Soldiers pledge to remain professional

by Joseph Langa, 29 December 2005 - 05:48:02

The Malawi Defence Forces (MDF) Commander Mark Chiziko on Friday assured the nation that his team will remain a professional defence force that serves the government of the day with honesty and dedication. Chiziko was speaking during the annual end-of-the-year party at Kamuzu Barracks Officers’ Mess in Lilongwe which normally takes place on December 31. “We will continue to serve the government of the day with honesty and total dedication. We shall do so mindful of the fact that we are custodians of peace on whom the public look up to for assistance when things go wrong. “We shall do everything possible to serve and enhance the confidence that the citizens of this country have in us,” said Chiziko. He also commended his officers “for the diligent manner in which they conducted themselves throughout the year be it in Malawi or outside”. “Your professional attitude and discipline continue to be the envy of many people. If the soldiers outside there are disciplined, it is because the Officer Corps has continued to remain professional by being apolitical, loyal and hardworking,” said Chiziko. Among other things, the annual event which started with prayers run from 6 pm on Friday to 6 am on Saturday included a dinner and dance, braii and traditional dances by the National Dance Troupe and other groups. There was also a disco.

Malawi to benefit from US subsidy removal

by Tadala Makata-Kakwesa, 29 December 2005 - 05:17:43

The announcement by the American government at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) summit that it has removed 100 percent export subsidy on cotton, is expected to benefit Malawi as one of the commodity’s exporters to that country once the programmes is implemented. Trade and Private Sector Development Minister Martin Kansichi said in an interview on Friday that the move taken by the US government is a welcome development. An export subsidy is when a government subsidises on its people’s exported products for them to be able to compete on the international market. This, according to Kansichi, will be beneficial to Malawian exporters in that prices will not be artificially depressed. He said the subsidies have been a burden to farmers since they were costly, forcing them to realise a relatively small amount of money from the sales. “The good thing is that America has said it is going to phase out the subsidies, but the period has not been given. These are the subsidies we are saying are costly to our farmers,” he said. Apart from the export subsidy removal, it was also agreed during the WTO summit that rich countries should start providing technical support to least developed countries to improve their trade-in services such as banking and tourism. Kansichi indicated that his ministry intends to come up with an action plan that will comprise all ministry officials in order to try to benefit from the resource in time. The removal of the export subsidies by developed countries means that Malawi’s products will compete on a level playing field in the markets of the developed countries unlike in the past where most products were being sold below the cost of production.

MCP MPs tell Tembo to snub UDF
by Gedion Munthali, 24 December 2005 - 04:29:55

Members of Parliament from the opposition Malawi Congress Party have written their president John Tembo expressing their unhappiness for his support of President Bingu wa Mutharika’s impeachment and association with United Democratic Front national chair Bakili Muluzi.The letter, said to have been written by 39 MPs and copied to all MCP MPs, national executive committee members and district chairmen, demands that Tembo should publicly distance himself from the impeachment, claiming attempts to remove Mutharika are making him and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) even more popular in their areas.Instead the MPs want Tembo to focus on rebuilding MCP, especially in the South and North where, they say, it is unpopular having lost structures to other parties.Says the letter, dated December 8: “We could have raised our concerns during caucuses we normally have at your house but you very much know the way you chair caucuses. We are never free. We have, therefore, resolved to be expressing our views through letters to you.“We, 39 MPs of MCP, wish to urge you and all our fellow MPs to vote against this impeachment because it is not popular in our constituencies. The just-ended by-elections have proved that people are against the impeachment.”DPP won all the six seats in the by-elections held on December 6.An MP from Lilongwe, who is part of the group, said people took him to task when he addressed a meeting in his constituency last Saturday.“They wanted to know why [Tembo] supports the impeachment of Mutharika. They said they do not see the reason why the head of state should be removed. I had problems explaining the issue. Actually I said Tembo himself was in a better position to give reasons,” said the MP.A Ntchisi parliamentarian said the impeachment has helped market Mutharika and win him sympathies “because things he has introduced, among them fertilizer subsidy, are making a difference among the people”.“People of Ntchisi can now see that the Tarmac road which the previous two administrations failed to construct is now becoming a reality and wonder why Bingu should be impeached,” he said.The letter questions Tembo’s association with Muluzi, as well as reports that UDF would help Tembo become leader of the proposed National Governing Council once Mutharika is impeached.“We are amazed that you and a few MCP MPs think Muluzi and UDF could have our interests at heart. Just to remind you, Muluzi campaigned vigorously against you [during last year’s elections], and his party admitted to have rigged the election which prevented you from winning. How can the UDF now want you to lead government?” says the letter.The letter says Tembo has failed to sell the party in the North and South because he only holds meetings in the Central Region.Party officials interviewed in Nsanje, Chikwawa, Mwanza in the South, Chitipa, Karonga and Mzimba confirmed Tembo has not been to their areas for years.On Friday Tembo said he was not in a position to take questions when his comment was sought on the matter.The letter also accuses Tembo of favouritism regarding appointments to parliamentary committees and administration of trips and assignments.“You have appointed some MPs to three parliamentary committees while others are only in one committee. On international trips, you have decided to ignore certain sections of MPs. Some MPs have gone outside the country more than eight times, while a lot of MPs have never been sent outside the country. Please empower all MPs equally,” the letter reads.An MP from Mchinji said since he was elected he has never travelled.“You will be shocked that the party has never sponsored me even to attend a domestic workshop. It is the same people attending these things, yet all of us need exposure,” said the MP.The letter also ask Tembo to call for a convention to fill vacancies that exist in the national executive committee of the party, saying most office bearers were just appointed.The letter also calls for elections in all regional, district, constituency, area, branch committees, saying maintaining the status quo is against the MCP constitution, and a resolution of the party’s convention on April 29, 2003 held at Motel Paradise in Blantyre.“Terms of these committees, according to the MCP constitution, is three years, but they have been there for close to 10 years. Actually, at the Blantyre convention it was resolved that elections should take place immediately after the general elections. This has not happened,” said the official.Article 24 of the MCP constitution ratified by the said convention reads: “Every three years, a joint regional conference of the constituency, district and regional committees and members of Parliament shall convene for the purpose of electing new regional office bearers.”MCP publicity secretary Nicholas Dausi conceded that the committees had indeed outlived their mandates but the party would address the issue. “We had elections last month of the regional committee in the South. From here will go to other regions before going to the districts,” said Dausi who is also MCP vice president.“What I would say though is that there is need for dialogue because these things about misunderstandings among our MPs keep on coming,” said Dausi.But Dausi doubted the claim that the letter was written by 39 MPs, more than half the party’s 59 legislators.

Retired leaders ask Muluzi, Tembo to abandon impeachment
by Joseph Langa, 24 December 2005 - 04:16:05

Former Sadc heads of state this week in South Africa advised their Malawi counterpart Bakili Muluzi and Malawi Congress Party leader John Tembo to drop impeachment charges against President Bingu wa Mutharika, two top MCP officials have confirmed.But Muluzi’s spokesman Sam Mpasu said in an interview on Thursday the former Sadc leaders should be worried about a president who breaks the law and not about impeachment plans.The MCP officials said in separate interviews the former heads—Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Joachim Chissano of Mozambique and Sir Ketumile Masire of Botswana—advised Muluzi and Tembo to consider dropping the matter because impeachment would not help a poor country like Malawi.One of them said the three leaders were supposed to come to Malawi for the talks in October during the last sitting of Parliament to convince Tembo and Muluzi against going ahead with the impeachment motion in Parliament.“The former Presidents pleaded with the two opposition leaders to drop the impeachment charges. They told them that the solution lay in discussing the matter amicably because they believe impeachment will not serve any purpose in a poor country like Malawi,” he said.The source said the group failed to reach a consensus during the telephone discussions they had but agreed to meet in South Africa to continue the talks.The other source also confirmed the trip was arranged after the former heads failed to come to Malawi and also after failing to reach an agreement through telephone discussions initiated by Masire.“They could talk on the phone for almost an hour but still failed to agree. Later, Masire who was coordinating the trip, told them to prepare discussion papers for a meeting in South Africa,” said the source.The source said during the SA meeting, the former heads urged Muluzi and Tembo to drop their impeachment charges whose discussion in Parliament were halted by a court injunction.The source also said that the former heads also advised Tembo separately to consider supporting Mutharika for the betterment of the country.MCP Deputy President Nicholas Dausi confirmed that Tembo left for South Africa last Saturday but he could not be drawn to comment on the purpose of his visit.“The President told me that he is going to South Africa but he said he is going there to see his children,” Dausi said. But a source in the Foreign Affairs Ministry said on Wednesday Muluzi and Tembo were in South Africa for mediation talks over the situation in Malawi. He said Mutharika was also expected to privately attend the talks. Another source close to the talks said as a condition for dropping impeachment, Tembo and Muluzi are said to have demanded a government of national unity. But Mutharika—whose party won all six seats in by-elections held on December 6—is reported to have said he preferred an early presidential election as the way forward to end the political bickering. But Tembo refused to comment when all this was put to him Friday, saying he would issue a statement later. Mpasu, who is also United Democratic Front spokesperson, could neither confirm nor deny that the former Sadc heads of state want the opposition to drop impeachment charges.“I can’t deny or confirm the issue. But the leaders should be worried about the President breaking the law and not impeachment,” said Mpasu, adding he hoped to know more later on Friday after being briefed by his boss.Tembo went with his party’s regional chairman for the Centre Betson Majoni and his shadow finance minister Respicious Dzanjalimodzi while Muluzi was accompanied by the party’s leader in Parliament George Nga Mtafu and his deputy leader Friday Jumbe.

