Kabwila accuses Mutharika of pussyfooting around Univerity of Malawi fees impasse
The main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) spokesperson Dr. Jessie Kabwira has said President Peter Mutharika must stop pussyfooting around and provide a lasting solution to differences that have erupted between University of Malawi (Unima) Council and students over fees hike.
University students have been holding demonstrations protesting against the fee hike.
In the new fees structure, Polytechnic College generic students will be paying K380 000 per annum, Chancellor College tuition fees has been pegged at K320 000, K500 000 for the College of Medicine and K340 000 for the Kamuzu College of Nursing.
Mature entry students are expected to be paying fees ranging from K900 000 to K1.4 million per annum in respective of the colleges they are studying.
Kabwira, a Member of Parliament for Salima North West Constituency and former lecture at Chancellor College in Zomba, has joined other quarters of the society including students, guardian and parents who are askingthe University of Malawi (Unima) council to immediately rescind its unpopular fees hike decision describing it as illegitimate as it is affecting the poor.
“This fee hike is illegitimate as it’s not appealing to most poor people’s social-economic status in the society. How many rural Malawians can afford MK400, 000 for their tertiary education? What we are saying, the increase is too much for the rural people,” said Kabwira after the launch of Marriage, Divorce and Relationship Act sensitization campaign in her constituency over the weekend.
She continued: “Without fear this fee hike must fall to accommodate all deserving and intelligent students.”
Kabwila said increase of the tuition fees is one of anti-poor policies of the Mutharika regime which are perpetuating early marriages in the country.
She said i nstead of creating inclusive policies, Mutharika’s “insensitive government thinks otherwise.”
Kabwira who is also SADC Parliamentary women caucus chairperson said the fee hike in public university was too heavy for the poor.
She observed that it was this type of policies which perpetuate early marriages as many children drop out of schools due to heavy burden of fees.
Kabwila stressed that Mutharika must stop procrastinating when it comes to education for all, saying government should stop blaming opposition parties of being behind university students’ demonstrations as students can make their own informed decisions to fight for their education rights.
“ This DPP government must stop questioning the legality of higher learning institutions,” said Kabwira.
The Malawi Polytechnic Students Union (PSU) president Frank Mchupuka Msiska. who is also an executive member of the University of Malawi Student Union (Umsu) council highlighted that the issue at hand is pertinent and needs urgent attention from the president who is also the Chancellor of Unima.
Msiska said they are wondering why President Mutharika is muted “on this very important matter of national interest.
The students also accused Mutharika that hefailed to handle academic freedom spat in 2011 when he was minister of education.
But presidential spokesperson Mgeme Kalilani arguedthat Mutharika is actively involved to find a lasting solution to this matter.
“As a Chancellor he has been engaged in discussions with MoEST [Ministry of Education, Science and Technology] and the University Council. It is his wish that the issue be resolved and that the academic calendar is not disturbed any further,” Kalilani said.
Meanwhile, Unima council has maintained its earlier decision of hiking the fees calling those students who cannot manage to afford the current fees to report to the authority.
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Jesse Kabwira is not a Malawian. She is a Zimbabwean. azipita kwawo. We do not want her in Malawi. look at her ugly face.kkkkkkk
We MCP love you Jesse, you are our star and expect good portfolio come 2019.
Muthrika has a problem. He is a poor leader.
Abale!!? Why is it Muthalikas responsibility to interfere in University affairs? I am sure someone will argue, he is the chancellor, for Christ’s sake that is a figurehead title. We in Malawi are our own enemies. University of Malawi has a university office, staffed by full time staff paid very high salaries, and University of Malawi has a University council with a Chairman of council, and I am sure they have very good perks. So why is someone of the calibre of Dr Kabwila calling on someone who has nothing to do with the day to day running of the… Read more »
@Kanthu Ako! Ukankhala pa msana pa Njobvu angakhale ena atamadandaula kuti anyowa ndi mame, iwe umangoona ngati nthano!! Inu kulankhula kwanu kwaulula zanu zikuyenda!! Sincerely, if APM feels UNIMA issues are none of his concern, then the best he needs to do is to openly declare that the Vice Chancellor is now the full chancellor!! Come what may or sunshine, whatever decision the council makes, he is part of that decision if he remains the Chancellor, whether figurehead or whatever term you might want to use to hoodwink us!!! Seriously, the act of clinging to the position is telling us… Read more »
Central? Have Malawians tried to to change the idea that the president should be a chancellor? Have students ever gone on a peaceful march to demand that the president should not be chancellor? So which president was clinging? Even if Chancellor was not president the story would be the same, fees will go up. Achimwene or chemwali Central, times have changed, and we have to change with times. believe it or not, Kabwira is now saying fees should drop, lets say DPP government falls, over this fees issue, and MCP takes over, it could happen, what do you think the… Read more »
he is the chancellor that’s why
Anatha awa! Ndi kuchipano kwawo komwe sakuwafuna!
If you want the President to comment or do something about, bring it on BBC or let some donor or foreign dignitary comment on it. Look at the issue of the FISI guy in nsanje, or the issue of Albinos. He doesn’t like to look bad to the outside world. He respects the views of foreigners more than the people who put it in office. Trust me, if foreign media pick it up or imply that he is inactive on this issue, he will come out of his cocoon.
I wholly concur with what Kanthu Ako has pointed out. Basically, it shows that these students are sponsored to cause all these problems with the intention of faulting the head of state. The likes of Kabwila are the ones who went to the western world to request them to stop helping Malawi financially. After realizing that government business is still going on even in the absence of donor funding they are now resorting to causing social unrest. Instigating social upheaval in any developed world is a crime and I am surprised as to why these people are not questioned to… Read more »