By Suleman Chitera
Mzimba — Pressure group Malawi First has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Ministries of Finance, Education, Transport, and Public Works demanding a full account of how billions of kwachas allocated for the construction of Mbelwa University in Mzimba have been used — when no single structure stands at the site.
Speaking during a press conference held Wednesday at the deserted project site, Malawi First President Bonnie Kalindo said Malawians deserve answers on what he termed “the grandest construction scandal of our time.” He further called on the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to swiftly launch investigations into the suspected abuse of public funds meant for the university.
“This is unacceptable. Billions were allocated, but today, nothing — absolutely nothing — stands here apart from a ghost road project that contractors have also abandoned. We want answers within seven days,” Kalindo said.
However, Government Spokesperson Moses Kunkuyu, who also serves as Minister of Information, dismissed Kalindo’s ultimatum, calling it a mere publicity stunt.
“Instead of issuing ultimatums, Kalindo can simply request the information from relevant ministries. The government has nothing to hide on this matter,” Kunkuyu said.
The university, initially called Mombera University, was launched in 2015 by then-President Peter Mutharika, who even unveiled a commemorative plaque. But a decade later, the project remains a barren field, save for a partially completed tar-marked road that has since been left unattended.
As frustrations mount among Mzimba residents and the nation at large, eyes now turn to government ministries and oversight bodies to break the silence on the fate of the long-promised Mbelwa University.
