Let’s not forget Mutambara’s contribution
March 13, 2009
By Crisford Chogugudza
I HAVE been closely following developments in Zimbabwe from the period when Professor Mutambara re-entered the political frame and how this has shaped political discourse in Zimbabwe.
I have not been encouraged by the amount of abuse and vilification towards the learned Professor, now the country’s Deputy PM. It is unfortunate that people have a short or selective memory of the history of the Third Chimurenga in Zimbabwe. For the record, the history of democratic resistance to Zanu-PF cannot be fully told without mentioning the name of the learned professor. If anything, people should and are entitled to vent out their anger to the people who have destroyed the social and economic fabric of Zimbabwe not at Professor Mutambara.
Professor Mutambara also known as AGO was very instrumental as SRC President to what many call democratic resistance politics today, he was one of the few who sacrificed his life and almost risked expulsion from the University of Zimbabwe because of opposition to Zanu-PF’s authoritarian governance. Professor Mutambara was a very strong voice in the Zimbabwean student movement in 1988 and 1989, leading anti-government protests at the University of Zimbabwe, which led to his arrest and detention on several occasions for defying the Zanu PF government and for sympathising with the Labour Union (ZCTU). It was during this time that solidarity between other student activists and the ZCTU was forged. He supported Morgan Tsvangirai’s ZCTU as part of a broader alliance with wider sections of the proletariat.
At the time, many who did not understand his cause thought that he was being disruptive to the University education system. In reality, he was a hero to those who understood his cause and the history of the “First Intifada” in independent Zimbabwe. Up to this date, some people still believe he is a beacon of hope for a future democratic Zimbabwe irrespective of his perceived shortcomings. He will have an ample opportunity to polish his act and help steer Zimbabwe to a better future. His respect for other voices of reason makes him respected by those who believe that he and other progressive foot soldiers have a significant role to play in moving Zimbabwe forward in a democratic fashion.
Professor Mutambara left Zimbabwe in the early 1990s and continued his education as a Rhodes Scholar at the revered Oxford University in UK, obtaining a Ph.D. in Robotics and Mechatronics. In his field he has taught at a number of universities in the United States including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has published three books on engineering including: Design and Analysis of Control Systems, Decentralized Estimation, and Control for Multi-sensor Systems and Mechatronics and Robotics. Additionally, he has served as a professor of Business Strategy and as a consultant for the Management-Consulting firm McKinsey & Company among other top profile appointments. There is no doubt that his intellectual capital and pragmatism is needed in shaping a new and better Zimbabwe. Professor Mutambara is one intellectual amongst a few, who is prepared to engage the rank and file of politics as well as the elite in a way that fosters a degree of optimism.
Student activism under AGO Mutambara, made an immensely indelible contribution to the struggle for democracy in Zimbabwe. These periods of student activism in Zimbabwe can be categorised into three historical eras namely: the first pro-government period was followed by a violent break with the regime in 1988 following many corruption scandals including Willowgate, the second period was the era of student advocacy for the weak and disenfranchised popularly known as ‘ the voiceless’. During this period of the advent of structural adjustment programmes in the early 1990s, saw the first seeds of a silent people democratic resistance against the so called ‘liberation saints’ who later became dinosaurs and have established a filthy rich political aristocracy around them. At this critical phase, the privileged status of students in higher education was rapidly eroded as they were also significantly affected by a rapid fall in living standards.
The third period emerged after 1995, as students became part of the rising urban struggle which was to rock Zimbabwe and Zanu-PF in particular in later years. Prof Mutambara had left Zimbabwe when the third stage started but the links he forged with ZCTU and other democratic forces continued to gain momentum leading to the formation of the MDC. His contemporaries, Tendai Biti, Lovemore Madhuku and Munyaradzi Gwisai continued to fight Mutambara’s cause and elevated it a step higher. In this vein however, to try and rubbish Mutambara’s democratic struggle credentials is rather naïve. If people can accommodate Zanu-PF in a government of national unity, I find it inconceivable that they cannot understand a man who has defied Mugabe and Zanu-PF for many years. The truth is Mutambara will stay and only time will tell whether or not his integrity is what Zimbabweans want. The man is our Deputy Prime Minister, very active and intelligent and, therefore, deserves our support and respect.
