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Mzuni’s new setback in Choma

Mzuzu University (Mzuni) has unveiled plans to relocate five of its six faculties to Choma where resurgent disputes over compensation have slowed down construction of a new campus.

The university wants the new site  in the outskirts of the city to house the main campus which is presently at Luwinga where it displaced Mzuzu Teachers College almost 20 years ago.

Luwinga Campus will retain one facility

According to Mzuni Trust Fund manager Mbachazwa Lungu, the institution is looking for specialists to develop a master plan. He said the university is grappling to source funding in the absence of a master plan.

“For now, we cannot say how much we need for the campus and when construction will start or be completed. The master plan will tell what facility will be there and to what extent we can utilise the land,” said Lungu.

The new campus will increase enrolment of Mzuni to 8 000 by 2020, he said.

“It will keep rising afterwards. The institution is growing, so we also need infrastructure,” said Lungu.

However, Choma communities are resisting relocation from the land earmarked for Mzuni expansion.

The locals, who have been waiting for almost two decades, claim that they got inadequate payouts and would only leave after fair compensation.

But Lungu said the university has a title deed for the land and “can do whatever it wants with it”.

Mzimba district commissioner Thomas Chirwa confirmed that the residents received compensation, but some have petitioned government to revalue their land.

“We are through with compensations, but people want more money for the property that was already paid for,” he said.

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