The ManicaPost
A Kenyan national, Reverend Professor Peter Mageto was recently appointed Africa University’s fifth Vice Chancellor. Rev Prof Mageto is the first non-Zimbabwean academic to be appointed AU’s Vice Chancellor.
This week, The Manica Post’s Senior Reporter Samuel Kadungure and Diamond FM’s News Bureau Chief Mercy Ngwebvu caught up with Rev Prof Mageto to get an understanding of his thoughts and vision for the university.
Read on . . .
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Q: Starting off as a circuit minister in 1991 in Kenya, did your imagination and vision take you to a time like now, when you will be in charge of one of the most prominent Pan-African institutions in Africa?
A: As student in a university setting I could sense that there were leadership skills in me. I was a student leader at a theological seminary.
I could then tell from what we used to do, and would ask how many of us would be bishops and vice-chancellors. I did not know that I would be at Africa University.
I didn’t know it would be a university, but I knew at a certain point I would lead in my life. In 1991, I knew I would lead, but I did not know whether it would be a university, a conference or a synod; and here I am.
Q: Professor, can you briefly share with us your primary, secondary and missionary background for the benefit of our readers?
A: I went to a primary school that is in the village I was born. It is called Materio Primary School and proceeded to Kebabe Secondary School and then St Paul’s Theological Seminary in Kenya. I then left for Chicago to a university known as Gareth Evangelical Theological Seminary, and from there I attained my two degrees – Masters in Theological Studies and Doctor of Philosophy in Ethics.
I spent most of my time in mission and church work.
I started in the church, have run churches as a senior pastor in Nairobi, and then at a certain period I decided it was time to get in the academy, and that is how I moved into university lectureship.
Q: Do you foresee any challenges and opportunities in your new position or role?
A: In every position there are challenges, and as far as I am concerned, challenges are opportunities for me, that is how I count them.
I see adversaries as opportunities, so, yes, in fact, there is no sector that has great opportunities as higher education, and such kind of opportunities lie open to Africa University as a pan-African varsity.
Indeed there are opportunities.
Q: Your wealthy experience spans over 25 years – what have all those years taught you about leadership?
A: The guru of leadership, Maxwell, indicates very clearly to us that everything rises and falls on leadership.
It is my conviction that the last 25 years have taught me four things – first, I have learnt concern or passion.
In order for me to be a leader, I must be able to realise the passion that I have, and also the concern of those that I will lead.
Second, I have learnt that as a leader I must provide clarity in order for us to move forward. I must provide clarity as to where I am taking the team that I am leading.
I have also learnt that you build a community of people – whether they are five or 10, whether you are leading a department of five people or a college of 100 people or a university of 3 500 people, students or a faculty, that is a community, and it boils down to whether you are in an institutional set-up or a village.
I have learnt that the community is so central when it comes to my leadership.
More importantly I have learnt that in leadership there will always be conflict, and conflict management is one key area where as a leader I must know how to navigate.
And in higher education we are not exempt, we face it and we must attend to it. We must show from the forefront how to manage conflict.
Q: Still on leadership, most have adopted the authoritarian way of doing things. You, on the other hand, are renowned for your firm, yet friendly management style.
Have you always been like this or somewhere along your career path you realised that the sociable way can also get things done?
A: I will attribute it to some degree as part of a family thing.
My father served as a leader in different ways and areas, and as a young man I learnt a few things from him.
More importantly as a leader, you have to keep growing, and I and my leadership kept evolving. Different situations, institutions and circumstances call for different leadership styles.
My leadership style is defined by collaborative leadership style. I believe in collaboration. I stand a better chance in collaborating with those that I find here.
I believe Africa University has a great team and I just need to collaborate with them. I also love the coaching leadership style. I believe as a leader, I will suffer as a coach.
My essence of leadership is to be able to lead as a coach, appoint a captain, and assistant captains who will work with me. Combining coaching and collaborative leadership styles is what I bring at the table as Vice Chancellor of Africa University.
Q: Your being the first non-Zimbabwean Vice Chancellor for Africa University shows how the institution is living its mission as a Pan-African university.
What does this mean for you given that you are also a Pan-Africanist and a man of ideas like what was said by Professor Fanuel Tagwira, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development?
A: What this means to me is in essence what we ought to be as Africans. The pan-African spirit is often spoken of, but not lived, but I have experienced it at Africa University the last four years I have been here.
For me to be a Pan-Africanist, it literally means I have to keep my eyes, ears and actions open to receive everyone, beginning with those here in Zimbabwe. The fact that we can enjoy the peaceful movement, operate business in a conducive environment gives us an opportunity to say if you really want to experience a Pan-African spirit, come to Africa University.
Q: Since joining Africa University in 2018 you have played a leading role in the re-imaging and re-positioning of the university’s programmes to create graduates fit for purpose, with a desire to lead Africa’s development.
So with that, and Education 5.0, to what other heights do you intend to take Africa University?
A: The beauty of higher education is that you do not exist in a vacuum, but within a sector with other institutions.
As Africa University, we take pride in the higher education model that has been introduced by the Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister, Professor Amon Murwira, the Education 5.0 heritage.
It is like a miracle for this country, and this model is likely to be borrowed by other countries.
For us at AU, we are re-positioning, keeping in mind that we were the first university to begin an Innovation 5 Hub in this country, and we see other institutions coming through to borrow ideas on how it is done.
The idea of the Education 5.0 heritage is something that we are interested in as far as industrial research and innovation is concerned. We will take AU to great heights. Our greatest interest is to move Africa University up as far as STEM is concerned.
What we aim to do as a Pan-African university is to see this kind of transformation across the continent. Our students come from across the continent, and we like to transfer this technology and knowledge to these countries, beginning with Zimbabwe.
