So it is finally official that government uses its financial muscle to whip into line media houses that do not play ball; to sniff the life out of newspapers, radio and television stations that do not kow-tow to the government line; and to run out of town nosy journalists who do not pander to government’s line of thinking?

We have been here before. Drunk with power, and perhaps high on something not exactly legit, Frank Mwenifumbo ordered civil servants not only not to buy a certain newspaper but also not read it even if distributed for free!

The then Bingu apologist even warned controlling officers in government ministries and departments that their allegiance would be suspect if they continued placing government adverts in that particular newspaper.

And the dude was not even the Chief Secretary to the Government for crying out loud! Where he derived these illegal, undemocratic, if not crazy, powers only him knew.

Now, one Ireen Chikuni, the deputy CEO of the ruling People’s Party, also thinks she, too, possesses powers to regulate what should be published or broadcast. It is her considered view that since Abiti is arresting suspects who allegedly robbed us blind in the infamous cashgate, no media house should criticise government on the same. How crazy is that!

The tragedy, however, is that both statements were made right in front of presidents. Like Bingu wa Mutharika in Mwenifumbo’s case before her, Joyce Banda, too, did not admonish Chikuni. Does this denote, therefore, tacit approval of such crazy pronouncements?

And, imagine this: both Mwenifumbo and Chikuni are deputy Secretaries General in the ruling PP. Is the media safe? Hokoyo, take cover!

But Chikuni, and Mwenifumbo before her, should know that being in the ruling party does not give them a licence to suspend liberties of others. Nobody, unless they are my teacher testing me for an exam, should tell me what to read or not to read.

If truth be told, Joyce Banda is in Kamuzu Palace today because the media refused to give Bingu and his apologists their way. If it were not for an independent media, we could not have had a near constitutional crisis during those three mad days of April. We could have been like North Korea where power passes through the blood and those who ask questions are hanged without mercy.

One Bakili Muluzi was apt when he said we, Malawians, forget too easily.

 “It always

seems impossible

until

it’s done”

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela

I recently transited through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on an overseas trip. I had a good seven hours to kill before embarking on my on-ward flight.

 

Now, I have a friend in Addis. I thought this would be a great chance to catch up on some gossip and all that.

In my naivety I assumed I could just step off the plane, get out into town, see the friend and return to the airport to hop back on the connecting flight to continue with my trip. We are in Africa, anyway, and, by jove, Addis is supposed to be the capital of Africa since that is where the African Union is domiciled.

But I had a rude awakening when I learnt that it may not be as easy. I needed to first go to the nearest Ethiopian embassy – Dar es Salaam, in my case; pay a non-refundable US $20, fill out a complicated form justifying why I needed to get out of BoleInternationalAirport, and wait for the approval or disapproval of the visa.

My friend, too, needed at least a week to alert the Ethiopian Foreign Affairs ministry that he was going to receive a visitor, and request permission for the same. All this just for my seven-hour visit to Addis!

And here is where it gets funny! My friend told me I would only be exempted this rigmarole if I held a UK or US passport. In that case, I would simply step off the plane, be given a visa (well, at the exchange of US $20, of course!) and disappear into the dusty streets of Addis, done and dusted, fair and square!

Oh, my good God! You must be joking! I mused. How could that be? I thought we are in the African Union? Why do we need a continental body if not for the easiness in the movement of people, goods and services? How should non-Africans find it easy to enter an African country while it is almost impossible for an African to do the same?

By the way, is Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, not where the African Union has its headquarters and, therefore, the de facto capital of the continent? What happened to pan-Africanism?

All this against the backdrop of summit after summit where the 52 men and (now) two women (one of whom our own) who lead us year in, year out meeting at the edifice bequeathed to us by the Chinese agreeing on plans to integrate the continent better.

Are we not in the middle of celebrating 50 years of the African Union with the tired refrain of pan-Africanism and the African Renaissance playing on everybody’s lips? What is all that jazz about if not for me to feel African in any African state I visit?

I have been privileged to travel through continental blocs in Europe and North America. If I have a Schengen visa, for example, I can jump on a train from Brussels to Geneva, Paris to London, Berlin to Madrid without much bother.

