Edson Zvobgo
Encyclopedia
Edson Jonasi Zvobgo was a founder of Zimbabwe
's ruling party Zanu-PF, was the Patriotic Front's spokesman at the Lancaster House
in late 1979, a Harvard-trained lawyer, and a poet.
His name is often misspelled by the media, either as Eddison instead of Edson or Zvogbo instead of Zvobgo.
He was born in then Southern Rhodesia
in 1935, near Fort Victoria (now Masvingo
), where his father was a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church
. In 1960, Zvobgo won a scholarship to Tufts University
in Boston
, Massachusetts
aged 25. After taking a bachelor's degree there in 1964, he returned home to be arrested and detained for political activism against white rule in Rhodesia
, along with Robert Mugabe
and Joshua Nkomo
.
Zvobgo was freed in 1971, and he spent a period in exile in Canada. He then studied law at Harvard and international relations at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
, followed by a position as associate professor teaching criminal law at Lewis University College
in Illinois
.
Zvobgo played a key role in international negotiations at Lancaster House
that ended the bitter bush war and led to British-sponsored all race elections ahead of independence in 1980. He was the Zanu-PF spokesman, and impressed many in the international press with his quick repartee and astute analysis of the negotiations. In the 1980 elections, he won a seat in parliament for Masvingo, which he continued to hold until his death.
An influential member of Zimbabwe's first fully independent cabinet, Zvobgo was minister for local government and housing until 1982, and minister for justice until 1985. As minister of parliamentary and constitutional affairs, in 1987 he made several amendments to the Constitution that concentrated power in the hands of the president and moved Zimbabwe towards a one-party state.
Initially a staunch supporter of Zanu-PF policies, in later years he criticized Robert Mugabe
's autocratic rule.
In 1992 Zvobgo was moved to the less influential post of Minister of Mines. In 1996 he survived a car accident, in which both his legs were broken. This accident was considered suspicious by many. Shortly after the accident Mugabe demoted Zvobgo further to Minister Without Portfolio, and, in 2000, he was dropped from the cabinet altogether.
In the 2002 presidential elections
, he refused to campaign for Mugabe, but did not endorse the opposition challenger Morgan Tsvangirai
, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). He also voiced his opposition to the sweeping media law, passed the same year, calling it "the most serious assault on our constitutional liberties since independence".
Despite his criticism, Zvobgo eventually voted for the legislation, which was used to close off Zimbabwe's only privately owned daily newspaper, The Daily News, and to arrest at least 31 independent journalists.
He became the subject of an internal party disciplinary inquiry in 2003 for his refusal to campaign for Mugabe and after describing the laws as a weapon to stifle opposition to the government, but allegations of disloyalty were eventually dropped.
Zvobgo had also been accused of holding private talks with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change as the ruling party abandoned formal dialogue between the two parties.
Zvobgo died on August 22, 2004 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He is survived by his seven children, Jonasi, Edson Junior, Kerina, Tsungirirai, Ester, Tendai and Farai Emily.
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
's ruling party Zanu-PF, was the Patriotic Front's spokesman at the Lancaster House
Lancaster House Agreement
The negotiations which led to the Lancaster House Agreement brought independence to Rhodesia following Ian Smith’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965. The Agreement covered the Independence Constitution, pre-independence arrangements, and a ceasefire...
in late 1979, a Harvard-trained lawyer, and a poet.
His name is often misspelled by the media, either as Eddison instead of Edson or Zvogbo instead of Zvobgo.
He was born in then Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
in 1935, near Fort Victoria (now Masvingo
Masvingo
Masvingo is a town in south-eastern Zimbabwe and the capital of Masvingo Province. The town is close to Great Zimbabwe, the national monument from which the country takes its name.- History :...
), where his father was a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church
Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church was a Reformed Christian denomination in the Netherlands. It existed from the 1570s to 2004, the year it merged with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands to form the Protestant Church in the...
. In 1960, Zvobgo won a scholarship to Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
aged 25. After taking a bachelor's degree there in 1964, he returned home to be arrested and detained for political activism against white rule in Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
, along with Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
and Joshua Nkomo
Joshua Nkomo
Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo was the leader and founder of the Zimbabwe African People's Union and a member of the Kalanga tribe...
.
Zvobgo was freed in 1971, and he spent a period in exile in Canada. He then studied law at Harvard and international relations at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University is the oldest school in the United States dedicated solely to graduate studies in international affairs. It is regarded as one of the world's foremost schools of international affairs. Every Fall, the school enrolls approximately 265...
, followed by a position as associate professor teaching criminal law at Lewis University College
Lewis University College
Lewis University College of Law was located in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. It became a part of Northern Illinois University in 1984, and became the Northern Illinois University College of Law at DeKalb, Illinois....
in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
Zvobgo played a key role in international negotiations at Lancaster House
Lancaster House Agreement
The negotiations which led to the Lancaster House Agreement brought independence to Rhodesia following Ian Smith’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965. The Agreement covered the Independence Constitution, pre-independence arrangements, and a ceasefire...
that ended the bitter bush war and led to British-sponsored all race elections ahead of independence in 1980. He was the Zanu-PF spokesman, and impressed many in the international press with his quick repartee and astute analysis of the negotiations. In the 1980 elections, he won a seat in parliament for Masvingo, which he continued to hold until his death.
An influential member of Zimbabwe's first fully independent cabinet, Zvobgo was minister for local government and housing until 1982, and minister for justice until 1985. As minister of parliamentary and constitutional affairs, in 1987 he made several amendments to the Constitution that concentrated power in the hands of the president and moved Zimbabwe towards a one-party state.
Initially a staunch supporter of Zanu-PF policies, in later years he criticized Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
's autocratic rule.
In 1992 Zvobgo was moved to the less influential post of Minister of Mines. In 1996 he survived a car accident, in which both his legs were broken. This accident was considered suspicious by many. Shortly after the accident Mugabe demoted Zvobgo further to Minister Without Portfolio, and, in 2000, he was dropped from the cabinet altogether.
In the 2002 presidential elections
Zimbabwean presidential election, 2002
A presidential election was held in Zimbabwe between 9 and 11 March 2002. The election was contested by the incumbent Robert Mugabe, Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai, ZANU-Ndonga leader Wilson Kumbula, Shakespeare Maya of the National Alliance for Good Governance and...
, he refused to campaign for Mugabe, but did not endorse the opposition challenger Morgan Tsvangirai
Morgan Tsvangirai
Morgan Richard Tsvangirai is the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe. He is the President of the Movement for Democratic Change - Tsvangirai and a key figure in the opposition to President Robert Mugabe. Tsvangirai was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe on 11 February 2009...
, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). He also voiced his opposition to the sweeping media law, passed the same year, calling it "the most serious assault on our constitutional liberties since independence".
Despite his criticism, Zvobgo eventually voted for the legislation, which was used to close off Zimbabwe's only privately owned daily newspaper, The Daily News, and to arrest at least 31 independent journalists.
He became the subject of an internal party disciplinary inquiry in 2003 for his refusal to campaign for Mugabe and after describing the laws as a weapon to stifle opposition to the government, but allegations of disloyalty were eventually dropped.
Zvobgo had also been accused of holding private talks with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change as the ruling party abandoned formal dialogue between the two parties.
Zvobgo died on August 22, 2004 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He is survived by his seven children, Jonasi, Edson Junior, Kerina, Tsungirirai, Ester, Tendai and Farai Emily.