Professor Mutambara sees himself as an independent voice in a highly polarized environment. Because he is the leader of a small third party, he has less at stake than the larger faction of the MDC and the Zanu-PF. The situation in Zimbabwe right now is very binary and fundamentally polarised and hence Mutambara’s voice is needed in a multi-party political system. I have had the opportunity of talking to Professor Mutambara on a one to one basis in London; he came across as someone who values other people’s opinions as long as you make sense to him. He is always keen to take on board what he considers to be sensible practical views for a future prosperous Zimbabwe; his political evangelism embraces all constructive ideas that contribute to a better Zimbabwe.
There are those who criticise him for ‘arrogance’ and opportunism, l reject the former as mere misunderstanding of his flamboyant character and agree with the later because every other politician in Zimbabwe today has benefited from opportunism in one way or the other. Professor Mutambara is human and has weaknesses like any other leading politician. Of necessity, people need not overestimate his weaknesses but should build on what it is that the man can offer to a new democratic dispensation in Zimbabwe. We all know that PM Morgan Tsvangirai has made mistakes before and Mugabe too, as for the later he has made more catastrophic mistakes which have cost us tremendously, all this is part of one’s political history. The liberation struggle was characterised by a litany of fatal mistakes and poor judgments but what mattered eventually, was that the Independence of Zimbabwe was delivered.
It does not make sense, more so for those of us in the journalistic fraternity, to wantonly continue ranting and raving about what Prof. Mutambara has or has not said. The man is utterly entitled to his views, whether people like him or not. He should be judged by his political integrity not by overly scrutinising how he entered top notch politics for those with a selective memory. The fact that he is a leader of a political party, no matter how small it is, must be respected because he represents a ‘Voice’ which cannot be represented by the other mainstream parties.
Those people deserve the nation’s respect and tolerance. There is an inherently dangerous view today that everything anti-Zanu PF should fall under MDC (T). Ironically, the MDC (T) leader and PM, Tsvangirai himself, accepts the differences between the two MDC formations and is ready to co-exist with that political reality. The danger in Zimbabwe today is the latent idea of trying to replace the moribund Zanu-PF legacy with other forms of personality cult, thereby creating fertile ground for new forms of dictatorships.
(Crisford Chogugudza is a London-based political and social commentator).
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Mutambara is “prepared to engage the rank and file in politics”. Isn’t this Mutambara the same person who labelled Tsvangirai “an intellectual midget”? What kind of engagement is that? To Crisford Chogugudza, Mutambara’s CV which you provide above makes him more of a professional than a politician. Zimbabwe needs him as a scientist and not as a politician. I will never understand why some Zimbabweans continue to think that PhDs entitle people to become politicians and leaders. Zimbabwe is in a difficult situation we have no time to reward people for student activism. We want political leaders who are in touch with what the country is going through. So far, Mutambara has struck me like a male version of Lucy Kibaki. Leadership is about qualities. Intelligence is not about high sounding university qualifications but about the capacity to process and grasp basic issues. Mutambara’s utterances portray him as lacking that so the nearest he should get to politics is becoming minister of science and technology.
thank you very much Crisford for telling people the truth at least they now know the truth even though they are trying to run away from it. At least Prof came back home and continue with what he started than some who just criticise him while they dont even know what they are talking about hiding here in South Africa or somewhere else. Mugabe and Tsvangirai have made worst mistakes than Prof and the fact they have 10 MPs shows that he is representing a lot of people in Zimbabwe whether you like it or not. There is nothing like a smaller and bigger politician as long people voted for his party like Prof J Moyo people in Tsholotsho voted for him so is that wrong. There are people who voted for Zanu; should they be killed or called names. That’s what we call democracy
Thank you Zimbabweans for endorsing my refusal to hold in any regard Mtambara’s so-called positive contribution. I posted the first response to this article because my immediate emotion was revulsion. I am relieved to realise that the revulsion is not mine alone. Let the message be that any politician or activist whose current contribution is positive, should not rest on their laurels but strive to continuously serve with sincerity!
