Students in court following protests

More than 40 university students in Malawi have appeared in court for violent behaviour during protests against the non-payment of allowances, a police spokesperson said last week. The students at Mzuzu University went on the rampage after waiting for nearly three months to be paid allowances. The university is Malawi's second public higher education institution.

"Those cases are now before the courts. Once a case is before the courts, I can't comment," police spokesperson Edward Longwe told University World News. "More than 40 students were arrested following the riots. The situation was brought under control."

Meanwhile, the media has reported that one Mzuzu University student, Sara Nakhozwe-Nkoma, is suing the security forces in the High Court for injuries sustained when they stormed the university campus to restore order. Nakhozwe-Nkoma alleges that a brutal attack by heavy-handed law enforcement agents left her unable to walk.

Demonstrations by Malawian university students have subsided in the past five years since the coming to power of President Bingu wa Mutharika, who was re-elected for a second term in May. Wa Mutharika, a western-educated economist, has turned Malawi's economy into one of the fastest-growing in the world and last year it posted a 9.7% growth.