ZNA mourns Col Pahla

THE Commander Zimbabwe National Army, General David Sigauke has mourned Colonel Dennis Pahla who died on Monday.

Col Pahla, whose Chimurenga name was Cde Kid Nyikandeyedu, died at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals after suffering from injuries sustained in a road traffic accident which occurred when the car he was travelling in rolled over into Gwebi River along the Harare Chinhoyi Road.

He was 64. Col Pahla was born on 17 October 1957 in Chipinge and attended primary education at Madhuklu, Manzire and later Rimai primary schools.

He then proceeded to Chikore Mission for secondary education.

The late colonel however failed to write his O Levels examinations as the liberation war had escalated at that time in his home area.

The Rhodesian forces had increased their patrols into their patrols into the area following incursion by ZANLA combatants crossing the border from neighbouring Mozambique.

The late Col Pahla subsequently moved to Mutare where he stayed for some months before he crossed the border to join the liberation struggle in Mozambique in 1975.

This was after ZANLA forces had attacked Mutare.

Accompanied by a friend, the two crossed the border into Mozambique at Mary mount Mission.

In a statement gen Sigauke said Col Pahla’s first port of call in Mozambique was Villa de Manica before proceeding to Chimoio. They were then ferried to Nyadzonya Refugee camp.

“In 1976, the late Colonel was selected to undergo military training in Tanzania and was flown to Nachingweya via Mutwara Airport. He was part of the Songambele group of 5000 ZANLA recruits. After training in 1977 colonel Pahla was deployed to operate in Tete province , Detachment ‘B’ of the Chitepo sector inside Zimbabwe then Rhodesia.

“He operated as a rifleman and rose through the ranks to become section Political Commissar, section Commander before he was elevated to Detachment Commander. At ceasefire in 1979, he went to echo (Luwanga) Assembly Point from where he subsequently joined the ZNA on independence in 1980,” Gen Sigauke said.

Col Pahla served in various appointments in the ZNA rising through the ranks to colonel the rank he held until the time of his untimely death.

Funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.

Mourners are gathered at plot Number 7 Riverside Farm in Banket.