Fare thee well son of the soil
“WE have been hit by a storm. Our hearts are lacerated and bleeding. We are still in shock and the nation is in bewilderment.
I say this because Professor Phinias Makhurane, the illustrious founding Vice Chancellor of the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) is no more. His footprints grace many other centres of higher learning the world over. His departure is a massive blow not only to his family but to the entire nation of Zimbabwe.”
The above quote is from a statement by Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo, the Zanu-PF Secretary for Information and Publicity and Senator for Matabeleland South after the passing on of national hero Prof Makhurane who was however, buried at his rural home in Gwanda yesterday.
“He was a solid personality. An accomplished academic giant. A man of purpose. A total human being. A man of impressive intellectual skills. A man of unassuming standing and enviable humility. Those who knew him well can testify that his contribution to this nation was not only immense but immeasurable. A distinguished scholar of international repute,” said Ambassador Khaya Moyo.
The nation sung in unison that Prof Makhurane was a towering figure in the country’s academic sector and rightfully deserved the national hero status bestowed upon him, and credit goes to President Mnangagwa and the ruling party for recognising the work done by the late before and after independence.
“The decision to honour Prof Makhurane with a national hero status was arrived at yesterday (Wednesday) during Zanu-PF’s politburo meeting. It was a unanimous decision in recognition of his contributions to the country’s education sector,” said VP Kembo Mohadi when addressing mourners last week.
It was a befitting tribute because Prof Makhurane’s contribution to the education sector left a lasting legacy to the nation at large. Apart from being the founding Vice Chancellor of Nust, he also set the pace in science and physics, paving the way for fellow blacks to follow in a field widely regarded back then as a preserve for whites.
Prof Makhurane, described by many as “double brain”, died last Saturday at Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo after battling diabetes and hypertension for a long time.
“We were together with Makhurane in Zambia and at one time he was in charge of the international university education fund under which quite a number of liberation movement cadres acquired their higher and tertiary education. We also looked at his contribution at Gwanda State University,” said VP Mohadi when addressing mourners.
“After independence, he continued to contribute to the country’s education and we then all agreed that in terms of the upliftment of the nation of Zimbabwe educationally, Prof Makhurane excelled and had contributed quite a lot to what Zimbabwe is today and therefore that recognition should not go unnoticed.”
Prof Makhurane was born in Gwanda in 1939 and did his primary education in the district before enrolling at Chegato in Mberengwa, Manama in Gwanda, Mnene again in Mberengwa and Fletcher High School in Gweru for his secondary education. He went to the then University of Rhodesia (now University of Zimbabwe) for his first degree where he majored in Mathematics and Physics and proceeded to the United Kingdom where he attained a Masters’ degree and a PhD in Physics.
Prof Makhurane later worked as a lecturer at the University of Zambia where he helped many locals and Zambians, including President Mnangagwa, to get scholarships. He also worked at the University of Botswana where he was Dean of the Faculty of Science until independence when he decided to come back home to work at the University of Zimbabwe where he became the Pro Vice-Chancellor. He was the founding Nust Vice Chancellor. After leaving Nust, Prof Makhurane was tasked by Government to be a technical advisor in higher education and was appointed Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (Zimche) chairperson until his retirement. He also played a big role in the planning of the establishment of the Gwanda State University.