By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
Harare-ZANU PF Central Committee member Dexter Nduna has once again found himself in hot water, issuing a public apology to President Emmerson Mnangagwa after attending the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) graduation ceremony last month, despite the fact that he didn’t actually graduate.
Nduna, who has a notorious reputation for being embroiled in controversies, was spotted among the graduating class in full academic regalia, proudly celebrating what he believed would be a monumental achievement.
However, the euphoria was short-lived as it was swiftly revealed that he had failed three crucial modules: Energy and Mining Law, Labour Law, and Language Acquisition and Intercultural Communication Literacy (Chinese Language).
In his apology, Nduna attempted to explain his actions, claiming he was misled about the status of his academic record while trying to shift blame to the university’s administration.
“I was assured that the remarking and all amendments for the requests I had made with the authorities at the University of Zimbabwe were being addressed, and that there was a possibility for a positive outlook which would lead to my graduation; hence, my appearance on graduation day dawning the attire given to me for that purpose,” he stated.
Nduna went on to say that he realised he was not graduating only after the ceremony, through social media, where he learned he was not on the final list of graduates for the law class of 2024.
“I was misled to think I had graduated, but it turns out my case is still pending,” Nduna explained, further damaging his already tarnished image.
The self-proclaimed ‘humble servant’ expressed remorse for his actions and the potential damage to the university’s reputation, but many are questioning whether this is just another chapter in a long history of Nduna’s blunders.
“I therefore take this opportunity to apologize to you, Your Excellency, for celebrating before graduating, thereby putting the credibility and revered name of your institution into disrepute,” he admitted.
This latest incident is not isolated; it marks yet another entry in Nduna’s troubling trajectory, as he has previously made headlines for issuing death threats against fellow MP Temba Mliswa during a heated parliamentary exchange back in March 2019.
As the dust settles on this controversial episode, one must wonder: will Dexter Nduna ever learn from his past mistakes, or will he continue to dance on the edge of scandal? With his track record, it seems he is always just one misstep away from yet another public apology.