The Sunday Mail
We publish President Mugabe’s full speech at National Hero Justice Andrew Mutema’s burial yesterday.
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The bereaved Mutema family, ndimi mune mushakabvu,
Honourable Vice President, Comrade Emmerson Mnangagwa and Amai,
Honourable Vice President Comrade Phelekezela Mphoko and Amai,
Honourable President of the Senate Amai Edna Madzongwe,
Honourable Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda,
The Chief Justice, Honourable Godfrey Chidyausiku,
Tanzwa kuti kune vamwe maJudge vakabva kunzvimbo dzakasiyana-siyana veComesa. I want to acknowledge their presence here, the presence of all the Chief Justices; the Lordships who have come here to be with us at this sacred place and on a day we are biding farewell to one veteran of the struggle for freedom.
Honourable Ministers,
Honourable Members of Parliament,
Service Chiefs,
War Veterans, War Collaborators, Ex-detainees and Restrictees,
Your Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Ndinoda kukutendayi mose nekuuya kwamaita, ndichitendesesa zvikuru vose vehama dzemushakabvu VaMutema vakatisiya.
Ndichitendesesa vose vakanga vachishanda navo.
Ndichitendesesa macomrades ose, mawar veterans, war collaborators, ex-detainees and restrictees vakwanisa kuuya.
Tanzwa mharidzo ichibva kuna Colonel Nyakudya inotivhundutsa tose nokuti hapana munhu asina pfungwa dzokuti mangwana ndinozoti ndiite chakati, ndaita chakati, ndavapakati.
Zvino zvanzi zvose zvinodimbuka izvozvo.
Asi ndingade kususukidza zvavataura ndichiti, mushakabvu watavinga uyu waive nepfungwa dzechikoro.
Kupedzisa chikoro chake kunana Silveira Mission uko, asi nepfungwa yekuda kuzvipira kunorwira rusununguko, kuti nyika yake isununguke; vanhu vake vasununguke.
Pfungwa iyoyo wakakwanisa kuizadzisa.
Akabva adimbura rwendo rwechikoro akabva ati, “Ndichazozviona mberi izvo rusununguko rwauya.”
Wakagona kunosangana nevamwewo akagona zvakare kuti afundiswe zvokurwisa muvengi.
Takavanaye, takayedzawo kumuwumba sevakuru nemacommanders edu.
Hezvo awonekwa kuti uyu mukomana watingavimbe naye mukuzviwumba sevanhu varikuda kurwisa vavengi vakatora nyika yedu, wakatumirwa kune imwe nyika yaitipa support yakakwana zvikuru-kuru pakupa dzidzo kumacomrades edu nenyaya yezvehondo.
Saka takamuyendesa kuRomania akanofunda zveartillery, pfuti dzepamusoro-soro.
Artillery knowledge akauyawo nayo zvakare tikati uyu tichazomuda pakuvaka kana rusununguko rwauya.
Varwi vedu — macomrades edu — tichavaisa muarmy yedu.
Hazvina kuzoitika izvozvo.
Tadzoka, iye wakaita pfungwa yake akati, “Pandakashanda apa pakakwana. Tasunungurwa, ndozvandaida.”
Asi zvino ndoda kuvambawo rumwe rwendo rwedzidzo ingandipe basa randingaite pahupenyu hwangu.
Hezvo, wakazotsauka achizoyenda kune vanotonga, vakava magistrate vachikwirira, vachiramba vachifunda zvemurawo.
Chikoro hachipere.
Narwo rwendo rwake dakara azokwanisa kusvika paakawonekwa kuti angave Judge; anoita LLB, Bachelor of Laws.
Hezvo wani ipfungwa; ndinofunga Colonel Nyakudya vangabvume apa. Chido icho chakazadziswa achirimupenyu.
Zvido zvedu zvakawanda, hatingowane chido chimwe chete, zvinoyenda nezera reupenyu raunenge wasvika pariri.
Zvandaida izvi, ndazvigona. Zvino ipapowo zvaunenge wagona izvozvo rwatova hwaro rwokuti uchivamba kuva nedzimwe pfungwa dzechinangwa chekuzadzisa pahupenyu hwako.
Saka hupenyu hwedu hunoramba huchidaro: wawana izvi woiteyi mangwana? Wawana izvi. Ndawana fundo yepapemberi, ndoiteyi? Ndoyenderera.
Kana ndawana mombe idzi, chii chondoita nadzo? Saka pfungwa dzedu dzinoramba dzichiyenderera mberi.
