Background
Lazarus was born on February 26, 1927, in the Filabusi district of Matabeleland, son of a lay preacher of the American Brothers in Christ.
Lazarus was born on February 26, 1927, in the Filabusi district of Matabeleland, son of a lay preacher of the American Brothers in Christ.
Educated at Matepo Mission School and then sent to the Government School for Elementary Industrial Training at Mzingwane where he passed out as a qualified builder in 1947.
His first job was as a builder in Bulawayo. In 1950 his interest in trade unions led to his election as chairman of the Bulawayo branch of the African Artisans Union. He was promoted president of the African Artisans Union in 1955 and held the post until his arrest in 1964. At the same time he was Matabeleland regional president of the African Trades Union Congress.
At Joshua Nkomo’s persuasion Nkala turned to politics, helping first to extend the membership of the African National Congress in the Bulawayo district. After it was banned he became treasurer of the Bulawayo branch of the National Democratic Party. His continuing devotion to African welfare made him accept the chairmanship of the Barbour Fields Tenants’ Association and membership of the Bulawayo African Township Advisory Board.
After the NDP was outlawed Nkala was appointed Bulawayo District chairman of ZAPU. Always at Nkomo’s side as a soft-spoken adviser and organiser, Nkala was a marked man to the police. He was arrested a week after Nkomo. Apart from three months’ freedom from May to July 1965 Nkala has been in detention most of the time with Nkomo and Joseph Msika at Gonakundzingwa camp since his arrest.
A stabilising influence on younger hotheads, Nkala had the strength of tolerance and the patience of experience to keep the movement from violent clashes with the authorities. During his enforced separation from his teacher wife and their five children he seized the educational opportunities denied him in his youth. After passing his "A” level examinations by correspondence course from camp Nkala studied for an external Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of South Africa.