To say that the presidential re-run election on 23 June 2020 was unique is an understatement.  The uniqueness started in 2019 when the five judges of the Constitutional Court nullified the results of 2019 presidential election after finding out that there were irregularities.  Honestly speaking, nullifying the election for a President who had already been sworn in was not an easy thing.  In fact, the Malawi Judiciary made a name on the continent of Africa.  Without doubt the decisions by the Judiciary gave Malawi some confidence in their quest for change in leadership.  The judges’ decision also quashed the mistaken belief that once a President elect is sworn in, no one should expect the reverse.

Meanwhile, the handling of the election cases by the Judiciary gave Malawians confidence to go out and vote decisively.  Hence president Chakwera under the Tonse alliance had a convincing win of one million votes over and above Mutharika’s votes.  So far, the majority of Malawians are happy with President Chakwera as well as the Vice-President Chilima.  These two leaders promised to be servant leaders which has been missing in the past leaders.  It goes without saying that Malawians have all manner of problems that they wish to have a listening leader.  In addition, the leadership should have empathy.  This is unlike the past leaders.  One can remember President Mutharika who seemed to have a culture of silence.  So many things could happen that people want the President to say something to assure the citizens about their security and yet the President would say nothing.  For example, there was a time when HRDC leaders were petrol-bombed in their houses and property destroyed, Mutharika said nothing even though in this country petrol bombs are a new scare.  There is need to stop the practice before more people lose their property.  By not commenting on the petrol bombs, those people using them might have thought the President had given them a green light.

Mutharika might have known the militant behaviour of the DPP cadets.  There was need for him to come up with a bold condemnation.  But he did not instead cadets continued with their scaring people.

For a long time, people of Malawi have been crying for servant leadership which seems to have been found in Chakwera and Chilima, things will no longer be the same.  Both leaders have started with enthusiasm to take this country to another level of development while giving people a lot of hope and expectation.

As it were, for a very long-time parastatals have been working at their own slow pace because no leadership would check them.  At the moment Vice President Chilima has been to some of them to discuss with senior management.  Wherever he has been Chilima has left an indelible mark while advising them to pull up their socks failing which they will be shown the exit door.  The Vice President has called a spade a spade and leaving no one in doubt.

As for President Chakwera, he has been bold enough to go to Parliament to answer questions.  He did exceptionally well while leaving no stone unturned.  At the moment the ball is in MPs’ court to ask on more complex issues instead of wasting time on trivia.

The leadership have shown their boldness within the law.  Let Malawians follow suit.

The debate on whether as a country, abortion should be made legal or not rages on. In the past week, the public discourse has centred around this issue with both pro-life and pro-choice sides passionately defending their position—in some instances, people have diverted from the debate and got too personal attacking the person instead of their viewpoint.

As expected, the pro-life side which includes religious leaders and institutions has been quite vocal and blatant in calling abortion as “murder”, “killing” and “evil”. This group argues that life begins at conception and goes on to call those who seek abortion services, safe or unsafe, as sinners who will face the wrath of God.

This group’s narrative on the issue of abortion is mostly accompanied by threats and emotional blackmailing. Random verses are thrown into the discussion to justify their position and mostly importantly, to silence any dissenting views. On the other hand, the pro-choice side’s voices are somehow hushed.

Since the debate resurfaced few weeks ago, what has been conspicuously missing is the voice of women the subject of the debate. It is the men that are controlling and dominating the debate.

Women are not things. Women are human beings whose human rights matter, including women’s basic reproductive rights. Those who argue that abortion should not be legalised do so with the intent to control the sexual autonomy of women. It is about owning women as things.

“Termination of pregnancy is killing babies” the anti-abortion movement argues. Those who grew up hearing nothing else are not lying when they say they believe life begins at conception. They are entitled to that belief, as long as they don’t weaponise it to punish women and girls. The question of whether a fetus is a person is conveniently unanswered by the anti-abortion. The question of whether a woman is a person, however, is not up for debate—and it is female personhood, not fetal personhood, that should decide the issue of basic bodily autonomy.

I am pro-choice. I am for women having autonomy over their bodies and I support legalising abortion so that women and girls who for one reason or the other seek abortion services, do so in a safe environment.

But my personal feelings about the meaning of life don’t matter here. As the philosopher Judith Jarvis Thomson put it, what matters more—far more—is women’s freedom to control their own lives. Even if abortion ends a human life, forcing a woman to give birth against her will is worse.

(Embattled PDP leader of opposition questions the legality of the tribunal that is questioning his usurping of power)

Court clerk: All silence! The court of his Lordship Judge Mbadwa is now in session.

Judge Mbadwa:  This court will hear from Sangalalani Ndakhumudwa of the People’s Demagogic Party (PDP). Ndakhumudwa is questioning the legality of the tribunal that has been set to hear his case on charges that he defied the authority of Mapuya and that, among others, he misled the party president and that he has been courting people with connections to the government side.

Mr Ndakhumudwa why do you think the committee that has been instituted to hear your case is illegal?

