Joshua Nkomo

Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo (19 June 1917Jessup, John E. An Encyclopedic Dictionary of Conflict and Conflict Resolution, 1945–1996. P. 533. – 1 July 1999) was the leader and founder of the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) and a member of the Ndebele (Kalanga) tribe.Hill, Geoff. The Battle for Zimbabwe: The Final Countdown, 2003. Page 52.

Nkomo was jailed for ten years by Rhodesia's white minority government. After his release, ZAPU contributed to the fall of that government. Then they fought with a rival group led by Robert Mugabe. Mugabe became President of Zimbabwe. Nkomo was not trusted and eventually fled the country.

Honors
In 1999 Nkomo was declared a National Hero. He is buried in the National Heroes Acre in Harare.

On 27 June 2000, a set of four postage stamps were issued with Nkomo's image.

References

Further reading
Joshua Nkomo with Nicholas Harman, Nkomo: The Story of My Life (autobiography), 1984; ,.
The Zimbabwe African People's Union 1961–1987: A Political History of Insurgency in Southern Rhodesia.
Terence O. Ranger, ‘"Nkomo, Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo (1917–1999)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004. accessed 18 June 2006

Other websites


BBC Obituary
Guardian Obituary

Category:1917 births
Category:1999 deaths
Category:African military people
Category:Government ministers
Category:Roman Catholics
Category:Vice presidents of Zimbabwe
Category:Rhodesia