MCP says Thyolo ’varsity bill shoddy

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) spokesperson on legal affairs Alekeni Menyani on Monday described the Malawi University of Science and Technology (Must) Bill as shoddy.

He said this in response to the bill on behalf of the party’s spokesperson on education after Minister of Education, Science and Technology Eunice Kazembe tabled the piece of legislation in Parliament.

The bill seeks Parliament’s approval for the establishment of Must situated at the late president Bingu wa Mutharika’s Ndata Farm in Thyolo, a move that will pave the way for the Chinese Government to hand over the facility.

Kazembe hinted that this will be done next month to make the institution operational in the 2013/14 academic year.

But Menyani, who is MP for Dedza North West, claimed that the issue of Must “had been unprocedural since its introduction in the House some two years ago”.

He said: “Malawi Congress Party condemns the process through which the bill was handled. But for the purpose of the future, it [the process] should not be condoned in any sense as it is shoddy and vexatious.

“The genesis of the university is muddled in politics of egoism. The university was initially presented to be part of Bunda [College of Agriculture] campus, but the late president changed heart and placed it at a private farm.”

Parliament is expected to continue debating the bill Tuesday, with the MCP parliamentarian continuing his contribution.

In a related development, Parliament debated and passed the Business Licensing Bill shortly after it convened Monday afternoon.