Mugabe and the failed vision of a united Africa

This week we look at the life story of Robert Mugabe as a freedom fighter in Southern Rhodesia where with other nationalists like Joshua Nkomo and Ndabaningi Sithole consistently engaged the white minority rule to gain the majority rule.

In October 1960, Mugabe, then the publicity secretary of the National Democratic Party (NDP) led by Joshua Nkomo, warned the colonialists that they would face perpetual racial conflict if they did not heed to the demands of the Africans. He said: “…Europeans must realise that unless the legitimate demands of African nationalism are recognised, racial conflict is inevitable…”

In the early 1960s the struggle for freedom in Southern Rhodesia was very intense. Freedom fighters formed several liberation movements to further the struggle for independence. The movements included the NDP that was banned by the colonialist government in December 1961, and the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (Zapu) formed under Joshua Nkomo that was also banned in September 1962 and it went in exile in neighbouring Zambia.

Another liberation movement that was established was the Zimbabwe African National Union (Zanu) under the presidency of Ndabaningi Sithole and Mugabe as its secretary-general in order to begin an armed resistance on the 8th of August 1963; this too was banned few months later, and Zanu went in exile in Mozambique.

Meanwhile, the white minority right-wing Rhodesian Front (RF) Party under Ian Smith, which had won elections in December 1962, forming a new minority government demanded full independence from the United Kingdom. This situation increased racial conflict between the whites and blacks where black Africans began violence targeting white communities.

Mugabe and his associates continued the liberation struggle underground and in a speech in 1962 Mugabe called for the pan-African concept to be defended against the racial divide. He said: “…Africa must revert to what it was before the imperialists divided it. These are artificial divisions, which we, in our pan-African concept, will seek to remove...”

In December 1963, Mugabe was arrested and imprisoned and while he was in prison the RF Government banned all Liberation Movements and arrested all its leaders. The RF Government unilaterally declared independence from the United Kingdom (UK) in November 1965; but the UK refused to recognise the country and imposed economic sanctions.

While in prison, Mugabe gained a Master’s degree in economics, a bachelor’s degree in administration, and two law degrees from the University of London.

In 1972 the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (Zanla); Zanu military wing based in neighbouring Mozambique and the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (Zipra) military wing of Zapu based in Zambia all launched the “Chimurenga” guerrilla warfare against Ian Smith’s government. The liberation struggle was now at its height.

Mugabe and his colleagues were released in November 1974, and immediately Mugabe fled to Mozambique to lead the guerrilla warfare against Ian Smith’s rule in Rhodesia.

Following pressure from London, Ian Smith agreed to transit to majority rule and organised elections in 1978. Zanu and Zapu boycotted but Bishop Abel Muzorewa of the United African National Council (UANC) participated and became Prime Minister.

The UK did not recognise Muzorewa’s victory triggering negotiations in 1979 at the Lancaster House in London to plan Rhodesia’s independence. The Lancaster House Agreement set a plan for Rhodesia’s elections. In February 1980 elections were held where Zanu won against Zapu and UANC main parties and Mugabe was made Prime Minister of Zimbabwe.

On the 17th of April 1980, on Independence Day, Mugabe addressing the nation renamed Rhodesia as Zimbabwe, and pleaded to the people to forgive and forget the wrongs of the past; reconcile and live in harmony. He said: “…If yesterday you hated me, today you cannot avoid the love that binds you to me and me to you.…The wrongs of the past must now stand forgiven and forgotten… It could never be a correct justification that because whites oppressed us yesterday when they had power, the blacks must oppress them today because they have power…”

Dr Kafumu is the Member of Parliament for Igunga Constituency