DPP plotting to block Inkosi ya Makosi M’mbelwa University construction

Opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is plotting to block the construction of Inkosi ya Makosi M’mbelwa University in Mzimba to punish northerners for denying Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika (APM) a vote in the Fresh Presidential Election, this publication has been tipped.

The revelation has educationists and community members in the Northern Region who argue that DPP already punished them by denying the region infrastructure development during its tenure in government.

Mutharika laid a foundation stone at the start of construction of the university in 2015 before his administration diverted the funding to finance development projects in his Lhomwe belt.

In December 2020, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) launched investigations into misappropriation of the money meant for the building of the then Mombera University.

A National Audit Office (NAO) report for the year ending 2020 showed that the Ministry of Education failed to account for MWK1.2 billion (roughly US$1 million) Mombera University funds. The funds went missing during the APM tenure.

Recently, the Commonwealth Students’ Association (CSA) country representative for Malawi, Japhet Nthala, told University World News that the delay to the construction of the university was stalling the improvement of university enrolment in the country.

Malawi is one of the countries with the lowest university enrolment in Southern Africa, according to a 2021 academic article titled ‘Crisis for Higher Education Enrolment in Malawi’ by Albert Kayange.

“Malawi is currently facing a crisis of higher education enrolment,” reads part of the article. “Malawi’s tertiary gross enrolment rate is 0.4% as compared to 8.2% of Sub-Saharan countries’ average enrolment.”

In the article, Kayange notes that Malawi is not able to enrol all deserving individuals in its universities. He quotes a Commonwealth of Learning report on the matter.

Nthala echoed Kayange’s sentiments and blamed poor university enrolment in Malawi on failure to follow through with public university projects by the government, and corruption.

“When there was the mention of Mombera University,” said Nthala, “we were hopeful that public universities would begin to increase their intake. But we have lost out in this case because there are students who would have found spaces in college had Mombera University been completed.”

Nthala said good academic performers from all across the country were failing to find places in universities because public colleges in Malawi were simply not enough. Said Nthala: “We have students with good points, good grades but they are failing to get into university, not because they are not qualifying, but because there are no spaces to accommodate everybody that performs well.”

Nthala said the enrolment situation would improve drastically if another public higher learning institution like Inkosi ya Makosi M’mbelwa University were to be built in the country.

Nthala added that having a university in the north would encourage more people in that region to get a university education. “Having Mombera University in the north would motivate secondary students in the area to get a college education.”

At the height of the campaign ahead of the 2019 tripartite elections, President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera promised that his administration would complete the project.

He repeated the promise after his election to office over three years ago.

But now, people like Kayange and Nthala should be worried even more following revelations that DPP is plotting to frustrate the project again.

Our well-placed sources have confided that DPP and its leader, Mutharika, have hired civil society organizations (CSOs) and journalists to run a smear campaign against companies that have been awarded contracts to construct the university.

The contracted CSO leaders and journalists have gone full throttle asserting that the Ministry of Education did not follow procedures when awarding the contract.

In a latest attempt to block the construction of the university, Mzuzu City Youth Caucus chairperson, Gomezgani Nkhoma, has written the Attorney General (AG) Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda on the Ministry of Education’s intention to award a MK8, 745, 713, 361.71 contract to Paramount Holdings Limited.

Nkhoma is an ally of former State House Press Officer and CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa.

Our sources said Nkhoma is among the CSO leaders who have been contracted to frustrate the project.

Paramount Holdings Limited was awarded a contract to the company to construct a five-storey female hostel block and associated external works at the university.

Government of Malawi – through the Ministry of Education – described as false assertions that it bypassed some processes in the awarding of the contract to Paramount Holdings Limited.

The ministry’s spokesperson Mphatso Nkuonera told this publication on Monday that the government followed all the procedures when awarding PHL an MK8.7 billion contract.

Nkuonera stated that PHL emerged as a successful bidder for the project and fulfilled all the requirements, challenging the aggrieved parties to engage the ministry if they have any other issues regarding the project.

“The Ministry of Education followed the due process in procurement and procedures to award Paramount Holdings Limited MK8.7 billion for the construction of Inkosi Ya Makhosi M’mbelwa University.

“Approvals for contract signing to Paramount Holdings Limited were sought from the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), and Government Contract Unit (GCU). These institutions have the mandate to cross-check the eligibility of service providers and suppliers in the system,” defends Nkuonera.

The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), responsible for overseeing and regulating public procurement processes, defended its decision to grant a “no objection” to Paramount Holdings.

PPDA’s public relations and communication manager Kate Tapiwa Kujaliwa, explained that the authority relied on information provided by the Ministry of Education in making its decision.

PHL directors said they submitted all bidding documents the ministry requested; hence, it was not surprising to have emerged as a successful bidder.

“All that you are hearing particularly negative stories about us is the work of our competitor in business. We are saving the people of Malawi with quality services. There is nothing sinister in awarding us the contract to construct Inkosi Ya Makhosi M’mbelwa University. We fear God when doing business with anyone. So, currently, we are also in a fertilizer importation contract with the Malawi government.

“Let’s help the current leadership with good works while the local media also must carry positive stories, not always negative ones that try to tarnish someone’s image,” he urged.

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