Midlands State University (MSU) has applied for a licence to grow “weed’ for medicinal purposes.The tertiary institution has taken advantage of the government’s legalization of marijuana.

This development was revealed by the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira. While addressing students at the University’s Gweru compass, Murwira said:

We were told by our former colonial masters that mbanje is illegal and they even promulgated a law prohibiting the smoking of mbanje. However, it has medicinal properties.

So our leadership had a closer look and realised that mbanje can be useful and then legalised the growing of mbanje for medicinal purposes. So we have started doing so. MSU itself has applied for a licence for growing mbanje.

Murwira also called upon local universities to be innovative and use local resources to meet people’s needs rather than always looking to outsiders.