Valentine Makufa
Construction works at the seemingly abandoned Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) main campus near Masvingo Teachers College which has been lying idle for more than 18 years are set to resume in 2023.
Speaking during a tour of the site on the sidelines of a two-day Second Edition of the Great Zimbabwe University Research Fair on August 17, GZU Vice Chancellor Professor Rungano Jonas Zvobgo said the construction is expected to resume next year.
“The construction is set to resume in 2023 as we are going to finish the abandoned buildings. The budget is already set for the works,” said Prof Zvogbo.
However, he could not give details on why construction was put on hold for such a long time.
GZU was allocated another land near Kyle Dam and they failed to construct the campus due to unknown reasons.
The site was later condemned with authorities citing its interference with the Great Zimbabwe monuments as well as polluting Masvingo City’s sole water source.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Professor Fanuel Tagwira encouraged the university to consult their engineers to assess state of the abandoned buildings before resuming construction.
“You should consult engineers to assess the building since it has been lying idle for so many years before you resume the construction,” said Prof Tagwira.
The buildings have been lying idle since 2004 when the university was under the leadership of then vice chancellor Professor Obert Maravanyika.
Professor Zvobgo was appointed the Vice Chancellor in 2012 but who failed to facilitate the construction of the main campus favoring an expansionist policy which saw the construction of more campuses in and outside the city.
