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Prosper Ndlovu in Bulawayo and Lloyd Gumbo in Harare
TODAY is a moment for introspection and celebration as Zimbabwe remembers the late national hero and Vice-President Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo who died 15 years ago after a lifetime of national service.The late freedom fighter’s demise on July 1, 1999 plunged the entire nation into mourning. Memories of his love for the people and his sacrifice for unity and peace, are still vivid in the minds of Zimbabweans.
The national political leadership yesterday said Zimbabwe was poorer without Dr Nkomo and called on all citizens to cherish his contribution to nation building and legacy.
Dr Nkomo’s former special assistant during the liberation struggle, Cde Simon Khaya Moyo said his former boss is a legend.
He said Dr Nkomo was a man of various attributes and occupations among them a magical auctioneer, lay preacher, social worker, politician, farmer, businessman, trade unionist, Zipra commander-in-chief and Vice-President of Zimbabwe.
“Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo was a towering political giant, an icon, a man of vision, a fountain of wisdom, an inspiration and indeed a man of the people,” said Cde Khaya Moyo, ruling party national chairman and Senior Minister in the Office of the Persident.
“The late Father Zimbabwe was not a man of fixed appointments. He was flexible in his operational diary, at home or at his offices. His doors were always open and security personnel were under strict orders never to turn back anyone who wanted to see him. People came from all over the country and beyond to consult him on numerous issues.”
Former Senator, Cde Naison Ndlovu said Dr Nkomo remains a towering figure in Zimbabwean politics.
“Joining Zanu and signing the 1987 Unity Accord was not easy for Zapu as his supporters expected Nkomo to become president. But he (Nkomo) humbled himself for the sake of peace and allowed someone else to rule,” said Cde Ndlovu.
“By this he averted disaster because people were going to kill each other and there was going to be perpetual strife like we saw in other countries. This is a big lesson Nkomo taught us. Even towards his death he still preached peace and unity.”
The Zanu-PF politburo member said Dr Nkomo was a champion of empowerment of indigenous people as he advocated for land redistribution and ownership of resources by locals.
Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister and Zanu-PF politburo member Dr Obert Mpofu said: “We view Umdala as a towering icon of our liberation struggle who sacrificed his life for liberating his people.”
He said the late Father Zimbabwe inspired the spirit of revolution in the minds of many young people at a time when the talk of liberation from colonisers was taboo.
“He stood up against all the injustices and encouraged us to sacrifice our lives to free our country. This is not a mean contribution.
“After independence Nkomo made decisions that were unheard of especially to his followers when he united Zapu and Zanu,” said the minister.
“He and President Mugabe swallowed their pride and respected the will of the people by uniting them. A man of that stature is difficult to describe in words.”
Dr Mpofu said although the country recognises the veteran nationalist in different ways “more should be done to honour him not only in Matabeleland region but countrywide because Nkomo was a nationalist and not a regionalist”.
He said unlike Dr Nkomo, the crop of today’s leadership was obsessed with positions not serving the people.
“Nkomo never talked of positions. His view was to see a united people. The talk of positions breeds factionalism and factionalism doesn’t unite people but divides them,” said Dr Mpofu.
“Nkomo and President Mugabe didn’t talk positions but equal opportunities to all and that is why some of us take pride in associating ourselves with these two icons.”
Zapu leader Dr Dumiso Dabengwa said Zimbabwe could have plunged into crisis without Nkomo’s insightful leadership.
“We could have ended like Mozambique or Angola. Kwakuzaba lemfazo (a fierce war) but as an insightful leader he averted civil strife that was going to leave us with many casualties,” he said referring to the post-independence disturbances.
“He accepted the poll outcome in 1980, which favoured his opponents and regarding Gukurahundi he handled it differently. That’s the type of person he was, a peace lover, keen to built than destroy.”
Dr Dabengwa, however, feels that Dr Nkomo was not being given enough credit for what he did.
“He did a lot before independence and in government which is not known. A lot is not written down. Even history books have very little mention and where it’s done it’s completely misinterpreted,” said the former Zipra head of intelligence.
He said the New Limpopo Bridge, which government took over two weeks ago was initiated by Dr Nkomo’s Development Trust of Zimbabwe (DTZ), yet no mention was made of him.
“The government didn’t know about that project for instance. Perhaps we’ll write these in our own books and put things in proper perspective,” said Dr Dabengwa.
