Zebedee’s column - Feedback
by Zebedee - Saturday, November 15, 2008 - 11:16:47

Dear Zebs,
I would like to respond to your article which appeared in the Malawi News, dated 18th-24th October. In the first place, I would like to know if you did a thorough research on University of Livingstonia before you wrote that article because if you did, you wouldn’t have come up with such an article.
I am one of the recent graduates from the college. I know almost everybody at the college. You will find students with names like Mkadalira Bitoni, Clement Kachingwe and Antony Kazembe. Tell me, where in the north can you find Kachingwe or Bitoni? About the interview, I want to let you know that the interviews are done in English. If the college officials spoke Tumbuka among themselves at a certain point, then there was no problem. The University is in the north, some of its staff comes from the north and in the north they speak Tumbuka. So, what's wrong with that? Let's be proud of our culture!

It's not good to tarnish the image of the university which has trained me, a person from the north as well as others from the two regions to be where we are today. UNILIA is not promoting tribalism and nepotism as you are claiming. Rather, through excellence in teaching and a conducive environment ,it is transforming society for the glory of God.

Fresh UNILIA graduate,
Mary Jere via e-mail


Dear Mary,
Firstly, I didn’t mention any university by name. Secondly, if you think three students out of forty( or so) fairly represent the other two regions, there is no way we can agree. I suspect the three also come from the same region. They just changed their names for convenience. Thanks for writing, please write again, Zebs

University Entrance Exams not transparent

Dear Zebs,

Allow me to comment on your recent column pertaining to the merit system which appeared in the newspaper article of October 18 - 24, 2008.
I personally favour the quota system because I feel it is more transparent and accountable. You will agree with me that the present system being used by the University of Malawi is and other state funded University is not transparent. Persons favouring the so called merit system do not have facts to back up their argument.

The University has never published the results of the University Entrance Examination results in the newspapers or any publications that members of the public have access to. If the University does publish the figures, then most of us have never seen them. Go around the streets of Blantyre or Lilongwe and ask people if they have come across the results of the University Entrance Exams. I bet you the answer by the majority is no. Only the University gurus know the results and as such, it is safe to say that University selection is only on merit to them. To most of us, it is difficult to prove that the students that have been selected to the University, in the previous 15 years, have been selected on merit. If they are the facts and the figures to prove that it has always been on merit, let them publish the figures for all of us to see.

I also believe that the quota will not place any region or district at a disadvantage. I received my Secondary School in the south and I remember very well students from districts which are perceived to be backward excelling in class. In fact we had a student from Nsanje who passed his MSCE with six points. In another year, it was a student from Mangochi that excelled. In that year, at that school, no one below 20 points was ever selected to the University, irrespective of where he came from. I therefore welcome the quota system and I also recommend that the University Entrance Exams should be done away with.

J. Masamba
Lilongwe via e-mail

Dear, J Masamba,

Thank you for your contribution to this debate which I really appreciate. Thanks for writing, please write again, Zebs.

Quota system is good

Zebs am pleased with your column. The column of 18 October was good one. I support the quota system of selecting students. This system will help to share the little space we have in our universities fairly. Kamuzu knew what he was doing, he wasn’t a fool that's why he introduced a quota system. Zebs am also wondering why is it that all the students from the college you referred in your column come from one region. This tribalism must be stopped.
Oscar Lemon via e-mail

End piece

A very wealthy friend was hurt and disappointed by the death of his son. He was grooming the son to run his businesses, but apart from that he really loved the son. Unfortunately, I may say so, the son also loved his wife just as much. As a result, all the property he had was jointly owned with his wife. All his two house, two cars, three trucks and a farm somewhere were jointly owned. After the funeral my wealthy friend began to hear rumuours that his son was killed by his daughter in-law. She killed him “softly”, feeding him low doses of ‘Termic’ over a period of time until he died. So, if you want to kill your husband softly, now you know how it’s done.

It seems “husbandcide” is quite common or am I mistaken? There have been reports recently that a certain wife hired some assassins to kill off her husband because he was drinking off his gratuity with some “Mahules” who wouldn’t? When I get to get my pension I shall drink just a few with some mahule friends who occasionally buy three or four KucheKuche for me! Then there was that story from Chigumula where a certain young wife decided to castrate her husband using a razor blade. Luckily, he was referred to a hospital as quickly as was possible. I don’t want to ask questions if he is really alright. What matters is and important is to be alive regardless of whether you are really alright or not. But what has really cheesed me off about these two or three incidents is that the usual and well-known busybodies who make noises when men “injure women” have remained silent! Are wives free to kill or “injure” their husbands? Why adopt duplicitous standards? Why this deafening silence? That is why sometimes I don’t really feel sorry when angry and bitter men chop off their wives’ hands.


“Some MPs do not tell us where exactly they are staying. They will tell you that despite that they live in town they always go home to consult.” Stanislas Chisanu Deputy Clerk of Parliament, “The Daily Times”, (reported by Sellina Nkowani)

“Free and fair elections start now and later. We are really surprised when Mec gives an impression that it is ready to administer free, fair and transparent 2009 general elections when the situation on the ground is different.” John Chikalimba, Chairperson of the Defence and Security Committee, “The Daily Times”, (reported by Vincent Phiri)

“This country is supposed to be poor, without gold, copper and other minerals. Others have got these. We may not have gold, copper, but we are not starving, we are not naked either.” Late Ngwazi Dr H Kamuzu Banda, “The Daily Times” (from We were there column)

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