Ndakhumudwa: My Lord, I want to categorically state that the whole charge sheet was wrongly conceived. The offences the charge sheet claim I committed should have been laid on somebody else. I want also to state that the disciplinary committee was illegally constituted.

My Lord, the first charge of undermining the authority of president Mapuya on the appointment of Leader of Opposition is a laughable charge to me. My Lord, I have not undermined any president of the party on the issue mentioned in the charge sheet.

Firstly, My Lord, there is a proper way of communicating sensitive information on party appointments and it has neither been through WhatsApp nor SMS. The party’s secretary general never raised a memo indicating that I am going to be the party’s Chief Whip in Parliament. My Lord, I am one of the party’s vice-presidents and I don’t remember the party’s politburo meeting to appoint a Leader of Opposition. Mapuya has no legal mandate to make unilateral decisions like the one he claims he made through a phone message because it was unconstitutional.  

My Lord, the charge sheet claims I bade the president bye when I was asked about communication to the Speaker on the new leadership developments , but how would I know I was not talking to an impostor on such an important issue? I repeat, why didn’t the party through SG make an official announcement in the media?

The second charge of misleading the president fails on the count of the charge number one which I have already addressed.

My Lord, meeting a person with a different political affiliation is not a criminal offence and by the way, what position does the official hostess hold in Lazaro’s cockerel party? This charge was conceived out of jealousy of my outgoing lifestyle which Mapuya has failed to copy.

My Lord, why should the question of my academic credentials arise now that PDP is in opposition?  I was elected vice-president of the party at a convention not on the basis of my academic qualifications but by popular vote. The questions should not arise now because I have never questioned whether Mapuya was a law professional of note in America as he claims considering the legal gaffes we saw during his reign.

My Lord, the disciplinary committee was wrongly constituted and it is my submission that it is a kangaroo court.  The complainant in the matter is somebody who was not privy to the so-called communication from Mapuya to me. Why wouldn’t such claims constitute hearsay? My Lord, I will not go down alone in this matter. Mapuya, too, has dragged the party down! I rest my case.

Mbadwa: This court is not going to stop the due disciplinary process that has been started.  We would advise that the complainant, by way of appeal, can ask this court to nullify the decision of that tribunal, should it reach that far, on the basis of law and evidence submitted.  But no decision has yet been made to the contrary; hence we would not engage in an academic exercise. However, we agree that a charge sheet should always contain a clear and accurate representation of the facts not based on whims. I dismiss the case.

Court Clerk: All rise!

Dear BMW,

I am 28 and a God-fearing married man from one of the middle-class locations in the city of Blantyre. I have for a long time enjoyed a warm but unsuspicious married woman in her 40’s who I met during one of my business trips.

Out of some tiny mutual interests we happened to have exchanged our numbers. And cordially, we have sustained some unique WhatsApp-relationship. Besides our occasional how are you today’s and other inquiries of such nature, we have rarely played beyond acceptable limits.

All was well until the day my mobile phone screen was greeted with a buzzing semi-nude picture from my lady friend. I should admit the image surpassed all the imaginations that I had about what is always hidden in the tailor-made designer clothes that the woman always spots.

I was at a loss when I received the picture as I didn’t request for it, therefore, I wasn’t expecting it either. I went numb and mute.  The silence was only broken two hours later when I received a text from my friend apologising for a “Wrong Parking”. Well, much as it was wrong, but not entirely on my side, I told her how beautiful she is. To my surprise, she made rejoinders which showed she was enjoying my comments which I thought were misplaced.

Unfortunately, her hubby got hold of her phone last week and accessed our X-rated chat and now he is all over threatening to shoot the life out of me the day he will locate me. BMW, what should I do to justify my innocence in all this?

Scared Blantarian (SB)

Dearest SB,

In the past, married women flirting with men was a taboo and one who was caught in such a scenario was usually sent a way to her parents to be taught some manners. 

However, today, things are different and it is no longer uncommon to find someone’s wife comfortably taking lunch with a supervisor or a colleague somewhere in a dimly lit corner of a hotel during lunch break.

By now, men should be aware that their wives—who are working or doing businesses away from home—have already hooked up or are on the verge of doing so with someone who keeps them company—call it Plan B. The stay-at-home wives are not spared either as they seek the company of the caretaker, or just a random available man, most likely the garden boy.

I can tell you that many of today’s married women do not have boundaries when they are away from their spouses. In fact, I have come across such wives who are hesitant to disclose their marital status for the purpose of hooking up with another guy in the workplace, in the business settings, or a social setting.

Even those who are supposed to sport their marriage or engagement rings take them off in such settings and to hide their marriage identity. They put them on when they are heading home.

So if you ask me, why do married women give us their numbers, I can say here without looking over my shoulder that nawonso ndi anthu, they are free to mingle away from their husbands.

But that’s a story for another day, because I think you want to fool me. At first, I thought you are a God-fearing man as you have described yourself only to discover that I am dealing with an idiot. You, my friend wants to sleep with the woman!

