Double Ovation for President Mugabe

Republic of Zimbabwe Minister of Community Development and Gender Oppah Muchinguri receives masters degree in international relations at the University. She is congratulated by President Mugabe on September 13, 2013., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Double ovation for President

September 14, 2013
Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Zimbabwe Herald

PRESIDENT Mugabe, the Chancellor of State universities, received a standing ovation from students on arrival at the UZ stadium for the institution’s graduation ceremony yesterday. Graduands rose in unison singing, ululating, clapping hands to chants of “Gushungo! Gushungo! Gushungo!”, the President’s totem as the Academic Procession entered the arena and made its way to the front of the gathering for the start of proceedings.

The students repeated their ovation when the President rose from his seat to approve the conferment of first degrees and honours degrees as recommended by the Dean of Faculties in terms of the University of Zimbabwe Council Act, the enabling legal statute.

After the double ovation that mirrored the one the President received at the 33rd Summit of Sadc Heads of State and Government in Lilongwe, Malawi, last month, President Mugabe capped 2 272 graduates at the colourful ceremony.

The President was accompanied by Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Dr Olivia Muchena; Minister of State for Liaising on Psychomotor Activities in Education Josiah Hungwe; Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development Deputy Minister Abigail Damasane and secretary for Higher and Tertiary Education, Dr Washington Mbizvo among other Government officials.

Notable among the graduates was Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development Minister Muchinguri and former Health and Child Welfare Minister Dr Henry Madzorera.

Minister Muchinguri graduated with a Master of Science Degree in International Relations while Dr Madzorera was conferred with a Master of Science Degree in Public Health.

UZ Vice Chancellor Professor Levi Nyagura congratulated President Mugabe on his resounding victory in the harmonised elections.

Graduands were capped in the following faculties Agriculture, Arts, Commerce, Education, Law, Science, Social Studies, Veterinary Science and Engineering.

They include 172 medical doctors, 10 dentists, 36 pharmacists, 38 veterinary doctors, 128 accountants, 128 agriculture experts and 102 lawyers, among others.

Other prominent people who were capped were Seed Co public relations and communications manager, Ms Marjorie Mutemererwa who graduated with a Master of Arts Degree in Leadership and Management, and an official in the Ministry of Media, Information and Broadcasting Services, Mr Collins Mungate, who graduated with a Master of Science Degree in Tourism and Hospitality.

Addressing graduands yesterday, UZ vice chancellor, Prof Nyagura said institutions of higher learning had made great strides not only in acquiring state of the art equipment and facilities for both students and academic staff but were also moving forward to become the best universities in Africa.

This, he said, was being achieved by adopting quality assurance measures in conformity with global best practices.

“To be among the best universities in Africa calls for a paradigm shift in the execution of our academic business by moving away from being a teaching university, to a research-driven centre of excellence where teaching and learning are informed by research,” Prof Nyagura said.

This, he added, would also be achieved through upgrading of qualifications for academic staff.

“Allow me to restate and affirm that by the year 2016, we expect over 90 percent of members of the academic staff to hold a doctorate degree. In that way, we can compete with any university the world over,” he said.

Prof Nyagura said the demand for accommodation continued to be a serious challenge and they had since engaged an investor who had shown interest in constructing two new hostels for students and campus.

“This will increase accommodation from the current 4 300 beds to over 6 300 beds. The objective is to have at least 50 percent of the student population, especially the female students, in university accommodation,” he said.

The university, he said, was facing serious challenges of water as it had been let down by the City of Harare.

“To address this problem, the university has embarked on an internal project to harness underground water on campus. I strongly believe that the completion of this project in October 2013 will see our reduced dependence for water on the city fathers,” he said.

Prof Nyagura implored the Government to provide financial assistance to improve facilities at the university. He said there was also need for funds to cover post-graduate studies, research and professional renewal of academic staff through contact visits and sabbatical leave as those were some of the quality assurance strategies.

“I strongly appeal to Government to financially support this strategy for us to achieve our set goals,” he said.

The university, he said, had also embraced information communication and technology as the institution now had a wireless cloud covering both students and staff who were now enjoying increased Internet access from anywhere on the campus.

The event was attended by newly appointed Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Olivia Muchena, Minister of State, for Liaison on Psychomotor Activities in Education Josiah Hungwe and secretary for Higher and Tertiary Education, Dr Washington Mbizvo.