Nkomo, Joshua
Nkomo, Joshua (1917–1999). Pioneer Zimbabwean African nationalist. After studying in South Africa, Nkomo returned to work on the Rhodesian Railways and became president of the black railway workers' union in 1951. He was elected president of the African National Congress (ANC) in 1957 and was founder and president of the National Democratic Party in 1960 and the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) in 1961 as each of the earlier parties was banned. Nkomo was detained by the white-controlled government from 1964 to 1974 and then led ZAPU, in alliance with Robert Mugabe's ZANU, in a guerrilla war against the government. In the peace negotiations held in London in 1979 he was overshadowed by Mugabe, and when the latter became prime minister of Zimbabwe in 1980, relations between the two remained uneasy. In 1987 ZANU and ZAPU united and, when Mugabe became the country's executive president, Nkomo was appointed vice-president.
Kenneth Ingham
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Nkomo, Joshua
