Senate ratifies Unima unbundling
The University of Malawi (Unima) senate on Thursday ratified a decision to unbundle the institution at a meeting held in Lilongwe.
According to The Nation sources who attended the meeting, all deans and principals from Unima constituent colleges of Kamuzu College of Nursing (KCN), College of Medicine, Chancellor College, and The Polytechnic attended the meeting, including university registrar Benedicto Malunga.
According to our sources, the senate voted in favour of unbundling Unima.
Thirty members of the senate participated in the voting and 28 voted in favour of unbundling the institution while two representatives from KCN abstained.
One college dean, who attended the meeting but opted for anonymity, said the senate agreed that no one would comment on what had transpired at the meeting except Malunga.
But in an interview with The Nation yesterday, Malunga confirmed that the meeting took place. However, he dismissed reports that participants at the meeting voted.
He said: “The senate was asked to discuss the merits and demerits of unbundling Unima. At no point was any person asked to vote. I was the secretary for the senate and council at the meeting.”
Malunga also said a move to unbundle Unima is a complex one which cannot just be decided without proper consultations.
“The senate is the highest decision-making body of the university so you cannot bypass it. It must be heard first. After this meeting, a report will be prepared to the attention of council,” he said.
When pressed to comment on whether people voted at the meeting, Malunga said people were asked to give their opinions on the matter.
“People were asked to explain why they chose Unima to unbundle or not. I remember one person suggested that we vote. However, you must know that what senate members said at the meeting is not final,” he said.
The university senate and management were given the task to provide a report to the council by mid last week on the process of unbundling as the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology intends to present the same to President Peter Mutharika by April 30.
