Without official fanfare, the veil on Joshua Nkomos statue was removed on 15 September. Two days later, the sculpture was pulled down from Bulawayos Central Business District. (Pictured: Nkomos statue that was erected in Bulawayo only to pulled down 48 hours after unveiling.)
Home Affairs Minister, Kembo Mohadi, arrived to take the black cloth off at lunch time. Nkomos family is not happy. So the beautiful North Korean piece of art is going to be removed, he told journalists.
True to Mohadis words, two days later, the sculpture was dismantled and taken away from its stand in Main Street. However, it was not before concerned groups and residents had expressed their disapproval.
Why should they make, erect and unveil the statue without consulting Nkomos family, said Bekithemba Nyathi, Secretary of the recently launched Zimbabwe Victims of Organised Violence Trust. Even then, continued Nyathi, People were supposed to be told about the statue so that they contribute in whatever way they can, on what the final product should be.
ZIVOV Trust has long criticised Governments decision to unilaterally make, erect and unveil Nkomos statue, without consulting the family.
Nkomos daughter, Thandi, who has in the past criticised Governments failure to consult on the issue of erecting a statue, was mum on Minister Mohadis action. Perhaps to avoid fanning animosity with Zanu-PF, Thandi refused to give a statement, saying, I am unable to give an interview. No not now. Efforts to get a statement from Thandis brother, Sibangilizwe Nkomo ran futile as he was said to be out of town.
However, the Zimbabwe Peoples Revolutionary Army (ZPRA) Veterans Trust, an organisation purely comprised of the armed wing of the Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU), which was led by Joshua Nkomo, did not mince its words.
Causing pain
Its vice chairman, retired colonel Buster Magwizi, reiterated the issue of consultation saying, The person, who is leading this statue project, is causing pain to the Nkomo family and public. They are adding salt to injury, because they should have consulted with the Nkomo family first. They also should have consulted the public, and with ZAPU on how to proceed.
Commenting on the statue, Magwizi echoed the sentiments of some bystanders who witnessed the removal of the veil. The Ministry of Home Affairs and the Department of Museums and Monuments have done a particularly shoddy job.
We do not understand their design. Its an awkward piece of work. The statue itself does not have the domineering stature that Father Zimbabwe has over Zimbabwe. The size is just too small to be a comrades memory of Chibwe Chitedza Shumba ye Zimbabwe, he said.
Although some members of the public were willing to see the statue, others called for the translocation of the statue to Zvimba in Mashonaland West province. Another argument raised was that the government should have consulted local artists to carry out the carving.
Charles Munjenjema is the interim president, of the Students Representative Council (SRC) at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), said: One of the most obscene gestures has come from Government. That shoddy job, they are calling a statue, should be removed and transported to Zvimba.
We do not want the statue because it is not a true representation of Joshua Nkomo. Whoever put up that landmark piece of art, should have consulted the people who grew up with Nkomo, especially his kith and kins in Kezi, who know his facial topography. That way they would have avoided messing up the public relations.
North Korea
Further to the criticism, clearly piling up after Thandi Nkomo long moaned the persecution of Father Zimbabwe, was the confirmation by Minister Mohadi that the statue was made in North Korea.
As prime targets of Fifth Brigade, sent personally by President Robert Mugabe to wipe out ZAPU cadres and the ethnic minority Ndebele tribe, ZIPRA freedom fighters were not amused.
If it was made in North Korea, then it is even worse. Its adding salt on to the wound. You remember what the Koreans did to the people of this region and particularly so, the Gukurahundi who finished all the people in the fulfillment of the Grand Plan. And you bring this thing having being done by the Koreans, it angers the people, said Magwizi.
A Bulawayo based cultural group, Ibhetshu Likazulu, applauded the removal of the statue.
Qhubekani Dube, a staunch member of Ibhetshu, who was involved in organising the Joshua Nkomo commemorations, said, The removal of the statue is most welcome. Zanu (PF) and those behind the making of the statue should have consulted Nkomos family. Furthermore, Nkomo was never Zanu, so they should not use his name to campaign for Zanu.
The same opinion was expressed by Bulawayo Deputy Mayor, Alderman, Amen Mpofu. As long as the family was not consulted, nothing should have taken place. Its time that certain elements in government started respecting families of fallen heroes.
Using Nkomo
An MDC-T youth leader, Tsepiso Hellen Mpofu, dismissed the whole exercise of putting up a statue as a Zanu (PF) campaign gimmick. I want to speak in my own capacity, and say that Zanu (PF) wants to use Nkomos legacy for its own benefit. They want their party Zanu (PF) to be identified alongside patriotic individuals like Joshua Nkomo.
They want to fight the MDC using Nkomos name. They want to say that ZANU and ZAPU fought the British during the liberation struggle.
In that way they want to dismiss the MDC as British political pawns, while using Father Zimbabwes name as their political fertilizer. But any Zimbabwean worth his/her salt should ask of ZANUs geriatrics; which Zimbabwean leader was given red carpet treatment in western capitals during Gukurahundi?
Another MDC activist, Sam Chigome, who also spoke in his personal capacity said, The statue had been timed to boost Zanu (PF)s electoral fortunes.
By erecting a statue of Joshua Nkomo, which is not bad at all, Zanu (PF) want to help ZAPU garner more votes in Matabeleland. That way, Zanu (PF) can disturb Tsvangirais vote and stop him from garnering more than the 50% vote required. Nkomos statue was going to be used as canon fodder. The Mavambo project led by Simba Makoni was all about stopping Morgan Tsvangirai. Thank God, the Nkomo family saw through the ruse.
Said politely, the late Vice President, Joshua Nkomo was not Mugabes favourite man. Nkomo was persecuted during his life time. His most ardent supporters like Njini Ntuta, Eddious and Jennifer Ndlovu among others, were killed in cold blood by Mugabes Fifth Brigade.
However this has not stopped Mugabe from pretending that he and Nkomo were the best of political allies. The erection of the statue is/was therefore calculated to show up Mugabes waning popularity. In addition, Zanu wants to give a false impression that with ZAPU, the two political parties enjoyed a genuine Patriotic Front.
Post published in: News