Madonna's film on AIDS in Malawi airs on Sundance

NEW YORK (AP) — Madonna's awakening to the crisis in Malawi — an
impoverished African nation where one million children are orphaned by
AIDS — had many consequences.

She adopted one of those orphans, her 3-year-old son David. She is building a school there.

And
she has told Malawi's harrowing story in her documentary, "I Am Because
We Are." With an audience thus far limited to isolated theater
screenings, it will be screened for everyone with its TV premiere on
Sundance Channel at 9 p.m. EST Monday (World AIDS Day).

The
feature-length film was written, produced and narrated by Madonna
(directed by Nathan Rissman). It consults experts including President
Bill Clinton and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

But the film's real
power is its images, which are often dismaying but, here and there,
reflect hope and a remarkable will to survive.

"I had many
goals," said Madonna during a phone conversation from her Manhattan
home a few days ago. "I did get to a point where I thought, 'I'm being
overambitious, I'm trying to say too much, I'll never accomplish it.'
But I feel proud of the fact that I did get to make all my points."

Among her points: an insistence that any crisis comes with solutions, however hard-won and piecemeal.

The film offers its audience a menu of constructive responses.

"If
all you can do is live life in YOUR world in a way that shows you are
responsible for the people around you, that's a course of action," said
Madonna. "People can be of service in large ways and small."

The
first wide exposure of "I Am Because We Are" may be coming at a
propitious time, which befits the pop superstar who made it, with her
knack for anticipating and identifying cultural trends.

On the
eve of a new presidential administration, Americans seem set on a more
idealistic path, however alarmed they may be by economic threats along
the way.

"People really are going, 'Wow! I can no longer ignore what's going on around me.' There are changes in the air," she said.

Madonna's
busy schedule continues apace. But the artistic life that drives it "is
a world you create and you inhabit, to express yourself, and to inspire
and reach out to other people," she explained. "It's also a
consolation, a place you go to to protect yourself." That's true now,
in particular, during her highly public split with Guy Ritchie, her
husband of eight years, which she described as "not easy, I'm not going
to lie."

Though on a brief New York break from her concert tour,
Madonna said the day's long to-do list called for this AP interview to
be followed by interviews she would be conducting herself: with
prospective head mistresses for the girls school she is building in
Malawi.

"We're all going there together at the end of March," she
said, referring to David, 8-year-old son Rocco and 12-year-old daughter
Lourdes.

"I'm very involved in a lot of things that are going on
there," she said, and as she makes return visits with her kids, she
wants them to gather insights into the plight of the world's
underprivileged. "And David's always going to understand where he came
from, and what his life could have been like."

Meanwhile, she hopes her film can spread the message to millions more.

"It has an impact on the people who see it," she declared. "The more people, the bigger the impact."

Malawi’s President awarded UN prize for enhancing nation’s food security

28 November 2008 –

The President of Malawi, Bingu wa Mutharika, has been honoured by the
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for his efforts
in achieving food security and in transforming the economy of his
nation, among the poorest in Africa.

FAO
Director-General Jacques Diouf presented President wa Mutharika with
the Agricola Medal – the agency’s highest award – yesterday during a
ceremony in the Malawian capital, Lilongwe.

Mr. Diouf noted that in 2005, thanks in a large part to the adoption of
an Agricultural Input Subsidy Programme piloted by the Government of
President wa Mutharika, Malawi was able to restore national food
security by increasing access to fertilizers and improved seeds by poor
farmers and other vulnerable population groups.

In addition, despite sharply rising food and energy prices earlier in
the year, and the negative impact of climate change, Malawi has been
able to contain food prices to the extent that economic growth for this
year is expected to be around 8 per cent.

Malawi was also one of the few countries to have surpassed the
agreement reached among ministers at the 2003 Maputo African heads of
State and government conference for a minimum budget allocation of 10
per cent for agriculture, by allocating as much as 16 per cent to the
sector, said the Director-General.

Agriculture is crucial to the population of 13.2 million in Malawi, a
largely rural and landlocked country in Southern Africa, where some 35
per cent of the population was undernourished in 2004.

Previous recipients of the Agricola Medal include Indian Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh, King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, former French
president Jacques Chirac, Chinese President Jiang Zemin, Pope John Paul
II, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, former Spanish prime minister
José María Aznar, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and
German ex-president Johannes Rau of Germany.

