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| 1976 | Patriotic Front |  |
| The objective of the Patriotic Front was to overthrow the white minority regime of Ian Smith by means of political pressure and military force |
| The Patriotic Front includes ZAPU led by Joshua Nkomo operating mainly from Zambia |
| ZAPU's military wing is known as Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) and ZANU's guerrillas were known as Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) |
| 1976 | ZAPU | |
| The Patriotic Front includes ZAPU led by Joshua Nkomo operating mainly from Zambia |
| 1976 | ZIPRA | |
| ZAPU's military wing is known as Zimbabwe People's Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) and ZANU's guerrillas were known as Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) |
| 1979 | Election | |
| The Patriotic Front parties boycott the elections |
| 1980 | Election | |
| The election is won by Robert Mugabe and ZANU-PF, with Joshua Nkomo and his PF-ZAPU retaining a stronghold in the province of Matabeleland |
| Veteran pro-independence leader Robert Mugabe and his Zanu party win British-supervised independence elections, Mugabe is named Prime Minister and includes Zapu leader Joshua Nkomo in his cabinet |
| 1980 | ZAPU | |
| The election is won by Robert Mugabe and ZANU-PF, with Joshua Nkomo and his PF-ZAPU retaining a stronghold in the province of Matabeleland |
| Veteran pro-independence leader Robert Mugabe and his Zanu party win British-supervised independence elections, Mugabe is named Prime Minister and includes Zapu leader Joshua Nkomo in his cabinet |
| 1982 | Dismissal | |
| Mugabe sacks Nkomo, accusing him of preparing to overthrow the government |
| 1982 | Rebellion | |
| The North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade deployed to crush rebellion by pro-Nkomo ex-guerrillas in Midlands and Matabeleland provinces |
| 1987 | Rebellion | |
| Mugabe & Nkomo merge their parties to form Zanu-PF, ending the violence in southern areas |
| 1987 | ZANU PF | |
| Mugabe & Nkomo merge their parties to form Zanu-PF, ending the violence in southern areas |
| 1988 | ZANU PF | |
| After 8 years of "low-level" civil war termed Gukurahundi, the opposition Zimbabwe African People's Union (ZAPU), led by Joshua Nkomo, merges with ZANU to form ZANU-PF with the added moniker of Patriotic Front |
| A Unity Accord is signed between the two parties; PF-ZAPU is merged into ZANU-PF, effectively establishing a one-party state dominated Robert Mugabe and ZANU-PF, Joshua Nkomo becomes one of two vice-presidents |
| 1996 | Vice President | |
| Appointed Vice President of Zimbabwe |
