Govt appoints university working committee
Ministry of Education has announced the appointment of the Public University Working Committee to oversee the implementation of the new public universities development projects.
In a statement issued yesterday, signed by Secretary for Education Chikondano Mussa, among others, the six-member committee, chaired by Professor Zachary Kasomekera, will look into the implementation of the Inkosi ya Makhosi M’mbelwa University, formerly Mombela University in Mzimba.
The other members are Happy Kayuni, Fanny Chigwa, Masuzgo Hara, MacPherson Jere and Richard Dilawo.
Reads the statement in part: “The Ministry of Education would like to inform the general public that government has approved the constitution of the Public Universities Working Committee for the Malawi Universities Development Programme effective 29th July, 2022.
“The committee will oversee the implementation of the Inkosi ya Makhosi M’mbelwa University, and all new public universities development projects.”
The constitution of the committee comes about three and half months after Inkosi ya Makhosi M’mbelwa V reminded President Lazarus Chakwera during a developmental rally held in Mzimba of his promise to construct a university in Mzimba.
In his remarks at the rally, Chakwera assured Malawians that his administration will complete projects.
“The M’mbelwa University and even the Orton Chirwa International Airport will be constructed,” said Chakwera.
In an earlier interview, Mussa said government’s focus in the next 10 years is to implement the Inkosi M’mbelwa University project.
She said: “In the first 10-year Implementation Plan for MW2063 [the MIP-1], government has prioritised the construction of Inkosi M’mbelwa University in Mzimba, before looking into the other universities in due course.”
On March 22 2015, former president Peter Mutharika laid a foundation stone and launched the construction of Inkosi M’mbelwa University, then Mombera University, a brainchild of his brother Bingu.
The university will focus on animal sciences and was one of five universities that Bingu had planned to embark on its construction.