Electrification programme: Muluzi’s blunders cost Govt. over K124m

by Bright Sonani, 17 December 2005 - 01:51:20

Japan will not fund Phase V of the Malawi Rural Electrification Programme (Marep) unless government meets the cost of providing electricity to the sites that remained in Phase IV after donor funding was diverted to 15 other sites imposed by former President Bakili Muluzi, a minister disclosed on Wednesday. Minister of Mines, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Henry Chimunthu Banda said in an interview the Japanese Government said Malawi will only qualify for funding for Phase V if government funds the remaining sites under Phase IV. “Because of the additions, Japan said it will only fund sites that were in the original contract while the rest will be up to the Malawi government. Since money was not available, the work stopped in those sites. Now the condition is that we complete Phase IV first to start Phase V,” said Chimunthu Banda. The Minister said government was forced to raise more than K124 million to complete Phase IV. He said government identified money to complete all the sites under Phase IV and has been remitting the funds to Escom in instalments of about K10 million every month and that it still has between K29 million and K33 million to pay. “Escom now has to mobilise materials, but paying the contractor would be through by either end this month or next month,” said the Minister. But Escom who are the contractor for the project, said K124 million is not enough to electrify all the sites which remained under Phase IV. According to the agreement, Marep Phase V was supposed to start in May last year, but the project could not get off the ground after the Japanese Government discovered equipment meant for the designated sites had been diverted to other areas. The imposed sites included Kapoloma, Nyambi, Mposa and Makungwa in Muluzi’s home district, Chapananga and Nkhate in Chikwawa, Likoma and Malowa in Salima. All the sites imposed on the programme except Mposa were already electrified while work at Nkhate had just started when the project run out of funding. Some of the sites that are yet to be electrified in Phase IV include Mbalachanda, Champhira and Kafukule in Mzimba, Misuku Hills (Chitipa), Chikwina (Nkhata Bay), Nambuma (Lilongwe), Chulu (Kasungu), Tsangano (Ntcheu), Mwansambo (Nkhotakota) and Khombedza (Salima). Escom Marep Manager Helford Machewere said in an interview on Wednesday with adequate funding, Phase IV projects would be completed by June next year. But he said K124 million government is talking about is the figure that was agreed upon in 2002 and might not be enough to complete the remaining sites because of the rising cost of sourcing materials. “We will use whatever they have given us, but we will hold a meeting soon and see the way forward,” said Machewere. He added: “With the little we have and what we have just received we are preparing tender documents for the sites that were about to be finalised. If we get additional funding then we will have to tender again or use the same suppliers for the remaining sites.” Phase IV was funded at a cost of K680.2 million of which K188.2 million was from the Japanese Government under the debt relief aid grant while Malawi Government through a levy on petroleum products was expected to contribute K491.8 million. Muluzi’s spokesperson Sam Mpasu is on record as having said there was nothing wrong with what the former president did since his job was to develop the country.

Zambia to support Shire-Zambezi project
BY PETER GWAZAYANI
08:55:44 - 13 December 2005

New Zambian envoy to Malawi, Mweemba Joshua Simuyandi, Thursday assured President Bingu wa Mutharika his government would make sure the Shire-Zambezi waterway project materialises.

He was speaking last during presentation of his letters of credence to Mutharika at New State House in Lilongwe.

The Zambian envoy observed that once the Shire-Zambezi waterway is completed, it would improve the socio-economic status of Malawi and neighbouring countries, including Zambia.

Simuyandi said the US$ 6 billion (K744 billion) project is in line with the objective of the new Economic Partnership for African Development (Nepad) in infrastructure as pillar for accelerating economic growth and poverty reduction in Africa.

The waterway project, he said, would re-open the Shire and Zambezi rivers to navigation and provide direct link between Nsanje in Malawi and the port of Chinde at the mouth of Zambezi on the India Ocean.

“In considering the development of the economies between Malawi and Zambia, there is need to get cheaper ways of importing or exporting to the port through the sea,” he said.

Landlocked Malawi loses more than 30 percent of the total annual export bill in high transport costs and experts say the rate is bound to grow at more than 7.5 percent by 2008.

The high cost of transportation increases the cost of production and thus making Malawian goods and services uncompetitive on the international market, analysts say.

The Shire-Zambezi Waterway is Mutharika’s brainchild and once completed, is expected to turn Nsanje into a formidable city, complete with its own international airport.

France to lobby for Malawi’s debt relief
BY PETER GWAZAYANI
08:56:27 - 13 December 2005

France has reaffirmed its commitment to make sure Malawi gets to the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (Hipc) initiative completion point so that it can have its debt cancelled.

The world’s eight richest countries (G8) meeting of finance ministers in June left out Malawi on debt cancellation because of the country’s poor fiscal discipline.

However, new French Ambassador to Malawi Francis Saudubray said Thursday in Lilongwe his country would help Malawi get its debt cancelled by ensuring that it meets the set parameters under Hipc programme.

The Hipc programme, initiated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), demands that poor countries such as Malawi spend specified amounts of money in pro–poor activities, a feat the previous government failed to achieve.

“I assured the head of state of the strongest support of France to get to the completion point as soon as possible. We know that it is a key point for Malawi to get a total 100 percent debt cancellation,” he said soon after presenting his credentials to President Bingu wa Mutharika.

Malawi’s external debt by June this year hovered around US$2.9 billion and the country spends on serving the external debt an equivalent of the sum allocated to the key ministries of Education, Health and Agriculture.

