JZU Awarded Honorary PhD

By: Chikondi Magalasi

Former main opposition party leader John Tembo has been awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership Management by University of Malawi (UNIMA).

Tembo received his PhD on Wednesday afternoon in at Chancellor College in Malawi’s old capital, Zomba.

The former Reserve Bank of Malawi governor was the last to be awarded at the ceremony alongside other graduates from different constituent colleges of UNIMA for 2014/2015 academic year.

Ex Blantyre Secondary School student served as a member of parliament for Dedza South for 53 years thus from 1961 to 2014. He also taught at Dedza Secondary School.

He was MCP’s presidential candidate in 2004 and 2009 general elections respectively but was defeated by the former head of state Late Bingu  Wa Mutharika.

Tembo’s honorary degree comes barely weeks after The Polytechnic, a constituent college of the University of Malawi awarded Malawi’ first lady, Gertrude Mutharika, with  an honorary degree in Environmental Management.

She was awarded with this honorary degree because of her initiative for Beautify Malawi Trust (BEAM).

President Peter Mutharika presided over the congregation of which successful graduates in programmes such as Agriculture, Arts, Engineering, among others received their certificates, diplomas and degrees.

During the graduation, Edith Shame was awarded with Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics, Brown Bizwick Chimphamba got Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership and Management, and Alinane Linda Nyondo was awarded with Doctor of Philosophy in Health System and Policy.