The Vice-President of Zimbabwe, Mr John Landa Nkomo, passed away on 17 January 2013.

 

Secretary-General Sindiso Ngwenya represented COMESA at the burial, and extended heartfelt condolences upon the untimely passing of Comrade John Landa Nkomo, to the family, people and the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe. He said that the passing of Comrade Nkomo, a gallant freedom fighter and visionary leader, is not only an irreplaceable loss to Zimbabwe, but to the entire COMESA family.

“Comrade Nkomo will be remembered for his selfless dedication and commitment to the political and economic liberation of Zimbabwe and to the ideals of Pan-Africanism, which envisages nation states and a continent that is devoid of the ethnic fault lines that were bequeathed by the colonial rulers to post-independent states.”

“It is our fervent hope that the ideals that Comrade Nkomo sacrificed his life for will be emulated by all and sundry in the Republic of Zimbabwe in order to jealously guard the independence that was achieved through blood, sweat and tears,” Mr Ngwenya said.

Vice-President John Nkomo was a founding member of the African National Congress between 1958 and 1959. He joined the National Democratic Party in 1960 before joining the Zimbabwe African People’s Union in 1961. In 1971 he joined the African National Council where he was deputy secretary-general. After the country gained independence in 1980, he became Member of Parliament for Matabeleland North between 1980 and 1985, and later served as Speaker of Parliament.

Over the years he served as minister in various portfolios in Zimbabwe. In 2009, Nkomo was appointed Minister of State in the President’s Office responsible for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration, 2009 after the inception of the Inclusive Government. He was then appointed Vice-President in December 14, 2009.

Vice-President Nkomo was laid to rest on 21 January 2013.