Award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono has jumped to the defence of Zimbabwean engineers following an online comment suggesting the country lacks competent engineers.
The comment, which stated “ma engineer eMuZim ndeekushaya”, drew widespread backlash across social media with Chin’ono leading the rebuttal.
In his response, Chin’ono highlighted that Zimbabwe produces some of the world’s top engineering talent, many of whom are excelling in leading global institutions and companies.
“Zimbabwe has some of the finest engineers, but they are not in Zimbabwe they are leading major projects elsewhere,” Chin’ono posted.
He went on to cite prominent Zimbabwean engineers in global positions, including:
Ralph Mupita, CEO of MTN Group
Dr. James Manyika, Vice President of AI at Google
Professor Arthur Mutambara, engineer and academic leading the Centre for Future Knowledge at the University of Johannesburg
Zimbabwean engineers managing Britain’s M1 Motorway, working in Eskom, and serving in international airlines and rail networks
Chin’ono noted that engineering, as a highly tradable profession, naturally saw a mass exodus due to Zimbabwe’s economic and political decline.
“What would an engineer still be doing at the National Railways of Zimbabwe or Air Zimbabwe?” he asked rhetorically, underscoring the country’s inability to retain skilled professionals.
He concluded by shifting focus to the real root of the problem: leadership, not professional capacity.
He said,“It is not the engineers that are problematic it is the country’s leadership that is problematic.”
