Enos Nkala not our hero

The decision by Zanu-PF to give Enos Zombi Nkala the hero status has generated a lot of debate with most civic society activists arguing that he did not deserve to be granted the highest post-humus "honour" in the land.   Whilst I understand and share with them the anger, I have noticed that their frustration is mainly coming from the fact that most people still do not understand the Zanu-PF politburo's criteria of conferring the hero status to an individual.

As the debate rages on, I have had an opportunity to observe, reflect and do some bit of research on the people who have in past declared heroes with the intention of trying to understand the criteria used to decide on their hero status.  My conclusion was that Obert Mpofu is correct to say, 'if Enos Nkala is not declared a national hero, then there is no one who can be declared a national hero and the national Heroes' Acre may as well be destroyed'. I have come to realize that there are about three categories in which one has to fit in ton be declared a national hero and fit to be buried at the National Heroes Acre. Nkala easily qualified with flying colours in two of those categories.  The categories that one has to pass to be accorded the highest honour are as follows;  

1.  The first and perhaps the most important thing the politburo consider; is the role and contribution that the person played in the formation and the growth of Zanu.

2.  The second category which is almost similar to the first one is the role that a person played in defending Zanu-and dealing with its opponents.

3.  The last category that the politburo looks at is whether by the time their death the person was an unwavering member of and loyal to Zanu-PF.

As noted above, Enos Nkala easily and undisputedly qualified to be declared a national hero under the first two categories. Hence the first category that anyone who had a role in the formation of ZANU, regardless of their position and status at the time of death is accorded a heroes status. Under the first category, Nkala was at the fore-front of the formation of Zanu-in 1963, which was motivated by his dislike of Joshua Nkomo who was the leader of ZAPU. At the formation of Zanu, he offered his house, Number 4449, Old Highfield in Harare as the venue for the formation of the party to deal with Nkomo and his Ndebeles. When some nationalists had a problem with Nkomo because of his being Ndebele, Enos Nkala volunteered, as revealed by President Mugabe in his speech at Nkala's burial, to help them to deal with Nkomo as he was also Ndebele. By denying Nkala to be buried at the national heroes acre the history of Zanu-and the liberation struggle would not be complete.

To Zanu-PF politburo, the contribution of Nkala in the formation and growth of Zanu-is more important than his views at the time of his death. There are many people who are under this category, the likes of Mark Dube, Edgar Tekere, just to mention a few.   This is the category which Enos Nkala falls.  Enos Nkala, was one the leading government and Zanu-officials who were at the fore-front of the Gukuraundi genocide in the early 1980s which was supposedly 'dealing with Zanu-opponents'.  No one can claim to have played a more prominent role in Gukuraundi genocide than Enos Nkala, Emmerson Mnangagwa and Perrence Shiri.  This made Nkala an automatic candidate and more than deserving candidate for burial at the national heroes' acre.

The third and last category is meant to accommodate the former ZAPU cadres. This is the most difficult category to qualify in.  Under this category, the role and the contribution of a person during the liberation struggle is not important, even the position once held in the Zanu-PF is not considered.  What is considered is the political affiliation and loyalty of a person at the time of their death. Only those with undoubted loyalty and support of Zanu-PF at the time of their dearth are considered.   I will underline, 'considered' as the process and procedure for this category is different from the first two.

The process starts at the provincial level of Zanu-PF, of which the chairman has to call a meeting of the provincial leadership to deliberate on the hero status of the deceased cadre. If they that feel their comrade should be declared a national hero, the province has to write a recommendation to the politburo through the Secretary of Administration. Upon receiving the recommendation from the province the Secretary of Administration will then call a politburo meeting to discuss the matter. As most people may understand that a recommendation is just a recommendation which can be taken or thrown away. Their cases are considered as per their positions held at the time of their death in Zanu-PF. The beneficiaries of this category, are the likes of John Landa Nkomo , Joshua Nkomo , Joseph Msika , who were all vice presidents of Zanu-PF  and their cases were considered for their position held in the Zanu-PF not in ZAPU and the liberation struggle.

The unlucky ones who include the likes of Thenjiwe Lesabe, who despite once being the chairperson of Zanu-PF Women's League, unfortunately at the time of her death she was found on the 'wrong side' thus was not declared a national hero. Others who are also in this category are the likes of Welshman Mabhena, Lookout Masuku to mention just a few. The other leaders likely to find themselves in Lesabe's situation, unless they change their allegiance before they die are Dumiso Dabengwa, who is the President of ZAPU. The people who are likely to easily qualify as national heroes are the likes of Cain Mathema, Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, Angeline Masuku and many current Zanu-PF leaders despite their ZAPU background.  

So who is buried at the national heroes acre and who are the heroes of the liberation struggle in Zimbabwe? The national shrine has Zanu-and ZANLA leaders and Zanu-PF leaders who have remained loyal to the ruling Zanu-PF until they die.  In fact, death separated them with Zanu-PF, those are the heroes that lie at the National Heroes acre and Enos Nkala is the most deserving person to be declared a national hero for his role in formation of Zanu, dealing with Joshua Nkomo and for his role in Gukuraundi.

But to me, and many other Zimbabweans people, Enos Nkala is not our hero, he played a role in Gukuraundi genocide which killed my father and my grandfather when I was just three. I blame Enos Nkala and his fellow 'heroes' for growing up without the love and guidance of my father. Hamba kahle Nkala unkulukulu ukumelele.