Nolan Makombe
Nolan Makombe was a Zimbabwean politician and national hero.
Makombe was born in Masvingo on 19 February 1932. He received his primary education at Gurajena Primary School and proceeded to Zimuto Mission School. He completed high school at Morgenster Mission School in 1949.
He then left the country for further studies in South Africa at the College of Science and Technology for a Diploma In Radio and Television which he obtained in 1958.
Nolan Makombe started his career as a teacher at Zimuto Mission School his former school from 1949 to 1951. In between his studies he also worked from 1954 to 1955 in the Salisbury Department of Health.
Following his return from South Africa with a new qualification he found employment in Masvingo, Southern Rhodesia as Chief Radio Mechanic a vacancy he held from 1958-62. During this period he became involved in the nationalist politics of the day and joined African National Congress (ANC), an appointed as Youth Chairman for Masvingo Province (1958-1959) followed.
With the formation of N.D.P and ZAPU in the early 60’s he was promoted to Provincial Secretary for Masvingo positions he served in both parties from 1960 to 1962. In 1963 following ZANU’s formation he became the Provincial Secretary for the party in Masvingo. During these years he established and ran a radio shop in Masvingo.
In the following years from 1964 to 1979 Makombe spent over half a decade in political detention mostly at Wha Wha prison with stints between 1964-65, 1972 and 1977-1979.
At the attainment of independence in 1980 he won a parliamentary seat as ZANU MP for Masvingo Province. He was elected Senator and became Senate President (1980). Nolan Makombe served in the Parliament of Zimbabwe as speaker of the house from 1990-1995.
He died from a heart attack on 30 May 1998, was declared a national hero and buried at the National Heroes Acre.