Indeed if you are God-fearing as you claim to be, you should have deleted the photo, blocked the woman and never got in touch with her. But there you were drooling over a married woman and telling her she is stunning. What a fool you are.

By the way, if I were the woman’s husband I would have not even tried to make contact, I would have traced where you work and embarrass you at your workplace.

Stop charming married women unless you are ready to go six-feet under before hitting 40. Dyera bwanji?

Big Man Wamkulu

The International Netball Federation (INF) has announced that the Netball World Youth Cup, which Malawi will compete in, will be staged in December next year.

In July, INF in consultation with the host country Fiji decided to postpone the event from June 2021, following the uncertainty emanating from  Covid-19 Pandemic.

“It will take place during the period from the December 1st to19th 2021; the precise start and end dates of the netball competition will be confirmed in the forthcoming weeks,” wrote INF on its website.

Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) general secretary Carol Bapu welcomed the new schedule, saying it offers them enough time to prepare for the games.

“We are comfortable with  the  dates as this will help us to have more time to prepare. You might be aware that these are youths and most of them, except for two or three will be their  first competition.

“We need to prepare  them well and one way of doing that is to expose them thus by having them play with  other countries  before the actual competition,” she said.

The Africa qualifiers for the World Cup where nearly 20 teams will pitch up, were cancelled this year.

And Bapu said Malawi has qualified after INF decided to use rankings to determine the teams that will contest.

“The qualifiers were cancelled and instead they have used the world rankings so we have qualified  because  we are number 6 in the world,” she said.

INF stated that it consulted all the teams before setting the dates.

“Briefing and consultation meetings were held via Zoom on the 18th August and a questionnaire was distributed to the teams to understand each nation’s views regarding the postponement of the event and preferences on whether the event should be delayed to later in 2021, postponed to 2022 and beyond, or cancelled entirely,” the statement reads.

“There was continuing support for the event to take place from the member nations and a strong preference for the December 2021 dates, with the hopes and dreams of the young athletes who have been preparing to take part at the heart of their thinking.”

INF president, Liz Nicholl described the  World Youth Cup as  “the pinnacle of competition for emerging players and provides a pathway for developing elite players, coaches and match officials.

Fiji’s Minister for Youth and Sports Praveen Kumar Bala said the country was working towards ensuring the safety of the teams amid Covid-19 threat.

“We will continue to work closely with INF and other relevant authorities in ensuring that all event-related risks are addressed in regards to the safety and well-being of our visitors as well as the local workforce,” he said. na

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Justice Chifundo Kachale has expressed concern with the low turn-up of new registrants for the ongoing voter registration and verification exercise for the  the November 10 by-elections.

Speaking when he inspected progress of the voter registration and verification exercise in registration centres of Mchacha, Bodza and Mitondo primary schools in Mankhwira South Ward, Chikwawa on Friday where it transpired that only few new registrants were being captured, the MEC chairperson feared the situation may lead to voter apathy.

He said: “On our part, we have ensured that we put everything else in place to ensure that people in the country register and verify their names to take part in the forthcoming by-elections.

“So far, we have not encountered any challenge. We can only urge people in the country to utilise this chance to choose a leader who shall be initiating development.”

Kachale said the low level of new registrants could be a result of many people in the country still not owning national identity cards (ID).

However, he could not state if the commission intends to place National Registration Bureau (NRB) staff in the registration centres to process national IDs for new registrants, saying the commission is reflecting on the matter.

According to Kachale, MEC experienced challenges during the June 23 Fresh Presidential Election when it processed national IDs for new registrants through the NRB staff placed at registration centres as some political parties questioned the eligibility of the registrants which necessitated the court to halt the process.

Kachale was, however, optimistic that more voters will register for the by-elections during the 14 days allocated for the voter registration and verification exercise.

On his part, Chikwawa district commissioner Ali Phiri urged people not to wait until the election for them to apply for national IDs, saying registration for IDs is continuous; hence, they can do that at their convenient time to prevent them from being disfranchised during elections.

MEC launched the by-elections exercise on September 5 to be held in four constituencies of Mangochi West, Mangochi North, Phalombe North, Lilongwe North West, Karonga Central and Makhwira South Ward.

The voter registration and verification exercise will run from the September 14 to 27.

Flames coach Meck Mwase says he will focus on improving players’ physical fitness as the national football team starts camp training today in Blantyre.

The Flames are preparing for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations’ (Afcon) back-to-back qualifiers against Burkina Faso’s Stallions and the Cosafa Cup.

Said the Flames gaffer in an interview yesterday: “The local and Mozambique-based players have been inactive for close to nine months and, as such, we will have to concentrate on improving their physical condition.

“Nine months is a long time for a player to be inactive and even though they might have been involved in individual work-outs, they cannot be in good shape.”

He said they will be having three training sessions per day.

“It’s not going to be easy, but gradually they [players] will pick up,” said Mwase.

He also said he does not expect foreign-based players to join the squad until the week beginning October 5 to 13 which will be for Fifa international friendly matches.

“The good thing is that all the foreign-based players have been active lately,” said the coach.

