Source: Madhuku fails to land UZ post | The Herald March 12, 2018
Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
University of Zimbabwe law lecturer Professor Lovemore Madhuku’s bid to lead the institution’s Faculty of Law as dean flopped after he flunked an interview conducted by a panel headed by Vice-Chancellor Professor Levi Nyagura.
The university advertised the post of dean to replace Mr Emmanuel Magade whose term had expired.
The post was landed by another law lecturer, Dr Innocent Maga.
Registrar of University of Zimbabwe Dr Noel Mutongoreni advised Prof Madhuku last week that he had failed to make the grade.
“Thank you for your application for the post of Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Zimbabwe received on 24 November 2017. I regret to inform you that your application was not successful. May I take this opportunity to wish you success in your future endeavours,” said Dr Mutongoreni in a letter dated March 7.
In the advertisement, the university said it was looking for a person with an earned doctorate, scholar of note with credibility among other academic peers; one who would offer academic leadership and a scholar with ability to plan effectively and inspire and motivate staff in the faculty.
Dr Maja confirmed that he had been appointed as the new dean and described his appointment as an opportunity to transform the faculty.
He, however, said Prof Madhuku remained a top academic.
“Prof Madhuku is our luminary because of his academic achievement. We will continue to require his services,” said Dr Maja.
When contacted, Prof Madhuku confirmed the development, which he said was surprising.
“Yes, it is true that I applied for the post. I attended an interview on 28 February 2018. It is also true that I have been advised by the Registrar that I was not successful. I was surprised, but not disappointed. I have been with the UZ for 23 years and thought it was now time for me not only to teach and research, but also to provide academic leadership,” said Prof Madhuku.
He said what surprised him was that he was the only full professor in the Faculty of Law who is below the age of 65.
“I was encouraged by many both in the university and in the legal fraternity, who read the advertisement and rightly reasoned that since the new thrust was for professors to lead faculties, it would have been remiss for me not to apply.
“The idea was to be dean for a short time to inspire and groom young scholars to attain professorship and take over academic leadership. This is what surprised me because I am the only full professor below 65 years in the Faculty of Law,” he said.
Prof Madhuku holds a first class Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree from UZ, a first class Master of Laws and Doctor of Philosophy from University of Cambridge in England.
He has been a full professor of law since 2011.
COMMENTS
Is it not that he is on the other side in politics?
Your guess is as good as mine. I applied for a lecturing post, was invited for an interview and was granted the post. Three years on, i am still waiting for the offer letter. Such is the rot at our once esteemed institution of higher learning
Sorry colleague you are not alone in enduring Levi & Co’s nonsensical shenanigans. I, for one, left UZ at the height of economic milieu when we, as lecturers, were then being given $100 food vouchers as salary. Which was much better than getting trillions of Zim’s bearer cheques or whatever the Zim money really was then – only Gono & co knows what it was. Now when I made several applications to rejoin the UZ just after the beginning of the GNU tenure when lecturers started earning really salaries, I know no one will ever guess the kind of response I got from UZ – except for the many of us who got such nonsense. Just for all’s indulgence, here is the gist of the response: “Your recent application & other earlier applications to re-join the UZ are noted. However, be informed that to be considered for any position at UZ you need to pay an amount equivalent to 6 months notice which you didn’t serve when you left UZ employment in yr ….. Considering the rank you held then, the amount owed amounts to US$13,000.00”. Interesting point to consider is: the $100 voucher I was getting when I left & the amount that was being demanded from me. Yes, as a professional I very much the need & logic of giving sufficient notice to your employer. But that is under “normal” circumstances. Imagine you are offered a job elsewhere n you are already literally reduced to a voluntary worker, due to national economic implosion of coz. You take the job immediately becoz you are human & have family to take care of; then you have your former bosses (in the mold of Levi & coterie) holds a grudge against; and even 10 yrs against the line they say they would not re-employ you; not withstanding the fact that their entity was in dire need of people of expertise & experience.
No one has any doubts regarding Prof Madhuku’s abilities, particularly within the academic fraternity. May be only Levi Nyagura & his protégés have. But then if people like Levi & his coterie don’t have confidence in you we all know what a positive indictment that is. So, anyway its a regrettable but very temporary sit back for my friend Lovemore. The good thing is he still has age on his side. I know he is just over 50 & still has more than 15 yrs of active working life on his side. Levi manje manje anonge avo kutamba nezvizukuru kumba – zvichirevavo kuchinja kwautongi paUZ.