Asi hatikwanise kudzizadzisa dzese. Apoka! Ndopatinenge isu tisingazive kuti tichazenge tichirivapenyu here.
Tichazenge tichiwumba hupenyu hwedu hwamangwana namangwana here?
Asi ndomaitire ehupenyu hwedu.
That’s the natural phenomenon in us.
Tinoramba tichiplana, nhasi, mangwana, asi wasvika zvino paunonzi apa ndipo pamagumo, zvamangwana zvawakanga wavaka, kana imba yawanga wavaka usati waisa denga. . .ukanzi “huya” zvoreva kuti wosiyira vamwe; hama neshamwari dzosara dzichizadzisawo nehurongwa hwavanenge vaitawo pamawonero avo.
Saka ndohupenyu hwedu.
VanaJob, kana tichiverenga, vakazotambudzika pahupenyu asi vakanga vaita nyaya yekuda hupfumi vahuwunganidza.
Hauzodya wese hupfumi hwako.
Kuti zvikunakire, wotosiyirawo vamwe.
Ndohupenyu hweduka, hatizive zuva kana nguva yatichanzi, “Huyai kuno”, neuyo wakamboti, “Takupayi hupenyu. Iwe uri mwanakomana iwe uchava mwanasikana, hewo hupenyu uyo.”
Tinotenda uyu wakanga uri munhu anokwanisa kuzvivaka, chinotitsutsumwisa panguva yakadayi ndechekuti watorwa achiri mudiki.
Kana tichiti achiri mudiki ini ndirikuziva zvandirikutaura.
Vamwe hamungazive zvandirikutaura.
Fifty-six years. Chiwonayi, iye uno arikutaura wavane 91 (years) wavakuda kusvitsa 92.
NdiMwari.
Ndozvaanoita.
Vamwe vanopihwa hurefu, vamwe vanopihwa hupfupi, tumwe tunotorwa tuchiri tuvana tudiki tuchiri pamakumbo. Hatizvipe hupenyu uyu. Zvatinokwanisa kuita kudzivirira zvingakuvadze hupenyu hwedu, zvatinoziva kuti izvi nezvizvi zvinoita kuti hupenyu hwedu hupfupike.
Kana uchiziva kuti doro, hongu ringakunakire – rinokupisa mapapu.
Ko, unorinwirei uchiziva kudaro?
Ndaive neshamwari yandakakura nayo, muzukuru, mwana wavatete.
Takava mateacher tese, zvikanzi, “Iwe Robert, hausati wawona kuti doro rinonaka sei.”
Ndikati: “Rinonaka sei?”
Zikanzi, “Ukarinwa, unowona nyika yose iyi seyako yose, mufaro wese. Kwese kwese unogona kuyenda.”
Zvino ndikati, “Kuwona nyika yose seyako, iyo isiri yako.”
Saka ini ndakariramba doro.
Mai vaitibikira mahewu, ndikati ndozvandinonwawo.
Saka hupenyu hwedu tinohuvavarira kuti hurebe, tinohuvavarira kuti hunake. Kuhushongedza ikoko handikwedu tega.
Tinogona kuwona kuti apa ndikayenda apa ndinogona kukuvara. Pandabata apa ndinoita HIV; tinozviziva.
Vamwe vanoti tinozongozviona mangwana.
Wozviona mangwana chakubata?
Wozenge wochema kuti “Ahh ndakuvara ini!”
Ehe, wakuvaraka, zvino zvoitwa sei wakazvisorera?
Saka uyu wakange ari murume waizvichengeta.
Asi zvemuviri wedu, mapindukiro anoita zviri mumuviri umu, hatizive kunyangwe tichidya zvakanaka, kunyangwe tichiyenda kuvarapi, asi zvinoramba nokuti Mwari anenge akupa zviro zvemuviri zvinesimba, zvekuti, rekukwanisa kuyenda makore akati.
Zvino kune zvimwe zvirwere zvatisati tagona kuwanira mushonga. Vanachiremba nanhasi varikutambura nezvirwere zvakaita saana high blood pressure.
Vanhu vazhinji vanobatwa nechirwere ichocho; vana diabetes chimwe chirwere zvakare chinobata vanhu vedu zvizhinji. Hatisati tawona mishonga yacho yakakwana.
Mishonga yekungoti dzimwe nguva urerutse hupenyu hwako inenge iriko.
