Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe has blamed “some donors in Lilongwe” of influencing the World Bank to continue withholding about K60 billion ($80 million) in budget support to Malawi.

In an interview at his Capital Hill office in Lilongwe yesterday, the minister described the World Bank’s withholding of the funds as “a case of changing goal posts” as, he said, the World Bank was convinced that Malawi had implemented the agreed preconditions for releasing budget support in the 2018/19 budget.

Said Gondwe: “We have completed all the actions that we agreed [with the World Bank]. The one that they are, and it’s not them [World Bank]… It’s the donor community in Lilongwe which would like us to implement some of the reforms that are needed in Admarc.

“In as far as the [World Bank] staff are concerned, they feel that we have done what we agreed, that is to appoint a consultant to study and recommend what reforms should be conducted in Admarc. We have done that.

“But the board of directors [of the World Bank], influenced by people [some donors] from Lilongwe, are saying don’t just stop at recommending reforms. Do them before disbursement of funds.”

With his Cabinet colleague Joseph Mwanamvekha at Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, they are assessing how they can implement the reforms at Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) before meeting the World Bank board of directors in Washington DC.

Said Gondwe: “The reforms can be done. I think we will do them. We will discuss the matter more in-depth with the World Bank in Washington.”

The minister was reacting to a position outlined by World Bank country manager for Malawi Greg Toulmin who, in a written response to a questionnaire from The Nation, said that the bank continues to work closely with Malawi Government to ensure that ‘phase two’ actions are fully implemented before releasing the funds.

He said a two-part budget support operation for Malawi, formally the Agricultural Support and Fiscal Management Development Policy Operation, was approved by the Word Bank in May 2017.

Toulmin added that as part of the operation, the World Bank and Capital Hill agreed on a set of actions in agriculture and fiscal management that needed to be completed in two phases before the financing was released.

Said the World Bank country manager: “Phase 1 [for $80 million], was released in August 2017.”

Economics Association of Malawi (Ecama) said it was worried with the growing pressure arising from the delayed budget support disbursements.

In an interview yesterday, Ecama executive director Maleka Thula feared that the situation will not only heighten fiscal pressure on account of reduced domestic revenue, but also has several negative implications on the country’s Balance of Payments (BOP)—a record of all transactions for Malawi with the rest of the world.

He observed that in Malawi, donor funds help in anchoring the movement of the kwacha against foreign currencies especially during the lean season.

“Not delving into whether the conditionalities of the support were met or not, generally the view is that persistent decline and unpredictability of budget support makes budget implementation somewhat difficult.

“More especially, development budget suffers the downward adjustments in events that actual revenue is lower than projected,” said Thula.

Due to the non-disbursement of the World Bank’s budget support, Gondwe was forced to trim allocations to some ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in the national budget during the Mid-Year Budget Review in February.

In an earlier interview with The Nation in January this year, Gondwe said Cabinet had not met to discuss proposed Admarc reforms, since they would be undertaken by the government that will be formed after the May 21 2019 Tripartite Elections.n

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Limodzi mwa mabungwe omenyera ufulu wa anthu achikulire m’dziko muno lati ena mwa achikulire amene adakhudzidwa ndi madzi osefukira sabata ziwiri zapitazo sakulandira thandizo loyenera kuchokera ku boma.

Madzi osefukirawa akhudza maboma 15 mwa 28 m’dziko muno, ndipo anthu 868 895 ndiwo akusowa pokhala chifukwa cha vutoli.

Mwa anthuwa, 672 ndiwo adavulala pomwe 56 adaphedwa, malinga ndi kalata yomwe bungwe la Unicef idatulutsa Lachitatu.

Pakadalipano anthu 90 000  akukhala m’misasa yomwe yakhazikitsidwa m’maboma ena monga Chikwawa ndi Nsanje.

Komatu anthuwa akulandira thandizo loperewera lomwenso likumafika mochedwa malinga ndi kalata yochokera ku bungwe la European Commission’s Joint Research Centre(JRC).

Koma mwa anthuwa achikulire ndiwo akuvutika kwambiri chifukwa akungodalira thandizolo chifukwa cha ukalamba.

Bungwe la Friends for the Elderly lati kafukufuku wake akuonetsa kuti anthu achikulire ena sadalandirebe thandizo mpaka lero ngakhale ngozi ya madzi osefukirawa idagwa sabata zitatu zapitazo kuchokera pa 5 March.

Malinga ndi kalata yomwe bungwelo latulutsa yosainidwa ndi mmodzi mwa oyendetsa bungwelo Mike Magelegele, bungwe lake lidapeza kuti vutoli lakhudza achikulire omwe amakhala okha opanda owasamalira komanso m’malo ena kufikamo.

Bungwelo lati mmodzi mwa nkhalambazi, Gogo Naphiri yemwe amakhala m’mudzi mwa Namboya kwa T/A Machinjiri m’boma la Blantyre adamupeza ali yekhayekha opanda thandizo ndipo kuti anthu a m’mudzi mwake sangamuthandize chifukwa ati ndi mfiti.

Naye gogo Fanny Kazembe wa zakat 56 yemwe ndi Nyakwawa N’nunkha ya kwa T/A Mpama m’boma la Chiradzulu yemwe nyumba yake idamugwera pa March 7 ndipo adavulala phazi, kumsana ndi m’mapewa mpaka kugonekedwa pachipatala cha Nguludi thandizo lochokera kuboma monga chakudya ndi zina silinamupeze.

Nthambi ya boma yowona za ngati zogwa mwa dzidzidzi silidatiyankhe mafunso omwe tidalitumizira okhudza nkhaniyi lomwe Tamvani udafuna kumva dongosolo la boma pa chisamaliro chopita kwa nkhalamba. n

The post Achikulire asowa thandizo madzi atavuta appeared first on The Nation Online.

Akadaulo pa ndale ayamikira manifesito ya chipani cha UTM kuti ikuyankha mavuto amene dziko lino likukumana nawo komabe achenjeza chipanichi kulonjeza zokhazo zomwe akuganiza kuti zidzatheka.

UTM ndi chipani chachitatu kukhazikitsa manifesito yake, pomwe zipani za Umodzi Party komanso Malawi Congress Party (MCP) adatulutsa kale manifesito awo, pomwe chipani cha UDF chikuyembekezeka kutulutsa manifesito yawo pa 7 April. Chipani cha DPP chati chitulutsabe manifesito yawo.

Potsatira kukhazikitsa kwa manifesito ya UTM Party Loweruka ku Dowa, akadaulo pa zandale Ernest Thindwa wa ku Chancellor College komanso George Phiri wa ku University of Livingstonia (Unilia) adathirirapo ndemanga pa manifesitoyo.

Thindwa adati manifesito a UTM ili ndi tokoma tomwe tingasinthe dziko lino monga kuchepetsa mphamvu za mtsogoleri wa dziko, kulembedwa ntchito kwa anthu 1 miliyoni chaka chimodzi, kumasula ku nsinga za ndale nyumba youlutsa mawu ya boma ya Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), kupeza yankho lothanirana ndi kuphedwa kwa anthu achialubino komanso kubwera ndi ndondomeko zaumoyo ndi sukulu.

“Izi ndi zofunika zitachitika m’dziko muno ndipo ndi zosavuta kuchita koma vuto lilipo n’kuti anthuwa akalowa m’boma sachita, amaiwala zomwe adalonjeza,” adatero Thindwa.

Thindwa akuti ngakhale manifesito ya UTM payokha angapangitse kuti anthu awavotere ponena kuti anthu a m’dziko muno amavotera munthu poyang’ana chigawo chomwe akuchokera kuiwala mfundo zomwe wasanja.

Pamene Phiri adagwirizana ndi Thindwa kuti manifesitoyo ili bwino chifukwa yalunjika zambiri zomwe zingasinthiretu Malawi.

Phiri adasanthula mfundo ya ulimi wa mthirira, kubweretsa mafakitale okonzera mbewu zomwe zimalola bwino m’madera mwawo ponena kuti izi n’zofunika.

“Zambiri m’dziko muno timaitanitsa kunja zinthu zoti tokha tikhonza kupanga, ngati UTM ingadzakwaniritse izi chikavoteredwa ndiye kuti tidzakhala odzidalira tokha,” adatero iye.

ZOMWE UTM YALONJEZA

Chipani cha UTM ngati chingavoteredwa pa 21 May pano, chati chidzathetsa ndondomeko yomwe boma limagwiritsira ntchito posankhira ophunzira m’sukulu za ukachenjede yomwe imadziwika kuti Quota System.

UTM yati idzamasula wailesi ya boma ya MBC kunsinga za ndale ndipo zipani zonse zidzidzamveka pa wailesiyo.

Pankhani ya bwalo la ndege, UTM yati idzakulitsa bwalo la Chileka ndi Kamuzu International Airport. Komanso kumanga mabwalo a ndege m’maboma a Mangochi ndi Mzuzu kuyambira m’chaka cha 2020 mpaka 2021. Chidzamanganso bwalo lina m’boma la Salima, kukonzanso bwalo lina ku Karonga. 

