Story by ZBC Reporter
A pioneering public servant, scholar and nationalist, Dr Andries Matenda Rukobo, has died.
A member of the pioneering generation of Black civil servants who joined Government soon after Independence, Dr Rukobo leaves behind a distinguished legacy of service to Zimbabwe, spanning more than four decades.
His accomplished career in public service saw him hold several senior positions across Government, where he began his service in the Ministry of Manpower Development.
Dr Rukobo later became the founding Director of the Zimbabwe Institute of Development Studies (ZIDS), a government policy think tank that provided political economy research and strategic policy advice in support of people-centred development during the country’s first decade of Independence.
He later served as Director in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, where he championed the expansion of rural and provincial communication programmes.
Dr Rukobo concluded his public service career as Principal Director at the Parliament of Zimbabwe, retiring after decades of distinguished service.
Throughout his career, Dr Rukobo worked alongside some of Zimbabwe’s most respected public administrators, including former Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr. Misheck Sibanda, and former Cabinet Minister Ambassador Cain Mathema.
He is survived by his wife, Margaret Nkomo-Rukobo, two children and grandchildren.
