adminThe Herald 31 March 1983
THE founder of one of Zimbabwe’s first political parties is very much alive and working in an eight to five clerical job in Highfield.
Fidelis Hapagarwe Nhapi’s boyhood ambitions culminated with the formation of the Southern Rhodesia African Youth League. The “protest party” was formed after trade union leaders such as Cde Charles Mzingeli exposed the injustice and inequality of the situation to him.
Publicity-shy Cde Nhapi said: “At that time no one ever thought of independence and the fight was for the African to be equal to the European and to be respected as a human being.”
He was introduced to Cde Mzingeli, then leader of the Reformed Commercial Industry Workers’ Trade Union, by his brother, a member.
“My brother used to tell me that I should revere and listen to Mzingeli and others because they were not afraid of the white man and they were fighting for the country.”
The fires started by Cde Mzingeli were rekindled when Cde Nhapi met the former Governor of the Bank of Zambia, Cde Valentine Musakanya, when they were class mates at Kutama College in 1949.
“Valentine used to chide us as to why there were no political parties in our country when all other countries had. Whenever he came back from holidays in Zambia, he brought us political literature not obtainable here then.
“At Kutama there was annual election of the student council headed by a mayor and his councillors. This council ran the school and was democratically elected. The student council was an eye-opener to civics and the responsible use of power.”
In 1955 the SRAYL, now aiming for national party status, held a meeting at Nharira Primary School, Mbare, at which the more prominent nationalists of the time, George Nyandoro, Paul Mushonga and Rodrick Mangwiro were invited. James Bassoppo-Moyo and Isaac Samuriwo were invited, but did not turn up.
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