X-Nico

6 unusual facts about Joshua Nkomo


Alfred Nikita Mangena

While Mangena did not intend to lead a coup against Joshua Nkomo, he wished to reassert his power over the organization's militant activities.

Joshua Nkomo

The most widely reported and possibly the most effective of these attacks which had an impact in the Rhodesian's social life was the downing of two Air Rhodesia Vickers Viscount civilian passenger planes with surface-to-air missiles.

The real target of the second attack was General Peter Walls, head of the COMOPS (Commander, Combined Operations), in charge of the Special Forces, including the SAS and the Selous Scouts.

But the mission was finally aborted and attempted again, unsuccessfully, by the Rhodesian Special Air Service (SAS).

At the time of independence ZIPRA had a modern military, stationed in Zambia and Angola, consisting of Soviet-made Mikoyan fighters, tanks and armoured personnel carriers, as well as well trained artillery units.

Zimbabwe Saints F.C.

The name Mashonaland United FC was adopted up until 1975 when nationalist leaders such as Dr Herbert Ushewokunze and Dr Joshua Nkomo (both late) felt tribal names were causing divisions among African people.


John Keyworth Boynton

For the first time, these elections were to involve the rival guerrilla organisations led by Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo.

Matabeleland

Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo, finally reconciled their political differences by late 1987.

For a brief period, Rhodesia reverted to the status of British colony, but in early 1980, elections were held and the ZANU party, led by the Shona independence hero Robert Mugabe, defeated the popular Ndebele candidate Joshua Nkomo and solidified their rule over the independent nation of Zimbabwe.

Silver Cross of Rhodesia

Notable recipients included Martin Pearse, who was killed in Lusaka in 1979 during the attempted assassination by the Rhodesian SAS of the ZAPU insurgent leader Joshua Nkomo.

Southern Rhodesian general election, 1980

On 13 January, Joshua Nkomo, leader of ZAPU, returned to Southern Rhodesia after three years' exile and addressed a rally of between 100,000 and 150,000 at Highfield township in Salisbury.

Zimbabwe African National Union

ZANU won the 1980 elections under the leadership of Robert Mugabe, and seven years later merged again with Joshua Nkomo's ZAPU to form ZANU-PF, the current governing party of the country.

Zimbabwe African People's Union

Founded by Joshua Nkomo as president, Parirenyatwa as vice-president, Ndabaningi Sithole as chairman, Jason Moyo, Robert Mugabe as information and publicity secretary, Leopold Takawira as external secretary, at the request of Joseph Msika, ZAPU was banned in 1962 by the Rhodesian white minority government, and was later engaged in a guerrilla war against it.


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