Her husband, former Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe was then the chancellor at the university.
The award was regarded as an unprecedented academic scandal of monumental proportions in Zimbabwe, according to the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper.?
Fast forward to 2018, the academics at the university have now petitioned the Zimbabwe anti-corruption commission to investigate the “suspicious” way in which the former first lady awarded a doctorate a doctorate four years ago, saying they were shocked when Grace Mugabe emerged among the doctoral candidates in 2014.
The petition partly reads: “This was a shock to many members of the department as most members never (saw) or heard about the proposal, progress reports, thesis examiners and outcome of such a study by the candidate.”
“The awarding of the degree has therefore not gone through processes that other candidates are subjected to which makes the awarding of the degree very suspicious”.
Grace Mugabe appeared in the red academic gown and black cap for the doctorate of philosophy degree beside the then vice president, Joice Mujuru, who also received a doctorate.
Mujuru’s doctoral thesis has subsequently been released into the public domain, but Grace’s thesis has never been made available.
The late Zimbabwean author, Chenjerai Hove at the time wrote to the university’s vice chancellor, Levi Nyagura saying the university’s decision to give a doctorate to Grace had reduced its degrees to “a laughing stock.”
