CHITUNGWIZA - MDC members were asked not to attend the burial of veteran activist Stephen Nakomo in party regalia or drive their trucks near the graveyard for fear of reprisals.Relatives said displaying MDC colours at the church service and graveyard would expose the church to victimisation after burial.
Nakomo, a party district organiser, joined the MDC at its inception in 1999.
Senior MDC officials spoke highly of Nakomo, whom they described as a brave and creative party member.
He sacrificed his well-paying job at Luis Company to work full-time for the party. At the time, furthering the interests of the MDC was unheard of; a risky and unrealistic, wild dream. He survived a number of assassination attempts at the hands of Zanu (PF) and state security agents, said the national party representative for Mashonaland East, Masimba Ruzvidzo.
In 2002, the tyres of a party truck he was driving in Mrewa were shot by state security agents. He braved imminent death and drove off at high speed with deflated tyres to safety, saving the lives of senior party members travelling with him. He made several movie-style high-speed getaways from state security agents who had laid ambushes.
Nakomo was laid to rest at St Marys cemetery, which is reserved for Moslems. Party President Morgan Tsvangirai, who worked closely with Nakomo, was expected at the funeral but did not attend, due to other commitments.
Post published in: Politics