Mzuni Students Seek Legal Attention over Graduation Delay

Mzuzu University (Mzuni) students are seeking legal redress over management’s delays to hold graduation for 2017/18 cohort over a year down the line.

The graduating students’ representative, Happy Mvula, said they have, in vain, been holding talks with the school’s management.

Mvula further added that 19 July has been set in order to ease the student as the day is just too close.

“to date, the university has not made any official communication to the students’ community. They are only speculating of the date being July 19 this year. The date is also just too close for the graduating students to prepare. You should bear in mind that some of the students come from as far as Nsanje. They need money for transport, gowns and accommodation,” he Up said.

Mvula added that they rendered the matter to legal Aid Bureau to seek legal advise, where they were advised to lodge the complaint to the office of the ombudsman.

“We have filed a complaint to Legal Aid Bureau which has advised us that the issue might take a long time. They have advised us to lodge a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman. We have done that and we are waiting to hear from them.”

Mzuni Students Representative Council Director of Publications, Ben Chazama, said they had also been told about the new date for the graduation.

University Registrar, James Kwilimbe, could not be reached for a comment but his deputy, Joseph Chagoma, simply said “that is the plan of management to have the graduation on 19 July”.

The institution has been embroiled in several challenges including lack of a library. The students use a recreation hall for a library.

Earlier, the students complained over the absence of a vice chancellor at the institution.

President Peter Mutharika appointed John Kalenga Saka to the position and he reported for duties Monday.