‘My mandate derives from the people’
We publish here the full address by President Robert Gabriel Mugabe on the occasion of the burial of Mai Maria Msika, widow to fearless founding nationalist Cde Joseph Msika at the National Heroes Acre, September 28 2017.
Our First Lady Amai Dr Grace Mugabe,
The Honourable Vice President Comrade Phelekezela Mphoko and Amai,
The president of the Senate Mai Edna Madzongwe,
The Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda,
The Chief Justice Honourable Luke Malaba,
Honourable Minister of Harare Metropolitan Province Mai Miriam Chikukwa, Honourable Ministers here present, Service Chiefs, The War Veterans, Detainees, Restrictees and Collaborators, Members of Parliament, Our Traditional Leaders here present, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Ladies and Gentlemen, Comrades and friends, Baba VaBishop Gandiwa vari kutitungamira pamunamato wekuperekedza Gogo Msika tinokutendai baba nekuuya kwamaita.
Tichitendawo zvikurukuru minamato yamatipa, neshoko rakanyorwa naPaul, St Paul munaSecond Corinthians.
Tsamba dzake dzaaichinyora kudzidzisa kuti vanhu varege kutya rufu, vave neruzivo rwokuti Mwari paakatisika, haana kutipa nyama yemuviri kuti tirarame narinhi wose.
Wakatipa nyama inonzwa kurwadziwa, inounyana, inopera simba, dakara tasvika pamugumo.
Asi mugumo iwoyo, tanzwa VaBishop vachiti takuzopihwa, zvino hupenyu nemuviri usina kufanana neuyu, asi unotaima narini wose, zviri izvo zvabva muchinyorwa. Ndoshoko ratinopihwa navadzidzisi. Isuwo pahupenyu tinenge tiine ruzivo rwekuti hupenyu hwedu, munhu nemunhu, baba nababa, sekuru nasekuru, mbuya nambuya, mai namai; varume, madzimai hwakangofanana.
Unounyana, unorwadziwa, rufu rwunovapo.
Tinenge tichiziva kuti ndomagariro atakaita asi mupfungwa dzedu, hupenyu hwedu ihwohwo, tinenge tichiti haupere, nokuti zvandiri pano ndiribaba, ndine vana veropa rangu, vachazovawo nevana veropa ravo. Ndomararamiro atinoita iwayo. Asi munhu nemunhu anenge achienda achisiira vamwe.
Naizvozvo tinochengetedza magariro edu zvakanyaya.
Naizvozvo tinoti apa, ndopatakanzi tive nehupenyu, tiine pfuma ipapo, nevhu rinotiriritira, richinzi iri ndoivhu renyu. Iyi ndonhaka yenyu.
Nzvimbo nenzvimbo, pasi rose ndozvatakaitwa naMwari.
Ndokusaka tichiti, vari pavo pavakapihwa ndepavo. Anozenge obva kunze achida kupoyera munzvimbo dzevamwe wakanganisa.
Kunyangwe ane hukuru hwakadii, kunyangwe aine mauto akawanda sei, nesimba rakaita sei, pangu ndepangu pako ndepako.
Wauya pangu wakanganisa. It’s imperialism, it’s colonialism. Tinokubvisa, nokuti nhaka yedu tinoida. Tinoda ropa reduwo ratiri kupa vana vedu, riri muvana vedu, kuti rizonge richifara, nenzvimbo idzodzo nehupfumi ihwohwo.
Muchiona tichisadharara, nzvimbo nenzvimbo kurwisa vauyi ndozvatakaita. Ndoonyaya yakanyorwa.
Ipo pano apa, vose vari pano, ndiyo nhaka yavakarwira iyoyo.
VanaJoseph Msika vanova vavaruri vemusanganano weANC nevamwe. Vachivarura kudaro vakanga vasiri voga.
Madzimai aivepo aivabikira, madzimai aivepo aivapururudzira, madzimai aivepo aichengeta vana.
