UZ Vice Chancellor frog marches lecturers to SADC Summit clean-up campaigns

Despite having employed a legion of general hand cleaners as part of its neatening labourforce, the University of Zimbabwe's Vice Chancellor, Professor Paul Mapfumo has this Friday summoned and frog march all lecturers to embark on massive clean up campaign ahead of SADC Summit public lecture at the prestigious and gradually yet-to-be monumental institution of higher learning education.

In a directive letter dated Thursday 8 August 2024, distributed to Faculties (Office of Deans) down to departmental chairpersons and respective staff (and shared with this publication), Mapfumo crack the whip in his tireless efforts to make sure they meet the deadline, while threatening unfortunate action against rowdy lieutenants who may decide otherwise (disengage).

"Kindly note that we have a clean up campaign tomorrow, Friday 9 August 2024, in preparation for the SADC public lecture to be hosted by the University of Zimbabwe on Thursday 15 August 2024," the letter reads.

"We are all expected to assemble by 08:30hrs tomorrow where we are going to be addressed before we are assigned our cleaning duties. There shall be an attendance register and so do not decide to absent yourself from this important exercise," the directive reads.

Meanwhile, some lecturers have chosen to disengage from the exercise and directive citing that they brace for any outcome since their contractual obligations do not extend to housekeeping.

"It is not within the confines of my contract to do housekeeping duties. Am contracted to facilitate, guide or teach students using prescribed convenient timetable," the lecturer said.

"Why giving directives without considering or analysing lecturers health concerns. Some have fragile health backgrounds, but best lecturing experiences and capacity, so why frog march them?," the lecturer said.