Professor Pardon Kuipa, Vice-Chancellor of Lupane State University, has issued a clarification regarding a widely circulated photograph featuring President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda, university academics, and prominent civic leaders. Professor Kuipa asserted that the photo is entirely unrelated to the ongoing constitutional amendment process, Zanu PF succession politics, or any political agenda, emphasizing that it pertained solely to an academic event.
The photograph, taken at State House in Harare on January 17, 2026, captured Professor Kuipa, Speaker Mudenda, and other notable civic figures in discussions with President Mnangagwa. The meeting centered on the forthcoming launch of the John Landa Nkomo Annual Memorial Lecture, an event to be hosted by Lupane State University in Matabeleland North province, the late Nkomo’s home region.
Attendees in the photograph, from left to right, include Dr. Mbulisi Ndlovu, Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences at Lupane State University; Dr. Gorden Moyo, PhD Programme Coordinator at Lupane State University; Professor Kuipa, Vice-Chancellor of Lupane State University; Jabulani Nkomo, Chairperson of the John Landa Nkomo Memorial Trust; President Mnangagwa, who also serves as the Chancellor of Lupane State University; Advocate Jacob Mudenda, Speaker of the National Assembly; Dr. Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, a board member of the John Landa Nkomo Trust; and Nyararai Sibanda, also a board member of the John Landa Nkomo Trust.
President Mnangagwa hosted the event in his dual capacity as Head of State and University Chancellor. Professor Kuipa, Dr. Ndlovu, and Dr. Moyo represented the university. Speaker Mudenda’s presence was due to John Nkomo being one of his predecessors and the lecture being held in his home region. Jabulani and Samuel Nkomo represented the Nkomo family and the Trust, with Jabulani being John Nkomo’s son and Samuel his brother. Sibanda is a friend of Jabulani.
Addressing the public discourse, Professor Kuipa stated, “I have observed recent comments on that photo across social media platforms. Let me clarify this, hopefully for the final time. I assure you, there is no underlying story here. Yes, the photo is authentic. It was taken at State House on January 17, 2026, when the university, alongside the family of the late John Landa Nkomo, sought the President’s assistance for the John Landa Nkomo Trust’s initiative to establish a memorial lecture for the late Vice-President.”
He added, “The brother (Samuel) and son (Jabulani) of the late J.L. Nkomo are identifiable in the photo. They were present as representatives of the family and the Trust to advance this initiative. The occasion, and consequently the photograph, occurred back in January; it bore no relation to the recent Constitution Amendment Bill No. 3 (CAB3), but was entirely focused on honoring the late J.L. Nkomo, who had previously served as Speaker of Parliament. This is why the current Speaker was in attendance to support the Annual Memorial Lecture. In essence, it had nothing to do with CAB3, succession, or politics whatsoever.”
Prior to Professor Kuipa’s statement, Dr. Moyo, a former opposition MDC-T State Enterprises minister during the Government of National Unity (2009-2013), had also affirmed that the photo was completely unconnected to constitutional amendments, Zanu PF succession politics, or any covert political realignments, contrary to implications and suggestions by some social media activists.
An academic from Lupane State University further commented, “Social media can, at times, be a conduit for misinformation, misleading the public. It is disheartening that we have dedicated so much time and effort, weeks on end to be precise, attempting to clarify a memorial lecture initiative and a photograph due to baseless and utterly unfounded social media conspiracy theories.”
“I have encountered lengthy, convoluted articles—indeed, conspiracy theories in written form—on such a straightforward matter concerning an event that transpired six months ago and is entirely unrelated to the issues and processes referenced in those posts. Completely unrelated,” the lecturer emphasized.
The lecturer further elaborated on the nature of conspiracies: “Conspiracies often arise from epistemic, or knowledge and information, gaps, individual personality traits, and how people perceive and process events. They can manifest as a psychological or epistemic phenomenon at the extreme end of the political spectrum, offering seemingly structured narratives that align with the worldview of their proponents.”
“Many Zimbabweans, particularly in politics, favor ‘Manichean’ narratives, prevalent in religious and populist political rhetoric—an ‘us versus them’ mentality. They tend to interpret situations in a binary fashion, viewing issues as a struggle between good and evil, with no middle ground, no complexity, and no shades of gray. Thus, in politics, one is either Zanu PF or the opposition, nothing more, nothing less. However, one cannot interpret politics or society, or address complex issues, in such a simplistic manner.”
“Manichean narratives frequently attribute the origin of inexplicable or extraordinary events to unknown, yet intentional forces, and often exhibit melodramatic characteristics, as we are witnessing with the stories surrounding this photograph. Frankly, the entire narrative surrounding this photo is implausible, outlandish, or simply false, yet it reveals and confirms what some individuals desire to hear or believe, irrespective of the actual facts and truth.”
