Mutharika has ‘no regrets’ over Malawi ’varsity remarks: Nankhumwa puts a spin on research remarks
After President Peter Mutharika’s call for university lecturers to “concentrate on research [and] not commenting on public trivia” attracted a barrage of criticism from the academia, Minister of Information Kondwani Nankhumwa has clarified that in making the remarks, Mutharika was simply underlining “the contribution that research universities brings to the socioeconomic development of a country.”
The President said good universities are known by their research; hence, he asked University of Malawi (Unima) lecturers to raise the profile of the institution with research.
The remarks were made during Unima fundraising dinner and dance at the Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe on Saturday night.
However, the statement attracted a wrath of the academia and human rights activists, calling them “gagging”.
In a statement on Tuesday, Nankhumwa said many similar observations have been made by other accomplished scholars world over and have never been misunderstood as an attempt to curtail freedom of speech among university lecturers or regulate academic freedoms in places of higher learning.
Nankhumwa, who is government spokesman, highlighted the importance of research in universities by quoting Philip G Altbach, research professor and director of the Center for International Higher Education at Boston College in the United States, that “Research universities in low- and middle-income countries have crucial roles to play in developing differentiated and effective academic systems, and in making it possible for their countries to join the global knowledge society and compete in sophisticated knowledge economies.”
He said Mutharika remarks were meant to underscore that research universities in developing countries are at the top of the academic hierarchy and are central to the success of any modern knowledge-based economy.
Nankhumwa said Mutharika was only giving his “encouragement” to the university lectures in Malawi.
“And it is in that context that he has to be understood. Understanding him differently can only be regrettable,” said Nankhumwa.
In one of the attacks Mutharika received, Danwood Chirwa, a professor of law at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, labelled the Malawi leader a dubious scholar.
“By the way Peter published very little, less than 10 recognised articles in a career spanning about 40 years. What he lists as books are compilations of instruments. He was awarded the professorship somewhere in 1977 not based on research output or excellence but confirmation of tenure, which is common in the US,” Chirwa posted on Facebook.
Chirwa stated that Mutharika had no research output worth talking about by that time.
“It’s a pity Malawians have been fooled and believe he is professorial material. He isn’t and cannot be based on his academic outputs, both teaching and research. He also held no notable academic leadership post, eg Head of Department, Deputy Dean or Dean. It is thus understandable that he speaks as if he knows nothing about higher education, for he’s always been a dubious scholar,” Chirwa said of Mutharika.
Nankhumwa downplayed the criticism by touting Mutharika as “an accomplished scholar.”
He said the President does not regret making the research remarks.
Presidential press secretary Gerald Viola also said the President has been misunderstood in his remarks.
According to Viola, President Mutharika “does not feel offended” with the wrath he has received from the university dons.
In 2011 when he was serving as minister of Education, Science and Technology, Mutharika was accused of indecisiveness after lecturers at Unima downed tools, demanding academic freedom after a spy was allegedly planted in a political science class and reported lecture examples to authorities.
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Welcome to Muntharika dynasty. Home of academic impediment
kwalowafmbola
I now see that Mutharika is right. These learned people are indeed commenting on trivia. Dont they have something more meaningful or beneficial to do. The reaction and comments show how shallow they are. Very disappointing.
Koma ma lecturer audzu ali ku malawi kuno! Bwana wanu akukulimbikisani kupanga kafukufuku mu ma university inu mukumunyoza! Eeeee ayi ndithu. Kodi danwood chirwa nde ndaninso? Anafukulidwa kuti nthakatiyu… The president simply encourages universities to do research and help economic growth of Malawi full stop. Omly a few lecturers speak sense…the likes of Kanyongolo but the rest ndi atombolombo onunkha tudzi
Mr Kampalapata i feel like consultancy is what is the problem currently. Most media houses do that with an aim of getting the analysis from the lecturers. So if consultancy is there on the mission statement of the Unima then why cripple that and allow research, teaching and outreach as the lesser evils? For them to comment on something it means someone is consulting them for independent opinions. Consultancy ndi imeyo baba/ mbuya/mjomba/sibweni. Let us not glorify wrongs. Lecturers are people just as you and i . Selecting on what they should vomit or eat is bad. Wagenda kolakwika anzake amugendanso naye. Asiya yekha chifukwanso amzake ndi okwiya heavy. To cut it short aliyense awonense qualification yake Edge Kanyongolo wanena motelomo.