Kumbali ya maulendo a sitima, UTM yati idzamanga njanji yabwino yolumikiza Lilongwe ndi Blantyre. Kukozanso Nkaya, Salima ndi Mchinji. Komanso njanji yodutsa Limbe kudutsa Sandama kupita ku Makhanga ndi Marka m’boma la Nsanje.

Kumbali ya misewu, UTM yati idzayamba kukozanso misewu ikuluikulu kuti izigwirizana ndi momwe maiko ena zilili.

Chipanichi chikuti pofika m’chaka cha 2014, maboma onse adzakhala ndi misewu ya phula. Komanso misewu ya m’mizinda idzakhala yapamwamba monga zikhalira m’maiko akunja.

UTM yati idzamasula bungwe la Admarc DMARC kunsinga za ndale ndipo katangale amene wazinga bungwelo adzatheratu.

Chipanicho chatinso tidzalimbikitsa kholola wa madzi m’maboma onse cholinga nkhani ya kusowa kwa madzi idzakhale mbiri yakale, izinso zidzathandiza anthu kumalira nthawi zonse.

Kumbalinso ya ulimi, UTM yati idzalimbikitsa alimi kuti izizapanga ulimi wa m’magulu. Izi zidzathandiza kuti alimi azizalandira uphungu komanso kugulitsa zinthu zawo mosavuta.

UTM yatinso kumbali ya zipangizo zotsika mtengo, boma lawo lidzabwera ndi ndondomeko yoti alimi onse apeze zipangizo zotsika mtengo. n

The post Manifesito ya UTM mulinji? appeared first on The Nation Online.

Hon Folks, as we approach the May 21 tripartite elections, politicians are busy selling anything they can think of —their certificates, campaign pledges, etc. So desperate are they that some have eaten raw bonya just to prove they care about us. Others have pampered chiefs and the youth with money and opportunities—goodies that only come during election times!

The political marketing of the campaign period is so intense that, by the end of the day, it’s the voter who may end up confused. It’s like the aggressive marketing you’re subjected to when trying to buy nyanyati or tomatoes at Lizulu in Ntcheu on a market day.  Vendors can sweet-talk you into buying the rot which goes straight into the trash-can when you check later and discover you bought what you shouldn’t have bought. Only that by the time you discover the mistake you could be in Blantyre or Lilongwe, point of no return.

Folks, the Lizulu type of marketing is in politics. There’s a real risk of being hoodwinked by a facade of promises made by people who do not have the slighted idea how to manage their own lives let alone a country such as Malawi which faces critical challenges of poverty, population projected to double within the next two decades, changing climatic conditions and serious environmental degradation.

We’ll labour to feed maggots in the trash-can if we elect criminals who get their way by pledging to serve their motherland when their real motive is to amass personal wealth at our expense.  I have in mind leaders who condone tendencies that encourage Cashgate and other forms of corruption.

These are people who give away senior jobs in the public sector not to people who are qualified but to party clowns whose guaranteed output is nothing more than blind loyalty. These are people who let unscrupulous businesspersons reap us off as long as they, themselves, are well palm-oiled.

How come leaders declare assets worth few millions of kwacha when assuming office, get as little as K3 million tax free salary a month, but be able to give away multi-million kwacha donations and leave with multi-billion kwacha assets at the end of their tenure? Isn’t this proof that the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is a bull-dog on the leash of the very corrupt-prone people it should be barking at?

 Folks, in these campaign times dismiss as completely useless those who do not tell us why we must vote for them. The last thing any aspirant for an elective office can do to take us for granted and think our votes are their entitlement. Remember, as voters we are not registered party members. We have the right to vote for any party and any leader who has what it takes to make Malawi a better place for our children.

You can tell who the political charlatans by what they do, spewing out promises without saying how they will fulfil them. In campaign messages, the how is more challenging to cobble than the what. Remember the guy who promised us shoes? Later he wondered how stupid we could have been to bank on that promise when we had not even given him our shoe sizes!

Politicians know lies can pay dividends if voters are willing to buy them. Which is why, I guess, big parties have roots in tribal groupings set up under the pretext of preserving culture when the real aim is political—using such groupings as their political base or stronghold where they are guaranteed of getting blind votes. It’s up to voters to rise above such machinations and raise the bar high for those aspiring to lead the Malawi nation from 2019 to 2024.

Are there principled people in politics? I always marvel at how the character of Sir Thomas More in the drama book, A Man for Seasons by Richard Bolt which I read way back in my secondary school days in the 1970s.

Sir Thomas More served as the Lord Chancellor of England during the reign of Henry VIII. He was a Catholic who opposed Protestant Reformation, refused to acknowledge Henry VIII as the Supreme Head of the Church of England and saw the annulment of the King’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon so he could marry Anne Boleyn as immoral.

As a Presbyterian, it’s not for his Catholic beliefs that I’ve all along admired Sir Thomas More. Rather, it’s because Sir Thomas More was a different kind of real life statesman who did not ascribe to the crooked thinking that every man has a price.

 He was a man of conscience, ready to defend what he considered right before God and man.  I remember Sir Thomas Moore assuring the emissaries of the King of England of his unflinching loyalty then adding something like:

But tell the king, there’s a place [in my life], much smaller than the king’s own backyard garden, where I alone is the king.

The small place he was referring to was his conscience. He refused to do the wrong that the government which he served as Lord Chancellor, wanted him to do. Consequently, he lost his job and, ultimately, was taken to the guillotine.

Folks, a cause we believe in is worth dying for. In politics, don’t look for what’s in it for you. Rather, ask: what’s in it for my country? Nelson Mandela did just that. We all can for the sake of Mother Malawi. n

The post Beware: Lizulu marketing in politics! appeared first on The Nation Online.

Economist Thomas Chataghalala Munthali has been appointed as director general of the National Planning Commission (NPC) with effect from mid-March. Before his appointment, Munthali was director of Knowledge and Learning at the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), a specialised agency of the African Union (AU) on capacity development based in Harare, Zimbabwe, where he coordinated capacity development efforts across the AU member countries. In this interview with our chief business analyst DUMBANI MZALE, he shares his vision for the commission:

Q

: First congratulations on your appointment. Briefly tell us, what is the NPC all about?

A

: The National Planning Commission (NPC) is an independent think tank established through an Act of Parliament (NCP Act, 2017).  Its background links to the need for continuity of development projects regardless of whichever political party comes in office. Its main mandate is to formulate the medium-and long-term development plans of the country and oversee their implementation.

Q

: As the new DG for NPC, what are the key priority development initiatives that the country should focus on and why?

A

: First, there is need to take stock of the various development initiatives already being done. There is also research done by sons and daughters of Malawi and beyond on harnessing Malawi’s comparative advantages—basically those areas that have the highest returns on investment and huge multiplier effects on the other sectors.

That said, Malawi is endowed with fertile land and natural resources that are yet to be fully harnessed. The majority of the Malawi population is engaged in agriculture and extractive sectors. This is where we have the most comparative advantage. We would need to focus on value addition and agrarian-based industrialisation for take-off.

Q

: What is the long-term vision of NPC?

A

: Simply put, the long term vision of the NPC is a Malawi prospering socio-economically from integrated and inclusive development plans based on our resource potential and comparative advantage. We hence plan to champion the development of a long-term vision that will guide the country towards sustainable prosperity.

Q

: How is MGDS III linked to NPC’s mandate in building a better Malawi?

A

: One of the core mandate of the NPC is to develop medium-term development plans that operationalise the long term vision of the country and coordinate their implementation. Currently, MDGS III is that medium term plan. As a commission, we do not have the mandate to implement but have an interest in ensuring that whatever plans have been developed don’t just gather dust on the shelves but get implemented. That is why we would annually be reviewing the progress on the MGDSIII implementation and draw lesson on what is working and not including the capacity challenges that need to be addressed. Our main interest is in tracking impact of the interventions especially the flagship projects in MDGS III. This it to ensure that the plans that are being implemented translate into better lives for all Malawians.

Q

: The commission was set up in 2017, what has been achieved to date?

A

: Let me first be clear to the public that the Commission has been operating without a Director General for the past couple of years. But in total display of commitment to ensuring inclusive and sustainable development plans, government provided an interim secretariat which enabled the commission to operate this far. It’s only now that the commission is employing its own staff.

Despite that, there have been commendable strides made with support of the interim secretariat. In line with its mandate, this has included launch of the MGDS III and its wide dissemination. Efforts have also been made to build partnerships and alliances with various development partners as part of leveraging development programme resources.

Q

: Political parties have already drafted their manifestos outlining their vision for the country.  How will you ensure that the manifestos speak to national development frameworks and agenda? 

A

: In MGDS III, the definition of priority areas is so wide. In this regard, it’s unlikely that political parties will be far off the MGDS priorities in their manifestos. However, as the NPC, we would help the governing party to focus on those priorities that have the most impact on poverty and inequality reduction. These would be based on sound evidence around highest multiplier effects on the other sectors and general population.

Q

: What do you see as the main challenge to Malawi’s development?

