Liberation activist Judith Todd speaks out on Mugabe

By Tererai Karimakwenda
02 November, 2007

Currently on tour promoting a new book, the daughter of former Prime Minister Garfield Todd has spoken out about the man who is literally holding Zimbabwe to ransom, Robert Mugabe. Todd’s book titled “Through the Darkness- A life in Zimbabwe”, chronicles her experiences growing up in Rhodesia, and the transition to Zimbabwe and Mugabe’s tyranny. Speaking on the programme Zim Alive, she said Mugabe was rotten from the very beginning, and he used violence and intimidation to manipulate voters and keep his enemies in line. This is a legacy that Zimbabwe has inherited and has been the basic characteristic of Mugabe’s reign to this day.

Todd is known in Zimbabwe for defying the oppressive and racist government of Ian Smith, who was prime minister some years after her father was ejected from power. She said Mugabe’s violent streak was well known in the camps in Mozambique before independence. Many people in his cabinet, including police commissioner Augustine Chihuri, were aware of this and should have spoken out.

Todd quoted Aaron Mutiti, Mugabe’s fellow Zezuru who knew him before the elections in 1980. She remembers him saying if Mugabe gets into power, Zimbabweans will have to be vigilant, because life as we know it- economic, social and family- will disappear. Todd said anyone hearing Mutiti at the time would have considered him mad, but she believes this is exactly what has happened.

Todd has many stories and anecdotes gained from her exposure to powerful and important people. She spoke of being very proud of her parents, describing them as “a lot of fun”. And she has memories of her father speaking about Mugabe. “I remember very vividly the last thing my father Garfield Todd said about Mugabe. He said ‘What I cannot forgive is how many he has corrupted’.

You can hear the full interview with Judith Todd on the programme Zim Alive on Monday after the news.