Hey
The lectures have defended the criticism made by Mutharika by uncovering the president’s doubtful professorship.
Is it the battle of showing who is a real professor?
You the wise Malawians
Are these peoples’ defenses contest?
Wina akuti muzipanga ma reseach
Wina ali ndi professor okaikisa
Zikugwilizana?
1. I would ask you to fully research yourself on just how much research is done by the lecturers that you say comment on trivial issues. how many articles they have in international journals. How much research they do everyday not just for publication but for their lesson so that their content remains relevant to today’s society. Also, mind you that they achieve all this despite the difficult circumstances under which they have to do this.
2. The lecturers just like you have the right to voice their opinion, unless I have missed something and citizens in Malawi no longer this right .
APM, your brother dis not live after he started this mess. So please take care. You are not ‘Jesus’.
The president should also concentrate on doing his job rather than castigating lecturers at the University which does not adequate funding.
I think nachisale together ndi achisale osatha kuyankhula are the ones who are dull and arrogant. Lectures should really comment on the national issues including politics
One wonders what research is talked about here. U go 2 Chanco, u find lecturers busy wth research activities, Wadonda consult, CSR, Afrobarometer, and other individual lecturers’ consultancies and research…… What benchmark do we use 2 say that there z no research @ UNIMA but tht they are bzy wth trivial matters? Let’s b reasonable in our criticisms. By the way, what the president said does not have to be misconstrued for arrogance or a breach of some freedom…. Plz, let’s avoid the obvious implication by being positive to coments and criticisms. Some comments are better left as they are. Mavuto ang’ono ngati our hav potential 4 great disruption if handled wth high emotions. sk th social interactionists on these……….
Whatever Nankhumwa says cannot change the fact that Peter Mutharika goofed big time. He fully deserves the bashing he has got. What is the definition of trivia? This was a blatant attempt to curb academic freedom. Even the community colleges project is based on a fundamentally flawed reasoning.
These so called half baked mwian lecturers are just wastin public funds, most highly lated universities in the world are in usa and uk, and someone poorly trained from this university of mw, self acclaimed prof is trying to make us believe that usa profs are half baked kkkkk u guys be s serious with ur arguments, how can prof mutharika who was trained and also was teaching in world class and top ranked universities be half baked. universities are ranked based on several things including quality of lecturers, research, infrustructures,etc and mwian universities are one of the poorly ranked not even found in top 500, kkkkkkk sounds radiculous but this is the truth, our poorly trained lecturers who are half baking our youth are failing to accept to change the way of doing things
Inde kachitani research mmalo motaya nthawi kumwa bibida chamba ndi kukwera ana aeni mma kolejimu.Timakuonanitu,muyaluka posachedwa.matama opanda pake.Pangani zinthu zoti dziko lione osati kumaononga ana aeni mma lab ndi mma ofesimu
UNIMA lecturers are dull, arrogant and bigheaded. Chancellor College is the worst and pathetic. Ma lecturer ongokhalira m`ma news mmalo mopanga research. Thanks Mutharika mwatithandiza kuwaona ma lecturer for who they are _ lazy idiots who do not wany to be advised and criticised.
Create a small research fund that University faculty and students can access on a competitive basis. If you did this, donors could see that you are serious and support you. Without a pot of funds no matter how small, it is impossible for lecturers to do meaningful research. Komanso tiphunzire kukondana a Malawi. Tinabweza ndalama zankhaninkhani za DFID zimene boma linapatsidwa kuti tipangire research komanso tiphunzitsire anthu kuti apange Masters and PhDs – most likely because administrators didn’t have relatives that could go for such studies. You could have given this money to college of medicine, Chanco and other colleges to identify people that require training.
What going on
Lecturers don’t want to be gagged but they want to gag the President. What they comment on is trivia because it does not contribute to academic rating. Malawians are too reactionary!
Lecturers learn to respect the head plz. Not all of u will become the Jessies
a Nankhumwa, do you mean kuti inuyo and the so called profesori of yours are the most intelligent than the rest of us? does the statement the president made need any clarification? sometimes when we want too feel ourselves intelligent it is when we get ashamed.. the whoole proffesors missing the point and you the msce holder understanding him better? Next time something happens leave us alone, we will go on goggle search and find out if we got him collectly on what he says poti sanati.
You are all missing the point. The academics are not against peter’s remarks on doing more research and development work
The academics and indeed many observers are against Peter’s other remarks accusing academics that they are concentrating on trivialities and public debates rather than on research.
