Josiah Zion Gumede

The Hon. Josiah Zion Gumede MBE
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 Southern Rhodesia, Bembesi
Died	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.

References

• Newitt, Louise (ed). Prominent Rhodesian Personalities (Cover Publicity Services, Salisbury, 1977).

Political offices
Preceded by Henry Everard (of Rhodesia)	President of Zimbabwe Rhodesia 1979	Succeeded by Canaan Banana (of Zimbabwe)