A

: Four things: first is the lack of coordinated planning. Sectors and various stakeholders are often doing an incredible job but they hardly link to what others are doing next door. This has risk of duplicating efforts and inefficient use of resources. The Planning Commission hence becomes important in tracking the various socio-economic development interventions that are taking place across the country at national and local levels. 

Second, Malawi is not short of plans, strategies and policies but the implementation has been a challenge. Part of the problem has been capacity challenges with implementation. It’s good then that the Act gives the NPC the mandate to also oversee/monitor implementation of the country’s medium and long-term development strategies.

Third, as a country, which not just unique to Malawi but most African countries, we tend to look outside for solutions than local. Both with regard to expertise and resource mobilisation. You will be shocked at how much Malawian professionals are sought for outside Malawi for expertise in various development planning processes, yet they remain underutilised back home. Similarly, our country is richly endowed and if we spent our energy on promoting value addition, we should not be relying on donors for our budgetary and balance of payment support.

Lastly, is the mindset challenge. If one believes they cannot do it, they won’t achieve anything. As Malawians we need to throw out cynicism and believe that we can be what we want.

Q

: Lastly, what are your plans to sustain the NPC and make it an effective machinery for stimulating growth? 

A

: The multi-stakeholder approach is very key. The idea is to have a Malawi-driven Planning Commission but tapping on international best practices in development planning and execution depending on context. Well researched evidence will be the insulator of all the plans that will be put forward to government for implementation.

We want to stand above politics and ensure that there is continuity of projects and plans by standing on solid evidence. Our annual reporting to the President and Parliament provides an important window for ensuring accountability of those responsible for implementing the agreed development plans.

My last word being that this country needs patriotic citizens that are ready to sacrifice for the good of the future generations. Be part of that legacy, otherwise posterity will be there to judge you. n

The post ‘Malawi has best policies, problem is implementation’ appeared first on The Nation Online.

Despite having a promising start to the tea marketing season fluctuating prices and changing consumption trends threaten farmer’s earnings.

Industry players expressed the concerns on Saturday during the commemoration of the International Women’s Day cerebrations jointly organised by the Tea Association of Malawi (Taml), International Labour Orgnisation and the World University Service of Canada (Wusc) in Thyolo.

Taml chairperson Sangwani Hara said 2019 was promising due to good rains but oversupply of tea in Kenya, is affecting global tea prices.

He said the situation has not spared Malawi because with 95 percent of locally produced tea exported, changing consumption trends from to green, leaf and herbal teas has resulted in an annual three percent decline year-on-year for local tea on the international market.

“A lot of tea hasn’t been sold and some of the contracts that normally close in December for the following year are still open. Last year, we produced 50.5 million killogrammes and so far, this year, production is ahead of last year.

“Malawi produces CTC tea and the biggest export market was the UK, but that segment is decreasing as there is less consumption of black tea, as such, some of tea producers are diversifying to produce more green tea,” he said.

However, Hara was upbeat that Brexit will create an opportunity for Malawi because the UK needs to negotiate separate trade agreements to supply the UK market.

Reserve Bank of Malawi figures indicate that tea production in the fourth quarter of 2018 totaled 9.6 million kilogrammes (kg) compared to 6.5 million kgs produced in the third quarter 2018.

In the review quarter 1.6 million kg of tea was sold through Limbe auction market and averaged $1.54 per kg, lower than $1.71per kg fetched in third quarter 2018 with total realisation from tea sales through the Limbe auction market amounted to $2.4 million in the review period.

Tea is Malawi’s second largest contributor of foreign exchange after tobacco—whose allure is fast diminishing—and contribute about seven percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

 According to available statistics, the tea industry is the second largest formal employer after government, providing jobs to over 60 000 people.

 It is calculated that over 1.5 million people rely on the tea industry for livelihoods through knock-on and ripple effect; hence, the industry is a key pillar to the country’s economy.

Meanwhile, Taml says through its Gender Policy, the association has been providing training on issues including sexual discrimination and inequality in the workplace, with the sectors’ wages now are pegged at a minimum K1 510 from K650.

Taml chairperson for the gender and sexual harassment committee Taml Martha Khembo observed that the number of women in managerial positions in the sector remains few with only four women in managerial positions in five estates.

Wusc country director Godfrey Mphande said many of the tea pickers are women, who have been suffering from gender-based violence for a long time but the sector is slowly registering changes through its Gender Policy.

The post Mixed fortunes for tea as demand dip 3% appeared first on The Nation Online.

The official campaign is earnestly on and it will end just two days before Polling Day, May 21 2019. Every institution, even MBC, has promised to be neutral although it continues to ignore the opposition. While the itinerary of the DPP presidential candidate is liberally aired and repeated free of charge, even the press conference jointly held by MCP and PP is shunned.

Didn’t we say, MBC cannot and will not change? MBC will never accommodate everybody. MEC knows this fact. The DPP knows this fact. The MCP and UDF and minor parties, like the UTM, and their candidates know this fact. Media monitors know this fact.

We once challenged this federal republic to alert us the day MBC becomes politically neutral in tone and angle, balanced in voice and placement, and thorough in content so that we retire this expedition and disband its membership. Anyway, as the people of Tumbukaland say, ugly people don’t die early we will live long enough to see the changes at the MBC.

In this year’s campaign, there are over 500 parliamentary candidates claiming to be independent and having no party affiliation.   Our local lawyers, sorry, our local learned legal minds, disagree.   They argue that all candidates have an affiliation. Those claiming to be independent are affiliated to ideas opposed to positions advanced by registered political parties. Or they are just disaffected with established and registered political parties.   Political independence is therefore a political position.

If one gets voted for as an independent, it means the voters have agreed with one’s anti-establishment position, that is, the voters, too are against established and registered political parties and their ideologies (if they have any at all). Such MPs and councillors should not be allowed to switch sides while serving as MPs or Councillors because they have a strong anti-establishment constituency that should constitutionally be protected.

We have hired three lawyers, one from Ghandiland, one from the United Queendom, and the third from Ayatollahland to draft a Voter’s Bill to be presented in the first sitting of the next Parliament and assented to by the President by the end of May 2019. The proposed bill shall be called Independent Members of Parliament and Councillors Bill of 2019.

Professor, Dr Abiti Joyce Befu, MEGA-1 and MG 66 and we, her subjects, have decided to push for such a bill because since we reverted to multiparty democracy politicians have short-changed us, voters.  They have behaved like that fable character, kalulu, the hare.  At times like these, during campaign times like this, they come to us voters and pledge to go to Parliament and to the council and work for us voters.

When the elections are over, all of them (except who?), leave their constituencies and live in gated compounds with huge tall razor-wired and electrified perimeter fences, password protected gate chimes, and guarded by huge man-eating dogs from Hitlerland managed by an army of muscular Izozo.

In the living rooms, verandas, and yards of these posh compounds new political partnerships and alliances are mooted in our absence.   Because they know that we voters have no voice beyond our ballot papers, because they know Section 64 was strategically removed from the Constitution, because they know that we are too politically polarised to assume our collective active citizenship, the MPs and even councillors don’t bother coming back to us, the interviewers that gave them the lucrative jobs of representing us in Parliament and the council chambers.

All we hear is that MP for Machinga Solola is now independent; MP for Thyolo Thaveni is no longer independent but has exercised his right to freedom of association and joined the ruling party.  What? We ask. Joined the party we rejected?

So, to tether all Members of Parliament and Councillors to the issues, parties and positions they are promising today, a new law is being drafted.  It will be the first bill to be debated by the new Parliament in May. This bill will contain sections borrowed from the current Malawi constitution on crossing the floor, a Fatwa on voter betrayal that includes a minimum punishment banning any member of Parliament or council that deserts his or her constituents to declare himself or herself differently during the lifetime of the parliament or council.

And what is Fatwa for a president who abandons his or her people?  Presidential Defections Bill, 2019 has the answer. n

The post Independent Members of Parliament and Councillors Bill, 2019 appeared first on The Nation Online.

An analysis by the International Food Policy Research Institute (Ifpri) on the universal fertiliser subsidy (UFS) has revealed that untargeted programme would put pressure on the budget and its benefits disproportionally distributed to beneficiaries.

The analysis assumes that the demand for fertiliser is relatively responsive to its price.

In his published op-ed Ifpri leader of the Malawi Country Strategy Support Programme Bob Baulch observed that UFS would be expensive budgetary proposition, involve significant opportunity costs in terms of foregone agricultural investments, and have benefits that would flow disproportionately to better-off farmers.

By looking at the volume of commercial fertiliser purchased in recent years—along with the additional commercial fertiliser that would be purchased if there were no Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp)— among other assumptions, Baulch said excluding administration costs and leakages, a 50 percent subsidy would cost between K 32.1 billion and K 39.5 billion for the 2019/20 Financial Year.

This compares to a cost of K 26.8 billion for fertiliser costs alone under Fisp in the 2017/18 Financial Year and a total allocation cost, including seeds and administration cost, of K38.5 billion.

With UFS at 75 percent which is close to the level of fertiliser subsidy paid by Fisp this year, this comes to K48.1 to K81.3 billion per year, exceeding the total annual agricultural development budget.

