Moyo wades into Grace, Mujuru PhD controversy

Published: 2014 October 16 10:24:50 (5180 Views)

INFORMATION Minister Jonathan Moyo has waded into the storm over the doctorate degrees awarded to Vice-President Joice Mujuru and First Lady Grace Mugabe.

Those criticising Grace's achievement were looking to score political points and not speaking from an "academic point of view", Moyo a professor, said in Bulawayo Tuesday evening.

Mugabe's wife did not award herself the degree, Moyo told journalists at the Bulawayo Press Club.

"There is no one who has spoken about this doctorate from a position of information. Since the last time I checked, I haven't checked today, no one! No one has commented on this from an academic point of view," said Moyo.

"We are talking about an academic degree and must remember that nobody awards themselves a degree. She (Grace) has never done that and no one has claimed anything to that effect.

"I think that there is, sometimes, a problem when the media creates an issue and we run with that issue and then miss facts."
Grace, Mujuru and eleven other PhD candidates were capped by President Robert Mugabe at the University of Zimbabwe last month.
But it was Grace's award which sparked widespread outrage and derision amid claims she graduated just two months after enrolling for the programme.
Opposition politicians and local academics demanded an explanation from the UZ.

Quipped opposition politician and former finance minister Tendai Biti: "I want to state publicly that I will never ever have a PhD for obvious reasons. You know what happened."

Academic and political commentator Ibbo Mandaza added: "It's less about the graduate herself and more about the university's reputation which is under scrutiny and at stake.

"The issue must be explained by the university in detail."

Norway-based award-winning writer Chenjerai Hove said the controversy had damaged the UZ's academic integrity.

"It [the award] removes the integrity of our academic standing the world over," Hove told BBC Focus on Africa.

"I have lost the pride and prestige of being a former student of the university which you (Prof Nyagura) head since our academic degrees have now become a laughing stock."

The storm was fuelled by media reports claiming the First Lady's dissertation was not available at the UZ library while Mujuru's was already on the shelves.

- Online

Tags: JonathanMoyo, JoiceMujuru,

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