Mzuni graduates frustrated over graduation delays: ‘We cannot secure employment without papers’

Graduates who finished their studies at Mzuzu University (Mzuni) in 2019 have expressed disappointment and frustration over delays by the college management to conduct their graduation.

The graduates have lamented that the delays to conduct the graduation and present them with their academic papers is hindering them from securing jobs as prospective employers cannot trust that they really went through the corridors of the university without papers.

Secretary for the graduation taskforce, Andrew Maliro, made the lamentations at a press briefing the disgruntled graduates held in Lilongwe on Tuesday morning.

“Some of us have lost jobs because we failed to produce the papers. Some of us wanted to advance our education, master’s degrees, but we cannot in the absence of the papers,” said Maliro.

The graduates have given the university management up to February 12, 2021, to provide details of the graduation scheduled for February 26, 2021, including names and grades of each graduate.

Maliro stressed that should the university management continue tossing them around on the matter, they will be compelled to hold a vigil at the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) at the Capital Hill, Lilongwe.

“We wish to appeal to President Lazarus Chakwera to intervene on the matter. We are suffering a lot because of lack of our papers,” he said.

The graduates first demonstrated in November 2020 after the university communicated that graduation would take place on January 27 this year before shifting it to February 26.

One of the graduates, Oscar Ulili, said they are not asking for a prestigious and fancy graduation, but simply a normal event, virtual or physical, where they can be awarded with their academic qualification papers.

“We simply need them to organize a simple congregation and then we get our degree certificates,” emphasized Ulili.