If Peter had stopped at research only, then most people would have agreed with him. But being a wounded peter, he went on to open a can of worms knowing very well that he couldn’t be a match to the great intelligentsia out there.
Please forgive him.
Hey!everything academic freedom.ufulu wabwera mochedwa ku Malawi.
The UNIMA lectures are nothing but aduleries,busy teaching the so called students sex.Fire them they are just plundering GVT resources.What type of professors are you to hate research koma kumwa bibida.Shame to you lectures.
Beware of Danwood Chirwa’s poisonus comments.Some of us do not see any professorship material in Peter so no wonder that one Danwood Chirwa calls him “dubious scholar”. In professor Brown Chimphamba,Anaclet Phiri, late Mhango,Peter Mwanza and others yes even the quality of their speeches and the Queens language could tell a story not this friend of Ben Phiri and Bright Malopa.
mulomo umakusata, osasewera pamotovutamvala chikwakwa
As the research issue rages on, the most saddening message that came out of the UNIMA Dinner is the figure of 48,000! A nation of 15 million people having educated only that number in 50 years is shocking. Not even a tenth of 1 million, is a very saddening reality! Malawians need to weep over this fact! Ndiye tizidabwa ma plumber ndi ma carpenter wochita maintain Parliament ndi MUST adzichokera kwa Donnor yemweyo. Sad!
Mwa zina zomwe zidayambitsa nkhondo ku Iguputo
How can someone preach of research without injecting a reasonable amount of funding ???
This sounds ridiculous indeed
Surely, there is something wrong with our thinking as Malawians. Recently, the so called lectures were measuring the performance of the president. As professionals they have also to accept that they can be measured or their work can be measured too, there is nothing wrong and they too must accept to be measured. To be honest, our lectures are spending time monitoring politics instead of research. Let our lectures come out with good researches and help even local companies to meet international standards . What research can they prove they have done that has benefited the country. All what the lectures want is to be a prof and nothing good is coming out of them. Lets call a spade a spade, the truth pains. If you spend time measuring other peoples performance, people are also measuring your performance too, the different is the key indicators that are being used.
such comments from lecturers in Unima if taken are likely to improve the socioeconomic development. How can Malawi develop when there is corruption, abuse of public resources & nepotism
Akufuna ayambe za mkulu wake uyu. Ntchito kuyambana ndi anzanu basi. Tawasiyani ma lecturer agwire ntchito yawo. Nawonso ndi anthu. They are free to comment on anything affecting MALAWIANS
Dull professors- always at Zomba tavern. Chikanda products. not a single research paper in a peer-reviewed journal in the last 30 years. monkeys.
Rather listen to your Chancellor
MALAWI LEKCHAZ
Really really truth pains. You so called Unima professors its high time you swallow your pride and listen to your Vice Chancellor. What was wrong for him to advise you to do what is highly expected of you to do instead of your shameful daily barking other than focusing on your core professionalism of teaching, research, consultancy and out-reach. You happen to be a pitiful bunch of directionless” learned” people. Going by the list of those that have echoed their voice against HE statement you need not to be suprised. They are the same anti-Mutharika lectures. I may understand them as this might not be their personal problems but either where they come from and how they were mentored.
By the way can you tell the nation the ranking of your so called University in Africa and in the world. I may not know but I hear it is 99 out of 100. So don’t you feel ashamed of this position. What do you do with Project funds your self. This war with the HE will benefit no body. You really need deliverance because you are vision-less. Hence where there is no vision people perish. Indeed the whole nation will perish with you.
While i recognize the sentiments by both sides, i feel the research part is critical as our education in Malawi does not make a graduate self reliant. While on the other side it is totally wrong for the president to ignore the important role Malawi lecturers have played in critical national issues. We have always relied on the voice and comments by lecturers on legal national issues.
Its side the president and lecturers / academia must work together if Malawi is to develop.
Honestly i doupt the credibility of these so called lectures. The likes of chirwa, chisinga,hussen and kabwira, good for nothing lectures. At least can kanyongolo can give balanced views. You mean you cant hear what the president is saying?? Its as if these are the only academician in malawi? always on spotlight for trivia issues. Even failing to hear this clear message and call yourself analyst sure??mbuzi za mano kusi
Chirwa knows what he is saying give him space inorder to learn more
Chirwa u are welcome with ur views go ahead but reduce abit speed avoid another disastrous.
