Category Archives: Politics

Malawi has a multi-party system with over 40 registered political parties.The political process in Malawi is such that parties are voted into power. Parties participate in an electoral process. The parties with the most representation in the National Assembly are the People’s Party (PP), Malawi Congress Party (MCP), United Democratic Front (UDF), and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

President of Malawi 

Under the country’s 1966, 1994 and 1995 constitutions, the President is executive head of state. The first President was elected by the National Assembly, but later presidents were elected in direct popular elections for a five-year term. In the event of a vacancy, the Vice-President becomes President.

  Denotes Vice-President acting as President
? President
(Birth–Death)		 Portrait Tenure Elected Political affiliation
(at time of appointment)
Took office Left office Time in Office
1 Hastings Banda
(1899–1997) [1]		 Dr HK Banda, first president of Malawi.jpg 6 July 1966 24 May 1994 27 years,319 days Malawi Congress Party
2 Bakili Muluzi
(1942–)		 Muluzi.png 24 May 1994 24 May 2004 10 years,3 days 1994
1999		 United Democratic Front
3 Bingu wa Mutharika
(1934–2012)		 Mutharika at Met.jpg 24 May 2004 5 April 2012
(died in office.)		 7 years,316 days 2004 United Democratic Front
2009 Democratic Progressive Party [2]
4 Joyce Banda
(1949–)		 Joyce Banda August 2012.jpg 7 April 2012 31 May 2014 2 years,54 days – People’s Party
5 Peter Mutharika
(1939–)		 Peter Mutharika 2011 (cropped).jpg 31 May 2014 Incumbent 4 years,103 days 2014 Democratic Progressive Party

Standards

corruption, Politics

DPP central region secretary ‘Damaziyo Shumba’ in fresh passport gate

Maravi Post Reporter

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Central Region Secretary Damaziyo Shumba is being accused of meddling in the work of immigration officials in Lilongwe where he is allegedly cashing in in the name of the party by acting as a middle-man for people looking for passports.

According to Immigration officials who spoke to Maravi Post in a condition of anonymity, Shumba is frequents found at the offices every week to demand issuance of passports to people he brings along, most of them DPP young cadets and supporters.

The immigration officials are concerned Mr Shumba is using his political influence to help DPP members, especially members of the controversial youth wing, to easily acquire passports by bypassing other processes and he is receiving money in return.

Further, it is alleged that Mr Shumba is pressuring immigration officers to ensure the passports for his associates are published within a short period, despite paying fees for the normal processing period.

“In the party we don’t do that, if Shumba is doing that, he is doing it in his personal capacity; he must make sure the party should not be dented by this act,” said some DPP officials who sought for anonymity.

Shumba has however denied the allegation that his is facilitating the processing of passports for party zealots but only villagers from around the central region to fill passport forms as most of them are illiterate.

“I don’t deal with cadets. I deal with people from party areas and constituencies in the central region. People come to me as the DPP Regional Secretary for the Centre for help them get passports, so when they come I help fill the forms and escort them to immigration offices.

“You know one needs to understand passport to fill them properly. Let me put the record straight here I don’t get paid for these services. I have my own money; I have trucks, I have millions of cash. Shumba eats his own money,” boasted Shumba.

Some immigration officers, while acknowledging Mr Shumba is frequently seen around the Central Region Immigration Offices, indicated the offices are public and therefore anyone can access them regardless of their political affiliation.

National Spokesperson for the Immigration Department Joseph Chauwa denied his office is receiving pressure from Mr Shumba, saying all applicants collect documents themselves, not through middlemen.

“What happens is that when one wants to have a passport, after submitting the application, one is supposed to go through the process such as finger printing, and when the passport is out, we have a system of sending text messages so they should come to collect on their own.

“Again let me say the way the systems are, no immigration officer can be pressured as we work through computerized systems. About the alleged DDP official, I am not aware about that,” said Chauwa.

Despite Mr Shumba and immigration spokesperson denied the development, Maravi Post can reveal that Shumba collected five passports for DPP members from the Lilongwe immigration office this Wednesday.

Law and order, Malawi, Politics, Top News

Malawi’s former President Joyce Banda sues DPP’s Mzomera over unreturned party’s vehicle

Maravi Post Reporter

MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-The former Malawi’s head of state and government Joyce Banda has dragged Mzimba Hora legislator Christopher Mzomera Ngwira to court demanding him to return People’s Party (PP) vehicle which was assigned to him in 2013 as regional governor.

