA Holdings, Dr Gata led the revival of power infrastructure in the country, notably overseeing the completion of Hwange Units 7 and 8.

A staunch believer in renewable energy, his leadership helped steer Zimbabwe toward a more sustainable energy future and his death marks the end of a remarkable chapter in the engineering and national development journey.

New Ziana