Gogo Chamisa given a Heroine Send-off

Gogo Chamisa given a Heroine Send-off

More than 45 000 people turned up today for the burial of Gogo Chamisa in chief Chiwara’s area of Gutu South. Members of the Standing Committee, National Council members, provincial members, MPs, Senators, and multitudes of MDC Alliance grassroots supporters from all corners of Zimbabwe flooded the Chamisa homestead. Advocates including the fulcrum, Thabani Mpofu, and Innocent Chakonda, were present, so were Bishops, various denominations, relatives and friends. The commander of the youth, Obey Sithole, was also present, inter-alia, with his recently abducted and brutalized youth entourage of Chimbiri, Marova and Hon Mamombe.

Indeed Midlands province did not disappoint as it was represented from National to branch levels with leaders Madzorere, Chebundo, Hon Timveous, Hon Dube, Hon Mukapiko, Hon Chikwinya, Hon Chibaya, Hon Chimina, Zvidzai, Masendeke, chair Makombe, Mazingaidzo, Chacha, Zhou, Muringani, Ndonga, Madzivire, Shiri etc in attendance.

Speaker after speaker reflected how Gogo Chamisa was a lovely, tolerant, respectful, honesty and industrious person. Her industrious acumen, expertise and tolerance were demonstrated by her market gardening in which her clients were not restricted to any political party, be it Zanu pf or MDC Alliance. She was also a humble and peaceable prayer warrior.

The ‘international’ organ, Hon Chibaya, as usual took the opportunity to introduce party members with the aplomb of a veteran, after other family procedures and speeches had been completed. The MDC Alliance Vice Chair, Job Sikhala expressed his condolences to the Chamisa family and MDC Alliance for the loss of our mother and appealed to President Chamisa to allow him to tape and harness the energy and anger he saw among the youths towards meaningful direction against Zanu pf. MDC alliance Vice Presidents, Prof Ncube and Kore while expressing heartfelt condolences also saluted Gogo Chamisa’s faith, courage, bravery, and thanked her for giving the MDC Alliance and Zimbabwe a visionary people’s president, Nelson Chamisa. VP Biti expressed the unparalleled unity in MDC Alliance presidium under President Chamisa and stressed that we cannot solve the challenges facing Zimbabwe with the same type of Zanu pf intelligence that has produced the problems.

Bishop Wutaunashe expressed the need for leaders in Zimbabwe to be responsible, accommodative and create the foundation for a peaceful and united nation in order to foster sustainable development.

President Chamisa delineated the purpose of the gathering, viz, a funeral which is different from an MDC Alliance rally. He therefore stressed that such a gathering should be coloured by the values that Gogo Chamisa upheld in her life time. He therefore highlighted the need for a paradigm shift in MDC Alliance thinking, panctuated by discipline, tolerance and accommodation in our quest for democracy and egalitarianism. He admonished violence and thuggery. President Chamisa was able to go down memory lane to reflect his humble up-bringing by a hard working mother and the good values implanted in him and many other children by his mother and other mothers in Chiwara area. He expressed hope for better things to come for MDC Alliance in particular and Zimbabwe at large. He thanked all people who turned up to give Gogo Chamisa a heroine send-off. Mai Neri as Gogo Chamisa was affectionately called is a heroine well known for her faith, hardwork, life serving skills and philanthropism. Go well our mother, you fought a good battle in your lifetime, and above all gave us our best foot forward in President Chamisa. Your heroinism will live long and water our spirit of liberty and quest for democracy for ever more. We will forever be grateful to you and your husband.

President Chamisa! People’s President! Hezvoko!

Dr Takavafira M. Zhou is the MDC Alliance Midlands Provincial spokesperson