Chamisa: Stealing history, stealing Joshua Nkomo
NELSON Chamisa is probably the cleverest political infant around. Look, let’s not take anything away from that little boy and let’s give the devil his dues — Chamisa is our modern-day Tickey. Remember that clever little Tickey wema bioscope from the gone era who could do anything to anyone at any time? That Tickey has been resurrected through Chamisa. Very clever little boy.
Well, little Tickey Chamisa has discovered that Karl Duffek was spot on in his article entitled “The Past Does Not Go Away”, when he wrote that: “The past, however, proved to be quite nasty. It did not go away as easily as some of us might have expected.”
Zimbabwe’s past, in this particular case, the liberation struggle has proved to be quite nasty to the opposition political parties. That past has refused to go away as the opposition political parties have been expecting. Operation Restore Legacy is part of that past that in November last year spoke to the future of this country. But this sermon is not about Operation Restore Legacy. This sermon is about little Tickey Chamisa. The cleverest boy around. So what did Chamisa do after discovering that the past is refusing to go away? He decided to steal history and to steal the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo. Kuita history yekuba kwazvo. UChamisa wantshontsha uMqabuko Nyongolo. Hayi kunzima bakithi!
But we were not surprised because Polish historian Andrzej Friszke points to the dual use of history saying: “By its very nature, history, and especially recent history, is a very particular branch of learning. It exists in an uneasy relationship with the memories of those involved in the events concerned. It can play an important role in either legitimising or challenging a contemporary state, its regime and ruling class.”
Kakangwara wena little Tickey Chamisa. Isu takakura tichiziva kuti mbavha dzinoba husiku kwete zuva rakati jekerere. But that’s Tickey for you. By the way, little Tickey has no shame at all. The following is how he tried to steal history and steal the late Father Zimbabwe.
Addressing an MDC-Alliance rally in Bulawayo, made up largely of people from outside Bulawayo, Chamisa falsely claimed that the Nkomo family had told him that he was the first “national leader” to visit the Joshua Nkomo Museum in Matsheumhlophe suburb since Dr Nkomo’s death in 1999. Addressing an MDC-Alliance (alliance ipiko mwana arikungo mhemhaira ega) rally recently in Bulawayo, Chamisa lied through his teeth saying: “I was so touched when I went to Dr Nkomo’s Matsheumhlophe house. I was going there to see the history of this nation. However, the family told me one thing, they said ever since the death of Dr Nkomo I am the first national leader to visit the house, they even offered to give me Dr Nkomo’s traditional sceptre (intonga)”.
Some of us know what the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo meant, means and shall always mean for this country. Totoziva kuti vaNkomo havasi vemahumbwe. Ikoko kunonyudza, but that’s where Chamisa took all his toys.
The late Vice-President’s son, Mr Sibangilizwe Nkomo, would not have any of Chamisa’s toy games as he explained that no one from the Nkomo family knew about Chamisa’s visit to the museum while dismissing as an abomination claims that they offered little Tickey the late VP’s intonga. The intonga became synonymous with Dr Nkomo as he carried it everywhere he went.
“There is nothing like that. Chamisa went to the Matsheumhlope house, which is now a museum, at the invitation of the chief executive officer of the Joshua Nkomo Foundation, Mr Jabulani Hadebe. None of the family members knew about his visit . . .
“I live in the Pelandaba house and it is a lie that he met any of the family members unless he came here as a ghost. In actual fact, I have never met Chamisa in my life,” said the clearly irritated son.
On claims that the family offered Chamisa Dr Nkomo’s intonga, Mr Nkomo said he was shocked “that a young man like Chamisa can speak such an abomination? It’s not a matter that you can joke about. It’s an abomination that he can talk cheaply about intonga ka baba. That’s no ordinary stick, but it carries so much significance in terms of culture and tradition.
“It’s the property of our ancestors. It represents our family’s ancestry and it is unacceptable for him to joke around with such matters. In our African tradition, we do not offer intonga ka baba to anyone one who is not a member of the family. None of the caretakers at the museum know where that stick is, so we really do not know what he is talking about.”