Banda, who is also PP president, has asked the court for an order that Ngwira returns the vehicle; that he pays damages for conversion of ownership of the said motor vehicle and for loss of use.

According to summons filed at the High Court in Mzuzu on Thursday through Jivason and Company legal firm, Banda said she gave Ngwira a KIA motor vehicle registration ZA 1457 in 2013 to ease his mobility while serving PP as regional governor for the North.

In the Civil Cause number 7 of 2018, Banda, widely known as JB, also argues that she has always retained title and ownership of the vehicle and never relinquished her property rights.

“When the defendant [Mzomera] was expelled from the People’s Party on 14th December 2015, it naturally followed that he would no longer perform duties and functions for the People’s Party and; hence, the claimant demanded back the said motor vehicle, among other pieces of property, through People’s Party, as the vehicle was meant to be used for purposes of the People’s Party.

“Contrary to the wishes of the title-holder and owner of the said vehicle, the defendant has never surrendered the vehicle either to People’s Party as required of him or to the claimant or her agents,”read the court documents:

According to the summons, Ngwira is refusing to surrender the vehicle on the pretext that Banda gave him the vehicle as a gift.

The summons further state that since joining the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in July last year, Ngwira has been using the vehicle on DPP duties, including transporting party members, contrary to the wishes of JB.

Reads the summons: “Wherefore, the claimant prays for the following reliefs: An order that the defendant return KIA motor vehicle registration number ZA 1457 to the claimant or her agent; an order that the defendant pay the claimant damages for conversion of the said motor vehicle and for loss of use thereof; and an order that the Defendant be condemned in costs of this action.”

PP deputy spokesperson Ackson Kalaile Banda said while Ngwira has refused to return the vehicle, former director of women in the Northern Region, Cliffa Khondowe, returned a Toyota Hilux pick-up that she was given.

“I can confirm that Khondowe returned the vehicle, but Mzomera has not, hence the decision to instruct lawyers to take the matter to court,” he said.

However, Ngwira wondered why the list of property has been reduced to one vehicle when earlier PP claimed that he was keeping a minibus, three motorcycles, bicycles, party cloth and other materials.

The Mzimba Hora lawmaker said he suspects that the move is aimed at tarnishing his image since it was not procedural for him to surrender the vehicle when it came as a gift from Banda.

“I am not shaken. God knows how the vehicle was given. The vehicle came as a gift for serving her well. Actually, it was given to me even before I became regional governor. Even for the vehicle in question, I don’t use it. I have never offended her.

“If the former president asked for the vehicle, I would be ready to give her back. God is watching. I am also wondering why they would start this fight now when I was kicked out of the party in 2015,” Ngwira said.

He added; “Why haven’t they been asking for the vehicle? I know it is just a battle against me. I also tend to wonder why is it that it’s just my name… that people are fighting. Someone is behind all this.”
He said he was ready to face Banda and others in court so that justice prevails.

The matter comes just days after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Ngwira last Friday on allegations that he misappropriated K650 000 under the Local Development Fund (LDF) in 2010.

Ngwira is suspected to have committed an offence under Section 27 (2) of the Corrupt Practices Act (CPA) for using his position to influence the awarding of a contract for the construction of a teacher’s house at Lukwelukwe in his area.

The Mzimba First Grade Magistrate’s Court granted him bail, and committed the matter to Mzuzu Chief Resident Magistrate‘s Court. The matter resumes mid-February.

In 2009, Ngwira won on a DPP ticket, but dumped the party and joined PP in 2012 after the death of president Bingu wa Mutharika. When PP lost the elections in 2014, Ngwira became vocal, urging the party to replace Banda with former State vice-president Khumbo Kachali.

However, the party fired Ngwira from his position as provincial chairperson for the North and expelled him from the party. The legislator therefore rejoined DPP in July 2017.

Politics, SADC

Malawi Information Minister Dausi Denies Jonathan Moyo Asylum Rumours

Malawi News Agency (MANA)
Jonathan Moyo
Malawi government has dismissed reports that it has granted political asylum to ‘fugitive’ professor Jonathan Moyo.