Former Midlands governor Cde Cephas Msipa said: “I sincerely believe Nkomo was a great man and that he should be remembered for what he did. He suffered and sacrificed a lot for Zimbabwe to be free. He brought all people together to fight imperialists as early as 1950s,” he said.
“He was a man of peace and went to war in search of peace. He showed his love for peace when he signed the Unity Accord and agreed to work under President Mugabe.”
Cde Msipa said the ongoing indigenisation drive was an honour to the late icon whom he described as a progressive economist.
Bulawayo Provincial Minister of State Cde Nomthandazo Eunice Moyo said Dr Nkomo would remain a yardstick of noble leadership and a conscience of liberation values.
“He was a national leader who united all people in the country regardless of tribe. When we do anything about him it has to involve all people because he was a national leader and not a regionalist. If Nkomo was alive Zim-Asset could have long been implemented because he was a champion of empowerment and indigenisation,” she said.
Cde Moyo said everybody had a duty to uphold Dr Nkomo’s legacy especially the youth to ensure his contributions were immortalised.
War veterans’ leader, Cde Jabulani Sibanda said the late VP’s legacy goes beyond Zimbabwe. To this end, he called for mounting of his statue at the African Union headquarters in Ethiopia in recognition of his role in liberating other oppressed countries on the continent.
He said just like the statue of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President at the AU building in Addis Ababa, Dr Nkomo deserved one for playing a pivotal role in the struggles that led to the independence of many African states.
“We’re happy that we have one in Bulawayo but the government should lobby so that his statue is mounted at AU,” said Cde Sibanda.
“He was a leader, an organising leader of the armed struggle for independence not only for Zimbabwe but for many other countries in Africa.”
He said Dr Nkomo was one of the founder members of the then Organisation of African Union (OAU) and the Afro-Asian Peoples’ Solidarity Organisation.
Cde Sibanda said Father Zimbabwe should be honoured for working with President Mugabe in developing the country after independence.
“The Unity Accord was a time when two halves of the liberation struggle were brought together to be one. So we celebrate what we are today because of him. Now under President Mugabe we are working towards gaining economic freedom through Zim-Asset,” he said.
Cde Jane Lungile Ngwenya who was detained together with Dr Nkomo at Gonakudzingwa during the liberation struggle said: “We’re happy he is being recognised now after a period of quietness. The statue, airport and roads named after him, at least immortalise his name. We are what we are today because of him,” she said.
“The problem is that we haven’t finished his work. Some get positions using his name yet they are far from matching his leadership credentials. We need to pray to have leaders like him, who could love and work for people like him.”
Another Zanu-PF politburo member Cde Joshua Malinga described the late Father Zimbabwe as “an embodiment of great things and a great philosopher who had high hopes for the Zimbabwe”.
He blamed corruption for derailing Dr Nkomo’s vision and government efforts to empower people.
“I might be happy with the land reform but not with other things. People have become selfish, greedy and corrupt. We fought to be liberated but people are still oppressing each other,” said Cde Malinga.
Bulawayo Senator Cde Angeline Masuku said July 1 was “a great day for remembering a nationalist icon and umlamulankuzi (a peace maker)”.
She said, “The present generation should learn the history of this man and draw inspiration from people like him. The leadership needs to emulate his example. We’ll always thank him for all he did, especially the peace we enjoy today.”
Former Zipra’s armed women’s wing chief of staff, Cde Chiratidzo Mabuwa said Dr Nkomo detested tribalism and regionalism.
“He made sure it was a treasonous offence to be accused of being a tribalist or regionalist. It was a big issue to the extent that you could be court-marshalled for that offence. It was taboo.
“All that was because we had a leader who believed in unity. It is the reason some of us despite being a Shona was a commander for the women’s wing. That shows he did not believe in tribalism.
“Dr Nkomo brought peace and unity even when we were coming back from the war, he would always say we should share ammunition, information and food with those who were fighting from the Zanla side,” said Cde Mabuwa who is the Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce.
She said Dr Nkomo also believed in economic empowerment for indigenous Zimbabweans.
Cde Mabuwa said for Dr Nkomo’s holistic vision of economically empowering Zimbabweans to be achieved it was important to ensure that the country fully benefited from its natural resources besides land.
Online Reporter