Why is Bakili Muluzi afraid of being questioned by the Authorities?

Lawyers representing former president Bakili
Muluzi yesterday presented four grounds of appeal in a case where the
former president wants the Supreme Court to overturn a High Court
decision to vacate an injunction he earlier obtained against the
Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB)––restraining the bureau from questioning
him on K1.4 billion donor money he allegedly diverted to his personal
account.
Before presenting the grounds before Chief Justice
Lovemore Munlo, Justice Duncan Tambala and Justice Elton Singini, the
four Muluzi lawyers ––Fahad Assani, David Kanyenda, Gift Mwakhwawa and
Jai Banda––wanted to bring fresh evidence to the court which would have
a bearing on their appeal against the vacation of the High Court
injunction.
This was, however, withdrawn after the three judges
pointed out that the hearing was not a fresh case but rather an appeal
against the earlier ruling of the lower court with which the appellant
(Muluzi) was dissatisfied.
In the first ground, Muluzi argues “the
learned judge erred in law by holding that it was open to the appellant
to commence proceedings either by way of judicial review or originating
summons”. The lawyers further argued that having found that Muluzi was
entitled to commence proceedings by way of expedited originating
summons, the lower court erred in holding that he should have proceeded
through judicial review.
On the second ground, Muluzi argues that
the judge erred in law and fact in holding that he was supposed to give
notice as required by Section 4 of the Civil Procedure Act Cap 6:01 of
the Laws of Malawi before commencement of the High Court case.
The
third ground is against the presiding judge’s statement that
maintaining the injunction would mean suspending the business of the
ACB in that people who are not public officers such as presidents,
ministers, deputy ministers and Members of Parliament would simply
follow suit and obtain injunctions should they find themselves in
similar situations.
According to Muluzi’s team, the injunction order
did not prevent ACB from continuing its investigations as it
interrogated, among others, Muluzi’s former and serving secretaries or
personal assistants.
“The learned judge erred in law in holding that
the balance of convenience lies in favour of vacating the ex-partes
injunction order,” the ground reads.
“The decision of the learned
judge in vacating the ex partes injunction order and striking out the
originating summons is misconceived and wrongful in law,” reads the
fourth ground.
Hearing of the case continues this morning with the ACB presenting its response to the application.
In
2005, the ACB summoned Muluzi to interrogate him on the K1.4 billion
that allegedly ended up in his personal account when he was in power.
Muluzi obtained an injunction from the High Court restraining the
bureau from questioning him.
Later, the ACB filed another
application in the same court to vacate the injunction. The court
removed the injunction and refused Muluzi’s application for an order
staying the execution of notices from ACB summoning Muluzi.
Muluzi
then lodged an appeal in the Supreme Court and applied for a stay in
the notices. The upper court granted an order of stay until
determination of the appeal, overturning the High Court’s decision that
the injunction be vacated.
In July 2006, the ACB arrested Muluzi and
charged him with 42 counts on allegations of corruption, theft by
public servant and breach of trust. Muluzi chose to remain silent and
was later released on bail without conditions

Govt to build over 1,000 teachers houses

Teachers across the country may temporarily
forget about the K700 million salary arrears government owes them
following news that government plans to build houses for them from the
US$50 million (about K7 billion) World Bank loan that was signed
Tuesday.
After signing the agreement, Finance Minister Goodall
Gondwe said: “We expect to build about 1,000 houses but the number
could be more if the communities have the initiative and we build the
houses with the assistance from Masaf”.
The US$50 million is from
the International Development Association (IDA) to support the second
phase of Masaf 3 which is expected to run from end 2008 to 2013.
Gondwe
said if communities have plans and need support in terms of cement or
other building materials, “then we will be able to help and more houses
will be built if we did this”.
The Teachers Union of Malawi (Tum)
yesterday commended government for the move as it will help attract
more teachers to work in rural areas.
“This is a very, very good
news because teachers in rural areas are suffering so much in terms of
housing ....This is one of the reasons apart from other working
conditions that discourage many teachers from staying in rural
communities,” said Tum secretary-general Dennis Kalekeni.
World Bank country manager Timothy Gilbo said the implementation of the project will differ from previous Masaf programmes.
“Whereas
the previous Masaf programmes were implemented partly by local
authorities and partly by the Masaf secretariat, this time Local
Assemblies will take full control over the execution of the Masaf 3
funded activities,” said Gilbo.
A statement from the World Bank said
Masaf 3 will use experiences from the first phase of Masaf 3 which
ended on June 30, 2008. The second phase will aim to reach the poor
with public works earnings, infrastructure improvements, savings
mobilisation, public and social accountability tools, in the context of
increased local governance and public sector management.

