via Mugabe’s generation almost gone – The Zimbabwe Independent June 6, 2014 by Faith Zaba
THE generation with which President Robert Mugabe lived and worked during the liberation struggle leading to Independence is almost gone with the death of Zanu PF politburo member Nathan Shamuyarira on Wednesday.
Shamuyarira died from problems related to a chest infection at Harare’s West End hospital where he was on life-support in the intensive care unit. He was 85.
Shamuyarira is likely to be declared a national hero after his home province, Mashonaland West, met yesterday and recommended to the party leadership that he be buried at the National Heroes Acre.
Besides Mugabe (90) the only surviving members of the Chimoio special congress which elevated Mugabe to the presidency of the party in 1977 are Vice-President Joice Mujuru, Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo, Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi and Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Out of the inaugural 20-member cabinet at Independence in 1980 (with 13 deputies) which included Shamuyarira, only four are still alive in Dzingai Mutumbuka, Mnangagwa, Mujuru and Sekeramayi.
Mugabe has publicly lamented the loss of his colleagues stating that he now feels lonely as he is now surrounded by “small people” he cannot relate to on an equal footing because of age differences.
Mugabe said the only person who came close to him on maturity and age was the Zanu PF secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa, who was the first speaker of the House of Assembly at Independence.
Mutasa, born in 1935, is 11 years Mugabe’s junior.
“. . . They are gone (his age-mates) and those who remain, you look down upon them because they are young. And so you can’t discuss with them things that happened in the 1930s or even 1950s.
They will not know. There is that limitation,” Mugabe said in an interview with ZBC to mark his 89th birthday.
“You take my cabinet as it is, there is no one I can talk to about how we used to approach girls or we would go to this and that place, riding bicycles. There is no one. There are others like Mutasa. He comes close, but others are just children.”
A journalist by profession after working as a cub reporter with African Newspapers Ltd in 1953, Shamuyarira rose steadily at the company, becoming the first editor of the African Daily News in 1956. From July 1959 until September 1962, he was Editor-in-Chief of African Newspapers, a post from which he resigned over various policy issues.
During the liberation struggle, Shamuyarira fought at different times under and helped lead Frolizi, Zanu and Zapu.
At Independence, Shamuyarira was appointed minister of information and tourism and the other portfolio he held in government was minister of foreign affairs.
He retired from active politics in 2010 due to deteriorating health. He is the only minister to voluntarily retire from office, in 2000, saying he wanted to concentrate on his work in Zanu PF as secretary of information.
In October 2006, Shamuyarira, making reference to the Gukurahundi massacres of the 1980s, sparked outrage when he declared that Mugabe and the late cabinet minister Edison Zvobgo were wrong to apologise for the North Korea-trained 5 Brigade massacres in Matabeleland and parts of Midlands.
Asked if he ever regretted the atrocities, Shamuyarira, who served as information minister during the 5 Brigade operation, is reported to have told a conference on national reconciliation in Vumba: “No, I don’t regret (it). They (5 Brigade) were doing a job to protect the people.”
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe National Editors Forum (Zinef) has expressed “profound sadness and heartfelt condolences to the Shamuyarira family and nation over the passing on of a prominent nationalist and former government minister Dr Nathan Shamuyarira, who was also a politburo member.”
Zinef said: “Shamuyarira’s contribution to Zimbabwe’s liberation and development are a matter of public record. However, he made a special contribution and an indelible mark in our area of interest which is the media and journalism.”
COMMENTS
So, the grim reaper is our salvation as they can’t rig mortality
Comments are very sick. You don’t have to have lived during the time of events to discuss the historical events. Age has nothing to do with intelligent discussion of the past. mugabe cannot discuss because he is simply out of touch.
Good riddance for ever
It’s a pity if they were not aware that one cant rig death (eccl 9:5). God is doing His work.
Indeed, they may rig elections by manipulatin numbers, age by using expensive anti-ageing creams from Singapore, but surely they can’t rig death!
When death knocks, you oblige baba!
