Zimbabwe African National Union - Ndonga
Encyclopedia
Zimbabwe African National Union – Ndonga (ZANU–Ndonga) is a small political party in Zimbabwe
.
The Zimbabwe African National Union
was a political party during the struggle for Rhodesia
's (ultimately Zimbabwe
's) independence, formed as a split from the Zimbabwe African Peoples Union. Its founders were the Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole
and Herbert Chitepo
, who were dissatisfied with the militant tactics of Nkomo in ZAPU.
After Chitepo's assassination
on 18 March 1975, Robert Mugabe
, in Mozambique at the time, unilaterally assumed control of ZANU. Later that year there was a factional split along tribal lines caused the Ndebele
to follow Sithole into the moderate ZANU–Ndonga party, who renounced violent struggle, while the Shona
followed Mugabe with a more militant agenda.
Sithole joined a transitional government of whites and blacks in 1979, led by Bishop Abel Muzorewa
. When sanctions remained in place, he joined Muzorewa for the Lancaster House Agreement
in London, where a new constitution and elections were prepared. ZANU–Ndonga failed to win any seats in independent elections that swept Mugabe under the ZANU flag to power in 1980.
Declaring that his life was in danger from political enemies, Sithole went into self-imposed exile in the United States
city of Silver Spring, Maryland
, in 1983, returning to Zimbabwe nine years later to re-enter the political arena.
Sithole was elected a lawmaker for his tribal stronghold of Chipinge
in southeastern Zimbabwe in 1995, as was a colleague. In December 1997 he was tried and convicted for conspiring to kill Mugabe and disqualified from attending the Harare parliament. He was granted the right to appeal, but no appeal was filed.
Sithole again won the Chipinge seat in June 2000, as ZANU–Ndonga's only representative. Sithole died on 12 December 2000, aged 80, in Philadelphia, after going there for medical treatment.
ZANU–Ndonga's candidate, Wilson Kumbila
, won 1.0 % in the March 2002 presidential election
. After the parliamentary election held on 31 March 2005, the party remained without parliamentary representation.
Along with three other minor opposition parties, ZANU-Ndonga is a member of the Zimbabwe Organisation of Opposition Political Parties .
President: Gondai Paul Vutuza
Predesecor: Wilson Kumbula
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...
.
The Zimbabwe African National Union
Zimbabwe African National Union
The Zimbabwe African National Union was a militant organization that fought against the standing government in Rhodesia, formed as a split from the Zimbabwe African People's Union...
was a political party during the struggle for 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...
's (ultimately Zimbabwe
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) independence, formed as a split from the Zimbabwe African Peoples Union. Its founders were the Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole
Ndabaningi Sithole
Ndabaningi Sithole founded the Zimbabwe African National Union, a militant organization that opposed the government of Rhodesia, in July 1963. A member of the Ndau ethnic group, he also worked as a Methodist minister. He spent 10 years in prison after the government banned ZANU...
and Herbert Chitepo
Herbert Chitepo
Herbert Wiltshire Chitepo led the Zimbabwe African National Union until he was assassinated on March 1975. Although his murderer remains unidentified, the Rhodesian author Peter Stiff says that a former British SAS soldier, Hugh Hind was responsible.Chitepo became the first black citizen of...
, who were dissatisfied with the militant tactics of Nkomo in ZAPU.
After Chitepo's assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
on 18 March 1975, 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...
, in Mozambique at the time, unilaterally assumed control of ZANU. Later that year there was a factional split along tribal lines caused the Ndebele
Ndebele people (Zimbabwe)
The Ndebele are a branch of the Zulus who split from King Shaka in the early 1820s under the leadership of Mzilikazi, a former general in Shaka's army....
to follow Sithole into the moderate ZANU–Ndonga party, who renounced violent struggle, while the Shona
Shona people
Shona is the name collectively given to two groups of people in the east and southwest of Zimbabwe, north eastern Botswana and southern Mozambique.-Shona Regional Classification:...
followed Mugabe with a more militant agenda.
Sithole joined a transitional government of whites and blacks in 1979, led by Bishop Abel Muzorewa
Abel Muzorewa
Bishop Abel Tendekayi Muzorewa served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Rhodesia from the Internal Settlement to the Lancaster House Agreement in 1979...
. When sanctions remained in place, he joined Muzorewa for the Lancaster House Agreement
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 London, where a new constitution and elections were prepared. ZANU–Ndonga failed to win any seats in independent elections that swept Mugabe under the ZANU flag to power in 1980.
Declaring that his life was in danger from political enemies, Sithole went into self-imposed exile in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
city of Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 71,452 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.The urbanized, oldest, and...
, in 1983, returning to Zimbabwe nine years later to re-enter the political arena.
Sithole was elected a lawmaker for his tribal stronghold of Chipinge
Chipinge
Chipinge is a town in southeastern Zimbabwe in the province of Manicaland near the Mozambique border. The town lies in a valley in the southern Eastern Highlands. One of Zimbabwe's most famous landmarks, the Birchenough Bridge is located on the Sabi River 62 km from Chipinge...
in southeastern Zimbabwe in 1995, as was a colleague. In December 1997 he was tried and convicted for conspiring to kill Mugabe and disqualified from attending the Harare parliament. He was granted the right to appeal, but no appeal was filed.
Sithole again won the Chipinge seat in June 2000, as ZANU–Ndonga's only representative. Sithole died on 12 December 2000, aged 80, in Philadelphia, after going there for medical treatment.
ZANU–Ndonga's candidate, Wilson Kumbila
Wilson Kumbila
Wilson Kumbula is a Zimbabwean politician. He is the current leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union - Ndonga, which carried 1 % of the votes in the 2002 presidential election.-References:...
, won 1.0 % in the March 2002 presidential election
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...
. After the parliamentary election held on 31 March 2005, the party remained without parliamentary representation.
Along with three other minor opposition parties, ZANU-Ndonga is a member of the Zimbabwe Organisation of Opposition Political Parties .
External links
- ZANU–Ndonga leader drags 2 officials to court The Herald Sept 06 2007
President: Gondai Paul Vutuza
Predesecor: Wilson Kumbula