Lilongwe, 12 November 2017: Minister of Information and Communications Technology Nicholas Dausi has dismissed as untrue news reports that Zimbabwe’s former Higher and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo is in Malawi.

Moyo, who has now become a prominent Zimbabwean government critic after President Robert Mugabe was removed from power last November, has gone into self-exile but appeared on BBC’s HARDtalk with a pre-recorded interview on Thursday. Continue reading Malawi Information Minister Dausi Denies Jonathan Moyo Asylum Rumours →

Politics, Regional

Reaction to Donald Trump’s ignorant comments on Africa and Haiti

MaraviPost 1 Comment
Donald trump
Trump’s press conference was an infomercial

President Donald Trump on Thursday questioned why the U.S. should allow more immigrants from “shithole countries” after senators discussed revamping rules affecting entrants from Africa and Haiti, according to three people briefed on the conversation. A sampling of reaction to Trump’s remark:

 

“President Trump’s comments are yet another confirmation of his racially insensitive and ignorant views. It also reinforces the concerns that we hear every day, that the President’s slogan Make America Great Again is really code for Make America White Again.” — Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. Continue reading Reaction to Donald Trump’s ignorant comments on Africa and Haiti →

Politics, Regional

Zim govt ‘withdraws Grace Mugabe’s state security’

Maravi Post Reporter

HARARE-(MaraviPost)-The Zimbabwean government has reportedly withdrawn ex-first lady Grace Mugabe’s state security detail, with most aides formally assigned to her being “recalled and reassigned”.

According to NewsDay , Grace used to have security agents specifically assigned to her before she was kicked out of the ruling Zanu-PF party where she was the leader of the women’s league.

The report said that Grace’s security agents were “withdrawn progressively until Monday”.

“She no longer has a team that is dedicated to her,” a source was quoted as saying.

“Grace will largely depend on the team that is assigned to the former president. She can no longer determine how the aides operate, but will be an indirect beneficiary of her husband.”

Presidential spokesperson, George Charamba could not confirm the development but said: “logically, I believe it would be expensive for the government to provide security to Chatunga [Mugabe’s youngest child] now whenever he travels to America or decides to relocate there.

“I think the idea is that security details and other benefits are accrued to the principal [Mugabe].
“Other members now enjoy through the principal and not by virtue of their position or association.”

This came just a few weeks after Mnangagwa promised to look after the soon-to-be-94-year-old Mugabe during his retirement.

Mnangagwa’s government recently published regulations stating privileges owing to former presidents. They included a huge personal staff of cooks, waiters, gardeners and security officers, two houses, a fleet of cars and four international trips per year.

Malawi, Politics

PP continues weeding ‘greedy’ MPs from the party’s position; The latest is Welani Chilenga

Maravi Post Reporter

MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-Former governing People’s Party (PP) has cracked the whip on Chitipa South Constituency, legislator Welani Chilenga, who was among members of Parliament (MPs) who went against the party’s alleged stance to support the defeated Electoral Reforms Bills during the November meeting of Parliament.

PP has since ‘punished’ Chilenga by removing him from Natural Resources and Climate Change Committee in Parliament where he was chairperson.

The party through its parliamentrat leader Ralph Mhone, informed the Speaker’s office’ that Chilenga has been moved to Media and Communications Committee as a member.

Chilenga said the redeployment is a “punishment” for his vote against Electoral Reforms Bill including the proposed 50%+1 system of electing a president.

“The decision to join Natural Resources Committee was based on my expertise but I have no media or journalism expertise,” he said.

Chilenga said he will not reject his new posting in respect of “rule and procedures if political parties and Parliament.”
He, however, said there it “chaos” in PP.

Chilenga, who won on PP ticket, was during President Peter Mutharika’s rally in Chitipa recently where he was unveiled to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) supporters as among the MPs who joined the government side in voting against the debating of the 50%+1 electoral reform.

According to PP spokesperson Noah Chimpeni, the move of Chilenga was normal and that he was once moved fron Natural Resources committee to another committee.

Some of the PP legislators who voted against or abstained the vote on most of the Electoral Reforms Bills included Rabson Chihaula Shaba of Mzimba South East, Ralph Jooma of Mangochi Monkey-Bay who was absent and expelled Uladi Mussa the Salima South MP and former interim president.

