UNIMA Students Participate in 2nd TESSAM 2023 Festival

Students from the University of Malawi excel not only in their studies but also in various competitions, including sports. On 4th and 5th November, 2023, UNIMA was among the 12 public and private colleges and universities that participated in the 2nd Sports Festival of the Tertiary Education Students Sports Association of Malawi (TESSAM), held in Lilongwe under the theme “Together we Thrive.” Over 400 students competed in various sports codes, including netball, football, basketball, athletics, and volleyball, among others.

During the opening ceremony, Mr. Samson P. Mawephe, the General Secretary of TESSAM, expressed his delight at the number of students who gathered in Lilongwe to participate in the Sports Festival. He emphasized the significance of these games to students, as they promote unity among all universities and colleges in the country, which is one of TESSAM’s key objectives: ensuring that all students are united through sports. Mr. Mawephe also mentioned that the festival provided a platform for TESSAM officials to select students who will represent Malawi in the 2024 Confederation of Universities and Colleges of Southern Africa (CUCSA) games in South Africa. He concluded by expressing gratitude to Nyasa Capital Finance and National Bank of Malawi for sponsoring the 2nd TESSAM Festival.

Commenting on the performance of UNIMA students, Mr. Courtex Nzima, UNIMA Sports Officer, expressed his delight at the way the students performed in the festival. He mentioned that the students delivered a remarkable performance in most of the sports codes when compared to their previous performances. He further indicated that, based on their performance, UNIMA might have a significant number of students selected to represent Malawi in the 2024 CUCSA games. Mr. Nzima also extended his gratitude to the University’s management for their financial support in enabling the students’ participation in the sports festival.

UNIMA achieved victory in athletics, with Mr. Benedicto Saka, a third-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Communications and Cultural Studies, earning two gold medals for completing the 5000-metre and 1500-metre races. In other sports disciplines, UNIMA students secured silver medals by finishing in the second position in men’s football, women’s basketball, and netball. They also claimed bronze medals by attaining the third position in women’s volleyball.