Leopold Takawira

Who was Leopold Takawira?

Leopold Takawira served as the Vice-President of the Zimbabwe African National Union after supporting the National Democratic Party and later the Zimbabwe African People's Union. Takawira was also known by his Mhazi to totem as 'Shumba yeChirumanzi'

Takawira was born at Chirumanzi, Victoria district in 1916. He obtained his education locally and at Mariannhill in Natal, South Africa. He qualified as a teacher, and after several years as an assistant teacher, was appointed Headmaster of Chipembere Government School in Highfield. He gave up teaching to join Colonel David Stirling's Capricorn Africa Society, of which he became Executive Officer.