He was a great gentle giant at that place I called home for five years – Chancellor College. I learned much about the Irish tradition from his passionate personal experience of the closely-knit Irish culture. Although his subject was English, his soft-spoken voice often gave the class nuggets of insight into the subject of his love – the rich Irish tradition and culture.
I was a new student at Chancellor College in January, some years ago, and feeling that I am blending in quietly and without much aplomb; it was Fr. O’Malley who gently nudged me from that false premise: not only did he know me, it appears he was in close contact with my Uncle Ronald Mbekeani (a social development expert); and Fr. O’Malley was a good scholar of civic education – and so, yes he would know the new student with a deep American accent, though she was purporting to be a Ngoni, a claim that was belied by all un-ngoniship. Continue reading Ode to the gentle giant: Father Patrick O’Malley→
Condemnation of the ill-treatment of Chancol 1st year students
To: Student Union of Chancellor College (SUCC)
From: First Year Students (2016/2017)
We, the first year students of the most prestigious public university in Malawi, Chancellor College, would like in strongest sense condemn the barbaric and inhuman conduct in which we have been treated by the management and teaching staff of the said institution.
The announcement on the change of opening dates has brought more questions than answers.
We believe all this was planned in the first place. The management and teaching staff have used us, first year students, as bait to achieve their selfish motives.
Their industrial dispute (40% salary increment demand) with the University Council, is understandable but the timing of the withdrawal of their labour, is not in all senseE. Why in the first place did they call us? To harass us? To make fun of us? To achieve their end? To make their demands carry more weight? It does not make sense at all.
First, the change in the opening dates has brought many inconveniences. We have spent lots of money to be at this here. Some students have to travel long and costly distances to get to the college. So all the costs and trouble only for a week of learning (seven days, 168 hours, 10 080 minutes and 604 800 seconds!) This is unfair and uncalled for.
Some students are accommodated outside the campus. Such being the case, they had to pay rent and buy necessary materials to for their smooth academic and social life; only to be told that all that is in vain. All the rent and money for perishable food gone in the wind. This is not a welcomed development. It is aggravating and unfortunate.
Thirdly, it is a known fact that we are coming from different backgrounds.
Some students are needy in its truest sense. Such being the case, the decision to send us packing and back to our homes on Monday will bring a lot of challenges to them. This conduct is not on.
Fourthly, we were told that one of the reasons why the tuition fees was hiked by over 400%, was to prevent unnecessary closures. Then why in it’s first year, is our college a victim? Should we say the ideal reasoning has greatly fumbled as it is the case now?
It is therefore, with the above reasons, that we, the first year students, call upon our leadership in the Students Union of Chancellor College (SUCC), whose membership fees, we have just paid yesterday at the quadrangle and outside the Great Hall, to help us and act in haste to reverse the situation.
We believe in the SUCC mandate, they can come in and bail us out of this sad situation which has many negative consequences on our prospective studies. We need not to allude more to that as is it almost obvious to all students of how these unnecessary closures can illicitly affect us.
We, as first year students, we are ready to join hands and help in any decision the SUCC will come up with in order to facilitate fast opening of The mighty Chancol.
A Malawian Facebook user, Lord Denning SC, has apparently touched a Live Wire in his sharing of corruption allegations concerning the USD 500 million Salima – Lilongwe water project whereby Khato Civils will tap water from Lake Malawi to the inlands of Lilogwe City.
In his Facebook post, Lord Denning disclosed that the embattled Agriculture Minister, George Chaponda, met Khato Civils boss, Simbi Phiri, in a hotel in Sandton City is South Africa where nasty deals were cooked.
“In September 2016, George Chaponda was in South Africa and he was booked in a Hotel situated in Sandton. The person who booked for Mr. Chaponda is Mr. Simbi of Khato Civils,” Lord Denning stated in the opening of his post.
“At this hotel, Chaponda and Simbi (both alleged to be crooks in some way) discussed the water tapping deal and put the price tag of R6 billion to it and returned to Malawi soon thereafter. Records indicate that on 10th October, 2016, Simbi, on behalf of his Khato Civils, signed MoU with the Malawi Government. In January, Malawi Government through Lilongwe Water Board issued a Letter awarding a contract to Khato Civils. I have seen the Letter and it says (in part); “Khato has been awarded Tender,” he proceeded in his post while questioning the period when the Malawi Government ever advertised a Tender to the project, arguing that Tenders must follow due process.
It was later on discovered that Lord Denning is a Malawi Citizen answering to the name of Negracious Justin and is a law student at Chancellor College. Hot on the heels of his controversial post allegedly came information briefing him that he is under hunt. According to his Facebook post announcing his ordeal he stated that he had information revealing that one of his pictures is circulating among the assigned assailants and that he had simultaneously received goodwill warnings that he should quickly escape the country.
Maravi Post understands that Justin, who has since applied for an indefinite withdrawal at Chancellor College, escaped into hiding at undisclosed location. However, some speculations are suggesting that he is in Zambia.
Govt has no money; Mutharika appears to be telling Mzuni Vice Chancellor in this file photo
For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments Psalm 78:5-7
In the twenty years that Malawi has enjoyed democratic governance, ironically the country has also experience a degeneration in the delivery, administration and undertaking of higher education. Among the reasons for this degeneration are hiking of tuition, demands by tutors or support staff for salary or displeasure with the head of the various institutions. Continue reading MY TAKE ON IT: Higher political figure takes up ownership of higher education→
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—Malawi president Peter Mutharika has ordered reduction of fees for various programmes at all constituent colleges of the University of Malawi (Unima) and that Chancellor College which was recently closed be reopened immediately.
From the president of Malawi—Arthur Peter Mutharika (APM)—to the minister of education—Emmanuel Fabiano—and his entire Ministry of Education; and from the Chancellor of the University of Malawi—APM—to the Council of the University of Malawi…you people are all nothing but a selfish lot! Continue reading Peter Mutharika, MoEST, and Unima Council: A Selfish Lot!→
There is going to be light at the end of the tunnel for thousands of Malawian students who finish secondary education but fail to make it to the University of Malawi because of space constraints. The massive projects lined at Chancellor College would see the institution doubling its intake when phase 1 of the Hostel project is completed and triple the intake once phase 2 also completes. Continue reading Chanco in massive projects to triple intake→
