Varsity to be named after Mugabe

Government is considering re-naming a university after President Mugabe or have a new one in honour of his contribution to the education sector both in Zimbabwe and the entire African continent, legislators have heard.

Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo said while the plan was still in its formative stage, his ministry was seriously considering it.

He was giving oral evidence before a Parliamentary portfolio committee on Higher and Tertiary Education chaired by Chinhoyi MP Dr Peter Mataruse (MDC-T) recently.

President Mugabe, said Prof Moyo, deserved the special honour of having a university named after him, just as other African countries had done for their leaders.

"Surely, for an iconic leader who has distinguished himself in the area of education and has contributed immensely to education, it would make sense to have a Robert Mugabe University," he said.

"We should have a university named after President Mugabe, although we have a Robert Mugabe School of Intelligence. This is not enough, we should honour our founding father, President Mugabe, for his contribution to this nation."

Prof Moyo said President Mugabe was a scholar par excellence throughout Africa and the naming of the school after him was a way of honouring the President's achievements in the area of education.

"There is a Nelson Mandela University in South Africa; there is Moi University one of the best universities in East Africa," he said. "There is Kenyatta University, another excellent university in Africa. We need a successful university in Zimbabwe as well, signifying our exceptional leader."

Prof Moyo said there was also a need for the country to have a university of performing arts.

"Clearly, we do not have a university dedicated to performing arts," he said.

"We have some universities that have tried to bring up means that have an interest in this area such as the Midlands State University and the University of Zimbabwe is interested as well.

"The country needs a fully-fledged national university that is dedicated to performing arts and we are working on coming up with the university."

Zimbabwe has a total of 20 universities, six of them private.

The Anglican Church is in the process of setting up a university in Marondera, Mashonaland East province.