Unima graduands threaten strike
University of Malawi (Unima) students, who completed their studies in 2019 and were expected to graduate, this year have threatened to hold demonstrations in all the country’s cities, protesting Unima’s plans to conduct virtual graduations.
The graduands, from all Unima constituent colleges, namely Malawi College of Medicine, Kamuzu College of Nursing, The Polytechnic and Chancellor College, described the virtual graduations as “totally absurd” saying they will take to the streets if Unima management will continue with its plans.
In a statement co-signed by Unima Graduands Task Force, representatives from the four colleges observed that since government lifted some of the coronavirus preventive measures that led to the reopening of schools, they too can have a normal graduation.
In an interview yesterday, one of the task force representatives Frank Kamwendo said they have already written city councils seeking permission to hold demonstrations. He, however, could not state the date of the demonstrations.
He said: “If we get a negative response, we will tell Unima Council that we will have no other option than to hold demonstrations and all graduands in the mentioned cities are ready for this.”
Last Thursday, Unima issued a statement published in The Nation, saying the Unima Senate resolved to hold virtual graduations due to the coronavirus pandemic which has so far killed 179 people in the country.
The statement further indicated that the procedures and processes leading to the virtual graduation have already started and that the senate will soon announce the graduation dates.
