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During the period Africans all over the world were commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising, and the 50th anniversary of Kwame Ture and Mukasa Dada defiantly introducing the concept of Black Power to the 1960’s generation, the nation of Zimbabwe and all of Mother Africa lost a dedicated comrade, Kwesi Harris who is now safely in the company of countless African ancestors.

Brother Kwesi believed Zimbabwe’s Third Chimurenga could be the key political issue that could bridge the resistance of Africans on the continent and the Diaspora.

At the time of passing on Brother Kwesi was the Director of the African American Male Resource Centre at Chicago State University. A few years ago when the British born Ghanaian Director and filmmaker Roy Ageymang was invited to CSU by Dr Kelly Harris of the African American Studies Department for a campus wide showing of his epic and groundbreaking documentary “Mugabe: Villain or Hero”, Brother Kwesi was extremely helpful in the mobilisation of the event and after seeing the film and told his students that the most important lesson they should take away from this experience was when Africans rally anywhere, their extended family will defend them everywhere.

When CSU hosted a forum on reparations Brother Kwesi told his students that this historic fight had to be tied to President Mugabe and zanu-pf tireless efforts to lift US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe. Brother Kwesi developed and maintained a very special relationship with internationally acclaimed hip hop Artiste Lupe Fiasco who previously made some disparaging remarks about President Mugabe and zanu-pf during his appearance on the Tavis Smiley show.

When Brother Kwesi learned about the musical and artistic initiative Battle Cry For Cuba and Zimbabwe that has resulted in three albums since December of 2013, which comprises artistes all over the world rallying for the lifting of US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe and the US blockade on Cuba, he was optimistic that when he was exposed to the truth Brother Lupe would lend his voice and talents to the 4th offering that should be ready by the end of this year.

Brother Kwesi wanted to see the children’s play “Sally Mugabe Lives Forever” written four years ago to celebrate the 20th anniversary of national heroine and former First Lady Amai Sally Mugabe’s passing on in 1992, performed in Chicago and felt all tobacco conglomerates who were connected to Zimbabwe when it was a colony of Britain and Rhodesia should pay reparations to Zimbabwe.

Another crucial aspect of the African personality that Brother Kwesi recognised which in turn made his work on our behalf rather exemplary, was his realisation that culture was the bedrock and foundation of our very being. If we fail to make our political expression synonymous with what we share culturally, we kill the very essence of the African fighting spirit which has guided our genuine resistance on the battlefield.

The communities of students and youth, women, teachers, artistes etc. that Brother Kwesi served loyally and faithfully attest to how whenever he poured libation at the beginning of countless events that he played a role in organising, everyone in attendance not only left completely reinvigorated, but will never again in the space and time they occupy this planet show any blatant disregard for the countless drops of blood daughters and sons of Africa have shed struggling for our liberation and human dignity.

Those among our ranks that are extremely critical of the Pan Helenic Council i.e. Greek Letter Sororities and Fraternities and Sororities, too often forget the rather extensive and illustrious list of freedom fighters, who at some point in their life were members of these organisations. It is fair to say mentioning all of them will be more tedious than going through the mug shots of Africans who have been arrested and terrorised by racist police departments all over the US, or Africans who like Brother Kwesi have been laid to rest in countless cemeteries courtesy of NCDS (non- communicable diseases) like cancer being one of the most deadly, which are projected to end the lives of 57 million people by 2038.

If some of us simply cannot resist the temptation of dragging sororities and fraternities through the mud, at least have the decency and integrity to acknowledge that Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah, Nnamdi Azikwe, Frederick Douglass, WEB DuBois, George Washington Carver, Paul Robeson, A Phillip Randolph, Dr Martin Luther King Jnr, Adam Clayton Powell Jnr, Nannie Helen Burroughs, Shirley Graham DuBois, Daisy Bates, Fannie Lou Hamer, Mary Church Terrell, Dr Dorothy Height are amongst the ranks of these organisations. Some of these iconic servants in struggle are honorary while others joined as students and gained valuable organisational skills, they used during their participation in the people’s struggle.

It is glaringly obvious that it was the dimension of service and responsibility that attracted Brother Kwesi to become a member of Kappa Alpha Psi. We are confident that the current and future generations of Kappas learn from Brother Kwesi that struggling for our people is not an option but our historical obligation.

Because Chicago is the base for scandalous opportunists like former US Congressman Mel Reynolds and countless others who saw US-EU sanctions on Zimbabwe as an opportunity to shake down President Mugabe and zanu-pf for millions of dollars by falsely masquerading as comrades and well wishers who shared the vision of the Third Chimurenga, the genuine nature approach Brother Kwesi took towards Zimbabwe illustrates that all so-called African Americans are not hustlers and frauds.

This in turn resulted in a generation becoming vulnerable and ultimately consumed by a reactionary political paradigm, where we ran into the arms of the military and corporate machine that preserves the cycle of racism, exploitation and poverty that is the legacy of US capitalism and imperialism.

As we seek to break US capitalism and imperialism’s monstrous grip, comrades like Brother Kwesi who showed us how to penetrate these circles by using a harmonious blend of diplomacy and militancy without compromising his integrity any step of the way, provides an invaluable lesson future servants and fighters do not have the luxury of ignoring.

What Brother Kwesi became was an alternative resource for students who were distrustful of professors and administrators, that attempted to convince their abandoning our people had its perks and rewards.

We cannot ignore the countless organisations that Brother Kwesi faithfully served and who shaped his outlook and perspective, The Bobby E Wright Comprehensive Health Centre, Khepera & Associates Networking Services, Black Star Project,Y2 Kwanzaa Organization, Cobbala Production, Teaching and Educating Men of Black Origin Program, Citywide Coalition against Tobacco & Alcohol Billboards, National African American Tobacco Prevention Network and lastly the African American Male Resource Centre at Chicago State University.

May Zimbabwe in particular and all of Africa remember Brother Kwesi for the manner in which he embraced the African fighting spirit that defined his life and work.

• Obi Egbuna Jnr is the US Correspondent to The Herald (Zimbabwe’s National Newspaper) and the External Relations Officer of ZICUFA(Zimbabwe-Cuba Friendship Association). His email is [email protected]