Yekuti urapwe chaizvoizvo zvichipera tinenge tisati tawana mishonga yacho.
Saka ndinoda kukutendayi, mauya kuti titende murume uyu watirikuwoneka nhasi.
Ane hupenyu hwakatifadza, hupenyu hwehondo yekuzvipira.
Anga asingazivi kuti achadzoka asi akadzoka. Vamwe havana kukwanisa kudzoka.
Wakazoita chido chake chekuti azoita judge zvekuti wakakwanisa kuita izvozvo. Asi zvaakaita izvozvo, zvakayamura nyika — kepotsi; nekutipa rusununguko; kechipiri; nekutipa rugare rwakaita kuti mbavha dzinotibira, mhombwe dzizere nevamwe vanoita zvitadzo (macrime akawanda) vakazara mumajeri umo.
Ndozvatinoti kuvanhu vedu, “Ngatichengetedzeyi hupenyu hwedu; tive nerukudzo pakati pedu, tirege kubirana.”
Asi svondo nesvondo tinongoudzwa pamareports atinopihwa achibva kumapurisa: “Vanhu vabayana; tuvana twapambwa nevakuru sokunge vasingaone madzimai makuru.”
Munoti indangariro yerudzihwayi iyoyo?
Ivavo tinoti, “Ehe, ngavatinhirwe mudanga semombe tigovachengeta imomo.”
We are back at the National Heroes’ Acre, gathered in grief and sadness, to pay our last respects to a veteran of the Liberation Struggle, the late Justice Andrew Mutema, whose Chimurenga name was Kingsley Dube Vatema. We all are here to give him the send-off befitting a national liberation hero.
His untimely death at Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo, last Friday, came as a shock to the Mutema family, the Judiciary community in which he had carved a professional niche for himself, our Party Zanu-PF, and the Nation. We have lost someone who had made a great impression on many of us as a dedicated revolutionary cadre, a servant of the people, a professional colleague, and a towering family figure.
He will be sorely missed by all of us, as he leaves behind a yawning gap in our midst, which will be difficult to fill.
May I, on behalf of Zanu-PF, Government and the people of Zimbabwe and, indeed, on my own behalf, extend our deepest condolences to Justice Mutema’s wife and children, and to his entire family, over the unexpected death of their beloved one.
We say to the Mutema family, derive solace and comfort from all of us gathered here, and many others watching these proceedings from their homes. Be assured that the whole nation stands with you, grieving over the untimely departure of Justice Mutema.
We also send our condolences today to all the judges, the Judiciary — the Judiciary of Zimbabwe and the Judiciary of Comesa.
We join together this day in sorrow as we bid the Comrade, this great friend of our farewell. When he joined the swirling numbers of many young men and women crossing the country’s borders into the neighbouring countries to participate in the liberation struggle, the young Mutema became no longer your son alone, but our son, son of the soil, Mwana wevhu. This expression, Mwana wevhu, was not an idle saying, uttered in vain, at the spur of the moment, but was a well thought out clarion call to all our people, to raise the level of their political consciousness, and for them to mobilise against the white settlers occupying our land.
To be Mwana wevhu, identified one as a nationalist, one with a new totem, an all-embracing one, which knew no tribal or regional boundaries, as it enjoined all Zimbabweans as one people, one family — all of us tiri Vana Vevhu. Comrade Kingsely Dube Vatema, therefore, became our son together.
Hence, we are mourning his passing on as one family, semhuri imwe chete yeZimbabwe.
There are those that may ask who Andrew Mutema was, to deserve being recognised as a National Hero.
For, until his untimely death last Friday, Justice Mutema might not have been known to many. Only a few drawn from among his family members, relatives, friends, his former comrades during the liberation struggle, and his colleagues in the Judiciary, are the people who could narrate the numerous achievements and anecdotes in the story of his life.
The numerous testimonies we have listened to since his death, portray the late Justice Mutema as a revolutionary giant, who sacrificed his life at a very tender age of 18, to join the liberation struggle.
Justice Mutema and many young men and women who joined the liberation struggle, set themselves apart, by sacrificing their lives for the liberation of this country from the white colonial settlers. That spirit of self-sacrifice to free one’s country from foreign occupation, could not have been embraced by the weak and timid. It required brave men and women, who could stare death in the face against the background of a formidable colonial army.
The liberation struggle was not a walk in the park, and neither was it an adventurous escapade. History records that many a young man and woman who joined the liberation struggle, seeking adventure, found the going too tough and fell by the wayside.