“And if the UFS resulted in fertiliser prices in Malawi that were significantly lower than in neighboring countries, the cost could be even higher than this due to unofficial fertiliser exports. Despite the decline in the number of Fisp beneficiaries in recent years [from 1.5 million households before 2016/18 to 900 000, and then back to 1 million this year], expenditure on the Fisp still represents over a quarter of Malawi’s agricultural budget.

“Once recurrent expenditures plus maize purchases are accounted for, very little remains for other agricultural investments. So, an important additional question that needs to be asked is which types of agricultural investments will provide the biggest kick for your kwacha [or, in the case of donors, ‘bang for your buck’?” wondered Baulch.

He observes that a move to a UFS would, therefore, be likely to concentrate fertiliser use among the richer, but also more productive, farmers who can afford to purchase fertiliser. 

Over the past 15 years, Fisp, a programme that was designed to ease access to farm inputs, has dominated the agriculture and food security discourse in Malawi.

Since the dawn of multiparty democracy in 1994, access to food has been the central feature of almost all the political contestations and as a matter of fact, all governments elected in the multiparty era after 1994 have been elected based on their promise to guarantee food security to the electorate.

Critics of the Fisp programme have pushed for an exit strategy and noted that the country is entangled in various cycle with billions of kwacha invested in Fisp and, at the end of the day, taxpayers fishing out more to feed millions of hungry mouth after the poor harvest.

The post Universal fertiliser subsidy expensive for Malawi appeared first on The Nation Online.

The 52nd session of the Economic Commission for Africa Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (COM2019) ended in Morocco on Tuesday with governments being urged to move with speed to embrace digital transformation to spur economic growth on the continent.

The Ministers, including a delegation of economists from Malawi said if Africa does not move with speed to adapt modern technologies and ensure everyone has broadband Internet access at least by 2022, then the continent will not be able to leapfrog development challenges in the near future.

Experts at the meeting appealed to continent’s leaders to embrace technology to improve governance systems, including revenue collection and efficient, transparent use, and ensure its growing youthful population is re-skilled to compete in an increasingly digital world.

Speaking at the end of the meeting, ECA executive secretary, Vera Songwe, said it was clear from discussions during the conference that Africa can do more and better if it worked closely together and speak with one voice.

She said Africa should tap into the ever-growing digital economy which has disrupted age old industries while giving rise to completely new ones.

“We can do well if we work together and move from theory to action,” said Songwe, adding discussions had proved that fiscal policy was important if the continent is to increase revenue collection to finance its development, in particular it’s desire to achieve Agendas 2030 and 2063.

She said with the advent of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Africa was on the path to economic diversification and inclusion with the digital era bringing in efficient and effective ways of collecting, allocating and use of revenues, among many other benefits.

Morocco’s Economic and Finance Minister, Mohamed Benchaaboun, said it was important for Africa to realise that it needs to rely on itself more than outsiders for its progress and development.

“South-South cooperation is also important for us as a continent. We need to take it to a higher level,” the Minister said, adding the conference had been a huge success.

Currently, African economies face major financing gaps and challenges in the mobilisation of domestic resources, despite the implementation of several fiscal and budgetary reforms.

The Ministers noted, adding digitisation can, therefore, enhance fiscal policy performance and development finance by increasing domestic revenue generation and allocation.

The Ministers also discussed threats and challenges posed by digitisation and the need to have measures in place to protect citizens and governments.

“Limited Internet access in Africa continues to impede the development of digitization in economic and social sectors, including e-commerce, e-health and e-government, which are constrained by high transaction costs, the spatial distribution of information exchanges, and limited access to international markets,” the Ministers said in their statement.

The highlight of the meeting was the launch of a new report by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) which makes a case for the need to broaden and deepen tax and revenue collection bases on the continent while leveraging digital technologies to boost collection and compliance, to achieve pressing development goals.

Governments, the report says, need to design and improve innovative digital mechanisms that facilitate revenue collection and increase the efficiency of tax administration by promoting the use of online platforms for self-reporting by taxpayers and the use of digital mechanisms to record relevant data on transactions and the identity of taxpayers.

COM2019 was held under the theme; Fiscal policy, trade and the private sector in a digital era: A strategy for Africa.

The post Governments urged to embrace digital transformation appeared first on The Nation Online.

Minister of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development Grace Chiumia on Thursday acted swiftly to thwart plans by some Be Forward Wanderers and Nyasa Big Bullets supporters to march in protest against the delay by government to kick-start the construction of their stadia as promised by President Peter Mutharika.

A well-placed source confided to Weekend Nation that the minister called for the meeting after getting wind of the development.

Chiumia then summoned the domestic football powerhouses’ executive and main supporters committees’ to a meeting in Lilongwe to assure them of government’s commitment on the project.

The source said the minister was accompanied by her ministry’s principal secretary Joseph Mwandidya, the Nomads were represented by their chairperson Gift Mkandawire and his supporters committee counterpart Melvin Nkunika while the People’s Team was represented by chief executive officer Fleetwood Haiya and supporters’ director Stone Mwamadi.

Both the minister and PS were not available for comment yesterday, but while confirming that the meeting indeed took place, the ministry’s spokesperson Christina Mkutumula said she did not have the details.

However, Nkunika confirmed the meeting, saying their concern was lack of an update from the government side.

“What came out clearly during the meeting was that there was a communication breakdown as we [the clubs] were not being updated on the progress on the promised projects, probably because the President delegated a number of stakeholders.

“We [also] made efforts to get the actual timeframe, but our attempts did not materialise as the minister and the PS insisted that there would be progress  next month [April], which is just a few days away anyway and we will just wait to see what comes up,” he said.

The Nomads top fan also confirmed an intention by “a section of the team’s fans to march, but following the meeting with the minister, we will ask them not to proceed so as to give dialogue a chance following the fruitful meeting that we had”.

On his part, Mkandawire described the meeting as fruitful, saying: “We really thank government, the minister and her PS for opening the door for dialogue. We believe with such interactions, football will be the winner. We [also] briefed the minister on the specific huddles which teams meet.”

On his part, Mwamadi also described the meeting as fruitful.

“The minister tried to address all the concerns we had, in particular the stadia and she assured us that next month [April], government will finalise everything and handover the sites to  the teams,” he said.

Haiya said he would comment on the issue later.

Mutharika pledged to construct stadiums for the two age-old rivals in January this year and tasked Blantyre City Council, Malawi National Council of Sports and the Ministry of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development with the project.

Two days after the President issued the directive at a pubic rally, the two teams addressed a press conference in Blantyre where they announced that they had identified land for the projects in Ngumbe near Kameza Roundabout along Zalewa Road (for Bullets) and Chichiri (for Wanderers), respectively.

But  government snubbed the sites and instead identified land in Soche and Moneymen area for Bullets and Wanderers, respectively. n

The post Hold it! appeared first on The Nation Online.

Club football is back with a bang as last year’s most successful teams—Nyasa Big Bullets, Be Forward Wanderers, Masters Security and Blue Eagles—tussle in the Ecobank Charity Shield, a tourney that marks the dawn of the new season.

The two-day soccer fiesta kicks off at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre this afternoon with TNM Super League champions Bullets dating Airtel Top 8 winners, Eagles, while Fisd Challenge Cup victors, Wanderers, face off with Carlsberg Cup champions, Masters.

The winner of the two semi-finals will clash in the final at the same venue tomorrow which will be curtain-raised by the losers’ contest to determine third-place.

Bullets will surely storm into the match consumed with a spirit of vengeance after Eagles beat them 1-0 in the Airtel final, not long ago.

In Bullets, the cops know pretty well that they are not confronting an ordinary outfit. The People’s Team has won all the previous Shields even when the odds were stacked against them.

But Eagles coach DeKlerk Msakakuona is determined to cause another upset.

“Every team that will play there has a trophy which means they are capable of winning this shield. This is the spirit we go into this competition with,” he said.

Msakakuona, however, warned his charges against building their faith on their Airtel Top 8 triumph saying this was a different game altogether.

“We beat them on July 1, 2018 and this Shield match is on March 30, 2019. It is a different match altogether. All we need is focus and determination,” he said.

If Msakakuona earns the targeted victory, he will get significant credit for slaughtering the giants in pressured circumstances. When playing at home, Bullets, as history has it, are the truest example of footballing resilience.

Against Masters, Wanderers also encounter a familiar face. This is an adamant side that snatched the Carlsberg Cup from their noses in that final last year.

However, that is not getting into the Nomads heads as their team manager Steve Madeira claims their victory was a fluke.

“We are not in any way intimidated because we know their win was just a one-off thing. If they are coming into this match oozing with confidence that they can pull another win, then they will be in for a huge surprise,” he said.

Madeira also pointed out that one of their key objectives is to end their bitter rivals Bullets’ stretched grip on the trophy.

“We will showcase to the football fraternity the squad we have in store for the new season,” he said.

Wanderers will likely showcase their new signings who include Babatunde Adepojo and Francis Mkonda, signed from Masters Security where they were the team’s key men last season.

Looking forward to the game, Masters coach Abbas Makawa said he does not expect Wanderers to play the same as last season.

