He fled following the Unilateral Declaration of Independence by Prime Minister Ian Smith.

[1][2] He served as a legal advisor to the ZANU-PF and PF-ZAPU delegations at the Lancaster House Conference.

Under his tenure, the University expanded its overall size, its intake of black Zimbabweans and the range of academic disciplines offered.

[3] He resigned in a controversial speech at the 1992 graduation, citing government interference and threats to academic freedom.

[4] His wife Angeline, who died in 2017 aged 81, was a distinguished national and international administrator.