Vice President John Nkomo dies

Vice President John Nkomo has died. Nkomo died Thursday morning aged 79 after battling with cancer for years, highly placed government sources confirmed.

Family spokesperson Mr Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, who is also the Minister of Water Resources and Development, said VP Nkomo succumbed to cancer this morning at St Annes Hospital in Harare. He said VP Nkomo had been admitted at the hospital yesterday when his condition deteriorated.

Last week his brother, Sipepa Nkomo had told The Financial Gazette that Nkomo was undergoing treatment in Cape Town but was not hospitalised.

“No, he is not in hospital. He is undergoing chemo (chemotherapy) from home but his condition has really improved,” Sipepa Nkomo had said.

Last year in December Zimbabwe was plunged into a whirlwind of speculation after several unnamed family members had claimed that Nkomo had died quietly while surrounded by his family in Bulawayo.

Two year ago Nkomo scoffed at “Harare’s rumour mill” which claimed he had died. “This can only be the work of Western-sponsored foreign newspapers that carried the story,” a frail looking Nkomo told a rally in Matabeleland.

Speaking in Ndebele Nkomo said “I will and can only die when the Lord wants to take my life away. In fact, I will be here (on earth) for the next Presidential election next year so prepare for that.”

Nkomo had been in and out of hospital and regularly flown to South Africa for treatment. His son Jabulani has had to constantly deny rumours of his death. Last month saw Jabulani deny the fourth false rumour about his father’s death.

More details on the Nkomo story as we get them…..

Below are some highlights from his political career.

Career: Member of African National Congress, 1958-59; joined National Democratic Party, 1960; joined the Zimbabwe African People’s Union, 1961-; arrested and detained at Gonakudzingwa for two years, 1966-68;

Joined the African National Council becoming deputy secretary-general, 1971; attended Geneva Conference as part of Joshua Nkomo’s delegation, 1976; seriously injured in parcel bomb that killed Jason Ziyapapa Moyo, 1977;

Member of Parliament, Matabeleland North, 1980-1985; deputy Minister of Industry and Energy, 1981; Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s office responsible to the Deputy Prime Minister, 1982-84;

Fired from government as one of only two remaining ZAPU members, 1984; Member of Parliament for Tsholotsho, 1985-1990 ; Minister of Labour, Manpower Planning and Social Welfare, 1988-1995; Member of Parliament for Bulawayo North, 1990-1995;

Re-elected Member of Parliament for Bulawayo North, 1995-2000; Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, 1995; Minister of Local Government and National Housing, 1997; Minister of Home Affairs, 2000;

Minister of State in the President’s Office responsible for Special Affairs, 2002; Speaker of Parliament, 2005-2008; Minister of State in the President’s Office responsible for National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration, 2009; Vice-President, 2009 to date.