1957 Vice-Chairman, Highfield Branch, ANYL.
1960 Vice-Chairman, Salisbury (Harare) District, NDP.
1961 Organising Secretary, Mashonaland Province, ZAPU.
1963 Deputy Chairman for Presidential Affairs and Secretary for Welfare, PCC.
1975 (Sept.) Treasurer-General (Vice), ANC (Nkomo).

William Mukarati was born on 28 January 1925 at Marimba on the western outskirts of Salisbury (Harare). His father was a senior mule cart driver and, in William’s words, “feared no man and even challenged the whites in 1900.”

He went to primary school in Salisbury (Harare) between 1940 and 1948, reaching Standard VI. During 1949-50 he took the teachers’ training course at Tegwani. After teaching for a short period he went into commerce, doing clerical and administrative work from 1952 to 1959. He then became a bank teller, which post he held until 1964.

He became interested in politics during the time of the ANYL and moved from there into the revived ANCongress in 1957. He was detained for a period in 1959 during the state of emergency. He joined the NDP on its foundation in 1960 and became Vice-Chairman of Salisbury (Harare) District. When ZAPU was formed in – December 1961 he was appointed Organising Secretary for the Mashonaland Province.

In 1962 he was again detained. When the PCC was formed (following the Cold Comfort Farm meeting in August 1963) he was appointed Deputy Secretary for Presidential Affairs and Secretary for Welfare. He was arrested in 1964 and restricted to Gonakudzingwa.

During the next 10 years he was held at various times in Gwelo (Gweru) Prison, Khami Prison, Salisbury (Harare) Remand Prison and Gonakudzingwa. While in prison he followed a wide course of studies, obtaining both his ‘O’ and ‘A’ level General Certificates of Education and undertaking courses on public relations and co-operative societies. Prior to his detention he was Chairman (and later Secretary) of New Highfield Ratepayers’ Association and issued many statements to the press on such local matters as rates, roads, the community school, beer taverns, housing, shopping centres and football grounds.

He was released from prison in late 1974 but was detained again for a short period in September 1975. He was released, however, in time to attend the special congress held in Gwanzura Stadium on 27-28 September. At the congress he was appointed Deputy Treasurer-General of the ANC (Nkomo). He died in Salisbury (Harare) after a short illness on 23 August 1976.

William Mukarati left a widow and four children (three daughters and one son).