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Josiah Zion Gumede

The Honourable
Josiah Zion Gumede
OLG MBE
JZGumede.jpg
Josiah Zion Gumede
1st President of Zimbabwe Rhodesia
In office
1 June 1979 – 12 December 1979
Prime Minister Abel Muzorewa
Preceded by Henry Everard
Succeeded by Canaan Banana
Personal details
Born 19 September 1919
Bembesi, Southern Rhodesia
Died 28 March 1989(1989-03-28) (aged 69)
Zimbabwe
Nationality Zimbabwean
Spouse(s) Esther Gumede
Children Ndabiqondile Mandla Gumede, Titus Tofi Gumede, Nkosinathi Boxie Gumede, Bekinkosi Sofaigiya Nyamie Gumede
Residence Bulawayo, Manxeleni
Occupation School teacher, Politician, Diplomat
Religion Presbyterian

Josiah Zion Gumede, OLG (19 September 1919 – 28 March 1989) was the only president of the self-proclaimed, and internationally unrecognised, state of Zimbabwe Rhodesia during 1979, before Rhodesia briefly reverted to British rule until the country's independence as Zimbabwe in 1980. He died in 1989.

Josiah Gumede was born in Bembesi, in the Bubi District (now in Matabeleland North) of Southern Rhodesia. He was educated at the David Livingstone Memorial Mission and Matopo Mission before matriculating in the Cape Province (South Africa) in 1946. He taught at various mission and government schools and ended his teaching career as a headmaster. He was the assistant information and education attache for the Government of Rhodesia and Nyasaland at Rhodesia House in London between 1960 and 1962. He then joined the Ministry of External Affairs (1963–1965).

He was at one time general secretary for the then African Teachers' Association of Rhodesia; a member of the Wankie Disaster Relief Fund's Board of Trustees; a director of the Tribal Trust Land Development Corporation; and a board member of the National Free Library of Rhodesia. He was also an ordained elder of the Presbyterian Church of South Africa.

Gumede is the grandfather of British television actress, Natalie Gumede.



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