LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Lilongwe Principal Magistrate Court has today discharged former Head of National Intelligence Services (NIS) Dr. Kenam Kalilani and former State House head of Information And Communication Technology, Chancy Chingwalungwalu in a criminal case which the two, were accused of stealing National Intelligence equipment in 2020 (Espionage).
The matter was heard in Camera.
Kalilani, Chingwalungwalu set free
The two accused were represented by Counsel Madalitso Kausi of Doreen and Cuthbert lawyers.
Kausi prayed that the two be freed for state’s failure to prosecute them for close to two years, and that all equipment which were ceased from Dr.Kenam Kalilani be returned to him.
The state which was represented by Senior Assistant superintendent Kadawayula did not object to the application.
The state further accepted that despite court’s order, they did not provide defence and court with disclosures due to change of officers in Prosecution department twice.
However, the state prayed that the equipment which were taken from Kalilani be in the custody of police.
Making his ruling, Judge Patrick Chirwa said the court is of the view that the case should be discharged and equipment ceased from Kalilani be restored to him on condition that they should not be disposed , and if the state wants them for investigations, they should arrange with defense.
Chirwa added that the state is free to commence the case within a period of a year if they find any evidence through summons.
Mlyny is a small town in southeastern Poland, approximately eight kilometres from the border with Ukraine. The otherwise quiet village has become one of the main points of entry for the over two million people who have arrived in the country since the start of the war.
Ukrainians living abroad, third-country nationals, and local and international volunteers, have rushed to Mlyny, to provide whatever help they can. Among them is Aurang Zeb Khan, a master’s degree student who came to Poland at the start of the crisis.
“I want to continue helping these people, to make them feel like someone’s standing by them.”
Mr. Khan is helping at a transit site, a repurposed shopping centre which hosts mostly women and children, who stay for a few days, or even just a few hours, before resuming their journeys to Warsaw and other cities, in Poland and beyond.
“I came here to Poland on 4 March to help people fleeing the war in Ukraine, especially third-country nationals who don’t have Ukrainian passports, but whose lives were also upended by the conflict.
Third country nationals face additional challenges here. In the beginning we witnessed discrimination because they were not allowed free transportation, and other services.
So, we focused on helping them with transport from a reception point in the town of Mlyny, on the south-eastern border with Ukraine, to bring them to Warsaw Central Station, and from there to other countries in Europe.
We also connected them with families in Poland and Germany who wanted to host them and with other individuals wo offered help to transport them to their destinations. At the beginning of the war, most efforts to assist people fleeing the conflict were led by volunteers.
But despite these efforts, third country nationals struggled. I remember three guys from India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, who were staying at a train station because they didn’t have money to buy train tickets.
I’ve seen many others, some of them young people, who have had difficulties registering in their host countries.
Now we have an information desk in this transit centre where I work with two civil servants from the Polish Foreign Office, who provide help with asylum processes for those who need it, as well as other useful information.
Aurang Zeb Khan (r) and other volunteers at the Mlyny transit camp, Poland
‘Nobody expected this to happen in Europe’
The IOM training on psychological first aid is tailored to the experiences of refugees. For these people, everything happened in the spur of the moment. Nobody expected this to happen in Europe.
As volunteers we often face stressful situations. I’ve seen a lot of women and children crying every day. I remember I was at Warsaw Central Station once, and I saw someone crying very badly. I wanted to help her, but I didn’t know how.
During the training we learned how to approach people in need without causing further harm, by simply offering to listen and stand by their side.
The training also focuses on the volunteers’ health. We learn coping mechanisms and activities to distract ourselves. People like me have been working here non-stop for almost a month, and we often don’t take the time to think about our own mental and physical wellbeing.
This training has given me a lot of hope and confidence as a volunteer. It made me feel like we are not alone, that someone is building our capacity to do the job.
I think now I’ll be better equipped to lend a hand to people fleeing the war, even if they just might need someone to communicate with, who understands their needs, and can let them know that someone is standing by their side.”
The unimaginable magnitude of insecurity crisis seizing Nigeria today is indicative of the fact that the wheels of the nation is gradually grinding to a halt. Religious Hypocrisy, intolerance and extremism has further compounded our tales of woes as a nation.
