Mnangagwa says- ‘we shall continue to cherish Joshua Nkomo’s values’ 

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has paid tribute to the late Vice-President Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, saying “we shall continue to cherish the values that he stood for, among them unity, freedom, peace and patriotism”.

Nkomo died on 1 July, 1999.

In a statement, Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet Misheck Sibanda paid tribute to Nkomo, celebrating his life and achievements during the liberation struggle.

“His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Commander in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Cde. Emmerson Dambudzo Mngangagwa, joins the Nkomo Family and the entire nation of Zimbabwe in commemorating the 23rd anniversary of the passing on of the national hero and former Vice President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr. Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo, on 15 July, 1999,” Sibanda said.

“Chibwe Chitedza’, as Dr. Nkomo came to be popularly known by his comrades-in-arms and the general populace, the late Father Zimbabwe epitomized a rare breed of dedicated sons of the soil who sacrificed the comfort of private life for the liberation of their motherland from the yoke. of colonial bondage.

“His exploits dating back to the days of the African National Congress, through to the days of the National Democratic Party (NDP), the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU), and, ultimately, the united ZANU-PF, are well documented, and shall forever be imprinted in. the history of our Nation, the SADC Sub-region, and of the African continent.

“Dr. Nkomo’s unrelenting fight for human dignity and social justice won him international acclaim and an indelible place in African history. His fervency for the return of our principal heritage, Land, is well documented, and gave impetus to the historic Land Reform Programme which followed barely a year after his demise.”

Sibanda added: “As the Forty-Second Anniversary of Heroes Day on 8th August 2022 approaches, we shall continue to cherish the values that Dr. Nkomo stood for, among them unity, freedom, peace, patriotism, non-racialism, Unhu/Ubuntu, honesty, and selfless dedication to national duty. The Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo Commendation Award for Community Development, Peace Building and for Fostering Unity, which was established in 2021, is Government’s initiative to immortalise the late Vice President’s unparalleled contribution to Zimbabwe’s nationhood, and to ensure that his legacy lives on.

“Indeed, as the nation moves towards the attainment of Vision 2030, the foundational work of this great luminary continues to inspire and to enlighten our path. We shall always remember and cherish Dr. Nkomo’s. achievements and Vision.”