Story by Josephine Mugiyo
CHIBWECHITEDZA, Mafukufuku, Umdala Wethu and Father Zimbabwe are some of the fondly referred to him. 27 years after his passing, the nation remembers the late Vice President Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo.
ZBC News trekked to his rural home in Kezi, Maphisa, where he was put under house arrest in 1962, and his family reflected on the towering giant.
His memories remain forever cherished. His legacy continues to be honoured and celebrated.
“You will realise that as a family, we think about him in a lot of ways. Being a leader of the Nkomo family, we work in his honour. We do this in honour of what he taught us. He spoke about national development. We are walking in the footsteps of Father Zimbabwe,” Dr Nkomo’s grandson, Hloniphani Nkomo said.
His nephew, Mr Thomas Nkomo, spoke glowingly of Dr Nkomo’s legacy.
“I remember his work, what he did and I am proud of him. I used to have cows, and my mother would make amasi, and Nkomo loved that. He left us wisdom, and he taught us unity and how to work well with others. He taught us to ensure development. He loved to laugh,” he said.
He also spoke on the days when Dr Nkomo was under house arrest.
“They said let Umdala come and stay. He is detained, and the settlers came and mounted tents all over. We would get visitors from all over who used to come and see him.”
As the nation remembers this iconic figure, one of his grandchildren, Limukani, has vivid memories of what it meant to him and the other children at the homestead for Grandpa to come home. They would all be a dollar richer, and so they always wished he could visit more often.
“Whenever we saw his car approaching, we would get excited and knew without a doubt that we would get our US$1 each,” he said.
Nearly three decades later, it is crystal clear that Chibwechitedza, Mafukufuku, Umdala Wethu was loved.
In Kezi, the Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo national youth service and vocational training centre, which is under construction, will forever be a reminder in the village of a great man who once lived amongst them.
His sacrifices and love for the nation will forever be cherished.
