1917- . Zimbabwean politician, president of
ZAPU (Zimbabwe African People's Union) from
1961 and a leader of the black nationalist
movement against the white Rhodesian regime.
He was a member of Robert Mugabe's cabinet in
1980-82 and from 1987. After completing his
education in South Africa, Joshua Nkomo
became a welfare officer on Rhodesian
Railways and later organizing secretary of
the Rhodesian African Railway Workers' Union.
He entered politics 1950 and rose to become
president of ZAPU. He was soon arrested, with
other black African politicians, and was in
detention during 1963-74. After his release
he joined forces with Robert Mugabe as a
joint leader of the Patriotic Front 1976,
opposing the white-dominated regime of Ian
Smith. Nkomo took part in the Lancaster House
Conference, which led to Rhodesia's
independence as the new state of Zimbabwe,
and became a cabinet minister and vice
president.