But then little Tickey was not yet done with his mischief. Instead of just apologising and putting his long tail between the legs, little Tickey said: “. . . the trip to Dr Joshua Nkomo Museum enabled me the opportunity to shake hands with a glorious and revolutionary past.
“I felt tears welling in my eyes when I was told that I was the first national leader to pay homage at the iconic Father Zimbabwe’s memorial monument in Matsheumhlope. For me, the late Dr Joshua Nkomo will always be a source of inspiration, notwithstanding the regime’s perennial attempt to belittle and undermine his national contribution.
“He will always be an undisputed national hero and I immediately ordered the Bulawayo City Council to ensure that the museum is upgraded to a level of a strategic national institution that does not have to pay rates to the local authority. The Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo museum is a strategic national heritage site that honours the life of one of Zimbabwe’s undisputed national heroes. The Nkomo brand is a towering brand that must be accorded veneration by all of us, especially the local authority that we control. Sparing such an institution the obligation to pay rates will be the city’s own humble way of paying tribute to the mammoth and indefatigable national brand that was Joshua Nkomo,” said the unapologetic Chamisa.
Kana hake kutombonyara. Ko ipwereka nhai? He doesn’t even know that he has made the people of Matabeleland angry. He still thinks he can abuse history and abuse the late Vice-President to mobilise voters in Matabeleland. It’s a shame really. Just imagine this is the Chamisa who is crying for a debate on national television with President Mnangagwa? Mupwere ngaatikwanire. He can go debate with Ben 10, Spiderman, Tom and Jerry, Scooby-Doo or Sofia from Disney Junior.
ZANU-PF Secretary for War Veterans, Detainees and Restrictees Cde Victor Matemadanda aptly described Chamisa saying: “We can’t imagine the President taking time of serious bread and butter issues to respond to a goat that is scratching the walls from outside.” Uumm, Mai Rebecca Chisamba putting on that wide smile would say “mashoko makukutu mangoanzwa mega”.
Little Tickey will not stop trying to steal history. The opposition in the country has finally discovered that whether they like it or not, Zimbabwe takes its identity from the liberation struggle. Tsvangirai was fooled into thinking that the liberation struggle was a gone and forgotten era, but zvino aripi? Professor Jonathan Moyo and Savior Kasukuwere fooled themselves thinking the past was past, zvino varipi? Former president Mugabe forgot those who put him into power after Ndabaningi Sithole, zvino varipi Gushungo? That which defines a nation can never be wished away.
Little Tickey has learnt a thing or two. He will continue trying to steal history. Chamisa has always been trying to steal history. Remember his following words?
“When greatness shall be measured, the man in the chair (former president Mugabe) shall be one among a few. I am impressed by his wisdom and deftness in dealing with matters and affairs of the State. I wonder who, among the aspirants, possesses even a quarter of what he possesses. He is a great man. A man of a golden mind — agile and special in many ways. Meetings are different with him. It explains why I have not attacked him for a while. My bone is with Zanu-PF for now.”
As the election temperature goes up, we should not be surprised to see little Tickey at the Blue Roof mansion trying to steal the former president. Desperation can be something else. Just look at the way the G40 cabal is trying to steal and is abusing our history through the former president. Kupererwa chaiko. Now they have formed something they are calling National Patriotic Front, which in reality is Mavambo Part 2. Remember Simba Makoni’s Mavambo that became his magumo? But hey hold on a minute! While Chamisa is trying to wrap himself with the colours of history, does he really know what he is doing to the man he is going to contest against in the forthcoming elections?
By trying to steal history, Chamisa is acknowledging the importance of the heroes from this history. Now, whether Chamisa likes it or not, President Mnangagwa is part of that history. History has its living heroes and President Mnangagwa is part of that history. Will Chamisa also try to steal the President?
Hana yangu yava kurova. Tobirwa President nalittle Tickey Chamisa.
Bishop is out!