Byron Hove

Byron R. Hove (born in 1940) served as Justice Minister in Zimbabwe Rhodesia with Hilary Squires as co-minister. He supported and participated in Prime Minister Ian Smith's Internal Settlement. He later served as MP for Gokwe until April 1986 when he lost his position for misdemeanors.

On April 18, 1978, he was unexpectedly fired after he criticized the government for excluding blacks from high-level jobs.

In 1980 Hove was thrown out of Parliament after he openly criticized the Mugabe administration for corruption, saying,

On 4/1/99 information about Byron Hove's life and death was posted in the soc.culture.zimbabwe newsgroup. It was taken that day from the Herald, and read as follows:

FORMER outspoken Mberengwa West MP and prominent Harare lawyer, Dr Byron Reuben Hove, died at St Anne’s Hospital in Harare on Sunday evening (January 3. 1999) after a short illness. He was 59. At the time of his death, Dr Hove, who was known for his outspokenness during the time he was a legislator, was a partner with Hove, Dzimba and Associates. He was also vice-president of the standing Commission of the International Com-mittee of the Red Cross based in Geneva, Switzerland. His cousin, Professor Ngwabi Bhebhe, said Dr Hove had only been sick for a short time. He had complained of a cold when he came back from Geneva a few weeks before the Easter holidays. Dr Hove was born at Mnene Mission Hospital in Mberengwa district, Midlands. He went to school at Mnene, Chegato, Zimuto and Fletcher secondary schools. He proceeded to the then University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in History. In 1969, Dr Hove obtained an LLB in the United Kingdom, where he later practised law. In 1978, he was appointed Minister of Justice, Law and Order and the Public Service in the short-liv ed Zimbabwe-Rhodesia gov-ernment of Bishop Abel Muzorewa. He was also the then UANC’s deputy secretary for foreign affairs. The former MP begun his political career when he was elected the first black president of the Student Representative Council at the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. He combined student activism and nationalist politics as a member of the National Democratic Party. Thereafter, he held various positions in the major nationalist parties, including Zapu and Zanu (PF). After independence, he was elected Zanu (PF) Midlands provincial chairman and MP for Mberengwa West. Dr Hove also served as chairman of the National Railways of Zimbabwe and chairman of the Red Cross of Zimbabwe. Dr Hove was survived by his wife, Ivy, and three children. He was buried on January 5.at Mwembe in Mberengwa district.