Zimpundit was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Zimpundit’s childhood was split between a rural town in the northern province of Mashonaland Central and Masvingo, the oldest town in the country. After attending both primary and secondary school in Zimbabwe, Zimpundit worked for a brief stint in the visual communications business. Zimpundit is also the name of the first blog launched (in 2005) by Zimpundit. In addition to managing and editing Enough Zimbawe, Zimpundit is a contributing author at Global Voices, and has been featured by the BBC.
Why do you blog? > I blog to better chronicle the Zimbabwean odyssey. There is so much information that mainstream media nonchalantly shove to the side in their reporting. Blogging for me is an attempt to reorient the world with the native, lay perspective of Zimbabwe on all matters.
What would be your main blogging advice to a novice blogger? > Blogging is more than just a few clicks and keystrokes; it is about chronicling a story, and letting other people share that story with you.
What are your favourite blogs? > This is Zimbabwe, Kubatana Blogs and Global Voices.
Who are your intellectual heroes? > Hernando De Soto, Joseph Stiglitz, Lamin Sanneh, Martin Buber and Søren Kierkegaard.
What are you reading at the moment? > Witches, Westerners and HIV: AIDS and Cultures of Blame in Africa by Alexandar Rodlach, and Shona Proverbs and Parables by Jacob W. Chikuhwa.
Who are your cultural heroes? > My mother, my grandmother, Oliver Mtukudzi, Thomas Mapfumo, and Bob Marley.
What is the best novel you’ve ever read? > The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Henry Fielding.
Can you name a major moral, political or intellectual issue on which you’ve ever changed your mind? > The land issue in Zimbabwe: it’s so complex an issue I’m not sure I can even articulate how I feel about it right now.
What philosophical thesis do you think it most important to disseminate? > One of the most misunderstood and often overlooked ideas is the Zimbabwean (African) sociocultural philosophy of hunhu/ubuntu. This is the idea that my humanity is inextricably tied to your humanity, as well as that of our predecessors and those that will come after us. This philosophy provides an intellectual bedrock for an endless variety of actions on contemporary issues.
Who are your political heroes? > Bob Marley and Robert Mugabe. (As unpopular and contrarian as that is right now, the man had his moments in the past.)
What is your favourite piece of political wisdom? > Politics is about the people and not about leaders.
If you could effect one major policy change in the governing of your country, what would it be? > Devalue the official exchange rate.
If you could choose anyone, from any walk of life, to be Prime Minister, who would you choose? > Dr Simba Makoni (former finance minister in Zimbabwe).
What do you consider to be the main threat to the future peace and security of the world? > The extreme bent of capitalism that dominates the western world today.
Do you think the world (human civilization) has already passed its best point, or is that yet to come? > We have yet to reach the pinnacle of our species. I envision a time when scarcity and disparity are only figments of a long gone past. Almost everyone in the world will have access to the basic human rights enshrined in the UN constitutional charter.
Do you think you could ever be married to, or in a long-term relationship with, someone with radically different political views from your own? > Yes.
What do you consider the most important personal quality? > I am not afraid to be the contrarian in a crowd.
What personal fault do you most dislike? > I am not afraid to be the contrarian in a crowd.
Do you have any prejudices you’re willing to acknowledge? > I don’t trust and am not particularly fond of western mainstream media and what they produce.
What is your favourite proverb? > ‘Chakachenjedza ndochakatanga’ (a Shona proverb loosely translated to mean: there’s no need to reinvent the wheel, go back to the original).
What would you call your autobiography? > The Struggle Continues: Zimbabwean Sensibility in a World Dominated by Western Sensibility.
Where would you most like to live (other than where you do)? > The Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe.
What would your ideal holiday be? > A trip with stops in major cities of all continents.
What do you like doing in your spare time? > I am a sports enthusiast; so watching live matches, talking about them or playing all suit me well.
What is your most treasured possession? > My computer - without it, this is not possible.
What would be your ideal choice of alternative profession or job? > An African columnist for an alternative global publication.
Who is your favourite comedian or humorist? > Steve Makoni (he’s a Zimbabwean comedian, songwriter and musician).
Who are your sporting heroes? > Bruce Grobbelaar, Nick Price, Peter Ndlovu, Moses ‘Razorman’ Chunga, Kilimanjaro, Langton ‘Schoolboy’ Tinago, all Zimbabwean Test Cricketers (past and present), and the Black family (i.e. Byron, Wayne, and Cara).
Which English Premiership football team do you support? > Chelsea.
If you could have one (more or less realistic) wish come true, what would you wish for? > Zimbabwe would be the first country to which bloggers restored full democracy.
If you could have any three guests, past or present, to dinner who would they be? > Josiah Tongogara, Dr Martin Luther King Jr and Joshua Nqabuko Nkomo.
[The normblog profile is a weekly Friday morning feature. A list of all the profiles to date, and the links to them, can be found here.]