uMthunywa
Nkosilathi Sibanda
UMHLELI wephephandaba likazulu wokuqala uNkosikazi Clara Chirembo kasekho.
UNkkz Chirembo ubhubhe eleminyaka yokuzalwa engu-89, mhlaka 9 kuLwezi ngemva kokuphathwa ngumkhuhlane wetshukela.
Umuyi waba ngumhleli wakuqala kaMthunywa ngesikhathi inkampani yeZimbabwe Newspapers (Zimpapers) isungula amaphephandaba alotshwe ngendimi zabansundu.
UNkkz Chirembo waba ngumhleli wephephandaba leli okweminyaka elitshimu lambili kusukela ngo 1985 kusiya fika ku-1997.
Ngaleso isikhathi iphephandaba likazulu laligxile kundaba eziphathelane lengqubekela phambili esabelweni seMatabeleland.
U-Albetina Chirembo, indodakazi kamuyi, uthe imuli ithinteke kakhulu ngokulahlekelwa ngumama.
Uthe uClara ubengumthunzi emulini, njalo ubephathisa umphakathi.
“Sibika ngokulahlekelwa ngumama uClara Nonsizi Chirembo, odlule kulumhlaba ngoMvulo mhlaka 9 kuLwezi.
Umama udonse isikhathi eside ehlutshwa ngumkhuhlane wetshukela,” kutsho uAlbertina.
U-Albertina ubike ukuba unina, owayelilunga lebandla leRoma, wake wabangumbalisi ezikolo ezibalisa e-St Patrick’s koBulawayo lase Mpandeni Mission ePlumtree.
“Umama ubeqeqetshile ezifundweni. Wake wafundisa eSt Patrick’s laseMpandeni ngomnyaka ka1948.
Ubengunozindaba olodumo ehlonitshwa ngemisebenzi yakhe futhi.
“Uthando ayelalo ngokuhlela iphephandaba likazulu lwenza ukuthi abaseduzane lomphakathi ngokuncedisa ukusabalalisa indaba zengqubekela phambili lokubambanisa lomphakathi,” ngu Albertina lo.
Umuyi uChirembo wayephathisa ngokugcina asebeluphele eKuphumuleni Old People’s Home elokitshini le Luveve, ngokutsho kuka Albertina.
Kubikwa ngoMpandula kumnyaka ka-1988, umama uChirembo waba yigxenye yentatheli ezakhapha uPope John Paul II evakatshele kuleli.
Imuli ibika ukuthi umuyi wayehlala ekhuluma ngokuthi akalikhohlwa lelo langa bebhoda lo-Pope John Paul II.
“Ukuba yintatheli kwakusegazini. Mihla ngemihla ubesixoxela ngesikhathi esasebenza kuMthunywa lokuqakatheka komsebenzi wentatheli.”
Abantu babuthene ku- 4 Harding Road eNorthend koBulawayo.
“Ilanga lomngcwabo alikabekwa. Sizabikela uzulu kumalanga alandelayo,” kutsho indodakazi kamuyi.
UChiremo utshiye abantwana abayisithupha, labazukulu abalitshumi lanhlanu.