Proving Mutharika right

by Gospel Mwalwanda, Malawi News Agency, 14 December 2005 - 05:39:00

President Bingu wa Mutharika and Francis Singini may be worlds apart in status, but the two have one thing in common — their determination to rid Malawi of hunger. Mutharika has repeatedly told the nation that he does not understand why Malawi continues to experience hunger when the country is endowed with perennial rivers such as the Shire. The President is convinced that hunger would be a thing of the past if the nation fully utilised its water resources to irrigate crops, and stopped relying on rain-fed agriculture. And Singini is eager to prove Mutharika right. As district agricultural development officer for Neno, Singini wants Mtengula Irrigation Scheme, located in the district some 19 km north of Zalewa road block, to be a model agriculture project. To irrigate crops, the scheme diverts water from the nearby Shire River, using a canal that will cover 12.5 kilometres when excavation work is completed. Mutharika visited Mtengula scheme last August, and what he saw highly impressed him, prompting him to remark that Malawi would be safe even in times of poor rainfall if only people all over the country emulated the initiative. “It pleases me that while other people are thinking only of drinking beer, you thought of setting up this scheme,” he said when he addressed farmers after inspecting the scheme. “Government won’t leave you alone,” the President assured the people. At the time, Mtengula scheme covered 20 hectares of land, benefited 150 farmers, and the canal was 1.5 km long. Mutharika learnt during his visit that the scheme’s water intake was not effective because it had not been completed for lack of funds. Thus, the scheme needed funds for the completion of the intake, to enable the canal to be extended so that more farmers could be brought into the scheme. Mutharika, who is keen to emulate the country’s first President, the late Hastings Kamuzu Banda’s achievement in agriculture, pledged to help. Among other things, he promised to give the farmers cement and a motorised pump The President has since fulfilled his promises. The scheme received 50 bags of cement, reinforcement brick wire and bars for the completion of the intake, and a motorised pump. “He pledged to help us and he’s done it,” Singini told Mana when this writer visited Mtengula Village recently. “We are grateful to our leader. Other people should follow his example,” he said. And thanks to the President’s gesture, the scheme now covers 30 hectares, the canal having been extended to 3.5 km. The number of farmers has also doubled. At full capacity, the scheme will cover 342 hectares, and production of maize, the major crop grown, is projected at 4,104 metric tonnes annually. From the 30 hectares, the scheme is expected to produce 280,000 kg, or 280 metric tonnes of maize per year from three harvests. And with the acquisition of the motorised pump, yields are expected to increase significantly. “The pump can irrigate up to 20 hectares. We are grateful to the government for the assistance,” Singini said. “Now that we a have a pump, our projection is that 100 hectares should be under cultivation next year.” But for the scheme to achieve its full potential, its canal will have to be extended by another eight or so kilometres, and Singini is confident it will be done, although no excavators are involved. “If the scheme’s potential 342 hectares have to be realised, we will have to extend the channel to cover 12 km,” says Singini. “We may be ambitious, but that’s our target. Since it’s manual work, we should cover 12 km in three or four years at the pace we are going.” Excavation of the canal began in 2002 using Highly Indebted Poor Countries (Hipc) funds, and then World Vision International came in with a food-for-work programme. The Malawi Social Action Fund (Masaf) has also provided funding for the construction of the canal, under Local Assembly Managed Projects. Malawi requires about 2.1 million metric tonnes of maize annually, but was able to produce only 1.2 million metric tonnes this year. An estimated 4.8 million Malawians need food aid. Initial estimates put the figure at 4.2 million. The food shortage is the worst since 2001 when there was a shortfall of 400,000 metric tonnes of maize. President Mutharika declared a state of disaster in October. There are about 31,460 households in Neno, of which 12,589 are in Lisungwi Extension Planning Area. Mtengula scheme will support about 3,000 households once it covers 340 hectares. Maize is grown three times in a season, using the Sasakawa technique. The technique involves planting maize — usually of hybrid variety — at a spacing of 25 centimetres, ridges at 75 centimetres, and one seed per station. And with the technique, fertiliser is applied during planting, and holes are spaced in between the planting station, as opposed to the traditional method whereby one station may contain as many as three seeds. And farmers are assured of maximum yields. “It’s advantageous because with the increase in population, there’s more pressure on arable land. As such, small land holdings will be able to supply enough food,” Singini told Mana. “We want to treble harvests, and intend to start planting by March.” As the scheme expands and its benefits become evident, people around Mtengula village have realised that irrigation farming is not only a solution to the country’s chronic hunger problem, but can also empower Malawians economically. Within the three years the scheme has been in existence, some enterprising locals have already acquired property, bought with money realised from selling green maize, resulting in countless farmers expressing their desire to join the scheme. “Work is progressing well. People are showing great interest in the scheme. Some farmers have bought iron sheets for roofing, cattle, and bicycles,” Andrew Matokoso, assistant irrigation officer for Neno, told Mana. Matokoso said: “We now want to teach them to diversify. Apart from maize, they should also grow other crops on a large scale for sale.”

AG takes up Muluzi’s duty evasion case

by Olivia Kumwenda, 08 December 2005 - 05:24:28

Attorney-General (AG) Ralph Kasambara together with Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) lawyer Henry Ngutwa are now representing the authority in a case former president Bakili Muluzi is being asked to pay about K111 million for 86 vehicles he reportedly bought duty free. The former president is said to have cleared the vehicles under the President’s (Salaries and Benefits) Act of 1994 when he was in power. The Act allows the President to obtain goods for personal use duty-free. But Muluzi is said to have distributed the vehicles to UDF officials and other people. During Wednesday’s hearing at the Blantyre High Court, Kasambara asked the court to give direction on certain issues before commencement of the substantive hearing of the matter. The issues include the fact that either party may file a supplementary affidavit, both parties file in court skeletal arguments, list of authorities and chronological of events, the matter should come before a judge in an open court and deponents of affidavits be present in court to be cross-examined where necessary. “Supplementary affidavits and skeletal arguments will help clear all preliminary matters and assist the court in preparing to hear the matter respectively,” said Kasambara. But Muluzi’s lawyer David Kanyenda objected to Kasambara’s application, saying the defence was served by the plaintiff a notice of hearing that clearly indicated that they are ready to proceed with the substantive matter. “In our view this matter ought to proceed today,” said Kanyenda. In his ruling, Justice Healey Potani said it is apparent that the parties had come to court with different things in mind. “The plaintiff was coming to court for directions on some technical aspects as to how the matter would proceed and not for the substantive hearing. On the part of defendant, counsel was prepared for a substantive hearing and as such objected to the direction being sought and indeed the adjournment of the hearing of the substantive action,” said Potani. Potani added that because there were no skeleton arguments from both sides, he found merit in the prayer for direction by the plaintiff and adjourned the case to week beginning January 16, 2005. He further ordered that both parties be free to file and serve affidavits within seven days, both parties file skeletal arguments, lists of authorities and chronological of events within seven days. The judge also ruled that each side should file court bundle, should any party wish to cross-examine any deponents it should be done by way of notice and that the hearing of the matter shall be before a single judge in an open court. Hearing of the case failed last week after MRA lawyers did not show up. When asked on their absence, none of MRA legal practitioners knew who was supposed to handle the case as they kept referring it to one another.

Analysts say victory is vote of confidence in Bingu

by Henry Chilobwe, 08 December 2005 - 05:21:49

Chiefs and political analysts have described Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidates’ victory in the just-ended by-elections as a vote of confidence for President Bingu wa Mutharika and his government. They have also spelt doom for the United Democratic Front (UDF) which was a close contender in the election, saying its failure to secure a seat even in its Chiradzulu and Zomba strongholds should be a clear warning that people are fed up with its style of leadership. Overall, the UDF has lost three seats (in Chiradzulu, Zomba Thondwe and Chitipa Wenya) while the People’s Progressive Movement (PPM), the Alliance for Democracy (Aford) and the defunct Republican Party (RP) each lost their seats in Karonga, Mzimba and Nsanje, respectively. Senior Chief Kaomba of Kasungu and Traditional Authority Ngabu of Chikwawa said in separate interviews that the victory of DPP is a show of people’s confidence in the current government, its leadership and policies towards national development and economic transformation. “The party has won seats in all the three regions. It just shows that it’s a party that enjoys people’s support across all the regions and if it was to be supported by other parties in Parliament I would say we would be heading for a good direction. The government has sound policies which the voters have liked and hence this result,” said Kaomba. But Institute for Policy Interaction (IPI) Executive Director Rafik Hajat warned that although the outcome of the result legitimises the existence of DPP in Parliament, the six seats are too few to enable it wrestle power from the opposition. “This a political score for the DPP and President Mutharika and a warning to the UDF that it should put its house in order. Lack of democratic ideals is evident in the party in the way it fields its candidates,” said another political analyst from Chancellor College, Boniface Dulani. But opposition parties have cried foul over the poll results whose unconfirmed results indicate that the DPP has scooped all the six seats that were being contested. PPM President Aleke Banda said Wednesday the results are a big disappointment to lovers of democracy. He said the election was free since there was no violence but it was not fair because the DPP “used massive state resources to garner support.” “They were using relief maize as their campaign tool and they kept electioneering after the campaign period was over. To us that is another form of rigging so we are watching the situation but we have not yet decided what to do,” said Banda. Aford spokesperson Norman Nyirenda also said the election was rigged as “a new and small party like the DPP could not scoop all the seats.” Meanwhile, the UDF has called for a re-run of the election because of alleged incidents of rigging in Nsanje South-West and Chiradzulu North constituencies. A letter signed by UDF Secretary-General Kennedy Makwangwala to the Malawi Electoral Commission claims that Sidik Mia bribed election officers in Nsanje with K1,000 each and that the DPP was still campaigning in Chiradzulu long after the official campaign period had expired. UDF spokesperson Sam Mpasu said in interview that the results were a shock to him. “My immediate reaction is that of shock and dismay at the scandalous levels of rigging where even the Malawi Electoral Commission itself as aware of our queries but did not do anything. “This is an unacceptable result and we will meet as a party to decide the way forward,” said Mpasu. MCP has petitioned the Malawi Electoral Commission (EC) over the by elections conducted saying there were several anomalies that were reported but the commission ignored them. The party has since called on the EC to nullify the results of the election, saying they were undemocratic. In a letter dated December 7, addressed to the chairman of the commission, MCP director of elections Joseph Njobvuyalema argues that in Nsanje a senior official of the DPP was caught giving K1000 to polling staff to assist the DPP candidate in winning the elections. “The matter was officially and in writing brought to the attention of the commission which it verified and confirmed to be true but no action to disqualify the candidate was taken. Instead elections have gone ahead,” reads the petition in part. Njovuyalema also says in the petition that DPP candidate for Mzimba North Gondwe was distributing Malawi Rural Development Fund (Mardef) loan forms that they would receive the loans if only they voted for him. He claims Gondwe got about 1,400 forms from Mardef offices in Lilongwe on the 11 and 14 November and 2nd December respectively, arguing that the minister was not even mandated to collect the forms because it was only Traditional Authorities and sitting MPs who had that mandate. Njovuyalema also claims in the petition that President Bingu wa Mutharika distributed maize to voters on condition that they vote for DPP candidates, saying the development was not only abuse of office but also rigging since it preconceived voter’s minds. But Information Minister Patricia Kaliati has branded the calls for a re-run as “kicks of a dying horse”, saying the UDF does not have any genuine grounds to allege the election was rigged. “We are not surprised that they are crying. We would not expect them to laugh after losing miserably to a party they have always despised. “This landslide victory now vindicates that the DPP is not a regional party and that the President is a good leader. People will now swallow their pride and begin to respect the President,” she said.

