On this day in 1937, Zimbabwe politician and educationist Dr Sikhanyiso Duke Ndlovu was born. He was the Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education in 1995 to 2000 and in 2007 he was appointed Minister of Information and Publicity. At the time of his death in 2016, he was the Chairman of the Zimbabwe National Army schools as well as ZANU-PF member.
On this day in 1940, Lieutenant General Lookout Khalisabantu Vumindaba Masuku was born. During the Second Chimurenga Masuku commanded the Zimbabwe People’s Reolutionary Army a military wing of the Zimbabwe African People’s Revolutionary Army (ZAPU) and after independance he served the country as the deputy commander of the Zimbabwe national Army (ZNA) up until 1982. In 1982, Lookout Masuku, Dumiso Dabengwa were arrested for allegedly planning to overthrow then Prime Minister Robert Mugabe. The supreme Court acquitted them on all counts but the police detained the officials for 4 years. Masuku was released from prison in March 1986 due to poor health and he died the following month.
On this day in 1982, commander of the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA), a militant wing of Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) Lookout Masuku died due to cryptococcal meningitis at Parirenyatwa Hospital. General Masuku died a few weeks after his release from prison at the age of 45.