On Saturday, Mwase named a 32-member squad which will be camping at Mpira Village in Chiwembe Township.

Flames stand-in captain John ‘CJ’ Banda said after such a lengthy break, it is only proper that the focus should be on improving physical fitness.

“Of course, ball work will also be important as we have not played competitive football for a long time, but it is only ideal that the first step should be to work on our fitness levels,” he said.

Football Association of Malawi president Walter Nyamilandu said the association is overjoyed with the approval of national team camp training.

Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) has asked the South African government, through the Department of Sports and the South Africa Football Association (Safa), to consider approving the hosting of the Cosafa Cup.

The request follows an announcement on Friday by that country’s Minister of Corporate Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma that international sporting events are still not allowed in the Rainbow Nation as a preventive measure against the spread of Covid-19.

Cosafa has earmarked the regional showpiece for October 2 to 17 in Durban.

Cosafa’s deputy chief executive officer Suzgo Nyirenda, a Malawian, yesterday said: “The matter has been taken to the Department of Sports [through Safa] to consider approving the tournament and we are keeping our fingers crossed that it will be approved.

“We are expecting to get the feedback by next week.”

The former Football Association of Malawi (FAM) general secretary also said their optimism stems from the fact that South Africa’s Bafana Bafana will also have to play in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations’ (Afcon) qualifiers in November “and, therefore, Safa will also have to approach the authorities on this matter.

Besides the Covid-19 restrictions, there have also been doubts about the competition as some teams such as South Africa and Zambia have arranged international friendly matches in between the tournament’s dates.

The Football Association of Zambia has lined up two international friendly matches for Chipolopolo against South Africa and Kenya on October 11 and 13, respectively, as part of preparations for the Afcon qualifiers.

Mozambique’s  Mambas are also planning to camp in Lisbon, Portugal from September 30 to October 16 though they will only be joined by their overseas contingent from October 5 and have scheduled matches against Guinea-Bissau (October 8) and Angola (October 13).

However, Nyirenda played down the friendlies, saying: “Remember that some teams such as Zambia, South Africa and Botswana will be seeded. They will only appear in the quarter-finals on later dates which will be after their scheduled friendly matches.”

FAM competitions and communication director Gomezgani Zakazaka said during a press conference on Saturday that the association will confirm Flames’ participation in the regional tournament later this week.

“We are told borders in South Africa will open on October 1 and we are aware that most countries in Europe also have their borders open, so that should not be a problem,” he said.

However, not to be caught off-guard, FAM says it will organise two friendly matches in case the Cosafa tournament is postponed.

Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Justice Chifundo Kachale has expressed concern with the low turn-up of new registrants for the ongoing voter registration and verification exercise for the  the November 10 by-elections.

Speaking when he inspected progress of the voter registration and verification exercise in registration centres of Mchacha, Bodza and Mitondo primary schools in Mankhwira South Ward, Chikwawa on Friday where it transpired that only few new registrants were being captured, the MEC chairperson feared the situation may lead to voter apathy.

He said: “On our part, we have ensured that we put everything else in place to ensure that people in the country register and verify their names to take part in the forthcoming by-elections.

“So far, we have not encountered any challenge. We can only urge people in the country to utilise this chance to choose a leader who shall be initiating development.”

Kachale said the low level of new registrants could be a result of many people in the country still not owning national identity cards (ID).

However, he could not state if the commission intends to place National Registration Bureau (NRB) staff in the registration centres to process national IDs for new registrants, saying the commission is reflecting on the matter.

According to Kachale, MEC experienced challenges during the June 23 Fresh Presidential Election when it processed national IDs for new registrants through the NRB staff placed at registration centres as some political parties questioned the eligibility of the registrants which necessitated the court to halt the process.

Kachale was, however, optimistic that more voters will register for the by-elections during the 14 days allocated for the voter registration and verification exercise.

On his part, Chikwawa district commissioner Ali Phiri urged people not to wait until the election for them to apply for national IDs, saying registration for IDs is continuous; hence, they can do that at their convenient time to prevent them from being disfranchised during elections.

MEC launched the by-elections exercise on September 5 to be held in four constituencies of Mangochi West, Mangochi North, Phalombe North, Lilongwe North West, Karonga Central and Makhwira South Ward.

The voter registration and verification exercise will run from the September 14 to 27.

At least 3 300 ultra-poor households in Balaka and Machinga are expected to receive money under the gender responsive ultra-poor graduation project to boost their lives.

Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare Patricia Kaliati rolled out the project on Friday at Balaka Secondary School.

The project, which is funded by the Financial Access for Rural Markets Smallholder and Enterprise (Farmse) project, is worth K1.5 billion with contributions from Oxfam and Christian Aid.

On Friday, Farmse presented a cheque worth K729.8 million to Oxfam to disburse to beneficiaries who will each receive K225 000 to start or improve their existing businesses.

Kaliati warned the beneficiaries against misusing the money, saying if they do so, they will be removed from the list of beneficiaries and be asked to refund the money.

She said: “The beneficiaries are picked from the social cash transfer list to improve their economic stand, food security and resilience.

