Chronicle Editor
On Thursday last week, we marked the 22nd year since the passing of former Vice-President Dr Joshua Nkomo.
Needless to say, Dr Nkomo was one of the makers of this country. He was there when it all started in the 1950s, led the troops in fighting to liberate their country in the 1960s into the 1970s, won the war in 1980 and was among the top ministers in the first post-Independence Cabinet. He then served his country as Vice-President until he died on July 1, 1999.
Not many knew that for Dr Nkomo to begin his long, illustrious journey in politics in the 1950s, he had to be actually auditioned by a panel of cadres to determine his suitability to lead. A welfare worker at the Rhodesia Railways then, he was invited to a debating competition, pitted against Enock Dumbutshena, already a qualified lawyer. Dr Nkomo won, marking his entry into early political activism.
One of the members of that panel, Cde Abraham Dumezweni Nkiwane lost his battle against prostate cancer at a city hospital on Tuesday aged 93.
Indeed, Cde Nkiwane was among the pioneers of the struggle who mentored many figures who later became big names in the fight for Independence. Also, he is credited for being the first person to take the ultimate risk of smuggling arms of war into the country in 1962, hiding them at the family farm in Lupane. Shortly after that, the war of liberation ignited.
In a statement yesterday, Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration, Dr Obert Mpofu, expressed the ruling party’s shock and grief at the passing of the national icon.
“The tragic elevation to glory of former Zpra (Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army) Commander Abraham Dumezweni Nkiwane once again reminds us that African liberation memory is increasingly becoming vulnerable as every day goes by,” Dr Mpofu said.
“With many of his kind slowly departing the earth, the nation and the entire pan-African fraternity is being robbed of its historical sense of being. While this sends shock and sadness, our relief remains deeply rooted in the prominent liberation legacy, which will be indelibly immortalised by the independence of our nation. As such, we celebrate him as his departed spirit will continue to guide the fight against colonialism in all its manifestations.”
Dr Mpofu extolled Cde Nkiwane’s selflessness and bravery.
“His ambition for Zimbabwe’s independence motivated many of my time and others who went ahead of us to join the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army. By 1961 Cde Nkiwane was privileged to be under the direct ideological tutelage of the late pan-Africanist, President of the United National Independence Party (UNIP) and founding father of Zambia, the late Dr Kenneth Kaunda. He served UNIP right up to his early involvement in the operationalisation of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU)’s activities when it opened its offices in Lusaka. It will be recalled that as early as 1962, Cde Nkiwane alongside the late Misheck Velaphi Ncube and Kennias Mlalazi initiated the entry of the first set of arms, which pioneered the ZPRA rooted revolt against the settler regime.”
The struggle would not have been won without the role played by the likes of Cde Nkiwane, Dr Mpofu said.
“The present success of the liberation movement in Zimbabwe and the region is indebted to individuals like Cde Nkiwane and many pan-African minded cadres of his time. In 1965 ‘Bra Nkie’ as we affectionately called him, served as the Chief of Personnel and Training in the ZPRA Special Affairs High Command.”
Cde Nkiwane served in the Zpra High Command with cadres such as Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube, Dr Dumiso Dabengwa, Ackim Ndlovu, Robson Manyika, Gibson Mayisa, Arnold Gombakomba, Phelekezela Report Mphoko and Ambrose Mutinhiri.
We are sad at the passing of Cde Nkiwane, sadder, as Dr Mpofu said, that one by one, the luminaries of the struggle for Independence are leaving us. We, as a country, are getting poorer every day. Having been left by their father, Cde Nkiwane’s family is grieving. However, we urge them to take comfort in the fact that many of their compatriots are with them in this tragedy.
May his dear soul rest in eternal peace.
Online Reporter