‘UNIMA fee hike demonstrations on tomorrow’-Mayaya

Human right activist Billy Mayaya has said all is set for Thursday demonstrations against fee hike in public University despite President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika’s commitment to meet University of Malawi Students Union Leaders on the same day.

The recent fee hike by University Council by 400 percent has attracted mixed reaction from the general public with students from Chancellor College, Polytechnic, Kamuzu College of Nursing and College of Medicine protesting the hike.

Despite the protest University Council remained adamant and refused to revise the fees downward forcing Civil Society Organisation (CSOs) to join the ‪#‎FEESMUSTFALL‬ campaign with the demonstration scheduled for tomorrow.

As one way of frustrating the CSOs on the planned demonstrations, Mutharika moved in by calling an audience with the student union leaders the same day.

Writing on his official facebook page, Mayaya urged all concerned citizens to congregate at Kamuzu College of Nursing from 7am.

“WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE MONEY. WE MUST ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT UNIMA COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE MONEY.

“THEREFORE, WE MUST UNDERSTAND VERY WELL THAT OUR PARENTS TOO DO NOT HAVE MONEY TO PAY FOR SUCH EXORBITANT FEE AT UNIMA..!!!,” wrote Mayaya.

Added Mayaya: “IF GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HAVE MONEY, WHERE WILL OUR PARENTS GET THE MONEY? WHERE WILL THEY PLUCK THE MONEY YOU ARE DEMANDING?

“THE MAJORITY IF NOT ALL THOSE AT UNIMA COUNCIL AS OFFICIALS AND ALL THESE SAULOS CHILIMAs, MATHEWS CHIKAONDAs, OKOMAATANI MALUNGAs RALPH KASAMBARAs, MAXON MBENDERAs, DINGISWAYO MADISES AND 99% OF UNIMA LECTURERS WERE AT UNIMA.”