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Freedom Mupanedemo-Midlands Bureau

THE construction of the Midlands State University Law School, Kwekwe Campus, is shaping up with works projected to be complete in time for the beginning of the 2023 semester.

Named after President Mnangagwa who is a lawyer by profession, the two-floor building will include a library as well as a Moot court and has already taken employment of 230 workers, in yet another boost to job creation, modernisation, and industrialisation.

In a bid to decongest its main campus in Gweru, the Midlands State University (MSU) with the help of the Government, was allocated land in Kwekwe where it is constructing a state-of-the-art Law School among other faculties that will include Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental studies.

The campus will comprise lecture rooms, moot courts, library, hostels, dining, clinic, and staff quarters amongst others.

Speaking after a tour of the project on Tuesday, the campus director, Mr Richard Dube, said 107 of the workers are women.

He said the university was getting support from both the Government and the local authority and is confident of meeting its  deadline.

“We are grateful to the Government, Kwekwe City Council, and the University for the support they give us. Material is coming in timeously and if it continues like this, we are assured that this building will be completed by early next year.

“We have employed 239 workers and 107 of them are women,” said Mr Dube.

He said construction works started on 3 May 2022 adding that they were satisfied with the progress so far.

“I am glad that most of our workers are on-site, we have managed to do landfilling on the better part and brickworks have started at most sections of our structure. With the pace at which we are moving and with the material available, by early 2023, we will be done,” Mr Dube said.

Executive Dean Faculty of Law at MSU, Dr Gift Manyatera, said when completed, the campus is expected to become one of the best in the region.

“This is a tremendous project and we are grateful to the Government for such a state-of-the-art school of law which we have the vision to grow into a Centre of Excellence in offering legal education in the region,” said Dr Manyatera.

He expressed satisfaction at the pace at which the project was shaping up.

“Imagine they only started work on May 3 and in only two and a half months they have made so much progress. 

“This is really commendable and we are looking forward to seeing that by early next year they will have completed the first structure,” he said.

Kwekwe District Development Co-ordinator Mr Fortune Mpungu said the university will bring development to Kwekwe.

“This project will bring development to Kwekwe as more supporting infrastructure like shopping malls and houses to accommodate the students will have to be constructed. 

“I challenge Kwekwe City and Zibagwe Rural Council to be ready for the campus,” said Mr Mpungu.

Some female employees interviewed said they were happy to be part of the historic project.

“I am a resident of Kwekwe and am happy that I am playing a part in the construction of this wonderful educational institution in our city. It’s historical and I am proud to be part of it,” said Ms Mercy Chaoka.

Her colleague, Ms Laina Mbedzi hailed the Second Republic for bringing education to the doorstep of Kwekwe residents.

“We are very happy that we now have our own University. 

“This is why I am very committed to my work. I know it’s a project which will benefit my kids and generations to come,” she said.

Kwekwe Town Clerk, Dr Lucia Mnkandla, said the project will attract a lot of investors into the city.

“We are so excited with the project as it will speed up development in the city,” said Dr Mnkandla.