Lesson learnt: a good message if poorly delivered cannot bear the intended fruits.
Mixing of good advice with trivia made HE’s message sound trivial hence the reaction.
Ine ndinaziwa kale kuti prof. Uyu ndi zoba.
APM should make no apologies to these bunch noisy dons.Those who do a lot of research have no time to make statements claiming that they are experts.Show your so called expertise by doing research and publishing.Your colleagues at LUANAR and College of Medicine are busy doing research and consultancies and they make lots of money.
You dons who like making comments are miserably poor.Some of your comments are pretty disgusting.Just shut up
But anyway can the president tell us how much the government had allocated to research in our universities? If not then its the same telling a child to go to school while you the father didn’t pay for school fees. And about trivia commenting I will take what Kanyongolo said that it is possible to chew gum while walking. Do you people really think a lecture can not work on his research just because aZodiac journalist has asked him to clarify on an issue the journalist and the public doesn’t understand? Really?
So plot no. 1 is busy enjoying the trivia? Unless some people asked for clarification, the statement given from plot no.1 is irrelevant. They should have made a better and responsive speech at the fundraising by not incorporating trivia in that speech. The good thing is that whatever HE says or does reveals his character and capability.
Our academics are armchair critics who don’t like when it is their turn to be criticized. Tell us or show us what you have learnt overseas that you can share with us. Our universities look like open markets what are you doing about it? I thought that is why you are so educated so you can show others the way. Our universities are at the bottom of the heap and there is nothing to be proud of. On this one I agree with the president. Stop being talkative and transform where you work. It will be a good legacy to leave behind
enanu ur only speaking nsete zeni zeni u dont understand wat ur saying makamaka iwe sapitwa, mlomwe odya njoka iwe
amatista edge kanyongolo osati edgar kkkk. It seems ndinu mbuli yotheratu ndi yonvetsa chisoni study political science org law you will understand they are only commentetors who analyse and dissect issues, provide the public with informed choices and predict what might happen and consequencies. Ndithu ndiwe mbuzi yamunthu nzako ndi uyo akuti pofonika research yoti tizitafuna dothi nkumanyera njerwa ximenoxo koma atumbuka iyaaaaa
Nankhumwa take care!,kod mwaiwala mmene ankatukwanidwira Patricia Kaliat?,sikutitu anali ochimwa ayi,koma zintchito zalilime ndi milomo yake ndizo zimkamunyozetsa,ndiye tikudabwa nanunso you are acting in the same style, why?????,ngat mukudya zonona muzatisowese nazo mtendere mwamva inu!,panalitu munthu pamene muli inupo!,koditu tikamakuzuzurani nde kut zinthuzo sizikuyenda bwino,nde inu mukufuna kuti sizamayende bwino?,ifetu sitinabadwe lero,koma mukumva!,mbola zanuzo muzikapanga kuchipinda ndi akazi anu,fotseki,Nankhumwa nde kut chani?,zautsiru basi,kapena muli mgulu la anthu amene anazozedwa ndi mzimu wa umphawi eti?,kupembeza munthu mmalo mompembeza mulungu,ndinudi chidzukulu chasatana eti,shut up zanu!,kapolo!!
