Joseph Msika (6 December 1923 — ) has been vice-president of Zimbabwe since 23 December 1999. December 6 is the 340th day (341st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (358th in leap years). ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

He was originally a member of Joshua Nkomo's Zimbabwe African People's Union, but now serves under Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Zimbabwe African Peoples Union was a political party in Zimbabwe. ... Robert Gabriel Mugabe (born February 21, 1924) is a Zimbabwean politician. ... The Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) has been the ruling political party in Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, led by Robert Mugabe, first as Prime Minister with the party simply known as ZANU, and then as President from 1988 after taking over ZAPU and renaming the party...

He was a member of the delegation to the Lancaster House Agreement, that forged independence for Zimbabwe. The Lancaster House Agreement was the independence agreement for Rhodesia, now known as Zimbabwe. ...

On 5 March 2005, Msika was taken into hospital after collapsing at home, apparently having suffered a stroke and a blood clot in his head. ^[1] March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (65th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

At a rally in October 2006 in Bulawayo, Msika dismissed Mugabe's past apology for the 1987 Gukurahundi killings, condemned internationally for the violence it unleashed on mainly rural Ndebele. "When we asked him about the massacres he apologised, but I was not convinced about his sincerity," he said. The City of Bulawayo is highlighted in this map of Zimbabwe. ... Gukurahundi is a traditional term in Shona (one of Zimbabwes native languages), which means the early rain which washes away the chaff before the spring rains. The chaff, i. ... There are two versions of Ndebele in South Africa, they both belong to the Nguni group of Bantu Languages. ...

ZAPU

Msika further goaded Mugabe at the rally by claiming that ZANU-PF had been "lying" to the world about being the pioneers in the liberation struggle. "The true history of the liberation struggle should be told. I feel I have a duty to correct this blatant lie ... The struggle to liberate Zimbabwe started in Bulawayo at Stanley Hall, when we formed the African Youth Congress." ^[2]

"At one of the meetings of the youth congress which I chaired, we decided to invite people from Mashonaland to join us in the struggle. If there is anyone who doubts this, they should come forward and challenge me one-on-one," he said.

Cde Msika said four people were approached, namely Enock Dumbutshena, Samkange, Joshua Nkomo and Mwanaka. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

"Samkange insulted us, saying he could not work with unschooled people. Dumbutshena also insulted us saying we were unemployable and violent people against the whites. Mwanaka never responded. But Nkomo said what we were planning to do, the road that we would walk, would be a thorny one and said if we were prepared to face it he would join us, which he did," said Cde Msika.

He said it was then that the late nationalist, Dr Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, became the leader of the struggle.

References

1. ^ Msika reportedly suffers stroke newzimbabwe.com
2. ^ ZIMBABWE: Old wounds inflame political tensions IRIN