Selborne road reminder to many youths

THE FORMER SELBORNE AVENUE NOW KNOWN AS LEOPOLD TAKAWIRA ESTABLISHED A STRONG REPUTATION AMONG MANY PARENTS IN BULAWAYO. IT WAS A MEASURE OF STRAIGHTNESS THAT ACCOMPANIED SERIOUS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR MANY DELINQUENT YOUTHS.

A SENIOR CITIZEN VIVIDLY REMEMBERS HOW WHEN SHE UTTERED THE “UZAQONDA NJENGOSOLBHONI” WORDS IT MEANT A BEATING PRESCRIPTION UPON A DELIQUENT CHILD. A MIDDLE AGED MAN ALSO REMEMBERS THOSE WORDS FROM HIS MOTHER. IF EVER THEY, WERE UTTERED IN THE HOUSE, IT MEANT TROUBLE.

THE ALMOST RULER STRAIGHT, SELBORNE AVENUE IS NOW LEOPOLD TAKAWIRA A NAME OF AN EMINENT ZIMBABWEAN NATIONALIST WHO DIED IN SALISBURY’S MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON ON JUNE 15, 1970. LORD SELBORNE, AFTER WHOM THE AVENUE WAS ORIGINALLY NAMED WAS AT ONE TIME THE BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER TO SOUTH AFRICA. HE OFFICIALLY TOURED THE THEN SOUTHERN RHODESIA AND VISITED BULAWAYO IN 1906.

AS TO WHO DECIDED, ON SUCH A STRAIGHT ROAD THAT WOULD GO ON TO BE A MARK OF PARENTAL EMPHASIS OF PERFECTION IN DISCIPLINARY MOMENTS, NO-ONE IS REALLY SURE.