Nkomo, Joshua

Nkomo, Joshua (Mqabuko Nyongolo)

(born June 19, 1917, Semokwe Reserve, Matabeleland, Rhodesia—died July 1, 1999, Harare, Zimb.) Zimbabwean (formerly Rhodesian) black nationalist. Nkomo helped lead the guerrilla war against white rule in Rhodesia, but his forces played a less important role than those of Robert Mugabe. As leader of the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), he became Mugabe's longtime rival. They participated in a coalition government in 1980–82, but Nkomo was removed following a breach between them. ZAPU and Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) merged in 1987 to form ZANU–Patriotic Front, and Nkomo became a vice president in Mugabe's government in 1990.

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Nkomo, Joshua 

Born 1917. Figure in the national liberation movement in Southern Rhodesia.

The son of a peasant, Nkomo studied in Southern Rhodesia and later in the Union of South Africa. Taking correspondence courses, he received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of South Africa at Pretoria. In 1947 he became an employee of Rhodesian Railways. In 1951 he was elected general secretary of the Rhodesian Railways African Employees’ Association.

At the beginning of the 1950’s, Nkomo headed the national liberation movement in Southern Rhodesia. Since 1957 he has been the president of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU). Between 1963 and 1974, after ZAPU was outlawed, Nkomo was under arrest. Since September 1975 he has been president of the African National Council. [18–105–1; updated]