Give Hazel grand welcome—Bingu

President Bingu wa Mutharika Monday urged the
country’s citizens to give Hazel Warren, Malawi’s representative at the
just-ended Big Brother Africa (BBA) 3 reality show, a grand welcome as
she has done the nation proud.
Hazel, 25, finished second in the
show on Sunday which saw 21-year-old Ricardo Venancio, aka Ricco, of
Angola win the US$100,000 (about K14 million) grand prize.
Mutharika,
through State House press officer Chikumbutso Mtumodzi, said he is very
happy for Hazel’s gallant and superb performance. He said Hazel has put
the country on the international map of achievers.
“The State
President is sending his heart-felt congratulations to Hazel Warren for
a wonderful performance in this year’s BBA show. The President says the
fact that Hazel lost by a small margin clearly indicates that Malawians
have the capability and stamina to participate in international
contests,” said Mtumodzi.
He said Mutharika views Hazel’s
outstanding performance as an indication that Malawians are
intelligent, hard-working, determined and focused when it comes to
competitive participation.
“The President is, therefore, joining all
the people of this country in celebrating Hazel’s victory. The
President is also congratulating Hazel’s family for their daughter’s
performance and all Malawians who participated in many ways for a job
well done,” said Mtumodzi.
In a telephone interview from South
Africa Monday, Hazel said the congratulatory gesture from the President
is “a big honour” and that she feels “humbled by it”.
“I am very
thankful to the nation and the President, in particular. I thought some
people had pre-conceived ideas that their representative would mess up
in the house. But when the nation, led by the President, congratulates
you, it makes you glad,” said Hazel.
According to Multichoice
marketing manager Chimwemwe Nyirenda, Hazel is expected back in the
country tomorrow at about 3 pm and not today as earlier indicated.

Muluzi advocate Gwanda Chakuamba hits at Tembo

New Republican Party (NRP) president Gwanda
Chakuamba has accused his old-time rival John Tembo of refusing to
support Bakili Muluzi’s presidential bid after the MCP leader
reportedly agreed in 2006 to back the UDF chairman in his quest to
dislodge President Bingu wa Mutharika.
But MCP has said it cannot support Muluzi for another presidency because he already ruled the country for 10 years.
Chakuamba,
a full-time ally of the former president, told a rally in Lilongwe’s
Area 23 Township near Namachimba Market on Saturday that “MCP’s
selfishness will make it lose the elections next year”.
“MCP will
not win the 2009 general elections because of selfishness… Tembo cannot
win the elections by banking on votes from the Central Region. The
Central Region is for all Malawians with different political
affiliations,” said Chakuamba.
Flanked by his deputy Ken Zikhale
Ng’oma and Malawi Democratic Party (MDP) president Kamlepo Kalua,
Chakuamba claimed in 2006 Tembo pledged at a rally at Njamba Freedom
Park in Blantyre to dislodge  Mutharika “by supporting the one who put
him on the throne” (Muluzi).
Said Chakuamba: “This is what he promised but today he says he does not want to work with UDF.”
Chakuamba—who
resigned from MCP over a power struggle with Tembo five years ago,
announced his comeback in the parliamentary race—saying he will contest
against First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Esther Chilenje-Nkhoma whom
he anointed to run Nsanje North constituency in the 2004 elections.
Tembo
could not be reached on Sunday to comment on Chakuamba’s statements but
MCP’s administrative secretary Potipher Chidaya snubbed Chakuamba’a
call for Tembo to support Muluzi in an alliance.
“Muluzi has been a
president for this country for two terms, why should he lead the
alliance? Why can’t he allow us to field a presidential candidate? We
have so many MPs in Parliament. If he wants to join us, he can do so,”
said Chidaya.

