Declare this day a national holiday

Born on 1 July 1917 Joshua Nkomo was a legendary father, with a big heart, tried and tested and wise head, died on 1 July 1999 after a long battle with prostrate cancer he was a true nationalist a true national hero who fought tirelessly for the liberation of this beautiful country.

The Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe join hands in commemorating the death of a true leader popularly known as Father Zimbabwe. A selfless leader par excellence. On this day the year of our Lord 1999 Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo passed on.

He fought for equality. What Joshua Nkomo said in Bulawayo on Saturday 12 April 1986...

"We are enveloped in the politics of hate. The amount of hate that is being preached today in this country is frightful ".

What Father Zimbabwe Chibwechitedza fought for was peace, progress, love, respect, justice, equality, not the opposite.

And one of the worst evils we see today is corruption. The country bleeds today because of corruption. Our government has dismally failed to curb this scourge. Big sharks are millionarising themselves with tax payers money .Father Zimbabwe fought against fascism, oppression, tribalism and corruption .

He was a dedicate cadre. Our country cannot progress on fear and false accusations which are founded simply on the love of power.

The Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe pleads with the current government to respect human rights and remove fear from its people.

The disappearance of Itai Dzamara is a cause of concern. There is something radically wrong with our country today and we are moving fast towards self destruction .There is confusion and corruption and let us be clear about it, we are seeing racism in reverse under false mirror of correcting imbalances from the past.

Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe wants to see the national healing of the whole nation which has been divided on tribalism and racism. In the process we will be creating a conducive environment for economic development of this country. We have created fear in the minds of some in our country. We have made them feel unwanted, unsafe. Young men and women are on the streets of our cities. There is terrible unemployment. Most of our university graduates have been reduced to vendors and some employed as security guards. Life has become harsher than ever before.

Father Zimbabwe fought against imperialism In this modern world no country will live by slogans, pasi (down with) this and pasi that. When you are ruling you should never say pasi to anyone. If there is something wrong with someone you must try to uplift him, not oppress him.

We as Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe will not condemn other people and then do things even worse than they did. Nyongolo fought for such things Some of us are tempted to give away our principles in order to conform .The fear that pervades the rulers has come down to the people. We cannot go on this way. People must be freed . Progressive Democrats of Zimbabwe joins other fellow country man to call for 1 July to be declared a public holiday in honour of Father Zimbabwe.

Bayethe kaNyongolo, Bayethe

Chibwechitedza, Bayethe

uMdala Wethu, Bayethe Father

Zimbabwe, Bayethe

baba'uJoshua Mqabukho

Nyongolo Nkomo.