Chihana to Revive Mombera (M’mbelwa) University as Malawi’s Varsity Project Restarts
Former Vice-President Khumbo Kachali hails resumption of construction on purpose-built agriculture and science university, targeting first student intake by end of 2027.
Former Vice-President of Malawi, Khumbo Kachali, has hailed the resumption of construction of the stalled, purpose-built agriculture and science University, with the first student intake targeted for the end of 2027.
Malawi, which was under a ferocious dictatorship led by Hastings Kamuzu Banda until 1994, is currently experiencing a boom in the education sector with the establishment of new institutions of higher education. One such institution is Mombera University in Northern Malawi. It will be renamed M’mbelwa University and designed as a specialised agricultural and scientific institution with planned faculties including Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science and basic sciences. It focuses on livestock, dairy production, and mining, with initial plans to launch foundational science programmes.
Current President Peter Mutharika has since appointed Second Vice President, Enock Kamzingeni Chihana, to champion the project’s development.
“It is a strategic decision demonstrating the Mutharika administration’s determination to develop Mombera University.
“As you are aware, it is now close to seven years since any work was done there.
“We are grateful that President Arthur Peter Mutharika is seriously reviving the dream of former President, late Bingu wa Mutharika, who initiated the project,” says former Vice-President, Khumbo Hastings Kachali.
He says funds had already been allocated to start the project, and the on-campus road network was completed about seven years ago, when the current President was in power. But over the past six years, under President Chakwera’s administration, the Mombera project has been neglected.
“I am personally very happy and grateful that the President has appointed Right Honourable Chihana to champion the Mombera University Project. This shows commitment. Those of us who worked with late Bingu wa Mutharika would want to see the University Project come to its completion because he was very passionate about it,” Kachali said.
Mombera University was slated to be developed soon after the completion of the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) in Thyolo District in Southern Malawi. It is set to be the first purpose-built University in the Northern Region.
“You can imagine how the MUST has added beauty to Thyolo. If we can have a structure similar to MUST in Mzimba, Northern Region of Malawi, it will be a positive development for the nation.
“My major concern is that we have delayed the project because after Mombera, there were plans to build the University of Marine Biology in Mangochi. But as the saying goes, better late than never.”
Kachali, who is Member of Parliament for Mzimba West, also hailed Paramount Chief Inkosi ya Makhosi M’mbelwa V and his subjects for offering land to Mombera University without seeking any compensation, taking cognisance that the campus would likely benefit local communities.
On his part, the Inkosi ya Makhosi said the government should walk the talk in ensuring the Mombera University project is completed. “It’s not like the people of Mzimba are going to benefit from the project — this is a national project, and it will benefit all Malawians.”
At a recent stakeholder consultation meeting on construction, Second Vice-President Chihana said the government plans to complete the stalled Mombera University and admit the first students by the end of 2027.
In December 2025, Minister of Education, Science & Technology, Bright Msaka, assured that under the current administration, Mombera University will be a masterpiece that will contribute meaningfully to the country’s educational development.
At a meeting held at Sandton Hall Motel in Mzimba, Msaka emphasised the importance of all stakeholders fulfilling their responsibilities to ensure the success of this project, saying when completed, the project — which had been delayed due to funding challenges, irregularities in contract awarding, and shifting political priorities — will incorporate the Faculty of Animal Sciences as part of a broader plan to expand higher education in Malawi.
According to the Public Private Partnership Commission (PPPC) Chief Executive Officer, Patrick Kabambe, the commission has yet to receive any submissions from the responsible ministries regarding specific projects within the University that require private-sector participation or investment.
“We have had several discussions with the Office of the Second Vice President on the project — specifically the desire to explore public-private partnership options in the delivery of the infrastructure,” says Kabambe.
Malawi has a growing higher education sector with about 14 public and private universities and about 4 key specialised institutions offering diverse programs. and basic sciences.
On a different note, former Vice-President Kachali says people in the North are still looking forward to the long-awaited international airport, saying: “We should borrow a leaf from our colleagues in Tanzania, where, if you are in Mbeya, you can fly directly to China.
“Likewise, you would want people in Mzuzu to fly directly to South Africa or Zambia or Dar-es-Salaam instead of flying to Lilongwe first,” he said while urging the government to consider expediting the construction of airports in major tourist destinations in the country, including the much-anticipated Mangochi international airport.
Kachali also decried the state of the country’s roads, saying 60% of bitumen roads have outlived their lifespans, adding that the government needs to invest heavily in road construction and rehabilitation.
“It is a nightmare if you are travelling between Lilongwe and Blantyre or travelling to Zomba or anywhere else in the country. My simple advice to the government is to develop deliberate strategies to revamp road infrastructure.”
©Higher Education Media Services.