Source: 13 degrees and still counting, Gweru’s bookworm senior police officer – herald
Patrick Chitumba, pchitumba1@gmail.com
WHEN Chief Superintendent Dr Leon Marongedza stepped on the stage at Midlands State University on Thursday to receive yet another qualification, it was not just another graduation ceremony for the Gweru top cop.
It was another chapter in a remarkable academic journey that has seen him collect 13 degrees and different other professional qualifications while building a more than three-decade career in the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
As the 7 888 graduands were capped during MSU’s 27th graduation ceremony at the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Law School, Dr Marongedza stood out for a different reason.
At an age when many professionals would be content with the qualifications they already hold, the police officer commanding Gweru Urban District was back in the classroom, this time to receive a
Special Honours Degree in Monitoring and Evaluation and was capped by President Mnangagwa.
For his colleagues, the achievement came as little surprise.
They have long known Dr Marongedza as a “bookworm” — a man whose appetite for knowledge appears to be almost as strong as his commitment to policing.
For him, the pursuit of qualifications is not about collecting certificates, but personal growth and becoming better at whatever responsibility he is given.
“Education is the backbone of my personal growth. I find growth and satisfaction in studying,” said Dr Marongedza.
The latest qualification is also closely linked to his work, as he believes the knowledge acquired will strengthen his ability to plan, assess performance and improve service delivery in Gweru Urban District.
Dr Marongedza who is now 51 years old joined the police force in 1994 at a young age and has spent more than three decades moving through different departments and stations.
His career has taken him to Police General Headquarters in Harare, where he worked in Planning and Development, the Inspectorate Unit — now known as Monitoring and Evaluation — Legal Services and Press and Public Relations.
He has also served as Bulawayo provincial crime prevention officer, an investigations officer in Redcliff and an administrator at Amaveni Police Station.
Along the way, policing became only one part of his professional identity.
He qualified as a lawyer and continued adding to his academic portfolio.
Dr Marongedza’s qualifications include a Further Education Trainers Certificate from Kwekwe
Polytechnic College, a Diploma in Security and Risk Management from the Central Africa Correspondence College and a Diploma in Personnel Management from the Institute of People Management of Zimbabwe.
He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Counselling from Zimbabwe Open University and a Bachelor of Substantive Laws from the University of Zimbabwe.
From Chinhoyi University of Technology, he obtained a Master of Science in Strategic Management, while his academic journey reached doctoral level with a Doctorate in Philosophy in Development Sciences and Policy from Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology.
He has not confined his scholarship to classrooms and examination halls.
Dr Marongedza has published academic papers, including studies on institutional constraints affecting secondary school performance in rural Zimbabwe and the socio-economic struggles of single mothers involved in informal trade during the Covid-19 pandemic.
His academic achievements have run parallel to his police career, where he has also built an impressive record of in-service training and recognition.
Dr Marongedza’s professional certificates include Project Management, Leadership, Management, Train the Trainer, Junior Commanders, Assistant Inspector Developmental and Sergeant
Developmental courses.
His service record includes more than 10 awards, certificates and letters of appreciation.
Among them are Cop of the Month in 1998, five Memoranda of Good Work between 2010 and 2015, a Book Prize from Chinhoyi University of Technology in 2016 and further commendations in 2019 and 2025.
Dr Marongedza also received letters of appreciation from the Zimbabwe United Bus Company and N Richards Group of Companies.
Since January this year, he has served as a non-executive board member of Midlands School of Business and Engineering.
But perhaps the most human side of Dr Marongedza’s story lies outside the police force and lecture halls.
His academic journey has not made him forget where he came from.
Instead, it has deepened his desire to give young people in rural communities the opportunities he believes education gave him.
For the past decade, he has been paying school fees for pupils from disadvantaged families at Kaseke and Mutize Primary Schools in Murehwa where he hails from.
He has also donated furniture, supported the installation of Starlink and helped facilitate the drilling of boreholes at rural schools in Murehwa.
At St Arnold Secondary School in Mutoko, he donated 45 tables and 45 chairs.
“I am always touched by how I went through as far as education is concerned, especially in rural communities. Against this backdrop, I saw it fit to donate learning materials, thus 45 tables and 45 chairs to St Arnold Secondary School in Mutoko,” said Dr Marongedza.
His philanthropy has also extended to water projects, including his contribution towards a water facility at Matsenga School.
For Dr Marongedza, giving back is not simply charity. It is a responsibility.
“President Mnangagwa’s philosophy is ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo’ and therefore I should play a part in developing our own communities. It is our responsibility,” he said.
Dr Marongedza says he will continue supporting rural communities, particularly through education and development projects.
Behind the uniform, academic gowns and long list of qualifications is therefore a man who believes knowledge carries a responsibility — to improve his own life, strengthen the institutions he serves and create opportunities for others.
His latest degree may be number 13, but judging by his appetite for learning, it may not be the last.
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