Ndozvakaita vanaTsvangirai, they fell by the wayside — vakatiza.
History also records of the many weak hearts and fragile minds, who ran away during that outward journey to Mozambique and Zambia, or deserted when the going got tough on the warfront, or equally worse, sold out to the enemy.
Vamwe vakatengesa, vamwe vachirikutengesa nanhasi.
In this bracket are also those who are making vain attempts to be pseudo democratic leaders and liberators of this country!
Vamwe varikuchemera kuti koisuwo hatiiswe paHeroes Acre here?
Isu tinoti, “Inga makomo akawanda, tsvagayi zvenyu zvikomo. Vatengesi — tizopfuurawo tichiwona kuti ndopavariwo apa.
Kozvinorambidzwa here?”
Asi pano ayehwa, takati “Ayehwa. Kana. Hazviitike tirivapenyu. Tafa, nemidzimu, hazvimboita kuti pauye vatengesi pano.”
We say to them shame!
Shame on them.
Before they do what the likes of Mutema did, they can forget it, they can never be heroes of this country. They are not comparable kuna anaMutema.
So, they can forget it, they can never be heroes of this country. We are told soon after writing his O-Level examinations at Silveira High School, Mutema crossed into Mozambique in 1977, in the company of the likes of a schoolmate, Engelbert Rugeje (now Major General), and four other young boys.
They were received at Chibawawa Camp where they were nominated to teach many children of school-going age, later, to join the war, but this was a chore far removed from his original mission to Mozambique, the reason why he had left home.
His heart was focused on receiving military training, going to the warfront to fight the enemy. His wish was granted when he later received basic guerrilla warfare training in Mozambique in 1978, and was subsequently posted to the battle front.
Following his stint at the battle front, Comrade Mutema was recalled to the rear in Mozambique, where he had been selected together with a few others, to undergo specialised military training in the then People’s Socialist Republic of Romania.
He received training in the fields of signal communication, military jet pilots and artillery. The rigorous training programme was conducted over a period of three years, from 1980 to 1982. Justice Mutema specialised in Anti-Aircraft Radar and Air Defence Artillery Systems. When Justice Mutema returned home to Independent Zimbabwe in 1982, most of his colleagues were absorbed in the Security Organs of the State.
But Justice Mutema was demobilised, and joined civilian life, but had his heart focused on the justice delivery system.
He subsequently joined the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, starting as an Assistant Magistrate, and through both experience and studying law, he rose through the ranks to the position of Judge of the High Court.
He held senior positions in the Judiciary, which included Regional Magistrate, Senior President of the Administrative Court, Senior President of the Labour Court, Judge of the High Court, and Senior Judge of the Bulawayo High Court circuit.
In March this year, we did not hesitate to recommend him to the part-time regional post of Principal Judge under Comesa.
That is why we have Comesa judges here.
Justice Mutema led an illustrious and virtuous life which should inspire, especially the young among us, to follow in his footsteps and defend the gains of our hard-won Independence. That political victory for Zimbabwe was achieved because our people, both young and old, embraced the war as a people’s war versus the foreign white settlers.
It was not a case of our freedom fighters fighting the white settlers on the one hand, and the masses of our people being passive on-lookers on the other hand.
No, it was a combined people’s effort – the people and their front-runners Zipra and Zanu – marshalling all our resources, both human and material, and deploying them to best advantage to deal telling blows on the enemy. That unity of purpose led us to victory in 1980, the victory which brought us our sovereignty and Independence.
Lest we forget, our Independence did not come cheap. Beyond the war of liberation we should remain ever vigilant because the enemy has not rested since we defeated him on the warfront. Re-colonisation remains a real threat to our National sovereignty.
Our erstwhile colonisers are fighting tooth and nail to maintain a strong stranglehold on our economy. Our enemies have also created and sponsored puppet political parties in our country in the name of democracy which they themselves fail to respect, blinded by their avarice and greed over our vast natural resources.
Justice Mutema, we all thank you for a job well done, and also for a life well lived. You played your part, both during the liberation struggle and in post-Independent Zimbabwe.
We can only wish you happiness in your new life. We pledge to carry on with the good work that you were doing.
May I take this opportunity to say to you, Go well son of the soil. Go well, Mwana wevhu.
Hamba kahle Qhawe lamaQhawe!
Famba zvakanaka Gweta raMagweta!
Zorora murugare.
I thank you.
