Award-winning Zimbabwean writer Chenjerai Hove has called on Grace Mugabe, the wife of Zimbabwe’s leader Robert Mugabe, to hand back her PhD.<\/p>\n
She was awarded a doctorate from the University of Zimbabwe last month.<\/p>\n
But there has been confusion over when she enrolled, with some sources saying it was only two months ago – and students want the issue investigated.<\/p>\n
The university authorities have not yet commented on the controversy.<\/p>\n
“It [the award] removes the integrity of our academic standing the world over,” Mr Hove told BBC Focus on Africa.<\/p>\n
A graduate and faculty member of the University of Zimbabwe, the novelist and poet, who is living in Norway, said he had written to the vice-chancellor to demand an explanation.<\/p>\n
“I have lost the pride and prestige of being a former student of the university which you head since our academic degrees have now become a laughing stock,” he says in the letter.<\/p>\n
His remarks come as the Zimbabwe National Students Union prepares to file a court application on Thursday demanding that the University of Zimbabwe provide details about how the first lady came to be awarded the degree.<\/p>\n
Amongst the concerns expressed by students is the fact that the first lady’s thesis is not available in the university’s library, as would be usual.<\/p>\n
BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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