Joseph Msika

He remembered his father as being well off, as he herded more than 100 cattle at a time. In the 1930s, his father also used a disc plow and cultivator (very progressive at that time). His father also had a wagon transport business. ^[3]

Msika died on 4 August 2009 at West End Hospital in Harare after a long battle with hypertension. He was buried at the National Heroes Acre. ^[5][6]

School / Education

Day scholar: Howard Institute (for the price of six eggs).
1937: Boarder at above. To Standard VI.
Mount Selinda: trained as carpenter.

He was subsequently enrolled at Howard Institute (Howard High School), a Salvation Army Church mission school where he did his secondary education in the 1930s.^[4] In 1937, he became a border and remained there until he passed his Standard Six. He wanted to pursue a teaching career before his father transfered him to Mount Selinda in Manicaland where he did carpentry. He completed the course through correspondence and passed with a Junior Certificate.^[4]

Service / Career / Events

As oldest son, he was obliged to assist with school fees for youngest family members.
Worked Bulawayo for transport firm, part time.
1951 to 1953: Cabinet Maker.
1953: Textiles. New clothing firm from Johannesburg. Led to position of Personnel Manager, which led to trade unions, which led to President of Textile and Allied Worker's Union, which led to Chairman of the Bulawayo Branch of the ANCongress. 12 September 1957, ANCongress merged with ANYL in Salisbury to form new ANCongress and Msika was National Treasurer.

Trade Unionism

After returning from South Africa where he had worked for a while in the 1950s, Msika secured a job in Bulawayo where he worked initially as a general hand. He was eventually promoted to the position of a personnel officer where he dealt with problems arising between management and staff. This prompted him to have interests in trade unionism and shortly afterwards he became president of the Textile and Allied Workers’ Union.^[7]

Politics

The path from trade unionism to politics was a straightforward one and it was not long before he joined the old African National Congress, becoming chairman of the Bulawayo branch. On 12 September 1957, the ANC merged with the African National Youth League (ANYL) in Salisbury to form a new ANC and Msika was appointed National Treasurer.^[7]

He was involved in the negotiations leading to this new ANC, along with James Chikerema, Paul Mushonga, George Nyandoro, JZ Moyo and Francis Ndawali. Aidan Mwamuka, Stanlake Samkange, Enoch Dumbutshena and Joshua Nkomo were invited to lead, however the first three turned the offer down. The 'intellectuals', Ndabaningi Sithole, Robert Mugabe and others, came after the decision had been made to identify with the objective of majority rule. ^[3]

He was first arrested and detained in February 1959. He was sent to Khami Maximum Security Prison where he met nationalists from Nyasaland (Malawi) and Northern Rhodesia (Zambia). In 1961, Msika was involved in the organisation of a successful strike. This led to his dismissal from employment and he decided to set up his own business – a grocery and fish and chip shop. ^[8]

From Khami, he was transferred to Selukwe and then to Marandellas. After his release from Marandellas, he was elected Councillor for the National Democratic Party (NDP). Later, when ZAPU was formed, he became Secretary for Youth Affairs and worked with the likes of Joshua Nkomo. When the split in the movement came in July 1963, Msika was in Dar-es-Salaam with other members of the ZAPU executive. ^[4]

When Ndabaningi Sithole, Morton Malianga, Robert Mugabe and Leopold Takawira proposed a resolution deposing Nkomo from the leadership, Msika walked out of the meeting. In 1964, Msika was arrested together with Joshua Nkomo, Josiah Chinamano and Ruth Chinamano and sent to Gonakudzingwa. Msika was part of the delegation that signed the Lancaster House Agreement which resulted in Zimbabwe's independence in April 1980.^[4] In May 1974 they were transfered to Buffalo Range and he was then released in December 1974 and went to Lusaka for talks, and then to the August 1975 Victoria Falls talks.

In 1980, he became a member of the Senate.

In the 1990 Parliamentary Election (see A History of Zimbabwean Elections) Pelandaba returned to Parliament:

• Joseph Msika of Zanu PF with 10 902 votes,
• Christopher Mariga of ZUM with 2 202 votes.

Turnout - 13 204 or 36.85 %

Farm Mechanisation

In July 2020, Joseph Msika was listed, in the BSR of 18 July 2020, as a beneficiary in the 2007 RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme, as a result of the Fast Track Land Reform Programme.

The data is analysed by recipients origin:.

• Mashonaland provinces had the most beneficiaries, both in terms of numbers and value.
  

Mashonaland East got US$47,5 million,
Mashonaland West US$44,7 million
Mashonaland Central had US$34,2 million.

• Two Matebeleland provinces had a combined total of US$13,9 million.
• Masvingo had US$26,4 million,
• Manicaland US$18 million and
• Midlands had US$14 million.

Joseph Msika is listed under the thematic group “Politicians”. The amount is goods worth US$678,867.00. ^[9]

Positions Held

Zimbabwe Presidium after being sworn in during 2004. credit: Abayomi Azikiwe

1. 1954 Textile and Allied Workers Union
2. 1957 Secretary for Youth Affairs, Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU)
3. 1963 Secretary for External Affairs, PCC
4. 1974 Member of Central Committee, African National Congress
5. 1975 Secretary General,African National Congress
6. 1980 Minister Natural Resources
7. 1984 Vice president of ZAPU
8. 1988 Minister of Local Government and Urban Development
9. 1999 Vice President of Zimbabwe^[10]

References