John Nkomo
| Dr John Nkomo | |
|---|---|
 Image Via: Nehanda Radio | |
| Born | John Landa Nkomo August 22, 1934 Gwai Reserve |
| Died | January 17, 2013 |
| Nationality | Zimbabwe |
| Education | Manqe Primary School, St Nanian's Primary School, Solusi Mission School |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1958 to 2013 |
| Employer | Government of Zimbabwe |
| Political party | Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front |
| Parent(s) | Lufele Nkomo and Macitshi Nkomo |
| Relatives | Edna Nkomo, Esther Nkomo, Jester Nkomo, Constance Nkomo, Philip Nkomo, Caleb Nkomo, Jacob Nkomo |
John Landa Nkomo was an early nationalist and politician. He was elected to the House of Assembly in 1980 for PF Zapu, and later joined (ZANU PF). He served as Vice President from 2009 to 2013.
Personal Details
Born: 22 August 1934 in the Gwaai Reserve (now Tsholotsho) in Matabeleland North. [1]
He was the third child in a family of nine, four girls and five boys. Nkomo's mother Macitshi passed on 14 June 2016. She was 112 years when she died. [2]
Marriage: Georgina Ngwenya, and the couple has several children. [3]
Death: He died on the 17 January 2013 of cancer.
School / Education
Primary education: Manqe Primary School as well as St Nanian’s Primary School.
Secondary education: Solusi Mission. Nkomo completed his Junior Certificate in Bulawayo in 1953 and latter enrolled to train as a teacher in Lower Gweru in 1955. [4]
Service / Career
Nkomo joined politics as one of the founding members of the African National Congress between 1958 and 1959. He then joined the National Democratic Party (NDP) in 1960 before joining the Joshua Nkomo-led Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) in 1961. He participated in the Second Chimurenga. Nkomo was arrested and detained at Gonakudzingwa Prison for four years between 1966-68. [5] After his release, he joined the African National Council where he rose through the ranks to become deputy secretary-general in 1971. Six years later he attended the Geneva Conference as part of the ZAPU delegation led by Joshua Nkomo in 1976. He was seriously injured in a parcel bomb that killed Jason Ziyapapa Moyo in 1977.
In the Zimbabwe 1985 Parliamentary Election, Nyamandhlovu returned to Parliament:
- John Landa Nkomo of PF-ZAPU - 36 098 votes.
- Shadreck Fortrixon Ndlovu of Zanu PF - 4 679 votes.
- Christopher Fumirai Mariga of UANC - 1 044 votes.
- Enock Musiyandaka of ZANU - 234 votes.
In the 1990 Parliamentary Election (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Bulawayo North returned to Parliament:
- John Nkomo of Zanu PF with 8 581 votes,
- Crispen Mwete of ZUM with 4 550 votes.
(Turnout - 13 743, 38.74 %)
Positions Held
- Nkomo headed several ministries in his lifetime from independence in 1980, until his untimely death in 2013. He was elected Matabeleland North Member of Parliament (House of Assembly) between 1980 and 1985.
- Nkomo was Deputy Minister of Industry and Energy in 1981.
- He was re-elected to parliament in the March 2005 Parliamentary elections. Nkomo also served as Speaker of Parliament in the same year.,[6] a position he was to hold until 2009 when he was elevated.
- He was then appointed to the Senate in 2008 and was Minister of State in the President's Office in 2009, during the Government of National Unity.
- He served as Vice-President having been sworn in on 14 December of the same year.[7] He was also appointed Minister of State in the President’s Office responsible for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration in the same year.
Events
Calls for Peace
As the country headed for general elections in 2013, Nkomo called for peace and the end of violence. His slogan "Peace begins with me, peace begins with you, peace begins with all of us”[8] earned him praise from the GNU principles, and became the campaigning slogan for both ZANU PF and the Movement for Democratic Change, long after he had died. For this he also earned the title 'Peacemaker'. His call for peace was not only manifest in word but also in his life as he was a good friend of the opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.[9]
Recognition
Nkomo had a secondary school named after him, the John Landa Nkomo Secondary School in Tsholotsho which he helped construct. [10] His sacrifice in the liberation struggle as well as a peace maker earned him the national hero status.[11]
References
- ↑ [Diana Mitchell, African Nationalist Leaders in Zimbabwe: Who’s Who 1980], "African Nationalist Leaders in Zimbabwe: Who’s Who 1980, (Cannon Press, Salisbury, 1980), Retrieved: 16 November 2020
- ↑ , Late VP Nkomo's mother dies ,Herald, published: June 15, 2016, retrieved: June 15, 2016
- ↑ Vice-President John Nkomo dies
- ↑ ‘VP Nkomo, Tsvangirai bosom buddies’
- ↑ John Nkomo Factfile
- ↑ Nkomo new Speaker of Parliament
- ↑ Zimbabwe second Vice President John Nkomo has died
- ↑ Dr Nkomo speaks from the grave
- ↑ VP NKOMO AND TSVANGIRAI WERE CLOSE FRIENDS - SON
- ↑ Tears as Nkomo's body begins final voyage
- ↑ VP Nkomo declared national hero