Katopola back in office

Clerk of Parliament (COP) Matilda Katopola has
finally taken back her office keys on recommendation from Speaker Louis
Chimango, a decision that has divided the Parliamentary Service
Commission (PSC).



Over the weekend, Chimango also wrote Deputy COP Stanislas Chisanu,
advising him to stop acting as COP and hand over all keys to Katopola.



Both Chimango and Chisanu flew out of the country on Sunday but First Deputy Speaker Esther NKhoma confirmed the development.



“I was out but I have seen the letter to Mr Chisanu, that I can confirm,” she said.



She also confirmed that Chisanu handed over all keys to Katopola before he left for China.



Despite collecting the keys on Sunday, Katopola was not in office Monday but she is technically back in her office.



But the development has led to the emergence of two distinct camps in
PSC with one distancing itself from the decision by the Speaker and the
other backing Chimango.



There are six members in PSC including Chimango as chair.



Others are Kizito Ngwembe from Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Ettinor
Koloviko from United Democratic Front (UDF), Loveness Gondwe of
Alliance for Democracy (Aford), and two from Democratic Progressive
Party (DPP) Pisho Nkhwazi and Folger Nyirongo.



In separate interviews, Ngwembe and Koloviko said the decision by the
Speaker was personal while Nyirongo said it was the right position.



Ngwembe said a PSC meeting on Friday resolved not to allow Katopola to come back.



Chimango called the meeting following a court order stopping his office
from implementing a resolution by Parliament to move Katopola.



Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet (OPC) Bright Msaka also
wrote withdrawing his earlier letter sending Katopola on leave pending
redeployment.



Ngwembe said he is not party to Chimango’s communication allowing Katopola to resume work.



“As a commissioner, I do not agree with what the Speaker has done. The
first letter from Mr Msaka was read in the National Assembly, the
second letter should also be read in Parliament,” he demanded.



The MCP legislator for Kasungu South said “if Katopola went to court, then let’s fight in court”.



He claimed Katopola was not wanted by the National Assembly, Business Committee and PSC.



Koloviko of Blantyre North constituency said the commission refused to allow Katopola back.



“We can’t accept corruption at Parliament,” she said.



The fight between Katopola and PSC follows an audit report that
revealed that the COP used her company, Monick Trends, to supply
stationery services to Parliament.



“We have said the COP violated rules of the game. I am not part and
parcel of that letter from the Speaker. We can no longer have trust in
Katopola to handle our documents,” said Koloviko.



She added: “We have done the same to so many other people, why not her?”



But Nyirongo of Mzimba Luwerezi constituency said PSC has no choice because President Bingu wa Mutharika concluded the matter.



“As commissioner Nyirongo, I feel we have no choice, let her come. We
recommended to the head of state and he says no, what do we do?” he
reasoned.



He said PSC powers were limited to recommendations.



“We are not a forum to defy the head of state’s decision.”



Gondwe and Nkhwazi could not be reached on their phones yesterday.



However, it is reported that Gondwe is not party to the decision to bring Katopola back while Nkhwazi is on the other side.



The Business Committee of Parliament was also divided over the issue of
Katopola recently at a meeting, which the government side failed to
attend.



The committee comprises leaders of parties represented in the National Assembly.



At some point, PSC recommended to Mutharika to have Katopola fired but the appointing authority pardoned her.



On August 7 this year, Parliament resolved that Katopola be reassigned.



But she obtained a court order restraining authorities from effecting
the resolution, a development PSC seems not ready to accept.

Malawi moves to install Lilongwe fibre network

By: Marcel Chimwala

Published: 21 Nov 08 - 0:00

The government of Malawi has put out a tender for the supply,
installation, configuration, integration and testing of two fibre-optic
cables linking government establishments in the capital, Lilongwe.

The initiative is part of the World Bank-funded Financial Management, Transparency and Accountability Project (FIMTAP)

The
Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), which is the implementing
agency for FIMTAP, says bidding is open to entities from eligible
source countries as defined in the World Bank's guidelines.

"The
minimum qualification criteria for the bidders include previous
experience in fibre-optic installation and financial capacity," says
the chief secretary to the OPC, Bright Msaka, who adds that completed
bid documents must be submitted by December 4.

In a related
development, the OPC is inviting bids for the supply, installation and
commissioning of standby generators at government offices.

