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Mkhululi Ncube, Chronicle Reporter
BULAWAYO Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Cde Judith Ncube yesterday said the nation must always uphold the values bestowed to the country by the late Vice President and Father Zimbabwe, Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo.
The late nationalist leader died on July 1, 1999 and was buried at the National Heroes Acre.
The Joshua Nkomo National Foundation has in the past 21 years held various events to honour and remember the life of the late Vice President with a church memorial service at the Roman Catholic Church being part of the key events.
Dr Nkomo was a member of the Catholic church.
Yesterday, the memorial service was held at his museum in Matsheumhlophe suburb and was led by Father Jeremy Dube.
Minister Ncube narrated an emotional visit she made with other women during Dr Nkomo`s last days in hospital.
“A week before his death we hired a ZUPCO bus with other women. We felt compelled to visit and show support to umama uMaFuyana in Harare. When we got there, security details at the hospital told us that we could not all see him. Only seven of us were allowed to enter, that on its own told us that his condition was not good. Umama uMafuyana met us and led us to his ward. When we got there, the late Umdala Wethu was not moving. UMafuyana whispered to him and said ‘Khulu nampa abantwana basilandile ukuzosibona.’ He tried to speak but because of his condition he could not, MaFuyane again went to his ear and whispered, ‘khulu sebezwile abantwana.’ After that she led us out,” she said.
The minister said the encounter moved them so much that when they got to the bus, they all sat and no one said anything.
“There was silence on the bus until we reached Kadoma, those who did not manage to see him were then demanding to know what transpired and we told them that the situation was not good. As we remember the late father Zimbabwe let us not forget his wife uMafuyane who was beside him through it all,” said the minister.
Minister Ncube said Father Zimbabwe was a nation builder who left key values for the country.
“The memorial service done today stands as an important annual commemoration which seeks to acknowledge the life journey of our icon Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo. Throughout his life he committed himself to building a society that promotes all cultures in their diversity and he knew no tribe but the children of the soil abantwana bomhlabathi hence the need to continuously cultivate those key values of peace, unity, love and tolerance,” she said.
Cde Ncube said it is important for the country to always make the late Father Zimbabwe a reference point.
“Let us continue learning from the late Vice President Nkomo and cement peace, unity, love, tolerance which he (Dr Joshua Nkomo) said are the founding principles of a country. We honor him for his ability to bring people and ideas together, across disciplines, sectors and generations.
“We once again pay tribute to the Father of the nation great African veteran of our long African struggle. We remember him for his spirit of excellence, integrity, determination and the will to succeed and creating new pathways of thought for our people and changing lives forever,” said Minister Ncube.
In statement yesterday, the Chief Secretary to President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda said Dr Nkomo was a rare breed of freedom fighters who sacrificed to free the country from colonial bondage. Dr Sibanda said the inspiring works of the late Father Zimbabwe, also known as Chibwechitedza, will forever be imprinted in the country’s history.
“As we head towards the 40th Anniversary of our Heroes Day, we shall continue to cherish the values that Dr Nkomo stood for, among them unity, freedom, peace, patriotism, Ubuntu/Hunhu, non-racialism, selfless dedication to national duty and land reform.
“We therefore wish to reassure His Excellency the President that as the office directs and co-ordinates the process of Government policy formulation, monitoring and implementation, we shall discharge our roles and duties with utmost dedication and commitment towards the attainment of the objectives of Vision 2030 to contribute towards the development of a prosperous, knowledge and technology-driven upper middle income society,” said Dr Sibanda.
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