
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
TWO Africa University graduates who survived last week’s accident involving Tenda and Phil and Phats buses which occurred on the outskirts of Harare, were stretchered to the podium to receive their degree certificates, adding a blood-curdling twist to the graduation ceremony.
Africa University held its 30th graduation ceremony at their Old Mutare Mission campus last Saturday, which saw — Nyasha Mukanganwi and Nyasha Musimwa — who cheated death by a whisker and survived the bus accident which claimed five lives and left several others injured.
The threesome accident involved Tenda and Phils and Pats buses and a haulage truck, occurred last Thursday at the 32-kilometre peg along Harare-Mutare Highway.
That was hardly 48 hours before the two were due for capping!
True to the literal meaning of their identical first name — Nyasha — the two were saved by grace to live to see their graduation ceremony, albeit being taken to the podium in a wheelchair and stretcher bed, respectively to be capped by former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano, who was the guest of honour.
Due to their delicate condition, Mukanganwi and Musimwa did not have the luxury of waiting for more graduation festivities, which usually include routine photo sessions, as they were whisked out of the venue in an ambulance to the campus clinic for further medical attention.
Their condition was deemed delicate to grant interviews to the Press.
Former President Chissano said peace should be taught as a specialised learning area in schools across the African continent to enhance unity and solidarity for development.
Former President Chissano said some sad experiences he witnessed and encountered in Mozambique taught him how peace is sacrosanct.
“We must speak about this hard-won peace to the young ones so that they know and understand how to promote and protect it. Peace must be taught in schools so that it is embedded in their moral fabric. The culture of peace is core to our values as Africans.
“Peace must be our concern today, tomorrow, and forever. I have witnessed, first hand, the destruction and torture that comes with violent confrontations. People had their hands and lips cut off in cases of extreme torture, while many more were displaced, and I have also witnessed the power of dialogue and reconciliation.
“When I tried to have talks with the so-called rebels, my people were saying do not go there. They have blood on their hands. It took two years for me to convince them that I should engage them. This is why I said I witnessed both the ugliness of conflict and beauty of peace. Never underestimate the power of reconciliation and forgiveness.
“It is your responsibility, as you graduate, to go ahead and enhance peace in communities, starting from within yourself, transcending to family level, then community or tribe, and ultimately as a nation and continents. It is important to embrace solidarity,” said Former President Chissano.
A total of 569 were capped by the former Mozambican President after successfully completing their studies in different faculties.
He urged the graduates to take up the responsibility of developing the African continent.
“I stand here as a son of Africa. A continent rich in potential and resistance. My wish is to see this potential being transformed into reality. We cannot remain with the potential tag.
“All of you who are graduating today have the responsibility of taking Africa where it should be. You have the responsibility of taking Africa to its rightful place.
“It is, not all about the challenges that we have as a continent, but the boundless opportunities out there if we dare to dream,” he said.