“It should be noted that there are many deserving households who did not have the opportunity to access the funds.”

On his part, Farmse programmes coordinator Dixon Ngwende said the programme is designed to graduate ultra-poor households from poverty through economic empowerment.

“This is not a revolving fund, but government expects targeted beneficiaries to demonstrate improvement in their lives by achieving what the project intends,” he said.

Oxfam Malawi country director Lingalireni Mihowa said the beneficiaries have been trained in business and financial management to equip them with necessary skills to manage their businesses well.

National Statistical Office figures show that 61.3 percent of the population in Balaka and 72.4 percent in Machinga are poor.

As cases of selling of endangered species soar, police in Lilongwe have arrested two men for allegedly possessing a dead pangolin.

Lilongwe Police Station spokesperson Foster Benjamin the suspects, identified as Wiseman Sipiliyano, 37, and Owen Nkhwazi, 32, were arrested on Thursday at the roundabout to Likuni on the Lilongwe West By-pass Road.

He said police detectives got a tip-off that the duo was offering for sale a protected species and immediately, the law enforcers moved in and intercepted the suspects at the roundabout.

Benjamin said a search in the suspects’ laptop bag found a dead pangolin, leading to its seizure and the arrest of the duo.

Meanwhile, the duo has been charged with possession of listed species contrary to Section 86 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act.

Sipiliyano comes from Kupingama Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Chilikumwendo in Dedza District while Nkhwazi hails from Ziyamu Village T/A Malengamzoma in Nkhata-Bay District.

Makandi Tea Estate on Friday gave 300 face masks to students at Thunga Primary and Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) and vendors at Thunga Trading Centre in Thyolo.

Speaking after the donation, Makandi Tea Estate group company secretary and financial manager Sangwani Hara said the estate felt obliged to protect the community from the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said: “Passing through Thunga Market, we noticed that most of the vendors were not wearing face masks.

“Now that schools have re-opened, we want to help those students who cannot afford to buy the face masks.”

On her part, Thunga CDSS head teacher Joyce Kanyumbu said the school has many less-privileged students who cannot afford a face mask.

Thyolo district commissioner Douglas Moffat advised the communities to live in harmony with estate owners.

He condemned vandalism of estate property and encroachment.

Moffat advised traders to always wear face masks, warning that the council will close any shop whose owner defies the order.

“There is a reinforcement law and we will make sure that it is being adhered to,” he said.

Vendors received 150 face masks while the remaining were shared equally by Standard Eight leaners at Thunga Primary School and Form Four students at Thunga CDSS.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust and Lilongwe City Council have trained ward development committees in Lilongwe on effective development management.

The exercise, which started in 2019 and will be conducted nationwide, has so far been done in Dedza, Ntcheu and Lilongwe. It is expected to be rolled out to the rest of the districts in the coming months, according to officials.

Ward development committees, set up in 2019, have not been given any formal training to guide them in their role of contributing to ward development.

Speaking during the training in Lilongwe on Tuesday, ACB principal public education officer Catherine Nkhoma explained the history of the campaign.

“This is the first time ACB, in collaboration with other agencies, has provided formal training on how ward development committees should work in order to deliver quality results in their respective wards,” she said.

Nice Trust Lilongwe Urban district education officer Hajira Ali spoke highly of the development, saying Malawians will benefit from the exercise.

The council’s city development strategy manager Gift Kasamira said the exercise will give ward development committees a clear picture of what LCC expects from them.

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) deputy secretary-general Catherine Gotani Hara has asked women in Karonga Central Constituency to elect Leonard Mwalwanda in the November 10 parliamentary by-election.

On Saturday, Hara led MCP senior officials during a campaign rally at Mwenelondo, the stronghold of Mwalwanda’s fiercest contender Frank Mwenifumbo.

She said women feel the pinch of poverty when politicians do not deliver campaign promises.

Hara, who is also Speaker of Parliament, said:  “When poverty hits, it is women who struggle to fend for children. However, I have known Karonga women as hard-working and business-minded. Every day, they defy all male domination to run small business and fend for their families.

“Government will complement your efforts by providing loans to boost your businesses and empower you to educate your children, buy cheap fertiliser and have enough food in your homes. Vote for Mwalwanda who will take your developmental needs to Parliament.”

MCP regional youth director (North) Robert Katawa implored the youth to refrain from political violence in the volatile constituency nicknamed Benghazi after a Libyan warzone.

The seat fell vacant following the death of two-time parliamentarian Cornelius Mwalwanda.

The MCP campaign trail brought together seven legislators from the Central and Northern regions, including regional chairperson Kezzie Msukwa, director of youth Richard Chimwendo Banda and Minister of Labour Ken Kandodo.

Political commentator Sharif Kayisi said the high-powered delegation was a clear sign that “competition is stiff and there is a lot at stake for Tonse Alliance partners  whose partnership is principally on paper but wide open on the ground where parties are struggling to show who is more popular than the other.”

FDH Bank plc last week unveiled a new mobile app in the quest to provide an elevated user experience through a modern user interface.

