PROMINENT Matabeleland medical practitioner and former Bulawayo City councillor Dr Garry Ferguson (84) has revealed how the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo persuaded him to remain in Zimbabwe at independence in 1980 at a time there was an exodus of whites to South Africa, Australia and Europe.
MTHANDAZO NYONI OWN CORRESPONDENT
According to council minutes that were tabled before a full council meeting last Wednesday titled “Letter from Dr JM Ferguson relating to the late Vice-President JM Nkomo’s statue”, the town clerk Middleton Nyoni indicated that he had attached a letter dated November 6 2013 from the former councillor Ferguson.
According to the minutes, Ferguson said some time before independence, Nkomo came to see him at Galen House for medical attention and they became friends.
Ferguson said he admired Nkomo’s plans for developing health facilities in Bulawayo.
He said at that time, a number of white doctors were among the people leaving the country just before independence and Nkomo came to his consulting rooms and persuaded him not to run away.
“As independence was approaching in 1980, there was much uncertainty about the future among the European community and many people were leaving the country,” Ferguson wrote in the letter.
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“Sometime earlier, a new patient had come to see me at Galen House. His name was Dr Joshua Nkomo.
“We became good friends and I admired his plans for developing health facilities in the city.
“Sadly, there were a number of doctors among the people leaving the country and one day, while Nkomo sat beside me in the consulting room, he put a hand on my knee and he said: ‘Fergie don’t run away’.”
He said Nkomo gave him the confidence to stay and look into a future he had hoped for in Zimbabwe and he had not let him down.
Ferguson said Nkomo’s early ability to put the past behind him and look at a better future was an endearing memory for him.
On Friday Ferguson, former councillor from the Welshman Ncube-led MDC told Southern Eye he wrote the letter to the Bulawayo mayor Martin Moyo as an appreciation of the legacy Nkomo left in the country.
Ferguson said at first he was reluctant to write the letter as there were problems around erecting Nkomo’s statue in Bulawayo.
“Nkomo was my best friend and I have long considered offering a little presentation from a white person, especially on his human side,” he said.
“He was a very comfortable person one would ever want to spend much time with.”
Ferguson, who is originally from Scotland, built Galen House into one of the largest medical centres in Bulawayo and has served Zimbabwe as a doctor for 57 years. He says he has no intention of retiring anytime soon.
However, Ferguson criticised the government’s proposal to change names of buildings as ridiculous saying he would never consider it for Galen House.
“I do not want the name to be changed because this is private property and a functioning institution.
“Changing the name is a ridiculous thing to do.”
The Bulawayo Metropolitan provincial office last month wrote to council urging it to consider renaming some private buildings in the central business district, roads, stadiums and health institutions.
Nkomo’s statue was finally unveiled in Bulawayo on December 22 after a 14-year-long wait.
