The Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) effort to appoint one of its members, Mackford Somanje, as a commissioner at the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has hit a roadblock.
The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has rejected Somanje’s qualification, casting doubt on his eligibility for the position.
According to NCHE, a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree awarded to Somanje by the University of South Africa (Unisa) in June 1994 is not recognized. The council’s investigation found that, Somanje did not register for any subjects with Unisa despite having a student number created in December 2004 and also the wording, fonts, signatory, and other details on the certificate do not match a genuine Unisa 1994 certificate.
The DPP had submitted Somanje’s name to President Lazarus Chakwera for consideration, but the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) sought verification of his academic qualifications from NCHE.
The party has written to OPC seeking clarification on the delays in appointing Somanje to the position.
This development raises questions about Somanje’s eligibility for the MEC commissioner role and the potential impact on the appointment process. Stay tuned for further updates on this story.
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