By A Correspondent

What was meant to be a public lecture turned into a political rally as Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Ezra Chadzamira used the platform to promote President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030, aligning the academic gathering with ruling party messaging.

The event, hosted by the Zimbabwe Congress of Students Union (ZICOSU) at Reformed Church University outside Masvingo City, was initially billed as an educational engagement.

However, Chadzamira steered the discussion towards ZANU PF’s national agenda, urging students to rally behind the government’s drive to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.

“We stand at a pivotal moment in our nation’s journey,” Chadzamira declared, addressing a hall packed with students. “The vision of a knowledge-based, prosperous, and empowered upper-middle-income society by 2030 is not a distant dream—it is a goal within our reach.”

While the setting was academic, the message was distinctly political. Chadzamira emphasized that students must align themselves with the ruling party’s developmental vision. “At the very heart of achieving this vision lies the dynamism, intellect, and unwavering commitment of our students,” he said.

Critics say the lecture became a thinly veiled ZANU PF campaign, with Chadzamira using the occasion to praise Mnangagwa’s policies and push political messaging on learners rather than addressing broader educational or student-focused issues.

Attendees noted the shift in tone. “We thought we came to hear about educational reform or opportunities for students,” one student, who asked not to be named, said. “But it turned out to be more about politics than anything else.”

The move has sparked fresh concerns about the politicization of academic spaces in Zimbabwe, especially as the country prepares for future elections and intensifies its developmental rhetoric under the Vision 2030 banner.