Tragedy!!! National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) has closed its Mzuzu Library due to inadequate funds. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior staff confided to this reporter that the project for the library has phased out and NICE has failed to raise funds to run the regional library.
“It is with great regrets that we have closed the library. But this is beyond our control because we do not have enough funds to run the library on its daily basis,” somberly the source said.
A hand scribed note on an A4 plain paper pasted on what used house the library greets people who patronized the library.
“Library closed!! We [NICE} have closed the Library since 27th April, 2009 and the office have been allocated to the Nice Regional Office…” reads the public notice.
The source further revealed that it is not known whether the library will reopens. The books belonging to the library have since been allocated to rural libraries that Nice runs. Asked on whether the rural libraries will also face the chop, the source stated that rural libraries are run using funds from a different project.
“The Library has closed for ever. This is because the project has been phased out. We are allocating the books to the rural libraries because funding for the projects is differently. As regards the future of this library, all I can say is that it has been closed indefinitely,” said the source.
When contacted, the administrator responsible for Northern Region NICE, could not precisely affirm the closure as a financial crisis but asked for more time
“Information as regards the closure of the library will be available on Monday next week (27th April, 2009.” On Monday, the administrator was reported to be out of office.
The closure of the library has affected various people in Mzuzu. 90 percent of the people interviewed clearly voiced their discontent as regards the library closure.
One student pursuing Rural and Community Development (Diploma 2), Wanagwa Chisiza referred to this as a tragedy.
“I pray that Nice reconsiders their decision and re-opens that library. The Mzuzu National Library has miniature capacity and can not accommodate all book guzzlers who patronized Nice Library.
“In addition, unlike the Mzuzu National Library, NICE provided us with updated research information to fill our academic craving. If nothing is done to reverse the situation, I fear for my fellow students who will not manage to cope up with this harsh reality” Chisiza expressed his distress.
Chisiza’s fears were reinforced by a staff at national library. “There are two things that can happen. We will be faced with overcrowding which provides ghastly environment for studying. Secondly, NICE can donate some of its library materials to us. However, let us wait for next week when he effect will start being felt. Only then can we express it better” a Mr. Kalua speaking on his personal capacity.
NICE was running the library with funding from the European Union (EU). In general, The National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) is a government of Malawi project funded by the European Union to consolidate the country’s democracy through encouraging Malawians to actively participate in public life through awareness initiatives and capacity building.
The project which was officially launched on 6th February 1999 just prior to the country’s second multiparty general elections, has been through three phases. The first phase run for a year, from February 1999 to June 2000. The second phase was from July 2000 to June 2006.
The current phase has been running since July 2006 and is expected to end December 2009.
In the current phase, the NICE aims at strengthening of the democratic process and increase of good governance in Malawi, by providing civic education on a permanent basis. NICE is implementing a variety of programs aimed at promoting awareness and internalization of democratic principles and values in the communities.
Through the Library services, NICE intended to provide civic education which is characterized by the continuous and permanent civic education to all Malawians.
Considering the benefits of the project, a proposal is underway to turn NICE into a governmental institution just like the Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB).
During this election period, the library was used as forum where people could participate in consolidating democracy and knowing their duties and how they can participate through articles which NICE pasted out.