Mugabe buries another Nkomo, calls for peaceful elections

Robert Mugabe has urged Zimbabweans to vote peacefully in the forthcoming referendum and harmonised elections.

Addressing mourners at the National Heroes Acre, during the burial of the late Vice President Cde Landa John Nkomo, the President said this will be a good way to honour the late Comrade who was a champion of peace and a unifier who among other major deeds, managed to bring Zimbabwe together for the Unity Accord of 1987.

Mugabe described the late Vice President as a man of good deeds, whose memory will remain etched in the people of Zimbabwe's hearts.

The President chronicled the struggle for independence and urged Zimbabweans to emulate and follow in the footsteps of the late Vice President, who lived his life for others.

He said: "We were discriminated against; we lived in squatters with many limited facilities not well lit and poor roads.

"You were called not MR never, but boys and girls.

"These were the times, which were the beginning of the struggle.

"The various areas of oppression were filled with fighters, nationalists and Landa John Nkomo was in several of these," said the President.

Mugabe described Nkomo as a negotiator.

He said: "As we negotiated the Unity Accord of 1987, Cde Nkomo was an adviser.

"As we established the inclusive government, Cde Nkomo was Chairman of the Organ of National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration, to bring us to peace and to get our people know that we are one as a people, we are all Zimbabweans."

The President said the late Vice President greatly supported the organ and recommended that it be incorporated in the new constitution.

"As we pay tribute to Cde Nkomo, peace, unity and harmony should prevail in the country and that is the message that was preached by the late Vice President," said Mugabe.

The President went on to quote the words of peace by the late national hero: "Peace begins with me, peace begins with you, peace begins with all of us."

President Mugabe said the nation should carry the example of peace to the different political parties and added that the Principals have resolved their political differences.

"We want peaceful elections. We derive some solace from observing that Landa John Nkomo died on the day the parties to the Global Political Agreements resolved outstanding issues.

"The principals of our political parties succeeded in narrowing their differences."

"Go well peacemaker, go well freedom fighter, go well friend of the people," said the President.

The burial ceremony was attended by the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe, Vice President Joice Mujuru, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Deputy Prime Ministers Professor Arthur Mutambara and Thokozani Khupe and several government officials.

The region joined Zimbabwe in mourning the peace-maker, Cde Landa John Nkomo and some regional leaders who were at the national shrine were, South Africa's Vice President Kgalema Montlante, Tanzanian Vice President Dr Mohammed Gharib Bilal, Botswana Vice President Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe, Zambian Vice President Guy Scott and Namibian Prime Minister Hage Geingob among other diginitaries.