Chamisa's Joshua Nkomo rod comment torches a storm

Apparently, MDC-T President Nelson Chamisa lied to the world that he had met with the family of the late nationalist Dr Joshua Nkomo and was promised to be given the popular rod which Nkomo carried in his hand throughout his life.

Son to the late liberation icon Sibangilizwe Nkomo told a local news website that the Nkomo family is absolutely angry at Chamisa's utterances describing them as very disrespectful of the family and its traditions.

Nkomo said that no one from the family ever met with Chamisa and discussed with him anything to do with the late Father Zimbabwe nor his sacred rod.

"We are absolutely angry at Chamisa's lies and disrespect of the Nkomo family," said Sibangilizwe who is Dr Nkomo's eldest son.

"No one has ever discussed my father's rod," said Nkomo angrily. "In fact, very few of us know where that rod is and talking about it the way Chamisa did is a serious taboo to the Nkomo family," he said.

"That rod is not anything to play around with. It liberated this country, it saved people's lives and Chamisa is just too young to even talk about it let alone claim it," said Nkomo.

"We can not as a family stoop so low as to take the head of the entire Nyongolo family and give it to a stranger. What is so special that Chamisa has done to deserve to be given Dr Nkomo's rod or any rod by the Nkomo family."

"Chamisa is just too young for this issue. His father and even his grandfather and his ancestors respect that rod, who is he to claim it?" Nkomo said angrily.

Nkomo said that Chamisa did not even visit the Joshua Nkomo home in Pelandaba which is a stone throw away from White City Stadium where he held his rally.

"Chamisa visited the Joshua Nkomo museum in Matshamhlophe which is a public place under the responsibility of the Parks and Museum Department not the Nkomo home in Pelandaba where I and the Nkomo family reside," said Nkomo.