His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Commander-In-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Cde Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa was on Saturday the 2nd of December 2017, installed as Chancellor of Midlands State University.
President Mnangagwa, who is one of the founding fathers of Midlands State University was installed as the institution’s second Chancellor amid great pomp during a ceremony that preceded the 17th congregation of the Midlands State University graduation ceremony held at the University’s Gweru Main Campus.
In his acceptance speech, the President gave a brief background of his association with the Midlands State University. Before being installed as Chancellor, President Mnangagwa was a co-patron of the University’s Fundraising Committee. But perhaps more importantly, was his contribution to the establishment of the University. President Mnangagwa was part of a team that assiduously lobbied the government to establish a national university in the Midlands. Their dedication and unrelenting efforts paid off, when through an act of parliament, Midlands State University, then known as the State University in the Midlands was established in 1999.
‘I remember very vividly the intensity and incisive debates which took place then as we navigated through obstacles, snags and other impediments all in a bid to perfect the ideas that would give birth to this grand institution’, highlighted the President.
President Mnangagwa, pledged to continue supporting research at institutions of higher learning, noting that universities together with other tertiary institutions were crucial in the country’s development trajectory. He also challenged institutions of higher education to play a more active role in coming up with more effective and innovative ways of value addition and beneficiation.
The installation was presided over by Midlands State University’s Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor, Victor Ngonidzashe Muzvidziwa and witnessed by thousands of people who included academics, graduands, their parents and guardians, senior government officials,