Online Reporter
Gibson Mhaka, Zimpapers Politics Hub
THE fight against the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Western countries since the early 2000s — which have cost the nation more than US$40 billion in potential revenue — is increasingly being waged through innovation and self-reliance.
Central to this effort are Zimbabwe’s universities, which, as Professor Pardon Kuipa who is Lupane State University (LSU) Vice Chancellor, says, are crucial buffers in the anti-sanctions battle and in achieving Vision 2030.
In his contribution, “Decolonising the University in the fight against Sanctions: A Lupane State University Perspective”, which featured in the recently launched volume, Standing Against Illegal Sanctions: Resistance, Policy Innovations and Advocacy, Prof Kuipa, says universities must move beyond their traditional functions to drive socio-economic development, creating creative solutions to circumvent the limitations imposed by sanctions.
The anti-sanctions book, recently launched by President Mnangagwa, was edited by Professor Paul Mapfumo (University of Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor), Mr Richard Mahomva (Director of International Communication Services in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services), and Dr Tawanda Zinyama (an academic at the University of Zimbabwe).
LSU: Transforming Academic Mandates into Anti-Sanctions Buffers
LSU exemplifies this philosophy, transforming its academic functions into practical economic and social development initiatives driven by the Heritage-Based Education 5.0 philosophy.
The university’s strategic initiatives serve as direct contributions to mitigating the sanctions’ effects.
LSU contributes to the anti-sanctions fight by directly influencing local economies, notably through the Development of Lupane as a University Town.
The university has expanded the real estate asset base for Lupane town through new construction works, directly contributing to Matabeleland North Province’s Gross Domestic Product and broader socio-economic development of the region.
This action is part of a broader, deliberate strategy, as Professor Kuipa notes, stating that “…various initiatives have served as anti-sanctions buffers namely: the development of Lupane as a University town, human capital and skills development for the Matabeleland region and the country, regional innovation initiatives as through social and community development programmes by the university’s stakeholders.”
LSU functions as a repository of knowledge, providing the infrastructure to facilitate the “flow of ideas and learning” — a vital mechanism for sustained local development that replaces dependence on technological imports.
Sanctions exacerbate skills shortages and brain drain, an issue LSU addresses through Human Capital and Skills Development.
Prof Kuipa notes that the “formation of a university town at Lupane has played a pivotal role in human capital formation in the Matabeleland North Province.”
LSU constantly adapts its education to regional needs, introducing programmes in information technology and business computing that are more relevant to the digital economy and the specific needs of the Matabeleland region, thus ensuring that the workforce is internally equipped and “fit for purpose”.
The Government’s thrust for heritage-based education further ensures degree programmes cultivate talents aligned with local resources and culture, promoting self-reliance as an anti-sanctions tool.
Regional Innovation and Industrialisation
LSU translates research into tangible community benefits, a critical step towards self-reliance under external constraints through Regional Innovation and Industrialisation.
Prof Kuipa emphasises that LSU has a clear and systematic understanding of the university’s role in regional development, which includes “the optimisation and upgrading of the local industrial structure, the development of local high-tech industry, the comprehensive utilisation of resources, and the sustainable development of the local economy and society.”
To this end, LSU’s Faculty of Agricultural Sciences invests substantial research effort into improving livestock performance and engages in extension work to increase the national herd and shift the mindset of smallholder farmers from subsistence farming to practising farming as a business.
This practical research, including efforts to improve the genetic traits of indigenous goat breeds and climate change adaptation for sorghum and millet, is essential for increasing national food and nutrition security.
The commissioning of the Dryland Agro Innovation Hub and Industrial Park further enhances this, leveraging Indigenous Knowledge Systems to increase the efficient production of quality traditional grains and resilient livestock at a commercial scale, thereby complementing the devolution and decentralisation agenda with knowledge-based solutions.
Beyond agriculture, LSU actively engages in broader community problem-solving. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department of Geography and Geo-Information Sciences collaborated with the Bulawayo City Council on mapping and contact tracing and upskilled officials in GIS mapping skills.
Additionally, the Department of Educational Foundations collaborated on the “Zero Pass Rate Schools Project” to improve examination performance in Lupane District and developed radio lessons during the pandemic, while the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences actively participated in the translation of the Zimbabwe Constitution into minority languages (Tswana (San) and Xhosa), promoting inclusion.
These initiatives showcase the university’s role in providing innovative solutions to societal and governance challenges, strengthening the national fabric against external pressure.
Beyond the Ivory Tower
Prof Kuipa’s powerful conclusion defines the university’s current mandate. He asserts that universities “cannot afford to remain as Ivory Towers whose best contributions are to merely postulate and pontificate from afar and from high on, with no relevance whatsoever to the critical work of fighting disease, poverty, and underdevelopment.”
The universities are instead committed to using the skills of their staff and students to improve the quality of life, foster employment, and advance economic and social development.
To achieve this, universities are committed to resuscitating industry, including working with the Government to apply innovation and advanced manufacturing technologies (such as robotics, big data analytics, and the Industrial Internet of Things) to revive closed industries like Merlin, National Blankets, ZISCO and ZimAlloys.
They are also focused on Evidence-Led Policy, engaging parliamentarians so that “research can better inform them to practice evidence-led decision making.”
By working closely with industry and commerce to align skills and foster innovation, these efforts will help “minimise the effect of sanctions on Zimbabwe’s economy and even catalyse the growth of the country’s Gross Domestic Product.”
The message is clear: the university is now at the forefront of the economic war, ensuring that “no adolescent girl — regardless of ability or geography — should be left behind” in the pursuit of national dignity and prosperity.
Innovation as the Anti-Sanctions Catalyst
It is clear that LSU, under the philosophy championed by Vice Chancellor Prof Kuipa, has positioned itself as a crucial anti-sanctions buffer by transforming its academic mandate into practical, localised economic action.
As Prof Kuipa asserts, the university is no longer content with being an “Ivory Tower”, but is instead actively driving the Heritage-Based Education 5.0 model to secure self-reliance.
This is achieved through specific initiatives like developing the Lupane University Town, fostering regional innovation via the Dryland Agro Innovation Hub to enhance food security, and directly applying research to resuscitate key national industries and promote Evidence-Led Policy.
Finally, this strategy of deploying innovation as “ammunition” minimises the debilitating effects of sanctions, catalyses economic growth, and fulfills the national mission of ensuring prosperity and dignity for all Zimbabweans.
Bongani Ndlovu