Story by Mthokozisi Dube
BULAWAYO – 26 years after the demise of Vice President, Dr Joshua Nkomo, his legacy of peace and unity still lives on.
A dark cloud enveloped the nation on July 1 in 1999 as the country lost a key figure in national politics, Dr Joshua Nkomo.
It was not just an ordinary funeral as the government put all measures for people to attend the funeral of the man, who befittingly earned the name, Father Zimbabwe.
Zimbabweans still have fond memories of the man who liberated them from colonial bondage, with the national hero’s house in the Phelandaba suburb of Bulawayo also a rallying point.
“When we pass here we are reminded of Dr Nkomo’s involvement to free Zimbabwe. As youths we are grateful we had people who stood for us,” a youth said.
In 2013, the government honoured Dr Nkomo through the erection of a statue and renaming the busy Main Street in Bulawayo after the late Vice President.
The spot has become a tourist attraction area for locals and those who visit the City of Kings and Queens.
“Our Sunday starts at the statue before we go to Babourfieds Stadium. We value Dr Nkomo’s legacy,” a soccer fan said.
“As youths from Bulawayo, the statue is a symbol of unity and as youths we are challenged to emulate his footsteps,” a youth said.
Daughter to the late nationalist, Thandi Nkomo says her late father was a champion for unity.
“It is 26 years and a time to reflect on Umdala’s contribution. He was a true leader who valued unity. He commanded a lot of respect within ZAPU and ZANU PF and what I can say is that he was a regional leader. As a family, we have tried to honour his legacy. We tried the Mandela style to control his legacy but we discovered that we cannot claim his name as a family. What we have done is to work with different partners to further his name,” she said.
With Matabeleland South set to host next year’s Uhuru celebrations, the government continues to value Umdala Wethu’s legacy with the construction of the Nyongolo Village at his homestead in Kezi.
“As a foundation, we are happy the government has done a lot to honour Dr Nkomo. As we speak we are constructing a village, an ECD centre, and a multi-purpose hall. The bigger project is the construction of a value-addition centre for Mopane worm process in Kezi. The government also availed piped water to the community,” the Project Manager for JMN Foundation, Dr Benedict Moyo said.
The ruling ZANU PF party says Dr Nkomo’s contribution cannot be ignored as he was a key figure in founding the new Zimbabwe.
“Dr Nkomo’s name cannot be missed when we speak about the history of the country. Most of the politicians came through him. He valued the spirit of unity and it is that unity that continues to prevail in the country. It is a value that our youths can emulate and use to understand where we are coming from as a country,” Secretary General – ZANU PF, Dr Obert Mpofu said.
Dr Nkomo was among the pioneering nationalists, who started activism as a trade unionist and led the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) which is one of the liberation movements that led to the independence of the country.
After independence, the late Vice President signed the 1987 Unity Accord that united PF ZAPU and ZANU, as well as the nation at large.