It has gotten to a point where there is little or no difference between a war zone and the current Nigerian situation; kidnappings, insurgency killings, banditry and now hijacking passengers and bombing of train is the latest. Some years ago, the spotlight was on violent conflict between farmers and herders. Before that, it was Boko Haram. Even earlier, it was the tensions in the Niger Delta, and so on
In the run-on to the 2015 general election, as the candidate of the major opposition party, Muhammadu Buhari freely criticized the then president, Goodluck Jonathan using vile languages. His criticism incited his Muslim supporters to bury the former president and his party, PDP in a mock coffin. Additionally, Buhari spearheaded various protests against the administration of Goodluck Jonathan just to unseat him. However, the tables has turned to his favour, and he is always quick to stifle criticisms and freedom of expression, hiding under the cloak of religion.
As a nation, we are, on daily basis, confronted with issues ranging from killings, banditry, kidnappings, insurgency, hunger, among others. Without mincing words, Nigeria has become like an hamster on wheels, it looks like it’s running but it is still on one spot, repeating the circles. The entire system has become completely overwhelmed. The more things appear to change, the more it remains the same; even worse.
Disappointedly, the main opposition party, PDP has remained silent on addressing these pertinent issues. Given the failure of the PDP as an opposition party, individuals, and some vocal clerics have continually stepped in to bring the failures of the Buhari administration to light, so as to take cognizance of the failure of the opposition elements
The most recent being Chief Imam of Apo Legislative Quarters Mosque, Shiekh Nuru Khalid, who, unfortunately, was suspended over his Friday sermon.
The Digital Imam, had, in the sermon, criticised the government for its failure to stop insecurity in the country. He specifically told the electorate not to vote for any politician who cannot guarantee them the safety of lives and properties.
In his words, “Nigerian masses should resort to only one term which is – protect our lives, we will come out to vote; let us be killed, we will not come out to vote, since it’s only elections that you people know.”
However, the message was interpreted to be “anti-government” and as “inciting public outrage”, and he was suspended. At the risk of sounding like a broken record or an alarmist, recent events in the country is indicative of the fact that the current spate of insecurity has a religious undertone. The dethronement of Sanusi Lamido II as theEmir of Kano over a letter similar to Khalid’s message proves this.
At this juncture, one wonders why the Nigerian government led by President Muhammadu Buhari, unbothered to show he cares about the mass cull of fellow humans and citizens, is quick to clamp down on anyone, particularly citizens who criticizes his government. Unfortunately, this explains why the same elements hiding behind region easily acquiesce to bad leadership.
The Nigerian government has proven time and time again that it abhors criticisms, even genuine concerns, by the citizens who seek better accountability and improvement on the country’s state of affairs.
In one of his works, Turkish writer, Mehmet İldan, writes that “the ugliest government is the one which is spreading fear to its own people” while “the finest government is the one which encourages its own people to criticise it harshly.”
İldan notes that in a country where people are afraid of criticising the government, many things must be going horrible! Hence, rather than stifling criticisms with terms like “hate speech” to avoid being held accountable, government should see such as avenues for formulating better policies, inclusive societies, as well as paving ways for economic and social progress. We cannot continue like this. ARISE ‘O COMPATRIOTS Richard Odusanya is a Social Reform Crusader and the convener of AFRICA COVENANT RESCUE INITIATIVE ACRI.
According to state media, fighting continues as Russian and Ukrainian soldiers vie for control of the besieged city. The video shows military vehicles with the letter “Z” painted on them. The letters “Z” and “V” are used on Russian armoured vehicles in Ukraine. Around 100,000 civilians are believed to be trapped in Mariupol, which remains cut off from supply lines, with little or no food, water, fuel and medicine. State television footage shows residents preparing food over open fires.
I have read a lot of politically correct articles. I have read a lot of interesting views about the situation in Nigeria, particular what is unfolding in Yorùbá land.
I have heard narratives that pretend to be “civilized” while their homeland, their heritage and their history are being existentially threatened.
I have read direct and indirect rationalizations of the murder of our mothers, the raping of our daughters, the killing of our sisters, the massacre of our aunts, uncles, brothers and fathers. Many of them are maimed. Our villages and towns are being burnt down. Our ancestral land are being destroyed on daily basis without any abatement.
