The Sunday Mail
Gogo Idah Murape
My name is Idah Murape (87) from Murehwa in Mangwende District.
I did my primary education at Murehwa Mission before transferring to Nyadire Mission for my Standard Six.
After school, I married Joskey Murape during my late teens and moved to Highfield, Salisbury (Harare), together with our young family.
We joined the Independence movement in the year Dr Hastings Banda visited the country to address the newly formed African National Congress party.
My husband and I attended the meeting which was addressed by Dr Banda in Highfield along with the likes of James Chikerema, George Nyandoro, Morris Nyagumbo, Robert Marere and Daniel Madzimbamuto. Dr Banda urged us to fight for independence through the ANC and ensure that people are free.
It was at that meeting that Regina Mupondamwara was elected chairperson of the Women’s League, while Evelyn Mushonga became secretary and I was elected treasurer.
When ANC was banned and the likes of Nyagumbo had been imprisoned, the National Democratic Party was then founded.
It was during that time that I first met President Mugabe.
President Mugabe was the publicity secretary and I was the chairwoman of the Women’s League.
We worked together in our individual capacities until the party was banned in 1961.
It was then that Zapu was formed and we were working together to facilitate the formation of the party.
We had the likes of Chikerema, Nyagumbo and Nyandoro.
Joshua Nkomo was president and was deputised by Dr Tichafa Parirenyatwa, who later died in an accident. In 1962 Zapu was banned and Nkomo, along with other leaders, was arrested.
I remember in 1964, the Women’s League protested against the continued detention of the struggle leaders at Unity Square.
On that day, police clamped down on us and we were all arrested and taken to Central Prison. Then, my last child, Hati, was only two months old and he was with me in the prison cells.
We were sentenced to six months in prison; this was two years after we had spent another three months in prison for a similar offence.
In the first instance when we were arrested in 1962, we were ordered to pay three pounds as a fine, but Amai Sally Mugabe and I refused.
We had realised that while both our husbands could afford to pay the fines, the rest of the women could not say the same.
During all this time we were working closely with President Mugabe who was very vocal in supporting women. When we came out of prison we learnt that Zanu had been formed and was under the leadership of Ndabaningi Sithole. We then went our separate ways because my husband and I remained in Zapu. But despite the differences, the President and my family remained very close. I remember when we were in prison, Sally took care of most of Hati’s needs; this one night he fell seriously ill and lost consciousness.
We suspected that the cell we were locked up in was haunted since not long ago a certain woman had died there. Sally fought the guards until they agreed to allow us to take Hati to the hospital where he was finally resuscitated after losing consciousness for hours. The spirit she exuded that night resembled that of her husband (President Mugabe) who was a fighter.
We were very close.
Even at their wedding, which took place at Josiah Tongogara’s house, I was part of the Mugabes bridal team. I remember at one time when Zapu was banned we had a meeting at Dr Parirentyatwa’s house and we were sent along with President Mugabe and Betty Mutero with messages to the party leaders and supporters in Gweru, Kwekwe, Kadoma, Bulawayo and Masvingo to advise them that leadership had been handed over to an organ referred to as the PCC.
That is when I saw President Mugabe the orator at his best.
He could deliver the message with such consummate ease and conciseness to the extent that the task ended up being a stroll.
When we arrived in Bulawayo we then learnt of Dr Parirenyatwa’s death and we couldn’t proceed to Masvingo. But it was during that time that I learnt about the President as a leader, as principled man and as orator.
The Man
The President is a quiet person but when he speaks he speaks only the truth, he doesn’t seek to please anyone, he reprimands when necessary and also encourages when necessary as well.
During the early days he was always there to urge women to continue the fight for liberation. He was always at hand to encourage us.
After the 1980 elections there was the realisation that all our parties had the same background and the President showed that by picking his ministers from all sides.
When the two parties (Zanu-PF and PF-Zapu) finally united we all knew that it was because of the hard work both our leaders – Mugabe and Nkomo – had commited to.
He (President Mugabe) knew that unity brings peace and that is all was ever wanted.
This brought a lot of joy to all Zimbabweans and for myself; that is the greatest thing a leader could ever do for his country. He has always been a man of peace, he loves his nation.
My son Passmore was close to the President. He considered him a close friend, they shared brotherly fondness.
Passmore even wanted to join VaMugabe when he left the country for the war front because they were so close. But because my husband and I were from a different political party – Zapu – we stopped him from joining VaMugabe.
I remember this one time when at Machipisa Shopping Centre, President Mugabe was coming from the shops on a bike belonging to his brother-in-law – husband to Sabina.
In his hand he had a small plastic bag which had some meat that he had bought at the butchery.
Now it so happened that on his way home he passed by the road close to our house.
But just as he was approaching the intersection which is just in front of our front gate, he was struck by a car.
He flew the other way while his pack of meat flew the other direction. It was not really a dangerous accident. Passmore, who was standing by the gate, rushed to help his friend.
It was a really funny incident and until today when I think about it I can’t help but chuckle.
