Tendai Ruben Mbofana
Their pursuit of doctorates—especially in circumstances that seem to defy the usual academic rigor—begs the question: why are these women, who have no notable educational backgrounds prior to marrying their powerful husbands, so desperate for academic recognition?
This article explores this phenomenon, analyzing the motivations behind these seemingly superficial academic achievements and the broader implications on power dynamics, self-esteem, and political ambition in Zimbabwe’s political elite.
The Eagerness for PhDs: A Pattern of Desperation?
First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa’s recent graduation with a PhD in Tourism and Hospitality Management from Midlands State University (MSU), where she was capped by none other than her husband, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, underscores a curious pattern among Zimbabwe’s First Ladies.
This follows the similar trajectory of Grace Mugabe, who earned a PhD from the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) in 2014, despite having only completed two months of coursework.
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The controversy surrounding Grace’s PhD—particularly the fact that there was no clear evidence she had studied or passed the necessary examinations—casts a shadow on the legitimacy of these academic achievements.
Auxillia’s PhD, like Grace’s, was awarded by a university that is under the direct control of her husband, who holds the dual role of both president and chancellor of all state-run universities in Zimbabwe.
This unique relationship between political power and academic institutions raises fundamental questions about the transparency and integrity of these academic awards.
Why is there such a concerted effort among Zimbabwe’s First Ladies to attain doctorates from institutions headed by their husbands?
And why does this pattern persist even when the academic merit of these degrees is questionable?
The Quest for Recognition and Power Through Academia
In examining the lives of these two women, it becomes clear that their pursuits of PhDs are not just about academic achievement.
Instead, they represent an attempt to gain recognition and validation in a political and social environment where their identities are largely shaped by their husbands’ positions of power
Grace Mugabe, before becoming First Lady, was a typist in the office of her then husband, Robert Mugabe.
She began her affair with Mugabe while he was still married to Sally, his first wife, and only married Robert after Sally’s death in 1996.
Grace’s relatively humble beginnings raise the question: did her subsequent thirst for academic credentials stem from a feeling of inadequacy in the face of her husband’s considerable academic achievements?
Robert Mugabe was a man with multiple degrees, and his intellectual reputation on the continent was well-established.
Did Grace feel the need to position herself as his intellectual equal, even if it meant bypassing the usual academic processes?
Similarly, Auxillia Mnangagwa’s educational background is also questionable.
According to reports, she met Mnangagwa when he was the Minister of State Security, and she was reportedly a state security officer at the time.
Prior to her marriage to Mnangagwa, Auxillia had only completed an Ordinary Level (O-Level) education, a far cry from the academic pedigree expected of the First Lady of Zimbabwe.
After meeting Mnangagwa, however, she pursued studies at the University of Zimbabwe, focusing on Environment and Tourism.
Later, she supposedly graduated in Hotel and Tourism Administration from a Swiss university in 2001.
Yet despite her professional accomplishments in the tourism sector, the sudden eagerness to obtain a doctorate after becoming First Lady raises suspicions.
Was she motivated by a need to gain intellectual legitimacy in the eyes of the public, especially given the high regard in which her husband is held as a supposedly highly educated man, although his own credentials are questionable?
Both Grace and Auxillia’s educational ambitions suggest an underlying desire to bolster their public profiles, leveraging their husbands’ positions to secure personal recognition.
This pursuit of doctoral degrees may represent a desire to demonstrate that they are not mere accessories to their powerful husbands but independent figures deserving of respect and admiration.
But in a society where political power is heavily concentrated in the hands of one’s spouse, how much of this desire is truly about intellectual achievement and how much is about enhancing one’s personal and political brand?
The Role of Honorary Doctorates: Validation from Academic Institutions
It is worth noting that Auxillia Mnangagwa’s journey has not been limited to traditional academic routes.
She has also received several honorary doctorates from universities in Zimbabwe, as well as from the relatively obscure GD Goenka University in India.
These honorary awards, bestowed in recognition of her so-called philanthropic efforts through her “Angel of Hope Foundation,” offer another lens through which to view her academic pursuits.
