Online Reporter
Bruce Ndlovu, Zimpapers Writer
CONSTRUCTION of a guesthouse at the old homestead of the family of the country’s late Vice-President, Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo, has been completed, with the new structure expected to serve as a springboard for further developments in the area, including the building of a vocational centre that is already in progress.
The new structure is expected to breathe new life into the historically significant area, laying the groundwork for further developments, which are a part of a slew of projects reshaping the homestead into a place of learning, heritage, and renewed purpose.
The project was kickstarted in 2024 after the Nkomo family had fruitful discussions with President Mnangagwa on the importance of preserving the legacy of one of Zimbabwe’s founding fathers.
Before the construction of this new structure, only a fenced-off graveyard marked the area that was left by the Nkomo family due to the actions of the colonial regime, which displaced the family due to the revolutionary inclinations of the late Dr Nkomo.
Recently, Minister of State for Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Albert Nguluvhe, toured the new guest house, which consists of five rooms, a kitchen, bathroom and bedrooms. Another domicile, which is expected to be bigger in size, has also been earmarked for construction.
During his recent visit, Minister Nguluvhe also held a ground-breaking ceremony that was meant to mark the beginning of the piped water scheme.
In an interview, the Project Manager for the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo (JMN) Foundation, Mr Benedict Moyo said the guest house had been prioritised as it would serve as a base for construction crews that were hard at work on other segments of the project.
“We started with the guest house, not only because of the desire to bring dignity to a place of such historical significance, but also because we wanted to quicken the project. By that, I mean that the teams working on the construction of the vocational centre will be living in the guest house as they undertake their work,” he said.
Mr Moyo said the construction of the vocational centre was the highest priority, as the JMN Foundation believed it would change the lives of people in the area.
“The main project is the construction of the national vocational centre. This is very important because this vocational centre will be the first of its kind. As we speak, civil works are done, and we have also undertaken soil testing already. All that is left is the deployment of the teams that are going to handle the bulk of the construction work,” he said.
The main thrust of the project, Mr Moyo said, was to stem the flood of young people from the area to neighbouring countries, which for years had been benefitting from the country’s human resources. Once completed, the vocational centre is expected to take in at least 3 000 students.
“The main part of the project is the construction of the national vocational centre. This is very important because this vocational centre will be the first of its kind. As we speak, civil works are done, and we have also undertaken soil testing already. All that is left is the deployment of the teams that are going to handle the bulk of the construction work.”
Father Innocent Makawule Ndlovu, the parish priest at St Joseph’s Mission, said the Roman Catholic Church was encouraged by work done around the Nkomo homestead, as they had brought good tidings to a community yearning for development. Some villagers in the area are already receiving water from the piped water scheme.
“We are happy with the notable signs of development around the place. We see the Government, through the President, ED Mnangagwa, taking a special interest in the homestead, which comes with a lot of developmental initiatives that benefit the whole community.
We have seen the drilling of boreholes that are already supplying water in the area. We are happy that there is also the construction of a vocational centre in the pipeline. These are developments that will change the entire outlook of not only the villages around here, but the entire district and province,” he said.
Fr Ndlovu said the construction of a guesthouse was the fulfilment of a long-held ambition by the Nkomo family, as the late nationalist’s father Thomas Nyongolo Letswansto Nkomo, had operated a guest house in the area during colonial times.
“As the parish priest of the Nkomo family, I am proud to serve as the parish priest of the Nyongolo family because the father of the late Joshua Nkomo had special links with the missionaries.
He established a guest house near the mission, and we believe that with the construction of the structure that we have so far, this is the dream that the Government is bringing to life,” he said.
