Brown Chimphamba is a Malawi

Malawi

The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...

an academic, civil servant and diplomat. He is the former Permanent Representative

Permanent Representative

A Permanent Representative is the head of a diplomatic mission to one of various international organisations. The best known of the organisations to which states send Permanent Representatives is the United Nations; of these, the most high-profile ones are those assigned to headquarters in New...

 to the United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

. He was also the chairman of the commission which ran the 1993 referendum

Malawian democracy referendum, 1993

A referendum on reintroducing multi-party democracy was held in Malawi on 14 June 1993. The result was a victory for the "yes" vote, resulting in fresh elections the following year, and the end to the reign of President-for-life Hastings Banda. Voter turnout for the referendum was 67% of the 4.7...

 which ended the rule of Hastings Banda

Hastings Banda

Hastings Kamuzu Banda was the leader of Malawi and its predecessor state, Nyasaland, from 1961 to 1994. After receiving much of his education overseas, Banda returned to his home country to speak against colonialism and advocate for independence...

's Malawi Congress Party

Malawi Congress Party

The Malawi Congress Party is a political party in Malawi.It was the successor to the Nyasaland African Congress , which was banned in 1959.The MCP was founded by Hastings Banda and other NAC leaders in 1960....

. He was also the Vice Chancellor of the University of Malawi

University of Malawi

The University of Malawi is an educational institution established in 1964 and composed of five constituent colleges located in Zomba, Blantyre, and Lilongwe. Of the five colleges, the largest is Chancellor College in Zomba. The name of the school is abbreviated to UNIMA. It is part of the...

.

Academic Freedom 2011

He was head of the Academic Freedom Commission in 2011, where democratically elected President Bingu Mutharika had a standoff with the lecturers at UNIMA

University of Malawi

The University of Malawi is an educational institution established in 1964 and composed of five constituent colleges located in Zomba, Blantyre, and Lilongwe. Of the five colleges, the largest is Chancellor College in Zomba. The name of the school is abbreviated to UNIMA. It is part of the...

. This was the result of a lecturer, Dr Blessings Chinsinga

Blessings Chinsinga

Dr. Blessings Chinsinga is a Malawian lecturer at the center of the Malawi Academic Freedom Stand off and eventual protests. He was a Senior lecturer in Development Administration, Public Policy Analysis and Institutions, and Development at University of Malawi's chancellor college...

 being summoned by the police Inspector General Peter Mukhito

Peter Mukhito

Peter Mukhito is the current Inspector General of Police in Malawi.He has gained notoriety for his involvement in interrogating Blessings Chinsinga which began the stand off for academic freedom in Malawi between Chinsinga and President Bingu wa Mutharika. He was also involved in the investigation...

 for comparisons he drew in a political science class with regards to the Egyption uprisings in 2011that resulted in the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak

Hosni Mubarak

Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak is a former Egyptian politician and military commander. He served as the fourth President of Egypt from 1981 to 2011....

. It led to the firing of Dr Blessings Chinsinga

Blessings Chinsinga

Dr. Blessings Chinsinga is a Malawian lecturer at the center of the Malawi Academic Freedom Stand off and eventual protests. He was a Senior lecturer in Development Administration, Public Policy Analysis and Institutions, and Development at University of Malawi's chancellor college...

, Jessie Kabwila-Kapasula

Jessie Kabwila-Kapasula

Dr. Jessie Kabwila-Kapasula is an academic, feminist, educator and activist. Her interests are in African feminism.Kabwila-Kapasula was the acting president of the Chancellor College Academic Staff Union that was fired during the stand off to ensure academic freedom at the University of Malawi that...

, Gaston Kanchedzera and Edge Kanyongoro. It also led to student protests at the University of Malawi

University of Malawi

The University of Malawi is an educational institution established in 1964 and composed of five constituent colleges located in Zomba, Blantyre, and Lilongwe. Of the five colleges, the largest is Chancellor College in Zomba. The name of the school is abbreviated to UNIMA. It is part of the...

. The six-man Commission of Inquiry, headed by Prof. Brown Chimphamba, was convened by Mutharika 'to define academic freedom, investigate the cause of the stand-off and propose measures to avoid future ones.'

Sources

• Opposition in Malawi Demands Ruler Yield Power New York Times, 17 June 1993