This is a list of principals of the

University of Zimbabwe The University of Zimbabwe (UZ) is a public university in Harare, Zimbabwe. It opened in 1952 as the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, and was initially affiliated with the University of London. It was later renamed the University o ...

. The head of the university holds the title of Vice Chancellor (the Chancellor is the

President of Zimbabwe The president of Zimbabwe is the head of state of Zimbabwe and head of the executive branch of the government of Zimbabwe. The president chairs the national cabinet and is the chief commanding authority of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. The in ...

''ex officio''). The first chief executive of the university was William Rollo, who served as interim principal from 1953 to 1955. The first substantive Principal was

Sir Walter Adams Sir Walter Adams (16 December 1906'' The International Who's Who 1943-44''. 8th edition. George Allen & Unwin, London, 1943, p. 5. – 21 May 1975) was a British historian and educationalist. Adams was educated at University College London ...

who served from 1955 to 1966 and was later Director of the

London School of Economics , mottoeng = To understand the causes of things , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £240.8 million (2021) , budget = £391.1 millio ...

. Sir Walter was succeeded by

Terence Miller Terence George Miller (19 January 1918 – 17 January 2015) was a British (people), British academic and professor of geology. He was appointed Chancellor (education), Principal of the University of Rhodesia in 1967. During this period, his polit ...

, who lasted a mere two years as his political views brought him into conflict with the

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...

. His successor, Robert Craig, later

Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the ministers and elders of the Church of Scotland, minister or elder chosen to moderate (chair) the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week i ...

, served from 1969 to 1980. Leonard J. Lewis served as Principal for the transition to Zimbabwe's independence, despite his somewhat controversial views on African education and politics. He was succeeded in 1981 by

Walter Kamba Walter Kamba (6 September 1931 – 18 May 2007) was a Zimbabwean lawyer and academic, one of the few black lawyers practicing in the then British colony of Rhodesia. He fled following the Unilateral Declaration of Independence by Prime Minister Ian ...

, who became Vice–Chancellor, a new title replacing that of Principal. Like Miller, Kamba came into conflict with the

and he resigned in a controversial speech at the 1992 graduation ceremony, citing government interference and threats to

academic freedom Academic freedom is a moral and legal concept expressing the conviction that the freedom of inquiry by faculty members is essential to the mission of the academy as well as the principles of academia, and that scholars should have freedom to teac ...

. He was succeeded by Gordon Chavunduka (1992–1996), who was followed by

Graham Hill Norman Graham Hill (15 February 1929 – 29 November 1975) was a British racing driver and team owner, who was the Formula One World Champion twice, winning in and as well as being runner up on three occasions (1963, 1964 and 1965). Despite ...

(1997–2002). Levi Nyagura served as Vice Chancellor beginning in 2003 until his resignation in April 2018 amidst allegations of abuse of office. He was succeeded by incumbent Vice Chancellor Paul Mapfumo on 17 August 2018.

List of principals

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Principals of the University of Zimbabwe University of Zimbabwe *Principals Zimbabwe, University of Zimbabwe, University of