News / National
Grace Mugabe PhD saga deepens
21 Sep 2014 at 11:25hrs | Views
First Lady Grace Mugabe's PhD thesis is mysteriously missing on the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) website.
While Vice President Joice Mujuru's thesis, who graduated along with the first lady with a doctorate, is available on the UZ website, a search for Grace's thesis yesterday yielded nothing.
Grace's controversial doctorate from the flagship University of Zimbabwe is in sociology and she studied the case of children's homes in Zimbabwe, a subject that comes as no surprise, since she runs an orphanage in Mazowe, north of Harare.
UZ vice chancellor, Levy Nyagura was not answering calls and did not respond to questions sent to him via SMS for the past two days by the Daily News.
Academics at UZ have reportedly questioned Grace's doctorate amid indications that they want to launch a major protest with the university authorities questioning how the first lady broke all world records to earn the degree.
They fear that Grace's controversial doctorate could lower standards at the once highly acclaimed UZ.
Fresh from being awarded the doctorate degree, albeit under controversial circumstances, Grace had yet another feather added to her cap, after she was named the philanthropist person of the year by the Philanthropy Institute of Zimbabwe.
Enrico Sibanda, the chief facilitator of the Philanthropy Institute of Zimbabwe, said Grace was a deserving candidate because of her works in Mazowe, where she takes care of orphans.
"We are not politicians but philanthropists and our assessment is based on what one is doing in the communities regardless of political affiliation," Sibanda said.
"In this instance, we are acknowledging the work she is doing in Mazowe.
"She is also using her position as the first lady to look after the disabled at Danhiko."
Police commissioner general Augustine Chihuri also issued congratulatory messages after the first lady's surprise academic achievement.
Chihuri and his wife Isabel claimed Mugabe's wife was an inspiration to Zimbabweans.
"It is pleasing to note that notwithstanding Amai's tight schedule in philanthropic work which saw her establishing a successful children's home in Mazowe and a state-of-the-art school at the same institution, she managed to spare her precious time to pursue academic work," gushed Chihuri.
The commissioner general's wife, who leads the ZRP Kuyedza Women's club, said Grace was blessed by God with an academic honour because of her commitment to championing the cause of women and the marginalised.
"You are not only an inspiration to women alone but the generality of Zimbabweans," she said.
"May you therefore continue to scale dizzy heights and enthuse others to follow this great feat."
Turning to Mujuru, Chihuri said she was a liberation icon and a distinguished patriotic cadre whose contribution to the liberation war will forever be cherished.
While Vice President Joice Mujuru's thesis, who graduated along with the first lady with a doctorate, is available on the UZ website, a search for Grace's thesis yesterday yielded nothing.
Grace's controversial doctorate from the flagship University of Zimbabwe is in sociology and she studied the case of children's homes in Zimbabwe, a subject that comes as no surprise, since she runs an orphanage in Mazowe, north of Harare.
UZ vice chancellor, Levy Nyagura was not answering calls and did not respond to questions sent to him via SMS for the past two days by the Daily News.
Academics at UZ have reportedly questioned Grace's doctorate amid indications that they want to launch a major protest with the university authorities questioning how the first lady broke all world records to earn the degree.
They fear that Grace's controversial doctorate could lower standards at the once highly acclaimed UZ.
Fresh from being awarded the doctorate degree, albeit under controversial circumstances, Grace had yet another feather added to her cap, after she was named the philanthropist person of the year by the Philanthropy Institute of Zimbabwe.
Enrico Sibanda, the chief facilitator of the Philanthropy Institute of Zimbabwe, said Grace was a deserving candidate because of her works in Mazowe, where she takes care of orphans.
"We are not politicians but philanthropists and our assessment is based on what one is doing in the communities regardless of political affiliation," Sibanda said.
"In this instance, we are acknowledging the work she is doing in Mazowe.
"She is also using her position as the first lady to look after the disabled at Danhiko."
Police commissioner general Augustine Chihuri also issued congratulatory messages after the first lady's surprise academic achievement.
Chihuri and his wife Isabel claimed Mugabe's wife was an inspiration to Zimbabweans.
"It is pleasing to note that notwithstanding Amai's tight schedule in philanthropic work which saw her establishing a successful children's home in Mazowe and a state-of-the-art school at the same institution, she managed to spare her precious time to pursue academic work," gushed Chihuri.
The commissioner general's wife, who leads the ZRP Kuyedza Women's club, said Grace was blessed by God with an academic honour because of her commitment to championing the cause of women and the marginalised.
"You are not only an inspiration to women alone but the generality of Zimbabweans," she said.
"May you therefore continue to scale dizzy heights and enthuse others to follow this great feat."
Turning to Mujuru, Chihuri said she was a liberation icon and a distinguished patriotic cadre whose contribution to the liberation war will forever be cherished.
Source - dailynews
