It has been said the road to the September 16 2025 General Elections will be scary. Well, the journey also promises some lighter, if not, entertaining moments.
It started with Vice-President Michael Usi a few weeks ago showcasing his dancing antics while on a tour in Ntandire Township in Lilongwe.
Chakwera (R) captured during the push-ups
Spellbound, some senior government and party officials accompanying him were left with no choice but to join him in the road-dancing fiesta. But it has emerged that Usi’s road stunts may just have been a precursor to more road surprises, not from him again but his boss—President Lazarus Chakwera.
As the President arrived in Blantyre’s CBD on the way to his hill-top Sanjika Palace on Friday, he left his presidential car as if to finish the rest of his journey on foot as part of keeping fit.
And joined by party cadres, he started walking. Unbeknown to onlookers and even some of the party cadres in his company, he stopped right in the middle of the tarmac and started doing push-ups to the cheering of those around him and other onlookers.
Was it a prank meant to show that he was hale, well and fit to debunk the rumour mill which has been on the overdrive that he is unwell since he returned from UNGA?
Chakwera is in Blantyre ahead of a number of functions he is scheduled to fulfil. Today, he will attend the Presidential Charity Golf Tournament at Limbe Country Club.
There is Artificial Intelligence (AI) in town which seems to scare many people. Teachers are scared that students will just be commanding AI applications on their phones or computers and voila, essays will come out replete with references although what comes out at times is gibberish. Try typing in your name to prove us wrong.
Current employees and future employees are worried because they fear all jobs, especially in industries such as motorcar assemblies, and service centres, such as banks, restaurants and hotels will be automated or taken over by robots with human-like intelligence.
Whether the fears are justified or not, we can’t say. What we are sure of is Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here to stay.
That AI may have negative social effects in indisputable. But this AI we are talking about is Appreciative Inquiry. It is not artificial. This AI has been there far longer and it has been proved helpful and effective in organization turn-around.
AI is an organisational and economic planning theory based upon the idea of appreciating what works in an organization, in us, and in the world.
Made up of two concepts, appreciative inquiry is the search for (inquiry, kufufuza) and valuation (appreciation; kuyamikira) of what works in our organisations and in us. In his 4-D (later 5-D) model, David Cooperider identified the positive core as the “sun, life giving force, around which discovery, dream, design, destiny, and delivery rotated.
Today, Appreciative Inquiry is a dominant theory in education assessment and measurement where it has influenced appreciative marking; in project monitoring and evaluation where it has focused on action research; in communication for development; solutions journalism, and even in marriage where positivity has overridden negativity.
Appreciating the positive; seeing what works; searching for those strengths and assets that give meaning to life; searching for positive experiences from history are characteristics of Appreciative Inquiry. This positive asset-based approach to life leads to social and self-valuation.
Each one of us has something in us that works. If we pool our positive talents, we can make our countries, communities and structure strong and great (again). Let’s identify our collective national and individual positives, our assets to develop ourselves. Forget what does not work. There nothing good to learn from there.
To illustrate that the AI of Appreciative Inquiry works, we will give you one examples.
From 1999 to 2007 the Usaid-funded Community Partnerships for Sustainable Resource Management (Compass) project centred its approach on Appreciative Inquiry. It trained project primary participants and stakeholders to treat the natural resources in their areas, such as forests and fish, and others that regenerate on their own as sources of longtime benefits. For example, a Mango tree is more productive during a 50-year span than when cut down to turn into charcoal, which will bring money once. The people of Ntcheu have learnt this. Despite the cutting down of trees around, the mango tree is left intact.
Several people were trained in honey production and aquaculture. The people that learnt those valuation skills are still in the business today in Nkhata Bay, Mulanje, Rumphi, and elsewhere. In these areas, the most forests are alive and well, although threats are there, because people surrounding those value them as sources of honey and, therefore, money.
Have you ever heard about Radio Research Gardens implemented by the Story Workshop Trust through its radio magazine programme, Mwana Alirenji? Do you know why Ntheu is Malawi’s abichi (cabbage) and katofeni powerhouse? Human urine.
This AI brings positive results. It is versatile. It can be used in project, economic, and home planning, and in monitoring and evaluation.
Minus corruption and lack of AI to appreciate our country, Malawi has what it takes to develop. Human resource base. Fertile soils. Underground, there are minerals.
Lawyer Alexious Kamangila has openly challenged High Court of Malawi Commercial Division Judge Kenan Manda to sue him for alleged defamation, refusing to apologise for Facebook posts accusing the judge of fraudulent conduct.
In a letter posted on his Facebook page dated October 10 2024, and addressed to Judge Manda’s lawyer, Michael Goba-Chipeta, Kamangila wrote: “Reference is made to your demand letter on behalf of Kenan T. Manda. PLEASE SUE.”
Seeks K250 million in compensation: Manda
This follows a demand letter from the claimant dated October 7 2024, seeking K250 million in damages, an apology, and a stop of “further defamatory statements or dissemination of false information” about the judge.
The letter warned that if Kamangila failed to comply by October 10 2024, legal proceedings would be initiated against him.
Meanwhile, the High Court in Lilongwe issued an interlocutory injunction on Friday, restraining Kamangila from making, writing, or publishing any statements about the judge until further notice.
Kamangila: Please sue
In a telephone interview on Friday, Goba-Chipeta confirmed he had already e-mailed the document to Kamangila due to the urgency of the matter.
According to the court order issued by Judge Simeon Mdeza, Kamangila risks being held in contempt of court if he disobeys the order.
Attempts to talk to Kamangila on Friday were unsuccessful as he did not respond to our calls.
The demand letter states that between October 2 and 5 2024, Kamangila made multiple Facebook posts relating to the judge’s order in Commercial Case Number 136 of 2024 involving Mukteshwar Sugar Mills Limited and Salima Sugar Company Limited.
Chipeta said the posts were understood to mean that the judge is fraudulent, dishonest, a criminal, untrustworthy, incompetent, unprofessional, unethical and corrupt.
Reads the letter, in part: “Your baseless and false statements have caused immense harm to our client’s personal and professional reputation.”
In an interview earlier, Kamangila said he had received the letter and he was ready to face Manda in court.
Earlier this week, Magistrates and Judges Association in Malawi (Majam) invited Kamangila to a meeting following his claims.
Reacting to the invitation, Kamangila said he was shocked that Majam has summoned him to a meeting as he is neither a judge nor a magistrate, but he said he would attend the meeting to hear from the association on whether it has received any complaints against Manda and what it has done about the complaints.