Jooma eventually quit his position as PP chief whip in the National Assembly.

MP for Zomba Central Patricia Nangozo, Machinga South East legislator Wilson Ndomondo, Wallace Chawawa of Zomba Chingale and Zomba Changalume MP John Chikalimba voted against the bills.

Malawi, Politics, Regional

Malawi to hold USA Diaspora Conference in September 2018

Maravi Post Reporter

WASHINGTON-(MaraviPost)-Malawi Embassy in Washington D.C. in the United States of America (USA) is scheduled to hold 2018 Malawi Diaspora Conference in USA in September 2018.

The Embassy has organized the conference as a platform for building and promoting working relationships between the government and Malawian living in diaspora particularly in the USA.

It aims to facilitate diaspora participation and engagement in the development and growth of the country as outlined in the draft National Diaspora Engagement Policy.

A statement on the website of the Embassy of Malawi in Washington, D.C, said the conference will be a first step for implementation as well as act as a platform to promote working relationship between government and its diaspora in the USA to help them be involved in the development of the country.

“The Malawi Embassy would like to invite members of the Malawi diaspora in the U.S. to a conference in 2018 in which His Excellency President, Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika will grace the occasion as the Guest of Honour.

“The number of Malawians in the diaspora who have the potential to play strategic roles in the country’s development has increased due to globalization and transitionalism over the past few years.

Government fully recognizes the need to engage the diaspora in development activities of the country,” the overview communication stated.

According to the website, registration of the conference will start soon and keynote speakers shall be made known in due course.

The conference will share an objective understanding of the development challenges at home for their intervention so that they can strengthen partnerships for experience, knowledge and skills transfer after ascertaining available professional and technical resources within the diaspora communities.

The 2018 Diaspora Conference is being organized by Government through the Diaspora Unit in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in conjunction with the Malawi Embassy in USA.

So far according to the communication, the scheduled conference has the support of the various Malawian diaspora organizations in the USA, and some of their leaders have been incorporated into the planning process.

Lifestyle, Malawi, Politics

Kabwila hails female MPs for good performance in development

Malawi News Agency (MANA)

Chairperson for the Women Parliamentary Caucus, Jessie Kabwila has commended fellow women parliamentarians for initiating various development projects aimed at improving the living standards of their communities.

She made the observation Wednesday when together with her fellow members of the Caucus toured development projects in Mulanje West, whose parliamentarian is Patricia Kaliati.

Kabwila commended the female MPs for working tirelessly to ensure that the communities they are serving have access to basic social amenities.

“What I have observed is that female legislators are doing exceptionally well in their constituencies as compared to male counterparts. They have a vision on how to develop their areas,” the Chairperson noted.

She added the progress female legislators are making has compelled the caucus to move around the country in female held constituencies to give them the unwavering support for the 2019 elections.

“The women caucus of parliament will support all serving female legislators to retain their seats during the 2019 polls. We hope with what they have achieved, they will retain their seats,” Kabwila declared adding even aspiring women candidates will be assisted.

Member of Parliament for Mulanje West, Patricia Kaliati described the visit by fellow female legislators to her constituency as a timely morale booster as she vies for the fifth term.

During the visit, the members of the Caucus toured Mulunguzi irrigation scheme where disease free bananas suckers are raised, school blocks at Malundu, Chimamezi and Chidziwe school primary funded by DFID and Thumbwe Bridge among others.

Pan-Civic Education Network (PACENET) Executive Director, Steve Duwa has hailed the initiative saying this would indeed help them to retain their seats in 2019 polls.

Law and order, Politics

DPP cheats ‘Change goal’ Uladi Mussa; Passport gate case resumes

Maravi Post Reporter

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-It never rains but pours to the fired People Party (PP) vice President for the central region Uladi Mussa as the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has announced to take his passport gate case to the High Court in Lilongwe from Thursday.

The announcement is against the rumours that the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) promised Mussa that it will force the ACB to drop his case especially if he persuade PP to have an alliance with DPP and voted against the electoral reform bills.

This reporter understand that the ACB was mum with the case soon after PP legislatures shot down the electoral reform bills and when there was a greener light for the alliance.

However after PP National Executive Council (NEC) members vehemently denied to work with DPP and fired Mussa together with the party’s vice President for the eastern region Ralph Jooma who was also assigned by DPP to persuade PP, ACB said the case be in the court on Thursday (today).