The foundation, which focuses on issues such as maternal health and child welfare, has garnered significant media attention, much of it facilitated by the state-controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC).
The coverage of Auxillia’s activities, often excessive and self-congratulatory, portrays her as a “Mother of the Nation,” a title laden with political and symbolic power.
However, the publicity surrounding these philanthropic ventures often suggests an individual desperate for acknowledgment, constantly seeking reassurance that she is valued for her work.
The honorary doctorates received by Auxillia seem to reinforce the idea that these academic awards are not so much about intellectual achievement as they are about securing status and visibility.
The awarding of these degrees by universities with close ties to her husband further highlights the entangled relationship between political power and academia in Zimbabwe.
The fact that Auxillia’s honorary degrees are awarded for her philanthropic work—work that is often trumpeted in media outlets that are highly sympathetic to the ruling party—suggests that these academic awards are, in effect, a form of political legitimization.
Arrogance, Power, and the Search for Validation
Auxillia and Grace are not only motivated by a desire for academic recognition, but also by an underlying need for power.
Both women have been accused of exhibiting arrogant and abusive behavior towards others, particularly in their interactions with political elites and the public.
Grace Mugabe, for instance, was known for her bullying tactics, often berating high-ranking government officials and using her position as First Lady to exert influence.
Then war veteran’s leader, Jabulani Sibanda’s famous remarks about Grace’s ambition to succeed her husband as president—“Power is not sexually transmitted”—suggested that she was deeply motivated by a desire to control the political agenda in Zimbabwe.
Grace’s aggressive political maneuvering, including her attempts to undermine then Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, leading to his sacking from office, ultimately led to the military coup that ousted Robert Mugabe from power in 2017.
Does Auxillia Mnangagwa harbor similar ambitions?
It is difficult to say, but the parallels between her actions and those of Grace are striking.
Just as Grace used her position as First Lady to amass power and influence, Auxillia seems intent on using her public image and the resources at her disposal to project an image of political relevance.
Both women’s appointments into the highest organs of the ruling ZANU-PF party point to this fact.
Auxillia’s frequent media appearances, her reliance on state resources for her philanthropic work, and her involvement in various political activities suggest that she, too, may be positioning herself for greater influence in Zimbabwe’s political future.
Moreover, there is an underlying psychological element at play in both women’s ambitions.
The need for academic recognition and the display of power may be symptoms of a deeper insecurity—an insecurity that stems from their relatively modest beginnings and the pressure to live up to the expectations placed on them by their powerful husbands.
In the eyes of the public, these women are often seen as mere appendages to their husbands’ power, and their academic pursuits and public displays of philanthropy may be attempts to assert their own worth and gain the respect that they feel they deserve.
Conclusion: The Academic Quest as a Political Strategy
The pursuit of PhDs and honorary degrees by Zimbabwe’s First Ladies, particularly Auxillia Mnangagwa and Grace Mugabe, raises profound questions about the intersection of power, education, and validation in Zimbabwe’s political culture.
These women, who had largely unremarkable careers before their marriages to powerful men, appear to be using academic credentials as a means of establishing legitimacy and enhancing their personal and political standing.
Their actions point to a broader trend in Zimbabwe, where the boundaries between politics, academia, and media are increasingly blurred, creating a system in which recognition and power are often contingent on one’s proximity to political authority.
Ultimately, the eagerness of Zimbabwe’s First Ladies to attain doctorates may not be about education or intellectual achievement at all.
Rather, it is about securing status, visibility, and political power in a system where these attributes are often more important than merit.
In this light, their academic pursuits can be seen as a reflection of the deep insecurities and ambitions that drive them—not only to be recognized but to be validated in the eyes of the Zimbabwean public as figures of authority in their own right.
The awarding of doctorates to these women, under the circumstances that exist in Zimbabwe’s universities, highlights a wider problem: the abuse of academic credentials for political gain.
It underscores the need for academic institutions to remain independent of political influence and for the public to question the legitimacy of these awards.
Only then can the true meaning of academic achievement be restored, free from the pressures of political power and personal ambition.
- Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
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