"Former President Bakili Muluzi, through his misguided economic policies, plunged the country into fiscal crisis and brought Malawi into disrepute with the international donor community."- Department for International Development (DFID) Economic Adviser Alan Whitworth

By GERALD NAMWAZA - 07 December 2005 - 11:40:59

A LEADING donor says former President Bakili Muluzi, through his misguided economic policies, plunged the country into fiscal crisis and brought Malawi into disrepute with the international donor community.

The Department For International Development (DFID) has, however, applauded the 18- month economic reforms of President Bingu wa Mutharika. The body has also cryptically predicted economic doom if government pays lip service to its zero tolerance on corruption.

DFID economic advisor Alan Whitworth said when he presented his paper to business captains in Blantyre Monday yesterday through wanton plundering of resources , the Muluzi administration spent money on projects that failed the economy.

“The previous government failed to curtail expenditure and started borrowing as if nothing had happened to fund non-productive services,” Whitworth said.

He said money was questionably channeled to state residences, the now defunct National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), external and internal travel, foreign service and other covert operations with no regard to the provisions of the budget.

The economic advisor said this led to donors cutting their budgetary support and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) locking loan taps for Malawi in 2001. The development, he said, led to increased interest rates and a bloated government expenditure bill.

Donors were not prepared to continue ‘pouring good money after bad’ in support of a fiscally irresponsible government, Whitworth said.

DFID notes at the time the new government was taking over in August 2004,there was no IMF program, interest rates were high, domestic and foreign debt was bloated and there was no donor confidence in government.

“But now the story is different, IMF, donors are back and for the first time in 12 years government has stayed within its budget,” Whitworth said.


He said DFID, the European Union (EU) Norwegian and Swedish development agency have resumed the Common Approach to Budgetary Support (Cabs) following the tough anti-corruption stand of the Mutharika administration, among other considerations.

“If a country is corrupt, donors don’t want to put their money, which is tax payers money, to be stolen,” Whitworth said.

He said what has pleased the donor community is the, strict fiscal discipline and adherence to IMF staff monitored program (SMP) that if well harnessed would turn around the economy by 2006.

DFID forecast a cut in interest rates, increased donor support and significant reductions in domestic stock from 7.4 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to 5.5 percent next year.

The donor says the cut in domestic debt would let government channel resources to pro- poor activities and bring about the much needed economic transformation.

“If this improvement is sustained over the medium term, there are good prospects for government. And the if in the sentence is critical,” Whitworth said.

DFID says for the Bingu administration to sustain donor confidence government must avoid borrowing on the domestic market, stick to the IMF Poverty Reduction Growth Facility (PRGF) and fight corruption relentlessly.

Minister blames UDF for lack of industry
BY MAXWELL NG’AMBI
11:34:31 - 07 December 2005

Minister of Science and Technology, Khumbo Chirwa says Malawi has not made strides in industrial development because the United Democratic Front (UDF) regime stopped subscribing to the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) for the
10 years it was in power.

Chirwa made the remarks at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) on arrival from a Unido conference in Vienna, Austria.

According to Chirwa, Malawi missed out for the past 10 years because Unido funds industrial development in poor countries.

He cited a pilot project in Salima where Unido has just released $1.5 million for the development of agriculture by using modern tools.

“Unido neglected Malawi because we were not subscribing but when this present government got in power, we wrote them and have since subscribed. This explains why I was invited to the conference,” he said.

He announced that Malawi is in arrears with Unido to the tune of K5 million and government would remit the balance in the next financial year.

UDF interim spokesperson, Sam Mpasu yesterday accepted that the UDF did not honour Unido subscriptions.

“We did not only fail to subscribe to Unido but also other international organisations because we had no foreign currency which is needed for international subscriptions. The UDF government instead used the little foreign reserves for important imports only,” he argued.

Chirwa said the conference looked at how poor countries could use modern technology in improving farming.

He also disclosed that under the Unido programme, Bunda College of Agriculture through its aquaculture department, would receive funding.

-Story by The Daily Times

Time Malawi found lasting solutions to hunger —National Bank of Malawi chief executive

by Nation Reporter, 02 December 2005 - 02:47:22

National Bank of Malawi chief executive Isaac Nsamala has asked government to find a lasting solution to the perennial hunger, saying it is a shame for Malawi to be talking of hunger when it has a river and lake which contain water throughout the year. NB chief executive Isaac Nsamala said this when he presented 1,440 bags of 50kg maize worth K2.5 million to Feed the Nation Fund. “As a bank, we believe that Malawi has to find a lasting solution to the perennial problem of hunger, especially when the hunger is attributed to inadequate rainfall. “Malawi is blessed with abundant fresh water and it is not proper that every year we should be talking of food shortage due to poor rains,” said Nsamala. He challenged Malawians to put their heads together on how they can benefit from the waters of Lake Malawi and the Shire River. He said it is a shame that the country should be importing maize from neighbouring countries who a few years ago were shunning agriculture. “For Malawi to achieve sustainable economic and social development, we need to diversify our economic activities and venture into more creative avenues of exploring ideas on agricultural investment,” he said. That, Nsamala said, will help to spread the economy on a broad spectrum of reliable wealth generating activities other than depending on a few areas. “This will offer us a cushion when one sector or activity is negatively impacted,” he said, adding that the donation is in line with NB commitment to corporate social responsibility. While thanking the bank for the donation, chair of the Fund Justice Richard Banda said the maize will go a long way in alleviating the shortage of food in the country. “Hunger is a challenge which no Malawian of goodwill can remain indifferent to. We are helping people who as I am talking do not know where they will get the next meal,” he said. Banda said out of 72 metric tonnes donated, 40 tonnes had already been delivered at Boadzulu Admarc in Mangochi yesterday. About 5 million Malawians are in dire need of food due to a crop failure during the 2004-2005 growing season which came as a result of insufficient rains.

Malawi Vice President Cassim Chilumpha doesn’t attend government meetings
11:45:19 - 30 November 2005

President Bingu wa Mutharika Tuesday for the first time publicly spoke on his strained relationship with Vice President Cassim Chilumpha by accusing his deputy of having an attitude problem.

Mutharika said this when he addressed the press at the New State House in Lilongwe on his arrival from Malta where he attended a two-day Commonwealth Heads of State and Government summit.

But Chilumpha the same day evening refused to comment on Mutharika’s allegations.

“I have spoken to the Veep. He has told me that he has no comment to make,” Horace Nyaka, the Veep’s Public Relations Officer said.

Mutharika has remained mum on his relationship with Chilumpha since his deputy began making thinly veiled attacks on the way the President is running government.

The President said he had no problem with anyone but asked people to judge the behaviour of Chilumpha, who he accused of shunning cabinet meetings.

“He doesn’t attend government meetings. Each time he gets an opportunity to address people in a church, he attacks his own government,” he said.

According to Mutharika, Chilumpha should tell the nation what his problem is.

“In all fairness, look at the developments since January,” he said.

Mutharika also claimed that he has always been willing to extend an olive branch to the opposition but they have declined to meet him.

The opposition has since rejected the claim.

United Democratic Front (UDF) spokesperson, Sam Mpasu described Mutharika’s remarks as untrue.

“In fact, it’s us he has rebuffed. We have made attempts to meet him but he has refused. The nation knows that he has on several occasions sent our delegations back,” Mpasu said.

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) second deputy president and party spokesperson, Nicholas Dausi said Mutharika has never invited them as a party to a roundtable discussion.

“All we know is that he invited our president, John Tembo and the agenda was that Honourable Tembo should be Second Vice President,” he said.

