By Jeffrey Muvundusi
The Joshua Nkomo Foundation (JNF) has reacted angrily to recent media reports that the late revered Zimbabwe Vice President Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo was a staunch Dynamos supporter.
Nkomo’s former head of security Nehemiah Nyathi was quoted in the State media saying DeMbare occupied a special spot in Father Zimbabwe’s heart.
Nyathi reportedly served as part of Nkomo’s security team from May 1980 until July 1, 1999 when the VP passed on.
However, JNF chief executive officer Jabulani Hadebe, who is in charge of the Nkomo Memorial Museum, said the article was very misleading.
“I would like to advise the public that the article published … is very incorrect and malicious for public consumption,” Hadebe said in a scathing statement.
“…Nkomo was a staunch supporter of Highlanders, a life member and its patron. Being part of the Bosso family was not only by choice, but his birth right, cultural identity and heritage.
“The foundation is still trying to come to terms with…Nyathi’s poisonous insinuation, its intended purpose and audience. It is against the true spirit of comradeship to thrive on such falsehoods.”
Hadebe said Nyathi’s move was uncultured adding that he should not seek to gain political relevance by propagating such lies.
Hadebe went on to say it was the reason why, the Nkomo family decided to come up with a museum that could provide correct history on the life of the late revered nationalists also known as Father Zimbabwe.
“It is in this background that the JNF established a museum to provide correct and undistorted historical facts on the entirety of the liberation struggle and information on the life and times of…Nkomo.
“It is because of distortions that I would like to invite…Nyathi and the general public to visit the Joshua Nkomo Museum at No. 17 Aberdeen Rd, Matsheumhlope.”
Contacted for comment Nkomo’s daughter Thandiwe also supported what Hadebe said.
“It’s true my father was a well-known Highlanders supporter,” she said without going into detail.
However, Nkomo’s son Sibangilizwe, refused to be drawn into the debate saying that was not an important issue.
“That’s not really important whether he supported any of the team. It was an individual choice which he made but I can’t say anything on that,” he told the Daily News.
