President Emmerson Mnangagwa has urged Lupane State University (LSU) graduates to harness their knowledge, skills and innovation to advance Zimbabwe’s development agenda and contribute towards building a prosperous nation.
The President made the remarks after presiding over the university’s 17th graduation ceremony, yesterday, at its main campus in Lupane, Matabeleland North Province, where 1 153 graduands received qualifications ranging from diplomas and undergraduate degrees to master’s degrees and Doctor of Philosophy.
In a congratulatory message posted on his social media platforms, President Mnangagwa described the Class of 2026 as an important pillar of the country’s development, urging graduates to translate their academic achievements into practical solutions for national challenges.
“As you graduate today, remember that you are the drivers of our nation’s development, innovation, and vision for the future. Go out there, make us proud, and contribute to building the Zimbabwe we all want,” he said.
The President congratulated the graduates on their academic achievements, commending their hard work, resilience and commitment to academic excellence.
The graduating class comprised 645 women and 508 men, reflecting the Government’s commitment to inclusive education and expanding access to higher and tertiary education.
The ceremony was held under the theme, “Knowledge, Innovation and Industrialisation in Action: Empowering Graduates to Build a Prosperous Zimbabwe”, which underscores the university’s role in supporting the country’s modernisation and industrialisation agenda through research, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Speaking at the ceremony, LSU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Pardon Kuipa, said the graduation marked a significant milestone in the university’s 21-year history, which began with an inaugural intake of just 12 students.
He said the institution had received more than US$1,053 million through the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (ZIMDEF), allocated by the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, to support construction of its Technovation Centre.
“Our parent Ministry allocated the university over US$1 053 000 in ZIMDEF, and that financial support has significantly advanced the construction of our Technovation Centre.
“However, in order to ensure the swift relocation of our students and staff from Bulawayo, we respectfully appeal for continued financial support to bring this project to completion,” said Prof Kuipa.
He said 421 graduates had attained postgraduate qualifications, while 708 completed undergraduate programmes, including 54 who obtained first-class degrees.
A further 23 graduates received university diplomas.
Prof Kuipa also congratulated President Mnangagwa on Zimbabwe’s election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2027–2028 term.
He said the achievement reflected growing international confidence in Zimbabwe’s diplomatic engagement and re-engagement efforts, while providing the country with an opportunity to advance the interests of the Global South.
The university continues to play a key role in developing skilled human capital to support Zimbabwe’s economic transformation, industrialisation and attainment of Vision 2030.
