BY SHARON SIBINDI
A liberation war stalwart Andrew Ndlovu says his latest book titled Africa in Darkness aims to remove fear from the people, which Zanu PF instilled in the minds of the people in the country.
The book was published by Pathisa Nyathi’s Amagugu Heritage Trust.
“Africa in Darkness is about Africa and world politics and recognition of the role, which our first national heroes King Lobengula and others played during their wars against the BSA Co [British South Africa Company] in the 1890s,” said Ndlovu told Standard Style.
“It also reminds Africa on who exactly the six authentic liberation movements of which Zapu of Zimbabwe, ANC of South Africa, MPLA of Angola, Swapo of Namibia, Frelimo of Mozambique were.
“This book also helps to remove fear from the people, which Zanu PF insti lled in the minds of people of Zimbabwe so that during elections one freely makeup their mind on who to vote for without fear, and say ‘okungayisikufa yikuphi’.”
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Ndlovu said the book removes assumption from people on which revolutionary direction they should follow in order to correct what has gone wrong in Zimbabwe.
“Before Mugabe died, his administration had humiliated war veterans at a time when they tried to gather so that they come up with solutions which they intended to submit to their patron R G Mugabe, instead the Zanu PF government sent the police to beat them up and threw tear gas on them.
“Some were detained for no specific reasons, which was a clear sign that the regime had no respect in what so ever for war veterans, the liberators of Zimbabwe.
“The war veterans had thought that it was Mugabe’s regime which disrespected war veterans, but to their surprise, the second republic too continues with me same spirit.
“As a result, war veterans of Zimbabwe became the foundation of poverty to this day.”
Ndlovu said the Zanu PF government has failed to give due respect and recognition to Zpra/Zanla forces revolutionary commanders who led many battles during the war of liberation struggle.
He said his true revolutionary spirit inspired him to write the book.
“People felt that time for the true history of the liberation struggle has to be told as some people felt that Zanu PF had ruled for over 40 years, but nothing has been done to change their lives,” Ndlovu said.
“I had concluded that the writing of the book was timeously as I felt there was need to speak out the truth.
“My target groups are Zimbabweans, Africa and the world at large.”
Ndlovu, a former Zpra regional zone commander, said the country has lost its true historical foundation of the liberation struggle.
“The newly integrated ZNA army commanders of 1980 were given attention when in actual fact they did not take part in war of liberation,” he said.
“To date they are buried with their ranks as compared to former freedom fighters commanders.
“The book further exposes that Mugabe’s government never had love for Zimbabweans, its former freedom fighters and its citizens as they have always worked against ideals of the liberation struggle as proved beyond reasonable doubt.”
Ndlovu said the book also exposes Zanu PF government as the British’s favourite political party in 1980 because “they had no clear policy on land issue”.
“Unlike Dr Joshua Nkomo who made his Zapu land policy clear to the British that land issue was not negotiable as it belonged to the people of Zimbabwe,” he said.
The liberation war stalwart said the book brings to the fore Zanu PF government’s divide and rule antics.
“It is more dangerous than that of the British because Zanu PF’s divide and rule policy goes together with the 1979 Zanu grand plan,” Ndlovu said.
“Their policy was meant to fuel tribalism and make other tribes second class.
“That is why Mugabe had no mercy against other tribes and political opposition parties.
“Mugabe never upheld the country’s constitution as he didn’t tolerate freedom of expression, human rights, rule of law because if he did, his administration would not have killed people of Zimbabwe in 1980s.”
Ndlovu said the truth should be told by former freedom fighters.