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Mashudu Netsianda and Patrick Chitumba

THE High Court has blocked the Midlands State University (MSU) from demanding fees solely in United States dollars and directed the institution to allow students to have the option to pay in local currency at the prevailing interbank rate. 

The ruling by Harare High Court judge Justice Davison Foroma followed an urgent chamber applicant by three MSU students, Sabelo Saimano, Solomon Goredema and Simbarashe Muzorori.

The trio, which is studying towards a Masters in Business Administration (MBA), through their lawyers Wintertons Legal Practitioners, applied on an urgent basis at the High Court seeking an order compelling the university to allow them the option to pay the US component of their fees and levies in local currency at the prevailing interbank rate.

In papers before the court, MSU and Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister, Professor Amon Murwira, were cited as respondents.

Justice Foroma gave the trio 48 hours to deposit their fees in the local currency at the prevailing interbank rate to enable them to register for the semester which began last month. 

“Pending determination of this matter, the first respondent (MSU) should desist from demanding payment of fees and any other levies or payments due from the applicants exclusively in United States dollars without the option of payment in local currency at the prevailing interbank rate,” ruled the judge.

“The applicants are granted 48 hours, within which to deposit with the first respondent the local currency equivalent of their academic fees and other related payments, to enable them to register for the semester which began on the 9th of February 2024.”

The total fees per semester for the MBA degree programme is US$1 738. 

The respondents have 10 days within which they can oppose the confirmation of the provisional order failure of which the order would be final.

In his founding affidavit deposed on behalf of the applicants, Saimano said they were due to register for level 2.2 with classes having begun on February 19.

Registration was opened on February 2 and closed last Friday.

Saimano argued that MSU is acting in flagrant violation of the law by demanding fees exclusively in US dollars.

Earlier in January, High Court judge Justice Gladys Mhuri ordered Harare Polytechnic to stop demanding payment of tuition and other levies exclusively in US dollars and to accept payments from students in the local currency, at the prevailing interbank rate.