Stephen Nkomo

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Stephen Jeqe Nyongolo Nkomo (3 October 1926 – 20 April 2003) was a Zimbabwean nationalist, politician and Governor of Matabeleland South Province. Nkomo was a Resident Minister and senior member of the Central Committee of Politburo of the ruling Zanu-PF party. He died in 2003 while serving as Governor of Matabeleland South Province.^[1][2][3]

Early life and education[]

Nkomo was born in Antelope, Matobo District. His older brother Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo was Vice President of Umdala Wethu. Nkomo received his education at St Joseph's Mission School in Kezi, Empandeni and Mzingwani Schools. While in school, he worked for various firms to raise his school fees.^[4]

Nationalist struggle and political career[]

In 1944, he left Zimbabwe for South Africa and settled in Johannesburg where he joined South African nationalists in the African National Congress in the 1950s to fight apartheid. He teamed up with the likes of Robert Resha, Duma Nokwe and Alfred Nzo who were from the Communist component of the South African National Congress. He was also a founding member of the South African Congress of Trade Unions.

While working as a member of both the ANC and SACTU, Nkomo actively participated in the campaign and organisation for the People's Congress that produced the historic Freedom Charter at Cliptown in 1955, and campaigned against the Bantu Education Bill and other oppressive apartheid laws. Nkomo alongside Albert Nxele and others formed a social and cultural organisation the Sons of Mzilikazi Society that catered for the welfare of Zimbabweans living in South Africa during apartheid years.^[5]

Nkomo was chairman of Impi Branch of NDP and later promoted to the post of chairman of the party for Bulawayo District. Following the formation of the Zimbabwe African People's Union (Zapu) in December 1961, Nkomo was elected to the executive committee of the Bulawayo District, chaired by Lazarus Nkala. In 1962, Nkomo enlisted in the Zapu's underground committee headed by Major Findo Mpofu. For his activities in this committee, Nkomo was arrested and charged with criminal possession of firearm. He denied the allegation but admitted that the CID had found an object in the outside toilet. When the Magistrate asked him to confirm the object that was found he said it was “umbankwa”. When the Magistrate asked him to state the calibre of firearm “umbankwa” is Nokomo responded: “It is a lizard”.^[4] Following the ban of Zapu by Rhodesian regime, Nkomo intensified his underground committee activities but some members of the group including Boblock Manyonga, Solomon Mabika, Amon Ndukwana Ncube and Misheck Ntundu Velaphi were arrested for allegedly possessing arms of war.

In 1964, Nkomo fled the country into exile in Zambia to escape arrest. While in exile, Nkomo became a diplomat representing Zapu in Egypt. In 1967, he was appointed Zapu representative to Algeria, the Maghreb and the Francophone States. During this assignment, Nkomo became friends with Presidents Abdul Nasser of Egypt, Houari Boumedienne of Algeria and Habib Bourghiba of Tunisia. Nkomo was involved in setting up training camps for liberation fighters in Egypt, Algeria, Libya and Palestine.

In the first democratic elections in Zimbabwe in 1980, Nkomo was elected into the parliament on the ticket of PF Zapu for Matobo constituency and served in this capacity for the next 10 years.^[4] In 1984, he was elected to the Central Committee and appointed of PF Zapu at it National Congress and appointed Secretary for External Affairs. He was Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1990 to 1992 when he became Governor and Resident Minister of Matabeleland South.

Shortly before his death in 2003, he was put on the United States sanctions list.^[6]

References[]