League Of Legends: Leopold Tapfumaneyi Takawira "The Lion of Chirumhanzu".

Written By  Oudney Patsika

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Cde Leopold Tapfumaneyi Takawira was born in 1916 in Mvuma and died in prison in 1970 and was first buried in his home area in Chirumhanzu. He was buried at Heroes Acre on August 11, 1982, 12 years after his death.

Leopold Takawira, known as the Lion of Chirumhanzu, was educated at Kutama Mission and later went to Roma University in Lesotho. He started his revolutionary activities in Highfield, Harare, when he was a schoolteacher at Chipembere Primary School. He organized teachers first to attack the racially discriminatory practice of the white minority settler regime; and later joined the NDP to broaden his activities. He quickly became leader and chief spokesman of the nationalist movement at the time.

Rhodesian politician Leopold Takawira, opposition leader and head of the African National Union, in London, January 1961. Credit: Hulton Archive

Following the NDP Congress, he became external representative in London. It was in this capacity that he sent a cable back home denouncing and rejecting the 1961 constitutional conference results, which gave Africans 15 seats in a Parliament of 65.

Heroes Acre: The National Heroes Acre, our revered shrine, is the pride of the people of Zimbabwe. It is a symbol of bravery and selflessness for those whose remains are laid to rest there. Towering majestically is the Tomb of the Unknown soldier which symbolises the final resting place for tens of thousands of Zimbabweans who sacrificed their lives for the sake of our freedom and independence, but whose remains are scatered in the valleys, disused mines, caves, unknown graves and mass graves spread accross the nation and neighbouring states.

He denounced the agreement as a diabolical and disastrous to the Zimbabwe nation. The leadership and the membership of the NDP later rejected the 1961 Constitution.After the ban of NDP, ZAPU was formed and Cde Takawira was appointed secretary for external affairs again. He became instrumental in the formation of ZANU. He became ZANU's first vice president and when the ZANU Congress was held, he retained his position as Vice President of the party. He worked energetically to establish and popularize ZANU.

League Of Legends: Leopold Tapfumaneyi Takawira "The Lion of Chirumhanzu".

He was arrested in Harare and detained at Wha Wha, Sikombela and Salisbury Central prisons. While in prison he continued his revolutionary activities even at a time when his health was failing. The white minority settler regime denied him permission to receive medical attention.

On June 15, 1970 he collapsed and went into a coma and later died. The post-mortem showed that he had been suffering from diabetes and the verdict of the court was that he had died of negligence. The Smith regime must bear full responsibility for Takawira's death in their prisons.
Source: Leopold Tapfumaneyi Takawira "The Lion of Chirumhanzu". 

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