Ambassador Versteden (with white jersey) being shown around the laboratory.
By Yadillah Katuli
Harare, Zimbabwe – Zimbabwe’s higher education and scientific research landscape is set to scale new heights as a state-of-the-art Microbiology Laboratory was inaugurated at the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) in Belvedere, Harare, this Wednesday.
Funded by the Turkiye Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), the laboratory marks a significant step in the partnership between Zimbabwe and Türkiye with regards to Zimbabwe’s Heritage Based Education 5:0 initiative which prioritizes research and innovation.
A microbiology laboratory is an essential facility for the study and analysis of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. It is outfitted with specialized equipment and materials critical for culturing, examining, and identifying these microorganisms.
The opening ceremony brought together representatives from various sectors to celebrate the occasion at the HIT campus.
Professor Amon Murwira, Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development represented President Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, who was the invited guest of honour but could not attend because of some pressing schedules. President Mnangagwa is the Chancellor of HIT.
In his speech, delivered by Professor Fanuel Tagwira, the Higher and Tertiary education Permanent Secretary, Dr Murwira highlighted the laboratory’s key role in elevating the standard of higher education and supporting the nation’s development goals. He pointed out that this establishment of a microbiology lab was infrastructure which is key in the attainment of an Upper Middle Income Economy by the year 2028.
This collaboration between HIT and TIKA has a history of successful projects, including the provision of a digital forensic laboratory, positioning HIT as a leader in cybersecurity excellence.
The work to be conducted in this laboratory is pivotal across various sectors, particularly in healthcare for disease diagnosis, as well as in environmental science, food safety, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical research.
Equipped with cutting-edge technology like UV/Vis spectrophotometers, analytical balances, fume cabinets, and high-resolution optical microscopes, the new microbiology laboratory is poised to significantly boost research and development in microbiology.
Professor Engineer Kanhukamwe, the Vice Chancellor of HIT, praised the Türkiye government and TIKA represented by Ambassador Berna Kasnakli Versteden for their support and looked forward to enhanced research collaborations made possible by the laboratory.
The establishment of this laboratory by the Türkiye government through TIKA is recognized as a significant contribution to Zimbabwe’s scientific and educational progress, aiming to tackle societal issues through research and innovation.
TIKA, affiliated with the Türkiye Ministry of Culture and Tourism and focused on development cooperation, operates in over 150 countries. It has been instrumental in implementing over 30,000 projects globally, including a vocational and technical training project in Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector aligned with National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) this year.
In addition to TIKA, the Presidency of Religious Affairs and various civil society organizations in Turkiye support initiatives such as borehole drilling and food security efforts, as well as providing assistance to individuals with disabilities.
Turkiye, straddling Europe and Asia, shares borders with eight countries: Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan.
