The Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) was a militant and political organization that was central to the liberation of Zimbabwe from white minority rule. It has undergone several transformations, most notably its merger into the currently ruling ZANU-PF.
On this day in 1924, a revolutionary and politician Robert Gabriel Mugabe was born in Kutama, Southern Rhodesia (present day Zimbabwe). Mugabe played a greater role in the formation of ZANU, served the country as Prime Minister from 1980 up to when he became the second President of the independent Zimbabwe in 1987. He resigned as president in November after a military intervention. Mugabe died in 2019.
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.
On this day in 1939, the late Zimbabwean politician Dumiso Dabengwa was born in Bulawayo. He served as the head of Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) intelligence during the Rhodesian Bush War. In 1982 he was charged for perdifying his country and was set free in 1983 due to lack of clear evidence. From 1992 to 2000 he served as the Minister of home affairs. He ran as a ZANU-public finance candidate for a seat in the House of Assembly from Nkulumane in the 2000 election but was defeated by Movement for Democratic Change. In 2013, he was a candidate for ZAPU election.
On this day in 1964, Zimbabwean born Pieter Johan Andries (Andrew) Oberholzer was murdered. Oberholzer was stabbed to death by the members of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU). Oberholzer worked as a foreman of the Silverstreams Wattle Company.
On this day in 1980, Robert Mugabe was declared prime minister of Zimbabwe after his ZANU (PF) party won 57 seats out of 80 seats in the general elections held to elect a government which would lead the country after being granted independence. In his speech, Mugabe mentioned that he will negotiate for a coalition government with Joshua Nkomo leader of the ZAPU (PF) party.
On this day in 1987, the House of Assembly elected Robert Mugabe as executive president of Zimbabwe. Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo signed the Unity Accord, which provided for the merge of ZANU and ZAPU into ZANU-PF on the same day. This was a turning point in Zimbabwe’s post-independence history as it marked the forging of an alliance between the countries major political players. The signing of the document ended the so called nationwide conflict that existed since 1963 between ZANU and ZAPU.
On this day in 2000, the founder of Zimbabwe African National Union, Ndabaningi Sithole died at the age of 80. His political ambition began in 1960 when he joined the new National Democratic Party (NDP) which was led by Joshua Nkomo. In the 1995 election, he won a seat in Parliament but later that year he was arrested for plotting to kill the late Robert Mugabe. In 1997 he was locked in prison and was to serve for two years . Subsequently, Sithole did not serve his entire full time because of his health conditions, he died in United States seeking for medical treatment.