According to Dausi, the party did not take Mutharika seriously because he was busy thinking about giving people positions when people were dying of hunger.

“He should find a better agenda. We are ready to talk to him but not on positions,” he advised.

In his speech, Mutharika said the Malta summit mainly addressed fundamental political values especially good governance.

Chilumpha has stuck to UDF, the party that propelled Mutharika to power but which the President jilted to form the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in February this year.

Ever since, there has been bad blood between the two camps

News

Church to work in partnership with government

by Amos Gumulira, 28 November 2005 - 07:13:10

Visiting world leader of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Dr. Jan Paulsen, has said that the church in Malawi will continue to work in partnership with government to promote social development of the people. Paulsen was speaking on Wednesday after meeting President Bingu wa Mutharika at the New State House in Lilongwe. He said the church was not only concerned with the spiritual well-being of its members but also with the social development of the whole nation especially in the areas of education and health. The leader, whose church has a following of 25 million faithful globally, said his visit to the State House was to assure President Mutharika of his church’s commitment to making Malawi a better country to live in. “We have a deep commitment to people’s everyday life and the quality of life that they live,” said Paulsen adding: “We want to create a better Malawi for the future. We want the children to have a better tomorrow.” The spiritual leader noted that the church has another important role of being a voice for good things in society. He journalists that he had a good occasion with President Mutharika with whom he shared thoughts about the church’s relationship with government for the betterment the nation. “We wanted the president to hear from us that the church will continue to be a reliable partner for Malawi,” he said. Paulsen further said as the SDA’s global leader, he came to see how the church works in Malawi and was happy that it was growing. Paulsen has visited the church’s national headquarters at Malamulo, Makwasa, in Thyolo and was expected to lead the church’s faithful in Big Sabbath prayers at Silver Stadium in Lilongwe on Saturday.

IMF team happy with Government's implementation of Malawi’s Poverty Reduction Growth Facility

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said it is satisfied with the way government has implemented the Poverty Reduction Growth Facility (PRGF) programme during the first quarter of the financial year.
The team, led by Calvin Mac Donald, said despite short term delays in the disbursement of budget support, government has satisfactorily met all quantitative targets.
Resident Representative of the IMF Thomas Baunsgaard advised government during a press briefing at the Ministry of Finance in Lilongwe Monday to regard the current food shortage as a paramount challenge.
“The government has already taken substantial actions with the support of donors, however given the constraining level of foreign reserves, donor support will remain critical to finance any additional food imports,” said Baunsgaard
The IMF board has so far approved a disbursement of $7 million as the second disbursement in addition to the $4.7 million released in August this year.
When the team was arriving two weeks ago, Acting Secretary to the Treasury Patrick Kabambe indicated that one of the notable issues the team came to discuss with government is the newly introduced contributory pension scheme.
Mac Donald said during Monday’s briefing the IMF has advised government to introduce a database where pensioner’s records will be recorded for future reference.
“Our expert who has already left, provided advice on how to go about the pension reform programme by introducing a database for pensioners. We will be making a follow up on that. We understand this will be the biggest challenge for government but IMF is ready to provide extra funding if needed,” said Mac Donald
The team also held discussions with the donor community, non governmental organisations as well as representatives of the private sector.
“We wanted to get what their views are on the way government is implementing its programmes. In the private sector we met with the Stanbic Bank and National Bank and discussed with them the fundamental economic issues,” said MacDonald
He said the NGOs raised concerns over the way the IMF was handling the issue of food security, while members of the private sector, especially from the commercial banks, complained about difficulties in foreign exchange demand from its customers.
In his response, Kabambe said government is yet to consider the IMF’s advice of introducing a pension database after having a meeting with other stakeholders.
The PRGF is the IMF’s special consideration facility for low-income countries which carries an annual interest rate of 0.5 percent, and is repayable over 10 years with a five-and–half-year grace period on principal payments.
The PRGF is the IMF’s initiative with an equivalent sum of K6.8 billion, which was introduced immediately after the resumption of aid in July this year.

-story by The Nation

This is what it has come to politics of fanatism and hooliganism thanks to the unvisionary 10 year leadership of Mr Bakili Muluzi

Gunya should condemn vengeful politics at religious functions
Something must be terribly wrong when a whole General Secretary of the Synod of Blantyre Reverend Daniel Gunya says he sees nothing wrong with party functionaries literally hijacking a religious function into a platform for embarrassing political opponents. Admittedly, the church has for a long time been used to fight social injustice, but one wonders if the manner in which the UDF functionaries who graced the function behaved can draw sympathy well-meaning worshippers.
What is more worrying is that some people who added fuel to the blazing flames are local leaders whom people look up to for guidance and direction and who are supposed to be unifying figures. A local leader is reporterd to have told the faithful and other people in attendance at the function that UDF had taken over the celebrations. Still nothing wrong for Gunya? Chiefs should desist from being used as pawns in political battles, lest they be caught in the crossfire.
The local leaders for Bamba CCAP church in Machinga showed that they were apolitical by inviting their MP Jaffalie Mussa, who is also Minister of Sports Youth and Culture, to their centenary celebrations.
But it was wrong for UDF functionaries who came to the function—apparently following their chairman Bakili Muluzi—to boo and stop Mussa from addressing the congregation when he was asked to, simply because he is a cabinet minister in President Bingu wa Mutharika’s government. If Gunya could not have stopped the booing and heckling, at least he should have condemned the behaviour later. We are, therefore, very surprised that he is saying he saw nothing wrong with it and is not ashamed. Gunya should have taken great exception to it.
We also hope this is Gunya’s personal stand and not that of the synod on the matter. And if it is his stand alone, we hope the Church will apologise to the minister for the embarrassment caused to him, or else they should not have invited him to the function in the first place.
In fact, one wonders what the synod is doing about its general secretary over his many controversial statements the synod has been forced to disown over the past few months. Sometimes there is no telling whether the synod understands its GS, or if it fears him? What is clear is that he always does things his way.
The behaviour of the UDF functionaries at the Machinga function is the kind of retrogressive thinking the nation condemned at the funeral of the late Speaker Rodwell Munyenyembe when a former Democratic Progressive Party senior official tried to incite local people against Muluzi and other UDF officials at the funeral.
Would Gunya not be embarrassed if Vice President Cassim Chilumpha was invited by his church to a similar function and was barred from speaking just because DPP was more popular in that area?
We also hope UDF will condemn their supportors for hijacking the religious function to achieve their partisan agenda.

-

News

REPORT REVEALS MALAWI LOST K5 BILLION TO HIGH LEVEL CORRUPTION IN BAKILI MULUZI ADMINISTRATION IN LAST FIVE YEARS

The Malawi government has lost close to a whopping K5 billion in the last five years due to high-level corrupt practices that involved top government and party officials, The Chronicle has learnt.

According to a document which details summary cases of persons and amounts, saved or lost, status, and remarks of 21 high level corruption cases, obtained by The Chronicle, the government lost close to K5 billion due to high degree corrupt practices since 1999.

Ironically, the document also implicates some cabinet ministers in the President Bingu wa Mutharika administration, and officials in his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) who have been dubbed by their critics as political refugees running from the long arm of the law.

The civil society has since bemoaned the revelation, saying it is a mockery to the current situation when the country is going begging for food relief to save its 5 million citizens whose lives are at stake due to the hovering hunger.

The document alleges that the government has not yet recovered K13 million in a case where DPP Secretary General Joyce Banda is said to have been awarded a K26 million contract to construct Limbe Transit Depot by ADMARC in 2002 when she was its Board Member.

The document further reveals that Banda, in case number LIL/102/02, allegedly pocketed K13 million in advances before commencement of the work. "Investigations have so far established that Kambe Building Contractors, a company belonging to Mrs Joyce Banda was awarded a contract to construct a fence at Limbe Transit Depot. However, the circumstances surrounding the contract award are yet to be established," says the document on the status of the case.

When contacted for comment, Banda, while confirming that indeed Kambe contractors belongs to her, she has never won a tender of K26 million. "Yes, Kambe belongs to me but I have never won a K26 million tender in my life. Tell me again the Case Number I should phone Mr Kaliwo (Gustav Kaliwo, the ACB Director)," Banda said.

In case number LIL/53/2004, DPP Second Deputy Vice President Khumbo Kachali and some National Roads Authority (NRA) Board members are implicated in a K11, 500, 000 scam where they are alleged to have bought a Toyota Prado VX from a Mr Muhammad, then Board member, at an inflated figure of K11, 500,000 despite being an old vehicle. "The deal was facilitated by Mr Khumbo Kachali, then Board Chairman, who was using the vehicle. There are allegations that NRA usually awards contracts to G&C and Matete Civil Contractors because they belong to some NRA Board members," the document summarises the case.

