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Pamela Shumba and Leonard Ncube Chronicle Reporters
ALL roads lead to Bulawayo tomorrow for the 26th national Unity Day celebrations to be held in the city for the first time since the signing of the Unity Accord on December, 22, 1987.President Mugabe will officiate at the event, which will coincide with the official unveiling of the late Vice President Dr Joshua Nkomo’s statue, official opening of the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport and the renaming of Main Street after the late Father Zimbabwe.
The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs in Bulawayo, Cde Eunice Nomthandazo Moyo, said preparations for tomorrow’s event were going on smoothly and described the day as a Christmas present for the entire Matabeleland region.
“This could not have come at a better time than tomorrow as this is a great Christmas present not only for Bulawayo but the whole region and the country,” Cde Moyo said.
She added: “This day symbolises the unity of the country’s two political parties PF-Zapu and Zanu-PF signed in 1987. It is an honour for the region.
“This will strengthen the unity which Zimbabwe enjoys today. Our appeal is for people to come in their numbers in honour of this great leader because we are now being rewarded with the right way to remember Umdala Wethu.
“We had nothing special to remind us of Umdala Wethu and now we should thank President Mugabe and Cabinet for the airport, the renaming of the street and the statue.”
Cde Moyo said 10 buses had been hired to transport people from different pick up points by the organising committee in charge of the preparations in Bulawayo while several others would be sent to Matabeleland North and South provinces.
She said the Nkomo family was allocated buses to ferry family members from the former veteran nationalist’s rural home at St Joseph, Kezi, while another bus would carry his surviving brother Edward Nkomo and his family in Mthunduluka in Mangwe District.
“Two more buses will be dispatched to Gwanda, another one to Insiza but they will also be picking people along the way. Umguza in Matabeleland North has two buses, one each for Lupane, Tsholotsho and also Midlands and Masvingo provinces.
“We thought that we should not end in the region but extend to these provinces despite budgetary constraints,” said Minister Moyo.
She said preparations were on course and hoped the Bulawayo City Council would have finished final touches on Main Street to be used by President Mugabe tomorrow.
The programme will start at the airport; proceed to the city centre for the unveiling of the statue and wind up by the renaming of Main Street in honour of the late national hero.
“I will welcome President Mugabe and other visitors at the airport where the programme starts and we expect the mayor Councillor Martin Moyo to welcome President Mugabe at the statue.
“We hope Main Street will be ready tomorrow,” Minister Moyo said.
She said people would be fed at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair before a musical gala scheduled for the ZITF Grounds on Sunday night.
Meanwhile, in Bulawayo, engineers were seen sprucing up the area near the statue while some exhibitors had already displayed their wares at the cordoned off sections of the mock mall set up by council ahead of tomorrow’s event.
The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs in Matabeleland North Cde Cain Mathema said his province was ready to commemorate Unity Day and urged the nation to remain united.
“As Zimbabweans we must remain united in our diversities in terms of tribe and never allow divisions that are perpetrated by the country’s detractors,” said Cde Mathema.
“If we remain united, it will be easy for us to work towards the development of the country and build our own economy without interference.”
He emphasised the need for the promotion of empowerment and indigenisation programmes in the country.
“There is no unity if there is no sharing of the resources in the country. That is what our ancestors fought for,” he said.
Zanu-PF Matabeleland South chairman and Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Cde Andrew Langa also said this year’s unity celebrations were unique in that the national event would be held in Bulawayo in honour of Dr Nkomo’s legacy as epitomised by the three projects to be commissioned by President Mugabe.
Online Reporter