The new application will offer customers with distinct features and a new landscape in the payments and convenience to customers.

Speaking in an interview, FDH head of marketing and communications Lev Nkunika said the bank introduced FDH Mobile in 2013 as it positioned itself as a digital bank with leading digital innovations that provide convenience to its customers.

“The new product will provide innovative and manifest deep understanding of the market and needs of customers with features such as facial recognition, Biometric Registration and Access, Contactless transaction (Sound, QR Code, transfers),Transfers (To Airtel Money and Mpamba), KYC Verification, Card Collection Point, In-App Notifications, Branch Locator, Security tips among others,” he said.

Nkunika further said that mobile app more benefits to customers as it have better user experience, more secure, seamless and more convenient.

“The application can be downloaded on Google Store for android users and Apple Store for IPhone users.

“Other services available on FDH Mobile include transfers to FDH Bank Accounts, FDH Ufulu Digital Account, Wallet and other banks, balance enquiry and mini statement, airtime purchase, Instaloan Product, bill payments both postpaid and prepaid and Ufulu Digital Account.

The European Union (EU) has stated that minimum level of assurance from Malawi on reforms relating to public finance management is one of the key factors to decide whether to resume direct budget support.

The EU, one of Malawi’s long-time development allies, has also told Capital Hill that a “strong adherence” to a medium-term International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme “would certainly help Malawi’s case” as the 27- member political and economic union weighs all options of possible aid modalities to Malawi.

In an e-mail interview at the weekend, EU charge d’affaires for Malawi Aurelie Valtat said they have been discussing with Malawi Government authorities for the past two years on possible resumption of budget support suspended in the 2012/13 financial year following revelations of plunder of public resources called Cashgate.

She said: “In order for Malawi to regain its eligibility, the EU needs to receive a minimum level of assurance that reforms in areas relating to the management of public funds are firmly and steadily progressing without prejudice to the contribution of European taxpayers.”

Malawi is yet to reclaim the trust of donors, seven years after the revelations of the massive plunder of public money at Capitol Hill exposed in September 2013.

Before suspension of direct budget support, traditional donors, including the EU, were bankrolling about 30 percent of the country’s recurrent budget and at least 85 percent of the development budget.

Due to the loss of confidence, the development partners opted to channel their support for projects through international non-governmental organisations.

The Nation understands that the EU will soon start a new funding cycle for the period 2021-2027 and that consultations with authorities are set to start in the coming few weeks.

In the interview, Valtat said so far, the pledges made by the Tonse Alliance administration were promising, adding that EU looks forward to a continuous good partnership in various areas of development cooperation, from agriculture, social protection and private sector development to governance and accountability.

She said: “The European Union [EU] has been, is, and will remain, a trusted and reliable partner to Malawi and we remain committed to working closely with the new government.”

Valtat was responding in the context of the recent cancellation of an IMF programme, the Extended Credit Facility (ECF), by the new government, citing change in policy.

Under the three-year IMF-supported facility for Malawi, the country had only tapped $75 million of the total resource envelop totalling $145 million, effectively forgoing $70 million in future disbursements.

Traditionally, the IMF programme has been known for its “signalling effect” of triggering budget support, although in recent years such an effect has been fading due to Malawi’s  ‘confidence deficit’ in the eyes of donors as well as legacy issues during post-Cashgate era, let alone a general trend against budget support by most donors.

Minister of Finance Felix Mlusu could not be reached yesterday for his comment on the latest EU stance on direct budget support with respect to the new Tonse Alliance administration.

But speaking when he presented the 2020/21 National Budget in Parliament on September 11, he said the new administration was expected to complete the review of the Public Finance Management Act of 2003 during the 2020/2021 fiscal year.

Mlusu said the revised Act is expected to strengthen accounting, budgeting, revenue and expenditure management, internal controls and other areas of public finance management, adding that the revised Public Finance Management Bill is expected to be submitted in Parliament during the upcoming February 2021 parliamentary sitting.

But a source within Treasury—who opted for anonymity—yesterday said it will be inevitable for donors, including the EU to cite the IMF programme as one of the key preconditions for possible direct budget support resumption due to the programme’s strong emphasis on macroeconomic stability as agreed with authorities.

In a separate interview yesterday, economist Gowokani Chijere-Chirwa observed that available data shows that donor support has not reached the previous levels in recent financial years due to continued concerns over public finance matters by the donors.

He said: “This shows that we still have confidence deficit as a country in the eyes of the donors. However, that said, it is also imperative for us to rethink our position as a country to support our own development programmes, going forward.”

Making her presentation during the last year’s Economics Association of Malawi Annual Lake Conference in Mangochi, IMF resident representative Farayi Gwenhamo said between 2008 and 2013, Malawi enjoyed a high inflow of direct budget support—compared to dedicated and project grants—which averaged 2.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), before the inflows plunged to 0.3 percent of GDP in the 2013/14 fiscal year.

