Josiah Chinamano

Educationist, Politician and National Hero

Josiah Mushore Chinamano was born on the 29th October 1922 at Epworth Mission in Harare. He fought in the Rhodesian Bush War as a guerrilla of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union. He later served as the Minister of Transport in the independent government.

Chinamano was second-in-command to Joshua Nkomo, and shared many of the same ideological and political beliefs. The two, along with Chinamano’s wife Ruth, Joseph Msika, another leadership figure in the struggle, and Daniel Madzimbamuto, one of the longest serving detainees, were detained by the Smith administration in 1964. Their influential role at the forefront of the movement proved threatening to the Rhodesian government; the five leaders spent several years in Gonakudzingwa Restriction Camp, separated from their young families. Political pressure on the Smith administration resulted in their release; Chinamano resumed his political career.

Chinamano died in 1984 and was buried at the National Heroes Acre in Harare. He had survived by two sons, a daughter and three grandchildren.

Education:

Epworth Mission and Waddilove Mission, Zimbabwe

Fort Hare University, South Africa (1949-50)

University of Birmingham, United Kingdom (1955) (Education Diploma)

Career:

Primary School Teacher, Salisbury (1940-42)

Teacher, Police Training Depot (1943-44)

Teacher Supervisor, Waddilove Mission (1945-48)

Headmaster, Marshall Hartley Boarding School (1950-53)

Supervisor, Methodist Schools, Mashonaland District (1954-57)

Guest Lecturer, Selly Oak College, Birmingham, United Kingdom (1955)

Teacher, Waddilove (1957-59)

Instructor, Government Teacher Training College, Mutare (1959-60)

Program Officer, Political Section (United States Consulate Salisbury, Rhodesia) (1960-61)

Founder and 1st Headmaster, Highfield Community School (1962-64)

Political Career:

Member of the Executive Committee (ZAPU) (1962)

Detained by the Ian Smith Administration together with wife Ruth for close to a decade (1964)

Treasurer (African National Council) (1967)

Member ( Central Committee African National Council) (1974)

ZAPU, Member of Parliament of Zimbabwe (February 1981)

Minister of Transport (1981)