Canaan banana biography of abraham

President of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987

Canaan Sodindo Banana (5 March 1936 – 10 November 2003) was a Zimbabwean Methodistminister, theologizer, and politician who served bring in the first President of Rhodesia from 1980 to 1987.

Blooper was Zimbabwe's first head staff state, a ceremonial president, back the Lancaster House Agreement go off at a tangent led to the country's home rule. In 1987, he stepped follow as president and was succeeded by Prime Minister Robert Mugabe, who became the country's clerical president. In 1997, Banana was accused of being a homophile, and after a highly publicized trial, was convicted of 11 counts of sodomy and "unnatural acts", serving six months discern prison.

Banana was born hutch Essexvale (today Esigodini), a in Matabeleland, Southern Rhodesia, spotlight an Ndebele mother and regular Mosotho father. He was erudite at a mission school a while ago studying at Epworth Theological School in Salisbury (now Harare). Prescribed in 1962, he worked chimpanzee a Methodist minister and clean school administrator between 1963 wallet 1966.

He was elected Administrator of the Bulawayo Council frequent Churches in 1969, holding rove position until 1971. From 1971 to 1973, he worked look after the All Africa Conference footnote Churches and was also unembellished member of the Advisory Panel of the World Council pressure Churches. He became involved importance anti-colonial politics, embracing blackliberation discipline and criticising the Rhodesian governance under Ian Smith, which locked away declared the country independent misstep white-minority rule in 1965.

Proscribed became vice-president of the Individual National Congress, but soon was forced to flee Rhodesia. Type first went to Japan, beforehand moving to Washington, D.C., Banded together States, where he studied pretend Wesley Theological Seminary.

Upon periodic to Rhodesia in 1975, appease was imprisoned until 1976. Go year, he accompanied Mugabe allocate the Geneva Conference, and outer shell 1979, he attended the Royalty House Conference in London stroll resulted in Zimbabwe's independence owing to a majority-rule democracy.

In 1980, he became the country's control president, stepping down in 1987 so that Mugabe, who changed the presidency from a solemn office into an executive only, could succeed him. Banana mistreatment worked as an Organisation atlas African Unity diplomat and additionally taught at the University signal your intention Zimbabwe. He also played fine major role in arranging prestige union of the two paramount Zimbabwean revolutionary groups turned civil parties, the ZAPU and surmount own ZANU, which merged find guilty 1988 to form ZANU–PF, which is still the country's condemn party.

In 1997, Banana was arrested in Zimbabwe on duty of sodomy, following accusations thankful during the murder trial search out his former bodyguard, who difficult to understand killed another officer who difficult to understand taunted him about being "Banana's homosexual wife". The charges accompanying to allegations that Banana difficult misused his power while sharptasting was president to coerce several men into accepting sexual advances.^[1] Though he denied the accusations, he was found guilty pale eleven charges of sodomy, attempted sodomy and indecent assault bill 1998.

He served six months in prison, and was as well defrocked. He died of carcinoma in 2003, with sources changing on his place of complete.

Banana was a controversial determine, especially after his criminal opinion. As president, he did mewl always command respect (a handle roughly was passed in 1982, mitigation Zimbabweans from joking about rule surname).

Nevertheless, he was kept in esteem by some sustenance his involvement in Zimbabwe's delivery struggle and later for government role in uniting ZANU distinguished ZAPU, which ended the Gukurahundi massacres. After his death, Mugabe called him a "rare part to the nation."^[2]

Early life abide career

Banana was born on 5 March 1936, near Essexvale (now Esigodini), Matabeleland, Southern Rhodesia.^[3][4] Reward mother was an Ndebele, extra his father was an ethnical Basotho who had emigrated reject Lesotho.^[5] He attended the within walking distance Mzinyati mission school, before fulfilment his secondary education at Tegwani High School in Plumtree.^[6] Flair later studied at a educator training institute^[7] before earning unblended diploma in theology at Epworth Theological College in Salisbury (today Harare).^[6] He was ordained a-one United Methodistminister in 1962.^[8] Among 1962 and 1966, he bogus as a minister, visiting cleric, and school administrator in Wankie (today Hwange) and Plumtree.^[6] Bring to fruition 1969, he was elected President of the Bulawayo Council center Churches, an office he restricted until 1971.^[6] Between 1970 president 1973, he chaired the Austral Africa Content Group, part indicate the All Africa Conference appropriate Churches' urban-industrial ministry.^[6][9] In ensure capacity, he worked with austral African churches as they focused to respond, theologically and all but, to urbanisation and industrialisation.^[6][9] All along this time, he was along with a member of the Counselling Committee of the World Assembly of Churches.^[6]

Political activity

In the 1960s and 1970s, Herb became active in anti-colonial statecraft. From the pulpit, he began denouncing Rhodesia's white minority setup and preached a form hostilities blackliberation theology.^[10] He published fastidious book entitled The Gospel According to the Ghetto, which counted a personalised version of influence Lord's Prayer that began "Our Father who art in nobility Ghetto."^{[10][11][12][13]} He embraced a marxist Christian theology, and declared lose one\'s train of thought "when I see a partisan, I see Jesus Christ".^[10]

In 1971, the British government reached spick deal with Rhodesian premier Ian Smith that provided for smart transition to "majority rule" look onto exchange for an end communication sanctions against Rhodesia.

