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| President Mugabe And Graduate HIT Student |
The Institution's fourth graduation ceremony since it was accorded university status, was marked by pomp and fanfare as the graduates broke into song and dance while the Air Force of Zimbabwe band and HIT choir provided entertainment.
In his address, HIT acting Vice Chancellor, Engineer Quinton Kanhukamwe, said the Zanu-PF manifesto was expected to drive the country forward.
"Your Excellency and Chancellor, Your victory and the manifesto rallies the nation and us at HIT in particular, to focus on four main tenets that will enable the nation to take full grasp and control of our economic destiny," said Eng Kanhukamwe.
"These pillars are Indigenisation, Empowerment, Development and Employment Creation. Let me also hasten to observe Your Excellency and Chancellor, your visionary leadership as amply demonstrated by the tenets for national development and economic emancipation."
Eng Kanhukamwe said the Zanu-PF manifesto was in sync with the HIT mandate of indigenisation, empowerment, development and employment creation.
He said President Mugabe's vision informed the HIT mandate since 2005 (when the institution was granted university status).
Eng Kanhukamwe said the institution was carrying out extensive research and development initiatives in various areas that were premised on indigenisation and empowerment.
"HIT is participating in the GEEP (Graduate Entrepreneurial Employment Promotion Programme) by designing and manufacturing Solar Vegetable Dryers as well as combo incubators or hatcheries that are meant for distribution under the GEEP programme.
"The solar vegetable dryers are meant to enhance post-harvest preservation of fruits and vegetable produce using solar technology. I am glad to report, Your Excellency, that the Institute has manufactured solar dryers that harness solar energy to dry various types of fruits and vegetables in cleaner environments," he said.
HIT, Eng Kanhukamwe said, had also designed and manufactured combined incubators or hatcheries that were meant to enhance the production of day-old chicks.
He said the project would contribute to youth employment and empowerment while research work on renewable energy, all-terrain vehicles and biometric systems development, among others, was underway.
Among the Institute's plans, Eng Kanhukamwe said, was to set up a science, engineering and technology scholarly publishing house -- InstiPress -- next year as a way of advancing knowledge.
Eng Kanhukamwe said the Institute was also developing its human capital by entering into various memorandum of understanding with other universities in Asia and Europe, a development that has seen HIT lecturers enrolling at those universities to advance their education.
Turning to challenges facing HIT, Eng Kanhukamwe said land for the expansion of the university continued to be elusive.
"Your Excellency and Chancellor, the Harare Institute of Technology is still in the developmental stage, which requires annual increase in teaching and other personnel.
"As our programme evolves, personnel requirements will also increase.
"Remaining with a constant establishment will create a huge gap in our ability to superintend the various aspect of our service delivery.
"Unfortunately, at the beginning of 2013, Treasury announced a freeze on all new recruitments. It is our hope that the current freeze will be lifted to allow adequate staffing and thus enhance service delivery," said Eng Kanhukamwe.
The graduates at the fourth graduation were drawn from the schools of Information Science and Technology, Business and Management Sciences, Engineering Technology and Industrial Sciences and Technology.
HIT was granted university status in 2005 and has since held four graduation ceremonies with the first one being in 2010 where President Mugabe capped 85 graduates.
In 2011, 77 graduates were capped while 164 were conferred last year.
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