Mashonaland East province finally got its first ever university following the official opening of the State-owned Marondera University of Agricultural Science and Technology (MUAST) that will embark on its first recruitment in February next year. By Jairos Saunyama
The university, born out of the University of Zimbabwe’s (UZ) College of Agricultural Science, is located at Dozmery Farm about 30km out of Marondera, though plans are underway to establish more campuses in the provincial capital.
MUAST chairperson Herbert Murewa, in a speech read on his behalf by board member Richard Mavhunga in Marondera recently, said the learning institution would be offering 10 degree programmes.
“UZ, together with Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef), used their funds to establish the current infrastructure at our current campus at Dozmery Farm. We are also grateful to UZ for allowing us to continue using their Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (Zimche)-accredited programmes.
“I am happy to announce that starting February 2018, 10 of these Zimche-accredited programmes will be offered to new cohorts of the STEM programme. These programmes will be available at a new campus we are opening here in Marondera Town to cater for the wider community of Mashonaland East province,” he said.
The Act of the learning institution was promulgated in 2015 before it was declared an independent university in August this year.
The establishment of the university, the first in the province, was planned a long time ago by government, but failed to kick-off due to financial constraints.
Other universities that were approved and are yet to be constructed the Church of the Province of Central Africa Anglican Church to be erected at Rufaro Farm in Marondera as well as Methodist Church in Zimbabwe which was given the nod to construct a university near Waddilove High School.
