Background
Joseph was born on December 6, 1923, eldest of nine children in the Mazoe district of Mashonaland.
Joseph was born on December 6, 1923, eldest of nine children in the Mazoe district of Mashonaland.
Educated at the Salvation Army’s Howard Institute School. Left in 1944 as a trained carpenter but returned to the Salvation Army in 1945 as a teacher at the Usher Institute in Bulawayo.
He changed course in 1947 after marriage and became a clerk at the Consolidated Textile Mills in Bulawayo, gradually working his way up to be chief clerk. His political apprenticeship began in 1949 on his appointment as chairman of the Bulawayo Youth League a post he held for seven years.
As Bulawayo District chairman of the old African National Congress from 1955 Msika set his heart on a unified national movement, effectively combining the forces of Bulawayo and Salisbury, where the City Youth League was the main nationalist centre. On his suggestion the merger was worked out at a special conference under Nkomo’s chairmanship on September 12, 1957. He made their target a democratic franchise with the elimination of all discriminatory practices. He was treasurer-general of the ANC from 1957 to 1959.
When the ANC was outlawed on February 25, 1959, Msika, one of the national executive members, was arrested and imprisoned at Marandellas, 40 miles south-east of Salisbury. Immediately on his release in February 1960 he resumed his political activities with the newly-formed National Democratic Party as secretary for youth. He was also president of the Allied Workers Union from 1960 to 1964. After the NDP was banned on December 9, 1961, he helped Nkomo reorganise the nationalists into ZAPU. As external affairs secretary from 1961 to 1963 he travelled abroad seeking funds and support. On a visit to the United States he gave a lecture at Stanford University, California.
Following his arrest he has been restricted at Gonakudzingwa camp with Nkomo apart from three months of freedom from May to July 1965. He spent some of his time studying for an external BA degree in Sociology from the University of South Africa.
A product of the Salvation Army who helped inspire the revival of African nationalism in Rhodesia. Forceful, trusted lieutenant of Joshua Nkomo, he played a key role in challenging white rule during the decade of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Working from Bulawayo, he sought to build up a strong nation-wide movement with broad backing from youth organisations. His experience as a teacher and as a Youth League organiser made him a powerful figure in the struggle for African liberation.