Maravi

(SUNDAY MAIL ZW) ‘Mudenge died a happy man’

‘Mudenge died a happy man’
Sunday, 07 October 2012 00:18
Tinashe Farawo

Higher and Tertiary Education Minis­ter Dr Stan Mudenge was in jovial mood on the day he collapsed and died in Masvingo, his long-time subor­dinate has disclosed.

Dr Washington Mbizvo, the perma­nent secretary in Dr Mudenge’s min­istry, last night revealed that he had never seen the leading historian as excited as he was on the day he died.

“It seems like he was indirectly say­ing farewell,” he said.

“He was a happy man; he was in jovial mood; he was excited; although he was always like that, what was hap­pening in Masvingo was something else; he was saying goodbye, I have fought my good fight,” he said.

Before travelling to Masvingo where he was due to address the 39th Southern African Society for Educa­tion Conference, Dr Mudenge was in Bulawayo for the commissioning of St Patrick’s Hotel.

And Dr Mbizvo says the late Minis­ter Mudenge was in high spirits in Bulawayo as well.

“We had a good time in Bulawayo, the students and everyone who was there. I am convinced he died a happy man. He had resolved the Great Zim­babwe University issue, with the new team he set up expected to start work on Monday (tomorrow).

“I had known Cde Mudenge for years and worked as his permanent secretary for eight years, but I can tell you that what was happening in Bul­awayo and Masvingo was out of this world,” he said.
Dr Mbizvo described Dr Mudenge, who he always referred to as VaZimuto, as a “living god” of African history who was passionate about the welfare of stu­dents.

“He was so passionate about the stu­dents, especially those who are under­privileged, and, as a result, programmes like cadetship were put in place.

“He would always say, ‘saka munoti varombo havachafundi’ (so you say the poor should not get educated?). He was an intellectual par excellence and indeed one of the few remaining living gods of African history,” he said.

“He was a visionary and a strategic thinker who looked at issues in a global way. Education was the way to his heart; very soon every province will have a state university, that’s why he had recently acquired a 25-hectare piece of land to build a school in his rural home.

“He would always say to me that the school is ‘my gift to the people’.”

Dr Mbizvo hailed Cde Mudenge as a cistern of wisdom and a source of inspi­ration to many.

“The man had exceptional talent; he was a moving encyclopaedia of African history. The man would inspire people and was highly appreciative, always generous with comments and I can tell you that very few politicians are like that,” he said.

A long-serving civil servant, Dr Mbizvo hailed Cde Mudenge as one of the few ministers who appreciated the role of permanent secretaries.
“Maybe it’s because that he was one of the first black secretaries in 1980. He knew his stuff, some ministers want to be heads of ministries, he was not like that, he respected division of labour,” he said. Dr

Mudenge is survived by wife Mildred and three children — Thando, Pedzi­sai and Rumbidzai.

At the time of his death, he was the Member of Parliament for Masvingo North and Zanu-PF secretary for exter­nal relations.

Labels: OBITUARIES, STAN MUDENGE

posted by MrK @ 7:13 PM