Meanwhile, Malawi Law Society honorary secretary Gabriel Chembezi has said the society is closely observing the issue.
The Malawi Law Society (MLS) has confirmed receiving a complaint against private practice lawyer Zwelithini Chipembere of Whyte and Cross Law Consultants, who is accused of withdrawing a case for his former client, former director of finance at Tobacco Commission (TC) Andrew Mfune, without consent.
MLS honorary secretary Gabriel Chembezi in an interview yesterday said: “Except in exceptional circumstances, we don’t publicly discuss matters that are at preliminary stages until after a certain stage to avoid prejudice to either party in the disciplinary process.”
Zwelithini Chipembere
Mfune took TC to court following his dismissal on July 19 2024, arguing that the disciplinary committee responsible for his dismissal was illegally constituted as it was appointed by the Comptroller of Statutory Corporations instead of the Minister of Agriculture, as mandated by the Tobacco Industry Act.
In an interview on Thursday, Chipembere, while admitting that he withdrew the case, argued that it became evident that an argument raised by the commission’s legal team, citing Section 42 of the General Interpretation Act, significantly impacted the case.
Chembezi: We don’t publicly discuss matters that are at preliminary stages
The lawyer added that the risks associated with proceeding under those circumstances were high, and that he had to make a tactical decision on the spot.
Said Chipembere: “The decision to withdraw the matter with liberty to restore it was taken to protect Mr. Mfune’s interests and avoid an adverse court ruling that could have been detrimental to his case.
“The legal landscape at that moment required swift action, and unfortunately, I did not have the immediate opportunity to consult Mr. Mfune before making the decision and since the commission’s lawyer had said he would object to an adjournment.”
Meanwhile, the High Court in Lilongwe on October 3 2024 granted Mfune an interlocutory injunction restraining TC from recruiting a new director of finance and advertising for the post.
Court documents in our possession also show that Mfune’s case was revived on August 29 2024, in a judicial review case number 55 of 2024 before Judge Simeon Mdeza.
In a telephone interview on Wednesday, Mfune’s new lawyer Mathews Chawinga confirmed that the case was revived and that the court has set November 5 as the next date for hearing.
In the complaint letter to the MLS dated August 22 2024, Mfune claimed he suffered harm due to the alleged unethical conduct of the lawyer.
The letter states that Chipembere assisted in preparing an application for leave for judicial review, which was filed at the High Court in Lilongwe.
“I was surprised since, as the claimant in the matter, I had not authorised anything to that effect,” Mfune wrote. “I tried to contact my lawyer, but he did not answer.”
At the court, Mfune was informed that the case had, indeed, been withdrawn by his lawyer and the opposing counsel Andy Kaonga.
Reportedly, on the same date the case was withdrawn a payment of K7 020 000.00 was made to the firm representing TC Wilkinson and Associates as legal fees for Mfune’s case.
However, a letter from former TC CEO Joseph Chidanti-Malunga, dated November 17 2023 (Ref. HRAD/SEC/2023), titled ‘Extension of Contract of Service – Provision of Legal Services to TC’, indicates that the services for Wilkinson and Associates had been extended from March 31 2024 to June 30 2024.
When asked to clarify on this development, Chilumpha explained that the contract for the firm was extended and will end in December.
He said: “Currently, the procurement processes for services whose contracts expired are underway.”
The complaint letter also urges the MLS to investigate the issue, relying on Section 87 of the Legal Education and Legal Practitioners Act (2017), which stipulates that every legal practitioner is subject to the jurisdiction of the High Court and the disciplinary committee in all matters of discipline.
The complaint also references Chapter 3, Rule 1 of the Code of Ethics and Section 89(2) (j) of the Legal Education and Legal Practitioners Act, which proscribes conduct that brings the legal profession into disrepute.
“I have suffered financially as I have been forced to hire another lawyer to continue the proceedings. Legally, lawyers work under the direction of their clients and are expected to advance their clients’ interests,” reads the letter.
In an earlier letter by Chipembere to TC CEO dated July 25 2024, on the invalidity of dismissing Mfune, he argued that the decision to dismiss him is void and without legal effect and that, consequently, Mfune would not comply with the instructions to surrender the commission’s property, including a motor vehicle and a laptop.
It’s done. The organising committee of the Presidential Charity Golf Initiative has hit the K600 million target it set.
Proceeds from the third edition, which teed off yesterday at Country Club Limbe in Blantyre, will go towards assisting needy students from public universities and survivors of Cyclone Freddy.
Organising committee chairperson Gift Kawamba, who is also president of the Golf Union of Malawi (GUoM), said in an interview yesterday that by 6pm on Thursday, they had raised the targeted K600 million.
“We are excited to have hit the target and we hope more pledges and donations will keep coming,” he said.
Kawamba said 180 golfers were registered for the tournament which will be played on 2 ball better ball stable ford format.
It is a format for teams comprising of two golfers who play their own golf balls throughout and the lower score between them on each hole counts as the team score.
The GUoM boss said 180 golfers will take part in the two-day event.
Said Kawamba: “There were more who wanted to take part, but Country Club Limbe’s golf course is smaller compared to Lilongwe Golf Club and so the logistics are a bit different.
“Nevertheless, we are hoping to have a good tournament and that the golfers will have a wonderful time on the course.”
Chakwera will tee off with platinum sponsor NBS Bank plc chairperson Vizenge Kumwenda.
Presidential press secretary Anthony Kasunda was quoted in a video clip as saying the President is ready for the tournament.
“We have had a good training session with His Excellency and I can assure golfers that the President is ready,” he said after a round of golf with Chakwera. On his part, the President said: “Bring your clubs and you’re a game. See you on Saturday.”
The Growth Accelerator (GA) Malawi has unveiled 19 successful early-stage entrepreneurs under cohorts seven and eight of the Growth Accelerator Entrepreneurship Challenge.
The successful entrepreneurs who were unveiled today at the GA offices in Lilongwe are expected to embark on an extensive entrepreneurial journey that will accelerate their businesses to greater heights.
Launched in 2018 in a partnership between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the program offers mentorship and co-financing of up to $40,000 in partnership with the German Development Bank (KfW).
UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Challa Getachew congratulated the successful entrepreneurs for sailing through a tough and rigorous assessment period which saw hundreds others being left out.
“We understand the entrepreneurial journey and how rough it is. With overwhelming enthusiasm at the start (idea-stage entrepreneurs), moving into stiff competition, you stand at that slope of enlightenment with the ambition of reaching sustainability, and such is our common ambition through the Growth Accelerator.” She said.
