Jonathan Moyo distances himself from Grace Mugabe's PhD

Former Cabinet Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo has distanced himself from allegations that he was involved in the conferring of a Doctoral Degree to former First Lady Grace Mugabe.

Zimbabwe on social media had accused the former University of Zimbabwe lecturer of presiding over the Grace issue during his days as Minister.

Replied Moyo on Twitter, "The whole Grace enrolment, study and graduation with a PhD at UZ happened before I was Higher Education minister.

"Student admission to degree programs, student teaching/supervision and award of degrees is ENTIRELY the RESPONSIBILITY of UZ Senate and Council. They MUST answer!"

Moyo further added that he was not Minister of Education during the period.

"Grace Mugabe graduated with her PhD from UZ with a PhD along with Joice Mujuru in 2014, when the Minister of Higher Education was Dr Olivia Muchena and when I was Minister of Information, overseeing the Herald, among other information ministry assignments."

Earlier this month the former UZ Vice Chancellor, Levi Nyagura, challenged his prosecution arguing that the state should instead jail President Emmerson Mnangagwa or his predecessor former President Robert Mugabe.

In his petition to the court, Nyagura argued either Mugabe or Mnangagwa as successive Chancellors of the country's prime institution of higher learning should be arrested because they are the only ones reposed with power to rescind or confer a degree.

Nyagura is on trial for allegedly abusing his powers as a public officer to grant former First Lady Grace a doctorate degree in 2014.