The
project, which is also part of the FIMTAP, comprises two lots, with the
first entailing the supply, installation and commissioning of 180-KVA
standby generators and 30-KV A uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units.

The second involves the supply, installation and commissioning of 65-KVA standby generators and 30-KV A UPS units.

Msaka
says bidders must provide documentary evidence that they have executed
at least three similar contracts in the last three years, and evidence
that they have the experience and technical capacity to carry out the
contract.

"The bidders are also expected to produce technical
catalogues outlining specifications demonstrating that the goods to be
supplied comply with minimum specifications, and a manufacturer's
authorisation form, if the bidder is not the manufacturer of the items
proposed to be supplied," says Msaka.

The deadline for the submission of bids is December 5.

Msaka
says the Malawi government is also inviting bids for the supply and
delivery of five diesel-engine vehicles, comprising three twincabs with
detachable metal canopies, one station wagon and one 30-seater minibus.

He says the deadline for the submission of bids is December 4, 2008

Joy radio closed again

The High Court in Blantyre has lifted an
injunction obtained by privately owned Joy Radio Station restraining
Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) from closing it.



The ruling means that Joy Radio does not have a broadcasting licence and, therefore, it is technically closed.



Delivering the ruling in his chamber, Judge Joseph Manyungwa lifted the injunction on grounds that Joy Radio misled the court.



He stated that an applicant for an injunction was supposed to disclose all facts before the court.



“There was suppression of material facts when the exparte applicant was seeking court’s relief,” the judge explained.



The Judge said that in its affidavit, Joy Radio told the court that
Macra revoked the licence without giving the station an opportunity to
be heard.



According to affidavits, the respondent (Macra) wrote the station on
August 28 to provide recorded broadcast material, a request the station
did not comply with.



“Joy Radio did not respond to the letter until September 18, when they
explained that they were not ready to submit the recorded material
because the materials would end up in the hands of Information Minister
Patricia Kaliati and Malawi Broadcasting Corporation [MBC],” he said.



He said the action meant the court was misled.



Judge Manyungwa also said that Macra, according to Section 54 of the Communications Act, has the right to monitor the station.



In an interview after the ruling, one of Macra’s lawyers Kelvin Nyasulu
said the ruling meant that Joy Radio has no broadcasting licence and
thus closed.



“The ruling means that there is nothing that can stop Macra from revoking Joy Radio’s broadcasting licence,” Nyasulu said.



Joy Radio lawyer Ralph Kasambara, who was absent at the court, refused
to comment on the ruling, saying he had not seen the verdict.



“But if the injunction has been lifted, we will take the matter to the Supreme Court of Appeal,” he said.



On his application to have the injunction extended, Kasambara said the court would hear his arguments today, November 20.



Joy Radio wants an order that the injunction granted herein by the
court on October 17, 2008 be extended pending judicial review on its
differences with Macra.



The radio station was closed on October 17 due to, among other reasons,
transfer of ownership from Multi Media Communications Limited in 2002
to Atupele Properties in 2005.



Atupele Properties belongs to former president Bakili Muluzi and former wife Annie.



This, according to Macra, means Joy radio is now in the hands of politicians, which is contrary to the Communications Act.



Joy Radio has been at loggerheads with Macra for some time now. The
communications regulatory body also closed the station’s sister company
Joy Television.



Kasambara obtained an injunction two days after the revocation of the license by Macra.



As we went to press, Joy Radio was still on air despite the verdict,
apparently because management had not been served with the ruling yet.

MADONNA ANNOUNCES THE RAISING MALAWI ACADEMY FOR GIRLS

To All My Friends,  



I am really excited to share with you a new video message about a project that you can be a big part of: The Raising Malawi Academy for Girls.



After witnessing the potential of Malawi's girls firsthand, I made it
my mission to give them an opportunity to become their personal best.



I hope you will share my urgency and make a donation today. Every
donation counts toward helping impoverished girls to reach their full
potential. And every dollar will make a difference.



Thank you for helping me to bring education and opportunity to the
girls of Malawi. They are deeply grateful to you for your support, and
so am I.



With Love,

Ndirande vendors apologise to Bingu

Ndirande vendors in Blantyre have swallowed their
pride and apologised to President Bingu wa Mutharika following the
torching of a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) office in the township.



