MALAWI: Academic calls commission a 'gimmick'

The University of Malawi council, academics and students hope to resolve their months-long academic freedom dispute after President Bingu wa Mutharika set up a commission to investigate the issue last month. But academics say the commission's mandate is unclear, its constitution problematic - and it could be a "political gimmick".

Lecturers see the commission as "a possible means to address the causes of our fears to teach and get assurances that academic freedom will be respected, protected and facilitated in Malawi," Dr Jessie Kabwila-Kapasula, Acting President of the Chancellor College Academic Staff Union, told University World News.

Academics want the police and government to "unequivocally indicate to academics that no member of staff or student will be summoned, interrogated or otherwise threatened because of the contents of a lecture or other academic endeavours again," said Kabwila-Kapasula, who in past few months has received death threats for her outspokenness.

But their hopes might be dashed, given the events of the year so far, and the way the commission has been set up does not bode well. Kabwila-Kapasula said there had been lack of consultation in setting up the commission.

"Nobody has communicated to us, except through the national radio station where the objectives of the commission were expressed in very broad and vague terms. There is also no known methodology on how it will carry out its work," she said.

The turmoil over academic freedom began in January, when Chancellor College political science lecturer Dr Blessings Chinsinga was summoned by Inspector General of Police Peter Mukhito for an interrogation over a discussion he led in class where parallels were drawn between Malawi's fuel crisis and popular uprisings in North Africa.

Academics went on strike to protest against the infringement of academic freedom and to demand an apology and assurances that such an incident would not happen again. Neither was forthcoming and the president publicly supported Mukhito. Students began boycotting classes on 12 February.

Two campuses were closed indefinitely following the protests and the firing of four lecturers involved in the lecturer union, including Chinsinga: Chancellor College, a campus of the University of Malawi in the south, and the polytechnic in Blantyre.

But High Court Judge Godfrey Mwase ruled against the sackings and ordered the university council not to withhold lecturer salaries or completely close down the campuses.

Academics have claimed that Malawi is drifting back into dictatorship and, along with students, opposition parties and citizens, have demanded the resignation of Mutharika, chancellor of most public universities, and his Education Minister brother Arthur Mutharika, who has presidential aspirations.

Leading Malawian professors, including several in the diaspora, petitioned the government and proposed a commission of inquiry into academic freedom and reform of higher education.

Announcing the commission last month, Mutharika said its role was "to inquire into the root causes of the disputes" and come up with a lasting solution.

The commission is chaired by University of Malawi former Vice-chancellor Professor Brown Chimphamba and includes Professor Moira Chimombo, a lawyer Krishna Savjan, Catholic Bishop Emeritus Felix Mkhori and former civil servant Beaton Munthali. Chief Legal Advocate Bruno Kalemba is the secretary.

But Kabwila-Kapasula told University World News the commission lacked credibility and was likely to take some time to complete its investigation during which time higher education would continue to be disrupted. Also, the President had the right to decide whether to accept or reject its recommendations.

She said the commission had not been properly constituted because its formation had not yet been published in the government gazette. Legally the commission could not start working until its members had sworn an oath which also had also not yet been done. She also noted the commission had excluded key players in the saga such as the police and students. "It is easy to think the commission is just a political gimmick," she said.