admin
Zimbabwe today commemorates the 14th anniversary of the death of the late Father Zimbabwe, Vice President Joshua Nkomo. A number of activities have been lined up to remember the life and legacy of one of the greatest revolutionaries to have emerged from Zimbabwe. The ideals and principles that the late Father Zimbabwe espoused should be carried on by us and future generations. An undisputed gallant hero of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle, the late Vice- President ran his lap in the relay race to liberate and develop Zimbabwe.
Those of us who are still living must never stray from the principles that guided Vice- President Nkomo and thousands of other heroes buried at the National Heroes’ Acre in Harare, the provincial and districts shrines across the country, mass graves within the borders of Zimbabwe and in neighbouring countries. We also urge our leaders to borrow from Cde Nkomo’s exemplary leadership and commitment to the cause of one’s country and the aspirations of your people.
The late Vice-President stood for the total emancipation of all Zimbabweans and yearned for the majority of Zimbabweans to be in control of their natural resources, the land and the minerals found underneath it. He wanted Zimbabweans to be totally empowered economically especially after they had toiled to secure their political freedom from a white minority colonial regime. Cde Nkomo also envisioned a united Zimbabwe in which the people are one despite our different backgrounds and cultures.
We honoured Dr Nkomo by bestowing national hero status on him when he died in 1999 but that will not be enough a tribute because we should continue his legacy.
It is in this regard that we salute Vice-President Nkomo’s children for calling on the nation to emulate the great work done by the icon.
His daughter Mrs Thandiwe Nkomo-Ibrahim, said people should put their differences aside and work collectively to develop the country.
“We are looking to celebrate Dr Nkomo’s life and we will take this platform to teach people especially the youth who did not have the time to witness his work, who our late father was and what made him so unique to other people,” she said, adding: “People must understand that he was a man who promoted peace, unity and fought tirelessly for this country. He was a man with courage and did not tolerate injustice, as when there was something wrong he openly said it without fear or favour.”
His son Mr Sibangilizwe Nkomo said: “When we remember Dr Nkomo, he was truly Father Zimbabwe. He never discriminated against anyone, as he viewed people as equal and the same. He talked about unity and urged people to unite. He put people first before anything else.”
For all his life Dr Nkomo fought for a non-racial and non-tribal Zimbabwe.
He also strongly believed that the war of liberation was fought to restore the land to its rightful owners, that is the indigenous Zimbabweans.
Just before he died he said, “We cannot pay for our own land.”
President Mugabe often talks about the wishes Dr Nkomo had — to maintain the unity among the people of Zimbabwe and redistributing the land to the people.
As we commemorate the death of our dear Father Zimbabwe let us remember the reasons that led him and thousands of other brave sons and daughters of the soil to take up arms against the repressive colonial regime.
Online Reporter