Ndiwo madzimai, mamwe takaaviga pano, vana Mai Muzenda, nhasi Mai Msika. Nhoroondo yavo inhoroondo yevarume vavowo.
Zvaiita varume ndozvavaiitawo vachitsigira vari kumba. Saka tino yemura basa guru iroro rakaitwa nemadzimai edu.
Nhasi uno Mai Msika. VaMsika ndainzwanana navo zvakakomba. Ndakavaziva vachiri jaya kuBhuruwayo ini ndiri kuBhuruwayowo, paHope Fountain pandaidzidzisa.
Taiti nguva nenguva zvichinzi, nhasi kubhora kuri kutambwa Highlanders neMashonaland United.
Taiziva kuti Mashonaland United yaive team yaVaMsika, riri jaya rairova bhora, richitamba bhora zvaifadza.
Saka taibva kuHighfied nemateacher mamwewo atainzwanana navo, vamwe vainopururudzira Highlanders, isu tainopururudzira Mashonaland yaVaMsika.
Ndoopavakaitwa introduce kwandiri, ririjaya wakanga usingatombozvizivi kuti richademba nekurwadziwa, aaah musi wacho kana wasvika.
Ndokuzozivana zvekare, tavamunyaya idzi neshamwari dzavana Msika vana J. Z Moyo nevamwe. Ndoomaziviro andakavaita naivo VaNkomo.
Saka ndoda kuvamba nokutenda, kutenda zvikuru mashoko ataudzwa nemwana pano, Maxwell Msika.
Mazuva ekupedzisira aamai vakangova varwere, vakanga vasingagone kumuka, pachirungu vanoti she was now bedridden, asi vazukuru vakanga vachizadza imba zvino.
KwaPresident ndokunobvazve zvokudya nezvimwe zvakadaro zvichienda kudzimba dzemawar veterans kwaanaMsika, kwaanaMuzenda.
Mbuya vaiti aah handisisina zvekudya, Chief Secretary VaSibanda vachiti aah inga nezuro uno uyu, takatumira zvekudya zvikanzi aah vana vangu vanotora, ndoozvavanodyawo.
Vazukuru ivavo vanongoti tapfu, chavawana imomo vaingotora.
Chawawana imomo mumba mambuyaka? Vaingotora.
Asi mbuya vozoti kwatiri aah ndapererwa toziva kuti aaaaaah vaye vasingagone kutandwa, vausingagone kurova neshamhu vanga vauya zvakare kuzoona kuti mambuya munei. Saka aiwa hwakava hupenyu takaedza kuvachengetedzawo.
Saka ndinoda kuti kwamuri vemhuri yekwaVaMsika nekwaVaMapumho is it? VekuBotswana kwakazvarwa mbuya tine hurombo zuva ranhasi, ratiri kuradzika mbuya vedu Gogo Msika vaive nemushando watanzwa uchitaurwa naMaxwell pano nezvatinozivawo isu.
Zvose zvekupfurwa izvi, imba kukandirwa magrenades vachikuvadzwawo zvakati kuti, tanga tichizviziva asi ndiyo struggle ka. Ndozvakaita kuti tizowana nyika.
Varume vakanga vasiri voga nepfuti mumasango, aiwa, kumusha vana nemhuri vaichengeteka.
Madzimai vaiona kuti vana vawana zvekudya kana pasina vaitsvaga, kupemha kuti vana, mhuri dziwane zvokudya. Tinotenda basa guru ravakaita. Isu tose taungana pano ndisu vapenyuka, nhasi. Saint Paul watiyambira apa muCorinthians 2, kuti hupenyu hwacho hausi narinhi wose.
Tose tichateverawo, but tose tinenge tiine nhoroondo dzimwechete idzo here sedza vanaMsika, Gogo Msika, VaMuzenda naGogo Mbuya Muzenda vatakaradzika pano?