“In fact, it is difficult to prepare for these matches because a lot of things have changed. Teams have new players and obviously their play pattern is different. All we will do is to play our game without studying our opponents much,” he said.

Makawa warned the other teams that they (Masters) are venturing into the tournament with a heart to win the shield.

Masters have strengthened their squad with new faces that include former Bullets midfielder Kondwani Kumwenda. The Lilongwe-based ambitious side has also roped in former Bullets trainer Eliah Kananji who in as assistant trainer.

The Ecobank Charity Shield, an annual event organised by the Football Association of Malawi (FAM), is this year being played under the theme ‘One Love-Stop the Killings’ a rallying cry against killings of persons with albinism in the country. n

The post Four tussle for Ecobank Shield appeared first on The Nation Online.

An audit into the Bingu National Stadium (BNS) financial transactions has revealed that the facility’s management failed to account for about K4.5 million from the revenue it generated in the 2017/ 18 financial year.

This revelation is contained in the Malawi Government Accounts Audit for the year ending June 30, 2018 which the acting Auditor General Thomas Makiwa has just released.

The report shows that the audit into the BNS was pinned on K12.9 million which the stadium was supposed to deposit into the main government account widely known as Account Number One.

However, the report outlines that only K8.5 million was accounted for.

“An examination of financial records disclosed that BNS collected K12 917 788.07 which was supposed to be banked intact, but actual amount banked was K8 500 000.00 leaving a balance of K4 417 788 07 unaccounted for,” it reads.

BNS officials refused to comment on the matter referring the Weekend Nation to the Ministry of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development.

The ministry’s spokesperson Christina Mtukumula said they were working on rectifying the issue.

“The issue that appeared in the National Audit Report about unaccounted funds at the Bingu National Stadium is being handled. The relevant documents accounting for the funds were in a new file which was not part of the audited files,” she said without getting into details.

“The management at the stadium are working hand in hand with our internal auditor to address the matter,” she said.

A source at the ministry said in the financial year, the stadium generated K100 million of which K88 million was deposited into the government account.

“So the K12 million plus which the report is quoting is part of the same money, but was not deposited because we spent it on other things like cleaning services and paying bills,” he said.

The source further said the audit traced documents “supporting the K8.5 million expenditure, but not the K4.5 million”.

BNS generates its revenue through leasing out corporate rooms,  hosting of events such as workshops, but its substantial amount is realised through football matches.

Meanwhile, business management consultant George Kaudza Masina described the development as worrisome since BNS is new and just establishing its footprint.

“For a new facility, K4.5 million is a lot of money and in the years to come it could even be worse. For a long time people have been taking these facilities [stadiums] as if it were their personal estates,” he said.

Kaudza Masina has asked government to give specialised training to the stadium’s staff on how to manage thefacility.

“Stadium management is a profession on itself and most people running these facilities have not been trained on that.  Maybe, it will be ideal to train our people managing these facilities otherwise we will just be blaming people who do not have the capacity to run them,” he said. n

n audit into the Bingu National Stadium (BNS) financial transactions has revealed that the facility’s management failed to account for about K4.5 million from the revenue it generated in the 2017/ 18 financial year.

This revelation is contained in the Malawi Government Accounts Audit for the year ending June 30, 2018 which the acting Auditor General Thomas Makiwa has just released.

The report shows that the audit into the BNS was pinned on K12.9 million which the stadium was supposed to deposit into the main government account widely known as Account Number One.

However, the report outlines that only K8.5 million was accounted for.

“An examination of financial records disclosed that BNS collected K12 917 788.07 which was supposed to be banked intact, but actual amount banked was K8 500 000.00 leaving a balance of K4 417 788 07 unaccounted for,” it reads.

BNS officials refused to comment on the matter referring the Weekend Nation to the Ministry of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development.

The ministry’s spokesperson Christina Mtukumula said they were working on rectifying the issue.

“The issue that appeared in the National Audit Report about unaccounted funds at the Bingu National Stadium is being handled. The relevant documents accounting for the funds were in a new file which was not part of the audited files,” she said without getting into details.

“The management at the stadium are working hand in hand with our internal auditor to address the matter,” she said.

A source at the ministry said in the financial year, the stadium generated K100 million of which K88 million was deposited into the government account.

“So the K12 million plus which the report is quoting is part of the same money, but was not deposited because we spent it on other things like cleaning services and paying bills,” he said.

The source further said the audit traced documents “supporting the K8.5 million expenditure, but not the K4.5 million”.

BNS generates its revenue through leasing out corporate rooms,  hosting of events such as workshops, but its substantial amount is realised through football matches.

Meanwhile, business management consultant George Kaudza Masina described the development as worrisome since BNS is new and just establishing its footprint.

“For a new facility, K4.5 million is a lot of money and in the years to come it could even be worse. For a long time people have been taking these facilities [stadiums] as if it were their personal estates,” he said.

Kaudza Masina has asked government to give specialised training to the stadium’s staff on how to manage thefacility.

“Stadium management is a profession on itself and most people running these facilities have not been trained on that.  Maybe, it will be ideal to train our people managing these facilities otherwise we will just be blaming people who do not have the capacity to run them,” he said. n

The post Audit exposes financial irregularities at Bingu Stadium appeared first on The Nation Online.

The second edition of the National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc-sponsored Mo626Ice College Basketball gathers momentum this morning with the elite eight contests at Malawi University of Science and Technology (Must) in Thyolo.

After separating men from boys in the zonal qualifiers and play-offs, the top eight in both men’s and women’s categories battle for the semis.

Men’s reigning champions Malawi College of Accountancy (MCA)-Lilongwe Campus will set the ball rolling when they face Chancellor College (Chanco) Hawks in what promises to be a no-holds-barred clash.

MCA captain and trampcard Hydin Mafuta says they are set for the showdown.

“We are ready for them and we will not hold anything back. We will give it all our best,” said the ever-upbeat MCA skipper.

His Hawks counterpart Chikondi Sato said: “We have been putting in the necessary work. We are confident of getting a positive result.

Apart from Mafuta, the star-studded Hawks also have Patrick Chirwa and Malumbo Kumwenda while the Hawks also have Dumisani Kawiya, Waza Phiri, Sunganani Mpekasambo and Samuel Kalonga.

Last year’s losing finalists Poly Wildcats, boosted by their 100 percent record in the qualifiers,  face DMI.

Poly captain Robert Matambo said: “As I said earlier on, our aim is to go all the way to the finals and get it right this time around.”

On his part, DMI captain Rodney Mlauzi said: “Obviously it will be tougher than where we are coming from, but our team is ready for any opponent. We stepped up our preparations knowing that it’s getting hot.”

In other men’s last eight encounters, Malawi Assemblies of God University (Magu) date MCA-Blantyre Camps while hosts Must engage Bunda.

In ladies category, defending champions African Bible College (ABC) face Zima, who will be making their first appearance at this level.

However, while the odds appear stacked against her side on paper, Zima’s captain Angie Chibwana said: “We are fully prepared for the tournament and we know what to expect from a tournament of this nature.

“It is our first time to take part, so we are the underdogs, especially facing the champions, but a dog with its teeth can still bite.”

In other last eight matches in ladies’ category, Poly take on Northern Zone sole representatives University of Livingstonia (Unilia) Must engage Magu whereas Catholic University (CU) face Bunda. n

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Three of the eight presidential candidates last night provided pointers to voters, during the first 2019 presidential debate, on what to expect from their administrations should they be ushered into government during the May 21 Tripartite Elections.

Atupele Muluzi of United Democratic Front (UDF), Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and UTM’s Saulos Chilima tried to outshine one another in the first of the three-series debates held in Lilongwe to woo the votes from Malawians who packed the venue as well as tuned in to their radio and television stations at home.

Organised as a red carpet event in the main auditorium of Bingu International Convention Centre (Bicc), the three made their cases articulating how they would tackle different issues.

However, they offered no clear strategic distinctions for voters’ preference among the eight individuals that will appear on the presidential ballot paper on May 21.

While Muluzi, who is President Peter Mutharika’s Minister of Health, appeared to have relatively different policy directions, Chakwera and Chilima had more common grounds in their responses to questions posed by moderator Grace Malera.

For instance, when the three were asked about their opinion on implementation of the controversial Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp), Chilima and Chakwera clearly stated they would discontinue the programme and introduce the universal subsidy system, but Muluzi took a middle line by not indicating whether he would do the same or not.

However, the three candidates agreed that there was deep-rooted corruption in government and that the introduction of quota system of selecting university students had done more harm than good.

“As UDF, we don’t believe in quota system. Our responsibility will be to ensure that the best and the bright students have fair chance of selection. So we will look for funds to construct more schools to increase students’ admission in schools,” said Muluzi.

On corruption, which is one key challenge to Malawi’s developmental and transformational process, all the three candidates said their plan for a corrupt-free government.

Chilima repeated what he had been preaching that once he is voted into government he would give suspected ‘thieves’ a 30-day amnesty to return the loot or else they would all be hunted, arrested and convicted.

He said he would also ensure that laws are reviewed so that immunity for presidents is removed to allow governance institutions probe them if suspected of corrupt practises.