Some vendors torched a DPP office on claims that they were denied money
amounting to K14 million donated by the President and some well-wishers.



Well-wishers pledged donations to the vendors after a fire gutted down
Ndirande market where they were operating from and destroyed
merchandise valued at over K140 million.



Soon after the torching of the DPP office, Mutharika announced
withdrawal of his K4 million donation to the vendors and another K10
million solicited from well-wishers by the area’s MP Gift Mwamondwe.



A group of members of Ndirande market led by Chairperson Davison Benard
wrote the President through Mwamondwe, who is also Deputy Minister of
Transport.



The group that went to Mwamondwe’s house said they regretted the action taken by some hoodlums who torched the office.



“Vendors did not torch the office but some people in the township took
advantage of the situation to tarnish our image,” Benard said.



He asked the President to forgive them for the incident.



“Let me also thank the police for investigating the matter so that the truth should be established,” he said.



Mwamondwe confirmed in an interview that the said group of vendors visited him to present their petition to the President.



“The vendors realised that they had wronged me as their
parliamentarian, the President and the government as whole and that is
why they are asking for forgiveness,” Mwamondwe said.



Mwamondwe said he welcomed the move and promised to deliver the petition to the country’s First Citizen.



“It is good that justice will prevail because the police have managed
to arrest some of the suspects who are expected to appear in the court
soon,” he said.



Southern Region Police publicist Davie Chingwalu said the suspects in the incident would appear in court Friday November 14.



Peoples Progressive Movement (PPM) vice president Mark Katsonga Phiri
gave the vendors K2 million while former president and opposition UDF
national chairman Bakili Muluzi donated K3 million to the vendors.

Bingu's letter to Muluzi: You are sick

President Bingu wa Mutharika and his
predecessor Bakili Muluzi have during the last month been at each
other’s throats exchanging letters in which the President accuses his
predecessor of spreading many lies through Nyasa Times and other media
that, among other things, he is suffering from cancer.

The President, in turn writes that he knows Muluzi is a sick man.

But in reply the former president says he has since being cured of
spinal cord problems which "came about because of the gruelling
campaign of 2004 that I had undertaken on Your Excellency’s behalf"

In the letter, the President also threatens to arrest his mentor if
he continues spreading lies about his health using the media. He also
accuses UDF director of research Humphrey Mvula as the man Muluzi uses
to spread the lies.

"Dr. Muluzi I know that you very much want me dead," reads in part Mutharika’s letter to Muluzi dated October 28, 2008.

He says he does not have cancer as he (Muluzi) has been saying.

"I recently underwent a very thorough medical check-up and was given
clean bill of health. I am sure if you watch television, you will see
how fit I am. I play golf and keep all my international engagements.

Is this a sign of a person who is dying soon?" Reads the letter whose receipt Muluzi acknowledged in an interview on Tuesday.

In the letter, the President goes on to challenge the UDF leader that he has a lot of information about Muluzi’s health.

"Your health has considerably deteriorated over the past two years.
I am sure other citizens of Malawi also know about your medical
condition. For instance, I know that you yourself are a very sick man.

"I am reliably informed that you have serious deterioration of your
spinal cord and that you have pins inserted in the spinal cord to
support your back," further reads the letter.

Mutharika says he also has information that Muluzi has cancer of the
throat and that he sometimes experiences difficulties in speaking.

"I am also reliably informed that you have serious diabetes ‘A’
problem and that you cannot stay very long without eating anything or
else you will faint. In fact, I recall that at one of your rallies you
actually had to leave the podium quickly to get food and medication in
the motor home behind the platform. Your wife prompted me to continue
speaking so that people would not know what was happening," Mutharika
says.

He alleges that at one time Muluzi had his blood drained because it was ‘contaminated’.

Continues to write Mutharika: "Now Dr. Muluzi would you really like
your medical information to be made available on the Internet and other
media? Would you not say publishing such facts would violate your
privacy and constitutional rights? If the answer is yes, why then do
you fail to realise that you are also violating my constitutional
rights?"

Mutharika justifies his writing by saying Muluzi bankrolls online
publication Nyasa Times to publish false stories about Mutharika’s
health. He says doing that is criminal libel and sedition.