Q: On a scale from 0 to 10, if the university is viewed as an organism, how healthy is it? Can you identify the strengths contributing to its healthy as an institution of higher learning as well as factors weakening it?
A: That is a philosophical question because the term healthy can be defined in different ways. This is how I define healthy, it is the well-being, what I call Shalom (holistic), which encompasses the emotional, psychological, physical, economic and financial.
It is holistic. So Africa University is very healthy and moving into the future I will make it even better. How will I do that?
I won’t do it as an individual. Of all the universities I have been before, I love the Board of Governors running this university because it is an international board with people from different backgrounds.
The management and the students are healthy. Our academic programmes are healthy, and we can pride ourselves of offering some of the best programmes in the country. If you look at our financial stability, I will tell you that Africa University is blessed.
Our financial stability is quite good and we can look into the future hopefully. When it comes to the physical, we are doing our best, we run a health centre in the university and if there is anyone who is having an issue they take care of it.
Spirituality, we run a chapel, we have a chaplain in the university. The health of our spirituality is good.
Q: Are there any major changes to be made in the administration and governance of the university and staff?
A: I will tell you that anything that does not change is dead, it belongs to the grave. In an institution of this nature, change is inevitable.
As we move into the future, we remain open to change. Change is inevitable, but we will not over do it because things have changed at the top. It doesn’t work like that. I do not believe in those things. You make changes in an organisation when you see it necessary. But if there are certain things we did wrong yesterday, we will not shy away from stepping in and making that change.
Q: How do you plan to adapt your leadership to fit into those changes?
A: My collaborative and coaching leadership style will give me the impetus to provide the change that may pop up or may be required.
Q: Your appointment coincides with the institution’s 30th anniversary: How does it feel to be part of such a significant milestone?
A: It is humbling. 30 years for me is a very humbling experience and I am looking forward to it, and I know it is now my leadership that needs to take this celebration forward and we will do our best.
Our hope is that three decades of an institution, with every success story, it means there is credit that goes to everyone who started, from the first Vice Chancellor to the fourth, and now as the fifth. We look back and say something great happened.
Q: One of your colleagues, Bishop Gaspar Domingos, has defined your appointment as a moment of renewal and new expectations. In your own words, how would you define this moment?
A: I will say it is a moment of repositioning God’s project. I count Africa University as God’s project. Why? Because the founders of this varsity were bishops of the United Methodist Church from seven African countries. The project was approved for the purpose of transforming Africa.
So after 30 years, the only way I can describe this moment is repositioning God’s project, which is an opportunity for us to say as we move into the next decade, how do we want to see Africans move?
It is time for renewal – you celebrate 30 years with a new impetus that pushes you into the next decade. As we celebrate what has been achieved, we plan for what we wish to do in to the future.
Q: You have three books and various journal publications under your name. Why and when did you decide that the world should also have a feel of your ideas?
A: I came from a family where my mother did not know how to read or write her own name. That is the family I was born into. My father dropped out of school at Grade Two because his father had died.
The first book I wrote was in my native language because I wanted, first and foremost, my father to read it loud to my mother so that they would appreciate the ideas I had. The first people to get my ideas were those in my household. After giving them the full taste of who I am, it was time to share my ideas with the world, and that is how I moved into writing.
I will keep writing, not because I am an academic, but because it is the best way to share ideas. I push my staff to write, and it is one of the things that will remain in my performance appraisal for everyone. It is not just writing, but research – write and publish.
Q: ln a speech read on your behalf in a virtual meeting to celebrate Women’s Day by Africa University last Friday, you expressed concern over how women continue to be denied education opportunities, especially in Africa. How are you going to use the privilege you have to continue giving education opportunities to women and girls?
A: Earlier on I used my mother as an example. She did not get the privilege to get even into Grade One. One of the critical things I celebrate here in Zimbabwe is Her Excellency, the First Lady, Amai Mnangagwa’s passion for women empowerment.
Looking at her work grants me joy. My wife and l were blessed with a daughter, so we both believe all people are created equal in the image of God. But, within the custom and culture of our African people, we know that women have no opportunity and privilege in society.
Even before my appointment as VC, I have believed that opportunities must be created for all people, but more importantly women.
Within the context of this university, one of the things we celebrate in the 2022/23 academic year is the fact that we have a female president for the Student Representative Council (SRC).
What this tells you is that within the context of AU, we believe that leadership can even be provided by women, and whatever opportunities are created, I will empower the women who are here as students or staff.
Q: On a much lighter note . . . they say behind every successful man is a strong woman. What role has Mrs Mageto played in your journey to success?
A: I want to offer that credit to Mrs Mageto, given the background of my training, she means peace to me. This is our 27th marriage anniversary, and she has been very peaceful to me. She is my best friend and life partner. Even when I was pursuing my studies after we had been blessed with our son, she took two years away from work to take care of our son.
She became a housewife despite being a professional. For me that is a sacrifice. She has been very supportive. When I came to AU from University of Kigali in Rwanda, she was in Nairobi, taking care of our home.
We are very close, we are very good friends, and she remains very supportive. She supported me to apply for this position. She is a good friend to me.
Q: In as much as we may want to go and on, we have to wrap this up. What will be your parting words to our readers?
A: I would like to give something that your readers will always remember from Prof Mageto. For many years, people have spoken about the future of higher education, how it is changing. But as Prof Mageto, I am talking about the higher education of the future. There is a big difference.
The higher education of the future demands that we dream, envision, create and we ensure that we have it.
Africa as a continent and Zimbabwe will only be transformed by the kind of higher education of the future that we create.