Both the Royal Norwegian Ambassador Ingrid Marie Mikelsen and the kfw Country Director Daniela Bese said they are satisfied with the impact made by the previous cohorts and said they have greater hopes that cohorts 7 and 8 will do much better.
Since 2018 when the program was launched, it has supported over 70 business ventures and the main target is to facilitate successful businesses, job creation and improved farmers and community lives.
Malawi Schools National Boys’ Under-15 National Team yesterday fired warning shots with a 6-0 demolition of hosts Namibia and 4-0 thumping of Lesotho in their first two Group A matches at the Under-15 Cosafa Zone CAF Schools’ Qualifying Tournament in Walvis Bay.
The lads, who arrived a day before the tournament, defied an exhausting 2 780-kilometre road trip to the desert nation to get off to a flying start.
Okester Kanyenda was the centrepiece of Malawi’s victoryn over the hosts after claiming a hat-trick within six minutes.
Malawi got it over and done with in the first-half in which they led 5-0. They were in front three minutes into the match through Jeffrey Chikodzera’s strike.
Then Kanyenda went on to score three goals in the 12th, 16th and 18th minutes before Yasin Justin made it 5-0 at the dot of half-time,
Joel Yakobe struck the sixth in the second half.
Against Lesotho, Hajir Mukajir also claimed a hat-trick after scoring in the fifth, seventh and 18th minutes before Phillip Mwalwimba closed the score sheet in the 16th minute.
The boys side’s coach Moses Chimbetete said he was impressed with his charges’ performance.
“The boys played according to our game plans and I am optimistic that we’ll go far in this tournament. Our goal is to win the tournament and qualify for the continental competition,” he said.
The girls team played out a two-all draw against the hosts in their opening match.
Namibia took an early lead through Grace Eisis which was cancelled by Ethel Tambala a minute later. Malawi then went on to take the lead through Rabecca Banda, but the hosts pulled level through Eisis in the 10th minute.
The Malawi girls’ team thumped Lesotho 5-0 in their second match.
Ethel Tambala and and Enelesi Fabiano scored a brace each while Maireen Mataya scored the other goal.
Malawi’s final group match will be against Zambia today.
The top two teams in each pool will advance to the semi-finals, and only the victor who lifts the trophy will earn a place at the continental showpiece.
South Africa, who are in Group B alongside Zimbabwe, Angola and E-swatini, are the defending champions in both categories.
Stakeholders have described the charges CQC Impact Investors is facing in the United States for fraudulent carbon credit trading in Malawi and Zambia as a sign of the country’s weak regulatory environment for the sector.
This follows the charges by the US federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) on CQC leaders Kenneth Newcombe and Tridip Goswami in connection with a scheme to commit fraud in the carbon markets, which resulted in fraudulently securing an investment of over $100 million (K175 billion).
In a joint press release, US Attorney of New York Damian Williams and assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of FBI James Dennehy, however, ruled out criminal charges because it voluntarily and timely disclosed the misconduct and fully cooperated during the hearing among others.
Williams said: “As alleged, Kenneth Newcombe and Tridip Goswami, among others, engaged in a multi-year scheme to fraudulently obtain carbon credits by using manipulated and misleading data. They then sold those credits to unsuspecting buyers in the multi-billion-dollar global market for carbon credits.
“The alleged actions of the defendants and their co-conspirators risked undermining the integrity of that market, which is an important part of the fight against climate change.”
As a matter of background, according to the statement, CQC which used to generate carbon credits—including a type of credit known as a voluntary carbon unit (VCU), profited by selling VCUs it obtained to companies seeking to offset the impact of greenhouse gases they emit in the course of operating their businesses.
In this regard, CQC ran a project of installing cookstoves in rural Africa and Southeast Asia, where it had to collect data through surveys to determine how much fuel people saved by using its cookstoves, as opposed to the preexisting cooking methods.
That data went into a formula that an issuer of VCUs (“Issuer-1”) used to calculate the emission reductions CQC had achieved and to determine how many VCUs to issue to CQC.
Reads the statement: “From at least in or about 2021, through 2023, CQC submitted false and misleading data to Issuer-1, tricking Issuer-1 into giving CQC VCUs for emission reductions that, according to Issuer-1’s methodology for calculating such reductions, had not in fact been achieved.
“For example, in or about August 2021, CQC received survey data for two projects in Malawi and two in Zambia. Goswami reported to Newcombe that the survey data reflected emission reductions that were only approximately half of what CQC had anticipated. Newcombe responded by writing that ‘this is a disaster for us’.”
Eventually, the company resorted to manipulating the survey data for the Malawi and Zambia projects and enlisted a person from outside CQC to fill out fraudulent survey forms to reflect the manipulated numbers which were sent to Issuer-1 when claiming VCUs for the Malawi and Zambia Projects according to the statement.
In an interview, Natural Resources and Climate Change committee of Parliament chairperson Werani Chilenga attributed this to the country’s weak regulatory environment where there are no laws to govern the sector.
“Although the country is participating in the carbon market, we don’t have a Carbon Credit Act to provide a framework and that has a potential of not only providing room for such fraudulent dealings but also discouraging credible players from participating in Malawi’s carbon credit market,” Chilenga said.
In a separate interview on Wednesday, environmental journalist Matthews Malata said the recent scandal underscores the urgent need for enhanced integrity and quality in Malawi’s carbon credits.
“It’s imperative that we learn from this incident and take decisive action. In Malawi’s case, this means expediting the finalization of our carbon market framework, which has been in draft form for over a year now. We must transition from consultations to implementation, ensuring our climate change policies are robust and effective.
“Let’s also move fast in enacting our climate change act. The piece of legislation presents an opportunity to safeguard the interests of our nation, investors, and communities, maintaining the integrity of our market,” said Malata.
Officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change were not immediately available for comment but Minister Michael Usi earlier said government has developed an Article 6 Framework for International Carbon Market Engagement, a requirement under the Climate Change Convention for countries to use when transacting on the carbon market.
The recent actions of Dalitso Kabambe, the former Reserve Bank Governor and aspiring UTM Party presidential candidate, have thrust him into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Kabambe’s decision to directly request Vice-President Michael Usi to push for a commission of inquiry into the tragic plane crash that claimed the life of former Vice-President Saulos Chilima and eight others has stirred controversy. While the inquiry is a valid national issue—echoed by various citizens and institutions—the manner in which Kabambe acted has raised questions about his motives and his understanding of party dynamics.