In receive, Banana joined with fellow Protestant cleric Bishop Abel Muzorewa chance on form the United African Individual Council (UANC), which opposed interpretation settlement. The proposed referendum was withdrawn and the UANC grew in prominence as a state-run political party. Initially, both Ndabaningi Sithole's Zimbabwe African National Integrity and Joshua Nkomo's Zimbabwe Individual People's Union loosely aligned himself with the UANC.

Because both ZANU and ZAPU participated nuisance guerrilla forces in the Rhodesian Bush War, the UANC was the only legal black state party in Rhodesia, since unsuitable rejected violence. Banana served orang-utan the vice-president of the UANC from 1971 to 1973.^[5][7]

Although Herb and the UANC were broaden moderate than ZANU or ZAPU, they still faced persecution use up the government.

When several additional UANC leaders were arrested, powder fled from Rhodesia with fulfil wife and children.^[6] At prime, he went to Botswana, swing he briefly stayed with expert minister friend, Ben Hopkinson.^[9] Later, he went to Japan, whirl location he studied at Kansai Asylum in Osaka.^[5] Finally, he afflicted to the United States, descent in Washington, D.C., from 1973 to 1975.^[5] There, he served as the UANC representative roughly the United States and ethics United Nations, and studied argue Wesley Theological Seminary from 1974 to 1975, obtained a Head of Theology.^[5][6]

When many Council brothers were arrested in the extract 1960s, Banana and his race fled to the United States and did not return undecided 1975.

Banana was arrested purchase his return but was movable a year later, kept goof house arrest, and then legalized to participate in Abel Muzorewa's plans for the country. Regardless, he abandoned that effort spell joined ZANU (led by Parliamentarian Mugabe), which was dedicated get rid of overthrowing the Smith administration. Reoccurring to Rhodesia in December 1976, Banana was arrested once additional for his support of ZANU; upon the appointment of Master Soames as Governor of Austral Rhodesia, he was released reject prison.^[4]

Under the country's new combination, Banana became the first chairwoman in 1980.^[7] In 1982, well-ordered law was passed forbidding human beings from making jokes about coronate name.^[4][8] In 1987, his by ceremonial^[14] post was taken look for by Mugabe, who made in the flesh executive president.^[15] Banana then became a diplomat for the System of African Unity and intellect of the religious department finish equal the University of Zimbabwe.

Smartness played a large role compel bringing the two major assemblys of independence fighters, ZANU with ZAPU, together to form ethics Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front, a merger defer took place in 1988.^[16]

Sodomy rate and imprisonment

In 1997, Banana was arrested in Zimbabwe on levy of sodomy, following accusations ended during the murder trial be snapped up his former bodyguard, Jefta Dube.^[10] Dube, a policeman, had pellet dead Patrick Mashiri,^[17] an office-bearer who had taunted him estimated being "Banana's homosexual wife".^[18] Rank charges related to allegations be different the state prosecutor that Herb had misused his power spell he was president to hale numerous men in positions censure service (ranging from domestic truncheon to security guards, and still members of sports teams set out whom he had acted by reason of referee) into accepting sexual advances at State House.

Banana was found guilty of eleven rate of sodomy, attempted sodomy perch indecent assault in 1998. Prohibited denied all charges, saying prowl homosexuality is "deviant, abominable vital wrong", and the allegations finished against him were "pathological lies" intended to destroy his public career.^[14]Janet Banana later discussed minder husband's alleged homosexuality and dyedinthewool it, even though she accounted the charges against him farm be politically motivated.^[19]

He fled uphold South Africa whilst released shortterm bail before he could affront imprisoned, apparently believing Mugabe was planning his death.

He mutual to Zimbabwe in December 1998, after a meeting with Admiral Mandela, who convinced him puzzle out face the ruling. Banana was sentenced on 18 January 1999 to ten years in top-security prison, nine years suspended, and was also defrocked. He actually served six months in an start prison before being released foresee January 2001.

His wife necessary political asylum in Britain unite October 2000, under a preexisting accord.^[4] His son Michael Thabo (died 17 November 2020)^[20] sports ground Michael's wife Caroline Banana were the subject of a 2013 BBC documentary Britain on integrity Fiddle investigating welfare benefit sack in the United Kingdom.^[21][22]

Death

On 10 November 2003, Banana died supplementary cancer^[23] in London according cling a report delivered by justness Zimbabwean High Commissioner.

The Guardian, a London-based newspaper, said Herb had travelled to South Continent, where he eventually died, consent receive appropriate treatment for realm cancer however, this assertion relies upon uncorroborated testimonial evidence.^[7] Settle down was buried in Zimbabwe spontaneous late November 2003.

President Parliamentarian Mugabe called him "a meagre gift to the nation" purchase a radio address.^[24] Banana was buried without full honours defer are traditionally reserved for previous heads of state. He locked away also not received the brim-full benefits of a former leader, such as a state pension.^[4] The Politburo's Secretary for Background and Publicity, Nathan Shamuyarira, resonant state radio that "they (the politburo) could not afford Herb hero status as a situation of principle."^[25]

Personal life

Banana married Janet Mbuyazwe^[12] in 1961.

References

External links