I have read postulations, as howlingly hollow as it could get, suggesting that there is nothing to really worry about as far as Nigerian situation is concerned. That it is just an ordinary issue of mis-governance. It would soon blow over.
That all we need to do is to see a common humanity with the barbarians who are leaving our lands desolate. That all we need to do is to be open – minded with close – minded, cold blooded murderers.
That all we need to do is to put on our white linen garment and jump into the mud to appeal to the rapacious pigs who refused to be placated.
Haaa! I am already calling fellow human beings “pigs”! That is not right. That is not what we are. That is not “civilized.” That is not “open – minded.” Arrant nonsense.
Here we are speaking of efforts to erase ethnic nationalities that have not threatened any other. Or constitute any threat whatsoever to any other.
It is nauseating. It makes one puke. It makes one sick. It annoys. It irritates. But it must be tolerated. And it is even necessary.
It was Pini Jason (may his soul rest in peace) who insisted that an idea under the table (not expressed in the open) would be ascribed wrong value. This is because no one has been able to see it and evaluate it. Jason philosophized that we must encourage every idea to be put on the table for everyone to see it, evaluate it, examine it, interrogate it, vigorously, thoroughly, forcefully and robustly.
Only then could the true value of such idea be adequately assessed.
PEACE is the most important element for a polity. But what we have in Nigeria right now is the fantasy of Thomas Hobbes. It is what has been foisted on us by a Fulani oligarchy.
And those who are carrying these heinous acts out are also Fulani. At least over 80% of them. And I remember my Mathematics class that if it is above .5, one could round it up to figure 1. Here we are speaking of .8 out of 1! Now should we call it an Igbo problem rather than Fulani? Or we should call it Tiv, Jukun, Hausa, Mumuye, Yorùbá, Ibibio, Igala and Nupe problem rather than Fulani?
What kind of argument is that? Is it not imperviousness to ignore extant facts? Is it not denial to rationalize obvious evil and plead for acquiescence under the garb of “civilized conversation” while we are being murdered on daily basis?
Is it not the right thing to do to be HONEST to each other and call a spade its true name so that we know how to preserve ourselves?
Why must we be courteous to those seeking to erase us from the surface of the Earth? Why do we need to be civil to those who refused to be placated and are bent on destroying us?
The issue on the TABLE right now is the SURVIVAL OF THE YORÙBÁ NATION AND ITS PEOPLES. The preservation of the lives of our sons and daughters is the PRIORITY right now.
Whatever personal relationship anyone has with any Hausa man, Fulani man, Igbo man or any man of any other tribe does not matter and does not count right now. And I know many of us have such relationships.
Sophistry as a tool to justify or rationalize or excuse the Fulani conscious, open, clear and dedicated efforts to annihilate, subdue and occupy our Yorùbá land has to be seen as despicable and must be totally rejected.
Enough of red herring and unnecessary distractions.
We must focus on how to preserve ourselves, our lands, our heritage and our history. The first step in this direction is to identify the ENEMY. And right now, the FULANI IS THE ENEMY. At least, the extant facts are in agreement with this.
Gunmen on Sunday attacked officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), killing two of them. The officers were reportedly conducting a routine patrol operation along Igbo-Uku- Uga route in Anambra State at about 2.45 pm when the gunmen opened fire on the driver and two other officials while the fourth official escaped into the bush.
The Corps Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, confirmed the incident in a statement. Kazeem said the team leader, who sustained injuries, was rushed to a hospital for treatment. The statement read, “The Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, who was visibly touched decried the attack while condoling with the families of the deceased staff, the unit commander and staff of Igbo-Uku command, and the entire management and staff of the corps over the loss and prayed for their souls to rest in peace.” Oyeyemi also assured that the corps is working with the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to ensure that the attackers are arrested and brought to justice.
Last updated: 5 hours ago Thousands of Muslims broke the fast at mosques in Karachi on Sunday night as the holy month of Ramadan began in Pakistan. But the war in Ukraine, which has sent energy and food prices soaring, has cast a shadow this year on Islam’s holiest month, where large gatherings over food and family celebrations are a tradition. Philanthropists organised ifar community meals at local mosques in Karachi. This is the first Ramadan in Pakistan after two years that have been observed without social distancing measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Oblivious to Sun Tzu’s advice in The Art of War exhorting warriors that the supreme art of war means subduing the enemy without firing a single shot, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin ill-advisedly invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022.
