(TALKZIMBABWE) Biti, don't inflate Kombayi’s war role

Biti, don't inflate Kombayi’s war role
Mupata Sango - Opinion
Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:34:00 +0000

ANYONE who lived in Lusaka in the 1970s knows about Patrick Kombayi’s contribution to the liberation struggle. Quite unfortunately for Minister Biti, that may have been before he was born.

So he doesn’t know. Ignorance is not an excuse in law, but it’s not his fault. He had to rely on what he was told by Mr Kombayi himself and he was always larger than life.

Comrade Kombayi had a nightclub in Kafue — good fun, music, food, drink and late nights. Lots of visitors, including gandangas.

They often got food there and collected clothes and other supplies left there for them by well-wishers and sometimes by agents who didn’t wish them well.

But running a café does not constitute a leading role in the liberation struggle. Hosting a nightclub does not count as heroism, unless you are the bouncer.

Why not give him credit for what he was good at. He was a businessman, a trader and a storyteller. You didn’t mention that. Even in those days the Comrade was known for his tall stories. He was a good storyteller. Perhaps you listened to one too many.

Running a nightclub doesn’t really require courage, nor does it prepare one for the soil at the monument for national heroes, "the heartbeat of the liberation struggle", you said.

I think you got a bit carried away with your emotions, Hon Biti. It’s unfortunate that you were too young, ask someone who was there.

The "heartbeat of the liberation struggle" was more likely Josiah Tongogara, Nikita Mangena and others, and all of the young people who volunteered, fought and often died so that you could now be the Finance Minister. Before that, ministerial posts were held by whites only and you would not have qualified.

You are really trying to succeed at finance and that is good for a lawyer. But history is clearly not one of your majors, so you need to do a little more research with the elders before embarrassing yourself.

"None of the people who went to war did not get assistance from Kombayi," you said. What a ridiculous statement. When you think about it, most people went out to the struggle through Mozambique, Zambia and Botswana.

Many never visited Lusaka. Others did, but to say that all got assistance from the Comrade is just a little bit too exaggerated.

Really the record needs to be put straight here. When did Honourable Biti begin to take an interest in who went to war and who assisted them?

You say that Comrade Kombayi made an enormous contribution to the liberation of Zimbabwe. He was a businessman and a bar-tender.

Are you trying to tell us that the liberation war was fought in the nightclubs of Lusaka?

I suppose that is your way of using this opportunity to try to revise the history of this country, to insult the cadres who fought and died in liberating this country or were killed in Rhodesian raids in neighbouring countries. This is particularly offensive in the week when the nation is commemorating the death of the late national hero and liberator, Dr Joshua Nkomo.

Your rhetoric seems a bit unnecessary at this stage of the inclusive Government.

This is not yet an election campaign, still a tripartite effort.

But I suppose you are warming up. You were being quite eloquent in finance but now you are showing your ignorance.

You should not do that. It removes credibility from the other interesting things you might say.

"A gallant son of the soil who was selfless in his service to his nation," Mr Biti said of Mr Kombayi. Not recognising his role? I don’t think so.

There were so many bar-tenders, bus drivers, lorry drivers and vendors who contributed to the struggle, all of the support network of mujibhas and chimbwidos, but of course you don’t know that because you weren’t there.

Each one of them contributed in their own way and together they liberated the country from oppression, racism and colonial rule and brought equal opportunity, education, land and democracy to Zimbabweans.

But his contribution was not more than so many others, not a national hero, behind the safety of a bar stool.

"Ashamed as a nation?" I don’t think so.

"The national psyche is dead?" I don’t think so.

Hon Biti, as a recent student, you should know that if you don’t have the primary knowledge, then very good research is needed before you formulate your views and present your dissertation.

I think you have already forgotten the rigours of academic probity, of seeking knowledge and truth. Perhaps this is short-term memory loss. It’s not so long since you left the hallowed halls. I hope your research in finance is more rigorous and invigorating.

I suppose this is your way of trying to abuse the liberation struggle and cast it as some simple affair conducted in night-clubs.

The Rhodesians who gave their cheques to the MDC must be very pleased with your remarks at Mr Kombayi’s funeral, as they too prefer this version of history, which casts the liberation war as something they didn’t lose, but were cheated out of by Mrs Margaret Thatcher and their kith and kin.

Think about it, they still think that Africans can’t win wars or develop their own societies or successfully run ministries of finance. Do please try to prove them wrong.

Patrick Kombayi, may your soul rest comfortably and in peace in that big night-club in the sky, where all truths are known.

But here, we must heed the wise words and warnings of that fine British writer, George Orwell, who understood his post-war society in Europe when he gave us this glimmer of insight in his 1948 book titled, 1984.

"Everything faded into mist. The past was erased, the erasure was forgotten, the lie became the truth."