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Tichaona Zindoga

Leroy Dzenga Herald Reporter
Journalists should strive to produce literary works to complement their contribution to the country’s intellectual repository, a top academic and Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Professor Paul Mavhima. has said.

Speaking at the launch of the book, “Death of the Commissar”, written by The Herald’s Political Editor, Tichaona Zindoga, on Wednesday night, Prof Mavhima said there was need for young Zimbabweans to contribute to the country’s history by capturing their stories in writing.

He decried the paucity of ideas that had seen once-prestigious think-tanks such as the Southern African Political Economy Series (Sapes) Trust losing their lustre and becoming platforms for Government bashing rather than dissemination of knowledge and alternative policies, which the institution was famed for in the late 1980s.

“Congratulations to Tichaona Zindoga for showing the way, I have just gone through the book and it carries good poems,” said Prof Mavhima. “What I loved is the fact that you have kept the reading and writing culture alive.”

Prof Mavhima challenged young people, including journalists, to maintain literacy.

“Zimbabwe has many great minds, we should be seeing more books being published,” he said. “Your generational obligation is to push craft competence and craft literacy. There should be the ability to craft institutions and policies that can take this country forward.”

Speaking at the same event, journalist, critic and writer Phillip Chidavaenzi said Zindoga’s work was refreshing on the literary scene that was fast becoming one-dimensional.

“I am glad Zindoga wrote a creative book at a time when most new writers are focusing on motivational or inspirational writing,” said Chidavaenzi.

He praised Zindoga, noting how he writes with comfort despite being a debutant in published works.

The launch was oversubscribed, bringing together a diverse array of Zimbabweans including War Veterans Minister Tshinga Dube, legislators Keith Guzah (Hurungwe West) and Kindness Paradza (Makonde West); Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA) chairman Christopher Mutsvangwa; MDC-T spokesperson Obert Gutu, People’s Democratic Party spokesmen Jacob Mafume, activist Patson Dzamara, as well as writers, academics and journalists.

Zindoga expressed satisfaction with the attendance and explained briefly his anthology, with the title piece, “Death of the Commissar” – set in an unnamed neighbouring African country during the liberation struggle – depicting a woman’s loss of a child in tragic circumstances.

He also paid tribute to the late journalist and colleague, Sophie Chese, who died on the day of the launch, pointing out that the poem, “The Young Woman” had been inspired by Chese’s illness.