A documentary footage has emerged of the late liberation icon Joshua Nkomo reacting to his sacking by President Mugabe in 1982.
In February 1982, Mugabe accused Nkomo of plotting a coup and fired him and three ministers of his Zimbabwe African People’s Union party.
“I have never done anything wrong and Robert (Mugabe) knows this. I tell you, this is for personal power. Let him stand up and deny this. He is frightened of me and my stature and is frightened that he will not win the next election. That is what he is doing- trying to smear me. It is very very sly and very dirty. You don’t expect (this) of a president of a country.”,Nkomo said in the footage.
Nkomo‘s passport was seized and he was restricted to his home city of Bulawayo in western Zimbabwe.
Fighters professing loyalty to Nkomo mounted an armed rebellion.
Nkomo saw his sacking as a personal act of revenge by Mugabe.IMG_0011