Vice-chancellor sacked over PHD
UNIVERSITY of Zimbabwe’s vice-chancellor Levi Nyagura has suddenly been sacked for awarding a false PHD degree to former first lady Grace Mugabe in 2014.
According to New Zimbabwe.com, President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa sent a letter dated August 16 to Nyagura ending his employment, but would receive full benefits until his court case has been finalised. He was arrested in February and charged with abuse of authority.
Mugabe achieved the said doctorate from UZ months after she registered to study and was accepted into the programme by Nyagura, allegedly without the knowledge of the sociology department within which her thesis was produced.
Mnangagwa initially said Nyagura was being suspended with full benefits pending the case against him.
Previously, students protested when they learnt that Mugabe was given her doctorate, claiming it undermined the standards at the university.
Although Nyagura was detained earlier this year, he remained in his job with the approval of the education ministry.
It remains unclear who Mnangagwa will replace him with.
Meanwhile, the president, who is likely to face a tough time this week as the Constitutional Court deliberates on a case filed by the Movement for Democratic Change Allaince, which seeks to challenge his victory, is in Namibia this weekend where he will meet his counterparts from the Southern African Development Community.