UTM Member of Parliament for Rumphi Central Matthews Mtumbuka has urged university students to remain determined in pursuing their ambitions, saying failure should be treated as a stepping stone to success.
Speaking during a gathering of the National Movement of Catholic Students (NMCS) at the University of Malawi (UNIMA), Mtumbuka, said young people should believe in themselves, work hard and seize opportunities regardless of their backgrounds.
Drawing from his personal journey, Mtumbuka recounted growing up as the son of two teachers at rural Catholic primary schools in Rumphi, enrolling at St Patrick’s Seminary to become a priest, before switching to engineering at the then Polytechnic, now MUBAS.
He said he later founded a renewable energy NGO, won a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford, and earned his PhD at 27, becoming the youngest Malawian to do so at the time.
He said after working for Shell Oil in Scotland, he returned to Malawi in 2009 to serve the country, working at Malswitch, now NITEL, and later Airtel for eight years before leading two international engineering and IT firms.
In 2023 he retired early to start his own business, which now employs over 80 people, including more than 10 graduates.
Mtumbuka, who joined politics in 2024 following the death of former Vice-President Saulos Chilima, said he had also faced setbacks, including losing the 2025 presidential election as Dalitso Kabambe’s running mate, before winning the Rumphi Central parliamentary by-election in March 2026.
“Failure is a stepping stone for success. Those who fear failure, fear success,” he said.
He acknowledged the challenge of graduate unemployment and appealed to government to create jobs in mining, manufacturing and export-oriented industries, and to partner with countries needing skilled labour.
He urged students to start small through internships, volunteering and businesses, maintain good health and a positive attitude, and use success to serve society.