Leopold Takawira
Leopold Takawira was a Zimbabwean politician and national hero.
Takawira was born in 1916 in Chirumhanzu, Midlands Province in Zimbabwe.
Education:
- Kutama Mission, Rhodesia
- Marianhill Natal, South Africa
Career:
He qualified as a teacher, and after a few years of teaching he became Headmaster of Chipembere Government School in Highfields, Harare.
He joined and was appointed Executive Officer of the Capricorn Africa Society soon after leaving teaching
Political Career:
In 1959, after the ban of African National Congress (ANC), he joined the NDP when it was founded and was elected Chairman of the Harare Branch.
He was elevated into the Central Executive, and later Harare Branch Chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP) (1959 and 1960). He contested for the party Presidency and was defeated by Joshua Nkomo, he was then appointed Director of International Relations for the NDP based in London (1960).
In 1961 Takawira sent a cable from London to Joshua Nkomo condemning and rejecting the Constitutional Conference proposals for Parlimentary dispensation within the Southern Rhodesian Parliament. Joshua Nkomo immediately travelled to London on a mission to turnaround the initial NDP agreement.
The ban of the NDP ushered in the formation of ZAPU and Leopold Takawira was one of the founding members of ZAPU. He was immediately appointed Secretary for External Affairs.
In July 1963 he was suspended from ZAPU due to his affliation with the newly formed ZANU. He joined ZANU in August 1963 and was appointed Vice-President
In 1964 he was arrested in Harare and detained at Wha Wha, Sikomela,then moved after UD1 to Salisbury Prison, where he remained until his death in 1970
Leopold died in 1970 and was buried at his hometown in Chirumhanzu. His death is believed to have been caused by a neglect of his diabetes condition by the prison authorities at Salisbury Central Prison. His remains were later exhumed and interred is buried at the National Heroes Acre on 11 August 1982.
