Thousands at Nkala’s memorial service

THE body of national hero and former Cabinet minister Cde Enos Nkala is slated for burial today at the National Heroes Acre where President Mugabe is expected to officiate.
Cde Nkala’s body arrived in Harare from Bulawayo yesterday aboard an Air Force of Zimbabwe helicopter at Manyame Airbase before it was taken to One Commando Barracks on a gun carriage.

Earlier, the body had been taken to Bulawayo where a funeral service was held at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair grounds before it was taken to his farm in Esigodini, his home area in Silalatshani, Insiza District, Gwanda, Umzingwane, Bulilima and Mangwe and finally his Woodlands house in Bulawayo.

The veteran nationalist’s body was accompanied by his wife, Thandiwe, close family members and outgoing Minister of Small to Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development Cde Sithembiso Nyoni.

Speaking on behalf of the Secretary for Home Affairs Mr Melusi Matshiya, Mr Alouis Matongo said further announcements of funeral proceedings would be made today.

“Cde Nkala’s body will depart at around 7am (today) for Stodart Hall in Mbare where a body viewing ceremony will be conducted,” he said.
Hundreds of people yesterday thronged the ZITF grounds to bid farewell to the national hero amid calls for the leadership of Matabeleland to unite for the development of the region.

By 9am, Hall Four was packed with mourners, some of them church members from Cde Nkala’s church, Harvest House International, politicians, family members, friends and residents.

Also present were senior Zanu-PF leaders including Dr Obert Mpofu, Cde Cain Mathema and Cde Nyoni, service chiefs and senior Government officials.

Dr Mpofu, who was representing the Government and the party, described Cde Nkala as a hero of heroes.
“Let us tell the truth about the history of Cde Nkala and not be lured by lies. A lot is being said about him in some sections of the media, which is not true. The problem here in Matabeleland is that we do not love each other. We are lagging behind in many things because we are not united.

“We do not support each other, but we are good at pointing fingers. Our counterparts from Empumalanga work together on issues of development, thina sinyeyana.

“If we are united as a region, we will be strong and be able to achieve development. We would be able to say no to the closure of companies in Bulawayo.”

Dr Mpofu said people from Matabeleland should emulate the lives of people like Cdes Nkala, Joshua Nkomo, John Nkomo and Welshman Mabhena, whom he described as great leaders.

“The history of this country is not complete without Cde Nkala. He was one of the few people who left Zapu and joined Zanu, which shows that he was not a tribalist. If he is not buried at the National Heroes Acre, who else can? His footsteps are all over,.

“He never deviated from the revolution. That is why some of us joined Zanu in the 1980s because I liked the way they did their things. I saw that they were people who wanted to take the country forward.”

Acting Governor for Harare Mr Alfred Tome said there would be 30 buses to ferry mourners to the national shrine.
He urged Zimbabweans to come in their thousands to give Cde Nkala a befitting send-off.

“The buses will be found at the usual pick-up points and we call upon our people to come out in numbers so that we bid farewell to this great icon,” Mr Tome said.

“He is a founding member of Zanu-PF and as such we respect him for that and the job he did for the country. We also encourage the youths to come and listen to the wise words of President Mugabe as they are the future leaders of this country.”

Dr Mpofu said he joined the Government in the early 1980s when he worked in the Department of Customs & Excise and worked under Cde Nkala who was the Minister of Finance at the time.

His eldest daughter, Thandi, described her father as a hardworking man who was very strict but kind and loving.
Harvest House International founder member Apostle Sarah Nyathi said the church had lost a father figure .

“We have learnt a lot from him as a church. He was a brilliant man with a sharp mind despite old age. He was an honest man of integrity who loved Christ,” she said.

Reverend Margaret Mkhwananzi from Stand in the Gap Ministries said the evangelists had a tough time trying to convince Cde Nkala to turn to God in the early 1990s.

“When he was first told about Christ he resisted fiercely and at some point we feared that he was going to assault the preachers. After a long engagement he knelt down and wept. The atmosphere changed when he accepted Christ in his life. Even his house was turned into a church,” she said.

At the end of the church service at about 12:30pm, mourners viewed the body after which it was flown back to Harare ahead of today’s burial at the National Heroes Acre.

The outspoken Zanu-PF founder member and former Defence, Finance and Home Affairs minister succumbed to renal failure at the Avenues Clinic in Harare last week.

He was 81.
Cde Nkala, who was born in Filabusi, Matabeleland South, was one of the founders of Zanu as the party was formed at his house, 4449 Highfield, Harare in 1963.

He was the party’s first treasurer and held the post until his resignation from politics.
During the war he served in the party’s high command.

Cde Nkala was detained by the Rhodesian government for 12 years with leaders such as Ndabaningi Sithole, Leopold Takawira, Edgar Tekere, Morris Nyagumbo, all late, and President Mugabe.

At independence in 1980, he was appointed Minister of Finance and later Minister of National Supplies.
He also served as Minister of Home Affairs and then Defence.

Cde Nkala resigned from Government in 1989 at the height of the Willowgate scandal, which involved the acquisition of several motor vehicles from Willowvale Mazda Motor Industries by individuals in Government.

The vehicles were then sold at exorbitant prices in a market that was starved of new vehicles.
Last year, Cde Nkala said he was bitter about the way he was forced to leave politics in 1989 insisting that he chose to resign rather than appear before the Wilson Sandura Commission because he was not wrong.

Since then, he was not active in politics until his death.
Cde Nkala is survived by his widow, Thandiwe, eight children, six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.