There was zero direct budget support in the financial years 2014/15, before trickling in 2015/16 at 0.5 percent of GDP, according to the country’s trajectory of budget support as presented by Gwenhamo then.

In 2016/2017 fiscal year, budget support was projected at 0.3 percent of GDP and this was followed by a non-disbursement of any budget support to Malawi in the 2017/18 financial year.

First grade magistrate Robert Makaika on Friday granted bail to 18 people suspected of burning about 50 houses in Chinganga and Hanambo villages in Nkhata Bay on August 30.

However, the suspects remain detained in Nkhata Bay as State prosecutor Solomon Gomezgani Mchawi moved the court to examine sureties before releasing them on bail. The examination of sureties is expected to take place today.

The magistrate granted the 18 bail on a condition that they pay K16 000 each, report to police every fortnight and submit a non-cash bond of K10 000 each.

The court also ordered the suspects to provide phone numbers and national identity cards, but the State prosecutor wanted their sureties to be examined first.

Two people died during the spat between the two villages which led to the torching of houses.

 Three suspects, who are answering murder charges, were committed to the High Court.

All the suspects, except three awaiting murder trial and a juvenile, pleaded not guilty to all counts of arson and malicious damage.

They are being represented by Legal Aid advocate Jones Chiwalo, who applied for their bail.

Former president Joyce Banda may have left office six years ago, but confidential details of her administration’s award of a patrol boats contract to Paramount Group puts a spotlight on a cozy relationship that authorities in the United States are investigating.

Banda—who became President in line with constitutional order in April 2012 following the death of Bingu wa Mutharika—is the highest profile Malawian to be named in FinCen Files.

The files are leaked banking information where global financial institutions report suspicious transfers that show people who may have benefitted from proceeds from an arms deal.

She is mentioned alongside former South Africa president Jacob Zuma as possible beneficiaries of deals involving South Africa-based arms supplier, Paramount Group.

The group was awarded the contract by the Banda administration to supply patrol boats on Lake Malawi.

The FinCen Files—a 16- month-long investigation of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), BuzzFeed News and partners, including The Nation—are based on top-secret bank reports filed to the US Treasury Department’s intelligence unit, the Financial Crime Enforcement Network, other documents and dozens of interviews.

The reports were turned over to the US Congress as part of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and provide a unique, bird’s-eye view of illicit money flows that supported worldwide corruption and criminality.

The specific report that touches on Banda was written by Barclays Bank which earlier had commissioned Orbis Business Intelligence—owned by Christopher Steele, a former British spy famous for his role in investigating Russia’s meddling in the election of US President Donald Trump.

The report says Paramount and its founder Ivor Ichikowitz benefitted from their cozy ties with African leaders by being awarded major contracts. It mentions Banda and Zuma as some of the leaders.

In particular, the report cited the fallout from Malawi’s $145 million (around K108 billion) patrol boat contract, saying it was cancelled by Banda’s successor administration for three main reasons.

Stated the report: “Political rivalry [least important], expense and corruption allegations.”

The corruption allegations were strengthened in the Orbis report by the existence of several links to Bell Pottinger, internal bank records show.

Bell Pottinger was the United Kingdom public relations firm that was propping up Banda’s image abroad with funding from the Ichikowitz Family Foundation belonging to the owner of defence firm Paramount Group.

The Banda administration confirmed in 2013 that Bell Pottinger had been engaged “to assist the President and Government of Malawi to ensure that their work in fighting corruption is accurately reflected in the international media”.

The Banda administration later cut ties with the firm after the exposure of her government’s three-some links to the public relations firm and Paramount Group.

Paramount Group is said to have made 29 payments worth $585 245 to Bell Pottinger, between January 2012 and December 2013, at a time after the Malawi Government awarded the patrol boat contract to the arms supplier.

Both the ICIJ and The Nation could not independently confirm whether the payments were for services rendered to the former president.

In an e-mailed comment to The Nation and ICIJ, Banda said she did not break any law in the awarding of the contract to Paramount Group, emphasising that she was not personally involved in the procurement of the boats.

She said she was informed that Bell Pottinger “certainly did not play any role in the awarding of the boat contract”; hence, “any such suggestion is malicious and false”.

Banda added that she could not comment on the relationship between Bell Pottinger and Paramount.

She said: “Allow me to make it very clear once again. Presidents do not award contracts in Malawi. The patrol boat contract was not awarded by me as a sitting President at the time and I again refer you to what I have quoted above as to the official statement of the Government of Malawi following on the advice of its Attorney General.

“Please ensure that your publication does not make any malicious allegations against me, the Government of Malawi and our officials.

“My findings are that these same narratives appear to be revisited by people and so I encourage you to go and look at the explanations of what happened according to those persons involved during the events which have been fully ventilated on numerous platforms.”

Banda said the contract between Malawi Government and Paramount was concluded according to Malawian Government processes and was signed by both the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Defence.

She said: “At the time of signing, a legal opinion was secured from the [Malawi] Attorney General confirming both the legality of the agreement and its validity under Malawian law.”