About a week earlier, in an onstage conversation at the Munich Security Conference between Christiane Amanpour and Ukrainian President Zelensky, when asked about Ukraine’s readiness to defend itself, Zelensky had responded: “If attacked, we will not just crawl into coffins and wait to die. We will fight.”
And lo and behold, Ukrainians have not “crawled into coffins” to wait for death. Fighting like wounded lions, they are turning the invaders’ own tanks and armoured vehicles into charred coffins.
Cowering from face-to-face combat where Ukrainians are kicking ass, Russia has reverted to type. Copying and pasting Stalin’s scorched earth strategy; hospitals, schools, civilian office buildings, and even residential houses are game. As a result, neighbouring countries are now hosting Ukrainian refugees in numbers not seen since World War II.
Despite Ukraine not being an EU member, neighbouring countries hitherto not famous for being very receptive to refugees are now eligible candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize due to the care they are giving Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s indiscriminate brute force.
Now, compare this never seen before hospitality to what refugees fleeing war from Syria, Yemen, Palestine, or Somalia experienced and continue to suffer.
Yemeni refugees are literally starving to death. With the Palestine / Israeli conflict accepted as business as usual, Palestinian refugees are, at best, merely tolerated. Somalian refugees are fodder for human traffickers, and a couple of times, we have “discovered” some on our borders, packed in trucks like sardines being ferried to the market.
Why are Ukrainian refugees receiving ‘VIP’ treatment when African and Middle Eastern refugees are often viewed as nuisances?
“Is it because they are fellow Caucasians?”
Vitriol is also being directed at western media and its 24-hour coverage of the invasion when in Africa and the Middle East, wars and refugees are endemic, yet the same Western media does not publicize as much.
“Double standards!” is what I am hearing.
Now, wait a minute. Aren’t we missing something?
Europeans cannot and should not be criticized for practicing charity must begin at home. In my considered opinion, we – Africans, Arabs / Middle Easterners – should be ashamed.
Look here, African, and I suppose the Arabic language(s) and folklore have lots of fables and proverbs celebrating African and Arab kindness and hospitality to strangers. Going by the Bible for instance, Egypt is credited for providing refuge to Joseph and baby Jesus in their respective hours of need!
Yet, in 2016 Syrian refugees had to seek refuge in as faraway places as Hungary and Poland, where they weren’t very welcome. Had charity begun at home, they would have been spared from the stress.
Today, some Yemeni and Syrian refugees live off the streets in neighbouring countries in the Middle East. Some are starving despite seeking refuge in oil-rich countries! I often travel to that region and witness this sad spectacle first-hand.
Here in Africa, the plight of refugees is not any better.
We used to be different. I recall how we graciously received and lived side by side with our Mozambican brothers and sisters during their country’s liberation struggle. This, sad to say, is now a footnote in history.
What can we do?
Instead of having beef with Europeans looking after their own, we should be taking our supranational bodies to task. Anything else means we are barking up the wrong tree. If we need to vent our frustrations, we should look within.
Check this: unlike the EU, when the need arises, our regional bodies, i.e., the AU, the Arab League, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and a whole host of supranational bodies supposed to play the role the EU is playing vis-à-vis Ukrainian refugees, go AWOL. They leave it all to the UNHCR and go about their ‘business’ while smiling for the cameras.
You know what? The Organisation of African Unity was established on 25 May 1963. It rebranded into the AU on 26 May 2001.
Assessing the AU versus the EU, one would think the EU came first. Yet the EU was only established in 1993. We had a thirty-year head start! But while the EU can look after its own, the AU holds the gold standard in burying its head in the sand when needed most. The Rwandan genocide, the Boko haram insurgency, and the war on the Horn of Africa are just a few examples.
Therefore, if our better-organized friends, cognizant that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link collaboratively harness all their media and public relations resources to look after their own, our cries of “double standards” are a disgrace.
