Masimba Makwembere
THERE was much pomp and ceremony as the Association of African Universities (AAU) launched its regional offices at the Women’s University in Africa (WUA) campus in Harare yesterday.
Independent national television station, 3Ktv, successfully beamed live the lively and momentous event, as the two-and-a-half-year-old channel continues to grow from strength to strength.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, WUA vice chancellor Sunungurai Chingarande urged all Sadc universities to utilise the new regional office to develop higher education in Southern Africa.
“This will be the voice of higher education in the region. “We are inviting all relevant parties to join us and work together to ensure development and integration of our region through higher education. “We also appreciate the Government of Zimbabwe’s support for this initiative,” Chingarande added.
The deputy minister of Higher Education, Simelisizwe Sibanda — who stood in for minister Amon Murwira — said the opening of the AAU’s regional offices in Zimbabwe was a sign of its confidence in local tertiary institutions.
“Today is not only an important day for the Women’s University in Africa and its founders, but a pride for the whole country and the Southern African region as we witness the launch of the AAU regional office here at WUA.
“As the government, we are grateful for the partnership between WUA and AAU, which is enabling WUA to be the host of the AAU Southern Africa Regional Office. This shows confidence in our institutions of higher learning.
“It is even more exciting and encouraging that you chose an institution we consider strategic in our women empowerment agenda. This means widened reach and advocacy in addressing gender issues,” Sibanda said.
3Ktv has forged a close and mutually beneficial working relationship with WUA over the past two years, which has seen the country’s first private television station regularly broadcasting live the renowned university’s keenly-followed graduation ceremonies.
And contrary to social media babble, anyone with the right equipment such as a digital TV set or suitable set-top box can receive 3Ktv’s programming for free wherever the signal is available — as it’s a free-to-air (FTA) television station.
But 3Ktv’s feed is also available through other platforms for which subscription fees may be payable, which explains the commercial station’s pivotal partnership with MultiChoice, which has seen it also being hosted on DStv channel 293.
Licensed in November 2020 after coming up tops in a competitive, open bidding process, the station went live amid palpable excitement in the country on February 28, 2022.
In the process, the most watched local channel on satellite made history and became the first private station to operate legally in Zimbabwe since television was first introduced in the then Southern Rhodesia in November 1960.
