The late Methodist Minister and first black Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Rhodesia Bishop Abel Muzorewa was born

On this day in 1925, politician and religious leader Bishop Abel Muzorewa was born in Old Umtali (Mutare), Zimbabwe. Muzorewa studied theology at Old Umtali Bible School, he was ordained as a Methodist priest in 1963 and in 1968 he was ordained as Bishop. In 1971, together Canaan Banana, they formed the United African National Congress (UANC). In 1978-79, he was the principal negotiator with Ian Smith and the negotiations led to the formation of the Interim Government making him the first black Prime Minister of Zimbabwe-Rhodesia under the Internal Settlement. However, other parties (ZANU and ZAPU) did not support rather they continued with the armed struggle. Muzorewa’s reign as Prime Minister ended at the Lancaster in 1980 when Zimbabwe was declared independent. He died in 2010.