Opinion / Columnist
Arnold Payne a national hero.
27 Aug 2014 at 13:39hrs | Views
If there are any heroes worthy celebrating and worthy commemorating, then Arnold Payne is one of them. Having known him from the time l was an infant he excelled in every field that he found himself in. A philanthropist by birth, a man who love human beings for who they are never for what he can get from them.
He would never leave you with a flat tyre on the highway, a humanitarian par-excellency. Like Dick Payne he never considered himself a coloured or of a mixed race but an African and a true Zimbabwean.
He refused to fold his hands and seat back while the poorest of the poor are down trodden. When factories and big businesses were closing down in Bulawayo due to water shortages he didn't relax and say these businesses do not belong to me nor my family but he took government to task.
After noticing that letters and phone calls did not force the government out of its chair, he then did a one man demonstration that attracted the world. He pushed a wheelbarrow with a drum full of water to show the oppressive regime how desperate the situation was in Bulawayo and Matebeleland region.
He survived the wild animals only for the love of his people. After many days he finally arrived in the City of Kings to a hero's welcome.
After spilling the water at the city hall he proceeded to parliament house in Harare to convey the plight of the Bulawayo residents and the Matebele people, it fell in the deaf ears of government again. Today Arnold Payne is no more, he died in pain.
He died fighting a good fight, a fight to liberate communities from the clutching jaws of a black oppressor. We will never forget you, we shall sing about your exploits all the days of our life.
We will forget presidents, we will forget kings but we will never forget you. The journey you travelled pushing a drum of water on a wheelbarrow we will walk as well and deliver the Great Zambezi water to the city of Bulawayo.
The current MZWT chairperson Dr Dumiso Dabengwa will see the reality of your dreams.
Matebeleland North will be home to a green belt and Bulawayo industries will be revived.
Thank you Arnold you started the race we are now mature to finish it.
Source - Somhambi Zilangwe
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