ZAPUs

ZAPUs refers to the Zimbabwe African People's Union and its factional manifestations within Zimbabwe’s political history. The party was founded in 1961 by Joshua Nkomo as a leading force in the anti-colonial struggle and sought black liberation and national self-determination. Its military wing, ZIPRA, conducted guerrilla operations during the Rhodesian Bush War, operating alongside other liberation movements such as ZANU.

Following independence in 1980, tensions between ZAPU and ZANU-PF grew over governance, regional representation, and security concerns. In 1987, the two groups signed the Unity Accord, which effectively merged ZAPU into ZANU-PF, creating a single-party framework at the highest level while leaving ZAPU’s organizational presence reduced in practice.

In the 1990s, ZAPU re-emerged as a distinct political party under new leadership, notably Dumiso Dabengwa, and pursued a platform centered on regional development, minority rights, and democratic reforms. It participated in elections and sought alliances with other opposition forces, while maintaining a regional base in parts of Matabeleland and drawing on ZIPRA’s historical legacy.

Today, ZAPU remains a smaller party within Zimbabwe’s multi-party landscape, often described as representing specific regional or minority concerns and contributing to broader debates on governance and reform. The term ZAPUs is used in historical and contemporary discussions to denote the Zimbabwe African People's Union and its various factional forms rather than a single, continuous organization.