In conclusion, Mutharika says: "As a Head of State I have all the
options to arrest you and any of the perpetrators of these diabolic
lies. This is not a threat but a statement of fact. I am aware that if

I take such action you will scream at the top of your voice that the
whole thing is politically-motivated. But what you are writing against
me is also politically-motivated."

The President says he wants assurance from Muluzi to instruct his
cohorts to immediately stop publishing fabrications and lies about him
on Nyasa Times and other media.

But three days later, Muluzi responded to Mutharika’s letter on
October 31, 2008 where he casts doubts on the authenticity and
credibility of intelligence which the President receives.

"The allegations raised in your letter are not only false but
concocted lies fabricated for ulterior motives by dubious individuals
within the intelligence or your political system. Your Excellency, upon
assuming office in May 2004 I did advise you to exercise extreme
caution in handling of intelligence information that will be passed on
to you," says Muluzi.

The former president says in the letter he is amazed when Mutharika
attributes his negative publicity to him even when some of such is
borne from unpopular government decisions.

"Your Excellency, I think time has come when all of us should
remember that democracy does not demand blind obedience, unquestioning
discipline and acceptance of the status quo but calls upon leaders to

appreciate people’s right to understand and take active participation in matters affecting them," reads Muluzi’s letter.

He also denies controlling the media, including Nyasa Times and the independent media in general.

"…These allegations are false and I would advise you stop peddling
such allegations because they have the capacity to undermine the
credibility of your high office," Muluzi says.

Muluzi informs Mutharika that Mvula does not reside at his BCA Hill
residence and he is not employed or deployed to write and publish
articles that are critical of Mutharika.

"This is again a case of inaccurate and misleading intelligence
information….The allegations that Nyasanet and Nyasa Times are funded
by me personally are inaccurate and false. Whilst I cannot answer for
Mr. Humphrey Mvula about his alleged involvement, I however, have my
doubts and do not subscribe to the philosophy that he is the
Nyasanet/Nyasatimes mastermind," reads the letter.

Muluzi then tells Mutharika that his health has never been a subject of debate in UDF.

"…Be rest assured that I personally and the UDF as a party continue
to wish you good health. Your Excellency, if at any time my health is
not to the mark, I will be the first one to go public about it as I have

always done. I have never pretended to be such a person that cannot
fall sick nor I have hidden the state of my health," the letter reads.

Muluzi admits that he had suffered a slipped disc and this condition
came about because of the gruelling campaign that he undertook on
behalf of Mutharika.

"I am rather perturbed that you have quickly forgotten that the said
slipped disc had been as a result of my active campaigning for you in
2004. I would request you to remember and appreciate my sacrifices and

sacrifices of other UDF leaders whom you fervently tout as enemies," he says.

Muluzi also denies that his blood was drained.

"It is also not true that I have throat cancer. I am disturbed with
your claim that I suffer from category A diabetes and that I cannot
stay very long without eating food or else I will faint. Your
Excellency, your information is wrong and malicious since you well know
that this is not the case," Muluzi says.

Muluzi reminds Mutharika that he worked with him and spent long
hours during the 2004 campaign which at times saw both of them conduct
10 meetings a day without taking food.

"You are also aware that I am a devout Muslim who observes 30 days
of fasting during the Holy month of Ramadan. It smacks of sadism that
your Excellency can regurgitate information that is false and
unfounded, especially considering the fact that your Excellency have
demonstrated the rare courage of capturing this information on official
record. I find this to be a very unfortunate situation and a
demonstration of how much hate you hold against me," the letter reads.

Muluzi has reminded Mutharika that he has demonised his predecessor on MBC radio and TVM, calling him all sorts of names.

"Your Excellency, I have not forgotten my recent dehumanising and
disgraceful arrest at Kamuzu International Airport in June this year on
your trumped up treason charges. The arrest was authorised by Your

Excellency following your pronoucements at a rally in Nkhata Bay
district. I wonder if you really believe that I can plan to overthrow a
government that I helped put together...," Muluzi says.

"I have never wished you dead. Rather that you have wished me and my
colleagues in UDF dead because a lot that can be proved by hard facts
and evidence has happened during the four years," he says.

State House press officer Chikumbutso Mtumodzi yesterday confirmed
the correspondence between Mutharika and Muluzi but could not be drawn
to comment on the contents of the two letters.

