BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) recently turned down a request for a partnership to organise the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo centenary celebrations, which are underway at the late Father Zimbabwe’s homestead in Kezi, Matabeleland South.
By NQOBANI NDLOVU
The late Vice-President, who was born on June 7, 1917 and died on July 1, 1999 at the age of 82, would have turned 100 this year.
The Joshua Nkomo Cultural Movement (JNCM), a trust established to promote and advance the legacy of Nkomo, in March wrote to council seeking financial assistance in hosting the centenary celebrations, a request that was, however, turned down.
City fathers — who have attracted ridicule from ratepayers over their extravagant spending on vehicles and under luxuries — turned down the request to assist the trust in hosting the two-day celebrations citing financial challenges, according to latest minutes of council’s finance and development committee report.
“Council is cognisant of the immense role played by the late Vice-President JM Nkomo in liberating this country and institutions named after him in propagating his legacy. However, council’s finances at the moment cannot lend to this noble cause.
“It was resolved to recommend that the request by the Joshua Nkomo Cultural Movement to partner with council in Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo’s ceremony celebrations be not acceded to for reasons stated in the report (financial constraints): individual councillors/staff can attend the ceremony if they so wish at their own expense,” the council report read in part.
According to the report, the organisers of the event wanted assistance to the tune of $10 000 for use to hire a public address (PA system), tents, chairs and for the marketing of the event including travelling expenses in the outreach meetings.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“Your partnership will assist us deliver a successful event that will be equal to the giant that worked tirelessly and selflessly to try and build us a nation. Your contribution will go a long way not only in sustaining Joshua Nkomo’s legacy, but also in building a progressive society that promotes our arts, our cultures and our heritage,” the organisation said in its letter to the council.
