This resulted in him being black-listed and outlawed, resulting in him being one of the first political detainees at Gonakudzingwa Restriction camp alongside Joshua Nkomo. Mkondo during school vacations, used to enjoy the Outward Bound Camps, which were held at the Outward Bound Mountaineering Centre in Melsetter (now Chimanimani) in Manicaland Province. He became a part-time instructor which helped him self-finance his Secondary Education.Mkondo during this time also trained individuals on bushcraft,scouting and how to survive in the bush and became elite SAS special forces worldwide. Mkondo went on to become a full-time "Outward Bound Instructor" where he trained another future nationalist, Moven Mahachi, who later on was to confide in him in planning the escape of Robert Mugabe and Tezvara (In-Law) Edgar Tekere to Mozambique alongside Chief Rekayi Tangwena (whom he had befriended as an Outward Bound instructor) with the assistance of Samora Machel's FRELIMO party. After a few years as an Outward bound Instructor and Scout in the Eastern Highlands, Mkondo decided to continue his education. He enrolled at Bulawayo Polytechnic College to train in hotel catering, a course that was sponsored by the Rhodesian Breweries (Natbrew) and Anglo American Corporation. He was one of two black students accepted at the time for this course. The student who achieved the highest marks was to be offered a scholarship to study for a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel Management at Blackpool Technical College (now Blackpool and The Fylde College) in the United Kingdom. Mkondo came first among the other students in the course, but was not offered the scholarship because of his colour. This was his first personal taste of racial discrimination, as he believed the scholarship was a lifetime opportunity to help him provide for his family. Mkondo then relocated to Highfields Harare, obtaining a job with the prestigious Park Lane Hotel in Salisbury as an assistant kitchen manager. Due to an altercation with some soldiers at a wedding, Mkondo was fired and later barred from future employment at any catering establishment. He sought out another job at Salisbury's Federal Hotel, but again cited discrimination by the predominantly Coloured guests. Mkondo decided to open his own business in Lochinvar, and purchased the Club Hideout 99 with approval from the Rhodesian Liquor Licensing Board and the municipal authorities.