Mnangagwa's wife will now be referred to as Dr. Amai

FIRST Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa will now, just like her predecessor Grace 'Gucci' Mugabe have the privilege of being referred to as Dr. Amai.

This comes after the Zimbabwe Open University's (ZOU) conferred her with an honorary doctorate on Wednesday.

Auxillia, whose degree was received by Women's Affairs Minister Sithembiso Nyoni in her absence, was rewarded for her 'hard work' in improving lives of the country's disadvantaged communities through programmes such Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba.

Her husband, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, in late President Robert Mugabe fashion, presented the doctorate at ZOU's colourful Wednesday graduation.

"First Lady Dr. Auxillia Mnangagwa has been conferred an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy (Honoris Causa) in Development Studies by ZOU in honour of her efforts to improve the standard of living in disadvantaged communities through philanthropic work," said the Information Ministry.

"The accolade for her excellency Amai Dr. Auxillia Mnangagwa was received on her behalf by Nyoni, Minister of Women Affairs as she is out of the country on other duties."

Auxillia has been on a whirlwind campaign to catch the eyes of Zimbabweans through philanthropic work that has been heavily covered in the State media.

Grace Mugabe stunned Zimbabweans by graduating with a PhD at the country's University of Zimbabwe (UZ) allegedly just two months after enrolling.

Her questionable qualification later resulted in the criminal prosecution of the institution's Vice Chancellor Levi Nyagura after senior staffers revealed she had never set foot at the facility, describing her as a ghost student.

Auxillia has been a regular feature in the State media with her philanthropic work, which includes cooking traditional food, being covered extensively.