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Joseph Madzimure
Senior Reporter
THE late national hero, Cde Highten Khuluma Nkomo, whose nom de guerre was Cde Billy Mzamo, was a humble and determined son of the soil who was committed to freeing Zimbabwe from the yoke of colonial bondage.
Choral groups that included Vatumwa VaMwari, Mbare Chimurenga, and the Zimbabwe Republic Police band led in singing dirges for the revered wartime army commander — through whose hands many distinguished veterans passed.
Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Philip Valerio Sibanda and Zanu PF Vice President Kembo Mohadi are perhaps the most prominent cadres who were trained by the late Cde Nkomo, who was laid to rest along with his fellow heroes and heroines at the National Heroes Acre yesterday.
Cde Nkomo died at his home in Gwanda, Matabeleland South province on September 14 and was conferred with national hero status.
He was 70.
Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Dr Evelyn Ndlovu, who was also trained by Cde Nkomo, said the national hero was an assuming character.
“He is one of the few guys who were very humble and very good to the girls. When you are training women, they are a bit on the soft side. He managed to handle the girls with a soft hand. I am so humbled by his determination,” said Minister Ndlovu.
“There are very few heroes who determine their destiny. He made sure that he comes here to the national shrine. Remember he died two weeks ago, but his spirit lingered around until he was declared a national hero. How many people can do that? It showed that he really fought for this country. It shows that he was determined to liberate this nation.”
As more and more women joined their male compatriots in crossing borders to join the armed struggle, a decision was made to establish a Women Training Camp at Mkushi and Cde Nkomo was tasked to open and command that camp. Most of the female cadres who were trained at Mkushi under his mentorship formed the famous ZIPRA Women Brigade.
Cdes Priscilla Mthombeni-Maplanka and Olivia Sibanda, who also passed through Cde Nkomo’s hands, also had kind words for the departed hero.
“I was trained at Mkushi training camp by the late national hero. He taught us to love our country first so that we will serve it diligently. He took a cautious approach during military training, so that female cadres understand the importance of fighting for their country. It was not easy, but he managed to train a number of female cadres,” said Cde Maplanka.
Cde Sibanda said Cde Nkomo was a disciplinarian.
“He taught us to be highly disciplined and put our country first. He also taught us about the importance of fighting for our land. As a female cadre I was challenged to carry the gun and fight for my country,” said Cde Sibanda.
His close friend Cde Richard Ndlovu said the late nationalist was a committed cadre who joined the liberation struggle at an early age.
“He was a soft-spoken man, but very intelligent. He fought throughout the war to attain the independence that we are enjoying today. After Independence, he decided to live a private life, be a family man and raise his children,” said Cde Ndlovu.
Zanu PF Matabeleland South provincial chairman, who is also the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry Mangaliso Ndlovu, said they are very grateful for the recognition accorded to the late national hero.
“As a province, we are very grateful to the President for bestowing such an honour on the late gallant Son of the Soil. Cde Nkomo was not born in Zimbabwe, but was born to Zimbabwean parents who had relocated to Zambia.
“As he was going to school, he made a decision to join the liberation struggle at a very young age. He left and joined other comrades. His father came for him to take him back to school, but he returned to the liberation struggle when he was supposed to pursue his education. He rose through the ranks all the way to the ZIPRA High Command”.
Family spokesperson Mr Abel Nyamadzavo Samhembere said the late Cde Nkomo has left a void in the family.
“We will miss him for his humour. He used to guide his family to ensure they attain whatever they wanted to achieve. We used to call him the general. He taught us to have a balanced, mature and holistic approach to life,” he said.
Mr Samhembere commended President Mnangagwa and the Government for conferring Cde Nkomo with national hero status.
Cde Nkomo was a pioneer liberation fighter who bore the brunt of the repressive colonial regime which forcibly deported his family to Zambia.
The late national hero was one of the early ZIPRA cadres that included the likes of the late Major-General (Rtd) Jevan Maseko, Brigadier-General (Rtd) Abel Mazinyane, the late Colonel (Rtd) Masala Sibanda, and others, who trained at Morogoro in Tanzania in the period 1969 to 1970.
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