Zimbabwe’s main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) president Nelson Chamisa has saluted ZANU-PF for setting up a good education system post-independence.
Speaking during a memorial service for the late law expert and academic Alex Magaisa, held at Harare Showgrounds recently, Chamisa said good things should be commended regardless of who did them.
“Yes, ZANU PF did us wrong and the country is performing badly. But there is one thing that I want to acknowledge. Some will say, what am I saying now?
“The liberation struggle produced some of the finest things which we must celebrate. Education is one of them, sovereignty and the ability to vote,” he said.
Chamisa said the education system produced a number great brains and intellectuals, the likes of Magaisa, who, at the time of his demise was a lecturer at Kent University in the United Kingdom.
He also gave another example of former deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara who went to Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States and is one of the best robotics scientist and intellectual in the world.
Chamisa disclosed that he was once advised by the late Magaisa to stop the habit of dodging national events.
“I said to myself I will no longer snub a national event. Some would say, ‘are you mad?’ Magaisa is the one who said this because we had surrendered national processes and events to ZANU-PF.
“These are national events. That is why I said at independence even if they speak harshly or do anything against me, I will attend. Independence is ours, it is for the nation and I am Zimbabwe,” he said.
Chamisa went on to say there is no need for him to fight with President Emmerson Mnangagwa, calling him his elder brother.
“There is no need to fight. Some say why do you call (President Emmerson) Mnangagwa elder? Why would you have such a brother?
“Don’t you have such old brothers? Even if we agree or disagree, he is a brother, we are one people. If water flows from different streams, it will end up in the ocean. We are one people. We may differ or not agree, but we are one people.”
