Media Statement|As MLF, we applaud Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi for clearing the air over who can name streets in Bulawayo, a move that recently saw deputy local government minister Marian Chombo disqualify the changes that Bulawayo City Council had done to some city streets. It is clear that Marian Chombo’s interest was to further the illegal occupation of Mthwakazi by her tribe than ensuring justice for the people of Mthwakazi whose history has been deliberately distorted by the people like her.
Therefore with the person who knows how justice is exercised having cleared the air over the issue and as stakeholders in the running of the City of the Kings, we would also like to query some changes made and put forward suggestions to them.
As a people whose history is preserved by the changing of names of the streets and properties view the made name changes of some streets as not only an insult to us but a hard-forced reminder of what we went through. Also, to add on our disapproval of some names, recently the same exercise was conducted in Masvingo where MDC counselors were reported as eager to name one other street after Morgan Tshwangirai but the proposal was strongly rejected on basis that Tshwangirai hailed from Gutu and should be honoured there. It then boggles our minds to learn that our City honours people from other countries/regions and people who do not have a clear history with the city ahead of its own people.
We therefore strongly disapprove of the naming of;
1. Plumtree Road after Benjamin Burombo
Benjamin Burombo born in Buhera (Manicaland) was a labour union leader Born in Buhera in Manicaland. The fact that he worked in Bulawayo, where he formed the British African National Voice Association in 1947, does not qualify him to be honoured in Bulawayo.
2. Manchester Road – George Nyandoro
George Nyandoro was born in the Chiota Reserve in Harare and he served as the Secretary General of the very same ZANU that started killing our people as earl as 1975 in Tanzania. Is that what he has to be honoured for in Bulawayo?
3. Athlone Avenue – Simon Vengai Muzenda
Born in Gutu, Simon Vengai Muzenda was a ZANU PF member, a Gukurahundist who served as Deputy Prime Minister
from 1980 to 1987 and as Vice-President of Zimbabwe from 1987. The best honour for Muzenda in Bulawayo will be for LUVEVE CEMETRY to be named after him.
4. George Avenue (from Harare Road to Old Esigodini Road) -Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Avenue.
The fact that Emmerson Mnangagwa geographically hails from within Mthwakazi (Selukwe) does not qualify him for special honour in Mthwakazi but because he has a nasty history with Mthwakazi the WEST PARK CEMETRY where tens of thousands of his victims lie, should be named after him.
We propose that;
1. George Avenue be named Prince Njube Khumalo Avenue.
2. Athlone Avenue be named Prince Nyamande Khumalo Avenue
3. Street Manchester Road be named Mgandane Road
4. Luveve Cemetry be named Simon Muzenda Cemetry
5. N06 Cemetry be named Robert Gabriel Mugabe Cemetry
6. West Park Cemetry be named Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa
Cemetry
We believe in this way, the true history of Mthwakazi and the city will be preserved.