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Friends beyond time

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FRIENDSHIP is not about finding similarities, it is about understanding and respecting differences.
On December 22 2013, thousands of people from all walks of life who came to witness the triple honour of Dr Nkomo in Bulawayo left changed people.
Ecstatic as they were about the honours bestowed on Father Zimbabwe, most people left knowledgeable.
“Uyazi ubab’ uMugabe usifindise okungeni ebe singakwazi ngomdala wethu” (Today President Mugabe taught us a lot we did not know about Joshua Nkomo) murmured most people.
They began to understand and respect the friendship of the two great men.
President Mugabe’s passionate speeches touched many hearts.
“At the end of the day I felt more Zimbabwean than ever,” said Sheila Dube.
“Indeed the day’s experiences left me so proud of these two men and spiritually bonded to the land of my birth.”
One Mthulisi Khumalo from Umguza district expressed the need to honour living heroes.
“Why do we have to wait for these great men to die so that we can honour them?” he said.
“Let us honour President Mugabe and other heroes now.”
Many expressed gratitude not only for the honour of Father of Zimbabwe but about the knowledge President Mugabe shared with the people.
Narrating the country’s history, President Mugabe said after negotiations with the white regime when the black government was ushered into power, the two parties ZAPU and ZANU went as ‘sacred parties’ into parliament.
“In Parliament, ZANU had 57 seats while ZAPU had 20 seats, we then decided to combine the seats to be one force,” he said.
President Mugabe said after blacks had assumed control of the country, he then asked Dr Nkomo to assume role of presidency, post independence and Nkomo refused.
“I sent another delegation, he said no,” said President Mugabe.
“I sent a third delegation, again he said no.
“I wanted him to be president while I was the Prime minister.
“This is when we then asked (the late) Canaan Banana to be the President.”
Banana served as the first black president of Zimbabwe from April 18 1980 to December 31 1987.
People said they had been misled and made to believe that bad blood existed between the two even after signing the Unity Accord.
“Umdala watshiya esitshele ukuthi singasuki lapho asitshiye khona,” said one Nomagugu from Magwegwe.
“Kodwa ngoba singela lwazi olunengi kwabalula ukuthi sikholwe abanye ababefuna ukusiphazamisa abaqala ukusiqambela amanga besithi Umdala ubengazwani lobaba uMugabe.
“Saqala ukuphambuka kodwa iqiniso ebesingalazi selivezekile lamhlanje.”
(Before his death Dr Nkomo had told us to continue supporting the cause. Because of our little knowledge it was easy to believe some people who lied to us that bad blood still existed between President Mugabe and Dr Nkomo. However we have since realised it was a cheap political stance from other political parties).
President Mugabe described Dr Nkomo as a man with a strong character.
He hailed Dr Nkomo as a unifier, who had big dreams for the country to prosper and progress.
“What we had all fought for was always at the heart of father Zimbabwe.
“The statue, a national monument is therefore the country’s heritage, which embodies the values and aspirations of Zimbabweans.”
“The statue and street will allow us to continuously reflect on where we stand as a nation, also to introspect on what we are doing, vis a vis what Dr Nkomo stood for.”
Sindi Sibanda who came all the way from Gwanda to witness the grand honour said it was time for people in Matabeleland to shake off the mentality of viewing themselves as victims of the past and work towards development of the region.
“Many a times people complain that Matabeleland is politically alienated, that is not true,” said Sibanda.
“Do we have a statue of any other heroes in Zimbabwe?
“Has anyone been honoured the way Joshua Nkomo is being honoured today?
“A big NO.
“President Mugabe Siyabonga baba (Thank you President Mugabe, you have done your part and now we should play ours.
“We have a collective role to move forward than just sitting down and crying foul.”
The triple honour is a historical milestone, an indelible ink permanently inscribing the memory of Joshua Nkomo not only to Zimbabwe, but for the whole world.

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