Chakwera said: “MCP will ensure that governance institutions are independent of anybody, have enough funding and expertise to deal with corruption at all levels. They should not be under the president or any political influence.”

Muluzi, still serving as a Cabinet minister in Mutharika’s government, abandoned his often soft-spoken and easy-going demure to relentlessly attack Chakwera and Chilima for what he thought were faulty policies.

He positioned himself as a leader willing to cooperate with any government for “the general good of Malawians”, while condemning MCP, in not-so-veiled jibes, as a party of bitterness and UTM as a party of frustration.

Owning some achievements in the current administration, Muluzi accused his political rivals for allegedly copying his ideas from the 2014 campaign, but failed to convincingly defend UDF as an independent party with a better plan to rule the country.

Muluzi, whose party is yet to launch its manifesto, constantly veered into promises that UTM and MCP have made, on several occasions dismissing the two parties’ manifestos as being long on promises and short on how they would be implemented.

It was not always a move that ended with success. For example, Muluzi’s criticism of Chilima’s promise to create a million jobs as contradicting UTM’s plan to mechanise agriculture drew audible disapproval from the audience. The UDF candidate suggested mechanisation of agriculture would cut jobs for farmers.

It also drew a rebuke from Chilima: “He (Muluzi) said running government is serious business but failing to read your political opponents’ manifesto in full smacks lack of seriousness.

“One million jobs will be created by many other sectors and mechanisation doesn’t always mean fewer jobs. We have in our manifesto mega farms and other projects.”

To many financing challenges facing various sectors such as education and health, both Chilima and Chakwera reaffirmed how saving resources through fighting corruption would improve the resource envelope.

The crowd inside Bicc at times laughed, jeered and reacted petulantly-forcing security to be called to evict a few patrons, but after two hours, it was tough to say who had carried the day on ideas.

Chakwera in an interview later lamented Mutharika’s absence, describing it as a lost opportunity for him to put the spotlight on his record in power.

He described Mutharika’s no-show as a testimony that his government lacked respect for tenants of democracy.

Chilima expressed optimism that his articulation of policies was enough to win the watching public while Muluzi insisted UDF was not defending the ruling party in the debate, but championing its own agenda.

University of Malawi political analyst Ernest Thindwa said the event was “generally good” but with several areas of improvement such as the host taking more time to wind up questions.

“The how question was not addressed adequately by the candidates. The

candidates promised a lot but how they want to move from where we are

now to where they want to be, they were not clear,” he said.

He added: “So there was need to have a clear policy proposition in order to address the gaps they are seeing. So it was a mere talk show.”

On his part, political commentator Humphrey Mvula said it was a great opportunity lost for Mutharika because, as a sitting President, he should have been able to articulate issues to Malawians as he seeks re-election.

Chairperson of the organising task force Teresa Ndanga said they organise the presidential debates to level the playing field where one political party may dominate access to the media.

She said the debate also gives Malawians opportunity to hear, analyse and shape the country’s future.

“The debate provides unique opportunity for candidates to speak directly to voters and get their messages out. They also allow candidates to connect with independent and undecided voters who are less likely to attend a campaign rally,” she said.

According to Ndanga, the candidates were grouped to ensure quality as well as an opportunity for the candidates to have ample time to defend their policies and manifestos.

Barbs dominate debate

Opposition MCP, UTM and UDF leaders often traded barbs last night as each tried to convince Malawians to choose him as the next President in the May 21 general elections.

Chakwera, Chilima and Muluzi could not help being entangled in several verbal flashpoints as they engaged one another in the first of three-part debates for the eight presidential candidates in the May polls. 

The audience laughed, clapped and urged on the contestants as they traded the barbs and as they shared their parties’ plans on various national development challenges.

This public reaction violated the strict discipline and decorum rules the debate organisers had announced at the start of the event. The people were told not to clap hands, cheer or jeer, unless they were permitted to do so by debate the moderator.

In the end, the moderator seemed to tolerate public cheering and handclapping, perhaps because it could have been odd and dour for the more than two hours of debating to be conducted under the rigid orders.

All the candidates had digs at one another when they were asked to close the debate with closing remarks.

Muluzi described Chakwera and Chilima as intelligent and “very fine men” and he praised himself for having served in the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government to serve Malawians. n

The post Stalemate appeared first on The Nation Online.

Energy Generation Company (Egenco), the company established to generate power, says consumers should expect improved power generation this year compared to last year.

This, they say, is because the country has this year  received considerably higher rainfall and most tributaries of the Shire River—the source of 90 percent of the country’s hydro power—have some water flowing compared to last year when rainfall was low.

But power generation experts are skeptical and have put their heads on the block warning that the country will soon roll back to the end of the blissful ‘power all day everyday’ enjoyed since December 2018 because Malawi relies on Run of the River (RoR) schemes to generate power which cannot sustain power generation for the whole year.

Egenco spokesperson Moses Gwaza observed in a response to a questionnaire this week that Malawians should expect a continuation of improved generation because the company and its partners have put in place measures to ensure sustained generation beyond the rainy season.

“We have been using the water in the lake [Lake Malawi) sparingly in anticipation of the dry season. As you may be aware, the Kamuzu Barrage at Liwonde has just been upgraded and is more efficient now. This will help us use the water resource even more prudently as the barrage is able to keep more water in the lake,” he said.

According to Gwaza, with the lower rainfall last year, the Shire River flow at the barrage was regulated at 115 cubic millilitres per second while this year, the Shire is being regulated at 135 cubic millilitres per second.

“Between January and March 2018 the average production of hydro electricity was 194.7MW with a daily average maximum production of 232.6MW, while from January until now, the average production is 210.8MW, with a daily average maximum of 260.8MW.

According to Gwaza, Nkula A, which was under rehabilitation last year, is now fully operational and adding 36MW to the national grid.

Going forward, Gwaza explained that Egenco will commission diesel generator projects with 10MW at Kanengo in Lilongwe as well as buy 20MW from Nanjoka Salima Solar Project.

“We are also upgrading Tedzani III to add 10MW by the end of June this year. All these efforts will ensure we have enough power generation for the country.

“We are constructing Tedzani IV with support from the Japanese government, which will add 18MW by 2021. There is very good progress on this project with 40 percent of the works completed. We are also doing feasibility studies for expansion of Wovwe Power station,” he said.

Other projects in the pipeline, according to Gwaza, are the establishment of hydro power stations at Mpatamanga in Chikwawa, Kholombidzo in Blantyre Rural and the Lower Fufu in Karonga, where feasibility studies were already completed.

But two energy generation experts Dapper Chapalapata, a former employee of the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) and Grain Malunga, former minister of energy and mining told Weekend Nation they believe the seasonal power shortages will continue until the country constructs high dams to store and regulate water.

All hydro-power schemes on the Shire River are RoR schemes which only generate more power when seasonal river flows are high. There is need for our utilities to invest in technologies which can supply base-load power, such as thermal power plants, according to Chapalapata.

He, however, observed that there are other causes of power generation in the country, apart from diminishing river flows. According to him, poor revenue collection and management, insufficient system capacity, interference into Egenco and Escom operations by stakeholders, poor customer service and care and poor quality of power supply are equally to blame.

He criticised the use of diesel generators to solve power problems in the country, observing that diesel generators are normally run as standby plants, to run for short periods of time, because they are not cheap to run.

In January last year, Escom leased diesel powered generators from Aggreko in Dubai at a cost of K190 billion for the two years they will be running after the country’s hydro power stations’ generation capacity reduced to 145MW against a demand of 300MW. The gensets added 78MW to the national power grid.

The commissioning of the gensets resulted in a 24.67 percent increase in electricity tariffs.

On his part, Malunga blamed Escom for spending money on the generators deal for which Malawi will still pay the full amount of K190 billion despite that they are not being used now.

“Escom will still pay that money, whether the generators are working or not; then add that amount to the cost of the fuel Escom is buying to run the generators,” he said.

“The K190 billion is enough to build a new 100MW hydro plant that would generate power for over 40 years,” Malunga observed.

But Escom spokesperson Innocent Chitosi, who shared Gwaza’s views on the capacity of the country’s power generation plants this year, defended the hiring of the generators, saying, as of now, the country still needs them. n

The post Egenco upbeat on improved power generation appeared first on The Nation Online.

The Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has started a special inquiry into the death of Buleya Lule, a key suspect in the abduction of a boy with albinism.

Lule died in police custody after he appeared in the Lilongwe Magistrate’s Court on February 21 on the first day of trial over the abduction of Goodson Makanjira, 14, from Mphanyama Village, in Traditional Authority Chilikumwendo, Dedza.

The accused, who had pleaded not guilty and was charged together with five others, is said to have been offered the abducted boy by two of the fellow accused, including Makanjira’s step-father, for a price of K800 000.

In a statement we saw yesterday signed by MHRC executive secretary David Nungu, the commission says the hearing is an opportunity for persons connected to the matter to be heard. These include police officers at Lilongwe Police Station, where Lule was in remand before he died, and Mitundu Police Station, where he was briefly kept after arrest, relatives and other key witnesses.