So you mean that because they are academicians they should not vote? Tell us as voting is also political. Go on university dons osamusiya akafuna athawe azikathanyula ku America komweko poti ndiye kwatchuka ndi mathanyula
Iiiii,kaya zanu izo ife bola tikudziwa kuti pulezidenti wa dziko link walimbikitsa aphunzitsi a m’sukulu za ukachenjede kumapanga kafukufuku yemwe angathandize kutukula dziko link. Ndi zodabwitsa kuti anthi ena ngati a ujeni akukambapo kuti boma la DPP silikupereka ndalama ku sukuluzi mdziko muno kuti zizipangira kafukufuku ameneyu pamene a eni wake aphunzitsi a m’sukulu zimenezi sanatchulepo za ndalamazi. Ndi pofunika kuti a Ujeni adziwe kuti kupereka ndalama kumachitika potengera ndondomeko ya za chuma imene dipatimenti yapereka ku boma mu zilinganizo zake. Ngati vuto lili la nfalama,iyi inali nthawi yabwino yoti aphunzitsi amenewa apereka zofunika ku boma kuti ngati siliwathandiza,azathe kutiuza kuti iwo sakulephera kupanga kafukufuku koma kuti boma silikuwapatsa zofunikira. Ine ngati m’Malawi wakumudzi,ndikudziwa ndithu kuti anzathu a m’sukulu zimene akafakhala amapnga kafukufuku,bwenzi tili Pataki zedi nkhani ya chitukuko cha dziko ndi miyoyo ya wathu. Aphunzitsi athu dziwani kuti a pulezidenti akungokulimbikitsani osati kukunyozani ayi. Zili kwa inu kubweza mnyozo ngati umu achitira a Danwood Chirwa kapena kuona kuti mungapange bwanji pofuna kukwaniritsa zimenezi. Tiyeni tikhale ndi maganizo opititsa patsogolo Malawi. Tonse pamodzi tingathe… Yafika nthawi tsopano yoti inu akachenjede muunike zimenezi. Osati kuti a Salanje akuzichemerera pa tsamba lawo la Facebook,inu mutipo chani apa,nkumayankha. A Mpinganjira atuluka mu PP,inu mutipo chani? A Juliana Lunguzi akuti pasalhale msonkho pa intaneti mutipo chani? Aaaaa,ayi… Tithandize pa zomwe tingachite pa kusintha kwa nyengo,matenda osiyanasiyana omwe akuzunza a Malawi,kuguga kwa nthaka,ngozi zogwa mwadzidzi ndi zina.. Pepanitu ndine wakumudzi.
Bwana Daniwudu Lake Chirwa. Ngati mukufuna politics bwerani kuno kumuzi tizathidzimulane. Kodi munthu wanzeru kwambiri ndi inu nokha. Bwanji mukudana ndi pulofesa mzanu. What do you have to show for your professorship? Musiyeni Prof. Peter Mutharika akulamulireni mkulu.
frankly speaking our university lectures r too much on media talking nonsense jst to Pliz journalist that they kno much things …inenso amandibowa..they feel afikapo.Mr president z rt here ,they shud concentrate on research & equip our children with knowledge that will end up developing out country Malawi than non logical issues that can devides Malawi onto segment.. smhw their comments provocate the normal situation.
only very few nde amene akuononga Malawi
namely;Edgar kanyongolo,Chingaipe,Chinsinga,madise Chilwa & many mo…w o kno that they r Tumbukaz, & MCP funz…
I don kno y nankhumwa z escaping the fact here.. instead of kuwauza kut eee ndizoona inu “Ntchito yanu ndi kufufuza ndikumwesa ana zotukula malaw.
A Malawi why cant we give APM a breather transformation takes time and requires capital injection. If he found the coffers empty and donors are not ready to support us what then?
Zoona,we don’t have professors pa Malawi.
Here below are issues challenging Malawi:
1.Do research on what type of substance can be applied to onl few grass to make cattle become fat when being fed in the kraals due to lack of grazing
space.
2. Do research on what low cost chemical can be used to mix with soil used for moulding bricks that would have the same quality like burnt bricks. This would control cutting down trees used for burning bricks.
That’s what we need to see in newspapers and journals not these silly comments we are daily bombarded with from these second class professors from Chikanda.
iwe ndiye waonekeratu kuti ndiwe wa mwimba college of agriculture i dont find an impactful research área iweo osamatafuna dothilo bwanji? Za ziii uli meeeee booooo kulira ng”ombe ulibe ulesi iwe eti kkkkkkkkkkkkk. It seems ndiwe ntumbuka
The University Dons you are glorifyng are a flop.Our University Is Ranked 99 out of 100.This speeks a lot about the calibre of the so colled professors.
Don’t stick to something which you know very well that when your friends react to what you are saying you will have no way how to come out when they corner you.
If you don’t comment you will be a fool for five minutes and when you comment you will be a fool for every.
The University Dons have nothing to prove, a lot of research papers are gathering dust in Malawi. I remember we also had something like vision 2020, where are we with that. We have a lot of policies that gather dust in government offices that never see a daylight of implementation.
Peter Mutharika himself promised so much in his manifesto, one year on nothing has happened. He told us he will be an office President, but all we see is a man acting like a grasshopper jumping from here to there.
How much funding has DPP government poured into research at Universities? All he did was making a dig at the don. We are no he lacks clarity in his speech, it is blunder after blunder.
Political science segment!!!!
Mr Nankhumwa, we heard what the president said. Do not put your words in his mouth. Tonsefe sitinamve bwino, koma inuyo, zowona? Come on..
truth be told: it pains to be told the truth. Can the university lecturers prove him wrong by displaying their research output?