THIS year’s Unity Day comes at a time when President Mugabe has appointed two Vice Presidents, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa and Cde Phelekezela Mphoko.
Cde Mnangagwa is a former ZANLA guerilla while Cde Mphoko is a former ZIPRA cadre.
It must be remembered that the unification of revolutionary parties ZANU and ZAPU dates back to the liberation struggle.
In 1975 ZANLA cadres met ZIPRA cadres in Tanzania together with President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, President Samora Machel of Mozambique and President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia.
The main agenda of the meeting was to unite the revolutionary parties’ military wings, ZANLA and ZIPRA.
ZANLA was represented by Rex Nhongo, Dzinashe Machingura, Hondo, Saul Sadza, Parker Chipoyera, Webster Gwauya, Tendai Pferepfere, while ZIPRA was represented by the Vice President Phelekezela Mpoko, John Dube, Enoch Tschangane, Gordon Munyanyi, Ambrose Mutinhiri, David Moyana and Augustus Mudzingwa.
The meeting led to the formation of a unified military wing the Zimbabwe People’s Army (ZIPA).
Seven years after the attainment of independence on December 22 1987 the country’s political leaders President Robert Mugabe and the late Vice President Cde Joshua Nkomo realised that Zimbabwe can only excel in unity.
They signed the Unity Accord.
The Unity Accord unified ZANU and ZAPU resulting in the birth of ZANU PF.
In an interview with The Patriot, veteran nationalist Jane Ngwenya said Zimbabweans must stay united for the sake of progress.
She said ZANU PF was born out of the key purpose of maintaining unity, peace and development in the country.
“The unity of ZANU and ZAPU was not meant to unite political parties alone, but all Zimbabweans,” she said.
“Unity is a heritage which we are supposed to pass on to our future generations.
“Had it not been for the Unity Accord we might have been in a chaotic situation.
“Zimbabweans are known world over to be the most peaceful people and this is as a result of the Unit Accord.”
The veteran nationalist castigated some politicians who are tirelessly fighting to destroy ZANU PF.
She urged Zimbabweans to be careful of people like Dumiso Dabengwa who are being used by the West to facilitate the regime change agenda.
“Zimbabweans should be very careful of people like Dabengwa,” she said.
“They are being used by the enemy to reverse the fruits of our independence.
“ZANU and ZAPU joined hands and formed ZANU PF, so ZANU PF was formed by our nationalist leaders for us.
“We must never forget that.”