Ngwabi Bhebhe

Professor Ngwabi Bhebhe
Born	Ngwabi Mulunge Bhebhe
Known for	Being MSU Vice Chancellor
Title	Vice-Chancellor-Midlands State University
Term	1999-2016
Successor	Professor Victor Muzvidziwa

Professor Ngwabi Mulunge Bhebhe is a Zimbabwean academic and became the first Vice-Chancellor of Midlands State University in 1999. He sat in the first committee that resulted in the birth of Midlands State University (MSU) as an academic consultant. Bhebhe retired in 2016. On his retirement, he was appointed as Professor Emeritus in MSU’s Department of History as a way of recognising his professional track record as a distinguished academic.

Background

He is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe.

Education

He did his Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Geography from the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland (UBLS) and graduated in 1967, before enrolling for his PhD in Imperial History at the University of London where he graduated in 1972.

Career

He became a temporary teacher in 1965/6 when his former principal at Chegato High School, Mr Tore Bergman, offered him and Phinias Makhurane temporary employment. Bhebhe taught history. His students included July Moyo, Dr Jorum Gumbo, and Dr Philip Bhebe.

In 1974, he lectured in history at Faurah Bay College in Sierra Leone. In 1975, Bhebhe joined the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland but was based in Swaziland. Professor Ngwabi Bhebhe was first Deputy Dean and later Dean of Humanities on the Swaziland Campus. He also lectured at the University of Zimbabwe from 1982. He served as Professor of History at the University of Zimbabwe from 1988 to 1999, and also as an external examiner at the universities of Botswana, Malawi and Zambia. He also taught at the University of Rhodesia and Princeton University.

Professor Bhebhe has also served as Chairperson of the University of Zimbabwe's History Department from 1989 to 1992, as well as of the Research Board from 1984 to 1991. He also served as Senior Proctor and ultimately Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the same university from 1992 to 1995.

These are some of his current and past positions:

• Zimbabwe representative on the UNESCO Executive Board
• Council Member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)
• Alternate Members of the Governing Board of the Association of African Universities (AAU)
• Founding and Executive Member of the Southern African Regional Universities Association (SARUA)
• Board Member of the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE), and Chairperson of the * Council’s Funding and Finance Committee
• Board Members of ZISCOSTEEL Pvt Ltd Zimbabwe, Chairperson of the Human Resource Management * Committee and Member of the Finance Committee.
• Country Researcher, and Member of the Management Board of the Hashim Mbita SADC Liberation Struggle Project,
• Non-Executive Director of Ngwabi Enterprises.
• Founding Member and second Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Universities Vice-Chancellor Association (ZUVCA).

In February 2020, Bhebhe was appointed by Emmerson Mnangagwa as a Trustee of the Zimbabwe Mass Media Trust (ZMMT). ZMMT is mandated to manage state media and related companies outside the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation. Its media empire includes New Ziana and Zimbabwe Newspapers (1980) Pvt Ltd and Kingstons Holdings.

During his time as Vice-Chancellor, MSU was awarded the International Gold Star for Quality, ‘in recognition of its outstanding commitment to quality and excellence', in Geneva, Switzerland and received further recognition for its commitment to excellence, landing yet another prestigious International Star for Leadership in Quality. The award was received in 2016.