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War veteran's 15-year bid for Nkomo School stalled by land dispute
2 hrs ago |
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Former Zipra war veteran Linganiso Mdabuko Nyathi says a 15-year effort to establish a tourism and hospitality school in honour of the late Vice-President Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo is being hampered by the Matobo Rural District Council (RDC).
Nyathi, who is the founder and chairman of the Lalangwe Mbambangwe Memorial Trust, alleges that the local authority has repeatedly blocked attempts to secure land for the proposed Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo School of Tourism and Hospitality in Matobo District.
He said discussions with the council, which began in 2011, have not yielded results despite continued engagement.
Nyathi urged the government to allocate land for the project, saying the initiative is intended to honour the legacy of the late nationalist leader and support youth training in tourism and hospitality.
"We are getting closer to July 1, the day Nkomo was announced dead after being transferred from Avenues Clinic to Parirenyatwa Hospital," he said.
He added that the project also seeks to address trauma among children of former liberation war combatants, including Zipra, Zanla and Rhodesian forces.
"I am very much concerned about children traumatised by the way their parents died during the war and after the 1980 independence," Nyathi said.
The proposed school was initially earmarked for construction in Maphisa, Kezi, but disagreements over land allocation and environmental concerns have delayed progress.
In 2023, the Matobo RDC said consultations had identified alternative sites, noting that the original location lies within a World Heritage area, which has raised objections from some stakeholders.
Efforts to obtain comment from Matobo RDC chief executive officer Elvis Sibanda were unsuccessful.
The dispute comes amid wider efforts by organisations such as Mafela Trust to preserve liberation war history, particularly records linked to Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army, which were reportedly seized in 1982.
Researchers say they are working to document mass graves, restore former training camps in Zambia, and collect oral histories, despite financial and logistical challenges.
Trust representatives say limited funding and lack of office space continue to hinder efforts to preserve Zimbabwe's liberation heritage.
Nyathi, who is the founder and chairman of the Lalangwe Mbambangwe Memorial Trust, alleges that the local authority has repeatedly blocked attempts to secure land for the proposed Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo School of Tourism and Hospitality in Matobo District.
He said discussions with the council, which began in 2011, have not yielded results despite continued engagement.
Nyathi urged the government to allocate land for the project, saying the initiative is intended to honour the legacy of the late nationalist leader and support youth training in tourism and hospitality.
"We are getting closer to July 1, the day Nkomo was announced dead after being transferred from Avenues Clinic to Parirenyatwa Hospital," he said.
He added that the project also seeks to address trauma among children of former liberation war combatants, including Zipra, Zanla and Rhodesian forces.
"I am very much concerned about children traumatised by the way their parents died during the war and after the 1980 independence," Nyathi said.
The proposed school was initially earmarked for construction in Maphisa, Kezi, but disagreements over land allocation and environmental concerns have delayed progress.
In 2023, the Matobo RDC said consultations had identified alternative sites, noting that the original location lies within a World Heritage area, which has raised objections from some stakeholders.
Efforts to obtain comment from Matobo RDC chief executive officer Elvis Sibanda were unsuccessful.
The dispute comes amid wider efforts by organisations such as Mafela Trust to preserve liberation war history, particularly records linked to Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army, which were reportedly seized in 1982.
Researchers say they are working to document mass graves, restore former training camps in Zambia, and collect oral histories, despite financial and logistical challenges.
Trust representatives say limited funding and lack of office space continue to hinder efforts to preserve Zimbabwe's liberation heritage.
Source - Southern Eye
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