It further says investigations are currently underway and that documents have been so far collected from NRA and are being analysed.

People's Progressive Movement (PPM) President Aleke Kadonaphani Banda (AKB), then Agriculture Minister, is implicated in a K127, 210,770 scam, case number LIL/469/98 on alleged corrupt practices involving fertilizer transactions with Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM) Starter Pack Program.

On the status of the case, the document says investigations were concluded in June 2003. "Report submitted to government with recommendations to take administrative action against Hon. Aleke Banda and also prosecution under the penal code against Farmers World for obtaining goods by false pretences," reads the document.

However, when contacted Aleke Banda said he was not aware of the case. "I have never heard of it," he said on the phone on Wednesday.

Former Head of State, Bakili Muluzi is named in a closed case BT/293/2002 in the purchase of Linden House at Linden Estate in South Africa from Air Malawi at K2 million.

In the saved column, the document showed government saved K4 million hence the closing of the Linden Estate case.

Currently, the graft busting body, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has also instituted a preliminary investigation into allegations that former President Bakili Muluzi received K100 million to pardon a corruption convict Shabir Suleman, who was convicted for bribing a Malawi High Court Judge.

In the case number LIL/148/04, Muluzi is alleged to have received a K100 million bribe from a Malawian of Indian origin Shabir Suleman, who was at Zomba Prison for his pardon.

The document says investigations are still underway as the "Bureau" continues to get more details.

Apart from the K187 million scam involving Vice President (VP) Cassim Chilumpha and other officials, the document - in case number LIL/667/99 - also implicates the VP in $ 4 million (K500 million) corrupt practices when he was Finance Minister in the award of the Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI) contract to Inter-tek, a contract that was eventually cancelled by former President Muluzi.

According to the document, investigations on the case concluded in 2000 and a report was submitted to Muluzi under Section 10 (1) (C) of the Corrupt Practices Act for action against Chilumpha but no action was taken.

The document also reveals that government lost K2.9 billion in a case in which ADMARC management and some UDF officials Friday Jumbe, Leonard Mangulama, and Weston Kanjira are alleged to have mismanaged and plundered the Strategic Grain Reserves (SGR).

Through former Army Commander, Retired General Chimbayo government is said to have lost K98, 456,383 on allegation that he procured Army Uniforms from Songdoh Company Limited belonging to Mrs S.Y. Kim of Lilongwe in 2003 without following proper tender procedures.

The document says investigations have just started on the matter. "Documents have been served on the Secretary for Defence to produce relevant documents," reads the document.

Some of the cases involve other government officials in parastatal, and other government institutions.

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Ishmael Wadi could not be reached for comment on the ACB cases.

At a time of going to press the ACB had not yet responded our questionnaire on the issues prompting a personal visit to the ACB offices in Lilogwe.

When The Chronicle visited ACB's Director, Gustav Kaliwo to verify the authenticity of the document and its contents, he then demanded that The Chronicle reveals the source of the document, which The Chronicle vehemently refused to do.

He said he was unable to make any comment on the document "I am in an awkward position to comment on the issue because you are also refusing to disclose your source". He also added that because some of the cases relate to the time before he became Director, it was also difficult to make any comment. "Then I don't know if we can co-operate. We are keeping this document here. We didn't ask you to bring it here," Kaliwo said before finally deciding to photocopy and return the produced document.

A recent Transparency International (TI) report says Malawi has slipped seven steps lower on the Transparency International 2005 (TI) index.

-Story by the Chronicle

News

Malawi Opposition continues advancing personal agendas over national issues

Opposition parties and government have clashed on when Parliament should reconvene to continue business from the last sitting with opposition calling for the House to meet immediately while government insists it will be a waste of resources.
Speaker Louis Chimango is expected to rule whether MPs who dumped their parties and joined government crossed the floor under Section 65 of the Constitution.
The Speaker failed to make a ruling on the matter during the last sitting of Parliament which adjourned temporarily on October 31 after government obtained an injunction restraining him from passing a verdict.
The court dissolved the injunction last week giving the Speaker powers to call for Parliament to continue with the sitting’s business and make his verdict on the concerned MPs because the House agreed to do so once the matter has been settled.
But Government spokesperson Patricia Kaliati said on Tuesday from Tunisia government will not allow Parliament to meet just to discuss Section 65 because she said it will just be a waste of resources.
She claimed when the Speaker wanted to make a ruling on the matter, the House was about to adjourn sine die.
“If we are going to meet and just to talk nonsense then it’s not on and it’s better not to meet,” she said.
Kaliati accused Speaker of bringing confusion in the House “because of his bias, lack of leadership skills and failure to control Parliament” saying he needs special training outside the country to learn how his counterparts handle Parliamentary business.
“He is shooting himself down. He is failing to control Parliament. He is biased and he lacks leadership skills. He is the one who is bringing problems in the House,” she said.
But Leader of Opposition John Tembo said what Kaliati said clearly shows that government does not understand the importance of Parliament and described the situation as a constitutional crisis where the Legislature and the Executive are at loggerheads.
“That’s the nature of our government. They don’t fully understand the importance of Parliament. I don’t think it’s wise. This is a constitutional crisis,” said Tembo.
UDF Chief Whip Leonard Mangulama said the continuation of the last sitting of Parliament does not need government approval, saying it is up to the Speaker in consultation with the Business Committee to decide on the sitting.
“Government has no right and no powers whatsoever on the meeting of Parliament,” said Mangulama.
He said the House should reconvene soon to continue with the last sitting of Parliament and to give room to the beginning of the new session before the end of the year when traditionally the President opens with a State of the Nation address.
Mangulama said the Business Committee will decide both the date, the length and the business of the sitting and not government.
“On our part we have the [National Governing Council] Bill. If the Speaker is ready with his ruling on Section 65, he will deliver it and if government feel they have some urgent business they can bring it,” he said.
Chimango was reported to be out of the country.
But Acting Secretary to the Treasury, Patrick Kabambe said funds are available for the continuation of the last sitting of Parliament, but he said he has not yet received any request so far.

Hopes of ridding Malawi of corruption about to hit wall as 13 government mps risk losing seats

Thirteen cabinet ministers risk losing their parliamentary seats should Speaker Louis Chimango pass the verdict in favour of the United Democratic Front’s (UDF) demand, a development analysts said would further weaken President Bingu wa Mutharika’s already fragile government.
The Speaker’s ruling, temporarily halted by the court after government obtained an injunction seeking an interpretation of Section 65, will affect Agriculture Minister Uladi Mussa, who is also vice president of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Justice Minister and Blantyre Rural East MP Henry Phoya and Information Minister and Mulanje west MP Patricia Kaliati.
Others facing the chop are Chiradzulu East MP Henry Mussa who is also Vocational Training minister, Phalombe East MP Ken Lipenga, Youth Minister and MP for Machinga East Jafali Mussa, Mines Minister and MP for Nkhotakota North Chimunthu Banda, Water Minister and MP for Chikwawa Nkombezi Sidik Mia and Joyce Banda—MP for Zomba Malosa and Minister of Gender.
Also facing dismissal are Local Government Minister and MP for Mulanje South West George Chaponda, Mzimba South East MP and Deputy Defence Minister Khumbo Kachale, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and MP for Thyolo West Thomson Mchacha and Roy Cummsy Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and MP for South East.
“We asked the Speaker to declare the seats for 12 former UDF MPs vacant for crossing the floor except for Davis Katsonga because he was expelled,” UDF spokesperson Sam Mpasu said on Wednesday.
The UDF petition to the Speaker also includes Dedza South West MP Kate Kainja (MCP) who is also Minister of Education but does not petition the Speaker on other MPs such as Brown Mpinganjira, who joined the UDF after dissolving NDA.
The controversial Section 65, gives the Speaker powers to declare vacant seats for any MP who voluntarily resigns from a party that sponsored his candidature or any MP who joins another party other than the one that sponsored him or her.
Analysts this week said if the Speaker kicks out 13 Ministers, it will render the government powerless, and further worsen the political impasse.
Last month Britain urged the opposition to hold off the impeachment debate because they said it was distracting government at a time of a major food crisis. Five million Malawians need food aid.
“This would leave the President in a tight corner and the only thing he can do is either intensify his campaign in the areas he knows he is strong or reach out to the opposition because he needs their support,” Chancellor College political science lecturer Mustafa Hussein said.
Another Chancellor College political science lecturer Boniface Dulani said Mutharika’s minority government is heavily reliant on the cabinet ministers who quit UDF. “To lose them would be a major blow to Mutharika’s chances of regaining power in the House.”
Dulani said the result will also have an effect on donor confidence to deal with government.
The High Court on Monday lifted the five-day injunction obtained by government restraining the Speaker from passing the verdict on the 13 ministers.
Personal Assistant to the Speaker Henry Kamata said on Thursday the Speaker will make the ruling on Section 65 when Parliament reconvenes any time.
“It is just fear of the unknown because we don’t know what his verdict is…but that will be known anytime Parliament reconvenes,” Kamata said. We were not able to talk to Chimango as he was reported to be outside the country.
Two courts, the Constitutional Court and the High Court are yet to decide on the interpretation of Section 65, which has been controversial in the recent past.
Malawi Law Society declined to discuss the interpretation of Section 65 because it is in the courts.
Parliament in August rejected MCP president John Tembo’s proposal to amend the section to include members that decide to become independent candidates.
The application against the 13 ministers is the latest twist in a power struggle between Mutharika and his predecessor Bakili Muluzi whose party wants Mutharika impeached.
Mutharika quit the UDF in September last year. Twenty-two executive members of UDF also dumped the UDF and joined Mutharika’s DPP.

