African leaders should emulate the founding fathers' spirit of togetherness - Nkomo

Vice President John Nkomo has called on the current African leaders to emulate the founding fathers' spirit of togetherness and work together for a more stable continent.

Nkomo was speaking in Harare on Tuesday morning when he signed the book of condolences at the Algerian Embassy in Harare.

Nkomo described Ben Bella, who died last week, as a man of great stature who is among African leaders who were instrumental in showing the way to a united and independent Africa. He said Algeria's founding president, Ahmed Ben Bella is among Africa's founding fathers who include Ghana's Kwame Nkrumah, Egypt's Abdel Nasser, and Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere of Tanzania.

"Ahmed Ben Bella was one of the African leaders who was instrumental in leading the way and showing Africa the way forward. He was influential in his own way, be it in Francophone or Anglophone Africa. You can not mention any African struggle without mentioning Ben Bella. We have to follow his footsteps," said Nkomo.

Algerian Embassy Charge D'Affairs, Mr Redha Oucher spoke about Algeria's role in assisting liberation movements in Southern Africa and how Algeria is providing scholarships to hundreds of Zimbabwean students learning at different institutions in the North African country.