Listen and listen good: it was not for nothing that our ancestors coined the adage ‘the fingerless have no business prohibiting pointing and poking at stuff’. Just because we are devoid of compassion, we should not expect others to follow suit. Worse, we shouldn’t dare to fault folk who show mercy to their own.
Why do refugees from African or Arab countries trek to Europe instead of neighbouring countries? What happened to the hospitality that late Edison Matafale sang about in Yang’ana nkhope?
Do you remember who served as the angel of mercy for Syrian refugees who were not welcome in the oil-rich Gulf States? The angel of mercy for Syrian refugees was Angela Merkel. Not some oil-rich country in the Gulf.
We should be ashamed. What is wrong with us?
If we are incapable of showing the kindness and love our religions preach, we have no business insulting Caucasians when they open their doors to their own. The same applies when western media comprehensively cover the plight of refugees and other victims of war and very little of ours. It’s the role of our media and governments to talk about and resolve African conflicts.
It’s not too late to learn and change, though.
Next time there’s – God forbid – a crisis on our continent or subregions, we should pay attention, show interest, and compel our media to report day in and day out as that crisis plays out.
If we choose indifference, we shouldn’t complain when others choose compassion.
To paraphrase Plato, only the dead have seen the end of wars. If we are breathing, we must not fool ourselves that we are “vaccinated” against being a refugee one day. There is no vaccine for this.
Let’s learn to do unto others as we would have them do unto us and for Chris’s sake, stop grumbling when others elsewhere show the compassion we are incapable of even to our brothers and sisters.
After fighting between the national army and M23 rebels erupted earlier this week in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, thousands of congolese fled to neighboring Uganda.
Now, Kinshasa is asking them to regain their villages but people are reluctant fearing for their life. UN High Commissioner for Refugees says about 10,000 people have already crossed the border.
A few days ago, the rebels retreated from positions taken on the road leading from Goma, the capital of North Kivu, to Bunagana, on the Ugandan border. It was near Bunagana that a UN helicopter crashed for reasons that remain unknown on Tuesday, killing eight peacekeepers._”I was living in Bunagana where I was selling hemp. I wanted to go and sell my business in a village near Runyoni, and that’s where I was shot, and here I am in this state.”, says _Seka Junior, injured in attack and lying in a hospital in Rushuru.
Many other civilians who didn’t leave the country rushed to Rutshuru, where they found precarious shelter in schools or churches. “The rebels are still in our villages, it’s too complicated to go back because we can’t live together, there may be other clashes and we will be victims.”, says Bibwesho, displaced in Rutshuru.
On top of the 10,000 refugees already in Uganda, according to the UN, about 36,000 civilians have been displaced within the DRC.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawians on social media are scolding Vice President Saulos Chilima for planing to take 40 delegates to USA for United Nations Economic and Social Council Forum for Financing Development conference.
The Maravi Post understands that Chilima this month plans to travel to New York in America with 40 delegates for meeting slated for 25 to 28 April, 2022.
Chilima and wife Mary
According to a document The Maravi Post has seen, the vice president will travel with 26 members of staff including 13 security officers, six special advisors, an executive advisor, two accountants, two secretaries, medical officer and director of administration.
The trip will also see five delegates from the ministry of finance including the minister responsible, Sosten Gwengwe, secretary to the treasury, debt and aid acting director, deputy director for revenue policy division and chief economist from the treasury office.
On the other hand, four delegates have been selected from the ministry of foreign affairs whereas the National Planning Commission has one representative who is the senior development planning officer.
Apart from that, two delegates are from the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and other two media personnel from the ministry of information.
The tour is expected to cost taxpayers money MK216 million when the country is still struggling to stabilize its economic status with the citizenry complaining about the high cost of living.
“This is what happens when you have a weak President. Everyone does as are pleased,” says Wanangwa Chikazinga Nyirenda.
Ernest Jnr Khombera adds, “Chilima has start acting childishly. We cant spend our taxes in this way, that’s a big, no”.
The Economic and Social Council Forum for Financing Development, is an intergovernmental process with universal participation mandated to review the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and other financing for development outcomes and the means of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The event brings together heads of state and government ministers and high-level government officials as well as senior officials of international organizations.
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