At first glance, Kabambe’s request seems innocent enough, aligning with the broader public sentiment. However, it reveals deeper issues within UTM, particularly his apparent failure to consult the party leadership before taking such a step. The party had already written to President Chakwera on this matter, so says the party’s Secretary General Patricia Kaliati. Kabambe’s independent move suggests either a deliberate attempt to gain political mileage or a troubling disconnect between him and the party’s decision-making processes.
Kabambe’s actions raise concerns about internal communication within UTM. How can someone vying for the party’s presidency be unaware of such a crucial step already taken by the party? This exposes a concerning lack of cohesion within the UTM leadership and suggests that critical information is not being effectively communicated. If such a high-profile member is out of the loop, one can only wonder how much more is being kept from the broader party membership.
This incident also casts doubt on Kabambe’s political judgment. It could be interpreted as a calculated move to exploit a national tragedy to boost his profile ahead of the UTM convention. Politicians are known for seeking opportunities to appear relevant, and with UTM in a state of flux following Chilima’s passing, Kabambe may have seen this as a way to position himself as a proactive leader. Yet, in doing so, he risks appearing opportunistic, potentially alienating both the party faithful and the general public.
Moreover, this situation exposes the current disarray within UTM. Once seen as a party of unity and direction, recent events—including leadership bickering and lack of a clear voice. The death of Chilima, a figure who embodied UTM’s identity, has left a void that the party’s top brass seems unable to fill. UTM, a party that was once known for its organizational strength, is now struggling to find its footing. The party must address these internal divisions and find a new sense of direction, or risk further disintegration.
Kabambe’s misstep is more than a personal blunder; it is a symptom of deeper issues plaguing UTM. The party’s leadership needs to step up, communicate more effectively. Without strong, cohesive leadership, UTM risks drifting further into irrelevance at a time when Malawi needs a unified political force capable of addressing national challenges.
Ndili ndi zaka 22 ndipo ndili ku sukulu ya ukachenjedwe chaka chachiwiri. Ine ndi wochokera banja losauka kwambiri.
Makolo anga ndi alimi ndipo chakudya sichikwananso pa khomopo. Ku mtundu kwathu palibe anapita ku sukuku. Ambiri ndi olekera ku pulaimale basi. Ine mwachisomo ndinakhonza bwino kwambiri maphunziro anga a Fomu 4 ndi pamene ndinasankhidwa ku koleji. Chifukwa cha kusowa, zimawavuta makolo anga kuti andithandize.
Nditaona kuti zikuvuta ndinapanga chibwenzi ndi abambo ena ake omwe ndi okwatira. Abambowa ndi aakulu zedi. Amandithandiza china chilichonse pa moyo wanga.
Michael (name concealed for privacy reasons), 21, contracted syphilis in July 2024 through his partner. The partner, who is 10 years older than him, is a married man who works for one of the commercial banks and is based in Blantyre.
Michael, a student at one of the private colleges within the same city, stays in Chilobwe Township. The two have been in a same-sex relationship for the past two years.
“In May, I started feeling itchy within my rectal area. But I did not think it was something serious,” said Michael.
Reluctantly, in July, he went to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) where it was confirmed that he had syphilis.
While the news was not much of a bother to Michael, the reaction by the nurse he found on the first day worried him, he claimed. He alleged that this is despite discussing his sexuality with the nurse.
He said: “I vividly remember what she said. I thought the court has ruled that there should be no same-sex relationships.”
The nurse was referring to a June 28 Constitutional Court ruling that maintained outlawing of same-sex relationships.
“I felt offended,” said Michael.
As he was waiting for his very first treatment, he alleges that the nurse went out of the room and minutes later, came back with a colleague.
According to Michael, the second nurse told him he is demon possessed which offended him more.
As the first nurse was preparing the dose to inject him, Michael asked for directions to the washroom and upon being advised where to go, he decided to flee.
“I never went back. I felt humiliated,” he said.
On the particular day we met Michael at Blantyre City Park, he maintained his composure, wearing blue jean trousers, black Nike sneakers and a plain T-shirt.
Michael stated that soon after this encounter, he says he notified his partner about testing positive for syphilis and the ordeal he faced at the central hospital.
He claims that the partner became furious and dumped him, accusing Michael of contracting the syphilis elsewhere.
Feeling lost, Michael confided in a close friend from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBQTI) community. The friend helped him access treatment at a private facility in Blantyre for three weeks.
Michael’s situation reflects how members of the LGBQTI community are said to be stigmatised and discriminated against when they go to access taxpayer-funded public services as also highlighted in Afrobarometer’s report published last week. The report shows that Malawi, among 39 surveyed countries, has the highest levels of intolerance for homosexuals.
Titled ‘Social Cohesion: An African Collage of Imperfect Tolerance and Cautious Trust’, the report’s findings state that 91 percent of Malawi’s population is highly intolerant of homosexuals.
Part of the report reads: “Intolerance for differences in sexual orientation remains extremely high, though it is not universal across the continent.”
Issues relating to the LGBTQI community have always been contentious with the majority population, including the clergy, opposing homosexuality legalisation.
For instance, on July 13 2023, the clergy led nationwide protests against a court petition seeking to legalise same-sex relationships, which was later thrown out by the Constitutional Court on June 28 2024.
Sections 153 and 156 of the Penal Code, which human rights advocates wanted reviewed in the court case, prohibits unnatural offences and indecent practices between people of the same sex.
At the same time, Section 120 of Malawi’s Constitution says discrimination against persons in any form is prohibited and that all persons are guaranteed equal and effective protection against discrimination because of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, nationality, ethnic or social origin, disability, property, birth or other status.
QECH director Dr. Kelvin Mponda in a telephone interview on Friday said his office had never received concerns pertaining to discrimination of such nature.
“Even prior to becoming a hospital director, my previous position required that I look at complaints from other clinical departments but have never come across such complaints. But I should not back my over 3 000 staff, not everything can be reported to my office.
“But I would be more interested if the situation was reported so that I can help the situation,” he said.
Ministry of Health spokesperson Adrian Chikumbe was, however, not reachable when contacted.
But Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation executive director Michael Kaiyatsa said in an interview on Wednesday that challenges facing members of the LGBTQI community are deeply concerning and, unfortunately, not surprising given the Constitutional Court ruling.
He said: “It is important that Section 20 of the Constitution, which prohibits discrimination, should be upheld. It is equally important to reconcile this with the punitive provisions of sections 153 and 156 of the Penal Code.”
