NewsDay looks at the colurful history of the late Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, a political cadre who also served the Education Ministry. ANNEGRETT DUBE
Sikhanyiso Duke Ndlovu was born on 4 May 1937
Ndlovu was a member of ZAPU prior to the signing of the Unity Accord after which he joined Zanu PF
Ndlovu rose through the ranks and was appointed as a member of the Zanu PF politburo.
He served as the Deputy Minister of Education from 1995 to 2000 His passion for education saw him become the founder of Zimbabwe Distance Education Colleges (ZEDCO) which is a private institution.
• After serving as Deputy Minister of Education, Ndlovu was appointed as Minister of Information by President Robert Mugabe on February 6, 2007 During his tenure the vocal Former Information minister often made attacks on the West. • At the Africa-EU summit 2007 held in Lisbon in 2007 Ndlovu caused a diplomatic stir by verbally attacking Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown after the PM had criticised Zimbabwe committing human rights abuses.
In a radio interview with Portuguese radio station Renascenca he was quoted as having said “Other EU countries should tell Gordon Brown to shut up,”
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“Gordon Brown is not even qualified to talk to us on human rights and as you can see he failed his own country’s internal democracy in Britain.”
In 2008 at the height of political and economic instability in the country , there was a massive cholera outbreak which made international headlines.
“Cholera is a calculated, racist attack on Zimbabwe by the unrepentant former colonial power, which has enlisted support from its American and Western allies so that they can invade the country,” Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said.
• Ndlovu was nominated as ZANU-PF’s candidate for the House of Assembly seat from Pelandaba-Mpopoma constituency in Bulawayo in the March 2008 parliamentary election. • On January 3, 2009, it was reported that Ndlovu had been dismissed from the Cabinet earlier in the week, along with 11 other ministers, because he no longer held any seat in Parliament. • Ndlovu was one of Mugabe’s few trusted hands in Bulawayo and was often was viewed as the provincial godfather. The former Mpopoma MP was one of the top officials in Bulawayo who were hounded for alleged links to ousted Vice-President Joice Mujuru. Ndlovu’s leadership in Bulawayo faced severe criticism. In 2010 when he was serving as Zanu PF’s secretary for education Sikhanyiso Ndlovu he exchanged bitter words with Matabeleland South governor Angeline Masuku, Joshua Malinga and Edson Ncube, As one politiburo member revealed ; “We debated extensively in the politburo. We told the politburo that we don’t want Ndlovu to lead the party in Bulawayo. Ndlovu will never chair Bulawayo programmes again, over our dead bodies.” • 2011 was a tense year for politicians as Wikileaks provided cables which revealed classified information about their meetings. The state paper reported that Ndlovu had been embroiled in the WikiLeaks scandal whreby he was alleged to have said that senior Zanu Pf members were discussing Mugabe ‘s exit from political rule. • In April 2015 Ndlovu decided not to contest in the Pelandaba-Mpopoma constituency elections. He justified his decision saying “Please, I am now tired of contesting and also being in active politics . . . let others take part.” • May 2015 He came to the defence of Jonathan Moyo after the latter opened up about Gukurahundi in a BBC interview which drew severe criticism. Moyo had been asked about Mnangagwa’s role in Gukurahundi. Defending Moyo Sikhanyiso said
“Now here is why I support Professor Jonathan Moyo on why anyone should want to reopen old wounds,” Ndlovu wrote.
“Do we want to destroy this highly cherished unity which is the envy of the African continent and the world?
“Unity must be maintained at all costs and those in politics and government must talk unity and walk unity by availing the opportunities to the former PF Zapu.
Prior to his death Ndlovu led a largely reclusive life until the time of his troke on September 9 2015.
