Letters to the Editor: Coverage of Nust graduation omits important segment of ceremony Nust Chancellor President Mnangagwa reads a plaque after opening the Nust Gate House. (From left) are the university council chairperson Mr Alvord Mabhena, Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Professor Amon Murwira and Vice Chancellor Professor Mqhele Dlodlo

Editor I am not complaining but just want to understand issues. I am neither teaching your scribes how to capture their stories nor instructing them how to include some stuff in their stories. 

I have noticed for the past five years whenever there is a graduation at Nust, the section of the programme which is the opening section . . . the Opening Prayer by the University Chaplain part of the programme is never mentioned at all. 

I know the focus on the day of the graduation is on the Graduands, the Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor and probably the Education parent Ministry led by the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Professor Amon Murwira..

I am not too sure if the scribes always come to the graduation ceremony after that first part is done. 

My point is, there are some very important things that the University Chaplain said which in my view were worthy for the nation to know because the words were chastising the nation to desist from societal ills that have become the major drawback in our moving forward as a country. 

[By the way, I am the University Chaplain thought let me declare my interest]. 

There were three functions on Friday at Nust and for the scribes to miss all the three speeches by the University Chaplain is not a mere coincidence. 

I feel the scribes that cover the events tend to short-change the nation. Even if they dont mention my name and simply say the Nust Chaplain charged the graduands by saying bla bla bla . . . For me that is my preaching message to the nation as well as to the graduating students. 

Attached are my speeches on the three occasions. Probably I am expecting too much from a system that has its own way of producing news. 

I stand to be corrected. In the past I have written articles that your office as the editor have religiously published. Remember the series of Servant Leadership that I once ran in your paper? So please correct me if I am expecting too much.  

For the record, I presided at the official opening of the Nust Gate. I explained the biblical significance of a gate since this was the official opening by His Execellence, the President of the 2nd Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde ED Mnangagwa. 

Then I presided over the official opening of the Nust Innovation Hub that I read on Friday for the three events of which none was reported.

Pastor Tomson Dube, University Chaplain, Nust

Editor’s response: We have noted your observations and will endeavour to capture the Chaplain’s message in future. We have not been deliberately downplaying the chaplain’s important role at the university graduation ceremonies but it is down to space constraints. We hope you will bear with us.

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