National hero Moyo died a bitter man
ZIPRA Veterans Association members, who mourned the late Retired Brigadier General, Collin Moyo, who died last Friday aged 66, said he died bitter over the marginalisation of the ex-Zapu military wing cadres.
Moyo was declared a national hero and was buried at the National Heroes Acre yesterday.
Zipra Veterans Association spokesperson Buster Magwizi yesterday told Southern Eye that Moyo, the most decorated military commander, trained people like Vice-President Kembo Mohadi, but died in poverty.
“He worked in the Ministry of Defence and War Veterans Welfare, but was being despised as he only got promotion after a long time when most of his juniors had been promoted ahead of him,’’ said Magwizi, adding that his wish was to see everyone being put on the same economic footing.
Moyo, Magwizi said, was the leader of a team that was involved in the dialogue between Zipra cadres and President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Zipra properties, adding that if Mnangagwa was a listening President, he should have returned Zipra properties as was Moyo’s wish.
Magwizi said Moyo died a bitter man without seeing Zipra veterans being put on the same economic footing with other liberation fighters.
“If Brigadier Moyo was not a man of peace, he was going to make noise about all these issues, but he decided to die in humility,” Magwizi said.
Moyo whose Chimurenga name was Rodwell Nyika, retired from the army in 1997. At the time of his death, he was a director in the Defence and War Veterans Welfare ministry responsible for investigations, vetting and inspectorate. He joined the armed struggle in July 1972.