Reads the statement in part: “Investigations are focusing on the right to life and the rights of suspects sitting in the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi under Section 16 and 42, respectively. The investigations will, inter alia, involve the hearing of the case herein by a two-member panel of the commission, comprising commissioners Martha Chizuma and Rosemary Kumitsonyo Kanyuka, with the former being a presiding member.”

Preliminary autopsy results for Lule revealed that he died after sustaining three main injuries to the head, tummy and on his buttocks.

Lule had been among six men who were arrested in connection with the abduction.

The others are Kumbilani Patson, 51, the first accused, Sainani Kalekeni, 44, the second accused; Lukas Kagomo, 36, the third accused; Katiya Mizeck, 42, the fourth accused; Lule, 44, the fifth accused; and Wiskes Gana, 58, the sixth accused. n

The post MHRC starts inquiry on Buleya Lule’s death appeared first on The Nation Online.

Mipingo ina ponyadira chipembedzo chawo imati ‘kupemphera ndi kwabwino kwatidziwitsa awa, awo ndi awo.’ Kukumana kwa mtundu womwewu kudasintha moyo ndi tsogolo la Elisha Mtambo ndi Menala Msiska womwe lero ndi banja.

Elisha yemwe amachokera m’dera kwa mfumu Mwenelupembe m’boma la Chitipa akuti adakumana ndi Menala wochokera m’dera la mfumu Kachulu m’boma la Rumphi m’chaka cha 2015 kutchalitchi ya CCAP ya Sinodi ya Livingstonia ku Area 24 mu mzinda Lilongwe.

Iye adati kupatula kukumana koyamba kutchalitchi, amakhulupilira kuti Mulungu ndiye adawalumikizitsa chifukwa atangowonana mitima yawo idadumpha mwachilendo pambuyo pake, adalonjerana n’kupatsana nambala za lamya pompo.

“Ambiri amadziwa kuti sichophweka kukumana ndi msungwana kapena  mnyamata koyamba n’kulankhulana naye pomwepo mpaka kupatsana nambala za lamya koma ndimo zidakhalira ndiye sindichotsera kuti dzanja la Atate lidayendapo,” adatero Elisha.

Naye Menala wati tsiku lomwe adakumana ndi Elisha kutchalitchi, adamva kugunda kwachilendo mumtima mwake koma pokhala msungwana adayesetsa kugwira thupi lake kuti asawonekere kuti adali kumva mwachilendo m’thupi.

“Munthu aliyense amazidziwa momwe amakhalira kapena kumvera nthawi zonse m’thupi mwake koma patsikuli, ndithu ndidamva mwachilendo makamaka momwe mtima wanga umagundira,” watero Menala.

Elisha wati kuchoka tsiku lokumanalo, awiriwa adakhala miyezi itatu akungocheza palamya kudikira tsiku lomwe onse adakhutira wina ndi mnzake.

“Tsiku lomwe ndidamufunsira, adaseka n’kundifunsa kuti ndidaganiza bwanji potenga nthawi yonseyo. Chilungamo chidali chakuti ndinkafufuza kaye za khalidwe lake,” adatero Elisha.

Iye wati atapereka yankho lakelo, adadzidzimuka Menala naye atamuuza kuti adagwa m’chikondi kalekale tsiku la kukumana kwawo koma sadafune kuonetsera ndipo pamiyezi itatu yomwe amangochezayo, nayenso amafufuza mbiri ya Elisha.

Ngakhale onse adali atamasukirana, Menala sadavomere kutomera kwa Elisha ndipo adamuuza kuti adzamuyankhabe akamaliza kulingalira za mawuwo.

“Ndidavomera maganizo akewo koma eeeeh! adandiyika mundende ya malingaliro usiku ndi usana. Adandilora pakutha pa mwezi wachiwiri, pemene ine ndinkati zanga zada,” Elisha adafotokoza.

Chibwenzi chitayamba mu 2015, akuti awiriwa adagwirizana zoti adzamanga ukwati m’chaka cha 2018 ndipo chibwenzicho chidayenda bwino kwa zaka zitatu zomwe amakonzekera ukwati wawo omwe adamanga pa 7 July 2018 patchalitchi yomwe adakumanirayo.

Menala wati Elisha ndi mwamuna wachikondi, wodziwa kusamala banja lake, woopa Mulungu komanso wopereka chilimbikitso pa nthawi yakufooka muuzimu ndi muthupi kotero kuti amayamika Mulunguyo pomupatsa mwamuna wotero.

Elisha naye adatsindika kuti banjalo adakonza yekha Mulungu, ndipo awiriwo sangasiyane.n

The post Chikondi chidayambira kutchalichi appeared first on The Nation Online.

Akundifunanso

Anatchereza,

Telemu yotsiriza ya Fomu 3 ndidapalana ubwenzi ndi mtsikana wina pasukulu yathu ku Mulanje. Koma tikuyandikira kulemba mayeso a Fomu 4, bwenzi langalo lidanditumizira uthenga palamya kundiuza kuti chibwenzi chatha chifukwa sindine ‘mwamuna’.

Iye adaonjezera kuti pomwe ankandilola n’kuti ali ndi chibwenzi china. Izitu zidandiwawa kwambiri chifukwa tinkalonjezana kuti tidzakwatirana.

Chondivuta n’choti atangomva kuti ndayamba ntchito adayambanso kundiimbira foni n’kumandiuzakuti chikondi chake pa ine sichidathe. Ndichite chiyani pamenepa?

DF,

Mulanje.

DF,

Nthawi zonse ndimalangiza amene ali m’sukulu kuti ayenera kupewa mchitidwe wokhala ndi zibwenzi. Izi ndimanena makamaka chifukwa zimasokoneza maphunziro. Taonani apa mukuti mtima wanu udasweka mutayandikira kulemba mayeso a Fomu 4 mkaziyo atathetsa chibwenzi.

Sindikukaika konse kuti izi zidakhudza momwe mudakhonzera mayeso a Fomu 4. Simukadakhonza kuposa momwe mudachitira mutakhumudwa ndi kuthetsa kwa chibwenzi kumene mudakumana nako.

Tsono funso lanu mukuti muchitenji? Langizo langa ndi loti, musataye nthawi ndi mtsikanayo chifukwa waonetseratu kuti ndi wamadyeramphoto komanso ali ndi mtima wa chimasomaso. Adakuuzani kuti adakulolani ngakhale adali ndi chibwenzi china panthawiyo. Tsono, muli ndi chitsimikizo chotani kuti mukadzakwatirana naye sakapezanso mwamuna wina wamseri?

Taonani adati inu si mwamuna pomwe amathetsa chibwenzi. Tsopano akukusakani chifukwa mwapeza ntchito. Kodi mutakwatirana naye, ntchitoyo n’kutha ameneyo sadzakuthawani? Samalani naye mkazi wa chimasomaso!

Zikomo Gogo,

Ndidapanga chibwenzi ndi mkazi wina yemwe ali ndi mwana mmodzi. Chithereni ukwati wake woyamba, patha chaka ndi miyezi ingapo. Mgwirizano wathu ndi woti tidzamange banja.

Koma tsiku lina ndikuchokera kuntchito ndidangolowa m’nyumba osagogoda ndipo ndidamupeza akulankhula pafoni. Adadzidzimuka n’kudula foniyo koma nditamulanda ndidaona kuti amalankhula ndi mwamuna wake woyambayo.

Ndidamuuziratu kuti chibwenzi chatha ndipo azipita kwawo. Adagwada n’kulira kunena kuti ndimukhululukire sadzayambiranso. Iye adati mwamunayo amaimba kufuna kudziwa njira yopita kwa mayi anga kuti akaone mwana.

Ndichitenji, mundiyankhe pafoni pomwepa.

G,

Lilongwe

Zikomo a G,

Poyamba, ndikukumbutseni kuti ndi zovuta kuti aliyense amene wandifunsa ndi zimuyankhanso pafoni. Izi zili choncho chifukwa ndimalandira mafunso ambiri choncho kuti aliyense ndizimuyankha pafoni sizingatheke. Palinso ena amafulasha, tsono ine kuti ndiziimbira aliyense amene akufulasha, ndiwo ndigula?

Tsono kubwera ku funso lanu, poyamba ndikudabwa kuti mukukhala bwanji ndi mkazi amene simunalongosole zaukwati? Kodi mutapatsana mimba, sipakhala mavuto ena?

Izi zili choncho, mudziwe kuti mkaziyo akunama kuti amapereka njira ya komwe mayi akukhala kwa mwamuna wake wakale. Tiziti nthawi yonse adali limodzi, mpaka mwana mwamunayo samadziwa pakhomo pa mayi a mkazi wake?

Akadakhala kuti amakambirana za njira bwanji adadula foniyo? Samalani.

Ofuna mabanja

Ndikufuna mkazi koma akhale wa zaka 17.

Pepani sindiika nambala yanu chifukwa mwati mukufuna mkazi wa zaka 17. Ameneyo si mkazi koma mtsikana ndipo malamulo a dziko lino akuletsa kuti ana osakwana zaka 18 asamakwatiwe.

