Tongogara wanted Joshua Nkomo to lead Zimbabwe

Writing in his book titled In Pursuit of Freedom and Justice: A Memoir, Cephas Msipa says Tongogara was a moderate politician whose views carried a lot of weight and who apparently wanted Joshua Nkomo to become Zimbabwe's first black leader.

Msipa claims that Tongogara had before his death expressed his willingness to have Nkomo lead the Patriotic Front- a coalition of the then Zanu and Zapu.

Sadly, Msipa says, Tongogara had died before that wish was realised. "His death robbed us all of a great leader with a vision of a united people," Msipa writes.

And with Tongogara out of the picture, extremists in Zanu-PF had had their way, Msipa says in his book.

In a direct attack on Zanu-PF, Msipa says Zanu was much more inclined to being ruled by small group at the top and to not permit debate within its ranks.