Tinosiyana hongu pamashandiro edu asi mashandiro eduka ngaanangane nezvinangwa zvedu zvenyika.
Tive tose takaedza kubatana nevamwe, tive tose takaedza kunzwanana nevamwe, kushandira pamwe nevamwe tirimumusangano wenyika, Zanu-PF.
Takavamba tiri Zapu neZipra, Zanu neZanla asi takati, nokuti chinangwa chedu chaive chimwechete icho, muvengi ari mumwe cheteyo. Takazoti aah tofunga tikabatana tingaite simba guru kupfuura ratakanga tiinaro zvakarewo zvinoita kuti tibatanidze vanhu vedu vave vanhu vane ruzivo rwekuti chatiri kurwira chimwechete, tiri vanhu vamwechete vakaenzana, vane tsika dzingadai dzakasiyana apa nepapapa asi tose tiri vana vevhu, vana veZimbabwe. Ndozvatinoda kuti zvirambe zviriko izvozvo. We are one people, inseparable.
We are all bound together yes, by the statute, that we are all sons and daughters of the soil, Zimbabwean soil. That we belong to this geographical entity we call Zimbabwe.
We are equal as citizens. We are equal, therefore as the children of the country yatiri kurumbidza nhasi mushure mehondo senyika yakasununguka, isisiri Rhodesia, yavaZimbabwe.
Let me once again as we are thrown into grief and sorrow, as we mourn the passing on of one of the gallant daughters of our war of liberation, Gogo Maria Msika, express to the Msika family our deepest condolences.
In Gogo Msika the nation has lost one of a rare breed of dedicated cadres that sacrificed and suffered so that Zimbabwe could be liberated.
Yes, it is a very painful experience to lose our loved ones, but we have to learn to accept it as our way of life and that is what is referred to in Corinthians 2 verses 6 and 4.
To the Msika family, therefore, let me say your loss is our loss together.
Whilst the nation is in mourning, we should take solace and cover from the fact that God allowed her time to attain accomplishments for the nation, her family and herself.
I wish to take this opportunity, on behalf of the party, Zanu-PF, and on the part of the Government, and on the part of my family and on my own behalf once again to extend my sincere and heartfelt condolences to the bereaved members of this family especially her children who have lost a caring and loving mother who was their pillar of strength.
May they take comfort from the knowledge that the nation is mourning with them during this hour of their grief.
Comrades and friends, the family spokesperson has just given us a moving narrative of the great deeds of Gogo Maria Msika.
It is a positive tale of her personal attributes to which I draw your attention.
Her greatest accolade, we learn from her life, is the spirit of selfless sacrifice and the love of family and the love of her husband, the love of her children.
Gogo Msika who hailed from Botswana married, as we are told, the late firebrand and fearless nationalist, our former Vice President and National Hero, Cde Joseph Msika and the marriage is said to have taken place on the 26th of December in the year 1946.
From there on, she never knew peace as the colonial regime pursued the family and tormented them together with her husband, so that they would abandon nationalist politics, abandon the struggle and the liberation fight they were putting on.
In 1977 for her role in the struggle, the Smith regime made an attempt on her life by targeting her with two grenade attacks.
Since God still had a role for her to play in our long walk to freedom, and in the Msika family, she survived the attack albeit with some injuries.
Despite the continuous harsh and brutal attacks by the Rhodesian regime, Gogo Msika remained the pillar of strength to the late Cde Joseph Msika, as she looked after the family on her own most of the time since her husband was imprisoned for long stretches of years.
As if her fight for liberating the country was not enough, her desire to help others saw her train as a nurse, and in the process she acquired skills that enabled her to care for those in need of health support in the country. It is that spirit of selflessness that we would want to continue to see in our nation and in many others, other women.
Gogo Msika bequeathed to our nation attributes of discipline and humility. She was a very humble, exceedingly humble mother.
While she was a bastion of courage with many great accomplishments for the nation, she was a down to earth, humble and kind hearted personality, who never took advantage of her status in society to get special treatment, No.
