Edgar Zivanai Tekere (born April 1 1937) is a Zimbabwean politician. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. See also Great Zimbabwe National Monument. For information about the March and June 2008 presidential elections see Zimbabwean presidential election A politician (from Greek " Polis " is an individual who is involved in influencing public decision making through the influence of Politics or a person He was a president of the Zimbabwe African National Union who organised the party during the Lancaster House talks and served briefly in government before his popularity as a potential rival to Robert Mugabe caused their estrangement. The Zimbabwe African National Union was a militant organization that fought against White minority rule in Rhodesia, formed as a split from the Zimbabwe African The Lancaster House Agreement ended biracial rule in Zimbabwe Rhodesia following negotiations between representatives of the Patriotic Front (PF consisting of ZAPU He ran against President Robert Mugabe in the 1990 presidential election which was strongly believed through demonstrable evidence to have been heavily rigged,with some ballot boxes having been inexplainably discovered at the state house. A presidential election was held in Zimbabwe on 23 March 1990 alongside simultaneous parliamentary elections.
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Pre-Independence
During the war, Tekere served on the ZANU high command, or Dare reChimurenga. The Rhodesian Bush War, also known as the Second Chimurenga or the Zimbabwe Liberation Struggle, was a war which lasted from July 1964 to 1979 and He was detained by the Rhodesian government at Gonakudzingwa. [1]
Early life
Edgar Zivanai "2-Boy" (nome de guerre) Tekere was an early ally of Robert Mugabe within the Zimbabwe African National Union (of which he was a founder member in 1964) during the fight for independence and against the Rhodesian Front government of Ian Smith. A pseudonym is a fictitious alternative to a person's legal name (see Alias) The Rhodesian Front ( RF) was a Political party in Southern Rhodesia when the country was under White minority rule. Ian Douglas Smith GCLM ID ( 8 April 1919 &ndash 20 November 2007) served as the Prime Minister of the British Mugabe and Tekere, having served ten years in Hwa-Hwa State Prison as political prisoners of Smith's government, immediately left upon release and crossed the Eastern Highlands Border in Mutare through the mountains by foot, following the Gairezi river trail to Seguranza military camp in Mozambique, to mastermind and kickstart guerilla warfare, aided by Samora Machel, in 1975. Mutare (known as Umtali until 1982 is the fourth largest city in Zimbabwe, with a population of approximately 189000 Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique (Moçambique or República de Moçambique, ʁɛ'publikɐ d musɐ̃'bik is a country in southeastern Africa Samora Moisés Machel ( September 29, 1933 &ndash October 19, 1986) was a Mozambican military commander revolutionary socialist The Bush War or else known as Second Chimurenga raged on strongly resulting in never-ending intensive searches and information gathering on Edgar Tekere. This was carried out on close family members and relatives by the platoon of Rhodesian Front Soldiers,Selous Scouts, Police Special Branch and Central Intelligence Organisation,under the auspices of Ian Smith,which resulted in harassment, torture and unlawful killing. The Rhodesian Front ( RF) was a Political party in Southern Rhodesia when the country was under White minority rule. The Selous Scouts was a special forces regiment of the Rhodesian Army which operated from 1973 until the introduction of majority rule in 1980 Ian Douglas Smith GCLM ID ( 8 April 1919 &ndash 20 November 2007) served as the Prime Minister of the British During these trying times Edgar Tekere received the code name/nickname ("Mukoma") by close family members and relatives, and this is the name until today he is affectionately known and referred to, by the family. Tekere was elected by a democratic process to be the first ZANU-PF Secretary-General following Zimbabwe's independence.
Independence Celebration & Bob Marley
Edgar 2-Boy Tekere being the ZANU -PF Secretary General ,personally invited The Legendary Reggae Musician Robert Nesta 'Bob' Marley, to perform at Rufaro Stadium,for the official Zimbabwean Independance Celebration. Bob Marley and Prince Charles Of United Kingdom,were the two official guests for the Zimbabwean Independence Celebration. Robert "Bob" Nesta Marley OM (February 6 1945 – May 11 1981 was a Jamaican Musician, Singer-songwriter and Rastafarian Bob Marleys music was the inspiration for the guerilla freedom fighters whilst they were in the bush fighting. More than 100 000 Zimbabweans attended the concert,and went into a frency,when Bob Marley performed the song " Zimbabwe" which was an unofficial Zimbabwean anthem. He also stayed with Edgar Tekere,during this tour date. [2]
Murder charge
When ZANU won the 1980 elections, Tekere was appointed as Minister of Manpower Planning in Mugabe's Cabinet. He followed his appointment by making a series of outspoken speeches which went far beyond government policy. Shortly after his appointment, on August 4, 1980 he greeted then-Prime Minister Mugabe and visiting President of Mozambique Samora Machel in combat fatigues and announced that he was going "to fight a battle. Events 70 - The Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Latest election List List of Heads of State of Mozambique The official residence is the Palácio da Ponta Vermelha. " Tekere and his bodyguards went looking for supporters of Joshua Nkomo's ZAPU outside Harare, but failing to find them, went onto a neighboring farm and shot white farm manager Gerald Adams. Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo ( June 19, 1917 &ndash July 1, 1999) was the leader and founder of the Zimbabwe African People's Union Harare (həˈrɑreɪ or /həˈrɑri/ formerly Salisbury) is the Capital of Zimbabwe.
