Zomba City Mayor pays a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor

The University of Malawi has long been associated with Zomba City, sometimes referred to as a university city by enthusiasts of the university. Since the construction of the university in Zomba, UNIMA has continued to be an important part of the city, serving as a historical landmark, but also playing a significant role in the city’s economy. This is why the city and the university have for a long time enjoyed a good relationship.

In a recent development, His Lordship the Mayor of Zomba City, Councillor Christopher Jana, paid a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor of UNIMA, Professor Samson Sajidu, on 23 July, 2024 to discuss potential areas for collaboration between the city council and UNIMA. The meeting, held at the university boardroom, proved to be fruitful for UNIMA and marked the beginning of a potential memorandum of understanding with the city council. Several issues affecting both UNIMA and the city were discussed during the visit, including safety and security, environmental concerns, and accommodation issues, particularly for students living off-campus.

During the meeting, the mayor commended UNIMA for its initiatives in keeping the city green through tree planting and maintaining clean surroundings, highlighting the university's commitment to protecting the environment. He emphasized the importance of institutions along the road maintaining green surroundings to enhance the city's environment and beauty. The mayor also encouraged the university, along with other institutions and residents of the city, to take a keen interest in the affairs of the city council and to follow up on issues affecting them. He further stressed the need for collaboration among the council, institutions like UNIMA, and businesspersons to jointly develop the city rather than working in isolation.

The Vice Chancellor had the opportunity to learn about the current projects and future plans of the city. Addressing the issue of accommodation, the mayor mentioned plans to engage local chiefs in Chikanda and surrounding areas, where UNIMA students reside, to discuss on ways of improving hostel standards in their areas.

As an institution of higher education, UNIMA was asked to come up with programs that could assist the council in achieving some of its goals, a suggestion the Vice Chancellor readily agreed to support.

In an effort to explore areas of collaboration and mutual benefit, Dr. Jonas Mwatseteza, the UNIMA Director of Students’ Affairs, who was also present at the meeting, proposed to the mayor that the city council should involve UNIMA students in voluntary work that could benefit both students and the city, providing valuable experience for the students. He further suggested using Chanco Community Radio and TV as tools to educate residents on important issues such as environmental conservation, to address some of the challenges the city faces.