News

All evidence suggests that Malawi Government has set the right tempo for achieving reforms needed to achieve growth and reduce poverty - World Bank


THE WORLD Bank has rated Malawi among the few countries in Africa eager to implement reforms

designed to boost investment, the Business Times has learnt.

However, a legal expert has said that the absence of anti-money laundering laws threatens to derail the

seemingly good prospects and pace of reform.

In their latest joint report, 'Doing Business in 2006; Creating jobs' the World Bank and the International

Finance Corporation (IFC), have put Malawi among three African governments planning ambitious reforms

that aim to make their economic environment conducive for doing business.

Other two countries cited for praise are Burkina Faso and Lesotho, while Serbia and Montenegro leads the

pack.

The report, released recently in Washington, ranks Rwanda, Mauritius, South Africa and Nigeria among the

top reformers in a continent the World Bank has recommended for heavy reforms.

"If reformers of business regulation are seeking an example, they should look nearby—to Rwanda," reads

the report in part.

It says the Eastern African country, a troubled spot for ethnic strife and genocide 10 years ago, was

among the top 12 reformers in 2004. Upon embarking on the reforms, Rwanda recorded one of Africa's

highest economic growth rates (3.6 percent), says the report.

The World Bank report used up to 10 indicators to investigate regulation that either enhance business

activity or stifle it. These indicators are applied to measure economic outcomes and identify reforms that

have worked elsewhere and why.

In Malawi, research collaborators looked at regulation governing recruitment and firing of workers, credit

acquiring procedure and licensing of businesses, among other variables.

World Bank Country Economist Khwima Nthara said in an interview, although the 'Doing Business' report

looked at selected criteria, all evidence suggests that Malawi has set the right tempo for achieving reforms

needed to achieve growth and reduce poverty.

He said the country now has political will and commitment at the top to embark on the required reforms and

that government had started to address critical needs of the private sector.

"We've seen a lot of commitment and some action. The 2005/06 budget, for instance, is business-friendly

in terms of taxation measures. The country is at the right stage and the future can only be bright," Nthara

said.

He said on its part, the World Bank has embarked on an Investment Climate Survey that would analyse

comprehensive data to come up with a more objective assessment of the factors impeding investment in

Malawi.

But a corporate lawyer who collaborated on the World Bank report said while laws regulating business in

the country were generally favourable, delays to pass the anti-money laundering bill raise serious doubts

about the seriousness of government to attract foreign investors.

The draft bill has since 2002 been entangled in red tape. During the recent session of Parliament, the draft

law was again overshadowed by debate on the impeachment of President Bingu wa Mutharika and the

food shortage crisis.

"Without the anti-money laundering law in place, Malawi is exposed and vulnerable. This situation puts the

country at a great disadvantage," said Jai Banda of Sacranie and Gow, and who has been researching on

the subject.

He said Malawi was at high risk of attracting money laundering activity because it was one of the few

countries in the region lacking specific laws to tackle the vice.

Apart from money laundering, Banda said there is also urgent need to straighten bureaucracies that cause

delays in the issuance of licenses and permits.

He said the delays, which take between 21 to 35 days, are frustrating investors and scaring them away.

The World Bank report indicates that Malawi is among six African countries where investors are still

subjected to annual renewal of licenses, a process that comes after a rigorous inspection of business

premises by the Ministry of Trade and Private Sector Development.

"Businesses often resort to bribes to obtain approval. License renewal should not be an annual rite, and

only violators should pay fines," says the report.

It advises governments to simply their licensing systems to save costs.

Malawi Vice President Cassim Chilumpha Arrested Over Corruption Charges

Malawi police have arrested vice president Cassim Chilumpha on corruption charges, intensifying a political crisis that is paralysing the impoverished southern African country.

Director of public prosecution Ishmael Wadi said Chilumpha was arrested at his home in the commercial capital Blantyre on Tuesday and would appear in court on graft charges linked to a financial scandal during his tenure as minister of education.

The arrest came amid a power struggle between president Bingu wa Mutharika and his predecessor Bakili Muluzi, whose opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) party was trying to impeach the president. The president denied wrong doing.

Chilumpha was a founding member of the UDF and a key ally of Muluzi.

Wa Mutharika was waging a war on graft that had targeted Muluzi and the UDF, which wa Mutharika quit earlier this year.

"The vice president will appear in court tomorrow to answer to charges of corruption involving the $1.7 million scandal which happened when he was Minister of Education five years ago," said Wadi.

Malawi's political crisis was angering donors and threatened to undermine the impoverished country's ability to deal with a major food crisis.

In a rare intervention by foreign governments in the domestic politics of an African country, Britain and other key aid donors to Malawi said last month they would not support a new government if wa Mutharika was impeached.

A donor pullout would cripple a country that depended on foreign assistance for almost half of its national budget and where some five million people were in desperate need of food aid.

Wa Mutharika and Muluzi fell out after the president launched an anti-corruption campaign that targeted senior figures from Muluzi's administration.

The president survived a bid to expel him from the UDF earlier this year only to quit and found his own Democratic Progressive Party.

Tensions between the two camps spilled into violence last month when wa Mutharika's supporters smashed vehicles belonging to opposition MPs.

-Story by Reuters

OPINION

Actions by powerhungry and selfish African politicians is as evil as terrorism in the world - Henry (Switzlerland)

What the west should be doing for Africa is to deal with this ring of powerful people on the continent that divert most of the continents resources to themselves and manipulate the system to make them or their parties rule forever. They are capable of this because the west does have the people on the ground and the information and they know the people behind the chaos.
The efforts by musicians lately through the live-aid and live8 concerts are all commendable and shows the will of people in the west to help Africa. But if the people in Africa are still subjected to these leaders derailing the development process through unstabilizing peaceful nations like Malawi for the sore purpose of getting back to plunder nations' resources then all those efforts to raise all that money is fruitless. It is time the west started targeting these leaders in our societies through actions like targeted sanctions, travel restrictions and so on like in the case of the Robert Mugabe and his group. These kind of actions would send a clear message and restrict these peoples operations. That is the direction the west should take if they are to correct Africas problems because without real freedom money alone will not get Africa out of poverty. Africans are held ransom by these rich leaders to the point governments are incapacitated.

