Story by Kenias Chivuzhe
THE legacy of the late national hero, Cde Kumbirai Kangai lives on, with the launch of the Kumbirai Kangai Foundation in Buhera this Wednesday set to complement government efforts in rural development and preserving the history of the liberation struggle.
The Foundation is yet another milestone to preserve the legacy of the late national hero and, the history of the liberation struggle, also to advance development and a great way to commemorate 45 years of Uhuru.
Cde Kangai joined nationalist politics in the 1960s and rose to become a member of Dare Rechimurenga, hence the decision to honour him through the launch of a foundation named after him.
Speaking at Ndyarima Secondary School this Wednesday, the Chairperson of the Foundation, Tinayonyika Kangai spoke on the family’s motivation to continue advancing Cde Kangai’s legacy and spearhead development in Buhera.
”As children of the late Cde Kangai, we decided to carry on with the great works and legacy left by our father. We donated computers here and this is not the first school to benefit from the resources. We need to work closely with the local communities to develop the area.
“We donated sporting kits and we want to sink 50 to 100 boreholes. Our father constructed a lot of schools among other developments hence the motivation to continue from where he left,” Chairperson of the Kumbirai Kangai Foundation, Tinayonyika said.
Local community members, who are already benefiting from the Kumbirai Kangai Foundation, have fond memories of the late liberation war icon’s contribution to local and national development.
“Cde Kangai is a household name in Zimbabwe. He contributed towards the liberation struggle. After independence, Cde Kangai spearheaded the construction of clinics and education facilities within the district,” a Community member said.
“He was a pillar of strength within the family. He also assisted the local communities to increase agricultural productivity,” a member of the community said.
“Cde Kangai helped us to establish the local school. He left a spirit of hard work and we want to thank the Kangai Foundation for the support it is providing towards local development,” a beneficiary said.
“I am honoured and grateful as acting head of Ndyarima School for the support. We thank the local legislator and chairperson of the Kumbirai Kangai Foundation for their support of this school. The foundation has given us stationary, sports kits and computers,” the acting head of Ndyarima School said.
The initiative has received buy-in from various stakeholders, with Buhera Central legislator, Honourable Sam Matema contributing towards the foundation’s efforts to construct a teachers’ house at Ndyarima Secondary School.
“We are very happy as we remember the works of Cde Kangai. In 1980 Buhera we had just two schools, but under his leadership, many schools were constructed. To continue with his legacy, we worked together with the foundation to construct a teachers’ house. We are happy that the local community is gathered here to advance and honour the legacy left by the late national hero,” Honourable Matema said.
Cde Kumbirai Kangai, affectionately known as KK, became part of mainstream nationalist politics in the 1960s when he joined the ZANU branch which was based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
During the war of liberation, Cde Kangai became part of ZANU’s Dare ReChimurenga as the Director of Transport and Logistics.
Together with other nationalists such as Cdes Joshua Nkomo, Robert Mugabe, Edgar Tekere and Eddison Zvobgo, Cde Kangai was also part of Zimbabwe’s delegation to the Lancaster Talks which finally resulted in the Lancaster House Agreement of 1979.
After independence, Cde Kangai became a member of parliament for Buhera Constituency and the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare before becoming the Minister of Agriculture.
He was also a member of the ZANU PF Politburo and Central Committee at the time of his death in 2013.
