By A Correspondent
The construction of a law school named after President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa in his hometown of Kwekwe has triggered a wave of backlash, with critics accusing the Zanu PF leader of blatant hypocrisy and using state institutions to entrench a political dynasty under the guise of national development.
The Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Law School, a branch of Midlands State University (MSU), is nearing completion, with the first phase of construction expected to wrap up by next month. The institution is already being touted as a major government achievement, yet its name has raised serious questions about the ethics of self-glorification and authoritarian branding in a nation struggling with poverty, corruption, and declining academic standards.
“We are at an advanced stage of this first phase of the project,” said MSU Vice Chancellor, Professor Victor Muzvidziwa. “In two months, we will be done with this law school project. What we are aiming for is to host the graduation ceremony at this institution in September.”
But while MSU officials praise the school as a “sign of progress,” many Zimbabweans see it as yet another example of Mnangagwa using public resources to immortalise himself while failing to address the real needs of ordinary citizens.
“You can’t speak about servant leadership and then name a law school after yourself,” said a Harare-based lawyer who requested anonymity. “It’s a total contradiction. Law schools are supposed to be about justice, ethics, and impartiality – not personality cults.”
Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Ambassador Dr Frederick Shava, echoed official enthusiasm, claiming the project aligned with national goals: “As the government, we are excited and impressed by the work done so far… This will certainly play a key role in achieving that goal. We are committed to infrastructural development.”
Yet civil society actors are not buying it. Activist and academic Dr Rumbidzai Mapfumo described the move as “a cynical attempt to polish a tarnished legacy.”
“Let’s be honest,” she said. “Naming a law school after Mnangagwa while his regime is accused of undermining the judiciary, silencing dissent, and looting public funds is a slap in the face to every law-abiding citizen. It’s like naming a hospital after someone who sells poison.”
On social media, critics have questioned why a public institution would be named after a sitting president, comparing the move to dictatorial regimes that use state infrastructure to manufacture consent.
“Why not call it Midlands State University Law School?” one X (formerly Twitter) user wrote. “Why should taxpayers fund a monument to Mnangagwa’s ego while lecturers go unpaid and students drop out due to hunger?”
As the nation prepares for what may be a tense political transition in the coming years, the construction of the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Law School is being seen not as a celebration of education, but as a symbol of creeping authoritarianism wrapped in academic robes.