Wambali discard ‘fake’ PhD he received with Ben Phiri

Legendary musician Wambali Mkandawire has discarded the honorary doctorate he was decorated with by the Cyprus International Institute of Texas, USA in July this year.

Wambali has disowned the honorary doctorate two months after being conferred with a Masters in Musicology by the institution. He was honoured alongside renowned gospel musician Ethel Kamwendo Banda and Special Aide to the President, Ben Phiri.

The Mzuzu based legendary musician changed his mind after establishing that the doctorate was “fake.”

Wambali, according to  a message believed to have been signed by him, wrote the vice chancellor of the university Professor Gadama to disown the honorary degree.

“In July this year I received communication that I was being conferred an honorary doctorate from an American university. The invitation came through Mr Gadama’s office in Lilongwe, who is known as professor Gadama and is said to be the Vice Chancellor of the University. Since I was in the village without network, I had to ask friends to Google and find out the credibility of the university.

“The results were very positive. The graduation ceremony was to take place at BICC. It was in the last week of the events that one or two things emerged that raised some questions, but I decided to focus on rehearsals for my Calabrash Breath album launch,” reads Wambali message.

“After the show when my doubts were finally confirmed, I wrote to Mr Gadama that I had disowned the degree. May I say that your celebration with me for what was seen as an achievement is not in vain, for some of you helped me to unfold the scam. With your help and by God’s grace I was able to successfully discard the fake doctorate and clung to my ‘Mte’, which is worth celebrating. Thank you for your support. Shalom. Mte,” reads the message.

While declining to explain reasons behind sudden change of mind, Wambali told Malawi flagship daily, The Nation that he disowned doctorate on personal grounds.

“Let me indicate that its true that I have disowned the honorary doctorate on personal grounds, but at the moment, I am not saying much as I am still trying to get response from the institution weeks after writing them about my decision. I will say more when it becomes necessary,” he is quoted as saying by the daily paper.

Likewise, Professor Gusto Gadama confirmed receiving a letter from Wambali.

“I have seen an email he sent to that effect and I have suggested to him that we meet and discuss the matter for our understanding. I am shocked honestly and will make it a point to find out from him what has triggered this.

“He just said personal grounds are the reasons for disowning the doctorate and did not elaborate as such I cannot give you more details,” Gadama told the paper.