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'We Remember' : A poem in honor of the Victims of Murambatsvina
Dumisani O. Nkomo
May 20, 2006

http://www.sokwanele.com/articles/sokwanele/weremeber_30may2005.html

(This poem was read by the author at the Commemorative Service held to honour the victims, by Churches in Bulawayo on Saturday May 20, 2006)

May 2005 we remember
2005 May we remember
May 2005 we reflect
We remember the razing and ravaging of homes
We reminisce on how poverty was criminalized
We reflect on how the poor were brutalized
Displaced, dislocated, dislodged, dismembered
Destroyed, devastated, damaged, defaced
Dehumanized, demonized, deflowered, demoralized
All because of "madisnyongoro"

May 2005 we remember the remnants of Ngozi Mine, the devastation of Killarney
We shall chronicle Village 4 Heany Junction
We shall Herald the story of the Bagdads in Victoria Falls
We shall not forget, we shall not revenge, we shall remember
Because we are the Mirror of society
Yes the Standard, the Independent Guardian of truth
The studio of justice, the Voice of the people

May 2005, we remember
Great darkness enveloped the nation
The great dawn of a magnificent era of independence was turned into a horrific error of the midnight of displacement and mass social dislocation
Our inspiring dream of housing for all became an endless nightmare of homelessness and helplessness
May 2005, the day became night
Zimbabwe became a massive refugee camp
Refugees in the land of our birth
Exiles in our homeland

May 2005 we remember
Zimbabwe land of promise, land of our fathers
You became a land of transit camps
Land of the displaced, land of misplaced leaders
From the dusty streets of Makokoba
To the crammed streets of Mbare
Zimbabwe you became land where
Being poor became a crime
Where making an honest living is now a punishable offence

A great darkness visited a land
And yes only when it is dark
Enough can we see the light
Only in darkness can we see the light
A light shone in the darkness
The light of churches of Bulawayo

The light of churches in Manicaland
The light of churches in Gweru
The light of churches in Victoria Falls
The light of churches in Harare
A great beacon of humanitarian agencies and churches

Lutheran, Catholic, Evangelical, Pentecostal, Anglican,
Yes for once we remember
How a common vision ended division
In order to bring provision
To God's hungry, isolated and excluded

Yes we remember how churches
Remembered to love
Remembered that churches
Are not museums for saints but hospitals for sinners

Yes, for once we remember
How we remembered to clothe the naked
And to feed the hungry
Yes we remembered to be father
To the fatherless, friend to the widow

May 2005, Remember
They came with baton sticks,
With teargas, with clenched fists
And with outstretched boots
They came with armored cars,
With AK's and FNs
But yes we remembered
That we wrestle not against flesh and blood
The children of God armed
Themselves not with swords, spears and guns
We armed ourselves with the weapons of love

We did not take up pistols, revolvers or rifles
We put on the breastplate of righteousness
We did not fight with stones or sticks
We armed ourselves with the shield of faith
We did not arm ourselves with tanks and missiles
We armed ourselves with the sword of the spirit
We did not arm ourselves with baton sticks and teargas
We armed ourselves with the belt of truth
We did not arm ourselves with the belt of truth
We did not arm ourselves with hatred and malice
We armed ourselves with the gospel of truth and the whole Armour of God

May 2005 we remember those no longer with us, those who have graduated to the Father
We remember those from Ngozi Mine and Killarney
What shall we say Baby Paradza, of Ernest Moyo of Macingwane
What shall we say of Smart Moyo, Margaret Tshabalala, Elias Mbedzi,
Luke Mpofu, Thabani Jele ?
Where are they today ?
They lie dead and buried
But the truth can never be buried
But the truth can never be buried
Truth buried in the ground shall rise again
'okulempondo akufihlwa'

We remember the unsung heroes of gospel
Amaqhawe e -Vangeli, o-Jeff Mkhwananzi,
OmfokatChatindo, okaNeta, uMdawini, ithole likaSibanda, OLucky Moyo, ibhabezi lako Motsi, ubaba uMlilo, okaNqindi, UGraham kaShaw, oMagedu, uGegani Ndlovu
Umfoka Manceda, okaShatayo
Izinyane lengwenyama u Pius ka Ncube
Lamanye amaqhawe lamaqhewekazi
They did not curse the darkness
They lit a candle
Do not fear
Those who are afraid are violent
Those who are afraid oppress the people

Yes, remember our God has established his throne,
He has not surrendered his throne
God reigns in power and wisdom
He reigns in justice and mercy
He reigns in grace and compassion
He reigns in righteousness and truth
Our God reigns in sovereignty
He reigns over the universe, over the cosmos, the galaxies
Yes our God reigns over Zimbabwe over Africa
Bayethe Nkosi yethu, Bayethe Nkosi yezizwe
Bayethe Simakade, Bayethe Nkosi yamaxuku
Bayethe Bhubesi, bayethe Ngwenyama!

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