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Statement
on the passing away of Edgar Twoboy Zivanai Tekere
National Constitutional Assembly (NCA)
June
07, 2011
The National
Constitutional Assembly (NCA) received with sadness the news of
the passing away of former freedom fighter Edgar Zivanai Twoboy
Tekere a great revolutionary and patriot of our people. Our deepest
condolences to the family, relatives, comrades and friends and the
entire populace.
Born on the 1st of April 1937 and served on the ZANU high command,
or Dare reChimurenga. He was detained by the Rhodesian government
at Gonakudzingwa.
He served as
ZANU-PF Secretary General, and is credited for having personally
inviting the Jamaican Reggae legend Bob Marley to perform at Rufaro
Stadium, for the official Zimbabwean Independence Celebration. Marley's
music was the inspiration for the guerilla freedom fighters whilst
they were in the bush fighting
A stalwart
of our revolution is no more. A mentor to thousands of young Zimbabweans
is no more. What he has left behind for us is a legacy to cherish
and to honour in action.
A few years
after independence Tekere was expelled from ZANU PF for raising
his voice against corruption by government officials who were heavily
involved in the Willogate car scandal. In the same year Tekere together
with students at the University of Zimbabwe, fought hard to block
President Mugabe's move of declaring a one party state
He later formed
the Zimbabwe Unity Movement (ZUM) with late Patrick Kombayi, a party
which became the first ever opposition party to challenge Mugabe's
ZANU PF in elections and won 20% of the votes. .
Besides his
short comings if there is one lesson to be drawn from Tekere's life
it is that tyranny and dictatorship can and must be opposed at any
cost.
Tekere is reputed
to have told Mugabe (in response to Mugabe's one party state motion)that
"A one-party state was never one of the founding principles
of ZANU-PF and experience in Africa has shown that it brought the
evils of nepotism, corruption and inefficiency." Tekere teaches
us even from his grave that democracy is about entrenching mutual
respect, of not allowing corruption, abuse of power, racism, tribalism,
institutionalised violence and unaccountability to go unchallenged.
It is about
creating an environment where all people, not just a minority, enjoy
the same freedoms and protection from abuse. Tekere will also be
remembered for coining the "donga watonga" phrase in criticizing
the ZANU-PF farm squats policy. These were the values that motivated
Tekere, and we dipour flag in honour of a comrade who attempted
to live the values he espoused.
As the NCA,
we do hereby declare Twoboy a national hero not that we want him
to buried at the National Heroes Acre as the place has lost value
as some who never fought in the war are buried there, but for the
great sacrifice he made for the attainment of independence.
A true nationalist,
revolutionary, fearless freedom fighter of our time, go well son
of the soil we will forever cherish the unwavering, selfless contribution
to our struggle.
May our country
continue to steer away from the "donga watonga" type of
government we have become used to under ZANU-PF.
Visit the NCA
fact
sheet
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