APM reappoints Kanyama Phiri

President Peter Mutharika has reappointed George Kanyama Phiri as vice chancellor of the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar).

Kanyama Phiri went into retirement from the same position last November and Emmanuel Kaunda had been acting in that position.

According to a communication to the Luanar community from the university’s registrar, Phillip Kaonda, which Nation on Sunday has seen, President Mutharika, who is Luanar Chancellor, has also appointed Lewis Dzimbiri as deputy vice-chancellor.

The appointments are with immediate effect, according to the notice dated August 4 2017 and addressed to staff members and students.

The registrar, on behalf of Luanar, congratulated the two for their appointments. Bunda College of Agriculture delinked from University of Malawi (Unima) in 2011 and combined with Natural Resources College (NRC) to form Luanar, which is touted as a university that is becoming more self-sustained in terms of funding, research and programming.

Kanyama Phiri is a proponent of unbundling of Unima and argues that unbundling would end bureaucracy that exists within Unima.

Other education experts have said unbundling of Unima would resolve long-standing governance and bureaucratic challenges as it would encourage innovation in addressing current issues of financing and sustainability.

The Unima Council recently resolved and agreed to unbundle, but President Mutharika, who is Unima Chancellor, is yet to endorse the decision.