Khayisa Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni (1913–2010) was a chief in

Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...

. He was hugely respected in

Matabeleland Matabeleland is a region located in southwestern Zimbabwe that is divided into three provinces: Matabeleland North, Bulawayo, and Matabeleland South. These provinces are in the west and south-west of Zimbabwe, between the Limpopo and Zambezi ...

and a revered figure among his people in Ntabazinduna.. He became a chief of the Matebele people of Ntabazinduna and Mbembezi in 1939. He was a direct descendant of

Gundwane Ndiweni Gundwane "Mkhaliphi" Ndiweni (also known as Khondwane Ndiweni) was a military leader and the first Paramount Chief of Matabeleland. He is credited for founding modern day Matabeleand and Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. He set up the first of the four capitals ...

, the Ndebele leader of the Nguni group that split from King

Mzilikazi Mzilikazi Moselekatse, Khumalo ( 1790 – 9 September 1868) was a Southern African king who founded the Ndebele Kingdom now called Matebeleland which is now part of Zimbabwe. His name means "the great river of blood". He was born the son of M ...

Political parties ZUPO & UNFP

He was a leading figure in the

Zimbabwe United People's Organisation Zimbabwe United People's Organisation (ZUPO) was a political party in Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, b ...

(ZUPO) party in the late 1970s. He left in 1979 to found the

United National Federal Party United National Federal Party (UNFP) was a political party in Zimbabwe, formed in November 1978 by Chief Kayisa Ndiweni,. who had been a leading figure in the Zimbabwe United People's Organisation. UNFP contested the 1979 election and won 9 seat ...

. This was a federalist party which had separatist tendencies. His party won nine seats in the 1979 election but didn't win any in 1980. His party was the only other Black party to win common roll seats. UNFP won 194,446 votes, or 10.97 percent of the vote,85 and were most successful in Matabeleland North and South. This was the first election that allowed all Black Zimbabweans to vote.

Public service and Lancaster House Conference

He served as the Minister for Works in the government of

Abel Muzorewa Abel Tendekayi Muzorewa (14 April 1925 – 8 April 2010), also commonly referred to as Bishop Muzorewa, was a Zimbabwean bishop and politician who served as the first and only Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Rhodesia from the Internal Settlement t ...

in 1979 to 1980. He attended the 1979 Lancaster House Conference in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, where Zimbabwe's independence from white minority rule was negotiated. There he advocated for a federation to be created in Zimbabwe which would see Zimbabwe divided into sub-regions. He was an advocate of a federal state for Zimbabwe and a strong critic of the style of governance of

Robert Mugabe Robert Gabriel Mugabe (; ; 21 February 1924 – 6 September 2019) was a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician who served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987 and then as President from 1987 to 2017. He served as Leader of th ...

MDC

He was later linked to Zimbabwe's main political opposition party, MDC alliance and played a role in its foundation. Chief Ndiweni and his wife Agnes Masuku were advisors to the founding members of the

Movement for Democratic Change Movement may refer to: Generic uses * Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece * Movement (sign language), a hand movement when signing * Motion, commonly referred to as movement * Movement (music), a division of a larger co ...

Personal life

He died in 2010 age 97. He was married to Agnes Masuku. His son is Zimbabwean activist Chief

Nhlanhlayamangwe Felix Ndiweni Tribal chief, Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Felix Ndiweni (born 1963) is a Ndebele traditional leader from Zimbabwe who is known as one of the few traditional leaders to speak out against the ZANU–PF, ZANU-PF government. He is a Chief in the Matabele ...

. His grand-daughter

Mimi Ndiweni Mimi or MIMI may refer to: People and fictional characters * Mimi (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Constantin Mimi (1868–1935), Bessarabian politician and winemaker * Mimi (footballer, born 1996), Bissau Guinean footbal ...

is a famous British actress. He is a descendant of Paramount Chief

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ndiweni, Kayisa Zimbabwean politicians 1913 births 2010 deaths Rhodesian politicians Interior ministers of Rhodesia