BY DR MASIMBA MAVAZA
Many of us have felt moments similar to our feet collapsing through the floor, when our stomachs decide to become gymnasts inside of us and where we suddenly are at a loss for words. None of these feelings can accurately describe how I feel knowing that my friend my comrade and an honest cadre our hero is no longer with us on Earth.
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For those who didn’t know Masimba he was a great man for what he did for Zimbabwe in the hostile lands of the United Kingdom. Masimba was a source of hope and inspiration for many around the UK. And to many he was this hero out there who had direct impact on their lives. Masimba was closer to people closer to their lives and more real than real.
Today, that light has been turned off and it feels as though we are surrounded by darkness… His departure from this earth only a few hours before the new year has left a big void in ZANU PF UK and Europe.
When one grows up, reflecting to both adolescent and teenage years, there are many days of unexplainable pain. This kind of pain came out of no where and had its own agenda of where it would reside for an x amount of time. The pain we feel now no one can understand it. We have lost a pillar and a man who looked more to life than to death.
His physical presence is gone, but the lessons he taught us in life and while courageously approaching death will serve us all well for many years to come.
On his death, calls and messages poured in from far and wide, as testament to the man, to his life, and to the impression he had left behind! His life was a tremendous learning experience and example for the generations that are to follow, and the biggest lesson came at the end. Because of Masimba I realized how important it is to treat everyone with respect… and most importantly, to smile! Masimba was a smiling machine.
We must however never let that sense of loss get us down.
The only certainty in a hero’s life is that it could end at any moment. As a hero, Comrade Masimba Tawengwa could not banish dangers, but could banish fears.
But Cde Masimba the hero who was not recognised in his death will not be forgotten soon. Those of us who knew him best will tell stories of his bravery, his heroism, and his sacrifice. Cde Masimba Tawengwa was the chairperson of ZANU PF Uk and Europe and he has shown outstanding performance and immeasurable contributions to the country before and after he became the chairperson. Even though his position was being disputed by cde Gore and his team cde Masimba executed his duties professionally.
Besides his political career Cde Tawengwa was the director of M TAWENGWA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED (10297731) He was again a director Of
MUSHANDIRAPAMWE BUSES (PVT) LIMITED (09057171)
This company was an offshoot of the Mushandirapamwe pvt which ran buses and hotels
Cde Tawengwa was the grandson of cde George Tawengwa (born 6 March 1915 – died 13 April 1982 in Harare) was the first black millionaire (in US dollars) in Zimbabwe, a prominent businessman who was engaged in transport, retail, hotel and agriculture industries. He was the owner of the Mushandirapamwe Hotel in Highfield, Harare and others. In 1960 he was the first black person to purchase a 1,872.0-hectare commercial farm (Zimdale farm in Marondera) from a white farmer, in the then colonial system by a racist white minority of Southern Zimbabwe He went on to purchase other surrounding farms to Zimdale, namely: Sandra farm, Keal (B) farm and Mhendamu.he bought two other commercial farms at Chemagora near Gokwe which he bequeathed to his two eldest sons Garikayi and Solomon when he was still alive. Solomon Tawengwa who was the father of cde Masimba Tawengwa was the Mayor of Harare and a very staunch member of ZANU PF.
Solomon chirume Tawengwa was a Zimbabwean politician and Executive Mayor for Harare from 1996 to 1999. Solomon Tawengwa was the first executive mayor of Harare and Zanu-PF politburo member. He died in 2004. Cde Mugabe told mourners that Tawengwa fought for social justice, social welfare and economic empowerment for the marginalised. This is the spirit Solomon imparted unto Masimba Tawengwa.
Cde Tawengwa taught me how to be strong, how to smile and how to be optimistic about tomorrow during the most difficult times of life. I never knew of his depression, but I want to say my obliviousness stemmed from his ability to make the sun shine through every window of every room he stood in.
He calmly handled the infighting which was caused by the departure of cde Nick Mangwana who was appointed into Civil Service. His departure left a vacancy which took a nasty bitter fight which saw cde Masimba Tawengwa emerging as the chairperson of ZANU PF in the UK.
The death of our present-day hero has shaken us to the core, and it’s safe to say anyone else who saw him as another guiding father figure might feel this way as well.
Masimba Tawengwa’s loss has hit home, like the death of a family member and will forever be imprinted in my mind. But I have to thank him for more than the past, for his tragic passing has given me the courage to write this unbelievably personal post for the online world to potentially come across. There are few things I am afraid of now because the nature of his character, both on and off screen, metaphorically held my hand when no one else could.
If there is anything you should take away from this, let it be that you hold the power to change your life. Some of us realize this on our own, without the conscious or subconscious guidance of another, but many of us fail to recognize our true potential when devastation arrives. Whether it be a poor grade on a test, a consequential mistake in a social situation or an unlucky draw of a painful diagnosis, every situation holds the same amount of importance. What seems small to some might be another’s entire world and the more open the mind is to hope and change, the more likely our days will become permanently better. Tawengwa put many in business regardless of your political beliefs.
The world has lost one of the most talented and life-changing individuals today.
His works encompassed Pan-African values while advocating unity among Zimbabweans.
May he wait for the Lord in peace. We await the day the Lord will come. This body prone to pain will be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye.
And the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible.
There will never again be any death, for death will be defeated.
We all hope and pray that on that blessed morning when our eyes will see the glory of the coming of the Lord we will see comrade Masimba Tawengwa rising to glory.
Comrade Masimba might not be at the Heroes acre but his work proclaim a Hero above heroes.
May God comfort the Tawengwa family and all the Zimbabwe family.
May the works of comrade Tawengwa be our motivation in serving Zimbabwe. Comrade Masimba would say Zimbabwe first and indeed he is rested.
Only God will reward his sacrifices.
Vazet2000@yahoo.co.uk
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