Kaiyatsa said it is, therefore, important that a comprehensive legal reform be undertaken which will be crucial in ensuring that all citizens, including LGBTQI individuals, can access health services without fear of discrimination or persecution.
The 2020-2025 National Strategic Plan for HIV and Aids shows that seven percent of men who have sex with other men are living with HIV, a drop from 21 percent a decade ago.
This is partly due to an inclusion of 1.25 million lubricants annually in the HIV National Strategy.
Human rights advocate Undule Mwakasungula in a separate interview on Wednesday said the situation reflects the broader challenge of reconciling constitutional guarantees with entrenched beliefs.
“This leads to an environment where stigma, discrimination, and violence are normalised against the LGBTQI people. To address this, there is a need for healthcare workers to be trained to provide non-discriminatory services,” he said.
In 2012, the Ministry of Justice issued a moratorium on arrests and prosecutions for consensual homosexual acts. But it was later suspended by the High Court in 2016 pending a judicial review by the Constitutional Court.
The moratorium goes back to 2010 on the conviction of Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga who were arrested for the unnatural offences and indecent practices between males as per dictates of sections 153 and 156 of the Penal Code.
The two were sentenced to 14 years in prison.
But former president Bingu wa Mutharika pardoned them in May 2010 on humanitarian grounds following condemnation by the international community.
Is the trading of barbs between the Cockerel party and Mapuya’s People’s Demagogic Party on who is more corrupt something that warrants the attention of the citizens, my lord?
My lord, I don’t think these two parties can claim the moral ground that one is cleaner as far as the issue of corruption is concerned.
We, the citizens, know how PDP mastered the art of graft which Tokha Are Liars or is it Cockerel alone seem to have perfected.
My lord, we all remembered how the two political groups connived to derail the appointment of Marita as the Nyasaland Corruption Bureau boss lest their skeletons were exposed.
Were it not for the vigilance of the citizens themselves and the civil society, Marita would have never been hired.
And obviously her departure was silently celebrated by the compromised majority members of these two parties.
Now, my lord, what happened last week at a media briefing and the subsequent rebuttal was to us the citizens, the case of an ugly pot calling its kettle cousin black.
Talking about Tokha are Liars, because it is the focal point as a governing entity, they have themselves to blame for failing to uproot the weeds of corruption and fraud that had grown together with the crop of promise it had planted after the tripartite elections.
The weeds, which have been tamed all these years, have become so parasitic like the ill-famed witchweed otherwise known as kaufiti in local parlance that they have choked out the life of that crop of promise.
Ask me if the crop to be harvested after five years will be something to look forward to.
My lord, I can argue that the Cockerel Party has been using the template they borrowed from PDP to transact its business.
How do I mean? Well, my lord, the award of contracts and the procurement system is still defined by those whose hands are not tight-fisted but are ready to bribe their way through.
My lord, Nyasas have been given the same performance drawn from the same old script of incompetence though its actors were this time different.
What the citizens need is solutions to the growing challenge of corruption, fiscal indiscipline in government not narrations on how one is less corrupt.
If parties want the citizens to vote for them, they should avoid emotive statements which when debunked will reveal the hypocrisy of modern Nyasaland politics.
Anthuwatu ndi amodzi koma!
This was just an ordinary letter to you honourable judge.
First, l must apologise for seeking your wisdom so late at night. This happened since I work odd hours most of the time.
Big, I feel betrayed by a lady I have been seeing for over two years.
Here is my problem. This lady told me she had missed her menstruation period, but after some weeks, there was no sign of pregnancy.
A couple of months later she started telling me ndikufuna mwana. Then, I let it happen without knowing the lady was seeing another man.
Since I hacked her smartphone, I was able to get photographs of the lady and another man having a wonderful time together.
Biggie, I burned with anger and confronted her and she apologized. So, I forgave her, hoping to go for a DNA to determine the father of the baby.
Not knowing that the relationship between my lady and the other man was still on because I also hacked conversations and photographs they took in a room.
Right away, I called her to ask where she was. She lied to me that she was at her home, but I told her that that she was in a room with a guy.
At this point, Big, I told her that I am no longer responsible for her pregnancy.
Big, I don’t know whether denying the responsibility of the pregnancy is the way to go.
Please, help me Big,
Worried lover,
Blantyre.
Worried Lover,
Why do you think you are worried? I don’t think you have a problem to worry about, save for the space up your head where normal human beings have a brain.
You are not worried, as far as I am concerned. If you are to spare yourself worries in this world, these days, the rule of thumb is never to touch anybody else’s phone, let alone your lover’s.
What gain do you get by going through the conversation of your loved one? Maybe you don’t know, phones have become people’s minds and souls. If you browse through conversations in phones not your own, you are as mean as that next person who can follow everyone else anywhere just to check on what they hear and what they say.
Get a life.
But the worst point comes where you think you can deceive me, Biggie, with your nonsense. What do you mean by hacking? Do you know what hacking is? Or, you are like that little boy across my street who learned whistling yesterday and he is all over the place whistling like nobody’s business.
You learned the word yesterday and you think Biggie can be taken for a ride that you can hack your girlfriend’s phone! I wasn’t born yesterday that you can fool me that you know one or two things about hacking. You should have just put it plainly that you got her phone and browsed through. Which is a thing I discourage.
And, you delve into a thing you are not even sure of: DNA. Do you know where it is done in Malawi? Do you know what it takes for it to be conducted? Do you know how much it costs?
Out of brotherly love, I will tell you, stop wasting your time. Stop wasting my ink. In the first place, how do you deny a pregnancy that is not yours? All indications are clear that you are so dumb that another man can easily coax your woman to bed.
By the way, since I have your number, I am contacting Macra because you are infringing on her rights by intruding into her private space. Once again, get a life my dear worried lover.
President Lazarus Chakwera on Friday took advantage of the Presidential Charity Golf Championship’s third edition at Country Club Limbe to dispel rumours about his health.
He said his participation provided an platform for him to prove that he is well and kicking, which is contrary to the rumours that he was unwell since he returned from United Nations General Assembly (Unga).
The golf tournament was part of the President’s initiative aimed at raising K600 million for supporting needy students in public universities with tuition fees and helping people affected by natural disasters. It surpassed the target to K609 million.
Said Chakwera: “I have enjoyed the opportunity that today’s game has given me to put to rest a nasty rumour that some Blantyre people were enticed to believe about me that I would be soft and Blantyre players on this course hope of getting their votes in the next election. But now you know that was not true.
