Joshua Nkomo, the legacy of unity

Part of the legacy of Father Zimbabwe, the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo, is that as PF-Zapu leader together with Zanu PF leader President Mugabe they signed the historical Unity Accord in December 1987, which was meant to unite all people regardless of race, colour or tribe.

The unity agreement brought to an end the internal post independence conflict, the infamous Gukurahundi.  When the Unity Accord- which also saw the merger of the two liberation movements PF- Zapu and Zanu PF- was signed he stressed the importance of unity as follows : "It is our duty as Zimbabweans to build the country for the benefit of the future generation".

President Mugabe has also on countless occasions emphasized the need for unity and at one time remarked that Gukurahundi was "a moment of madness in our history" which should never be repeated.

Mugabe has continued to preach that "United We Stand, Divided We Fall".  In today's countdown to the July 1 commemoration of the 15th anniversary since the passing on of Nkomo,  we reproduce part of  the speech Nkomo made on Saturday 12 April 1986, at the funeral of one of the former Zipra commanders Lookout  Masuku to show the tension and emotions that existed before the signing of the Unity Accord and that therefore the Unity Accord was no mean achievement and should be respected at all times as the nation goes through a healing process.  The speech was obtained from the Joshua Nkomo Museum at Matsheumhlope, where it is on display.

Masuku and former Zipra intelligence supremo, Dumiso Dabengwa had been arrested and charged with treason but acquitted for the offence.  They however continued to be held after the acquittal using the State of Emergency. Masuku died at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare.

"Those who rule our country know inside themselves that Lookout played a very big part in winning our struggle. And yet they let him die in prison. I say he died in prison because he died on that bed on which he was detained. It was not possible for him to leave that bed and it was not possible for you to see him. Therefore, I say he died in prison.

"Why should men like Lookout and Dumiso (Dabengwa), after being found innocent of any wrongdoing by the highest court in this land remain detained? When we ask we get the same answer from the Minister as we used to get from the Smith regime.

"Mafela, Lookout, after all his sacrifices, died a pauper in our own hands. We cannot blame colonialism and imperialism for this tragedy. We who fought against these things now practise them. Why? Why? Why?

"We are enveloped in the politics of hate. The amount of hate that is being preached today in this country is frightful. What Zimbabwe fought for was peace, progress, love, respect, justice, equality, not the opposite. And one of the worst evils we see today is corruption. The country bleeds today because of corruption."

It is appropriate that the site chosen for Lookout's grave lies near a memorial to those who fought against Hitler. Lookout fought against fascism, oppression, tribalism and corruption. Any failure to dedicate ourselves to the ideals of Masuku will be a betrayal of him and of all those freedom fighters whose graves are not known.