DR JOSHUA NKOMO SPEAKS FROM THE GRAVE (PART ONE!)

LINK TO ARTICLE WHERE WHOLE LETTER IS POSTED!!!

Zimbabwe: Nkomo's letter to Mugabe


Wed, 04 Apr 2007 03:08:00


Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo


This is the first part of a letter that Dr. Joshua Nkomo wrote to Robert Mugabe then Prime minister of Zimbabwe in 1983 after he had been forced into exile on thumped up allegations of plotting a coup.


PLEASE CLICK ON HEADER FOR LINK!

2 Stevenage Road
East Ham E6 2WL
London E6 2WL
United Kingdom



7th June, 1983

The Hon. Robert Gabriel Mugabe
The Prime Minister of Zimbabwe
Milton Buildings, Causeway,
Harare
Zimbabwe





LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER ROBERT MUGABE



Dear Robert,

1. I write to you as a citizen of Zimbabwe and one of the leaders of our country, to you not just as one of the leaders of Zimbabwe, but above all, as Prime Minister of the Government of Zimbabwe as provided for by the Constitution, that you and me, as well as other leaders signed in December 1979.

2. I write because I feel that our country is in danger of complete disintegration, to the detriment of all its citizens now living and of generations to come.

3. Not least, I write to you because I am convinced that you believe I am the main contributory factor to this dangerous situation.

4. You have stated publicly on several occasions that I have plotted, and continue to plot, to overthrow you and your government, that I have conspired, and continue to conspire, with South Africa to do that, that I have organized and continue to organize dissident groups for the purpose of destabilizing the country and finally to overthrow you.

5. You now say I have run to Britain, ostensibly because I thought my life was or is in danger, but that I have done so for the purpose of recruiting mercenaries and/or assassins to wrest power from you.

6.I also know that you and your party believe that because ZAPU lost in the last election we feel wounded, and therefore plan to wrest power from you by means, fair or foul.

7.You say we did all I have stated above despite the fact that we agreed to take part in your Government when you as Prime Minister, invited us to.

8. This whole series of accusations against me and ZAPU, which are false and without any foundation whatsoever started on the 6th February, 1982 when caches of arms were discovered at Escort Farm, and later at Hampton Farm, both of which were owned by Nitram, a private company, I assisted former ZIPRA combatants to form for occupation and use by those of them who were not incorporated into the (ZNA) Zimbabwe National Army and the (ZRP) Zimbabwe Republic Police.

9. The discovery of arms on the 6th February was followed by a number of categoric and definitive statements, by yourself, to the effect that arms were discovered in Nkomo and ZAPU owned properties and that the cache of arms were part of a plot to overthrow you and your government; and that all those properties were being used for subversive purposes.

You said in Marondera on the 14th February, 1982: “ZAPU had bought more than 25 farms and more than 30 business enterprises throughout the country. We have now established they were not genuine business enterprises, but places of hiding military weapons to start another war at an appropriate time”. You added, “Dr. Nkomo was trying to overthrow my government”. “ZAPU and its leader, Dr. Joshua Nkomo, were like a cobra in a house.

The only way to deal effectively with a snake is to strike and destroy its head”.

10. You will remember that you met me and three of my colleagues at your official residence on the 5th February to discuss a number of issues, and at the end of that meeting I mentioned to you that I had received a telephone message from Bulawayo to the effect that two Nitram Farms, Ascot and Woody Glen Farm had been invaded by the police the previous night and you said, you had also got information and you would inform me later what it was all about.

11. That evening I traveled with two of your Ministers on a plane to Bulawayo, Emmerson Mnangagwa and Sydney Sekeramai. Little did I know that you had sent these two men to Bulawayo to display to the press arms allegedly unearthed in one of those farms, namely Ascot Farm.

12. I would have expected that as Minister under you, you would, after finding arms in Nitram owned properties, to have summoned me to your office to find out from me as to whether I knew anything about the arms.

13. I would have expected further, that you would have instructed me to have joined Mnangagwa and Sekeramai in an attempt to uncover information about those arms.



Next part tomorrow.