News

"The root cause of the conflict between UDF and the President is known all over the country,why should we waste our time fighting a war that is not ours?" - MCP Central Region district chairmen



There are cracks in the main opposition MCP over its support to impeach President Bingu wa Mutharika, with MCP Central Region district chairmen demanding that their president John Tembo dumps plans to remove Mutharika to UDF. But the UDF claims the MCP has been bought.
The chairmen, representing all the nine districts of Lilongwe, Mchinji, Ntcheu, Nkhotakota, Ntchisi, Salima, Dowa, Dedza and Kasungu, said they had booked for an appointment with John Tembo to convey the message from the grassroots last week, but were instead advised to meet some selected MPs in their respective districts.
“We are of the view that as MCP we should not waste time getting involved in conflicts that have nothing to do with us,” said a veteran district chairman, adding that the party president should concentrate on consolidating its activities in preparation for the 2009 elections.
The district chairman said MCP members in the rural areas are tired of seeing their party engaging in matters that are of benefit to UDF and its national chair Bakili Muluzi, a message he emphasised was coming from the grassroots.
He said the understanding in the rural areas is that the battle to remove President Bingu wa Mutharika is between him and his predecessor Muluzi, resulting from the fact that Mutharika ditched the party that ushered into power to form his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
“The root cause of their conflict is known all over the country,” said the chairman. “Therefore, why should we waste our time fighting a war that is not ours?”
Another veteran district chairman from the region said MCP’s focus ought to be getting rid of Bingu through the ballot in 2009.
At a press conference held on behalf of party president in Lilongwe this week, MCP spokesperson Nicholas Dausi insisted his party has at no time worked with UDF to plot Mutharika’s impeachment, but rather got involved in putting procedures in Parliament as required by the Constitution of Malawi.
“MCP has at no point worked with UDF to impeach President Mutharika,” said Dausi. “I think this must be made clear, otherwise we will end up misinforming innocent people out there.”
Dausi, who is also the party’s second vice president, said MCP views the current political situation as a crisis that needs immediate solutions for the country to progress in nation building and forge ahead in economic development and social transformation.
He blamed President Mutharika’s DPP for waging a propaganda war against the opposition, in particular the MCP, because of its strength in Parliament where it has majority seats.
Commenting on the apparent change of heart by some MCP MPs on impeachment, UDF spokesperson Sam Mpasu said he suspects that some of the MCP MPs have been bought by the DPP.
Mpasu said last week the UDF suspected that some MPs in MCP “must have received money from the DPP to confuse the impeachment proceedings,” he said without substantiating the claim.
“It is not surprising because we expected this to happen…Bingu is so desperate because he has no numbers,” he said.
Some 15 MCP MPs threatened to sabotage the impeachment motion largely because of differences over the legality as well as composition of the proposed National Governing Council.
“The issue of the NGC is the last straw…Muluzi used us to fight for the third and open terms and now he wants to use us to remove Mutharika?” Said an MCP MP who asked for anonymity.
Seven MCP MPs Nation spoke to just before Parliament adjourned said they had had enough.
“We cannot speak on record because we fear that Tembo will punish us. But enough is enough, we need some change in the way we approach issues in the party,” said an MP.
But MCP deputy spokesperson Bintony Kutsaila dismissed as lies assertions that some MCP MPs have been bought by DPP.
“That cannot happen in MCP, we are still a strong party and united,” Kutsaila said.
“What you should know is that every democratic party has its own differences over issues and that is not strange. But to differ does not mean that people are leaving the party,” Kutsaila said.
The NGC Bill is facing resistance not only in Parliament but from legal experts as well, who say it is unnecessary because the Constitution provides for a takeover in the event of the President’s office falling vacant.
The bill proposes that no former head of state should be in the committee that would include the Vice President, leaders of parties represented in Parliament and the Speaker.
Mutharika survived an indictment a fortnight ago when the courts stopped the proceedings and the diplomatic community warned that it would not support a government under the NGC.
“We will find it difficult to work with the NGC if Mutharika is impeached because of the hasty and suspicious way the impeachment is being done,” donors said in a statement.

UDF Hopes for Conflict in Malawi 12 November 2005 - 02:29:10

The UDF on Wednesday met donor representatives to discuss the current political impasse in Malawi and asked them to either let President Bingu wa Mutharika resign or allow the impeachment process to continue.
But Government has said it is Bakili Muluzi and Cassim Chilumpha that need to resign, arguing the two are “trying to bring conflict in the country.”
A leaked UDF confidential briefing paper presented to the donor troika composed of Germany Ambassador Albert Gisy, Gunnar Foreland the Norwegian Ambassador and South African High Commissioner Ms Ntshadi Tsheole, warns that if impeachment is not allowed, the country must brace itself for a very unstable and chaotic political environment orchestrated by Mutharika.
“It is imperative that the impeachment process is allowed to take its full process by the President and the Executive, the Judiciary, donors…Alternatively the President must resign voluntarily and seek a fresh mandate to legitimise his government,” reads the briefing paper.
UDF leader in Parliament George Mtafu led the UDF delegation of former Finance Minister Friday Jumbe and UDF Chief Whip Leonard Mangulama to the talks with the troika chaired by the Norwegian Ambassador Foreland .
“This is the second time we were meeting and the discussions were excellent…We discussed, among other things, the food shortages, Mutharika’s leadership style, his extravagance and the National Governing Council,” said Mtafu.
Deputy South African High Commissioner Hein Lotze also confirmed the meeting but could not disclose the contents of the discussion.
“I did not attend the meeting, but my high commissioner did, together with the Norwegian head and the German head…They will report to the rest of the community in due course,” Hein said.
On Friday, government spokesperson Patricia Kaliati described the UDF demands as shameful.
“It is Bakili Muluzi and Cassim Chilumpha that need to resign. Muluzi should resign from politics because he is trying to bring conflict in the country and the Vice President Chilumpha for his incompetence,” said Kaliati.
“Who is UDF to tell donors to force Bingu to resign? They had there time they should let Bingu rule now,” she said.
The issue of Mutharika’s alleged extravagance was tabled with the UDF citing the President’s decision to move into New State House as an example of spending.
Reports from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), said the brief, labelled Mutharika as someone who has an appetite for expenditure and this has been proven during his short stay as President. He decided to move into the 300-room State House while maintaining all other state residences against his pledge at inauguration.
In the briefing, the UDF feared that if the impeachment process is not allowed to continue, the President will use the might of the state machinery to destroy Malawi’s democratic gains and arrest political competitors in the name or zero-tolerance for corruption.
Mutharika, who quit UDF last year and formed his own Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), has been lauded by the donor community for his fight against corruption but that has earned him enemies from UDF and in Parliament who claim that it is political persecution.
“All those he has called his enemies have suffered in one way or another and this includes journalists. Recently he has caused arrests of two MPs for moving the impeachment motion and strangely the President admitted at a press conference on November 7 on arrival from Scotland that the arrests are ‘Tit for Tat’,” UDF told the donors.
The diplomatic community a fortnight ago said they would find it difficult to work with a new government under a National Governing Council (NGC) if Mutharika was impeached.
This statement did not go down well with UDF and its opposition partner Malawi Congress Party (MCP) who accused donors of meddling in the internal affairs of the country.
In conclusion, the UDF justified the proposal to have an NGC, in the event that Mutharika is impeached.
“The NGC is a desire to ensure stability, peace and popular support, to have a broader spectrum of leadership …that would include elected leaders of political parties in Parliament which would oversee the six months transition,” UDF said.
According to it draft bill, the NGC— dubbed a nonstarter by various legal commentators—would also include key players in government to ensure continuity with government business.
The UDF called on the donors to support the elections after six months to ensure a smooth transition from the NGC.
“The present environment is very explosive and it will not be long before it explodes into a full-scale conflict if nothing is done,” says the brief

-Story by the Nation

Opinion

Build not Destroy - Henry (switzlerland)

I would like to express my views on a number of issues but all revolving around the how narrow minded us Malawians have become over the last 10 years. It is a fact that Malawians in general have changed. We have changed in our behaviour, our perceptions of the future and our attitudes.
My observation is that we have developed a culture of taking things lightly especially when matters to do with the country are concerned, we always feel it is somebody's responsibility and not ours, maybe due to the fact that we feel politics is a game played by certain people in society. This laissez-faire attitude is not only in politics but has also spread to other parts of our society. People are not responsible for their actions anymore, from the minibus drivers on our roads to most recently our elected representatives in parliament, I am even sceptic about the Malawian press at the moment. You could never imagine such a scenario we have today twenty years back. As most nations around the world e.g Mozambique, Botswana, South Africa etc are moving forward to face challenges of the 21st centuary building and developing their societies Malawians are breaking and destroying. Is shopping in "Harvey Nichols" an issue? Really? I mean people earning a minimum wage in the UK shop in "Harvey Nichols". At the end of the day it is what you want to spend your money on. Shame on the editorials publishing this nonsense, I would like it if they wrote more on issues that would help change peoples lives and things that matter not sending wrong signals to donors and potential investors they way they are doing.
When former speakers of parliament and Malawian news reporters start bad mouthing their own country, you should know you have a very big problem on your hands. A lot of people do not realise how costly such bad publicity can be for a third world country like Malawi. I think Journalists need to be responsible and cautious when selling their stories to their employers abroad because at the end of the day the people suffering are the ordinary people in the villages. All what is happening is scaring off potential investors which we really need right now to get our economy moving. So Mr Mpasu the next time you decide to go on about corruption in Malawi when in fact we are trying to rid our society of your (corrupt) kind think about all those starving malawians you could not help when you had the chance in government. Also think of the people who will be watching and building a case against you for causing all this unnecessary confusion and destruction to our country.