3,000 Hopefuls, 20 Slots: Historic Selection Underway for Auxillia Mnangagwa Nursing School
- Southerton Business Times
- 9 hours ago
- 2 min read
KADOMA — A high-stakes selection process is currently underway at the Muduvuri Pan African Hospital in Kadoma, where officials are tasked with narrowing down over 3,000 applications to just 20 names for the inaugural intake of the Dr. Auxillia Mnangagwa School of Nursing.
The sealed boxes containing thousands of dreams from across Zimbabwe’s ten provinces were opened on Wednesday, 15 April 2026. The selection panel, a multi-agency team comprising Ministry of Health and Child Care officials, Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers, and senior hospital staff, has been mandated to ensure a transparent process that reflects the national spirit of devolution.
While the current quota is limited to two dozen students, the infrastructure ready to receive them on May 4 is built for a much larger scale. Tutor-in-charge Ms. Lusica Shumba confirmed that the school is fully equipped with three modern classrooms, a comprehensive library, and a high-tech demonstration theatre.
"Everything needed to ensure the proper discharge of education... is now in place," Ms. Shumba said. "We are whittling down the figures while strictly observing the spirit of devolution to ensure no place and no person is left behind."
The school is the brainchild of prominent businessman and philanthropist Jimayi Muduvuri, who named the institution in honor of First Lady Dr. Auxillia Mnangagwa’s dedication to healthcare. Mr. Muduvuri, who has himself undergone numerous surgeries and health battles, shared that his personal experiences drove him to invest in Zimbabwe’s medical human resources.
"This is a project in honor of the First Lady, and everything should be done above board," he told the selection committee.
Muduvuri’s footprint in the sector is expanding rapidly, with established health centers now present in every province, including the Robert Gabriel Mugabe Clinic (Zvimba) and the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Clinic (Gwanda).
The sheer volume of applications, over 150 candidates for every available seat, has already prompted calls for an immediate increase in capacity. Mr. Muduvuri noted that the "overwhelming response" is a testament to the public's trust in the First Lady’s brand of philanthropy.
Expansion Outlook:
Current Intake: 20 students.
Target Intake: 100 students per class.
Infrastructure Strategy: Active construction of additional boarding facilities is underway to accommodate a larger student body.
Regulatory Hurdle: Engagements are ongoing with the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe and the Ministry of Health to upgrade the school’s enrollment license.
For the 2,980 applicants who will likely face disappointment this week, the expansion cannot come soon enough. However, for the lucky 20, May 4 marks the beginning of a historic journey in one of the country's newest and most prestigious private-public nursing partnerships.
Auxillia Mnangagwa School of Nursing intake 2026
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