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Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
THE late Vice-President and national hero Cde Landa John Nkomo has been described as an astute politician, an ardent nationalist and veteran of the liberation struggle, as the nation commemorates 10 years of his passing.

Dr Landa John Nkomo succumbed to cancer on January 17, 2013 at St Anne’s Hospital at the age of 79.
In a statement yesterday, the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda said the late Vice President was a nation builder whose leadership dovetails with the Second Republic’s philosophy of building the nation.

“An astute politician, an ardent nationalist and veteran of the liberation struggle, Cde Landa John Nkomo served the people and the Government of Zimbabwe in various portfolios from 1980 until his demise on 17 January 2013. A true nation-builder, the late former Vice President belonged to the rare breed of our freedom fighters who believed in the power of the people to determine their destiny, in accordance with today’s mantra of building the nation brick by brick, stone upon stone and leaving no one and no place behind,” said Dr Sibanda.

He implored citizens to emulate Cde Nkomo as the nation heads towards the harmonised elections.

“As the leadership of the Second Republic preaches peace and harmony ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections, we are all reminded that ‘peace begins with me, peace begins with you’, and ‘peace begins with us all’,” said Dr Sibanda.

“May the soul of the late former Vice President Cde Landa John Nkomo continue to rest in eternal peace. Long live our Unity, Peace and freedom! Long Live Zimbabwe!”

Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo said Cde Nkomo was passionate about unity and reconciliation.

He said the late nationalist worked to come up with a mechanism to promote national healing and tolerance in the country.

“The late Vice President Landa John Nkomo was our leader who played a critical role in the development of the country and in fostering unity. He was also instrumental in the signing of the December 22 unity Accord between Zanu-PF and PF- Zapu,” said Minister Moyo.

Minister Moyo said Cde Nkomo was a unifier.
“He was humble but concerned about progress, unity and development. As Matabeleland North, we urge youths to emulate the late nationalist and follow in his footsteps,” he said.

Minister Moyo said a legacy of reconciliation, national healing and tolerance for which Cde Nkomo worked tirelessly to promote in the country is what he will be remembered for.

Cde Nkomo was buried at the National Heroes’ Acre in Harare. The late VP was passionate about unity and reconciliation and worked to come up with a mechanism to promote national healing and tolerance in the country.
He was a teacher, trade unionist, liberator and politician.

He distinguished himself as a committed patriot, civil servant and peacemaker since the earliest nationalist parties of the 1950s and 1960s, right through to the more confrontational phase of the independence struggle of the 1970s and post-independence.

The late Vice President was a dedicated revolutionary for the liberation of the country, while in Zimbabwe and in Zambia where he served as the Secretary of Administration for PF-Zapu.

He played a pivotal role during the Lancaster House Conference that culminated in the independence of the country and dedicated his life to serving the country before and after independence.

Cde Nkomo was born in the then Gwai Reserve (present-day Tsholotsho) District of Matabeleland North Province on August 22, 1934.

Following the death of Vice President Dr Joseph Wilfred Msika in August 2009, Cde Nkomo was elected to become the Second Secretary and Vice President of Zanu PF at the Party’s Fifth National People’s Congress.

He was thereafter sworn into office as the Vice President of the Republic of Zimbabwe in December 2009 and continued to chair the Organ for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration.

Among other assignments, Cde Nkomo chaired the Development Trust of Zimbabwe (DTZ) which was founded by the late Vice President Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo as a vehicle for economically empowering the majority of Zimbabwean citizens.

He also chaired the Zimbabwe Health Care Trust which was established to oversee the operations of Ekusileni Medical Centre (EMC) in Bulawayo. He was a founder member and patron of the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Trust.