Malawian breaks 9-year spell for Rhodes University scholarship

A University of Malawi graduate, Norbert Nthara, beat six other fellow young scholars from some SADC countries in interviews South Africa scholarships administered under Rhodes University.

The Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and Swaziland (BLMNS) region carries out interviews for finalist to study to earn scholarship.

Nerbert, who graduated with a BSc IT, Distinction (2014) at the Polytechnic, last Saturday was one of the six finalists from the Region that were interviewed in Johannesburg.

His performance in the interview was solid, sharp and consistent and convinced a panel of eight renowned academics, scholars and professionals from the BLMNS region and South Africa that he was the deserving candidate for the Rhodes Scholarship which will finance Norbert’s three years of study at Oxford University in the UK.

Norbert becomes the 4th Rhodes Scholar from Malawi after Charles Kapalamula (Chanco, Computer Science 2000), Matthews Mtumbuka (Poly 2001, Engineering) and Dick Kachuma (Chanco Mathematics 2003).

Malawi has waited nine years for Nthara to break the long drought for Rhodes in Malawi.

Posting on his Facebook timeline, top manager Dr Matthews Mtumbuka, himself a beneficiary of the BLMNS initiative, said he had the privilege to be on the interviewing panel on Saturday.

“ I must say he is a gifted young man, disciplined, focused and knows what he wants in life and works for it!”