The Sunday News
Simon Khaya Moyo
I FIRST came to know (Gogo Maria Msika) in the early 1960s when I was a pupil at Fletcher High School. I also knew her husband, who was a prominent nationalist, the late Vice-President Joseph “Bruno” Msika.
They owned a fish and chips take-away outlet in Mpopoma South, Bulawayo. I resided in the same suburb as well. I visited them often, not only to buy fish and chips, but to engage in interactive politics as a youth activist.
This was during the days of the National Democratic Party (NDP), which was later proscribed and the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (Zapu) was formed. These parties were led among many, by dynamic, courageous and foresighted nationalists, including the late Father Zimbabwe, Cde Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, the late Cde Joseph Msika, the late Cde Leopold Takawira, Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe (now President of the Republic of Zimbabwe), who was by far the most gifted Secretary for Information and Publicity) in the history of our nationalist struggle and has continued to be a prominent African statesman.
In the NDP and Zapu, we never knew anything called factionalism. Everyone was “Mwana wevhu” or “Umntwana womhlabathi”. Tribalism, regionalism and racism were anathema to our struggle and remain so in our free Zimbabwe. No one ever signed a form to be born at a given place.
During that time, political activism focused on unity. The freedom struggle spread like veld fire across the country. Leaders had no T & S and slept in villages wherever they operated.
Gogo Maria Msika, being a prominent figure, mobilised women, preaching unity and inevitable victory. Though quiet in her disposition, she joined efforts to free Zimbabwe with the likes of Cde Jane Ngwenya, the late First Lady Amai Sally Mugabe, the late Gogo Mafuyane, Mai Murape, the late Ruth Chinamano, the late Amai Maud Muzenda, the late Cde Thenjiwe Lesabe, the late Mai Nyamurowa, the late Cde Martha Silundika, the late Cde Victoria Chitepo and many others.
After the banning of Zapu in September 1962, the party went underground. The entire leadership was restricted to their respective rural homes for three months by the Smith regime. In 1963 a split occurred in the nationalist movement and Zanu was formed. Despite the split, the nationalists never lost their common vision. They continued to reach out to each other. The enemy remained ONE — the settler regime.
As nationalists were arrested en masse, including the late Cde Joseph Msika, Gogo Msika never gave up. She remained resolute, single-handedly fending for the family under very depressing circumstances. While the leaders of Zapu and Zanu were imprisoned, detained or restricted across the country, Gogo Msika and her female colleagues helped to solidify the revolution.
After the release of the leader in 1975, Zapu and Zanu intensified the struggle under their respective liberation armies, Zipra and Zanla. In 1976 the two liberation movements formed the Patriotic Front to confront the enemy with more unity and vitality in all negotiations with the British, at Geneva, Malta and finally at Lancaster House. Gogo Msika and her colleagues gave maximum support to these efforts until the Lancaster House talks concluded in December 1979.
Although the two liberation movements went for elections separately, they got 77 seats as the combined Patriotic Front with the late Bishop Abel Muzorewa’s party (UANC) getting only three seats. The other 20 seats were reserved for whites, bringing the total to 100 seats in the House of Assembly. As Zimbabwe gained freedom and Independence on April 18, 1980 Gogo Msika and all patriotic Zimbabweans had completed their political mission. Gogo Msika was indeed a visionary, hardworking, courageous, quiet, down to earth and as they say, still waters run deep.
With the support of mothers like Gogo Msika the late Cde Joseph Msika served well in Government and the people of Zimbabwe. We owe her deepest gratitude. She encouraged efforts to unite the two liberation movements of Zanu (PF) and PF Zapu into a united Zanu-PF. To her, UNITY was sacrosanct.
When the Unity Accord was signed on December 22, 1987, we from PF Zapu leadership were summoned by Father Zimbabwe, the late Cde Joshua Nkomo and were briefed on the accord. He was supported by a number of people like the Msikas. Cde Joshua Nkomo advised us that the two former liberation movements had united under one leader President R G Mugabe. He reminded us that even if he were to leave this world, we must always remain where he left us and never betray the Unity Accord. Gogo Msika fully supported this position as well.
When the late Vice-President Joseph Msika passed on in 2009 I said the sun had set in the Msika clan and Zimbabwe had lost a political giant. When Gogo Maria Msika passed on last month, I said the moon had been eclipsed in the Msika clan and Zimbabwe had lost a mother of immense humility, love and overflowing kindness. She leaves behind an everlasting legacy of hard work, dedication, commitment and unity of purpose.
Go well Gogo Msika. You will be in our hearts everlastingly. Pass our revolutionary regards to the heroes and heroines who departed before you. We salute them all.
Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo is spokesperson of the ruling Zanu-PF Party and Minister of Policy Co-ordination and Promotion of Socio-Economic Ventures in the President’s Office.
