The Sunday Mail
Tinashe Kusema and Tendai Chara
As the preparations for Kutama College’s centenary celebrations head for the final stretch, it seems the relevance of the auspicious occasion, which is slated for March 21, is yet to hit the local community of Zvimba.
Be they the current students at the college or the local community of Murombedzi, there is an evident lack of pomp and fanfare that one would expect with such a prestigious occasion looming.
Yet preparations for Kutama College’s centenary celebrations are currently at an advanced stage.
A short trip to the college did very little to explain the lack of euphoria surrounding the forthcoming celebrations. Instead, a serene atmosphere engulfed the college and it was business as usual for both the students and staff. Efforts to get information were fruitless as there was a lot of red tape preventing the college faculty from talking to the media.
Amongst those that the news crew managed to talk to from the surrounding areas — ordinary civilians, business people and passers-by — they seemed oblivious to the fact that the prestigious institution was embarking on such landmark celebrations. Nor was the relevance of the school itself in shaping some of the country’s biggest and most important figures evident in them.
“Oh, really? I was not aware that the school had been around that long or that something was in the works to mark the occasion.
“As far as the relevance of the schools in shaping some of the country’s most important figures, everyone knows that the President did, indeed, learn there, but the other people vary from person to person depending on who you talk to,” said one shabby-looking vendor at Murombedzi growth point.
A Press release from the organising committee read, “On 21 March 2015, Kutama Mission will be celebrating 100 years since it was founded. Bishop Dieter Scholtz of Chinhoyi diocese will be the main Celebrant of Eucharistic Celebration and His Excellency Cde R. G. Mugabe will be gracing the occasion as the Guest of Honour and Patron of KOBA (Kutama Old Boys’ Association).
“Well over 6 500 guests are expected to attend the celebration, mostly the Old Boys and their families as well as friends and other invited guests from all walks of life,”
Organising committee chairperson Brother Aaron Muzhambe said preparations are already at an advanced stage, with sub-committees set up and already working in tandem to find sponsors.
“Preparations have already begun and so far things are going on smoothly. We have set up different committees and delegated duties for the different areas we want covered like media and marketing, decor and security.
“The response from both the committees and invited guests has been very encouraging and as such we expect roughly about 6 500 guests on the actual day,” said Brother Muzhambe.
Among its numerous alumni are His Excellency, the President of Zimbabwe, Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe; Dr Ignatius Chombo, Minister Walter Chidhakwa, Fr Emmanuel Ribeiro, Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa, Advocate Muchadeyi Masunda, Engineer Cletus Nyachowe, to name but a few.
Aside from the social and political arena, the college has produced some reputable sporting personalities like former Dynamos defender Stanley Chirambadare, Zimbabwe fast bowler Shingirai Masakadza and renowned basketball players Stephen Mudawarima and Maxwell Madzudzo.
On its inception, the thrust of the institution was evangelisation, but a realisation that apart from spiritual growth, the people needed educational development led Fr Loubiere to start primary education.
By 1926 the Jesuits had established a two-year teacher training course for primary school teachers. Fr Jerome O’Hea came in 1931 and assisted in running Kutama Mission.
The Jesuit priests found it taxing to combine pastoral work and running a school. Bishop A. Chichester invited the Marist Brothers to come to Kutama.
In 1939, the first group of the Canadian brothers led by Brother Patrick Luis arrived and took over the running of the educational segment of Kutama Mission. From then on, the mission started to develop in leaps and bounds.
It has roughly been 76 years now and still the school continues to grow in leaps and bounds, and news coming from the school is that plans are underway to establish a university in the area.
“Over the past 100 years, a lot of developments have taken place at the school, chief amongst them being the construction of the A-Level blocks and new hostel which were done by the Kutama Old Boys’ Association, of which His Excellency is the patron. The First Lady, Amai Grace Mugabe, also played her part in helping the construction of a kitchen.
“Going forward, His Excellency Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe, through the Kutama Old Boys’ Association, is in the process helping us construct a university. I am not really at liberty to divulge the details of those plans, but what I can tell you is that the piece of land has already been identified and now the KOBA are now trying to secure funding for the project,” said Brother Muzhambe.
