Universities’ loan board buys car – At students’ expense?

Malawi’s Higher Education Students Loans and Grants Board has bought a MWK89 million (US$122,000) Land Cruiser TX for its executive director as many university students in Malawi are struggling to get loans, writes Russell Kondowe for Malawi 24.

According to reports, the board has already paid the money to Toyota Malawi for the vehicle to be used by the executive director for the board, Chris Chisoni – a former critic of government who usually spoke against abuse of public funds.

Currently, a lot of underprivileged university students in Malawi are failing to access loans from the loans board due to what the board usually says is lack of funds. Some students are still studying in universities because well-wishers paid their fees. Social commentator Onjezani Kenani usually mobilises funds for needy university students through his Facebook page. He wrote recently that in the past four days he had received nine requests for financial assistance.
Full report on the Malawi 24 site