I last saw him at Arundel Village in Harare in February while he was having launch and had a brief chit-chat with him on the Death Penalty law in this country. Though he was walking on crutches, he looked very well than the last time I had seen him at the Harare International Festival of the Arts fete. For me it was quite reassuring because I had to wave him good bye as he drove himself in his Mercedes Benz. Little did I know that this was going to be the last farewell. Many will however remember him as a champion of human rights in the Southern African region, particularly the right to education an area that he was interested in.
The death of Professor Walter Kamba on Friday last week at Parirenyatwa Hospital was a big blow to say the least to Zimbabwe, the African continent and the world at large. He was a true champion of human rights and most of the time he will talk about this emotive subject with all the passion and energy, that one would realise that after all we are human beings and deserve a certain kind of treatment befitting human beings.
Writing about the man of his stature can be a monumental task, as it is always had to do justice to the story of his life. But to Zimbabwean’s, he was known as the great Professor who crafted the course of the country’s educational system that went on to become a doyen of the continent before the freefall that it is currently in. He was though particularly instrumental at the highest level. He was the first black vice-chancellor of the University of Zimbabwe and saved in that capacity for various other universities in the country and the African continent.
To him knowledge was power. He is remembered for this powerful statement by one of his students, Hans van Ginkel, who mentioned him at a United Nations Council Cooperation Conference in Yokohama, Japan.
“Do you think knowledge is expensive? Try the opposite.” That’s what Professor Kamba had said to the student, emphasising the importance that he placed on education.
And education is one of the fundamental human rights guaranteed in the United Nations Bill of Rights.
The elderly yet energetic, Professor Kamba, had also in his illustrious career spanning decades been involved in democracy-building efforts which where way beyond the mere holding of elections as many African governments would like to vouch. As testimony to this he was in 1994 nominated to South Africa’s first post Apartheid Electoral Commission.
Earlier this year he made a proclamation at the Herbert Chitepo Memorial gathering at the University of Zimbabwe, demonstrating his democratic virtues and beliefs.
He said, "Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary."
Fellow academic, Brian Raftopoulos currently working for the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, in Cape Town described Professor Kamba ‘s death as a huge loss to Zimbabwe.
He said, “It’s a very sad event. Professor Kamba made an immense role in the fight against the anti-colonial struggle before and after the independence. His death is a loss to the country.”
At the time of his death he was the chairperson of the board of Trustees of the Human Rights Trust of Southern Africa (SAHRIT) and the mediator between the government and Civil Society organisations in the process of crafting the Human Rights Commission.
“We have suffered a huge loss as SAHRIT. Professor Kamba used to give us guidance on various issues in our programmes and also brought dignity to our organisation. He was also one of those rare people in present day Zimbabwe. He could mediate between the government and Civil Society without being given any labels and it will be very hard to fill the gap of a person of such a huge profile,” said Noel Kututwa, SAHRIT, Executive Director.
Professor Kamba, who was 75 at the time of his death was buried on Tuesday morning at the Warren Hills Cemetery in Harare.
He lives behind his wife, Angeline and sons, Julian and Mark.
