On this day in 1919, politician Ian Douglas Smith was born in Selukwe now Shurugwi, a small town in Midlands Province. His father was a prominent rancher in Rhodeisa. He did his primary education at Selukwe Primary, secondary education at Chaplin High School in Gweru and did a Bachelor of Commerce at the Rhodes University in South Africa. After completing his studies, Smith joined the British Royal Air Force in the World War
On this day in 1940, the secretary and commander of the ZANLA troops Josiah Magama Tongogara was born in Selukwe (Shurugwi), Zimbabwe. Tongogara. He started his revolutionary activities in Zambia in 1963. His commitment towards the army led to his appointment army commander in 1972. General Tongogara died in 1979 at the age of 41.