PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe Tuesday appeared to rebuff Jonathan Moyo’s sensational claims of academic fraud by Defence Forces Commander, General Constantino Chiwenga, in a speech which was full of praise for the military boss for obtaining a doctorate.
He was delivering his keynote address during the national Defence Forces Day commemorations at the National Sports Stadium.
President Mugabe commended the country’s military rank and file for taking up advanced studies but singled out their boss for leading the way through obtaining a PhD.
“Their (Defence Forces) top most commander is Dr Chiwenga. He did an excellent doctorate. One that those going to universities can even request and go through. It is allowed. That is how researches are done,” President Mugabe said in Shona comments.
“Even he himself may even consider publishing his research into a book which can be printed and read by many.
“So you had not yet congratulated him (Chiwenga). It is now two years since he attained the degree…Let the others follow the example.”
President Mugabe’s comments come after Higher education minister threw the cat among the pigeons recently through claims Chiwenga’s KwaZulu Natal University PhD was written for him.
This came after Chiwenga and colleagues within the military top brass had persistently attacked Moyo for allegedly dodging the country’s liberation war and further pouring scorn on government’s Command Agriculture programme spearheaded by political rival and Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander Air Marshal Perrence Shiri also accused the Tsholotsho North legislator of lying about his past and of being part of the Selous Scouts during the Second Chimurenga.
But Moyo, not one to take so much criticism hands folded, responded with an equally cheeky allegation Chiwenga was, after all, not the author of his PhD thesis.
“Finally, I’m happy that Chiwenga wants pre and post-independence disclosures about who was who, who did what and so forth. That’s good. Meanwhile, I take that to mean he wants the disclosure of who contributed what to his doctorate and who really wrote his KZN PhD. Again, the Shona wisdom that kunyarara kurinani pane kutaura, applies. #Handeitione,” Moyo said.