“So, let me tell you things that are true. It’s true that I am grateful to all of you for coming in large numbers and with great enthusiasm. I am grateful to the NBS Bank for being the diamond sponsor and others for pouring serious monies into this initiative despite the event being organised in such a short time. I am very thankful.”
The President said he is hopeful that the next edition would even hit the K1 billion ceiling.
He hailed the companies and the individuals for taking part in the noble cause, saying disasters can affect anyone, anytime.
“Climate change disasters can strike everyone, including relatives, leaving families without inheritance. I thank you because you have lit a candle in a dark tunnel. You have made a difference and not noise. You patriots that care about serving Malawians,” he said.
The two-day championship, which attracted 180 golfers from across the country and was played on two-ball-better-ball stableford format, saw Malawi Gaming and Lottery Authority’s team comprising Doreen Mwenitete and Jean Kasenda emerging champions with 50 points.
Chakwera in action during tournament
Icon Properties’ team of retired general Clement Kafuwa and Bashir Shariff was the runner-up with 48 points while Automotive Products team of Willet Kalonga and Eric Chapola took third place with 47 points. CCL golf captain Harold Phiri achieved the rare hole-in-one on the 10th hole.
NBS Bank chief executive officer Kwanele Ngwenya said they decided to be the diamond sponsor of the event because the bank believes education is the great foundation of development and that the needy require everyone’s support.
“This tournament was not about promoting brands or competition but ensuring that we make a difference in the lives of the general public and our customers,” he said.
Malawi national football team, the Flames’ downward spiral has extended to seven losses in nine matches since October 2023.
Friday’s 4-0 whacking by Senegal’s Lions of Teranga in 2025 TotalEnergies African Cup of Nations (Afcon) means Malawi has won just two games in the past 12 months.
The Flames’ two victories are against Liberia (1-0) on November 17 2023 and Sao Tome (3- 1) on June 6 2024 in the 2026 Fifa World Cup.
The seven losses are against Tunisia (1-0) and Equatorial Guinea (1-0) in the 2026 Fifa World Cup, Kenya (4-0) and Zambia (2-1) in Four Nations Tourney in March 2024, Burundi (3-2), Burkina Faso (3-1) and Senegal (4-0) in 2025 Afcon.
In those nine matches, Malawi has scored just eight goals and conceded 19 goals.
In the period under review, the Flames have sank on Fifa rankings from 123 to 133.
Mabedi: Senegal is a very good team
Football analyst Charles Nyirenda in an interview said Malawi is paying the price of failing to invest in football.
He said: “To me, all this is happening because we have not invested in our football. Just look at the standards in our top-flight TNM Super League.
“Can we compete at the same level with other teams such Senegal or even neighbours like Zambia? Is our league producing players that can compete at international level?
“Just look at our pitches. Are they worth hosting top-flight league matches? All these are contributing to the standards of our football.”
Nyirenda said Football Association of Malawi’s (FAM) underfunding by government has also contributed to the dwindling standards.
“For instance, FAM submitted a budget of K2 billion or thereabout to government in the year in review.
“But how much did they get? A mere K200 million. So, like I said, we have much bigger problems starting from the top to the bottom.”
Another football analyst Raymond Siyaya said much as Malawi has funding challenges, coach Patrick Mabedi also shoulders the blame.
He said the coach has demonstrated that he lacks technical and tactical knowhow.
Said Siyaya: “This is cataclysmic. The Burundi game provided the tell-tale signs. It all boils down to the coach. Mabedi has been faulted on many managerial technical aspects. From selection of players to fielding and tactical nous. You don’t see any strategy.
“The Burundi debacle continues to mirror the Burkina Faso and the Senegal game. Mabedi is not a mentor but apparently a student who is learning while on the job. Better coaches in other countries have been fired for better performances.”
He noted that the goals Malawi has been conceding are a testimony of Mabedi’s failed project.
Siyaya said: “Defence is Patrick Mabedi’s niche but he has failed to organise and mentor the Flames’ defence and that speaks volumes of his incapacity. Goalkeeping and defence are always constant and not in a state of flux in modern football. Why does he keep changing players in these positions?”
After the latest loss to Senegal on Friday, Mabedi was lost of words.
He, however, attributed the score margin to a 16th minute red card to goalkeeper Brighton Munthali after a foul on Sadio Mane.
In 2025 Afcon campaign, the Flames are stuck at the bottom of the table in Group L with no point, having lost all their three matches.
With just the top two teams making it to the Morocco finals, the Flames’ qualification dreams are up in smoke as they host Senegal Tuesday at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
Burkina Faso and Senegal tie on seven points apiece while Burundi have three points.
In Wo r l d C u p qualification, the Flames are fourth in a six-team pool with six points from four matches, having won two and lost two.
Tunisia lead the group with 10 points while Namibia are second with eight.
Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar) students have written Chief Justice Rizine Mzikamanda to assign another judge for a case being handled by Judge Ken Manda, alleging misuse of judicial powers.
According to a letter signed by Luanar student union representative council president Overton Jere, the students have requested that the new judge be assigned within seven days from October 11 2024.
Students want him to stop handling case: Manda
The students say assigning another judge in the case will ensure fairness.
Reads part of the letter: “Luanar had awarded a contract to Fargo Limited for the construction of a much needed teaching complex at the NRC Campus. However, despite receiving a substantial sum of money, Fargo failed to fulfil the terms of the contract.
“As a result, Luanar rightfully terminated the agreement and sought to recover the funds by cashing out security and performance bonds with FDH Bank. Before Luanar could recover the funds, Fargo approached the Commercial Division of the High Court and was granted an ex-parte injunction preventing the University from accessing the money”.
In the letter, the students claim that the injunction was issued without Luanar being given an opportunity to present its case and that Manda has since never scheduled any hearings, leaving the matter unresolved.
According to the claims as presented by the students in the letter, delays in scheduling a hearing raises concerns that the Commercial Division of the High Court is deliberately stalling until the security and performance bonds expire.
This, according to the students, will result in a significant loss to Luanar and the students who claim are the ultimate victims in the alleged judicial deliberate delays.
Due to the alleged delays, construction of the teaching complex is yet to commence, inconveniencing students as they continue facing shortage of classrooms.
This is despite the project anticipated to complete by the end of 2024, according to the letter.
“With the current impasse, this deadline is now impossible to meet, leaving our education in jeopardy. We feel that this situation has violated our constitutional right to education as enshrined in the Constitution of Malawi.
“Should we not receive a response or see action within the next seven days, we, the students of Luanar, will have no choice but to camp at your office until our demands are met,” further reads the letter.
