President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday paid tribute to late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo as a selfless champion of peace and unity, but his tribute drew immediate criticism from opposition figures, who said the liberation icon would never have supported attempts to amend the Constitution to prolong a president's stay in office.
Nkomo, affectionately known as Father Zimbabwe, is widely regarded as one of Zimbabwe's foremost liberation heroes. He died on July 1, 1999.
In a statement marking the anniversary of Nkomo's death, Mnangagwa said the former Vice-President remained an enduring symbol of selfless leadership.
"Initially a trade unionist, the late Dr. Nkomo joined active politics with the sole aim to liberate his Motherland from the shackles of colonial bondage. The revered nationalist and Pan African freedom fighter demonstrated selflessness, and always preached love, unity, peace, hard work and honesty in the service of his People and Nation," Mnangagwa said.
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Mnangagwa also commended Nkomo for his role in the 1987 Unity Accord, which ended years of conflict between ZANU and ZAPU following the Gukurahundi atrocities in Matabeleland and parts of the Midlands.
An estimated 20,000 people, the majority of them Ndebele-speaking civilians, were killed by the North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade between January 1983 and December 1987.
Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa said Nkomo's legacy stood in stark contrast to current efforts to alter Zimbabwe's constitution.
"Dr. Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo never sought to extend his mandate by hook or by crook. He remains a true example of selfless, principled leadership.
"Despite enduring years of demonization, vilification, and mistreatment at the hands of some of his fellow comrades, he did not pursue revenge. Instead, he chose reconciliation and nation-building. Rest well, Qhawe leMaQhawe. Your legacy continues to inspire generations," Chamisa wrote on X.
Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart echoed similar sentiments, arguing that Nkomo would have defended Zimbabwe's Constitution.
"As we pause today to remember the life of Joshua Nkomo it is useful to reflect at this juncture of our Nation's history what he stood for. One thing is certain in my mind - he would never have supported the desecration of our Constitution," Coltart wrote on X.