5 Stars - Excellent4 Stars - Good3 Stars - Average2 Stars - Fair1 Stars - Poor
5 / 5 (4 Votes)




26 Comments | Add Your Comment | Forums

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. ZimDaily is not responsible for what they say. Please keep your comments short and to the point. Obscene, tribalistic, racist, vulgar comments will be deleted. Simple HTML is allowed for basic text editing.


LET DOWN
I STILL THINK THAT DR. NKOMO DID LET THE PEOPLE OF ZIMBABWE DOWN.BY ALLOWING ZAPU TO BE DROWNED BY ZANUPF OR RATHER,SWALLOWED BY ZANUPF,ZIMBABWEANS WERE EFFECTIVELY DENIED A CREDIBLE OPPOSITION.JOSEPH MUSIKA,JOHN NKOMO AND THEIR ZAPU COLLEAGUES ARE THE WORST TRAITORS ZIMBABWEAN POLITICS WILL EVER PRODUCE!
Posted By MUVHETI , STOKE ON TRENT UK : Apr 8 2007 06:16 PM
Muvheti-I beg to differ
I think the old man did the best under the circumstances-worse could have happened if he had stuck out at that time. I still think what he did was wise because at that time there was no comfort in numbers.
Posted By Miss Him , Harare : Apr 8 2007 08:02 PM
Mayaz Muvheti
Muvheti, think of Zapu in the 80's as the MDC in the late 90's. I mean they can only do so much given the fact that Zanu will stop at nothing to discredit oppostion. Nkomo had to literally flee for his life and back then Zanu was more murderous. In the end the only option he had was to shut up forver (no good) or join Zanu but with a Zapu mentality, which he did quite well coz till his death Nkomo was the most outspoken critic of Zanu within Zanu. I urge people to make comments backed by actual fact, not some superficial mumbo jumbo. Your opinion (that Nkomo is a traitor) is the same thing a 9 year old would say if told that Nkomo joined Zanu and left Zapu. It takes discretion to figure out the real deal, which is that Zapu at the time wouldnt succeed even given 10 years. So Nkomo did the next best thing.
Posted By Nkomo fi evea , Bues : Apr 8 2007 08:12 PM
What next
Nkomo in the end sold out if he was true to his word and belief he should have stick to it. The old man died in Office he should have resigned being outspoken in ZANU and not doing anything is just one and the same thing. what did he say against the party?. God rest his soul but he let the people down him and all the other leaders in ZANU who failed to reign in Mugabe while he goes on a war path against his own people. Right from the start at 1980 his tail should have been trimmed. While in the party Nkomo should have used his influence. He did not.
Posted By Big Maz , Elmpt Germany : Apr 8 2007 10:19 PM
What Next
No guys, Umdhala did the 'next best thing' zvataurwa neumwe apo. In the 80s the conflict was called 'tribalism' and if he had not stopped and 'united' with Zanu, vanhu vaipera kupfuudzwa. So he made a painful but wise move. Now his wisdom is paying off even while he is departed because tese tavekuchema naGushungo...there is now power in numbers.
Posted By Miss Him , Harare : Apr 8 2007 10:36 PM
BIG DHARA
I am not sure about the intricacies of Nkomos influence on the political playing field but if theres one thing that we all know is that Nkomo was one one of if not the only one who could have really stood up to Bob on behalf of the nation but i'm sorry maybe its just me but i have never heard of there ever being a time when he stood up to Bob. He always seemed to be lurking in the shadows of the regime - not saying much!
Posted By Samanyika , Chelsea, London : Apr 9 2007 12:58 AM
Nkomo a Gorbatchew within Africa
Dr. Nkomo had no other chace than to HOPE for influencing ZANU to find a democratic path. Read my postings in newzim forum around this letter. Should he call for a new civil war, as ZANU pushed him to do? The shamefull Unity Accord ended up in ZAPU being just swallowed from ZANU. Nothing honourable remained besides some rememberances. Robert Mugabe was to strict in his dictatorship like earlier in his teacher life with pupils. His tribal venom fell on breedy soil. Fear was and is his only method to gain “respect” in Zimbabwe and that seems to be unchangable ZANU philosophy from the very beginning. As long as Nkomo was alife, Zimbabwe was a hope of Africa. Now it’s only a shame. If he made a fault, then to think just African instead of global, what made him weak against Mugabe, who found strong allies in the British conservatives, presenting him Zim on a silver plate. data