"Any means of communication from the incumbent to the former
president are strictly confidential documents. However, if Muluzi has
taken the lead in exposing such correspondence that is breach of trust.
All along it was assumed that Muluzi was a level-headed and serious
individual," Mtumodzi said.

Mvula declined to comment on allegations levelled against him, saying he is yet to see the letters.

A new 'Ngwazi' in the making in Malawi

Lusekelo Adam

Last week I talked about how the Malawians chaffed under late dictator
Mzee Ngwazi Hastings Kamuzu Banda. As biology was slowly but surely
claiming the 'Ngwazi', Life President of Malawi , the country was being
ruled by a cabal comprising of his chick, Cecilia Amanda Kadzimira and
her much-reviled uncle John Tembo. Ngwazi is Kingoni for 'warrior'.


Born in 1932, Tembo went to university in Lesotho and worked as a
schoolmaster before being appointed to Banda's cabinet as Finance
Secretary in 1963, an appointment which was unpopular with other
cabinet members for it smacked of blatant nepotism.


In his early years, Tembo played a sycophantic role in Parliament,
using his position primarily to acquire a personal fortune. By 1990, he
was a director in practically every business sector that dealt with
government, including Malawi's main bank.


John Tembo who was Banda's hatchet man came to be seen as his
natural successor, and in January 1992 he finally became, in name, the
Minister of State in the Office of the President. In effect, John Tembo
was appointed the executive president of Malawi .


The long suffering Malawians let out a loud grumble and, reading
the times, the Catholic bishops of Malawi wrote a protesting letter
which documented in graphic detail the failings and abuses of power of
the Banda administration. The letter was read aloud in every Catholic
church in Malawi .


Banda's response to the letter was to place the bishops under house
arrest. For that move, the ageing 'Ngwazi' was condemned by governments
and churches worldwide. Within Malawi , for the first time since
independence, there was a climate of open dissent. May 1992 saw Malawi
gripped with strikes and protests, culminating in the Lilongwe Riot of
May 7, in which 40 people were gunned down by the police.


In October 1992, Orton Chirwa, the founder of MCP and a leading
member of the short-lived independence cabinet, was murdered in Zomba
prison , reportedly at Mzee's orders, where he was being held since
1981.


Banda's unpopularity left him with little option but to announce a
referendum on the question of multi-party election. There arose two new
parties: AFORD, and the UDF that challenged Banda's MCP.


The Malawians gave the MCP the boot in favour of UDF led by Bakili
Muluzi, a businessman. Muluzi became the de facto owner of party. John
Tembo became owner of what remained of MCP and AFORD was led by the
late Chakufwa Chihana.


Bakili Muluzi soon found out that two five-year terms in the
presidency were too short a time. So he became victim of the power
disease which afflicts most African presidents. He wanted to change the
constitution which will allow him stand for a third term. The Malawians
gave him an overwhelming NO. He was left licking his wounds.


But Muluzi was not finished yet. He decided that he could rule
Malawi by proxy. He picked a bright economist within his party, Dr
Bingu wa Mutharika, and made him the UDF president while Muluzi
remained chairman.


He taught Mutharika what and what not to say, making sure that he
(Muluzi) edited his speeches. Muluzi even wrote Mutharika's acceptance
speech as the next president of Malawi .


But Mutharika had other ideas. He crafted his own speech and
departed from the puppeteering by Mr Muluzi. Once installed as
president, Dr Bingu wa Mutharika publicly said he was no one's puppet.
He also established a new party, the Democratic Progressive Party,
which now rules.


Malawians have also hastily decided to wipe out last vestiges of
Banda's legacy. They have removed his portrait from the Malawi Kwacha
in favour of John Chilembwe, a 19th century Malawi nationalist.


Now over the past fortnight or so, Malawians have been zapped by
what they claim to be delusions of grandeur by their president. He let
it slip into the Malawi public that he won't mind being given the title
of 'Ngwazi'.


The first 'Ngwazi' was Hastings Kamuzu Banda. Now there is a Ngwazi
Dr Bingu wa Mutharika. Presently, there is a spirited debate on whether
Mutharika should wear such a title. Some hope that he does not add the
title of 'life president' in the future as the late Mzee Banda did.