Malawi’s College of Medicine students elects new union members through e-voting
Learners at Malawi’s College of Medicine in the commercial capital Blantyre have ushered into office new bearers for their students’ union, COMSU.
During the elections which were held on Sunday, voting was done electronically through the college’s e-voting system which allowed students to vote wherever they were as long as they had internet access.
The elections saw the youngest contester of all the four, Felix Kaminyoghe – a Year 3 Pharmacy student – scooping the position of the President with 292 votes of 687 people who voted, beating his big time ‘political’ rivals Elias Thambo, Victor Makwinja and Pemphero Mphande.
He differed with 111 votes with his major rival Victor Makwinja trailing behind him. Felix Kaminyoghe now wears the cap of Presidency at College of Medicine with students highly anticipating a leadership miracle which would see the students receiving their due Book and Stationery allowances commonly known as SACCO any time soon now that the students have waited for nearly two semesters for the same but nothing has dropped into their pockets yet.
Kaminyoghe has been deputized by a Medical Laboratory Sciences Year 3 student, Branny Mithi. Mithi floored another heavy contestant on the post, Benjamin Mosiwa, a Bachelor of Surgery and Bachelor of Medicine (MBBS) Year 4 student.
Asked whether he anticipated the victorious turn out of events, Kaminyoghe said: “As one who contested, I expected victory after all, but that was not obvious. I know that this is a post given to me by God to serve my fellow students.”
The students have now their eyes open with unlimited anticipations to see if the newly elected president is new blood to the leadership or just a replica of the past leadership especially now that he has to sort out some issues, delicate to the students, like erratic meal allowances auto-loading dates, Book and Stationery allowance (SACCO) receiving date and many others.
Kaminyoghe said he is well aware that the task in front of him is huge and the students expect quite a lot from his leadership.
“I know the students expect a lot from me and my fellow newly appointed leaders more especially on the things that we pointed out on our manifestos during the campaign period. But what I must state is that I intend to work hand in hand with the students themselves in solving issues affecting their welfare while on campus,” he said.
The presidential cap which Kamighoge has finally worn was surrendered prematurely by his predecessor, Patrick Zude Nkhoma, citing issues of school management “not listening to him”. Mr Nkhoma resigned from office in 2013 claiming that his efforts as a president trying to convince the management on some student welfare issues (according to him) proved futile.
This year’s students’ union leadership is a mixed bag with some being highly religious and others being less of it. Some students express hope that this is a good mixture as it represents students from all angles with others being a little pessimistic arguing that water and fire would never share a shelter.
The list of the new office bearers is as follows:
President: FELIX KAMINYOGHE
Vice President: BRANNY MITHI
Secretary General: Taonga Banda
Treasurer General: Ndovie R Wanangwa
Accommodation Director: Francis K Chiumia
Religious Director: Lipenga Junior Bright
Entertainment Director: Mwazozo P Naomi
Catering Director: Elicy Mazambani
Director of International Affairs: George Limwado
Sports Director: Andrew Kachione
Director of Publications: Magai Yankho Hagai
Clinical Representative: Geoffrey Manda
Basic Medical Sciences Representative: Emmanuel Kafulafula
Physiotherapy Representative: Edward Kondowe
Medical Laboratory Sciences Representative: Rodgers C Mengwa
Pharmacy Representative: Alex Andie Kambanga
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