Online Reporter
Mukudzei Chingwere, Harare Bureau
VICE-PRESIDENT Constantino Chiwenga has called on Zimbabweans to take ownership of their narratives and craft ideologies that will shape a brighter future for the nation.
He made the remarks while officiating at the launch of a book titled An Itinerant Social Scientist: Memoirs of a Public Servant, authored by veteran public administrator Dr Matenda Andries Rukobo, in Harare yesterday.
In his address, Vice President Chiwenga paid tribute to Dr Rukobo for his exemplary service in public administration.
“This occasion is not merely a literary event; it is a historical and ideological milestone that bears testimony to a life of service and principled leadership.
“Dr Rukobo walked the corridors of power, yet remained grounded in humility and revolutionary consciousness. Let us continue, together, to write our own stories and frame our own ideologies,” said VP Chiwenga.
The event was attended by Minister of Skills Audit Professor Paul Mavima, and former Cabinet Ministers Cdes Sydney Sekeramayi and Cain Mathema.
The book celebrates the contributions of retired civil servant and intellectual Dr Rukobo, and was graced by distinguished veteran civil servants, including former Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda.
Dr Rukobo’s memoirs chronicle a lifetime of public service, capturing both the challenges and triumphs encountered throughout his extensive career.
VP Chiwenga noted that Dr Rukobo embodies the “itinerant” nature of service — navigating academia, government institutions, ideological frameworks, and historical epochs.
He said the author guides readers through his intellectual engagements with iconic figures who shaped Africa’s post-colonial imagination, including former President Robert Mugabe, nationalist Cde Herbert Chitepo, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Dr Kenneth David Kaunda of Zambia, and Namibia’s founding President, Cde Sam Nujoma.
Of particular significance, VP Chiwenga highlighted Dr Rukobo’s account of mentorship and guidance received from
President Mnangagwa, whose leadership ethos continues to influence Zimbabwe’s contemporary governance vision.
“Fellow revolutionaries, let this text serve as a call to arms — not of weaponry, but of intellect, unity, and patriotic responsibility. Let it inspire a new generation of public servants and policy thinkers who are unafraid to interrogate the past in order to shape a better future.
“Today’s event is not simply a book launch. It is a reaffirmation of the values that must underpin the humanisation of power, the democratisation of service delivery, and the moral revitalisation of public institutions,” said VP Chiwenga.
Dr Sibanda reflected on their contributions as early intellectuals who joined the public service following the liberation struggle, alongside Dr Rukobo and others.
“As pioneering bureaucrats, we formed the key arms of government which still stand today. The role of today’s intellectuals and governance practitioners is to advance the foundational intellectual revolution we began. You bear the responsibility of building sustainable prosperity for Zimbabwe and the Africa we envision.
“Let your intellectual worth be measured by your commitment to fighting poverty, disunity, apathy, corruption, and all vices that undermine the essence of our national revolution,” said Dr Sibanda.
Minister Mavima urged early intellectuals such as Dr Sibanda and Dr Rukobo to remain available to offer guidance and support to current professionals whenever needed.
