Harare, (New Ziana) – Zanu PF Secretary for Education, Ideology and Research, Charles Tawengwa, on Wednesday presided over the inauguration of Colonel (Retired) Ernest Dube as the new principal of the Chitepo School of Ideology, taking over from Ishamel Mada, who had led the institution since September 2024.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Tawengwa commended Mada for his dedicated service to the Chitepo School of Ideology and the Zanu PF party, while entrusting Dube with the responsibility of building on the work of his predecessor.
“This is about continuity, service and responsibility. We express our profound appreciation to the outgoing Principal for his dedicated service and contribution to the growth of the Chitepo School of Ideology. His contribution forms part of the continuing journey of strengthening ideological consciousness, patriotism and appreciation of our liberation heritage among party cadres.
“You leave knowing that you have played your part in advancing an institution which remains central to the ideological grounding of our revolutionary party Zanu PF,” he said.
Tawengwa said Dube was assuming an important responsibility and should consolidate the work undertaken by his predecessor, strengthen the institution and ensure that ideological education remains responsive to the present and future needs of the ruling party.
“As President Mnangagwa leads the country towards Vision 2030 (the vision tobecome an upper middle income societyby 2030), Chitepo School of Ideology must continue producing disciplined, patriotic and ideologically grounded cadres who are ready to contribute to that national aspiration. This aspiration requires cadres who are not only politically conscious, but who understand that patriotism must translate into production, innovation, service and tangible national development. May you lead with discipline, humility, courage and revolutionary commitment,” he said.
In his acceptance speech, Dube said he was fully aware of the responsibility entrusted to the Chitepo School of Ideology to preserve, teach and transmit the ideology, history, values, principles and aspirations of the ruling Zanu PF party.
“I formally accept the honor and duty entrusted to me by President Mnangagwa as the Acting Principal of the Chitepo School of Ideology. I accept this responsibility fully conscious that it is far more than an assumption of office. It is a solemn acceptance of national duty and a call to serve,” he said.
Named after the late founding Zanu PF national chairman an national hero Herbert Chitepo, the Chitepo School of Ideology originated during the liberation struggle in 1975, when it was first known as the Whampoa Ideological College.
In 1977, the late ZANLA commander Josiah Tongogara renamed it in honor of Herbert Chitepo, who was assassinated in a car bomb in Lusaka, Zambia in March 1975.
The college was inactive after independence in 1980, but war veterans and party leadership pushed for its revival in 2016 to address concerns over shifting national and party consciousness.
Construction of a modern, permanent headquarters for the school subsequently begain in Harare in December 2021 and comnpleted in May 2024 as a three-storey state-of-the-art complex
New Ziana