Posted By data , former GDR (East Germany) : Apr 9 2007 01:26 AM
Nkomo and ZANU PF
The Unity Accord was signed voluntarily between ZANU PF snd PF ZAPU. It greatest success was the end of dissent activities in Matebeleland which saved more lives that could have been lost had the problems continued. Ideologically there was little difference between ZANU PF and PF ZAPU.
Posted By Spokes Mupurusa , XXXXXXXXZimbabwe : Apr 9 2007 02:03 AM
Mugabe hates opposition with passion
Nkomo did what was right given at the given circustances. He (Nkomo) had the people`s interest at heart. Zimbabwe was just from war and another suffering was the last thing to let the poeople of Zimbabwe go through. Ofcoz, Nkomo should have jumped the ship after the union but he feared for his life. Mugabe ahs killed many people. He has covered it up and we as the nation have not challenged him enough. It was not a surprise when he accused Tsvangirai for a coup. I mean history has shown that anyubody that oppose him wants to kill him although its always not the case. It would be unfair for the Zimbabwean pewople if Mugabe diies without paying or punished for the damage he has done to the people of Zimbabwe. As for his police, i feel pity for them because they will be there when Mugabe is gone. We will deal with them efectively. MDC has their names.
Posted By Humbulani , : Apr 9 2007 07:53 AM
Nkomo
Nkomo did the right thing under the circumstances,imagine when he was still alive no-body gave a damn about him, to be precise he was just a kamdebere aka!. The majority of Zimbabweans noticed his effort long after he was gone, when Mugabe was becoming sour grapes.Going back to history and studying Mugabe's tactics you will discover that-he has divided the country on tribal grounds with people from matabelelands being treated as citizens of another nation, anything that is ndebele is no good, he is a dictator without shame and will stop at nothing, cunning like a lion etc. So with this in mind Nkomo did the best considering that all arms were against him.TO add salt to an injury, Mgabe killed Nkomo's widow Mafuyane (we have the details).
Posted By keen , Australia : Apr 9 2007 08:52 AM
no title
Robert Mugabe is unmatched in his ability to disintergrate resistance. He is a tyrant who has perfected his art. It is tue that the merging of Zapu and Zanu through the unity accord is one of the episodes that led to Zanu PF hegemony. I guess it was too much for old Josh to resist the temptation of being vice president after he had been made number one enemy of the state. I don't know what it was, whether it was lack of character on his part or just a genuine desire for peace. Remember during those days Mugabe was a very popular figure and even Morgan Tsvangirai was a commissar or something similar in Zanu PF. So I guess it was really tough for old man Josh to accept the carrot that was dangled in front of him.
Posted By Hannibal , Bristol, UK : Apr 9 2007 09:05 AM
Mr
Dr Nkomo was guilty of a crime-treason and possession of arms-though no court tried him. He was lucky to get away with it under the Canan Banana brokered unity accord. Otherwise he could have ended just like Savimbi of Angola. Nkomo ploted to oustMugabe Government from the moment he lost the landmark elections in 1980.There is overwhelming evidence if one gets documents from South Africa intelligence Lonrho and Anglo-Ameriacn.
Posted By Hondo Chimurenga , Lusaka, Zambia : Apr 9 2007 11:40 AM
NKOMO THE MAN WITH A VISION
