"It's shameful that the UDF party wants to take us back to the dark days,"

Mr Gwanda Chakuamba (2003)

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Thursday, December 29, 2005

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.

Saturday, December 24, 2005

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.

Sunday, December 18, 2005

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.

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

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.”

Thursday, December 08, 2005

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.

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

"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

Friday, December 02, 2005

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.

Thursday, December 01, 2005

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