Tekere retained his government post when he went on trial together with seven bodyguards who were all former guerilla fighters in the independence war. On December 8 the High Court, on a majority decision, found him not guilty of murder. Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. Two out of the three assessors held that while Tekere had killed Adams, he was acting in connection with the suppression of terrorism. [3]
Rivalry with Mugabe
Tekere was dismissed from the government on January 11, 1981, a decision he was reported to be happy with; he retained the Secretary-Generalship of ZANU. Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 In April 1981 he was detained by Kenyan security forces to prevent him from speaking to students after giving a newspaper interview in which he said he was proud of the killing of Gerald Adams. The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south In July, Tekere referred to some ZANU representatives as having "inherited the colonial mentality," which was straining relations between them and the party's supporters. Mugabe hit back by saying "Those who are complaining that the revolution is not continuing. . . are the most immoral and laziest in the party. " Tekere was increasingly seen as a leader of a rival faction to Mugabe, and was dismissed as Secretary-General on August 9 with Mugabe taking the post himself. Events 48 BC - Caesar's civil war: Battle of Pharsalus - Julius Caesar decisively defeats Pompey at Pharsalus
After criticising corruption in the party, in August 1984 Tekere was elected to the Central Committee of ZANU-PF and carried shoulder-high from the Congress; he was also being supported by the Whites in Zimbabwe after opposing the farm squattings by ZANU-PF) supporters which he described as "donga watonga" (chaotic government). Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) A small number of people of European ethnic origin ( Whites) first came as settlers to the African country now known as Zimbabwe during the late nineteenth century He was provincial chairman of ZANU-PF in Mutare. Mutare (known as Umtali until 1982 is the fourth largest city in Zimbabwe, with a population of approximately 189000
Zimbabwe Unity Movement
Tekere supported Mugabe at the 1985 elections but by October 1988 his consistent criticism of corruption resulted in his expulsion from the party. When Mugabe voiced his belief that Zimbabwe would be better governed as a one party state, Tekere strongly disagreed, saying "A one-party state was never one of the founding principles of ZANU-PF and experience in Africa has shown that it brought the evils of nepotism, corruption and inefficiency. "
He ran against Robert Mugabe in the 1990 Presidential race as the candidate of the Zimbabwe Unity Movement, offering a broadly free market platform against Mugabe's communist-style economic planning. Edgar Tekere received unprecedented support to his opposition to Mugabe. Which led to massive election rigging by ZANU, [4] inorder for Mugabe to win the election on April 1, 1990 receiving 2,026,976 votes while Tekere only got 413,840 (16% of the vote). Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) At the simultaneous Parliamentary elections the ZUM won 20% of the vote but only two seats in the House of Assembly. Zimbabwe Unity Movement supporters were the targets of violent attacks from supporters of ZANU (PF), and five candidates were murdered, a student representative Israel Mutanhaurwa of ZUM was abducted in broad daylight by suspected state agents at the local cinemas in Gweru to be dumped later in the outskirts of Mkoba a local surbub unharmed, no-one was arrested or convicted of the crime. Gweru ( formerly Gwelo) is a city near the centre of Zimbabwe at. Those convicted of the attempted murder of former Gweru Mayor Patrick Kombayi who was shot in lower abdomen but survived the shooting, were pardoned immediately afterwards. Gweru ( formerly Gwelo) is a city near the centre of Zimbabwe at.
Politics after 1990
Tekere dropped out of sight after the election, fuelling rumours that he was planted as an opposition figure. In 2005 he voiced his wish to stand as a ZANU (PF) candidate for the Senate of Zimbabwe but was rebuffed. The Senate of Zimbabwe is the Upper chamber of the country's bicameral Parliament. In 2006 it was reported that he had rejoined ZANU (PF). A letter sent to him by ZANU (PF) national chairman John Nkomo dated April 7, 2006 said "You will not exercise your right to be elected to any office in the party for a period of five years. John Landa Nkomo (born August 22 1934) is a Zimbabwean politician Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. You will be required to uphold all the duties of a member listed in Article 3, Section 18 of the amended Zanu PF constitution".
2008 Makoni presidential campaign
At a rally on 2 March 2008 in Highfield, a suburb of Harare, Tekere endorsed Simba Makoni, an independent candidate who is running against Mugabe in the March 2008 presidential election. Events 986 - Louis V becomes King of the Franks. 1127 - Assassination of Charles the Good 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Highfield is a high density suburb in Harare Zimbabwe. It is one of the oldest townships in Zimbabwe. Simbarashe Herbert Stanley Makoni (born March 22 1950) is a Zimbabwean politician and was a candidate for the March 2008 presidential election The Republic of Zimbabwe held a presidential election along with a parliamentary election on March 29, 2008. Tekere said that he was "appointing [him]self principal campaigner for Mugabe's downfall". [5]
References
- ^ Martin, D and Johnson, P. 1981. |The Struggle for Zimbabwe. Faber & Faber.
- ^ Moskowitz,D. (2007)BlackMan Redemption pub. Greenwood , page 109
- ^ State v. Tekere and others, Zimbabwe Law Reports 1980. Page 489
- ^ http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/page533.htm
- ^ http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/page533.htm