Canaan Banana

Banana was born on 5 March 1936, near Essexvale (now Esigodini), Matabeleland, Southern Rhodesia. He attended the local Mzinyati mission school, before completing his secondary education at Tegwani High School in Plumtree. He later studied at a teacher training institute before earning a diploma in theology at Epworth Theological College in Salisbury (today Harare). In that capacity, he worked with southern African churches as they adjusted to respond, theologically and practically, to urbanisation and industrialisation. During this time, he was also a member of the Advisory Committee of the World Council of Churches. == Political activity ==

In the 1960s and 1970s, Banana became active in anti-colonial politics. From the pulpit, he began denouncing Rhodesia's white minority regime and preached a form of black liberation theology. He embraced a socialist Christian theology, and declared that "when I see a guerrilla, I see Jesus Christ". In 1971, the British government reached a deal with Rhodesian premier Ian Smith that provided for a transition to "majority rule" in exchange for an end to sanctions against Rhodesia. In response, Banana joined with fellow Methodist cleric Bishop Abel Muzorewa to form the United African National Council (UANC), which opposed the settlement. The proposed referendum was withdrawn and the UANC grew in prominence as a national political party. Initially, both Ndabaningi Sithole's Zimbabwe African National Union and Joshua Nkomo's Zimbabwe African People's Union loosely aligned themselves with the UANC. Because both ZANU and ZAPU participated with guerrilla forces in the Rhodesian Bush War, the UANC was the only legal black political party in Rhodesia, since it rejected violence. Banana served as the vice-president of the UANC from 1971 to 1973. Although Banana and the UANC were more moderate than ZANU or ZAPU, they still faced persecution from the government. When several other UANC leaders were arrested, he fled from Rhodesia with his wife and children. At first, he went to Botswana, where he briefly stayed with a minister friend, Ben Hopkinson. Next, he went to Japan, where he studied at Kansai University in Osaka. Finally, he moved to the United States, settling in Washington, D.C., from 1973 to 1975. There, he served as the UANC representative to the United States and the United Nations, and studied at Wesley Theological Seminary from 1974 to 1975, obtained a Master of Theology. ==Presidency of Zimbabwe==

When many Council members were arrested in the late 1960s, Banana and his family fled to the United States and did not return until 1975. Banana was arrested on his return but was released a year later, kept under house arrest, and then allowed to participate in Abel Muzorewa's plans for the country. However, he abandoned that effort and joined ZANU (led by Robert Mugabe), which was dedicated to overthrowing the Smith administration. Returning to Rhodesia in December 1976, Banana was arrested once more for his support of ZANU; upon the appointment of Lord Soames as Governor of Southern Rhodesia, he was released from prison. Under the country's new constitution, Banana became the first president in 1980. In 1987, his largely ceremonial post was taken over by Mugabe, who made himself executive president. Banana then became a diplomat for the Organisation of African Unity and head of the religious department at the University of Zimbabwe. He played a large role in bringing the two major groups of independence fighters, ZANU and ZAPU, together to form the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front, a merger that took place in 1988. ==Sodomy charges and imprisonment==

In 1997, Banana was arrested in Zimbabwe on charges of sodomy, following accusations made during the murder trial of his former bodyguard, Jefta Dube. Dube, a policeman, had shot dead Patrick Mashiri, an officer who had taunted him about being "Banana's homosexual wife". The charges related to allegations from the state prosecutor that Banana had misused his power while he was president to coerce numerous men in positions of service (ranging from domestic staff to security guards, and even members of sports teams for whom he had acted as referee) into accepting sexual advances at State House. Banana was found guilty of eleven charges of sodomy, attempted sodomy and indecent assault in 1998. He denied all charges, saying that homosexuality is "deviant, abominable and wrong", and the allegations made against him were "pathological lies" intended to destroy his political career. He fled to South Africa whilst released on bail before he could be imprisoned, apparently believing Mugabe was planning his death. He returned to Zimbabwe in December 1998, after a meeting with Nelson Mandela, who convinced him to face the ruling. Banana was sentenced on 18 January 1999 to ten years in jail, nine years suspended, and was also defrocked. He actually served six months in an open prison before being released in January 2001. His wife sought political asylum in Britain in October 2000, under a pre-existing accord. and Michael's wife Caroline Banana were the subject of a 2013 BBC documentary Britain on the Fiddle investigating welfare benefit fraud in the United Kingdom. ==Death==

On 10 November 2003, Banana died of cancer in London according to a report delivered by the Zimbabwean High Commissioner. The Guardian, a London-based newspaper, said Banana had travelled to South Africa, where he eventually died, to receive appropriate treatment for his cancer. However, this assertion relies upon uncorroborated testimonial evidence. Banana was buried without full honours that are traditionally reserved for former heads of state. He had also not received the full benefits of a former president, such as a state pension. == Personal life ==

Banana married Janet Mbuyazwe in 1961. ==References==