President consoles Ndlovu family President Mnangagwa

Freeman Razemba, Harare Bureau
All is set for the burial of former Cabinet minister and Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial chairman Professor Callistus Dingiswayo Ndlovu at the National Heroes’ Acre today.

President Mnangagwa last night visited the Ndlovu famiy in Belvedere, Harare to pay his condolences.

Cde Ndlovu (83), who was also a Central Committee member collapsed and died on Wednesday last week in South Africa where he was being treated for pancreatic cancer.

President Mnangagwa is expected to give the key note address at today’s burial.

The President was accompanied by, Minister of Defence and War Veterans, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Minister of State for National Security Owen Ncube, Home Affairs Minister Cain Mathema, Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs Judith Ncube and Zanu-PF secretary for information and publicity ,Cde Simon Khaya Moyo, among other senior government and Zanu-PF officials.

Addressing mourners President Mnangagwa said the country had lost a gallant son who was dedicated and humble, one who worked with unwavering commitment during and after the liberation struggle.

“Taunganidzwa pano nekusiiwa kwataitwa neumwe wedu Cde Ndlovu. (We have been brought here by the death of Cde Ndlovu). I was briefed by the Minister of Home Affairs on what transpired to Cde Ndlovu when he passed on in South Africa.

“Cde Ndlovu once phoned me when he was in Bulawayo informing me that he was not feeling well and that he wanted assistance to go for treatment in South Africa and we made arrangements to assist him. I heard from Cde Khaya Moyo that he was there until he passed on,” he said.

He said Cde Ndlovu was one of the few people who were very educated in Bulawayo during the late 1940s and 50s. “He was one of the few vakaita mbiri kumusha vachifunda. Kune mazita mashomanini akabva ikoko kuma 40s and 50s. Ndiyo yakanga iri mikono yacho. (He was among the few blacks who were educated during the 1940s and 1950s),” President Mnangagwa said.

He chronicled how he first met Cde Ndlovu during the liberation struggle and their subsequent meetings at other events. He said they also worked together in Government for a very longtime.

President Mnangagwa reiterated that Cde Ndlovu was a humble and approachable person who abhorred tribalism and regionalism, while championing peace and unity.

He said with his death, both the ruling party and the country at large, had lost a principled and disciplined cadre who was always prepared to sacrifice himself or the greater good of the people.

“He has also always been a member of the party and even if we are to chronicle the history of this country, we will never leave his name since he played a very critical role and has always been doing that,” President Mnangagwa said.

“Munhu aiva munhu pachake ende aitaura zvaafunga ipapo zviri pamoyo pake. Waiti kana ukamuzevezere chinhu aibva atotaura pfungwa dzake. Kana ukakanganisa aibva ataura ipapo. Nyika ye Zimbabwe yarasikirwa ne gamba. Takafamba naye rwendo rwose urwu. Kana tichiti igamba hazvisi zvokutsvakiridza, raive gamba chairo.

“Ku vana, baba venyu raiva gamba chairo. Vana, kana muchida kuita magamba, mukwidzwa. Asi kana muchida kuitawo magamba, vakuru varipo munorairwa. (He was confident and forthright. Zimbabwe has lost a real cadre who played a very big role during the liberation struggle and after).”

President Mnanagwa said Cde Ndlovu was a national name, a national figure and that they should emulate all the good work that he did for the country.

“There were some problems in Bulawayo but (Cde) Calisto aisava nebasa kuti mabva mose muri mumota kana wakatadza aingo kurakasha chete.

“Tomorrow (today) we are going to lay him at the National Heroes’ Acre and that’s when we will have the opportunity to inform the nation about the man we will be burying,” President Mnangagwa said.

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