Matakadya kare haanyaradze mwana! We cannot thrive on any one’s historical achievements.
Mutambara erased his own political image. He needs to start afresh; otherwise he will go down in history as an opportunist.
AGO Mutambara is the father of student activism in Zimbabwe. MDC have just released a press statement in which they praise Gen. V Zvinavashe stating he is a true National hero but that is the very soldier who released the most dangerous statement about not saluting anyone without liberation credentials. AGO did not cause the MDC split he simply took the spoils. Zimbabwe needs to seriously change its production systems and mechanize beyond the Gono mechanization and we are privileged to have a Professor of robotics as Deputy PM. I think going forward Arthur is going to be very very useful. I encourage Zimbabweans to embrace Mutambara as a true son of the soil.
You all come across as empty headed as hard core labour activists who are as dangerous in mob politics as war veterans themselves Zimbabwe is a very unfortunate country hard line politics from Ian Douglas Smith’s mob, Mugabe’s mob and now what have we got here, Tsvangirai’s hard core mob about to replace a very dangerous situation with another dangerous one.
The only way we Ndebeles cold pave a permanent safe haven for our children is to pull out and approach the united nations first and find other means later to demand the return to pre-colonial borders as there is virtually no future in this Zimbabwe, Ndebeles some of us you failed to get our message even when we were in the struggle. You killed Nikita for exactly the same thing i have always said.
We virtually have no ancestral connection to Zimbabwe, colonialism forced the connection. It does not exist, Mutambara is hated for the simple reason that he heads what the MDC-T hardliners perceive as a Ndebele party.
Nhai iwe Chogugudza, asi wakapihwa mahusa kuti unyore izvi? Chogugudza, were you paid US dollars to write this article? No one doubts Mutambara’s high intellect. I repeat NO ONE. But dear Chogugudza, learned as he is could he have stood tall and advised his counterparts in this GNU to make do with a small cabinet which the country will still struggle to pay, but manageable? With all the management skills you have written about surely he should know better, especially having been exposed and worked in a very transparent place like USA.
You tell us not to point out his weaknesses, and I am wondering why you are so keen for us to bury them? He put himself in the public domain so we have every right to scrutinise him, and others like him. They are dealing with our lives and future, for goodness sake!! Mutambara has not proved himself worthy of the trust of the people of Zimbabwe, that’s why. Being very educated, does not mean being the best delivering. What we want is someone who delivers well to us. But his spearheading the split of the MDC, proved he has an egocentric love for leadership.
And I am saying this out of common sense, my education is not even a fraction of his. What MDC built was shattered into two as soon as he landed at Harare airport. Take this Chogugudza, Mai Clinton would have formed her own Democratic party to contest against Obama. We respect people and give them credit, not only based on their past, but what they offer for the people and how they deliver that offer. Just being highly educated and a history of students unrests are not enough to sing praises for yours truly. Sorry, we see him from a totally different angle. In your opinion why does the majority of the people of Zimbabwe share the sentiments I am expressing here? Wake up, Crisford. Mark my words, Mutambara could be a danger to our politics.
Mutambara needs to cool down, some bit of diplomacy and should also get a speechwriter. Perhap he should engage Ari Ben Menashe to do the lobying for him as it seems Mr Chogugudza such shoes are too big for you. Well tried though but you should try comedy.
Mutambara is right…fullstop