05 November 2021
Jeremiah Harrison
Bulawayo – The National Peace and Reconciliation Commission consultative meetings got off to a shacky start yesterday as delegates were given lyrics of the National Anthem with serious typographical errors.
The National Anthem was to be sang in IsiNdebele.
The discontentment broke out after the guests who were part of the consultative dialogue meeting noticed the glaring errors and failed to comprehend the Anthem which had been presented to them on paper.
Some of the phrases rendered the sentences meaningless because of the errors.
“Khangelan’ iZimbabwe yon’ihlotshiwe” was one of the noticeable errors that irked delegates drawn from different organisations.
“Its very clear that the responsibility to type the National Anthem was given to someone incopentent.” said a delegate who prefered anonymity.
“Why would they give someone who is not familiar with our language to type the National Anthem?”, he fumed.
” Okunye yikuthi basithathela phansi njengabantu bakoBulawayo (we are not respected as a people of Bulawayo)”, another delegate added, again refusing with her name.
The consultative meeting was graced by the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Hon. Judith Ncube , Deputy Chairperson Commissioner Lilian Chigwedere among other Commissioners who replaced the previously constituted commissioners.
The Commissioners are appointed on a Give year term and their mandate is derived from Chapter 12 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe amendment number of 2013.
The primary mandate of the NPRC is to promote national healing, peace and reconciliation.
The new commissioners are led by Rtd. Justice Selo Masole Nare and deputised by Lillian Chigwedere. Other names include Dr. Josephine Shambare, Adv. Obert Gutu, Nomaqhawe Gwere, Dr. Donwell Dube, Rev. Chiropafadzo Moyo, Dr. Tinashe Rukuni and Dr. Golden Chekenyere.
Seemingly, amongst the Commissioners there are members who are conversant with IsiNdebele, it then boggles the mind as to why and how they overlooked the misspelt words and meaningless sentences on the national Anthem?
It also baffles the mind why the responseble person did not just download the IsiNdebele lyrics from Wikipedia or Victoria Falls guide were the Anthem with correct wording is easily accessible?
It maybe the case of a comment the lady who refused with her name commented,
“We are not respected as a people of Bulawayo”,