Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo museum opens to public

THE Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Museum in Bulawayo's Matsheumhlophe suburb opened to the public yesterday with senior Government officials, teachers and headmasters from the city's secondary schools visiting the place.

The Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo National Foundation (JMNNF) turned the late national hero's Matsheumhlophe house at number 17 Aberdeen Road, into a monumental museum which it completely refurbished in 2007.

Since then the foundation has been conducting research and sprucing up the museum and documenting the life of the late nationalist Dr Nkomo.

The museum was a hive of activity yesterday as school heads, education officers and teachers marvelled at the colourful displays and collections of artifacts that epitomise Father Zimbabwe's illustrious profile.

The museum occupies all the 10 rooms of the previous main house including the veranda where the navy blue bullet-proof Mercedes Benz that the late Father Zimbabwe used is parked.

Inside the rooms are neatly decorated portraits, newspaper cuttings, photographs, clothes, tools, kitchen utensils including all the movable property that the late Dr Nkomo and his wife, the late Johanna popularly known as MaFuyana, used.

Among the notable items in the museum is a love letter that Dr Nkomo wrote to MaFuyana on 2 February 1977 expressing his undying love for her and informing her that he bought her a car as a present to mark their 23rd wedding anniversary.

Included also are Dr Nkomo's academic accolades and regalia, his library, neatly decorated bedroom, his clothes and rifles.

There is also a narrative of his marriage life, his immediate family and family roots.

Prominently captured are Dr Nkomo's days during the liberation struggle when, together with the likes of President Mugabe, his close Zipra top brass including Dr Dumiso Dabengwa, the late Lookout Masuku, Nikita Mangena and others, they bravely fought the Ian Smith regime.

His role in the signing of the 22 December 1987 Unity Accord is also well enunciated.

In one of the rooms is a collection of newspaper cuttings about what Dr Nkomo did up to the time of his death and after.

A sombre atmosphere gripped the house when the guests entered a room where Dr Nkomo's death and after life is chronicled through pictures and narratives on the wall.

Dr Nkomo died on 1 July 1999.

In the room is a book with a collection of condolence messages from Heads of State in Africa and overseas.

There is also a chart highlighting the legacy of lessons that people learn from Dr Nkomo's profile.

In separate interviews during the tour, the school heads expressed excitement for being exposed to the museum. "This is a noble project and centre for learning that would go a long way towards assisting our pupils to learn the history of this country. It will not only benefit Bulawayo alone but the whole nation. We have all come here to confirm what we have always read about and heard about the late Dr Nkomo and there is no more room for speculation," said Mr Zibusiso Lunga, the head of Maranatha High School.