Mugabe promises to improve university access, quality

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has promised to improve higher education quality and access, following his re-election in a disputed poll on 31 July that handed him what is believed to be his last term in office.

Mugabe (89), who presides over a country with the highest literacy rate in Africa, made the pledge at his last rally before voting day.

The president said that when he took over the reins in 1980, at independence from Britain and white minority rule, only one person in the previous administration’s public service had a degree: George Smith, who he was later appointed a high court judge, now retired.

Today, Mugabe claimed, Zimbabwe has the most degreed state employees in Africa.

“All the women who work in my office have a degree,” said Mugabe, adding that for Zimbabwe to progress there must be an emphasis on research.

Following his victory over long-time rival Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) who is now outgoing prime minister following a four-and-half-year unity government with Mugabe as president, the Zimbabwean ruler said he was going to deliver on his electoral promises, including those on higher education.

In the 31 July poll, Mugabe garnered 61% against Tsvangirai’s 33%, and in parliament his party amassed 160 seats compared to 49 for Tsvangirai’s MDC, handing his ZANU-PF party more than the two-thirds parliamentary majority needed to change the constitution.

Tsvangirai, however, is challenging Mugabe’s victory in the courts as he insists that the poll was rigged. He has pointed to manipulation of the voters roll, which his party was handed just hours before voting began, bussing of people into some constituencies, the turning away of nearly 900,000 people, and abuse of assisted voters.

Analysts predict that the chances of the outgoing premier overturning Mugabe’s victory are very slim, however.

Meanwhile, last Monday, in his first public speech since his electoral victory, Mugabe promised a pay rise for state employees, which would also benefit lecturers at public universities, who have been agitating for improved salaries.

Mugabe added that with respect to capacity development, the government had processed 262 bilateral and multilateral courses offered by India, China and Malaysia. The courses are intended to provide public servants with opportunities to learn best practices from other countries and apply them in Zimbabwe.

He said that during his five-year term, three new state universities would be opened to achieve his vision of having at least one university in each of the country’s 10 provinces.

“Government is currently establishing three more universities,” Mugabe said: Gwanda State University in Matabeleland South, which is scheduled to enrol its first students this month; Manicaland University of Applied Science and Technology in Manicaland province; and Marondera University of Agricultural Science and Technology in Mashonaland East.

The new universities are “expected to address the inadequate provision of higher and tertiary education to the majority of young Zimbabweans”, the president said.

Mugabe is arguably the most learned president in the world, with seven degrees to his name including in education, law and economics as well as more than 10 honorary degrees.