Published: 2016 May 24 05:38:50 (3451 Views)

I ALWAYS feel sad when I think of how I have no idea what having a grandfather is like.

Both my maternal and paternal grandpas died before I was born, and anasekuru taingovaonerawo kumanext door; like this other old man, AZuruvi, who used to offer us mangoes and mahabros from his vast orchards, and always warned us to watch out for wasp nests and to avoid eating too much mangoes.

He was quite a loner, he lived all by himself.

Every morning, I watched him walk down the path to the river for a bath, his hands resting loosely on his back, with his fingers clasping a plastic bag that I assumed contained his toiletries.

He would spend time with us, teaching us how to shoot a bird with a catapult, or how to snare kasisii kana katsvodzi using urimbo.

He told us fascinating tales of how he was a famous rabbit and bushbuck hunter during his times as a young man, and he would- with his crooked finger- point to the grass pastures and shake his head- “Ipapa paive nemasango pese apa, ndopataivhima, ikozvino hapachina chinhu”

We enjoyed being with AZuruvi, but then I always wondered why he was so kind to us, the young folks.

It was only at his funeral, which I attended despite being very young, that I learnt from the clergyman who delivered the graveside speech; AZuruvi wished he had a biological grandchild with whom he would spend time with.

Heaping praise on the man who now lay still inside a brown coffin, the clergyman said AZuruvi was a darling of the children and made up by treating village boys and girls nicely.

Yes, he saw us as his own, and treated us like we were his grandchildren.

But years of spending time with various granddads taught me it was not just A Zuruvi, but it was in the nature of granddads to be amazingly wonderful to kids.

This is also because they often are retired people who have enough time to share experiences and pass on knowledge to the young ones.

So, much as I wished I had seen my biological granddads, I can happily say AZuruvi took care of that on behalf of my real granddads who had made unanimous decisions to die before I was born! (Yes, I allow myself to taunt my granddads)

Sadly though for him, AZuruvi never got to have a biological grandchild and people like President Robert Mugabe are so lucky to have been accorded a chance to see and spend time with a grandchild.

I know Mugabe is great leader who never falls short when he is needed, and Simbanashe must be the happiest baby on earth having been born as a grandson to such a brilliant, loving, caring and grandfather-like figure, Robert Mugabe.

I am more than confident that Mugabe will, like AZuruvi, take his time to spend time with his grandson and to teach him ‘how to drive away your own cattle herd when there is an altercation with other herdboys’, among many other life lessons.

Despite being 92, I am sure Mugabe has the energy to undertake this new demanding task.

But, in the essence of not overloading himself with tasks, it would be great if he then decides to take the grooming of his grandson FULL-TIME!

Because Zimbabwe needs to move ahead.




- Source: Tapiwa Zivira

You might also want to read this

• Mugabe Knows Nothing About The Zimbabwe Constitution: MP
• Grace Mugabe Grovels At Mnangagwa, Says I Did Not Ask Ubaba To Fire You
• Mugabe Attacks Mawarire, Claims The Exiled Pastor Failed To Divide Zimbabwe
• Mugabe "Home Coming" And "Thank You" Rally On Cards
• You Are Too Old To Lead, Aging Zim President Mugabe Told
• Tajamuka Slams Zimpapers, Fumes Over
• Mthwakazi Activists Torment Mujuru
• 6 Zanu PF Youths Nabbed For Assaulting Cops
• Mutare Con-artist Cracks Zanu PF
• SHOCKING PICTURES: Tajamuka Activist In Hospital, Tortured, Left For Dead

Comment as Anonymous | Comment With Facebook Submit

There are no comments.

Big Reads

© Copyright 2026 Zim Metro is not responsible for the content of external sites | Contact Us: editor@zimmetro.net | RSS Feeds | Sitemap