25 Facts About Mainza Chona

Mainza Mathias Chona was a Zambian politician and founder of UNIP who served as the third vice-president of Zambia from 1970 to 1973 and Prime Minister on two occasions: from 25 August 1973 to 27 May 1975 and from 20 July 1977 to 15 June 1978.

Mainza Chona was Secretary General of the United National Independence Party, the ruling party, from 1978 to 1981.

Mainza Chona held various government positions, including Justice Minister, Home Affairs Minister and Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney-General.

Mainza Chona was Secretary-General of UNIP from 1978 to 1981 and Ambassador to the People's Republic of China from 1984 to 1989.

Mainza Chona received his primary education at Mainza Chona out-school in Nampeyo, and at Chikuni.

Mainza Chona completed his secondary education at Munali Secondary School in Lusaka in 1951 and then worked as an interpreter at the High Court in Livingstone.

In pursuit of his goal, Mainza Chona secured a scholarship that took him to London in 1955, where he studied at Gray's Inn.

Mainza Chona made contact with London-based White supporters of the nationalist cause, such as Simon Zukas and Doris Lessing.

Mainza Chona had been a member of ANC while in London and he had not made a choice between the two factions.

Mainza Chona decided to take active part in the operations of the still-legal ANC, but his challenge to Nkumbula's cautious leadership of the party resulted in a further split.

Mainza Chona remained in London as UNIP's overseas representative for more than a year.

Mainza Chona served as a UNIP delegate to the Federal Review Conference in London in December 1960 and returned home in February 1961.

In June 1961, Mainza Chona was elected National Secretary of UNIP and he remained in that post for eight years.

Mainza Chona was instrumental in securing the short-lived coalition between UNIP and the ANC in January 1963.

Between 1966 and 1969, Mainza Chona held no less than five different ministerial appointments, including minister without portfolio.

Mainza Chona was sent to the United States as ambassador in 1969.

The Mainza Chona report was based on four months of public hearings and was submitted in October 1972.

From 1973 to 1975, Mainza Chona was given the position of Prime Minister, a new post that was clearly subordinate to that of President.

Mainza Chona served for a second time from 1977 to 1978, after a spell as Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney-General.

Mainza Chona wanted to return to Zambia at the end of his term in China, but Kaunda transferred him to Paris, where he served as ambassador for a further three years, from 1989 to 1992.

Mainza Chona was associated, as a lawyer, with the Oasis Forum which successfully opposed Chiluba's attempt to run for a third term as president.

Mainza Chona was widely respected in Zambia as a good administrator and as Kaunda's loyal lieutenant.

Mainza Chona contributed immensely to the organization of UNIP and to Zambia's struggle for independence.

Mainza Chona seemed to lack personal ambition and did not enrich himself through political office.

Mainza Chona's daughter Elizabeth Muyovwe was a Justice of the Supreme Court of Zambia from 2010 to 2021.