School still named after Rhodes despite Mugabe order

RHODES Preparatory School - named after colonialist Cecil John Rhodes - is yet to be officially renamed, over six months after President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF ordered its name change.

Rhodes, who led the colonisation of Zimbabwe, is buried at the Matopos Hills, just a few kilometres from the school.

Early this year, during the 21st February Movement party held at the school to celebrate Mugabe's 93rd birthday, Zanu-PF national youth league commissar Innocent Hamandishe, who was the director of ceremonies at the event, declared that the school be renamed as it recognised Rhodes as a hero.

In preparation of the celebrations, the Zanu-PF youths forced the school authorities to remove all the artefacts and portraits of Rhodes at the learning institution, as they felt it was against the gains of  the liberation struggle and independence.

During the same event, Zanu-PF youth league secretary Kudzanayi Chipanga declared that the 21st February be declared a national holiday, which has come to pass.

However, today, the school remains named after the infamous Rhodes, as parents have reportedly resisted the move to rename it to Matopos Junior School.

Contacted for comment, the School Development Committee's chairperson, one Moyo, refused to comment on the matter, referring questions to the provincial education department in Gwanda, whose numbers were unreachable.

But parents told Southern News that the directive was discriminatory and inconsiderate.

"The school's name has not yet been changed, it's something in the pipeline since it was an order from the political leaders, but I should state that most of the parents were not pleased at all with the move, considering that there are hundreds of schools across the country still bearing colonial names. Talk of Prince Edward, Allan Wilson and besides, this is not the only school with Rhodes's name, there is another one in Gweru, so why this one alone," said a concerned parent, who preferred anonymity.

Another anonymous parent added: "Well, the suggestion was adopted not because people wanted, but because there was a political hand that doesn't mind what you think; they just impose which I think is a bad culture."

Commenting on the issue in his address during the event, Mugabe said he was surprised that the school was still named after Rhodes.

"Where is Rhodes' ghost or spirit coming from? If he is today, to protrude his head from the grave saying I am arising, I am not going to order the boys to fire one bullet or use an AK. I was going to order them to use a machine gun to crush that head like that of a snake called a cobra," Mugabe said then.