What we gave others is also what we also gave her and she accepted it.
All she knew was love, unity and hard work.
She was always striving for the good of the party, her family and her country.
The nation has indeed lost a dauntless mother figure, whose contributions to the betterment of our people cannot be easily quantified.
So as a nation we need to learn from those like Gogo Msika who sacrificed their lot for the betterment of others.
We should embrace values that enhance our self-identify and entrench our independence.
The value of love, Corinthians 1 talks about charity and St Paul says if you don’t have it, that love that charity in your heart, unongove zisimbi rinongoti gogogo richirira richingwauka risina zvari naro, risina zvariri, risina any voice, any love, just an empty, empty piece of iron.
Whilst our economy is on a rebound, as it is propelled by a bumper harvest, thanks to the Command Agriculture and Presidential Inputs scheme and the good rains of course that we got, and all that, put together it was a gift, wonderful gift from the Lord Almighty.
Tinotenda Mwari zvikuru, kuti rakava gore ratakafadzwa zvatanga tisingatarisire saka tinotenda.
Mopota muchitiitirawo munamato, vana Bishop Gandiya wekutenda kutendesesa gore rino, nekukumbira zvakare. Ko tiri vana vake zve. Mwana kana ati baba ndipei ma sweets, anotambanudza chanza chake, ruoko rwake vomuiisira maviri kana matatu, hoyo wonotamba nevamwe, aah waakudzoka baba apera, ndapedza. Monotsvaga mamwe, ndozvatinoitawo kuna Mwari tinoda kupiwa mamwe masweets zvakare.
There are those who are eager to manipulate the currency, kune vamwe vanoda kukanganisa zvipo zvaMwari, vachida kutamba nemari dzedu manipulating the currency so that they can trigger inflation, cause panic buying.
Ndoony’an’ya dziri pakati pedu idzodzo. Vamwe ndeavo avo, sevakataurwa naJesus’ Last Supper kuti vandinodya navo, ndovachazondichera, vanaJudas Iscariot, varipo pakati pedu.
Saka ivavo, ko ngativadzumbunurei zve, tivanyadzise.
Vamwe vanoda maitiro ekuti kuchichinjwa hurumende kuchiuya vatsva. Eeh kuti President achibva pachigaro.
Ko, ini chigaro handina kuita chekubvuta, ndakapihwa nevanhu, chigaro chevanhu, saka handidi nacho!
Kana rasvika zuva racho ndinoti makazviita mose vemhuri yedu yeZimbabwe, chigaro chenyu ichi, moshara imi mosarudza wamungada kuti achigare, but kwanhasi ndakati zete pachiri.
Aiwa zvakanaka, tochenjerera husiku tirere taakuita ngonono, ndopanouya varoyi ndakaudzwa kudaro, saka toregera kuita ngonono dzerudzi irworwo.
Tova nemaziso akati dwanana masikati nehusiku kuchengetedza chigaro ichocho.
Aiwa ndinoda kuvimbisa, Gogo Msikawo avimbisewo kana vachizosangana nemurume Joseph Msika kuti haiwa chigaro tichinacho, hachisi chekubvuta, ndechekupiwa nevanhu. Mbavha nevaya vanoita misikanzwa yehasha, vanovamba zvavanoda kuvamba kuti vanhu vamukire hurumende aiwa hapana kwavanoenda nekuti tine maziso hatisati tava mapofu, saka maziso edu anoramba akati dwanana kutarisa, kuti chii chiri kutambwa, itsoro dzerudzi hwai. Aiwa ngatiradzikei Mbuya vedu. To our beloved Gogo Msika go well, mofamba zvakanaka, daughter of the soil. Makarwa, mukava nemushando wenyu wakaonekwa nemunhu vese, nesu tese ndosaka nhasi tiri pano tichikuonekai. Mofamba zvakanaka. May your soul rest in eternal peace. I thank you.