LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Mzuzu University (Mzuni) and Catholic University of Malawi (Cunima) have emerged victorious in the first round of the Shifting Power’s inter-varsity debate, securing their spots in the second round.
The debate, centered on the theme “Rethinking Development: A Contest of Intellectuals,” saw Mzuni take the lead with 216 points, followed closely by Cunima with 204 points.
The Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (Mubas) was eliminated from the competition, trailing behind with 184 points.
The judging panel, comprising television expert Kondwa Jumbe, and development experts Thoko Chibwana and Wongani Mukawa, praised the contestants for their insightful arguments.
The debate is part of the Shift the Power (StP) initiative, run by Misa Malawi and the Tilitonse Foundation, with support from Comic Relief and the UK International Development.
Today’s fixtures pit the University of Malawi against the Malawi University of Science and Technology, while the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar) faces off against another opponent.
Misa Malawi chairperson Golden Matonga and Tilitonse Foundation executive director Robert White expressed satisfaction with the debate’s progress, highlighting areas for improvement.
“The proposals had depth on how to draw women into the development conversation. We feel these debates are not just about the buzz, but expressing ideas,” Matonga said.
The winners from Malawi will go on to compete against teams from Ghana and Zambia.
