16 Nhlolanja 2026
Ngu Liberty Mutamba

MAPATE-Iziphathamandla, izakhamizi zeMapate, abangane lezihlobo sezivalelise iqhawe lesizwe uBrigadier General Rtd Samuel Mpabanga.
Imuli yako Mpabanga iwelwe liyezi elimnyama ngeviki ephelileyo, lapho umuyi ubethola khona usizo esibhedlela se Gwanda Provincial Hospital.
UBrigadier General Rtd Mpabanga ubeliminyaka engamatshumi ayisithupha lasitshiyagalolunye(69). Iqhawe lesizwe lidlule emhlabeni ngemva kokugula isikhathi eside.
UBrg Gen (Rtd) Mpabanga unikwe isicoco sokuba liqhawe lelizwe ngemva kokusebenza ngokuzikhandla ukuze ilizwe leZimbabwe lithole uzibuse.

Ilizwe leZimbabwe lithe selithole uzibuse uMpabanga waqhubeka njalo esibuthweni lapho asebenza khona okweminyaka edlula amatshumi amane (40).
UMpabanga wayelibutho elilembeko njalo elihloniphayo nanko phela wakhwezwa kuzikhundla zesibutho.
Okhangele ngengqubekela phambili lentuthuko eZansi yemaNdebeleni uHon Albert Nguluvhe uthe izenzo zikamuyi zimnike isicoco sokuba abeliqhawe lelizwe.
“Sikhala kanye lemuli kodwa siphinde sithokoze ukuba imuli yako Mpabanga izale iqhawe lesizwe. Isigaba seZansi yemaNdebeleni siyaziqhenya ngokuba lama qhawe anjengabo Mpabanga. Sibonga uMongameli welizwe leZimbabwe uDr Emmerson Mnangagwa omnike isicoco lesi ngoba imisebenzi, ukuzinikela isibindi sakhe besitshengisa ukuthi uMpabanga ubezinekele ukusebenzela ilizwe leli.

“Indawo yakithi le idume ngokukhulisa abantu abavikela ilizwe, singakhumbula abantwana beManama abachapha umgcele besiya dinga uzibuse. Kuthe ngo 1977 lapho ikusasa belingathembisi uMpabanga waqonga isibindi walandela abanye eBotswana, andubana eqhubekele eZambia lapho alolongwa engaphansi kwebutho le Zambia le ZIPRA. UMpabanga walolonga njalo isibutho sakhe eUkraine andubana abuye ezolwela uzibuse,” kubika Nguluvhe.
Imuli ithi ilahlakelwe ngumthunzi omkhulu, obubambanisa imuli, nangu uLot Mpabanga.
“Umuyi ubeyindoda ehlala izithulele. Ibithanda ikhaya loba ekhatshana njani ubezinika isikhathi sokuthi abuye ekhaya. Ubesenelisa ukuyimanyanisa imuli. Loba ekhula ubeyindoda ethanda unobhutshuzwayo, namhla sisele sisegcekeni umthunzi wethu awusekho,” kutsho uMpabanga.
UNaphtal Mpabanga uthe umuyi ubeyindoda esebenza ngokuzikhandla. Lase sigabeni ubesenelisa ukuncedisa uzulu. Ubengekho lisotsha kuphela ubengumkhokheli, ubengumqeqetshi.

Iqhawe lesizwe lafunda eMapate, Beitbridge Primary. Waqhuba izifundo zakhe eManama waseqedisa eMatopo High. UMpabanga utshiye umkakhe labantwana abane abafana abathathu lenkazana eyodwa.
Umzimba kaMpabanga usuthwalelwe koBulawayo, Uzalondolozwa eNational Heroes Acre, esigodlweni ngoLwesithathu lapho uMongameli welizwe uDr Emmerson Mnangagwa akhangelwe ukuqhuba umngcwabo weqhawe.