Uladi Mussa is answering the charges of aiding 55 foreigners to illegally obtain citizenship while he was Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security.

ACB spokesperson Egrita Ndala through a press statement said: “Please be informed that the case of the Republic vs Uladi Mussa will be in Court on 11th and 12th January, 2017.”

ACB arrested Mussa in March 2017 on charges of negligence and abuse of office but Mussa said at the time that his arrest was politically-motivated.

He handed himself to the ACB after reports surfaced that the bureau wanted to arrest him in relation to the granting of citizenship and passports.

State prosecutor Kamudoni Nyasulu has said they have sorted discrepancies in the documents in terms of compilation of the disclosures which were noted earlier.

First State witness, former chief Immigration officer Hudson Mankhwala, outlined the process for obtaining various permits such as student, visitors, citizenship, temporary residence and permanent residence.

In his opening statement before parading the first witness, Nyasulu said evidence would show that staff at the Immigration Department and members of the public eclipsed senior public service management on the pretext of serving leadership at the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security.

The prosecutor said this incompetence created a fertile ground in the ministry for fraud.

Politics, Regional

Donald Trump, allies defend his mental fitness and criticize new book

Maravi Post Reporter

Trump administration officials and allies are rallying to the president’s defense, trying to contain the fallout from an explosive new book that questions U.S. President Donald Trump ’s fitness for office.

Chief policy adviser Stephen Miller, in a combative appearance Sunday on CNN, described the book as “nothing but a pile of trash through and through.”

“These are from people who just have not accepted the fact that President Trump is the United States president and I’m sorry for them in that,” Pompeo, who gives Trump his regular intelligence briefings, said on “Fox News Sunday.”

Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said she visits the White House once a week, and “no one questions the stability of the president.”

“I’m always amazed at the lengths people will go to, to lie for money and for power. This is like taking it to a whole new low,” she told ABC’s “This Week.”

Michael Wolff’s “ Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House ” portrays the 45th president as a leader who doesn’t understand the weight of his office and whose competence is questioned by aides.
That picture, said Miller, “is so contrary to reality, to the experience of those who work with him.”

Miller also criticized Trump’s former chief strategist, Steve Bannon, who is quoted at length by Wolff, saying it was “tragic and unfortunate” that Bannon “would make these grotesque comments so out of touch with reality and obviously so vindictive.”

Bannon’s description of a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York between Donald Trump Jr., Trump campaign aides and a Russian lawyer as “treasonous” and “unpatriotic” particularly infuriated Trump, who released a seething statement accusing Bannon of having “lost his mind.”

Trying to heal the damage and make amends, Bannon released a statement Sunday praising Trump Jr. as “both a patriot and a good man” and insisting his description was aimed at former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, not Trump’s son.

“I regret that my delay in responding to the inaccurate reporting regarding Don Jr has diverted attention from the president’s historical accomplishments in the first year of his presidency,” Bannon said in the statement, which was first obtained by the news site Axios.

Miller’s interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” quickly grew heated, with Miller criticizing CNN’s coverage and moderator Jake Tapper accusing Miller of speaking to an audience of one: his boss.
Tapper abruptly ended the interview, saying: “I think I’ve wasted enough of my viewers’ time.”

Soon after, Trump tweeted: “Jake Tapper of Fake News CNN just got destroyed in his interview with Stephen Miller of the Trump Administration. Watch the hatred and unfairness of this CNN flunky!”

Trump took the extraordinary step Saturday of using Twitter to defend his fitness for office, insisting he is “like, really smart” and, indeed, a “very stable genius.” He pressed the case again on Sunday as he prepared to depart Camp David, where he spent the weekend meeting with Republican congressional leaders, top aides and Cabinet members.

“I’ve had to put up with the Fake News from the first day I announced that I would be running for President. Now I have to put up with a Fake Book, written by a totally discredited author,” he tweeted.

On Sunday, two days after the book’s release, WikiLeaks tweeted a link to an electronic image of the text. Posting the text of a book without permission would violate copyright restrictions and potentially damage sales.

Yet, hours after WikiLeaks tweeted the link, “Fire and Fury” remained No. 1 on Amazon’s lists of hardcover and ebook bestsellers.