The Forgotten Leadership Code (1984)

 

Back in August 8–13, 1984, at ZANU PF’s Second People’s Congress, the party adopted what was called the Leadership Code.

It was a bold and well-thought-out policy designed to keep leaders humble, disciplined, and connected to the people. Among its conditions were:

• No leader could own more than one house.

• No leader could hold land exceeding 50 acres.

• Leaders were barred from owning or running private businesses for profit.

• Only one salary was allowed, and outside income was tightly restricted.

• Leaders were expected to regularly disclose their assets to ensure transparency.

One of the few leaders who genuinely respected this Code was Zimbabwe’s first President, Canaan Banana. He donated and converted a farm he had bought into an Agricultural College, aligning with the spirit of the Code and in preparation for the country’s long-term land reform program. That act showed that discipline and selflessness were possible.

Imagine if the rest of the leadership had followed suit:

✅ Zimbabwe would have been spared the rise of a political elite hoarding farms, mansions, and businesses.

✅ Leadership would have been measured by service, not wealth.

✅ Corruption and patronage networks would have been much weaker.

✅ Political culture today would be rooted in accountability and fairness, not entitlement and excess.

The Leadership Code failed not because it was a bad idea, but because most leaders lacked the discipline to live by its principles.

Forty years later, we live in the consequences: widening inequality, a ruling class detached from ordinary citizens, and a political culture where power means privilege, not responsibility.

It makes you wonder what would Zimbabwe look like today if the spirit of 1984’s Leadership Code, embodied by leaders like Canaan Banana, had survived?