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Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday capped over 6 000 graduates during the Midlands State University (MSU)’s 25th graduation ceremony in Gweru.

A total of 6 479 graduates were conferred with certificates, diplomas, and degrees during the ceremony.

The President is the Chancellor of all State universities.

Among the notable graduates were First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, who earned a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management, and renowned musician and poet Mr Albert Nyathi, who attained a Master of Philosophy in Ethnomusicology.

First Lady graduates at MSU

In his remarks, MSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Victor Muzvidziwa highlighted the institution’s milestones, including the graduation of 10 doctoral candidates and the inaugural cohort of 18 Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery graduates from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Prof Muzvidziwa commended the First Lady’s dedication, resilience, and intellectual curiosity throughout her studies.

He said Dr Mnangagwa has demonstrated exceptional work ethic and humility in her academic journey.

“Among those graduating today (yesterday) are several prominent individuals from our society, and one of these is none other than the First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa who, for the past five years, has been an exemplary DPhil student from proposal presentation to the oral defence of her thesis,” said Prof Muzvidziwa.

“We recognise her exceptional work ethic, resilience and dedication to her studies. Above all, her humble deference to her supervisors and intellectual curiosity have been instructive to all of us.”

MSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Victor Muzvidziwa

Prof Muzvidziwa said MSU continues to leverage the transformative power of higher education, excelling in teaching, research, innovation, and community engagement. He underscored the institution’s commitment to producing impactful graduates ready to contribute to the nation.

“Your Excellency and Chancellor, we took a leading technical role in the Holy Cross Community Engagement project where, together with the Chirumhanzu community, we set up a centre pivot irrigation system for an initial 120 hectares under winter wheat,” he said.

Prof Muzvidziwa said MSU academics have been contributing to strategic national policies, among them the formulation of key policies such as the National Soil Conservation Policy Draft under the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development; and the development of the Climate Change Bill led by the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife.

He noted academics in the Faculty of Education have been involved in shaping national policies by contributing to the development of the Heritage-based Curriculum Framework for 2024-2030.

Midlands State university graduation

The Vice-Chancellor lauded MSU for its achievements at the Presidential Innovation Fair Awards, securing accolades in the Health, Arts, and Young Innovator categories.

“We were recognised in the Health Category, the Arts category, and the Young Innovator category. We celebrate these successes knowing that they contribute to a brighter future for our society,” he said.

Prof Muzvidziwa also praised the Faculty of Law for winning the African Moot Court Championship in Kigali, Rwanda triumphing over 50 law schools across the continent.

He said the university received prestigious awards including the Marketing Champion Leadership Award and the National Exceptional Marketing Award in recognition of its excellence in marketing and innovation.

One stand-out achiever, Panashe Nyengera, a final-year Biotechnology and Bioinformatics student, was selected among 10 outstanding researchers globally for the One Health and Development Initiative from a pool of 700 applicants spanning 55 countries.

“We are excited that Panashe Nyengera, a final year Biotechnology and Bioinformatics student with skills in programming.

He developed computational tools, and researched molecular biology techniques and bioinformatics data analysis,” said Prof Muzvidziwa.

“This opportunity positions her as a future leader in the One Health space and a pioneer of sustainable interventions for our health ecosystems.”

Prof Muzvidziwa said eight students under the Department of Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure Sciences were awarded UNWTO online scholarships. The scholarships were sourced by the First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa as part of promoting Gastronomy Tourism.

Prof Muzvidziwa noted MSU’s strides in industrialisation, including the commercialisation of student innovations such as the Chloro-Alkanine Process Integration Project at Holy Cross Dam.

He said the institution’s efforts align with the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy (2024-2030), focusing on economic empowerment, rural industrialisation, and environmental sustainability.