Malawi’s legendary and renowned musician Wambali Mkandawire has disowned the honorary doctorate which was conferred to him in July, this year (2015) by the Cyprus International Institute of Texas in the United States America for personal reasons.
Wambali was decorated with Masters in Musicology by the institution alongside with the other renowned gospel musician Ethel Kamendo Banda and President Peter Mutharika’s Special Aid, Ben Phiri.
The musician Mkandawire discarding of the doctorate which is believed to be a fake one, derived from the text message which he signed and wrote to the vice chancellor of the university, Professor Gadama.
“In July this year (2015), 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 said to be known as professor Gadama and the university’s chancellor. 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 as the graduation was slated for BICC. It was in the last week of the events that one or two things emerged that had raised some questions, but I decided to focus on rehearsals for my Calabrash Breath album launch.
“After the show when my doubts were finally confirmed, I wrote to Mr. .Gadama that I hard 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 ‘Mt’ which is worthy celebrating. Thanks you for your support. Shalom. Mte”, reads the message Wambali wrote to Gadama as quoted by the Nation of Tuesday, October 6, 2015.
Although the message clearly stated that there was discontentment of the institution’s authenticity, the Mzuzu based legendary declined to share more reasons as to why he decided to disown the doctorate saying time was not ripe for that.
