Honorary Graduates
Orations and responses
Response by Cyril Ndebele
Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Madam Mayor, Graduands, Ladies and
Gentlemen. I wondered when I was sitting here listening whether in
fact, my former teacher and lecturer was talking about me - the nice things
that you were saying - you were so flattering. But I want to say that
in the year 2000, the Parliament of Zimbabwe did disrobe, did de-wig, if
there is any such thing, and nobody can wonder why that took place.
The incident that he talks about was really before my time and having been a
student of Professor Boyle in an Irish University, you can imagine how much
law and order I learnt from there.
Chancellor, this is a moment in my life that my family and I shall always
treasure. It is with great humility that I accept this honour of a
doctorate of the University of Essex, not only on my own behalf, but also on
behalf of the Fourth Parliament of Zimbabwe and on behalf of my country.
That the University of Essex should see fit to recognise the efforts we have
made in Zimbabwe to further parliamentary democracy is a great encouragement and
itself a contribution.
The democratic value is not new to Zimbabwe, or indeed, to Africa.
Traditional African societies operated upon a sound basis of decision-making by
consensus. Every member of a community who had something to contribute was
free to do so and people were encouraged to talk until consensus was reached.
This does not mean that all decisions were just or that the system was
foolproof. What it does mean however, is that democratically derived
decisions were valued and that consensus was a way of guaranteeing group respect
for such decisions. There is still much to be said though for this aim of
working towards consensus rather than reaching decisions by a majority vote.
Parliamentary democracy itself is not entirely new to Zimbabwe. It was
not born at Independence in 1980. There is however, a great difference
between the parliamentary democracy of the Rhodesian state, and that of an
Independent Zimbabwe: Parliamentary democracy of the Rhodesian State catered
only for the minority. One of the challenges that Zimbabwe faced in 1980
was that of making a parliamentary system, set up to serve a minority, now to
serve citizens regardless of race, colour or class.
The shift that the African population has had to make from traditional
consensus democracy to minority democracy of the colonial state and now to
parliamentary democracy representing the majority has taken place within a very
short period of time and is still in a period of adjustment. It was the
peculiar challenge of the Fourth Parliament of Zimbabwe, in which I served as
Speaker, to take up the challenge of laying the foundations for a sustainable
institution of Parliamentary democracy. Through a process of reform that
has been talked about, wide consultations with civil society, dialogue with
Commonwealth and with other Parliaments, we sought to render the Parliament of
Zimbabwe relevant, effective and efficient in representing all groups and
interests in our country.
Chancellor, an aspect of today’s relentless process of globalisation is the
emergence of what has come to be known as the Westminster model of parliamentary
democracy over other forms of democratic governance practised in other times and
in other parts of the world. The size and complexities of modern nations,
quite apart from the legacies of colonialism and the supremacy of Western Europe
in modern world politics, have made this model of democracy the ideal.
However, it is easily noticeable that this form of democracy works best in
societies that have most successfully eliminated extreme poverty and its
attendant ills. Indeed, it would even be truer to say that it is the
elimination of poverty and the more equal distribution of wealth in the now
‘developed’ nations that has made possible the development of a more inclusive
democracy and the protection of human rights.
Whether good governance, democracy and observance of human rights are to
characterise our global society will to a great extent depend upon global
economic readjustments and a fairer distribution of global resources.
Chancellor, the involvement of the University of Essex in the sharing of its
wealth of knowledge and expertise, as well as its honours, with us in Zimbabwe
has been most gratifying. I wish to make specal mention here of the role
of Professor Stuart Weir of this distinguished University in assisting the
Parliamentary Reform Committee of the Fourth Parliament of Zimbabwe.
Professor Weir brought to bear upon our deliberations the best of contemporary
scholarship and assisted us in reconciling theory, policy and practice.
The practice of politics is invariably so immediate that politicians often fail
to see the wood for the trees. It is therefore of extreme importance that
centres of learning should continue to enhance political practice by providing
society with new ideas and alternative perspectives born out of disciplined
inquiry and reflection.
On behalf of all the people of Zimbabwe, the Fourth Parliament of Zimbabwe,
and on my own behalf, allow me, Chancellor, to express sincere appreciation of
this award. I trust that the relationship between the University of Essex and
the Parliament of Zimbabwe will continue to be a mutually productive and
enriching one.
I thank you.