Ndine mwamuna wa zaka 28 ndipo ndili pantchito ku Lilongwe. Ndikufuna mkazi wopanga naye ubwenzi mpaka banja. 0888873265/0995036970

Ndili ndi zaka 34 ndipo ndikufuna mkazi wokonda kupemphera. Akhale wa zaka za pakati pa 24 ndi 34. 0885662144

Ndili ndi zaka 26 ndipo ndikufuna mkazi womanga naye banja kuno ku Lilongwe. 0881527637

Ndili ndi zaka 31 ndipo ndikufuna mkazi wa zaka 29 kapena 30. 0881391631

The post Anatchezera appeared first on The Nation Online.

ACB has lost some information that was part of the probe into the late president Bingu wa Mutharika’s controversial K61 billion wealth amassed during his eight years in office. Prior to becoming Head of State in 2004 his declared wealth was a mere K150 million.

Roughly five years ago, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) received the now missing information from Jersey—an Island in Europe—through Malawi’s Ministry of Justice.

Bingu allegedly opened a bank account on the island where he stashed some cash.

The then ACB director general Rezine Mzikamanda wrote the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)—the Ministry of Justice’s prosecution arm—acknowledging receipt of the Jersey information on July 4 2014.

Nation on Sunday could not establish the specifics of the said information, but ACB director general Reyneck Matemba said on Friday that the bureau could not trace any information from Jersey relating to the matter.

The revelation follows a press statement jointly issued by DPP Mary Kachale and Matemba on Tuesday stating that Jersey fully cooperated with the request Malawi made to provide bank records for the K61 billion estate whose value the family has been contesting, arguing it is much lower.

In the Tuesday statement, the two agencies said the Attorney General (AG) in Jersey fully cooperated with the request Malawi made.

But last week’s statement is contrary to what Matemba and the bureau’s spokesperson Egrita Ndala said last August.

At that time, the duo said ACB was still waiting to hear from Jersey and were helpless without that information.

Asked to explain the contradictions between his August statement and the one made last week jointly with the DPP, Matemba on Friday said at the time of the interview, the bureau had no information and that he personally had not seen any from the time he joined ACB in December 2013.

“The only information that we have at the ACB relating to this matter is a letter written by former director general [Justice Rezine Mzikamanda], addressed to the former Director of Public Prosecutions [Bruno Kalemba], where the former DG of the ACB is acknowledging receipt of some information from the former Director of Public Prosecutions.

“In view of this, therefore, I wish to inform you that the ACB will endeavour to engage office holders at the time and decide on the way forward,” Matemba said. 

An insider at the Ministry of Justice explained that the DPP’s office asked ACB about the Jersey information, apparently after it got a query from Jersey on claims that it had not cooperated on the matter.

The source said officers at the bureau have tried to look for the information, but are finding difficulties to trace it and it appears no one is aware about the content of the information that was received.

The source, who is conversant with the matter, disclosed that authorities in Jersey were disturbed when they learnt that Malawi authorities had suggested that authorities on the island did not cooperate on Malawi’s request to provide information relating to Bingu’s bank accounts on the island.

However, the source said Malawi still has a chance to ask Jersey authorities to send the documentary evidence again, although that would portray a picture that Malawi lacks seriousness on the matter.

The bureau also told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament earlier, when it appeared before it, that there was no progress on the matter. 

Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs spokesperson Pilirani Masanjala, whose office also speaks for the DPP and the AG, asked Nation on Sunday to direct its questionnaire on the matter to ACB.

We wanted the DPP to explain what steps the office was taking on the matter considering that it was a signatory to the press statement that confirmed that Jersey provided the requested information.

The Tuesday joint statement did also not inform Malawians about the way forward on the matter, other than saying Jersey cooperated and provided the information to the ACB.

The statement states that on or about March 7 2014, the

[former]

DPP of the Republic of Malawi sought assistance of the AG for Jersey in obtaining documentary evidence to assist in criminal investigation conducted by the ACB into Bingu’s estate.

“Assistance was duly granted and documentary evidence produced by Jersey was dispatched to Malawi on June 6 2014.

“Further, a written acknowledgement was sent to Jersey by the then DPP, on July 4 2014. The DPP then forwarded the documentary evidence to the then director general of the ACB, who acknowledged receipt of the same on July 4 2014,” reads the Tuesday statement. That statement fell short of indicating that the said information could not be traced.

The two agencies said the statement was seeking to correct information that was given out to Nation Online titled ‘ACB helpless on Bingu’s K61 billion probe’.

Former president Joyce Banda, who took over power after Bingu’s death, initiated the probe by first instructing an evaluator—Jeremiah Chihana—to value his wealth.  

ACB had hinted in last August’s interview that the case file remains open with the hope that investigations would continue when that information is received.

In the investigation, launched towards the May 2014 Tripartite Elections, Malawi authorities asked for the information through the office of the AG in Jersey, an island ruled by the Duke of Normandy—a title held by the reigning Monarch of the United Kingdom (UK), though unrelated to those duties as king or queen of the UK.

In early January 2016, Alec Le Sueur, practice manager and director of administration, who is also a media contact for Law Officers’ Department in Jersey, told Nation on Sunday in a response to a questionnaire that he could not provide answers to questions we raised on the fraud probe largely because “any approaches for legal assistance from foreign governments are received in confidence, and equally, our replies are given in confidence to the government requesting our assistance.”

Le Sueur was responding on behalf of a senior legal adviser Andrew Belhomme, an officer in the AG’s office, who in a letter dated May 14 2014, had asked Standard Bank Jersey Limited to disclose information relating to the people under investigation.

Bingu, according to documents from Jersey authorities, which our sister newspaper The Nation had seen at the time the investigations were launched, opened a joint account with his daughter Duwa, where it was believed a suspected offence involving fraud took place.

The ACB, through Interpol, had asked Her Majesty of Jersey to help it investigate the suspected fraud relating to bank account number 58099848, Optimum Account, held in the name of Bingu wa Mutharika and Duwa Kafoteka.

Belhomme, according to the documents The Nation had seen, wrote to the bank in Jersey: “It appears to the Attorney General that there exists a suspected offence involving serious or complex fraud and that there is good reason for him to exercise the powers conferred upon him by the Investigation of Fraud [Jersey] Law, 1991, as amended.

“I have reasons to believe that you have information about the affairs of the persons under investigation and I, therefore, require you to answer questions or…otherwise furnish information with respect to matters relevant to the investigation to myself or to any person designated to assist in this investigation.”

The advocate had said he also required the bank to produce, within 21 days from May 14 2014, true copies of account opening, mandates, reports and details of signatories, know-your-customer documentation, bank statements, paid cheques, transaction advices and correspondence (including records of telephone conversations and meetings and managers’ notes) relating to the account.

The Jersey authorities said the documents required shall cover the period from account opening to date—that is from May 1 2004 to date.

The Tax Justice Network considers the island a tax haven. It is one of the 17 countries that the European Union (EU) named and shamed in its tax haven blacklist. n

The post Bingu wealth info vanishes appeared first on The Nation Online.

Minister of Homeland Security Nicholas Dausi says Malawi needs $300 million (K225 billion) to normalise the floods damage after cyclone Idai.

Dausi made the remarks at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) yesterday when his ministry received relief items from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

He said government underestimated its earlier disaster estimates.

“We appeal for more help, not just $45 million. We need more about $300 million to stabilise the situation. It is our prayer that people of goodwill help us, but above all we thank UNHCR for the timely donation,” said Dausi.

Among others UNHCR’s relief items include duvets, cooking utensils, cooking oil and clothes.

Speaking after a symbolic presentation, UNHCR representative Monique Ekoko said her organisation will continue helping Malawi because it has been a friend in times of need.

 “When cyclone Idai hit the country, we organised items from our partners. Malawi has been a good partner and kept our people at Dzaleka,” she said.

 Early March, a tropical cyclone formed in the Mozambique Channel and drifted to Malawi on March 5 causing heavy rains accompanied by strong winds. The heavy and persistent rain led to severe flooding across some districts in southern Malawi.

More than 868 900 people have been affected, including more than 86 980 displaced, with 60 deaths and 672 injuries.

The heavy rains that fell in the country damaged infrastructure, including houses, roads, bridges and water wells and irrigation systems.

Most of the displaced are living in displacement sites such as schools, churches, community buildings and other temporary shelters.

On Thursday, government through the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), launched the 2019 Flood Response Plan and Appeal in Lilongwe with an overall strategic objective of ensuring that affected households receive timely assistance.

It is also focuses on priority areas such as Health, Water, Sanitation and hygiene (Wash), shelter, protection, food security, agriculture, nutrition, transport and logistics, and education and early recovery.

The total requirements for the response plan is K33.5 billion ($45.2 million) out of which K10.8 billion ($14.6 million) has been received or pledged so far, leaving an outstanding gap of K22.6 billion ($30.6 million).

On March 8 2019, President Peter Mutharika declared  a State of Disaster in areas affected by the floods.

Since then, a number of countries, humanitarian partners and companies have been donating towards the flood disaster response operations. n

The post ‘Malawi needs K225bn to normalise disaster’ appeared first on The Nation Online.