ZAPU has called on the government to respect the wishes of its late cadre, Abraham Dumezweni Nkiwane, who left behind ‘clear’ instructions on where he wants to be buried.
Nkiwane (93) was the first person to smuggle weapons from Zambia into the country in 1962.
He died Tuesday morning and was declared a national hero.
“We are grateful to him and applaud his wisdom as he left behind clear instructions on where he wants to eternally rest,” said ZAPU National Spokesperson, Iphithule Maphosa who noted that the government must respect his wishes and not bury him at National Heroes Acre.
Nkiwane’s wish was to be buried at his Joyful farm in Umguza or in Solusi.
“We therefore sincerely hope (President Emmerson) Mnangagwa and his government will not disrespect Cde Nkiwane by dragging his corpse to that defiled hill, against his wishes and bury him side by side and on the same day with Gukurahundi commander Edzayi Chimonyo,” added Maphosa.
Chimonyo was appointed the Zimbabwe National Army commander after the 2017 coup and died Thursday from cancer.
“This because Nkiwane is a victim of Gukurahundi and died without receiving justice and closure for it simply because Mnangagwa and his Fifth Brigade accomplices, including Chimonyo, evaded justice by avoiding all calls for resolution. We continue to demand closure and justice, even in death. If not in our lifetime, coming generations will have it,” Maphosa said.
He also expressed dismay at the government’s politicisation of Nkiwane death, arguing that veterans such as himself were already national heroes looking at their liberation war credentials.
“Bra Nkie is a self-made people’s hero. We note with utter dismay the levels of desperation for relevance as exhibited by Mnangagwa and his government, who have sought to turn our sad loss of Elder Nkiwane into political capital,” said the Zapu national spokesperson.
Maphosa claimed the Zanu-PF led government was ‘once again’ abusing the state and seeking convenience for themselves by declaring departed Zapu stalwarts as heroes.
“To begin with, Mnangagwa or Zanu-PF cannot bestow hero status on Bra Nkie, whose brilliance was nurtured by ZAPU, the same party they sought to annihilate soon after 1980,” he said
“Elder Nkiwane is our hero, the People’s Hero, whose liberation credentials speak for themselves. He did not need any declaration by his Zanu-PF tormentors in life now that he has departed.”
Maphosa said ‘naturally’ Nkiwane was in his rightful place as the greatest fighter of Zimbabwe’s freedom and independence struggle heroes.
“That is the place he occupies in our hearts,” Maphosa said.
Maphosa said to see Zanu-PF deciding the status of their veterans was disrespectful.
“They are too junior and inferior. Nkiwane is a hero by his deeds and contribution to this country’s quest for freedom, independence and sustainable development. With or without the declaration by his tormentors, he is and will remain the greatest hero to our people,” he said.
