adminDr Sikhanyiso Duke Ndlovu (the late)
UNITY observance must be on both sides: that is why the Unity Accord was signed by Cde Nkomo and Cde Mugabe.
Historically, the people of Zimbabwe have always been united judging from the first Impi yoMvukela of 1890, the Lobengula wars at Matopos, the Lalaphansi, Imbizo and Umgandane until 1893 when Lobengula’s regiment wiped out the Allan Wilson Battalion at Pupu-Shangani River near Lupane, Matabeleland North.
In 1896, the Chiefs in Mashonaland joined the fight against the colonial invaders as one people with Matabeleland fighters.
In 1910, when the Union of South Africa was formed, the people of Zimbabwe remained united when the British gave Rhodes’ British South African Company authority to run the political and economic affairs of Rhodesia.
The year 1923 saw a whites-only referendum to decide whether to join South Africa or become a “self-governing” state. African Zimbabweans remained united and none supported the White Rhodesians in that referendum.
In 1932, the settlers introduced the Land Apportionment Act, whereby fertile land was given to settlers and Africans were sent to areas with poor soils called Reserves, which meant the land was still reserved for whites and they would be removed anytime as and when settlers needed more land.
And in 1945, Douglas Samukange formed the African National Congress to oppose the settlers who continued to give each other land as reward for joining and fighting in the Second World War against Germany’s Adolf Hitler.
The whites rode a horse across the land and marked the boundary of a single farm where the animal tired. Africans who had been recruited to fight in the World War were given bicycles as a token of appreciation.
Douglas Samukange handed over the ANC to Cde Joshua Nkomo in 1958 when he became a full-time Methodist minister.
Cde Nkomo was disturbed by the formation of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and he joined forces with Kamuzu Banda and Dunduza Chisiza of Malawi as well as Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia in resisting this.
In Bulawayo, Cde Joseph Msika formed the South African Youth League, while James Chikerema organised the Salisbury City Youth League.
Cde Joshua Nkomo was a trade unionist and social worker under the Rhodesia Railways.
In 1957, a united group of political leaders — Cde Msika from Bulawayo Youth League and Cdes James Chikerema from the Salisbury Youth City League, Enoch Dumbutshena and George Nyandoro — went to Bulawayo to ask Cde Nkomo to lead the new African National Congress.
The meeting was held in a back office at Stanley Hall.
Nkomo asked the group if they were aware that the liberation struggle should include every Zimbabwean regardless of tribe, race or creed and that it would be a protracted struggle.
He asked them if they knew that the liberation struggle was like “Intaba engabhodwa kalula” — “Gomo risina mapotereko”.
Cde Nkomo accepted to take up the leadership. The first formidable political party with truly united Zimbabweans was formed at Cyril Jennings Hall in Highfield, Harare on September 27, 1957.
I, having come home on holiday from South Africa, was so impressed by the developments such that I wrote in the Bantu Mirror quoting Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s mentor, Dr Aggrey of Ghana, who stated that: “We are not fowls but eagles, stretch forth your wings and fly” to take over the country.
We cannot talk of unity today as if it only started in 1987 without a historical perspective.
Roots of unity
In 1959, the ANC was banned and its leaders arrested. Cde Msika and others were sent to Marondera Prison.
The National Democratic Party was formed with Cde Nkomo as President.
That is when Cde Robert Mugabe returned from Ghana, where he was teaching.
Cde Mugabe visited the political leaders at Marondera Prison and offered to join the liberation struggle.
He was told to go to Highfield and join the party structures there.
Being young, educated and politically astute, and having been influenced by Ghana’s political developments, he became a shining star in the NDP and was elected secretary for information and publicity.
At the end of 1960, the NDP was banned. A meeting was convened where a decision was made to form a new political party. Cde Nkomo suggested that the name Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU), following such names as TANU of Tanzania and KANU of Kenya.
The name was adopted.
In 1963 ZANU was formed as a breakaway led by Ndabaningi Sithole, Cde Mugabe, Cde Enos Nkala, Cde Edson Zvobgo and others.
When the armed struggle continued in the 1970s under ZIPRA of ZAPU and ZANLA of ZANU, it became necessary to unite through the formation of the Joint Military Command, whose leadership would rotate between Cdes Jason Ziyaphapha Moyo (ZAPU) and Herbert Chitepo (ZANU).
Again we see that unity did not start in 1987 after the internal upheavals after Independence.
The revolutionary commanders did not lose focus on unity and the Zimbabwe People’s Army was formed.
ZIPRA cadres like our new Vice-President Phelekezela Report Mphoko, Nikita Mangena, Cele, Akim Ndlovu and Ambrose Mutinhiri joined ZIPA in Mozambique and others went for joint training at Mgagao.
Nyerere had his own idea of a third force, which would leave Ndabaningi out and wanted ZIPRA cadres also to abandon Joshua Nkomo.
At Mgagao there was loss of life of our ZIPRA cadres.
ZIPRA cadres remained loyal to their commander-in-chief, Cde Nkomo. ZANLA cadres called on Cde Mugabe to come and lead them from Mozambique.
Sithole had been discredited and joined Muzorewa’s Internal Settlement.
The Patriotic Front was then formed between ZAPU-ZIPRA under Cde Nkomo and ZANU-ZANLA under Cde Mugabe — again a sign of unity.
As the Patriotic Front, we went to the Geneva Conference and Gibraltar negotiations.
The Fontline States (Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique and Angola) were eager for a settlement to end the war which was causing a strain on their resources.
Let Black Umfolosi sing “unity is ever important”, and we should hear the same from Mtukudzi, Chimbetu and Chinx.
Long live unity for the benefit of all Zimbabweans.
Dr Sikhanyiso Duke Ndlovu was a member of Zanu-PF’s Politburo
Online Reporter