By Pemphero Malimba:
President Lazarus Chakwera has urged graduates at Malawi Assemblies of God University (Magu) to seek the empowerment of the Holy Spirit for them to refrain from the plunder of public resources and abuse of office.
Chakwera said this Friday during the university’s 12th congregation held in Lilongwe.
Chakwera said the knowledge the graduates have gained during their studies is not enough to prevent them from being overpowered by evil in society.
“No amount of academic study is going to help you resist the temptation to abuse your office. For that you need the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
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“No amount of academic study is going to help you resist the temptation to be a coward when the time comes to confront people who are not doing their jobs. For that you need the empowerment of the Holy Spirit,” Chakwera added.
He said seeking God’s empowerment can help the graduates to serve the country better.
“Greater is he who is in you than the evil spirits that will try to oppose you and obstruct you from completing your heavenly assignment from God.
“Greater is he who is in you than any money, power, or privilege in the world that may be dangled in your face to distract you from serving your God and your country,” he said.
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He said he was excited to see that the Malawi Assemblies of God Church living its dream of owning a university in the country.
“I can say here without any fear of contradiction that the Malawi Assemblies of God University is absolutely right in pursuing the goal of producing graduates whose qualification for leadership goes beyond academics,” he said.
During the event, Malawi Assemblies of God Church President Reverend Benito Chisamba was installed as the new chancellor of the university.
His conferment follows his election as the new president of the church in August this year, which automatically led him to assume the chancellorship per the church’s constitution.
In his remarks, Chisamba pledged the university’s continued support towards improvement of access to quality higher education in the country.
Magu Council chairperson Teddie Nakhumwa bemoaned economic challenges the institution is facing in its quest for expansion.
“It is not easy with the way the economy is to expand the institution by coming up with tangible infrastructure. However this is a slow process and we know that as numbers grow and income improves we will also invest in infrastructure,” Nakhumwa said.
He therefore appealed to Chakwera to help in improving allocation of student loans to the university’s students.
The graduation which saw 358 students receiving certificates, diplomas, degrees, masters degrees and Doctors of Philosophy (PhDs) in various programmes was held under the theme ‘Empowering tomorrow’s leaders, innovative, lead and inspire’.
Currently, the university which offers various programmes such as Education, Community Development, Commerce and Theology, has an enrollment of at least 1,500 students.
It was established in 2013 following a resolution which was made in 2010 by the then leadership.
