BULAWAYO – The Third Chimurenga party, Zanu (PF), has established a custom where it claims the corpses of non-members for burial. After a Politburo meeting held on May 11, Party ye ropa spokesperson, Rugare Gumbo, told the press that the late Joshua Nkomos family had given the go-ahead for the erection of Father Zimbabwes statue. Is this true?
We were briefed about the position taken by the Nkomo family to withdraw their objections on the erection of the Nkomo statues in Bulawayo and Harare, said Gumbo.
However, the eldest son in the Nkomo family, Sibangilizwe says, I havent heard anything like that. I will find out where they got that from. So who is telling the truth?
As happened at the funeral of the late national hero, Welshman Hadane Mabhena, Zanu (PF) tried to talk on behalf of the family. Zanu (PF) representatives, Sikhanyiso Ndlovu and Naison Khutshwekhaya, only stopped pretending to represent the Mabhena family when the deceaseds younger brother, Norman Mabhena, intervened.
Zanu (PF) was told by the Mabhena family that their father would be buried at West Park Cemetery instead of the Zanu (PF) Heroes Acre.
In addition to Gumbos claims, it will be interesting to know whether the party still intends to erect Nkomos statue at Karigamombe Centre. Last year the Nkomo family refused to permit the erection of the North Korean statue, on the grounds that ZAPU members were massacred by the North Korean trained Fifth Brigade. What would now persuade them to accept the North Korean statue being erected at Karigamombe, a name which boasts the genocide that humbled ZAPU? What has changed between then and now?
Deception is common to Zanu (PF). A fortnight ago, a member of the ZPRA High Command, Stanley Donga, died. He was one of the early ZAPU cadres who trained at Morogoro in Tanzania, and was regarded highly in the fields of discipline, political education, military training and contribution during the liberation struggle.
Not to be beaten, Zanu (PF) – who did not contribute even a cent towards the funeral – claimed Dongas corpse. Before burial, at Dongas Gwatemba rural home, in Matabeleland South, Zanu (PF) is alleged to have threatened the deceaseds family saying, If you do not release the corpse, we will withdraw funds given to Dongas children. We will repossess the local government bar at Shangani which was run by the late Donga and take back the farm that he got through the land reform exercise.
One disgusted ZPRA veteran who attended the funeral said, Zanu (PF) is desperate. They now claim dead ZAPU members as their own. Shameless Zanu (PF) also wanted to claim the corpse of ZPRA executive member, Lt. Col. Gabriel Moyo.
Zanu (PF) leaders, who normally pitch up at the funerals claiming a part in the burial of ZAPU members, are Molly Mpofu, Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, Angeline Masuku, Obed Mpofu and Naison Kutshwekhaya Ndlovu. On the War Veterans side, there is Nkanyezi Jonathan Sibanda and Jabulani Phetshu Sibanda who should not to be confused with the notorious Jabulani Sibanda.
Jabulani Phetshu Sibanda has been challenged by the ZPRA Directorate of Training to prove his authenticity as a ZPRA cadre because they do not have him in their books. According to the Directorate of Training, Phetshu was never trained. His elder brother, Timon Sibanda, is regarded as a true ZPRA cadre.
Nkanyezi Sibanda and Jabulani Phetshu Sibanda are reportedly instructed by the notorious Jabulani Sibanda.
Post published in: News