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Zimche probes ‘fake’ honorary degrees

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Zimche says it would soon investigate circumstances in which musician Oliver Mtukudzi and nine other prominent Zimbabweans were conferred with honorary doctorate degrees by an unregistered organisation.

The Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (Zimche) yesterday said the regulatory body would soon investigate circumstances in which musician Oliver Mtukudzi and nine other prominent Zimbabweans were conferred with honorary doctorate degrees by an unregistered organisation.

EVERSON MUSHAVA

“We will investigate the issue. I will consult with my colleagues and give a comprehensive response,” Zimche acting chief executive officer Hilton Chikuya said.

Mtukudzi and nine other prominent Zimbabweans were recently conferred with Honorary Doctorate of Human Letters (DHL) degrees by little-known International Institute of Philanthropy (IIP) in recognition of their “contribution to humanity.”

However, it has emerged that the Harare-based institution was not affiliated to any degree-issuing university.

Although Zimche was not yet prepared to clarify the situation yesterday, some officials within the regulatory body told NewsDay that the awarding of degrees was the sole privilege of universities, not charitable organisations.

A senior official said although the honour was not academic, the process of conferring it required affiliation to an accredited university that offered doctorate degrees.

Philanthropy Institute of Zimbabwe (PIZ) chief facilitator Enrico Sibanda on Monday refused to disclose the panel of judges which determined the issuance of the honorary degrees and the criterion used to determine the candidates.

He could only say the organisation used its own standards to select candidates.

Sibanda said his outfit was not affiliated with any university under the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education because it was not offering educational qualifications, but honoured people doing outstanding humanitarian work.

It was also not clear who conferred the honorary degrees between IIP and PIZ. Sibanda denied that PIZ was an affiliate of IIP.

But initially he told NewsDay that IIP, whose contact details he declined to disclose, was formed in 2000 and that PIZ, which is based in Avondale, got affiliate status in 2013. The company’s website was only registered on June 17 this year.

Sources told NewsDay that PIZ intended to give such honour to Vice-President Joice Mujuru who snubbed the honour. This was after her intelligence officials raised suspicion over the credibility of the institution.

Sibanda is also the chief representative of Heritage society which in May “inducted” Mujuru and 19 other women into the “Women’s Heritage Society Hall of Fame”.

Sibanda on Monday maintained that his outfit was not bogus, although he evaded several questions raised by NewsDay.

NewsDay visited PIZ offices in Avondale yesterday and discovered that it was a one-roomed unlabelled office.

Some of the people honoured alongside Mtukudzi were Zimbabwe Revenue Authority commissioner-general Gershem Pasi, United International Family Church’s Ruth Makandiwa, wife of Emmanuel Makandiwa, Isabel Chihuri wife of Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, former Zimbabwe National Roads Administration chief executive officer Frank Chitukutuku, Avenues Clinic managing director Merissa Kambani and Pastor Ruth Musarurwa of Christ Embassy.

Moonlight Funeral Assurance and Services Company chief executive Chomi Makina, an Avondale Primary School headmistress and Sibanda himself were also cited as outstanding philanthropists. Some of the honoured “philanthropists” do not even have a proven record in humanitarian work, including Sibanda himself.

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