Acting registrar of the High Court of Malawi and Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal Innocent Nebi in a WhatsApp response yesterday said the Judiciary was yet to receive the letter.
But Manda was not available.
In recent weeks, lawyer Alexious Kamangira courted controversy over alleged irregularities directed at Manda.
But on Friday, Manda obtained an injunction from the High Court of Malawi’s Lilongwe Registry, restricting Kamangira from making the alleged statements.
Weak institutional capacities, inadequate citizen engagement, and financial constraints have been identified as factors that affected implementation of the National Decentralisation Policy (1998) which has now been reviewed.
The revised policy launched last week has since identified four priority areas, namely local governance political decentralisation, fiscal decentralisation, and local development planning and infrastructural development to achieve intended objectives.
Traders and buyers inside Machinga Market
There have been several queries on financial devolution, as one factor failing the full realisation of the decentralisation process while Local Government Authorities (LGAs) have been failing to operate normally.
Of particular concern are finances. While LGAs require adequate financing mechanisms for meaningful local development, the new policy observes that most functions and decision-making processes have been devolved without commensurate financing.
It reads: “This is due to the following reasons: (a) The development budget has not been fully devolved; (b) Limited base of own sources of revenue; (c) The specified ceded revenue as a distinct form of revenue for LGAs is not clear; “(d) Weak accountability for the limited revenues from the few available; and (e) Poor coordination of development assistance (NGO and Development Partners).”
There is also observed lack and/or limited capacity development of Area Development Committees (ADC) and Village Development Committees (VDC) as having crippled them to meaningfully participate and influence development inputs and outcomes at local level.
“The 1994 Constitution and 1998 Decentralisation Policy designate LGAs as the highest political authority in a district or urban council with deliberative, legislative and executive powers.
“However, the mandate given to their political functions has often been hindered by insufficient competences of locally elected officials to guide and hold the administration to account and instances of interference in local decision making and implementation from the centre,” it reads.
Malawi Local Government Association executive director Hardrod Mkandawire said high level political will and sincerity among technocrats from the central government was key to meaningful realisation of the aspirations of the new policy.
World Bank senior public specialist Michael Roscott urged Malawi to ensure that councils are allocated adequate resources for the decentralisation policy to be effective.
Unicef country representative Shadrack Omol said if implemented well, decentralisation has many benefits.
Minister of Local Government, Culture and National Unity Richard Chimwendo Banda called for MDAs to devolve powers to councils for effective implementation of decentralisation.
At 26 Mervis Mwai Maigwa has transformed her love for travel into a thriving tourism promotion business that exposes Malawi’s hidden gems to the world.
Simply called Travel with Mervis, the tour operations firm specialises in crafting personalised travel packages to ensure that Malawians have the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the Warm Heart of Africa.
This she does with determination to ensure that Malawians and foreigners experience the hidden beauty of a country that rarely features in the international news bulletins.
Mervis says her passion for travel emanates from her background as a daughter of a police officer who was exposed to routine transfers countrywide and her passion for environmental conservation, tourism and education.
She says: “My parents are police officers so we grew up moving from one police formation to another around the country. I took it as a privilege because it exposed me to different lifestyles and cultures.
“Later, travelling became part of me. It bought out the curiosity in me. l love to explore and learn new things. l later developed this into a profession, something that l had never imagined in the beginning.”
Mervis, who was trained as a teacher at Chiradzulu Teachers’ Training College, says her three years of voluntary work as a teacher in schools and civic educator in conservation projects served as a stepping stone to her current status.
A holder of a degree in diplomacy and international relations, Mervis had a stint in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a foreign service officer.
But she never stopped her frequent travels.
“Because l like travelling, people thought l was rich, so l wanted to prove them wrong. l wanted to show them that it’s possible to travel to various destinations with minimal resources,” she says.
Mervis says she takes travel as one way of showing patriotism.
“We should be patriotic to know our country much better. This has been the motivation behind Travel with Mervis, promotion of domestic tourism,” says Mervis.
Despite veering off the ‘normal’ course that is often taken by people that pass through corridors of a teacher’s training college, Mervis says she is still a teacher at heart, but in a different sense.
“I may not be teaching in a classroom, but I use various platforms to teach people about the beauty of our country, how they can travel on a budget and why it’s essential to preserve these places for future generations,” says Mervis.
She says her teaching background and knowledge in diplomacy and international relations have contributed to her career progression.
Says Mervis: “I wanted to build my skills in this field and saw it necessary to seek guidance from people who have been the field for so long.
“I was privileged to meet Innocent Kaliati, a seasoned tour operator, to mentor me. Having a mentor like Innocent has been invaluable. He is someone I turn to when I lose my sense of direction or when I feel conflicted about the next step.”
For her, it’s not just about having the passion to travel the length and breadth of the country but about equipping herself with the right knowledge. This desire to strive for perfection has seen her pursuing further training.
“I attended an incubation programme at Mzuzu University for four months, where I earned a certification in tourism business management. l learned everything from running tourism operations to managing the business side tourism services,” she says.
A passionate environmentalist, Mervis is one of the key players in the Mudi River Restoration Project, which collects waste from the river and turns it into useful products while restoring the river’s natural beauty.
‘We can’t promote tourism without taking care of the environment. Since most of tourism attractions in Malawi are lakes, rivers, forests and mountains,” she says.
She bemoans the level of pollution and wanton cutting down of trees that is taking away the country’s beauty.
“If we boost our tourism sites and our environment, we will maintain the beauty of our country. This will eventually increase traffic for domestic and international tourists,” says Mervis.
The passionate hiker, who has scaled the heights of most of the country’s mountains, including Mulanje’s Sapitwa Peak, uses her position as a personal assistant and adviser to the Minister of Tourism to provide valuable insights into the country’s tourist destinations.
“Recently, we organised a hike to Mulanje Mountain with Minister of Tourism, Honourable Vera Kamtukule. She is the first female minister to go up to Sapitwa. We believe it’s essential for our leaders to experience firsthand what we are promoting. This is one of the marketing strategies we employed so that the minister will sell what she has experienced,” she says.
Mervis says her recruitment in the Ministry of Tourism is a testament of how passion and determination can take one to places and dine with people one never imagined.
“When l was selected to attend the Mandela Fellowship, l was so excited it was the best day of my life since l knew it was step further in enhancing my business skills,” she says.
Mervis was selected under the leadership business track to enhance her skills in leadership and business.
