Heavens open as Prof Makhurane is laid to rest

missed by the family. He said that his achievements had brought weight to the Makhurane surname and his children wore it like a badge of honour wherever they went.

“We as his children never owned him. He belonged to the whole family and to the nation. Growing up we were able to bask in that glory. I think there’s something that we forget. They call him double brain but all the time he was using his intellectual intelligence he was also using his emotional intelligence as well,” said Mr Makhurane.

Family spokesperson Ms Boitatelo Mnguni detailed the Prof Makhurane’s humble beginnings in Gungwe, narrating the start of an illustrious academic journey that began with primary education in Gwanda to detours in Chegato, Mberengwa, Manama in Gwanda, Mnene in Mberengwa and Fletcher High School in Gweru.

Prof Makhurane later went on to the University of Rhodesia (now University of Zimbabwe) for his first degree in Mathematics and Physics before attaining a Masters Degree and PhD in Physics in the United Kingdom.

“The woman who died in that hut over there took a cow to Manama High School and the cow was used by the school and so Phinias’ school fees was paid,” Ms Mnguni said of the late Prof Makhurane’s mother. “I don’t know what happened to that cow. I will ask the investigators that are here and I will ask them to find out what happened,” she said.

Zanu-PF spokesperson Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo said Prof Makhurane’s death had saddened the country’s leader, President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

“His Excellency the President of Zimbabwe and the Commander-In-Chief of the Defence Forces has instructed us to be with you on this solemn occasion. All I can say is that his Excellency sends his greetings to all. I have been asked by the President to convey a message, a message that has been repeated by those that spoke before. It’s a message from the President conveying condolences to the Makhurane family at such a great loss,” said Ambassador Khaya Moyo.

Chief mourner Ambassador Khaya Moyo gave tribute to Makhurane, describing him as a man who had no bias towards anyone because of ethnicity or region of origin.

“His departure is a massive blow not only to his family but to the country as a whole. He knew no tribe, no region and no negativity,” he said.

Ambassador Khaya Moyo said even in the afterlife, Prof Makhurane would shine alongside some of Matabeleland South’s most illustrious sons including the last Jason Ziyapapa Moyo and Edward Mbakwa Ndlovu.

“He was a man of destiny. He knew that one day the Almighty would call him but he had fulfilled his destiny here on earth. A person like Phinias can never die. He only gets called for higher responsibility,” he said.

Amid tears from those that held him dearest to their hearts, the funeral was also a celebration of the late academic’s life. After the speeches, Prof Makhurane was carried to his final resting place, with the Zimbabwe National Army’s band complemented by members of the Lutheran Church as they bade farewell to Nust’s founding Vice-Chancellor in song.

A gun salute that seemed to reverberate through the hills and valleys of Gungwe was followed by loud thunder as rain poured on the Matabeleland South village.

There were gasps of shock followed by ululation as members of the ZNA fired shots into the overcast sky as part of the customary gun salute afforded to a national hero.

As per his wishes, Prof Makhurane was laid to rest among other deceased members of his family, with his grave only a few metres from his father Mogorosi Tsukuba Mvomoli and his brother Molikoa Blom Mogorosi’s final resting places.

The academic was buried close to midday, with the Master of Ceremonies having to cut short some speeches and rebuff others that wanted to speak, as luminary after luminary in the field of academia and education lined up to wax poetic about the late educationalist.

Other dignitaries who attended the burial included Minister of State for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs, Cde Abedinico Ncube, Cde Evelyn Ndlovu, the Minister of State in VicePresident Dr Constantino Chiwenga’s office, Zanu-PF Secretary for War Veterans and Deputy Minister of Defence and War Veterans Cde Victor Matemadanda and the Secretary for Youth Affairs Cde Lewis Mathuthu, among other ruling party stalwarts.