26 years ago today, my father died; suddenly, unexpectedly. It was a Sunday & I had last spoken to him from Harare on the phone the day before on Saturday evening. A rare thing because we hardly spoke on the phone, ever. He had asked me to come & see him at Parliament on Tuesday. 
2| I had expressed doubt because on that same day I had been injured playing soccer at the UZ inter faculty games.I'd spent the afternoon at Parirenyatwa trying to get help but had given up waiting as the casualty dept battled to attend to a car accident that had many casualties.
3| My older brother Busi, broke the news to me.He called my room at the UZ. As subwarden I had a phone. "Boyz there's been an accident" "Yebo, ubani? I asked casually. "UMyopic" (his nickname) he replied. "Kalimalanga," I asked."Its worse" he responded.The phone fell off my hand.
4|Within minutes, the news spread & I literally hd the whole campus in my room.The Student's Union resolved to buy me an air ticket on the first flight to Bulawayo the next morning.That same evening my brother's best friend Davis came to pick me up to spend the night at his flat.
5| I was surprised but extremely humbled and comforted the next morning at the airport to find the top 3 of the Students Representative Council there incl @TamukaKagoro77 who was Deputy President. I thought there'd come to see me off but they were actually going home with me.
6| When we landed in Bulawayo, my brother was there with other people to take me home.I declined and asked him to take me to the place my father had died- the scene of the accident. I had no idea where it was at the time. On the way he explained what he understood to hv happened.
7| When we arrived, the car was still there with police guarding it. It had apparently overturned but had been put back on its wheels. I observed it had minimal damage, just a dent on the right fender.I was told that my father had died on the spot from severe head injuries.
8| I studied the inside of the car for quite sometime, asked my brother to walk with me away from the police guards and told him that "this was not an accident." We then went home.
9|There's so much to be said.I hope everyone who knew him can share their experiences of him. As for me, if I make it through Covid-19 my first flight is to Harare.Its been a while since I visited him at Heroes Acre where he's right next to his teacher & mentor, George Silundika.
10|What fascinated me the most was how "his people" literally buried him. By the time I got home, his burial society from Makokoba,"Amathendele" had swung into action singing throughout "IZimbabwe iyakhala ngoMalunga" whilst feeding the 1000s of mourners that came from all over.
11| For days the house swarmed with people and inside mamaMafuyane had quietly taken charge in her way. Joshua Nkomo was in Russia. As a family we did not have to do a thing as the govt debated endlessly whether to make him a hero or not.
12| His people said "we don't care for that hero status, if he's not your hero, he's ours." Bulawayo & the family readied itself to bury its son. We kept nightly vigil outside by the fire for 4 or so nights with notably Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, the Educ Min & PT Nyathi amongst others.
13| He was "declared" hero a few days later and in consultation with the family the government began arrangements for Harare.Two Airfoce Dakota planes were assigned to transport the family & the remains.A car was assigned to drive my grandmother who refused to get into the plane.
14| A huge send off was organized for Bulawayo and Matabelleland at Stanley Square, his home turf. It was moving. Speaker after speaker from all walks spoke regardless of status. I remember his friend/lawyer David Coltart's eulogy (his wife Jenny helped me with my injured knee).
15| @DavidColtart hd saved his life in 1983 when he was abducted from home & disappeared by the CIO. He had searched every prison & police station for him & weeks later found him at Collen Bawn, badly tortured & shackled. David's son @DougColtart has followed in his footsteps.
16| The grieving was not without laughter. The day we were to be flown to Harare in the 2 Dakotas, which were so old and seemed not airworthy, we wondered whether they would crash and wipe away the entire family & friends. A list had been compiled if who was going in the Dakotas.
17|We assembled at Brady Barracks & from nowhere Dr.Sikhanyiso Ndlovu appeared ready to fly.Problem:he was not on the list & Dabengwa who managed the list told him point blank that "ndoda awulandawo lapha kugcwele." He was upset & said "ngokwakho lokho" & stormed into the plane.
18| We had to suppress our laughter. Sikhanyiso had "grown" up with my father and came from the same village and I assumed we were somewhat related so he considered himself family. He assumed he was on the list. The plane I flew in had DD & was flown by Tommy Sithole's brother.
19| On the day of the funeral, my father's remains lay in state at Stodart Hall in Mbare.Mugabe arrived to view his body alongside other mourners & when the viewing was completed, we all had to wait, Mugabe incl for a long time for Joshua Nkomo who's flight was still on the way.
21|When Nkomo arrived, there was commotion, he was shouting "wena Sidini, wena Sidini" in tears, knocking on the coffin his induku. It was his last admonition to his lieutenant who'd been by his side throughout. We proceeded to Heroes Acre where we found over 40K people waiting.
