Stan Mudenge

Who was Stan Mudenge?

Isaak Stanislaus Gorerazvo Mudenge was a Zimbabwean politician who served in the government of Zimbabwe as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1995 to 2005 and as Minister of Higher Education from 2005 to 2012.

Mudenge was a professional historian focusing on African history in general but with speciality on pre-colonial Zimbabwean history. He has published several books in this regard.

In a cabinet reshuffle on 16 April 2005, following the March 2005 parliamentary election, he was replaced as Minister of Foreign Affairs by Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and was appointed as Minister of Higher Education instead. This was considered a demotion and followed Mudenge's support for Jonathan Moyo in opposition to Joyce Mujuru within ZANU-PF.

Within ZANU-PF, he aligned himself with the Masvingo faction, which is antagonistic to the Mujuru faction due to wrangles concerning ascendancy to the presidency if Mugabe leaves office.

Mudenge was nominated by ZANU-PF as its candidate for the House of Assembly seat from Masvingo North constituency in the March 2008 parliamentary election. According to official results, he received 4,799 votes, defeating the candidate of the Movement for Democratic Change, who received 4,450.