14 Facts About Abel Muzorewa

Abel Muzorewa was a school teacher at Mrewa between 1943 and 1947 before becoming a full-time lay preacher at Mtoko between 1947 and 1949.

Abel Muzorewa then studied theology at Old Umtali Biblical College and was ordained a Minister at Umtali in August 1953.

Abel Muzorewa was a pastor at Chiduku, near Rusape, from 1955 to 1958.

Abel Muzorewa attended Central College in Fayette, Missouri, later Central Methodist University.

When Elrod took Abel Muzorewa to visit Scarritt College for Christian Workers in Nashville, Tennessee, they were turned away from an eating facility, an incident he mentions in his autobiography.

Abel Muzorewa joined an inexperienced cleric, the Reverend Canaan Banana, to form the United African National Council to oppose the settlement, under the acronym NIBMAR.

The proposed referendum was withdrawn and Abel Muzorewa found himself a national leader and an international personality.

On 3 March 1978, Abel Muzorewa, Sithole and other non-exiled leaders signed an agreement at Government House, Salisbury, which paved the way for the interim government, the leadership of which was an Executive Council made up of Abel Muzorewa, Sithole and Jeremiah Chirau, along with Ian Smith.

Josiah Gumede was the first President, Abel Muzorewa became prime minister and the country's name was changed to Zimbabwe Rhodesia.

Abel Muzorewa was persuaded to accept fresh elections, to be held in early 1980.

Abel Muzorewa urged Mugabe to establish diplomatic relations, saying his political policies hurt Zimbabwe's agriculture and technology industries.

Abel Muzorewa stood against Mugabe in the presidential election of 1996, but pulled out after the Supreme Court turned down his bid to postpone the elections on the basis that the electoral rules were unfair.

On 21 June 2007, Abel Muzorewa said citizens, black and white alike, came to his house and asked him to run for president.

Abel Muzorewa died aged 84 from cancer at his home in Harare on 8 April 2010.