By Takura Zhangazha*
University of Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor, Professor
Levi Nyagura was recently suspended from office by President Mnangagwa.
According to a press statement issued by the minister
of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Professor
Amon Murwira, the suspension is pending the finalisation of criminal charges
laid against Nyagura. These charges
relate to allegations of corruptly awarding a doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree
to former first lady Grace Mugabe in 2014. (His suspension is however with full
benefits.)
This is both a political and emblematic move on the
part of Zimbabwe’s government. Political
because in the first place the government did not like Nyagura’s close
association with the former first family.
Emblematic because the ‘new dispensation’ leaders do
not want to be seen to be condoning or turning a blind eye to what is a widely
popular alleged corruption case. Even if some of their associates were awarded
PhDs or masters degrees during Nyagura’s tenure.
For many a former and current student leader,
especially those associated with the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) Nyagura’s suspension would be sweet to the
ear. Not because they have personal
grudges. But more because of what he
represented via his executive authority over not only academic and non-academic
staff but more significantly over thousands of yesteryear and contemporary
University of Zimbabwe students.
As a former student leader at the university I also received
the news of Nyagura’s suspension from a very personal point of view. And in full knowledge of the fact that it is,
after all, only a suspension pending a court of law’s determination as well as
Nyagura’s own career options. But either
way the announcement was a throwback and reflective moment to what Nyagura
represented within the university community and also to the country. Whether as the then (during my years at UZ)
Pro-vice Chancellor of the university or acting on behalf of then vice
Chancellor Professor Graham Hill (who was not any better but never got
suspended).
I recalled the time he would bang the table in the
university Council or Senate meeting room in umbrage at student leaders for
raising valid concerns about students welfare (payouts, semester system) or
their right to demonstrate or associate.
Or his erratic behaviour during meetings in his office when he would be
trying to arbitrarily push for the UZ central administration to take over the
Students Union building (a move which we successfully resisted at the time). And how he would derisively laugh at us if we
threatened to take up matters with the then Minister of Higher Education,
Ignatious Chombo or then Chairman of the UZ Council and former Reserve Bank
governor Gideon Gono.
More significantly, how he would suspend many
students and student leaders only to come up with other charges in terms of
what we knew as the University of Zimbabwe ‘Ordinance 30’ statutory
instrument. One which still gives vast
powers to the vice chancellor to arbitrarily suspend students from study let
alone being seen on campus. Especially
those students and student leaders inclined to freedom of expression, association,
intellectual thought and as a result
thereof, student activism.
Nyagura would have the temerity and arrogance to
suspend those already on suspension. Especially if they violated the terms of
their initial suspension. And I know
cdes who still have not recovered from his actions. Academically and/ or psychologically.
But this blog is not a bitter riposte against
Nyagura and actions he was responsible for against students, student leaders,
critical academics and unionized non-academic staff. On the contrary it is a blog about reminding
us about the importance of democratic, utilitarian and transparent academic
freedom at all of our universities.
State owned and non-state owned.
The arbitrary powers granted to vice chancellors who
are effectively similar to corporate chief executives has always been inimical
to the pursuit of critical, free and independent knowledge production in
Zimbabwe. Furthermore the politicization
of these offices has led to creepy and unpalatable awarding of degrees not just
to former first lady Grace Mugabe but many who are higher up the political
ladder. And without true academic or knowledge production merit.
So when I heard that professor Nyagura had been suspended
I wanted to do a personal celebration. Then
I remembered all the other students , student leaders and workers that were (and still are) the
victims of the system of academic and political
repression that he represented. A
repressive system that still exists today in all of our universities. One that led to many students seeking study
abroad or dropping out all together. On
the basis of repression or the privatization of university education and exclusion
of the poor due to state funding withdrawal.
As former student leaders we have been accused of
having had a sense of entitlement. It
may be a fair accusation to some. But
the real entitlement resided with persons such as Professor Nyagura who failed
to see the democratic value of academic freedom across the board. For the students, the lecturers and non-academic
staff. And by doing so, failed to see it for the future and for
posterity.
*Takura Zhangazha writes here in his personal
capacity (takura-zhangazha.blogspot.com)
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