By Staff Reporter
President Emmerson Mnangagwa conferred degrees to 7,888 graduands at the Midlands State University (MSU) during its 27th graduation ceremony held at the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Law School on the Kwekwe Campus. The event was themed “Knowledge, Innovation, and Enterprise: Building a Self-Sufficient Zimbabwe.”
The ceremony highlighted a positive trend with women making up 55% of the graduating class, surpassing their male counterparts who accounted for 45%. Out of the total graduates, 6,631 earned Honours Degrees, 1,027 received Master’s Degrees, and 19 were awarded Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Doctor of Business Leadership (DBL) degrees.
A significant 39% of graduates completed their studies in critical STEM fields—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The 2026 graduating class also saw the introduction of new courses including the Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences and Bachelor of Engineering Honours in Electrical and Electronic Engineering as well as Fuels and Energy Engineering.
MSU’s Moot Court team achieved global recognition by becoming World Champions at the 18th Nelson Mandela World Moot Court Competition held at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
Among the distinguished graduands was Colonel Miniyothabo Francisca Baloyi-Chiwenga, wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who was awarded a Doctor of Business Leadership degree. Her doctoral research explored how the government can balance defense spending with civilian priorities, addressing the widely discussed “guns versus butter” challenge.
After receiving her degree, Colonel Baloyi-Chiwenga encouraged Zimbabweans, especially young girls, to embrace hard work and perseverance, stating that success comes from dedication and effort with no shortcuts.
Other notable graduates included Mr. Elias Mambo, Executive of Zimpapers Group Digital Services, who earned a Master of Commerce Degree in Strategy and Innovation, and Mr. Tendai Mugabe, who received a book prize for excellence in the Master of Arts in Strategic Communication Studies.
