THE late Vice-President Dr Joshua Nkomo was a man of great charisma whose focus in his political career was on the land issue and the economic empowerment of the people of Zimbabwe, ZANU PF Secretary for Information and Publicity, Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo has said.
In an interview on Wednesday, Ambassador Moyo who worked with the liberation war icon as Special Assistant for two decades, said the late VP Nkomo’s life and deeds are a legacy to all those who believe in the total freedom and unity of the country.
“On this day (July 1) in 1999 the nation woke up to plural shock and dismay after hearing that Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, popularly known as ‘Father Zimbabwe’ had passed on,” said Ambassador Nkomo.
“I knew Dr Nkomo as a man of great charisma, a man of purpose, a man of principle, a man of perseverance and above all, a man of prayer.
“He loved his country and the people of Zimbabwe from Plumtree to Mutare, from Beitbridge to Chirundu and he was indeed, a father to all.
“He hated tribalism, regionalism and racism because he believed we were all born equal and no one had the right to discriminate the other.”
Ambassador Khaya Moyo said VP Nkomo’s fierce anti-oppression drive was the culmination of the historic Unity Accord which was signed on December 22 1987 between him and President Robert Mugabe to form the now ruling ZANU PF.
“He led a number of successive liberation movements such as the ANC, NDP, ZAPU and finally came together with his compatriot President Robert Mugabe to sign the Unity Accord of the two liberation movements under the name ZANU PF,” said Ambassador Khaya Moyo.
“VP Nkomo believed that oppression, repression and suppression by the colonial settlers on the owners of the land of Zimbabwe had to be resisted at all costs hence his joining hands with President Mugabe and others to fight colonialism.
“His deeds live forever and the only way to honour the late VP Nkomo is to subscribe to total freedom and unity of our nation.”
Ambassador Khaya offered rare insights into VP Nkomo saying he was a man who never kept grudges and that he had an open door policy.
VP Nkomo, Ambassador Khaya Moyo said, never believed that anyone could be looked down upon.
“The old man never kept grudges,” he said.
“He would shout at you raising his walking stick, but not to beat you up, no he never did that.
“He would then call you after a while and he would apologise and that was it.
“The next moment you are all laughing together and the shouting has all been forgotten.
“That was VP Nkomo, that great man, a politician of impeccable credentials, a trade unionist, a farmer, a prisoner, a diplomat, a father, a grandfather and indeed VP of Zimbabwe by the time of his death.”
Ambassador Khaya Moyo said VP Nkomo’s economic vision was that the people of Zimbabwe could only have a better life if the land and economy were in their hands.
VP Nkomo was a renowned farmer who ran successful agriculture projects that benefitted thousands of Zimbabweans.
“One can even say today that our economic blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-ASSET) has a basis on vision because he crafted and implemented a number of projects which he wanted to benefit Zimbabweans particularly the young people,” said Ambassador Khaya Moyo.
“He believed that political freedom without economic emancipation was hollow.”
And Ambassador Khaya Moyo had words for Zimbabweans.
“Indeed people like Father Zimbabwe can never die, they can only leave this world for higher responsibilities.
“Let us therefore never betray him.
“He is watching us.”