Shamuyarira laid to rest

Emilia Zindi
THE late nationalist Cde Nathan Shamuyarira, who died in Harare on Wednesday night, was laid to rest at the national shrine in Harare yesterday, where thousands of people from all walks of life gathered to pay their last respects to the gallant son of Zimbabwe.
Cde Shamuyarira who succumbed to chest infection was 85.
There was a thunderous applause from the terraces as the late nationalist’s casket arrived at the Heroes Acre, where Zanu-PF party supporters, members of the diplomatic corps as well as the general public had gathered to witness the final journey of one of the country’s liberators.

Addressing mourners at the national shrine, President Mugabe described the late national hero as a selfless party cadre who had the wishes of the people at heart.

The President took time to narrate the journey he travelled together with the late Cde Shamuyarira from the time they were both bachelors up to the time of the attainment of independence.

The President spoke at length on how the late Cde Shamuyarira started his political career to the time he parted ways with Zanu and joined Frolizi while in Zambia, a party which he said did not last long because it had been formed from outside Zimbabwe and thus had no roots from the people of Zimbabwe, resulting in it folding.

“Taungana pano zvakare tichiunganidzwa negamba, gamba guru rinembiri huru gamba ratakaona richifamba nesu pahupenyu hwaro. Takataura zvakati wande pamusoro pegamba iri Nathan Shamuyarira . . . achasevenza mumapepa, nokuzopinda kwaakazoita muparty, mustruggle medu, kuzoenda kwaakazoita kunze kwenyika kuvamba kwavakazoita Dare Rechimurenga nana Chitepo KuLusaka, party dzave mbiri Zapu ne Zanu, kusiya kwaakazoita nokuti struggle yedu yaingoti apa mabudirira apa dzimwe nguva morwisana. Ipapo ndipo pakamboitika kakudzikira pasi kwatingati kwestruggle yedu, hondo yechimurenga.”

The President said there were some who remained in the country who had been arrested while those who were outside the country were under the leadership of Cde Chitepo in Zambia. He said Cde Chitepo as the first black prosecutor had at one point been asked to assist Tanzania by the late Julius Mwalimu Nyerere in his country when he was released as Tanzania had won its independence.

Cde Mugabe said after the formation of Zanu and the arrest of other party members in the country, the party asked the late Cde Chitepo to leave Tanzania for Zambia to organise the struggle. That was how the Dare Rechimurenga was formed in Lusaka with the late Tongogara and Chitepo leading.

The President said in Zapu also there were similar problems. Its leaders were arrested back home with the late James Chikerema and George Nyandoro being outside the country. He said the late James Chikerema who was boastful all the time of being in charge saw him and the late J Z Moyo leaving Zapu while the late Cde Shamuyarira also left Zanu. This saw the formation of the little party called Frolizi which Cde Shamuyarira was a member of.

“Vachibuda mumusangano wakanga wavambwa muno, kakashaya midzi ndokubva kati papata kuoma.”
He said he then asked the late Cde Shamuyarira what happened in Frolizi and he said what they agreed on with Chikerema was not what was happening in the party, hence he had to leave.

The President said the late Chikerema was always boastful as thin as he was, claiming that he was in charge of everyone including the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo. He would even boast that he was the one who had elevated Cde Nkomo to that position.
“That is how clever Chikerema was. That is how he failed himself,’’ said the President.

The President said the late Cde Shamuyarira executed his duties diligently without fear or favour. He had the principles and objectives of the party which had the needs of the masses at heart.

The President urged leaders to be humble and not boastful. True leaders should be guided by the principles and ideology of the party as principles determine the direction of the party.

“What are your principles. The principles are that we fought in order to liberate our country. You do not fight to kill people. You fight rationally, killing the enemy. We have to see that the majority of our people are freed. The people will become your water and you are the fish. The ideology must be people oriented. Kuda zvinangwa zveruzhinji kwete kuzvisimudzira pachedu. So we are prepared to die to achieve the goal of the liberation of our people. That is why those who were outside the country, the young ones went to Mugagao, that is why the young ones who were outside after leaving universities came to join us in the struggle. Those who lie here were members of the struggle who sacrificed themselves whether they fought under Zapu or Zanla vaitsigira hondo zvakakwana. They were leaders, outside leaders. They are the ones who lie here, kwete zvitototo,” said the President.

He said even those who differed did not do so on the principles of the struggle. Cde Shamuyarira’s direction was people oriented even as Minister of Information.

“Kwete kunzvengesa musangano or vanhu sebhora. Izvo ndezvekubhora izvo. Here we are straightforward. We tell the people what we stand for. We tell the people that we must be united, we must organise our people to exploit our own resources. That is our struggle. That is why the party has policies that Government adopts in order to meat the demands of our people. Ndizvo zvatinoda. Your publicity must go in that direction. Let the nation know and let the people be organised. Do not plant seeds of dividing the people. Do not make anyone in the party fight. You should never be your own enemy and attack others through your own destructive ideology,’’ he said.

He said Zanu-PF’s principles were right.
“We are fighting the British, the outsiders who want us to surrender our resources to them. Colonisation again, never. Zimbabwe will never be a colony again. Our resources shall never be their resources again. Zvenyu ndezvenyu zvedu ndezveduwo. We must be convinced, we the people of Zimbabwe must believe in ourselves. Do you believe in yourself that you are the owners of these resources. Do you believe Zimbabwe is yours?’’ he asked.

The late Cde Shamuyarira is survived by his wife Mrs Dorothy Shamuyarira and daughter Constance.