Filabusi – President Emmerson Mnangagwa, in his capacity as Chancellor of all State Universities, is today presiding over the fourth graduation ceremony of Gwanda State University (GSU), where a total of only 69 students graduating.
The ceremony, is being held in Filabusi, Matabeleland South Province, conferred degrees in Engineering and Environment as well as Natural Resources Management and Agriculture. It is running under the theme “Skilled Human Capital Development: A Catalyst for Innovation, Industrialisation and Commercialisation.”
Gwanda State University is located 97km South of Bulawayo.
While graduation ceremonies are traditionally seen as a significant milestone for universities, critics questioned whether it was justifiable for the Head of State to travel nearly 1000 kilometres from Harare to personally preside over a ceremony with such a small graduating class.
“It’s unnecessary for the President to be there in person when the numbers are this low. A Permanent Secretary or even the Minister could have done the job,” said Harare-based political analyst Tendai Moyo. “This is a misuse of state resources and security logistics, especially in a country grappling with a strained economy.”
A Gwanda resident, who declined to be named, echoed similar sentiments: “We appreciate the President’s presence, but surely it doesn’t make sense to deploy an entire motorcade, security detail, and other logistics for just 69 graduates. Those resources could have been channelled into equipping the university itself.”
Government officials, however, defended Mnangagwa’s presence, arguing that it signalled his commitment to higher education and rural-based institutions.
Still, questions linger on whether the optics of such a high-level event, with a disproportionately low number of graduates, help or hinder the President’s push to brand his administration as focused on “innovation and industrialisation.”
Mnangagwa is also expected to preside over another graduation ceremony at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Bulawayo on Friday.
