‘Dr. Gata, an institutional builder, developer’

SAMANTHA MADE AND ROBIN PHIRI

Dr. Sydney Gata, the late ZESA Holdings Executive Chairman who was laid to rest at the National Heroes Acre yesterday, has been hailed as a towering figure in Zimbabwe’s energy landscape—an institutional builder, fearless leader, and visionary whose legacy will outlive generations.

At a moving memorial service held Tuesday at the ZESA National Training Centre, Energy and Power Development Minister July Moyo led tributes to a man widely credited with laying the structural foundations of Zimbabwe’s modern electricity sector.

“Dr. Gata was an institutional builder and developer. He created ZESA Enterprises, Powertel, and many others,” said Moyo. “He was a visionary. I want to thank President Emmerson Mnangagwa for declaring him a national hero.”

Gata, who became the first Black General Manager of the Electricity Supply Commission in 1981, is credited with transforming what was once a racially exclusive colonial utility into a central pillar of Zimbabwe’s development aspirations. Over four decades, he served repeatedly as CEO, board member, and most recently, Executive Chairman of ZESA Holdings—often recalled to lead the troubled power utility during turbulent times.

Mutapa Investment Fund CEO Dr. John Mangudya, under whose fund ZESA is now housed, described the late energy executive as “a reservoir of knowledge” and a vital part of the country’s state enterprise transformation strategy.

“Dr. Gata’s institutional memory, technical oversight, foresight, and strategic leadership were vital to the delivery of the Fund’s mandate—to turn around entities under its portfolio,” Mangudya said. “He was an icon of the electricity sector in Zimbabwe and a fearless leader who would say what needed to be said—at the right time.”

Gata’s most enduring legacy, Mangudya said, was his unyielding belief in electrifying Zimbabwe.

“Dr. Gata was driven by a clear vision: total electrification of Zimbabwe by 2030. That means every household, every clinic, every school, and every farm connected to the grid—or supported by off-grid solutions like solar kits. He dreamed of Zimbabwe not just as energy self-sufficient but as a net exporter of power to the region.”

Even in the face of mounting headwinds, including dilapidated infrastructure, foreign currency shortages, and ballooning demand, Gata remained steadfast in his belief that Zimbabwe could power its future through innovation, resilience, and bold leadership.

“He believed deeply in the power of innovation,” Mangudya added. “He never stopped pushing for excellence—even when the odds were steep.”

Colleagues who worked closely with him describe a man of both technical brilliance and unflinching candour. “He had the rare ability to inspire confidence in the darkest of times,” said one long-time associate. “His leadership was as fearless as it was visionary.”

Dr. Gata’s contributions also extended beyond technical infrastructure. He championed talent development, capacity building, and institutionally rooted systems that would outlast individual tenures. His influence shaped not only energy policy but also how state enterprises could operate with efficiency and autonomy.

In recognition of his service, President Mnangagwa conferred upon him national hero status, placing him among a revered group of Zimbabweans who helped shape the country’s strategic path.

Born in 1946, Gata rose through the ranks at a time when few Black Zimbabweans occupied technical or leadership roles in the power sector. His ascent to the helm of ESC in the early 1980s marked a seismic shift, symbolising both political transformation and economic ambition.

In recent years, his leadership at ZESA had come under intense public scrutiny amid worsening load shedding and operational setbacks. But even critics acknowledged his unmatched institutional knowledge and historical role in shaping the energy sector.

Dr. Sydney Gata leaves behind a towering legacy—one that will be judged not only by the kilowatts generated under his watch but by the enduring institutions and bold visions he built.

As the nation bids farewell to a man who powered its ambitions for over four decades, the challenge now falls to a new generation of technocrats and policymakers to complete what he started: a fully electrified, energy-secure Zimbabwe by 2030.