MY UNDERSTANDING OF JOSHUA NKOMO WAS THAT HE WAS A MAN WITH A VISON FOR THE PEOPLE.I SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER MAMA MAFUYANE STATING THAT NKOMO NEVER WANTED TO SEE THE BLOOD OF HIS PEOPLE.INDEED HE WAS A MAN WHO HAD THE PEOPLE AT HEART.THE PEOPLE CAME FIRST BEFORE HIM.THAT IS WHY HE SWALLOWED HIS PRIDE.IT IS FOR A WISE MAN TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO FIGHT TO SHOW THAT YOU ARE A MAN.A WISE MAN DOES NOT FIGHT A WAR KNOWING THAT HE WILL NOT WIN IT.BY JOINING ZANU PF,NKOMO FOUGHT A BATTLE UNTIL HIS DEATH.EATING TOGETHER WITH THE ONE YOU ONCE CALLED AN ENEMY,TAKES COURAGE.AS A ZIMBABWEAN -NDEBELE,I PRAISE NKOMO FOR WHAT HE DID.I AM SURE THAT IF HE HAD NO COURAGE TO DO WHAT HE DID,THE NDEBELE PEOPLE WOULD BE A THING OF THE PAST BY NOW.I AM HAPPY BECAUSE WE HAVE MAINTAINED OUR CULTURE,LANGUAGE AND HAVE EVEN REVIVED THE OLD BULAWAYO.HAD HE NOT DONE WHAT HE DID ,OUR CHILDREN WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO INHERIT TODAY.THANK GOD FOR MAN LIKE HIM.HE IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT IS TO BE A MAN OF CHARACTER,VISION AND WHAT IT IS TO HAVE THE PEOPLE AT HEART.EVEN THOUGH HE DID NOT RULE,HE HELPED PRESERVE OUR IDENTIY.I LEARNT FROM NKOMO THAT PERSONAL AMBITIONS ARE NOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE PEOPLE YOU REPRESENT AS A LEADER.IT IS UNWISE TO FORCE THE BONE INTO A POT WHEN IT IS EVIDENT THAT IT CAN NOT FIT INTO THE POT.
Posted By HLUZ , AUSTRALIA : Apr 9 2007 12:19 PM
He was not guility
Nkomo was never guility of any crime treason as said by Mugabe.To be precise he never possessed any arms in the so called farms. The arms that were said to be discovered belonged to the Zimbabwean army and they were never, l reapet never unearthed from the ZAPU farms. Mugabe as curning as ever just lied to the mass of zimbabwe and he succeded in misleading people like Hondo Chimrenga and for that matter l am a historian who has read the documents from a south africa intelligence Lonrho and anglo-american and those documents if studied closely potray a different image. To be short Nkomo was guility of nothing and for your own information Robert did not win the elections he rigged his way up just like what he is doing with the MDC-same fanana
Posted By Keen , Australia : Apr 9 2007 02:12 PM
tshiyani umdalaa wethu
ubaba wethu was a man of peace who never wanted to see blood despite myself being ndebele we can not compare mugabe and nkomo hazviite mugabe a day time witch muroyi
Posted By ngenkani , uk manchester : Apr 9 2007 02:22 PM
Nkomo
Joshua Nkomo would have made a far better leader for us. He would not have exercised power like a megalomaniac the way Robert Mugabe has done. He was far more level headed than Mugabe. This Mugabe has been the curse of our country. As an aside, leaders from minority groups can make good overall leaders: look at how Marshall Tito, for example, a Croatian, held Yugoslavia together. I didn't know until he died that Yugoslavia was such a powderkeg.
Posted By Charan Muzaya , London, UK : Apr 9 2007 03:02 PM
Umdhala Wethu
With all due respect the old man had his own short-coming. This mentality of Holier than thou is what led to the criss in Zimbabwe. He fought against white oppression yes. But did he continue the fight against Mugabe oppression or was he part of Mugabe oppression he should have step up to the plate and say no to Mugabe's dictatorial tendencies which at 1987 could have been curtailed. All this he could have been a better leader that Mugabe well anyone could be a better leader than Mugabe because leaders don't come as worse as Bob. Needless to say Father Zimbabwe did not go all the way to protect the people of Zimbabwe.God REST HIS SOUL. Against Mugabe we need leaders who are prepared do die for the coz, just as they did against the Smith Regime.
Posted By BIG MAZ , Elmpt Germany : Apr 9 2007 03:25 PM
ulahlekile
with all due respect big MAZ, Nkomo did not have a choice Mugabe had guns and he was killing innocent people upto + or - 40000. then you say Nkomo did not protect abantu beZimbabwe ngaphandle kokuthi nxa imatabeleland ingekho ezimbabwe. But l will love to believe ukuthi if you were in Matabeleland during that period of ethnic cleansing you wouldn't be saying what u have juu said. ngilusizi mfowethu.
