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Victor Maphosa Herald Correspondent
No one can dispute that knowledge is power which plays a big role in empowering people, University of Zimbabwe acting Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Mapfumo has said.

He made the remarks while officiating at the 2019 UZ book launch where the university launched 15 books in Harare on Friday last week.

All the 15 books were published at the UZ.

“The books that we gather here to launch today are indeed a testament of our commitment to creating and generating knowledge that is critical to the development, not only of our nation, but the region and beyond.

“No one can dispute the fact that knowledge is power, knowledge from books, journals, reference books and many other literary sources play a big role in empowering our people, enlightening them, liberating them, motivating them and even developing them materially and intellectually,” he said.

Prof Mapfumo commended all the authors of the 15 books saying their research contributes immensely to providing solutions to various societal challenges and answers to the institutional mandate of contributing to the economic and scientific development of Zimbabwe.

He said the UZ is a world-class institution which the society admires and emulates hence the need for it to take a leading role and be a point of reference for the nation.

“It is incumbent upon us as the oldest and premier institution of higher learning in the country to set the pace in scientific advancement, knowledge creation and generation, innovation and dissemination of information in order to provide solutions to challenges that face our communities, region and the globe.

“The University of Zimbabwe is at the heart of transformation of higher education for industrialisation of the economy, unless our academics are committed to creating and generating knowledge, we are, as a nation destined to play second fiddle in all spheres of intellectual, technological and scientific development. This in part, is what makes this event momentous.”

Prof Mapfumo said authors should not publish books to be promoted at work, but to impart useful information and skills to the nation.

He said the UZ is honoured to publish all the 15 books which he said will contribute in equipping the nation with useful knowledge.