Njini Ntuta
{{Short description|Zimbabwean politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
Njini Ntuta (10 September 1924 – 25 November 1984) was a Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) politician. He was deputy minister of mines in the first post-independence government but was sacked by President Robert Mugabe in a 1982 purge of ZAPU politicians. Ntuta was assassinated by members of the security forces acting on the orders of Colonel Flint Magama in 1984. At the time Mugabe's government blamed the murder on anti-government dissidents.
Biography
Ntuta was born on 10 September 1924 to Gwaula Ntuta and Minah Ntuta (née Ndebele) in the Tsholotsho Communal lands, Southern Rhodesia. He was brought up in the Anglican faith.{{cite book |title=National Heroes of Zimbabwe: Role Models for Our Youth |date=1997 |publisher=ZANU (PF), Department of Information and Publicity |page=21 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NvwwAQAAIAAJ |language=en}} Ntuta was a member of the Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU) and was appointed deputy minister of mines in Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union-led government, the first black-majority government following the end of the Rhodesian Bush War and the Lancaster House Agreement.
Ntuta was sacked by Mugabe on 17 April 1982 in a purge of ZAPU politicians from his government.{{cite book |last1=Tsvangirai |first1=Morgan |title=At the deep end |date=7 October 2011 |publisher=Eye Books |isbn=978-1-908646-01-9 |page=109 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QUhBDwAAQBAJ |language=en}}{{cite book |last1=Stiff |first1=Peter |title=Cry Zimbabwe: Independence-twenty Years on |date=2000 |publisher=Chris Lloyd Sales |isbn=978-1-919854-03-8 |page=101 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QlV1AAAAMAAJ |language=en}} He became a senior opposition figure in the National Assembly of Zimbabwe. Ntuta was murdered by automatic gunfire in fields near his home at Nyamandhlovu in Matabeleland on 25 November 1984. He was chased by three gunmen for {{convert|2.5|mi|km}} before he was killed. At the time of his killing the diplomatic corps in Harare and ZAPU officials questioned the official Zimbabwean government account that placed responsibility for the killings with anti-government dissidents. Ntuta had himself questioned similar claims for the deaths of other civilians in the preceding months, alleging that the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) had perpetrated the killings.{{cite news |title=Opposition Party Figure Is Slain in Zimbabwe |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/27/world/around-the-world-opposition-party-figure-is-slain-in-zimbabwe.html |access-date=17 January 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=27 November 1984}} It later emerged that he was killed by security operatives masquerading as dissidents.{{cite news |last1=Malunga |first1=Siphosami |title=The struggle for freedom cannot be outsourced |url=https://www.theafricareport.com/14053/the-struggle-for-freedom-cannot-be-outsourced/ |access-date=17 January 2022 |work=The Africa Report.com |date=14 June 2019}}{{cite news |title=Dumiso Dabengwa: An epitome of courage, endurance and integrity |url=https://www.theindependent.co.zw/2019/05/31/dumiso-dabengwa-an-epitome-of-courage-endurance-and-integrity/ |access-date=17 January 2022 |work=The Zimbabwe Independent |date=31 May 2019}} The ZNA's Colonel Flint Magama had been in charge of the killing.{{cite news |last1=Muleya |first1=Dumisani |title=Mike Auret: the man who stood up to the Gukurahundi barbarians |url=https://www.zimlive.com/2020/04/10/mike-auret-the-man-who-faced-down-the-gukurahundi-barbarians/ |access-date=17 January 2022 |work=Zimbabwe News Now |date=10 April 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Ngwere |first1=Moses |title=Dyck's new Mozambican wild adventure |url=https://www.thezimbabwemail.com/world-news/dycks-new-mozambican-wild-adventure/ |access-date=17 January 2022 |work=The Zimbabwe Mail |date=6 November 2020}}
Ntuta is recognised as a national hero of Zimbabwe.{{cite web |title=Our National Heroes and Heroines |url=http://www.information.gov.zw/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Heroes-Poster-2018-August.pdf |publisher=Government of Zimbabwe |access-date=17 January 2022}}{{cite book |title=A Guide to Heroes Acre--: Some Basic Facts about Zimbabwe's Heroes and Heroes Acre |date=1990 |publisher=Ministry of Information, Posts and Telecommunications |page=91 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XuNRAQAAMAAJ |language=en}} He is buried in Pelandaba Cemetery in Bulawayo. In 2013 his grave was reported to have been vandalised, with his headstone being removed.{{cite news |title=Vandals descend on graves |url=https://www.chronicle.co.zw/vandals-descend-on-graves/ |access-date=17 January 2022 |work=The Chronicle |date=10 September 2013}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ntuta, Njini}}
Category:Assassinated Zimbabwean politicians
Category:20th-century Zimbabwean politicians
Category:Zimbabwe African People's Union politicians
Category:National Heroes of Zimbabwe
Category:1984 murders in Zimbabwe