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Inyathi, Hope Fountain, Thekwane, Waddilove and Morgenster are some of the oldest mission stations in the country.

They served as the centres of Christian spirituality from the late 1850s. They later expanded to include schools, vocational training and health institutions.

They are storied places from which many notable blacks emerged as educated, converted and healthy persons to not only fight for the liberation of their country but to also serve it variously.

Today, the country is celebrating a century of service delivered by Thekwane Mission, a Methodist Church-run institution in Bulilima District, Matabeleland South Province.

It started as a vocational training college in 1924, targeting blacks for them to acquire skills training at a time when government institutions were geared towards educating whites only. It grew into a teacher-training college in 1930 with just six students. Twenty-one years later, Thekwane enrolled its first group of secondary school learners.

Liberation icons and former ministers Eddison Zvobgo, Nathan Shamuyarira and Dumiso Dabengwa, Richard Ndlovu and Zenzo Nsimbi; academic and former minister Lazarus Dokora; academics Rungano Zvobgo, Chengetai Zvogbo, Maclean Bhala and Mqhele Dlodlo were once students there.

Former Bulawayo town clerk, Mike Ndubiwa, and former Victoria Falls Mayor Nkosilathi Jiyane passed through that arced gate.

As a mission station, Thekwane has spread the Word over the past 100 years. As an educational institution it has produced a strong, long list of alumni as illustrated.

We join Thekwane schools principal, Reverend Nkosinathi Ndlovu, the church, the luminaries, the not-so-luminary as well as the local community in marking this milestone.

“One of the things that we are celebrating is that we have partnered with the Government for the past 100 years to provide quality education to the nation,” he said.

“If you look at our public examination results, our students are scoring above 90 percent. In Matabeleland South, we are one of the best schools.”

We are encouraged by the great work that the schools and the church have done over the past 100 years towards the development of the country. Perhaps without Thekwane, we would not have had the brilliant legal and political brains that Eddison Zvobgo was, the military genius that Dabengwa was, the profound academics that Rungano Zvobgo and Mqhele Dlodlo are and the professional civil servant that Ndubiwa was.

Rev Ndlovu and his team must continue on that exemplary path, always preaching the gospel to the masses and providing quality education for the spiritual and academic well-being of all.

In addition, the mission must continue growing infrastructurally and in terms of impact. The school must grow in terms of enrolment too, from the 700 pupils Rev Ndlovu said are at Thekwane now to thousands.

With such an illustrious history, star-studded alumni and continuing impact, it is fitting that the mission has invited President Mnangagwa to grace its centenary celebration today.