Opinion / Columnist
Understanding ZAPU's Vision and mission of liberation pt 1.
22 Dec 2014 at 13:30hrs | Views
Understanding ZAPU's Vision and mission of liberation pt 1.
For one to understand ZAPU and its vision, we believe that first one must understand the party's genesis from 1961 to date. The following account is not meant to be conclusive and definitive, but hopefully will help one appreciate the nature of the struggles and sacrifices made by members of ZAPU before and after independence. Information provided as fact is derived from the surviving ZAPU archives and we owe a debt of gratitude to those still scouring the country and the world unearthing further updates and preserving our heritage for future generations.
Trade Union movements such as the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (1924 – 1940) under the leadership of Masotsha Ndlovu and Charlies Mzingeli, the Federation of African Workers (FAW) formed in 1932, and the Rhodesian Railways African Employees
Association (RRAEA) were the foundation and the driving force in the development of national liberation politics. In 1956, the Trade Union movements whose leadership included Joseph Msika, Jason Moyo and Aaron Ndabambi, together with the City Youth League under the leadership of James Chikerema and George Nyandoro decided to form the Southern Rhodesia African National Congress (SRANC) commonly known as the ANC. In September 1957, the ANC held its first congress and elected its leadership, Joshua Nkomo became its President, James Chikerema Vice President and George Nyandoro – Secretary General. Within a short space of time the ANC became a powerful potential political movement. Its followers were African Workers and African subsistence farmers. The political platform of the ANC was "one man, one vote" based on adult suffrage. In order to recruit its membership, it engaged the economic, social and ideological problems obtaining in the country. On the economic front, the ANC attacked the low wage rates and the Industrial Conciliation Act which was responsible for job reservation (on colour lines), but in the countryside it attacked the Land Apportionment Act (Land Tenure Act) and Land Husbandry Act which were responsible for land hunger among the African people and the destocking of the African livestock. In towns, social conditions under which the African workers lived were deplorable.
The ANC demanded the building of houses for married couples. Hospital services and educational system were not excluded from the ANC attacks. On the ideological front, the ANC concentrated its attacks on white racism which was the basis of the Rhodesian social system. Racism - like ethnocentrism (tribalism)- is a violation of the principle of equal rights. All human beings are equal in dignity and rights regardless of their race, ethnicity, sex, religion, political or other opinion, etc.The ANC did not live long; the Rhodesian regime banned it in February 1959, rounded-up and detained its leaders except for Joshua Nkomo who at the time was outside the country attending the All Africa Peoples Convention in Ghana at the invitation of NkwameNkrumah.
In January 1960, after some consultation between the ANC leaders who were in detention and trade union leadership, the National Democratic Party (NDP) was formed. Joshua Nkomo was elected, in absentia, as the President at its first Congress. The National Democratic Party, unlike the ANC, became a national political party. Its followers included all races (whites, Africans and Indians). During the existence of the NDP, the political resistance of the African people became increasingly confrontational. In July 1960, violence broke out in Salisbury (now Harare) Gwelo (Gweru) and Bulawayo, each at various times, and 56 Africans were shot in cold blood. The leadership of the NDP, seeing the gravity of the situation in the country, put pressure on the British government to convene a constitutional conference. This duly took place at the end of 1960 and ended in early 1961. Under the 1961 constitution, 15 Africans could be voted to parliament under "qualified" franchise which was contrary to the NDP demand of "one man, one vote".
The constitution was totally rejected. This meant that the road leading to a negotiated settlement was blocked, and the only way left was an armed struggle. The NDP was banned in September 1961, like its predecessor the ANC, before it could engage in further struggle. Its leaders were forcibly transported and "restricted" to their rural home areas for three months.
ZAPU Europe Information, Publicity and Marketing Department.
zapuinformteam@gmail.com
For one to understand ZAPU and its vision, we believe that first one must understand the party's genesis from 1961 to date. The following account is not meant to be conclusive and definitive, but hopefully will help one appreciate the nature of the struggles and sacrifices made by members of ZAPU before and after independence. Information provided as fact is derived from the surviving ZAPU archives and we owe a debt of gratitude to those still scouring the country and the world unearthing further updates and preserving our heritage for future generations.
Trade Union movements such as the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (1924 – 1940) under the leadership of Masotsha Ndlovu and Charlies Mzingeli, the Federation of African Workers (FAW) formed in 1932, and the Rhodesian Railways African Employees
Association (RRAEA) were the foundation and the driving force in the development of national liberation politics. In 1956, the Trade Union movements whose leadership included Joseph Msika, Jason Moyo and Aaron Ndabambi, together with the City Youth League under the leadership of James Chikerema and George Nyandoro decided to form the Southern Rhodesia African National Congress (SRANC) commonly known as the ANC. In September 1957, the ANC held its first congress and elected its leadership, Joshua Nkomo became its President, James Chikerema Vice President and George Nyandoro – Secretary General. Within a short space of time the ANC became a powerful potential political movement. Its followers were African Workers and African subsistence farmers. The political platform of the ANC was "one man, one vote" based on adult suffrage. In order to recruit its membership, it engaged the economic, social and ideological problems obtaining in the country. On the economic front, the ANC attacked the low wage rates and the Industrial Conciliation Act which was responsible for job reservation (on colour lines), but in the countryside it attacked the Land Apportionment Act (Land Tenure Act) and Land Husbandry Act which were responsible for land hunger among the African people and the destocking of the African livestock. In towns, social conditions under which the African workers lived were deplorable.
In January 1960, after some consultation between the ANC leaders who were in detention and trade union leadership, the National Democratic Party (NDP) was formed. Joshua Nkomo was elected, in absentia, as the President at its first Congress. The National Democratic Party, unlike the ANC, became a national political party. Its followers included all races (whites, Africans and Indians). During the existence of the NDP, the political resistance of the African people became increasingly confrontational. In July 1960, violence broke out in Salisbury (now Harare) Gwelo (Gweru) and Bulawayo, each at various times, and 56 Africans were shot in cold blood. The leadership of the NDP, seeing the gravity of the situation in the country, put pressure on the British government to convene a constitutional conference. This duly took place at the end of 1960 and ended in early 1961. Under the 1961 constitution, 15 Africans could be voted to parliament under "qualified" franchise which was contrary to the NDP demand of "one man, one vote".
The constitution was totally rejected. This meant that the road leading to a negotiated settlement was blocked, and the only way left was an armed struggle. The NDP was banned in September 1961, like its predecessor the ANC, before it could engage in further struggle. Its leaders were forcibly transported and "restricted" to their rural home areas for three months.
ZAPU Europe Information, Publicity and Marketing Department.
zapuinformteam@gmail.com
Source - ZAPU Europe Information, Publicity and Marketing Department
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