In December 2015, former Zimbabwean Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi was awarded a PhD from Aldersgate University College. On the surface, it seemed like another milestone for a prominent government official.
But an investigation by Dug Up has revealed a shocking truth—Mzembi’s doctorate appears to be from a school that doesn’t exist.
The Problem with Aldersgate University College
A deep dive into official records, including those of the Philippine Government, where the university is supposedly based, reveals that Aldersgate University College does not exist.
What does exist, however, is Aldersgate College—but even that presents another issue. Aldersgate College is only accredited to offer master’s degrees and does not provide PhD programs.
This means that Mzembi’s doctoral degree is not just questionable—it is outright fraudulent.
Who Really Wrote Mzembi’s PhD?
If the legitimacy of the institution wasn’t concerning enough, another disturbing revelation has emerged regarding who actually wrote Mzembi’s dissertation.
A document synopsis submitted as part of his PhD research was, in fact, written by someone else—Darlington Muzeza, a former subordinate of Mzembi at the Ministry of Tourism.
According to metadata from the document, it was authored by Muzeza on December 2, 2015, at 6:09 AM.
Muzeza, a real academic with a genuine PhD from Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), studied the same thematic areas as Mzembi. This raises questions about whether Mzembi’s work was merely repurposed from Muzeza’s existing research.
A PhD in Record Time?
If the authorship concerns weren’t alarming enough, the timeline of Mzembi’s PhD completion is even more suspicious.
- The document was finalized on December 2, 2015.
- The dissertation was supposedly submitted, marked, and defended—all in the same month.
- By the end of December, Mzembi had already graduated.
For anyone familiar with academic research, this timeline is completely unrealistic. Doctoral programs typically require years of research, multiple revisions, peer reviews, and a rigorous defense process.
In a telephone interview, Muzeza himself confirmed that such a fast-tracked PhD process was not only unusual but practically impossible.
More Questions than Answers
Walter Mzembi is no stranger to controversy. Once a rising star within ZANU PF, he served as Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry from 2009 to 2017 and was a key figure in Zimbabwe’s attempts to rebrand its international image.
Following Robert Mugabe’s ousting in 2017, Mzembi fled Zimbabwe and now lives in exile in South Africa. He has since faced allegations of corruption, abuse of office, and misuse of public funds, with Zimbabwean authorities seeking his extradition.
Now, the revelation of his fake PhD adds yet another scandal to his name.
But this case raises even bigger questions:
- How many high-ranking officials in Zimbabwe hold fraudulent qualifications?
- Who else has benefited from diploma mills and fake universities?
- Why are such degrees being used to gain influence and credibility in politics?
Dug Up has uncovered more shocking evidence about Mzembi’s academic fraud and who else might be involved.