Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Features Writer
ZIMBABWE commemorated the 27th anniversary of the passing of the late Father Zimbabwe, Vice President Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo, on 1 July, with several initiatives having been rolled out to preserve his legacy.Dr Nkomo’s legacy is no longer confined to statues, memorials or annual ceremonies.
It is increasingly being inscribed into infrastructure, education systems and governance frameworks — an evolving monument built not of stone, but of policy, practice and people-centred development.
Several critical infrastructure projects have been developed to honour the late nationalist.
These initiatives span across sectors which include transport, education, healthcare and historical preservation.
The Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport was officially renamed and upgraded to international standards to honour his historical stature. Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street in Bulawayo, formerly known as Main Street, was renamed after him and it features a prominent, life-sized bronze statue erected in the central business district.
Ekusileni Medical Centre in Bulawayo was constructed as part of the late Father Zimbabwe’s vision to provide world-class, specialised medical treatment locally so that citizens do not have to travel abroad for medical assistance.
The Joshua Nkomo Museum, which is located at his former residence also in Bulawayo, acts as an archive and museum dedicated to preserving his personal history and political legacy.
The Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic College was established in Gwanda to boost tertiary level training in Matabeleland South. A student from the college, Ms Blessing Ncube (26) said as a young person, she has come to learn of the legacy of the late Father Zimbabwe through the institution.
“I never got to see the late Father Zimbabwe while he was alive but I have come to learn a lot about him. Being a JM Polytechnic College student inspired me to learn more about him. I just wanted to know all I could about the man behind the name. I was intrigued by why a whole college had been named after him and other infrastructure as well.
“During my research, I learnt of the significant role that the late Dr Joshua Nkomo played in liberating this country as well as unifying the people after independence. I learnt that he preached and promoted peace. As young people, we learn a lot from such icons and these are the people we seek to emulate,” she said.
In Matobo District, the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Vocational Training Centre has been constructed at St. Joseph’s, Kezi which is the late Father Zimbabwe’s rural home, as part of efforts to honour his legacy.
The training centre which seeks to empower local youth with technical skills was among development projects that were implemented in Matabeleland South as it was the host of this year’s Independence Day celebrations.
“As the Kezi community, we take pride in this development. This vocational training centre will play a crucial role in empowering our youth. If our youth are empowered with skills, then it means they will be able to develop their communities. This will help to address poverty,” said Mr Bhekithemba Nkomo.
In Gwanda District, the Joshua Nkomo Clinic has been constructed to improve community healthcare access in Matabeleland South province. The health facility is providing free health care services to persons with disability and veterans of the liberation struggle.
Plans are underway to establish a national leadership centre as one of the flagship legacy projects dedicated to preserving the philosophy of Father Zimbabwe. The centre will groom future leaders in ethical, inclusive and developmental leadership anchored on his principles.
The proposed leadership centre, spearheaded by the Joshua Nkomo National Foundation (JNNF) in partnership with the Nkomo family, forms part of a broader strategy to institutionalise the values that defined one of Zimbabwe’s foremost liberation icons and nation-builders.
The initiative seeks to ensure that Father Zimbabwe’s philosophy of servant leadership, national unity and reconciliation continues to shape future generations.
Minister of State for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Albert Nguluvhe said the rich knowledge on the works of the late Father Zimbabwe should be passed from generation to generation. Minister Nguluvhe said Dr Nkomo’s role in Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle cannot be overstated. As a founding father of the country’s independence movement, he dedicated his life to freeing Zimbabweans from colonial oppression.
“As Matabeleland South, we take pride in being associated with one of our revolutionary icons and development champions, the late Dr Joshua Mqabuko,Nyongolo Nkomo. His love for his nation was great and from his acts we have learnt the value of unity and peace.
Government has made significant progress to preserve the legacy of Father Zimbabwe. This can be seen through infrastructure that has been developed in his name. As Matabeleland South, we are honoured to house some of these iconic projects. They tell a great story and play a crucial part in preserving his legacy,” he said.
Twenty-seven years after his passing, Zimbabwe continues to honour the towering figure of Dr Nkomo, a man whose name is etched into the very soul of the nation.
Dr Nkomo, fondly remembered across generations as Umdala Wethu, died on July 1, 1999, at the age of 82 after battling prostate cancer.
Twenty-seven years after his departure, he remains an enduring icon of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle. His memory lives on, deeply etched into the hearts of many across the country’s generational divide.
Affectionately known as Chibwechitedza, Mafukufuku, Umdala Wethu, and most profoundly, Father Zimbabwe, Dr Nkomo was more than a liberation icon.
He was a unifier, a visionary and a father to a nation finding its feet.
His courage never wavered even when placed under house arrest at his rural home in Kezi in 1962. He remained a beacon of hope, with visitors from across the country flocking to seek his counsel.
Perhaps his greatest political achievement was the 1987 Unity Accord, which brought together ZANU and ZAPU, ending years of post-independence conflict and laying the foundation for the peaceful Zimbabwe we know today. That singular act of statesmanship demonstrated his profound belief that Zimbabwe’s future mattered more than personal or party ambition.
Dr Nkomo remains one of the towering figures of Zimbabwe’s liberation history. A strategist of unity and a champion of negotiated nationhood.
He was not only a military and political actor, but also a philosophical voice for reconciliation in a deeply divided post-colonial landscape.
His burial at the National Heroes Acre, where thousands gathered alongside regional and international leaders, cemented his status as a foundational architect of Zimbabwe’s independence. — @DubeMatutu
