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Dexter Nduna finally graduates
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Former Chegutu West legislator and Zanu-PF Central Committee member, Dexter Nduna, has officially earned his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) during the institution's 44th graduation ceremony held on Friday.
Nduna's graduation comes after a highly publicised controversy in 2024, when he claimed on social media to have completed his law degree despite the university confirming he had not yet met the graduation requirements. A leaked UZ memo revealed that Nduna had failed three courses: Energy and Mining Law, Labour Law, and Language Acquisition and Intercultural Communication Literacy (Chinese Language). Despite this, he attended a graduation ceremony wearing a gown but was not seated with law graduates. His appeal for exam remarking, in which he alleged political bias, was subsequently rejected, prompting Nduna to issue a public apology to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the nation for misleading the public.
After completing the outstanding modules during the 2024/2025 academic year, Nduna's name appeared on this year's official graduation roll, marking his legitimate conferment of the law degree.
Nduna's political history is similarly contentious. The Chegutu West parliamentary seat, which he held between 2018 and 2023, was embroiled in a protracted election dispute. In the July 2018 elections, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) initially declared Nduna the winner but later admitted a counting error showing opposition MDC-Alliance candidate Gift Konjana had actually received more votes. ZEC indicated only the courts could reverse the result.
Konjana filed a High Court application in August 2018, which was dismissed on a technicality. He then appealed to the Supreme Court in November 2018. The hearings were repeatedly delayed, including instances where Nduna's legal team failed to file papers, prolonging the matter for over two years. In 2023, the Supreme Court finally dismissed the appeal, citing the lapse of the legal time limit, effectively allowing Nduna's tenure in parliament despite the admitted counting error.
Critics have argued that the prolonged legal process violated Zimbabwe's Constitution and Electoral Act, undermining democratic principles and the rule of law. Nduna, however, has now formally completed his academic qualifications, closing one chapter in a career marked by both political and academic controversies.
Nduna's graduation comes after a highly publicised controversy in 2024, when he claimed on social media to have completed his law degree despite the university confirming he had not yet met the graduation requirements. A leaked UZ memo revealed that Nduna had failed three courses: Energy and Mining Law, Labour Law, and Language Acquisition and Intercultural Communication Literacy (Chinese Language). Despite this, he attended a graduation ceremony wearing a gown but was not seated with law graduates. His appeal for exam remarking, in which he alleged political bias, was subsequently rejected, prompting Nduna to issue a public apology to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the nation for misleading the public.
After completing the outstanding modules during the 2024/2025 academic year, Nduna's name appeared on this year's official graduation roll, marking his legitimate conferment of the law degree.
Konjana filed a High Court application in August 2018, which was dismissed on a technicality. He then appealed to the Supreme Court in November 2018. The hearings were repeatedly delayed, including instances where Nduna's legal team failed to file papers, prolonging the matter for over two years. In 2023, the Supreme Court finally dismissed the appeal, citing the lapse of the legal time limit, effectively allowing Nduna's tenure in parliament despite the admitted counting error.
Critics have argued that the prolonged legal process violated Zimbabwe's Constitution and Electoral Act, undermining democratic principles and the rule of law. Nduna, however, has now formally completed his academic qualifications, closing one chapter in a career marked by both political and academic controversies.
Source - Manica Post
