RIGGING A PHD? Mugabe’s Wife, Former Typist & Mistress, Gets ‘Miraculous’ Doctorate, Zimbabwe Students View PhD For Presidents Wife As An 'Insult'

Grace Mugabe capped along with other graduates by her husband, the president. (Photo - AFP)

The Zimbabwe students union on Friday called for the resignation of authorities at the country’s top university after it awarded a “miraculous” doctorate to President Robert Mugabe’s wife.

The PhD was granted to Grace Mugabe, a 49-year-old former typist in the president’s office, two weeks ago — just months after she enrolled for the course.

Mugabe’s wife — who was capped by Mugabe along with other graduates — was awarded the degree soon after she was endorsed to lead the ruling ZANU-PF party’s women’s wing.

The surprise endorsement worsened tensions in a party riven by factionalism over Mugabe’s succession. 

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe (L) kisses his mistress turned wife Grace.

The awarding of the degree is seen as meant to buttress her credentials as she seeks political office — and possibly the presidency when Mugabe dies.

“Vice-Chancellor Professor Levi Nyagura and all who took part in this scam should resign for their pro-active or non-reactive roles in engineering the fake doctorate,” the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) president Gilbert Mutubuki said in a statement.

The union said the degree awarded to Grace was “a serious insult to the students, the intelligentsia, doctors, professors and lecturers associated with the University of Zimbabwe”.