Blantyre City Mayor Without a Classmate: What Isaac Jomo Osman’s Rise Really Means for Malawi

The election of Isaac Jomo Osman as Mayor of Blantyre City has sparked a heated national debate—one that exposes Malawi’s deep-rooted assumptions about education, leadership, and who is “qualified” to govern. While many ordinary citizens celebrate Jomo’s victory as a story of resilience and possibility, a vocal section of self-proclaimed elites insists that the mayor’s lack of formal schooling makes him unfit for office.

Yet the criticism misses the larger point: Jomo’s journey is a reminder that leadership is not manufactured in classrooms. It is forged in experience, courage, and service.

Jomo’s life story begins far from privilege. A former street kid in Blantyre, he never had the chance to sit in a classroom—an experience his critics often flaunt as their badge of superiority. His early life was spent navigating the streets, working as a call boy in Limbe, and eventually rising to lead his peers through confidence and instinctive leadership.

Through sheer determination, he went on to:

• Establish Mtopwa Stars Football Club
• Run an orphanage supporting vulnerable children
• Sponsor a netball team
• Win the Deputy Mayor position in 2024
• Be elected Mayor of Blantyre City in 2025

These are tangible achievements—community-centered, impact-driven, and self-built. Degrees did not create them. Vision did.

Those attacking Osman’s educational background forget one fundamental principle of democracy: leadership is chosen by the people, not awarded by academic institutions.

If the educated critics believe they are better qualified, they should contest elections—yet few do. Many prefer to participate from the comfort of social media timelines, offering commentary but avoiding the responsibility that comes with serving the public. Democracy does not belong to the educated alone. It belongs to all citizens, regardless of background.

The world is full of examples proving that formal education is not the sole path to leadership or innovation. Some of the most successful global figures—including Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and Richard Branson—rose to prominence without university degrees. They thrived because of creativity, drive, and insight, not diplomas.

Even Africa has its examples. Zimbabwe’s self-taught inventor who developed groundbreaking energy and automobile concepts is living proof that genius is not confined to classrooms. Instead of celebrating him, some mock and undermine him—just as some Malawians are doing with Jomo.

Jomo’s rise reflects qualities often missing in traditional leaders such as confidence, high self-esteem, fearlessness, connection with grassroots communities, strategic intuition and commitment to youth empowerment.

These are traits shaped by real-life struggle—not textbooks. Osman’s election should serve as a national reflection point. It challenges Malawians to rethink narrow definitions of leadership and to recognize that real change often comes from those who have lived the struggles of ordinary people. Leadership requires heart, not just head and the impact requires action, not just theories. Democracy requires participation, not just criticism.

Isaac Jomo Osman has transformed his life from street survival to community service and now city leadership. He has built institutions, uplifted youth, and earned public trust—tasks many degree holders have never attempted. Mockery is misplaced. Recognition is overdue.

Jomo is not simply a mayor without a classmate. He is a reminder that Malawi’s next generation of leaders may emerge from unlikely places—driven not by paper qualifications, but by purpose, courage, and lived experience. This is not just his victory. It is a lesson for the nation.