Posted By survivor , : Apr 9 2007 04:05 PM
Linyani lelo
lami l will agree with survivor, loluhlanya olungu Mgabe luyabulala aludlali njalo lwalule support yabelungu lamanye amasho**, its only now lapho onukirikiri asebesithi umgabe this, umgabe that otherwise during all these years they were behind him 100% because he speaks the same lagguage as them and they used to hate unkomo. Kuyasidanisa lokubona amagala akhe unkomo esesenziwa kibo khonale ingathi ngowabo. Asazi sibabukele beqedana khona ngale eharare bebulalana thina kontuthu sithe zwi,lokhu asisibo bantu as compared to them.
Posted By Keen , Australia : Apr 9 2007 04:25 PM
Umdala wethu was right
Its a pity that the old man died before delivering us from evil land of Egypt. We cant say he betrayed us because had he struck at that time all our tribe could have been finished. Remeber he opted for unity to save and preserve the remaining people in his bracket.
Posted By Leo , Bulawayo Zimbabwe : Apr 9 2007 04:40 PM
What next
Survivor do no assume that anyone who looks at Nkomo's shortcomings is Shona and was leaving Harare while the Mugabe's killers were rampaging down south far from it. Anyway that is not the case here l have great respect for the man yes he definately had no choice at first when he signed the Unity Accord and l am sure many lives where saved but that decision mine include, however what happen then when he joined the government what influence did he exert on Bob l would say not much. Do l believe that he could have done more while he was VP yes not only for the people of Matebeleland but Zimbabwe as a whole.
Posted By BIG MAZ , Elmpt Germany : Apr 9 2007 04:49 PM
no title
Mdala did the best thing here.Unfortunately whenever we got arrested by Smith Mdala had to be out of the Country that was when he let the whole of Zim down mdala was the only person who had the masses.Mugabe never had the pple on his side.That's why he won't stop killing pple.
Posted By Cde Chipwanyamombe , Maputo Mozambique : Apr 9 2007 06:27 PM
Joshua Nkomo was a star
Mudhala wethu was a star boyz dzangu, ini ndiri pure mushona samanyakika but i hate vanhu vanoda kupinza Tribalism pasi nayo, Nkomo died a respectful leader and had people at heart, e.g. akamira kuti Clive Masiyiwa a piwe licence to operate Econet , mashona achida kutsika konzi udzvanyiriri pachedu, mhata dzevanhu - kurova vanhu vari innocent kumba that's not fair we are nor free but opressed nemhata idzi, ndakatsamwa izvozvi
Posted By Papa Lolo , Lancashire UK : Apr 9 2007 06:36 PM
Nkomo, Zimbabwe's Mandela
I still beleive if Nkomo had ruled Zimbabwe in 1980 we would be much better today. We the Shona voted on tribal lines instead of merit. On all leadership qualities Nkomo was miles ahead of the rest. Just analyse how he handled crtical issues. He signed the unity accord for peace in the country. Look at the Econet issue. there is a lot i could put down but the fact remains Nkomo was a great man. I cant find anyone I can compare him to in this era.
Posted By Parke , Karoi, Zimbabwe : Apr 9 2007 06:58 PM
true
l think Parke you are one of the people whom l can call objective in your analysis. l think we should leave the tribal issues aside. the man was juss great.may his soul rest in peace.
Posted By Ndex , Norway : Apr 9 2007 10:34 PM
Litsho kahle bafowethu
Kuyangithokozisa ukubona ukuthi sibanengi "esithokoziswa" ngokwenzeka la ekhaya.Babengamboni uMdala esaphila.Loluhlanya olungaziwa lokuthi lwazalwa ngubani lwaluyihero yabo.Kubuhlungu okwenzeka la ekhaya kodwa myekele akabatshisatshise babone ukuthi uNkomo wayengahlanyi,loluhlanya ngumbulali.Phela babesithi asisobantu thina.Lamhla bafuna sizwelane labo.Ngolwabo uhlanya.Yibo ababeqolotsha lapho luhuquluza amavoti ngobugcwelegcwele.Baphe iNdebele lamuhla-bayalivuma lanxa bengalazi-solubahlakazile uhlanya lwakwabo!!
Posted By Kim Pee , Gweru Zimbabwe : Apr 10 2007 09:42 AM
26 Comments | Add Your Comment | Forums