I like your name, what it says BAMBANANI SIZWESAKITHI@
I totally u understand the emotional need to gloat over the death of all these ZANU PF looters. But I am afraid that if we are pegging our hope of realising true liberty, economic success and all the necessary rights that come with true freedom at the deaths of these idiots without doing more, then we are setting ourselves for huge disappointment. There is a lot of ZANU PF lites to take the reign if all of the old guard was to drop dead today, the Saviour Kasukuwires, the Johannes Tomanas, and many other corrupt young ZANU PF Turks. So what we must be doing right now is to say we are not sitting back while these people drop dead like flies only to see the perpetuation of the same. We should be prepared to stop any passing of the torch to anyone who does not represent us. So, we should be very active and critical to what is happening politically and not allow ourselves to be fed lies of partisan BS anymore. If we allow corruption, abuse of power and oppression to continue after Mugabe, we sure will not have anyone else to blame but ourselves.
CANT WAIT WHEN THEY ARE ALL GONE. Good riddance to scum.
POOR YOUTHFUL GRACE, HE IS NEXT NEXT YEAR! MARK MY WORDS!
For his comments and approval of the murderous Gukurahundi, I hate him even in his grave!!
If death was mine, I would send it again to kill him many times and those close to his heart, so he can feel what we felt and still feel as a result of those red barretted dogs who descended Matabeleland and Midlands in 1983.
If the youth during Mugabe’s days could afford bycircles then they were lucky because today’s youth can not afford the same bycircles-Is Mugabe aware
Generational gap/alienation is what Mugabe is suffering from. The imagination of “perhaps next is me” is as ravaging as an infection its self. Only if he could take a break from public and political office.
When I read these comments I am even more aware of the Damage Zanu has done to people. It is not in my nature to celebrate these deaths as it is not in my nature to condemn those that do celebrate. I would how ever say to those that come on this forum respect each others views and argue like you cannot argue any more to put your point forward that is if you are convinced you are right. We saw when this site was about to close down the unity of purpose by so many to keep it open.Those that the site permits(which I might add is good) to comment who we all know are AGENTS were silent, with only two gloating about the closure who were ignored. Until Monday we wait to see if there will be a new format but I love this one. Getting back to the subject I hope the coin has dropped to the fact that you have to leave all your riches behind when you die. THEY MIGHT EVEN BE A CURSE FOR YOU CHILDREN when the law start to investigate ill gotten gains.
Eulogy always singing their praises amazing how it is never mentioned how they have stolen from the coffers and ripped the country off
tandikwe zyakwamba pe pe
Aside from the achievement of dislodging the oppressive regime of Ian Smith and Co,I would have wanted very much for Mugabe to be remembered for much more. I would very much have wanted to see a built up of gains both economic and social especially benefiting the ‘born free’ Sadly this is the generation which has born the brunt of the economic degeneration some of them only ever known ‘korokozaring’ as employment (if you can call it that).
In some areas eg Bikita kuMatsai the only hospitals, schools and roads to talk about are the same ones built by Ian Smith or the Missionaries. There is no electricity on piped water. Its like the Whites never left. People still trek miles to get to the nearest school or hospital.Pregnant women have to camp for 2-3 months on the the hospital grounds because they cant travel too far during their last trimester. Mugabe should have done much more to uplift the lives of the majority not just his friends.It was the people in the rural areas who were neglected the most by the previous regime and it is the same ones who have been severely let down by Mugabe despite them being the flagship of his support.
I believe he has done himself little service and his memory will always leave a bitter taste in the mouth for many. Mugabe has allowed greed to flourish and his wife is the ambassador of the corrupt brigade.
So forgive me if I don’t feel much sympathy when bad things happen to Mugabe’s lot.I dont think they would care less if my Granny died because there was no medication at her local hospital.
Lucy the History books will not respect the dead who made life miserable for others. Feeling no sympathy under the circumstances is normal.To morn when you have no grief would be hypocritical. I don’t think you need forgiveness.
Mugabe will not be remembered after he has gone. Heros acre will not be a place to go to see Mugabe. It will be a place to go and see JosiahT.
Good they are dying off, the sooner the better! Perhaps then Zimbabwe will flourish under a younger regime without hate and discrimination. When there is no money, no education, no medicines and no jobs who cares what happened in the past? Time to live for the future.