“The fellowship has helped me to network. There were participants from over 20 African countries. This means touring African countries we will be easy because I have a network in those countries,” she says.
Mervis says she is already planning an exchange visit with a Zimbabwean contact she met during the fellowship.
“There was a certain lady from Zimbabwe, we were in the same class. We are planning to take Malawians to Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans to Malawi,” she says.
Mervis says the fellowship helped her to understand her strengths as well as weaknesses.
“I learnt how to bring out an international appeal in my business. I now understand that business is not about money but people. If you take care of the people, money will come. It really matters how you treat people,” she says.
Mervis says her long-term plan for her travel business involves incorporating corporate social responsibility by training young women who are passionate about tourism to take up tour guiding, which is often considered a male-dominated field, as a career.
“Through this initiative, I will be creating employment opportunities for these young women. I also want to expand my business to other countries using the connections I made during the Mandela Fellowship,” she says.
Is this job not too involving?
“Balancing my personal life with work has always been challenging, I often get caught up in the demands of the business. However, I always ensure to rest when necessary for the sake of my health,” she says.
As she packs her travelling bags and fastens her shoes, Mervis is calling you to join her in making Malawi known as tourist destination.
Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has rejected requests to have independent ICT auditors to monitor election management systems and conduct manual transmission of election results in the September 2025 General Elections.
The opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), United Democratic Front (UDF), Alliance for Democracy (Aford) and UTM Party, wrote MEC to express concerns with the election management system.
Among other things, they asked the electoral body to allow independent ICT auditors to check the MEC system and also have a manual transmission of election results.
Mtalimanja: It is for security reasons
But addressing the issue in Lilongwe on Thursday during the National Elections Consultative Forum (Necof), MEC chairperson Annabel Mtalimanja said MEC has no plans to have independent ICT auditors due to security reasons.
She said MEC has to protect the system at all cost, adding that political parties would be the first to blame MEC if the system got corrupted after involving other players.
Said Mtalimanja: “At the moment, the commission has no plans of procuring the services of ICT auditors, either on its own or through the facilitation of the UNDP to audit its processes.
“Political parties will recall that during the demonstration of the functionality of the EMDs [election management devices], one of the sessions was specifically arranged for ICT experts representing political parties. The reason was to give an opportunity to political parties to confirm that all the processes in the elections management system are capable of being verified.
“The commission will continue with this approach and will hold similar engagements with ICT experts from political parties on all other processes in the elections management system.”
On the manual transmission of data that the parties proposed, the MEC chairperson said the during pilot phase, the election management devices successfully transmitted all the data to the commission servers and the servers managed to synchronise all the data received.
She further indicated that MEC will be issuing physical daily statistics for each centre directly to party representatives and that political parties will also be entitled to the end-of-day reports which will be used to verify the voters register at the end of the exercise.
“The same will apply to all other processes including the management of results, the commission will be using the hybrid system of transmission of all electoral data,” said Mtalimanja.
In an interview, DPP secretary general Peter Mukhito said the party will continue engaging MEC to consider having independent ICT auditors.
He said Mukhito: “Our demand is not too much.We need these independent auditors so that there should be a fair game between the players and them as referees.”
On her part, Malawi Congress Party publicity secretary Jessie Kabwila said in the past, elections were tampered with despite having independent auditors.
She wondered why other parties were pressuring MEC to have independent auditors.
Malawi Law Society (MLS)has demanded an inquiry into issues of alleged misconduct by High Court of Malawi Judge Kenan Manda and any other judicial officers whose matters are doing the rounds.
The society said the inquiry should include issues pending before the Chief Justice (CJ) or any committees of the Judiciary.
MLS said in a statement released yesterday and signed by its chairperson Patrick Mpaka that the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in exercise of its powers under sections 118 and 12 of the Constitution must investigate the issues and subsequent decisions should be made public.
Mpaka: Concerns ought to be inquired
Reads the statement in part: “The Judicial Service Commission must act on the matters openly to the public and quickly enough in light of the public interest thereon and the judicial proceedings partly touching on the subject matter already now pending before the High Court in Civil Cause No. 141 of 2024.
“In terms of process, the JSC can be guided by the provisions of Section 43 of the Constitution.”
MLS also called on the need to “separate the constitutional management of errors in the judicial functions of a judge from that of matters concerning his or her conduct or misconduct capable of being dealt with as disciplinary issues.”
The controversy stems from Facebook posts by Alexious Kamangila, alleging misconduct by Justice Manda in a commercial case.
The society noted that Justice Manda has since filed a civil suit against Kamangila.
MLS further recommended suspending the civil proceedings initiated by Justice Manda pending the JSC’s inquiry, stating that in the matter involving alleged misconduct by judicial officers, the High Court has power to effect appeals only after the commission has made a decision under Section 118 of the Constitution.
Meanwhile, Mpaka called for self-restraint and wise judgement of issues from the public when discussing alleged misconduct by judicial officers.
He also urged the government to prioritise enacting Judicial Reform Bills to establish clearer mechanisms for holding judicial officers accountable.
He said: “The Bills must be enacted complete with supporting regulations and rules in order to afford the public a handy statutory mechanism for holding judicial officers accountable for any alleged misconduct.”
Apart from pledging to continue monitoring the situation, the society encouraged members of the public with complaints or allegations of misconduct to report to MLS.
“Any member of the public with concerns about alleged misconduct or misbehaviour of any judicial officer has a constitutional right to access services of the Judicial Service Commission for relevant correction,” reads further the MLS statement.
The High Court in Lilongwe on Friday issued an interlocutory injunction restraining lawyer Alexious Kamangila from making, writing, or publishing any statements about Kenan Manda until further notice.
Judge Manda’s lawyer Michael Goba Chipeta said he had already sent the document to Kamangila because of the urgency of the matter.
He said: “The court marshal also called the defendant in my presence to inform him that the other documents, including summons, are at the court. Kamangila informed the court marshal that he will advise where the documents should be delivered.”
According to the court order issued by Judge Simeon Mdeza, Kamangila risks being held in contempt of court if he disobeys the order.
In a demand letter issued last Monday, Judge Manda is seeking K250 million in compensation from Kamangila over Facebook posts alleging that the judge engaged in fraudulent conduct in the Salima Sugar Company Limited case.
On September 13 2024, Manda granted an order to Mukteshwar Sugar Mills Limited stopping Salima Sugar Company Limited from dealing with its funds and assets amounting to $2.3 million (K4.1 billion) held at seven banks in the country over alleged failure by the local sugar firm to pay Mukteshwar Sugar Mills Limited.
