MBABANE – The University of Eswatini has extended the registration period for alumni council elections after an unexpectedly low number of former students signed up to participate.
Only 51 alumni had registered by Friday January 23, 2026, prompting the university to prolong the process in a renewed push to secure meaningful alumni representation on the institution’s highest decision-making body.
UNESWA Registrar Max Mkhonza said the extension was necessitated by the poor response despite the strategic importance of the elections at a time when the university is undergoing far-reaching reforms.
“Since the call for registration and nominations opened in early January 2026, only 51 former students had registered. This is extremely low when one considers that the university has produced well over 100 000 alumni over its history,” Mkhonza said.
He explained that the extension was not a routine administrative adjustment, but a deliberate effort to encourage alumni to take responsibility for the future of the national university. “This is not merely an administrative extension. It is a direct call to action. Alumni participation is not optional symbolism; it is foundational to effective governance,” he said.
Mkhonza said UNESWA is currently at a defining moment following the approval of a comprehensive turnaround and transformation framework informed by the recommendations of a Government Task Team.
He said the university council would play a central role in overseeing the reform process, making alumni representation critical. “Internationally, universities that recover and remain relevant do so because of active alumni engagement. Alumni bring independence, institutional memory and a long-term perspective that is essential during periods of reform,” he said.
Addressing concerns that some former students may feel disconnected or frustrated with the institution, Mkhonza said disengagement only weakens the university further. “We understand that frustration exists and in some cases, it is justified. However, withdrawal reduces alumni influence at the very moment it is most needed. The most effective way to influence change is participation,” he said. Two alumni representatives are expected to be elected to serve on the university council, where they will assume fiduciary and strategic responsibilities that will shape UNESWA’s financial sustainability, academic quality and institutional culture.
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