1. MIDLANDS STATE UNIVERSITY TO CONSTRUCT STATE-OF-THE-
ART LIBRARY
'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need', in this famous quotation,
Marcus Tullius Cicero, an acclaimed ancient Roman lawyer and scholar captures the value of
information and knowledge in society.
As part of efforts to provide requisite physical structures for its principal stakeholder, the
students, Midlands State University is set to construct a state-of-the-art double storey library
with a carrying capacity of 12 800 books at the Graduate School of Business Leadership,
Faculty of Law and Commerce Campus in Gweru.
Plans to construct a library have been on the table for quite some time but the project has
been stalled due to lack of sufficient funding and the obtaining adverse economic conditions.
However, determined to ensure the availability of adequate teaching, learning and research
facilities, Midlands State University continued to explore various resource mobilisation
options. The options included securing a partner that could build the library on a turnkey
basis, that is, one with the capacity and willingness to finance the construction of the library
to completion using their own resources.
The University then issued a tender in line with the provisions of the State Procurement
Board. A total of eighteen companies tendered their bids and four were shortlisted for the
Library tender. China Chrome Mining Company Private Limited was awarded the
construction contract at a price of twenty one million seven hundred and ninety six thousand
four hundred and sixty six dollars sixty four cents (US$21 796 466.64).
Under the contract, the Library project is expected to be complete in 2017 after which the
University will be expected to repay the contractor over a period of 2 years. Meanwhile, the
University will mobilise funds for repayment through donors and various fundraising
initiatives.
Speaking at the contract signing ceremony that was held at the University on 6 August 2015,
the Midlands State University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ngwabi Bhebe expressed delight
that the project would finally take off stating, “In light of the depressed economy that has
seen Universities struggling to pursue infrastructure development projects, there is need to

2. formulate innovative resource mobilisation models that support institutions’ operations. This
agreement between Midlands State University and China Chrome Mining Company is a
remarkable breakthrough as it will enable us to realise our dream of building a modern library
for our valued stakeholders, the students.”
The contractor, China Chrome Mining Company represented by Mr X Cheng was also
presented with the Site Handover Certificate for the construction of the library during the
contract signing ceremony.
Cognisant, of the fact that a library is the information and knowledge nerve centre of any
academic institution, the construction of a state-of-the-art library is a welcomed development
for the entire University community that would see Midlands State University enhance the
delivery of its core business, that of teaching, learning and research.