‘A moment I’ll never forget’ LSU graduate honoured by President Mnangagwa

BORN into a large family of 11 children, raised by unemployed parents whose only source of income came from subsistence farming, Lupane State University (LSU) graduate Ms Prestigious Primrose Dube will forever cherish the honour and handshake she received from President Mnangagwa.

She believes her academic breakthrough is proof of the power of resilience, hard work, and inner drive as key ingredients for success. The 24-year-old was among the 1 558 graduates capped by President Mnangagwa during LSU’s 16th graduation ceremony held on Friday.

Ms Dube graduated with a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Animal Science and Rangeland Management. She was awarded the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Chancellor’s Award (US$1 000) for being the best overall graduating female student.

In addition, she received the Hwange Colliery Company Limited Award for the best graduating student in the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, the Old Mutual Prize for the best graduating student in Animal Science and Rangeland Management, and the Profeeds Award for the best student in Animal Nutrition.

The top-performing graduate also received the Vice Chancellor’s Award and the LSU Book Prize.
Despite her parents’ financial struggles to support such a large family, Ms Dube says she was inspired to pursue Animal Science and Rangeland Management after watching her father vaccinate his cattle.

“My parents have never been formally employed, but they ensured all of us went to school using money earned from subsistence farming. I used to help my father vaccinate his cattle, and that sparked my interest in animal science

“Although my parents are not educated, they made sure my older siblings pursued their academic dreams. When I told them I wanted to study Animal Science at university, my father — who is passionate about livestock — was thrilled and encouraged me to follow my dreams,” she said.

Meeting President Mnangagwa and shaking his hand as he stood to personally congratulate her for her academic achievements is a moment Ms Dube says she will never forget.

“I still can’t believe the President stood up to congratulate me and wish me well in my future endeavours. I want to encourage young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to never give up on their dreams,” she said.

Ms Dube hopes to use her career to help communal farmers understand the importance of integrating modern expertise with traditional agricultural practices to transform subsistence farming into profitable ventures.

Another outstanding graduate was Mr Dumisani Munkuli, who earned a First Class Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Economics. He was also awarded the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Chancellor’s Award (US$1 000) for the best graduating male student, alongside the Vice Chancellor’s Award and the LSU Book Prize.

Former Zimpapers intern Mr Prince Ngwenya was another standout of the afternoon, receiving the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Award (US$500) for the best project with the most community impact from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

“Working as an intern at Zimpapers opened my eyes to the world of journalism and the growing influence of social media in the field. Winning the Chancellor’s Award was both an honour and a reward for the hard work I put into my project,” said Mr Ngwenya.

Among other notable graduates capped by President Mnangagwa were Zanu-PF Bulawayo Province Secretary for Security, Cde Emmanuel Sunduza, and the party’s Chairman for Business Development, Cde Brian Samuriwo.
Cde Samuriwo received the Isiqongo Recognition Award Floating Trophy and another award for Integration of Monitoring and Evaluation in Community Projects.