Harare, Nov 11: Zimbabwe's first black president, Canaan Banana, died yesterday, his former close ally President Robert Mugabe announced in a statement broadcast on state television. Mugabe described the controversial Banana, who was in power here between 1980-1987 as "a rare gift to our nation". Banana, 67, had been ill for some time. Mugabe, who served under banana as prime minister and then took over from him in 1987, said his predecessor had undergone treatment in hospitals in South Africa. "He joins a proud list of makers of our nation," Mugabe said. A methodist minister and a theologian, banana fell into disrepute more than a decade after he left office.

He was arrested in Zimbabwe in 1996 on charges of sexually assaulting his former bodyguard, Jefta Dube. He fled to neighbouring South Africa while on bail, but returned home after meeting with then South African President, Nelson Mandela.
He was sentenced to 10 years in jail by the High Court in 1999, but served only two years in prison and was released in 2001. After that he led a very low-profile existence.

Years before, banana played a key role in the fight against white rule in what was then Rhodesia.

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He was Vice President of the African National Council (ANC) in Rhodesia and fled to the us in the late 1960s fearing arrest back home.

Bureau Report