Joshua Nkomo

Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo (1917 - 1999) was a Politician Ndebele of the Zimbabwe, founder of the " Zimbabwe African Peoples Union" (ZAPU).

Joshua Nkomo was the Christian son of missionary S , teachers with the Matabeleland in Southern Rhodesia.

Provided education for in South Africa, it makes knowledge during its academic works with Fort Hare of Nelson Mandela and other African nationalist leaders.

It does not finish its studies however and returns to Southern Rhodesia to Bulawayo in 1948 where it becomes one of the leaders of the black Syndicat of the railroads.

In parallel, he becomes business man then with beginning of the year 50, adheres to the plain federal Party Godfrey Huggins, the Prime Minister for the Fédération of Rhodesia and Nyassaland. Disappointed by the policy of the federal government, it breaks with the party of Huggins and in 1957 takes part in the foundation of the league of the young people of Salisbury.

In 1960, it founds the National democratic party (National Democratic Party - NDP) and takes part in the constitutional conference on the future of the federation. After having planned to accept the proposals for a constitutional revision, he refused to sign under the pressure of the African public opinion. The December 6th 1960, the NDP was prohibited by the government of Southern Rhodesia to the reason which he encouraged the acts of sabotage. The December 17th, Nkomo founded then the Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU). This one was in its turn prohibits in September 1962.

Into 1963, the ZAPU was divided into two for ethnic reasons with the dissidence of Sithole, Robert Mugabe, Takawira and Malianga which created ZANU.

In 1964, Nkomo was stopped by the security forces rhodésienne. Interned until in 1974, it is released only thanks to the pressures of John Vorster, the Prime Minister of South Africa. This last sought to find interlocutors moderated with the rebellious government of Ian Smith, Prime Minister of Rhodesia.

With its release, Nkomo joined the Zambia to actively continue the armed struggle against the white government of Rhodesia. More discreetly, it started negotiations with the government of Ian Smith.

In 1975, it took part in the official meeting in the Chutes Victoria between Ian Smith and the African main leaders of Rhodesia under the auspices of Kenneth Kaunda and John Vorster.

The September 3rd 1978, the ZIPRA, military wing of the ZAPU, cut down an airliner civil of Air Rhodesia, killing 38 of the 56 passengers. Ten survivors (mainly of the women and children) were massacred thereafter on the ground by the guerillas of the ZIPRA whereas eight other surviving passengers succeeded in traversing 20 km to put themselves at the shelter, pursued by the men of the ZIPRA.

A second plane was in its turn shot down by the ZIPRA the February 12th 1979, killing the 59 passengers, mainly tourists who returned from the Victoria falls.

In an interview televised, little time after the first shot down flight, Nkomo asserted indirectly, with the turning of a joke, the terrorist attack but it is only in 1985, in its memories, that it expressed its major regrets for the dead civilians these days.

In 1979, the ZAPU of Mugabe and the ZANU of Mugabe were combined in a patriotic Face to go together to the constitutional negotiations of Lancaster House directed by Lord Carrington.

These negotiations led to agreements between the representatives rhodésiens and the liberation movements.

At the time of the multiracial elections of 1980, the ZAPU of Nkomo was however largely preceded by the ZANU of his/her enemy brother, Robert Mugabe. The ethnic competitions had quickly remade surface and the ZAPU had carried it only in Matabeleland whereas the ZANU had carried it in the zones with majority Shona S (first ethnos group of the country).

The April 18th 1980, the Zimbabwe was born on the ruins from Rhodesia and Nkomo entered to the government directed by Robert Mugabe.

In 1982, shown to prepare a Coup d'etat with the assistance of South Africa, Nkomo is dislocated government. Mugabe launched then raids murderer in Matabeleland, favorable to Nkomo (Gukurahundi operation), Nkomo flees then with London while a Civil war devastated Matabeleland making a score of thousands of deaths.

In 1987, Nkomo and Mugabe were reconciled. The ZANU and the ZAPU amalgamated then in a Zanu-PF, making almost of Zimbabwe, a country with sole party. Nkomo returned to the government.

Nkomo died of a Cancer of the prostate on July 1st, 1999. It was 81 years old.

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