Minister Nyoni on signing of Unity Accord

FORMER Minister of State in the late Vice- President Dr Joshua Nkomo’s office, Dr Sithembiso Nyoni, has said the 1987 Unity Accord remains a symbol of strength and solidarity among Zimbabweans.

While some people initially doubted its significance at the signing moment, the agreement remains solid, more than three decades later.

Dr Nyoni, who is a Zanu-PF Politburo member and now the Minister of Industry and Commerce, said due to the political turmoil that engulfed the country in the early 1980s, some leaders found it difficult to believe that the two leaders, Dr Nkomo and the late President Robert Mugabe who was the Zanu-PF leader, had smoked the peace pipe.

“Some believed while others didn’t but personally, I was convinced that this was above board because I was always with Ubaba uNkomo who would keep on assuring me and others that all was in order and therefore, I had no reason to doubt him,” said Dr Nyoni in an interview.

“December 22 remains an important day to this country, a day that all of us should cherish. It remains so because we were coming from an internal fight as Zimbabweans, some are even choosing to say it was a tribally-inclined conflict.

“There was bloodshed through what is now known as Gukurahundi but now that is all history, although a very dark one.”

The Nkayi North legislator said when the peace talks ended in a positive manner, the late Father Zimbabwe whom ‘many know that I worked very closely with’ said there must be a documentary agreement to that peace arrangement.

“Dr Nkomo said after that position paper, we then can start building this great country together. I have never been happier in my life than on the day the accord was signed,” said Dr Nyoni.

“I travelled for the signing-on ceremony in Harare and witnessed the whole process.”

She said the peace agreement changed everything for the better in the country, with development spreading across all sectors and areas of the country because there was no longer any fear as was the case before the signing of the Unity Accord.

The Cabinet Minister said fear was not only confined to the people of Matabeleland and the Midlands as even those who were not living in those provinces where disturbances were tense, found it scary to move around.

“Had the conflict continued like is happening in other countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and others where there are tribally-induced conflicts, we wouldn’t be talking about development in this country,” said Dr Nyoni.

“Yes, it may not be at the pace needed by our people like here in Nkayi where roads are in bad shape but there is some commitment towards addressing these shortcomings, especially since the coming of the Second Republic,” said the minister.

She said every peace-loving Zimbabwean must never take the events of December 22, 1987 lightly as on this day, the country became a marvel for the rest of the region and the continent through the humility of the late President Cde Mugabe and his deputy, Dr Nkomo.

Dr Nyoni said for any nation to develop, there must be peace, which comes with many other freedoms as well.

“People can’t express themselves freely on things they need, particularly developmental because there will be uncertainty as to what may happen to them after that, which was the case before the Unity Accord.

“But now Zimbabweans can freely express themselves to their leaders and we also note that it was also fearsome to even utter the word Gukurahundi but, thanks to President Mnangagwa who encouraged us to speak out, the nation has started the journey towards healing itself from this very dark past,” said Dr Nyoni.

Zimbabwe commemorated the 36th anniversary of the signing of the Unity Accord on Friday, a day that was declared a public holiday in 1999.