Britain speaks on Malawi 2014 polls
Malawi will have itself to blame if it fails to utilise the May 20 2014 Tripartite Elections to prove that it has matured democratically, lifelong donor, Britain, has observed.
The observation was part of a long policy debate that ensued at the British High Commissioner’s residence in Lilongwe where 15 British scholarship recipients bade farewell to the UK deputy head of mission Kirk Hollingsworth.
Hollingsworth said: “Particularly now that Malawi is chairing Sadc [Southern African Development Community], there is enormous pressure to prove the difference.
“And the elections next year are coming after the Zimbabwe where there is still debate.”
Zimbabwe’s main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) of Morgan Tsvangirai accused Zanu-PF of President Robert Mugabe of stealing the elections which saw the latter amass over 60 percent on the presidential ballot and over two thirds in Parliament.
But it was the debate of Malawi’s troubled education system which took centre stage with almost all present opining that “the country is still very far.”
In bidding farewell to the 15, Hollingsworth said: “Education will continue to play a key role in Malawi’s development.”
Four Chevening and three Commonwealth scholars will pursue one year postgraduate studies leading to masters’ degrees while eight will be pursuing studies leading to PhDs.
The Chevening Scholarship Programme, offered to over 2 300 candidates in some 150 countries annually, is Britain’s flagship scholarship scheme funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).
