Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University

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Background

Ezekiel Guti Founder of Z.E.G.U

ZEGU is a private Christian institution that started operating at Africa Multination for Christ College in Harare on 15 May 2012.^[1] Eleven students were enrolled for the Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Religious Studies Degree and managed to complete their first semester in mid-September of the same year. At the beginning of October 2012 the university relocated to Bindura in Mashonaland Central Province approximately 90 km north of the capital city Harare. The university campus is located at Plot 1901 along the Bindura-Shamva Road.^[1] Robert Mugabe officially opened and dedicated the university.

Faculties

• Faculty of Health Sciences
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Commerce & ICT
• Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources
• Faculty of Arts.^[1]

Programs

• Faculty of Arts

1. Bachelor of Arts Honours in Theology & Religious Studies

• Faculty of Commerce

1. Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting
2. Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing.^[2]

Future Degree Programs

1. Bachelor of Arts Honours in Religious Studies and Philosophy
2. Bachelor of Arts Honours in History and Development Studies
3. Bachelor of Arts in African languages and Literature
4. Bachelor of Commerce in Enterpreneurship.^[2]

Events

Barring 5 Aspiring Student Leaders

In November 2021, ZEGU barred five aspiring Student Executive Council (SEC) candidates from contesting on grounds that they could not speak in tongues and were not "spirit-filled" to lead students.

The students that were barred from contesting were; Presidential candidate Modester Zinhanga, Godcares Nyereyemhuka (vice president), Trish Chimanda (secretary-general), Chris Zindi (Minister of Finance) and Obedience Mupezeni (Minister of Religion and Gender).

The students approached the High Court seeking a reprieve. ZEGU was named as the first respondent, its registrar Innocent Chinyemba the second respondent while dean of students Zacharia Zunguze was named as the third respondent.

According to court papers, the five went through all processes that included nomination and interviews handled by Zunguze, who later communicated that they had all been disqualified based on a section in the institution’s student handbook, amended in 2021.^[3]

On 19 November 2021, High Court judge Justice Webster Chinamora ruled in favour of the students. In his judgment, Justice Chinamora said that the decision to disqualify the students was was unfair discrimination and a direct violation of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. Chinamora declared section 9 of the 2021 edition of the students' handbook unconstitutional. He also ordered the university to pay the costs of the lawsuit.^[4]

Expelling Students For Demonstrating

On 8 November 2019, two ZEGU students namely Pride Dzapasi and Chamunorwa Chingwe were expelled from ZEGU on charges of gross misconduct arising from an unlawful and unprocedural demonstration held at the university campus in April that year.

The duo was expelled from the university by Dr Gift Mugano, ZEGU’s Acting Vice-Chancellor on the eve of the commencement of their end of semester examinations thereby rendering them ineligible to sit for their examinations which commenced on Monday 11 November 2019.

According to the expulsion letter, Dzapasi and Chingwe contravened section 32.4 of the ZEGU Students’ Handbook by engaging in conduct likely to be harmful to the interests of the university when they questioned the university’s fees increment during a consultation meeting held with the Registrar of ZEGU.

On 11 November 2019, High Court Judge Justice Joseph Musakwa nullified the expulsion of the two after they engaged Obey Shava, who filed an urgent chamber application on 9 November 2019 challenging their expulsion from ZEGU. The nullification of the students’ expulsion enabled them to sit for their end of semester examinations, which commenced on 11 November 2019.^[5]

Mini-skirt Ban

In 2021, the Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University (ZEGU) banned the wearing of mini-skirts, shorts and tight-fitting clothing by female students on campus.

In a notice to students dated September 3 2021, the university directed female students to dress modestly, specifying that anything “5cm above the knees” was inappropriate.

The notice read:

"ZEGU encourages students to develop a lasting philosophy of good dressing and grooming. Therefore, take care of the following principle: Tight clothing (e.g, skin tights, leg-ins) cut offs/miniskirts (anything more than 5cm above the knees), shorts, slippers, tops that reveal breasts and cleavages, backouts, crop-tops/stomach-outs, bandeau, see-troughs and other kinds of inappropriate clothing are not allowed on campus (especially classes and church services) and other related off campus functions."

The notice signed by the registrar Innocent Chinyemba said lecturers could bar students from attending lectures if they were not dressed appropriately.

The university advised female students to select and wear clothing which gave them dignity and an expression of our God-given ability to appreciate beauty, creativity, harmony and good taste.^[6]

Zimsec Deal

In March 2022, the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) confirmed it was accommodating examiners marking Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations at the Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University (ZEGU).

Zimsec Public relations manager, Nicky Dhlamini Moyo confirmed the developments in an interview on 7 March 2022 saying there was nothing amiss about the arrangement. Dhlamini said:

“We occasionally use private Universities and entities who offer requisite facilities. It would be good to note that in Mashonaland Central marking was at Zegu, a private church-owned university and at Amai Mugabe school. Our criteria for venue selection is uniform for all institutions. We do not isolate institutions based on them being private or state-owned. As an examinations council, we look for availability, facilities, and affordability amongst other imperative things.”

^[7]

References