Mnangagwa takes over Mugabe duties, caps 1,583 graduands at CUT

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has conferred degrees and diplomas to 1 583 Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) graduands at the institution's 14th graduation ceremony.

CUT, which last year made history by becoming the first university to install President Emmerson Mnangagwa as chancellor, once again scored a first by becoming the first state university to hold a graduation ceremony this year.

President Mnangagwa declared the congregation at the university as a graduation ceremony before he conferred degrees to the graduands.

Those conferred with post graduate degrees and those awarded degrees with first class were capped individually by the President while mass capping was done for the rest.

The ceremony saw 9 graduands being awarded doctorate degrees.

CUT Vice Chancellor, Professor David Simbi said the institution is responsive to the need to develop the requisite human capital, capable of tackling the agricultural and mineral resource elements that form the base of the economy.

"CUT is in the process of establishing an innovation hub to create appropriate technologies for use in agriculture, mining and manufacturing industries," he said.

Professor Simbi however said the efforts of the well acclaimed staff at the university to carry out research are being hampered by lack of appropriately equipped laboratories and workshops.

In keeping with the spirit of celebrations associated with graduation ceremonies, the occasion was fun filled, with arts performances dominating the entertainment slots.

The number of graduands this year was higher than last year's, which stood at 1 218.