Following a change of administration through the May 19 2014 Tripartite Elections, Minister of Finance in the Peter Mutharika-led government, Goodall Gondwe, threatened to cancel the contract.

In a separate interview, Gondwe said he still stood by his concerns that the contract was unnecessary and expensive for the country.

He said: “It’s a long time ago… Negotiations happened, but we only renegotiated the period of payment and not the sum of the contract. We paid the whole amount. They delivered everything.

“Yes, I was not happy with the contract. I don’t think we needed it. The president [Peter Mutharika] was not happy [with the contract]. The Attorney General, however, advised us to proceed with the contract.” 

Ichikowitz, chairperson of Paramount Group, did not speak to ICIJ or The Nation, but in a written response to questions submitted by the ICIJ, his lawyers refused to respond to the questions unless the ICIJ or its partners explained how confidential details were sourced.

Besides Banda, scores of world leaders, businesspersons, celebrities, sports stars have been named in FinCen Files which are being published across the world in the largest cross-border collaboration.

At least 182 people have committed suicide in the past eight months, translating to an average of 23 deaths every month, a trend which has shocked the police and an expert. 

Figures from National Police Headquarters show that between January and August this year, the police recorded 182 suicide cases compared to 116 cases during the same period last year, representing a 57 percent increase.  

The new figure covering the eight months this year is only six cases less than what was captured for the whole of 2019 when 188 cases were reported. This means 370 people have killed themselves from January 2019 to August 2020, with males constituting over 85 percent of cases, according to police.

Deputy national police spokesperson Peter Kalaya said family disputes—including financial stress and marital problems—are the leading causes of suicide in the country.  

Occupational therapist Patience Chimwaza, who runs a rehabilitation centre called Medical Plus in Lilongwe, in an interview said the increase in suicide cases is due to lack of easy access to psychosocial services which leads to many people suffering from depression without help. 

He said : “Most cases that I handle are from urban areas and usually it is unresolved issues relating to finances. When people’s finances cannot afford the pressure of life, some think suicide is the solution.”

Chimwaza appealed to government to establish centres within public health facilities that would provide therapy. 

“Not everyone can have access to private facilities or therapists. The Social Welfare Department ought to come in and strengthen psychosocial support systems,” he said. 

On his part, Kalaya said the police has victim support units in most police formations nationwide which provide psychosocial support. 

He said: “We also continue to intensify awareness campaigns through various means and community engagements in which we tell people to always find better ways of solving their problems other than taking their own lives.  The Victim Support Unit has well-trained personnel who specialise in helping people with problems.”

 Last November, St. John of God issued a report which also revealed that suicide cases were on the increase in Malawi. The report further indicated that over 80 percent of cases involved males. 

The St John of God report showed that the most prevalent way of committing suicide in the country was hanging/strangulation/suffocation (57 percent) and use of poison (30 percent), with the age group 15-40 years being the most affected. 

The report also cited lack of psychosocial therapists and interventions in Malawi as some of the reasons for increasing suicide cases.  

In an earlier interview, University of Malawi’s College of Medicine clinical psychologist and associate professor Chiwoza Bandawe said it is not surprising that younger people committed suicide more than others due to pressures of life.

“Most people do not want to die, but they want to stop the pain and they do not know how else to stop it, and the only way to stop the emotional pain is to take away their lives,” said Bandawe in the interview where he further expressed the need to strengthen mental health interventions to deal with depression. 

Government’s Department of Social Welfare was yet to respond to our questionnaire submitted last week on their interventions on suicide.

Malawi has improved on the World Bank’s Human Capital Index, increasing by 0.05 points from 0.36 in 2010 to 0.41 in 2020 amid fears that Covid-19 may reverse these gains.

The improvement means the gap between rich and poor households in the country has decreased with the ratio between the richest and poorest 20 percent of the population is 1.20 against a global average of 1.35.

It reads in part: “95 out of 100 children born in Malawi survive to age five. In Malawi, a child who starts school at age four can expect to complete 9.6 years of school by her 18th birthday.”

Meanwhile, the bank’s group president David Malpass has urged countries to expand health service coverage and quality among marginalised communities, and support vulnerable families with social protection measures adapted to the scale of Covid-19.

He said: “The pandemic puts at risk the decade’s progress in building human capital, including the improvements in health, survival rates, school enrollment, and reduced stunting.”

During presentation of the 2020/21 fiscal budget, Finance Minister Felix Mlusu admitted that Covid-19 has threatened livelihoods, adding government, with support from development partners, has developed an emergency cash transfer response to cushion pople from Covid-19 socio-economic effects.

He said: “The intervention is expected to target peri-urban areas in Mzuzu, Lilongwe, Blantyre and Zomba, covering approximately 172 337 households, each receiving a monthly sum of K35 000. This response is expected to run for six months, starting from  June 2020.”

Launched in 2018, the Index measures the amount of human capital that a child born today can expect to attain by age 18, but also conveys productivity of the next generation of workers compared to a benchmark of complete education and full health.

According to the report, the improvements are the result of global improvements in health but also of a combination of extension of health coverag and better sanitation, among others.