Rusike: A man who upheld professionalism

That was Rusike’s dream. To see the media space expanded and media freedom increased without undue influence from the government. His dream was almost realised after the advent of a multiplicity of newspapers at the turn of the century before it was short-lived by the government’s clampdown on independent publications.
The former publisher and founder of Modus Publications (publishers of The Financial Gazette), regarded as one of Zimbabwe’s most courageous, professional and candid journalists, passed on in Harare on July 8 after a long battle with stomach cancer. He was 68.
The chief executive officer (CEO) of The Financial Gazette, Jacob Chisese, said it was difficult to accept the death of Rusike not only because of its suddenness, but also given that his life ended prematurely at a time the media fraternity still needed his wisdom and guidance.
Chisese said Rusike was a rare breed of newspaper publishers who possessed a rare combination of intimate knowledge of journalism and unparalleled skills in newspaper management.
Chisese said: “I remember Elias Rusike or ‘ET’ as he was affectionately known as a man of integrity, trustworthiness and compassion. In business, he had a no nonsense approach, but he combined the desire to achieve objectives together with a rare talent of understanding the frailties of human nature. He was therefore, able to offer compassionate assistance, where most of us wo-uld have adopted an unyie-lding tough position.”
Chisese continued: “Although ET held influential positions as the CEO of the State media and as the first black owner of the pink paper, he truly believed in editorial independence.
“He, therefore, set a proud foundation of non-interference with editorial matters and that tradition was bequeathed on us and we have maintained it to date. Elias Rusike was a man of few words, but his wisdom, intelligence and business acumen belied the true character of a rare breed of newspaper publishers whose influence will be felt indefinitely by all of us, particularly in the print media well after he has long gone.”
Etherton Mpisaunga, both a friend and relative to the Rusikes said the veteran scribe had managed to navigate Zimbabwe’s political minefield.
“He saw it all as a top civil servant, lecturer and communicator,” Mpisaunga said.
“Elias, the public figure, was absolutely straight. He had no time to back bite or engage in rumours. He told it like it is. He was honest and candid and gave upright analyses of where this country was coming from and going.”
Rusike’s elder brother Joachim spoke highly of the late journalist who switched the profession for farming and consultancy.
“He was good man. A good businessman and we were more like friends than brothers,” Joachim said.
“He was a pillar in the family and helped our relatives a lot. He was a good father and family man. My most memorable time was when he returned from America not feeling very well. From that time up to his death I was with him. He stayed with me while I was looking after him together with his wife. His wife was at his bed side when he died.”
Rusike who is survived by his wife Margaret and four children Simbarashe, Wanzirai, Tinashe and Chenai was buried at his farm in Acturus.
Born in Chinamano communal lands in 1941, Rusike was educated at Makumbe Mission and Waddilove Training Institution in Marondera.
He trained as an agricultural demonstrator for four years at Waddilove Institute and qualified in 1960 and had a stint in the Nedewedzo area, Rusape, before he resigned and shifted to Kitwe, Zambia, where he studied journalism and creative writing.
As a new scribe entering into the treacherous waters of African media, where freedom of expression is treated with a pinch of salt, Rusike joined The African Daily as a reporter, when Nathan Shamuyarira, the former information minister, was the editor-in-chief, before he left and joined Drum Magazine as a political reporter and was subsequently sent to Lusaka.
He resigned after the break-up of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland and joined the Northern Rhodesia Broadcasting Corporation as news sub- editor and again resigned to join ZANU in its publicity and information department, where he was later transferred to Dar-es-Salaam to be in charge of party political broadcasts on Radio Tanzania.
Rusike was then appointed ZANU representative in Malawi until 1970 when he was granted study leave to Bristol University in the United Kingdom and obtained three degrees namely Bsc Political Science and Sociology, Msc in Mass Communication, Msc in Sociology.
But before he joined the University of Zimbabwe as a lecturer in Political Science and Comparative Public Development Administration in 1977, Rusike was the director of the Adult Education Institute in Bristol.
At independence, he was appointed a member of the Zimbabwe Public Service Commission for three years and then joined the Zimbabwe Newspapers (1980) Limited (Zimpapers) as general manager and subsequently promoted to group managing director and CEO of the company
In 1989, he left Zimpapers to take up another challenging task as group managing director of Modus Publications.
Rusike subsequently wrote a 111 page book, which was published by Roblaw Publishers (Pvt) Ltd in 1990 castigating the involvement of government in publications.
In the book, Rusike spoke of the role of the mass media and provided media models based on national ideology like the liberation system in America where mass media is free from government control vis-à-vis authoritarian models in developing countries and the Russian model where the totalitarian system owned the whole media then.
Rusike became controversial when he severed links with the then ruling party and published a story in The Financial Gazette on April 21 1995 that President Robert Mugabe had wedded Grace Marufu at a secret ceremony presided over by then High Court Judge Paddington Garwe and witnessed by the then Minister of Public Construction and National Housing, Enos Chikowore (now late).
Garwe and Chikowore refuted the article leading to Rusike’s arrest alongside executive editor Trevor Ncube and deputy editor Simba Makunike.
The police raided Modus House and detained the suspects, where they later charged them with criminally defaming the Head of State. The trio was hauled before the courts and granted bail, later convicted and Modus Publication was fined $2 500 in 1996. Ncube was fined $3 000 while Makunike $6 000.
In 2003 Rusike sold The Financial Gazette to a consortium of black business people who presently own the publication.