By the way, I later returned to Addis last week with a ‘proper’ Ethiopian visa. My business took me to the African Union headquarters where I engaged Jean-Baptiste Natama, Chief of Staff of the African Union Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Now, Ambassador Natama is an interesting, lively and engaging guy. But when I asked him why, as an African, it was difficult for me to move from one African country to another while it was easy for me to jump from one European border to the next as long as I have a proper visa, he was rather tongue-tied. 

Indeed, I asked Natama why is it easy for an American or a Briton to enter Addis while, for me – an African, I not only need a visa but also have to endure a barrage of sometimes embarrassing questions before I am granted leave to proceed.

“We understand the need for persons, goods and services to move freely on the continent,” Ambassador Natama told me. “We are working on it.”

And you are surprised that most Africans have a negative view of the African Union and dismiss African leaders as having no desire to make the continent a better place for all? If they ever attempt to make it some better place, then it must be for themselves and their families and cronies!

May be we should have embraced Muammar Gaddafi’s crazy idea of turning Africa into one single state with him at the helm? Maybe then it would have been easier to drive from Lilongwe through Harare to Johannesburg, up to Nairobi and Kampala ending up in Cairo, without hassles?

Africans fought for independence as a larger continental struggle to free all African people. Independence for the continent was achieved through active solidarity that was manifest in deeds and actions. Leaders in the struggle had a sense for the African identity and thought not only on a continental level but also beyond the geographical boundaries of the continent.

That is why black people in North America, Europe and the Caribbean were part of the pan-African consciousness. Their pan-African consciousness manifested itself not only in their skin colour, but by histories of oppression and a legacy of resistance.

But looking at the state of African integration today, it seems pan-Africanism took one step forward and three steps backward.

The other day I happened to be on a plane with an African cattle rancher who told me that it was cheaper for him to ship his beef into the European Union market than through chain-stores Shoprite or Spurs in Blantyre, Lilongwe, Lusaka or Dar es Salaam because of punitive levies and taxes.

Where is the fabled integration when we cannot visit or trade with each other easily? 

Indeed, just why do I require a visa and several questions to visit an African country? And yet we talk about integration daily!

Major Prophet Shepherd Bushiri of the “Go deeper fame” is a plentiful young prophet whom God has raised in Malawi, but his voice reaches to all the nations of the world through his international crusades and his television platform, ‘The Prophetic Channel.’

Publicized by several Malawian media houses as a “self-styled prophet” when it is actually not true, but rather he is “God-Styled Prophet” because though men can choose to be apostles, pastors, evangelists, bishops, reverends etc, no man can really be a prophet who hears the voice of God unless God has chosen to open his spiritual connection to them. Such is the influence and international appeal of Major Prophet Shepherd Bushiri that international visitors come from far and wide to hear from God and to get God’s intervention in their lives through this humble and very powerful man of God.

This highly anointed man of God frequently gets invitations from many nations across the world to go and minister the word of God with shocking accuracy and with amazing signs and wonders following. Based in Lilongwe in the Capital City of Malawi, Major Prophet Shepherd Bushiri delivers hair rising and pin point personal and international prophecies that befit his title of Major Prophet. Among his many international prophecies, the Major Prophet foretold of the East-gate Mall terrorist attack in Kenya close to a year before the attack.

He also prophesied the deaths of such prominent people as Professor Bingu wa Mutharika, the third post-independent president of the Republic of Malawi, and of Nelson Mandela, the first post-apartheid president of the Republic of South Africa.

Furthermore, he accurately prophesied of the Boston Marathon bombings in the United States of America, as well as the burning of a big company there at the same time. These latter prophecies led to the man of God being invited to go to the United States of America by Government officials there to shed more light on these incidents. In his meetings, the man of God delivers deep and uncommon revelatory teachings such as only a man who spends time with God and hears directly from Him can deliver.

It is therefore not surprising to see that mighty miracles follow the ministration of the man of God as God confirms the preaching’s of His servant. People with all kinds of health conditions, be it paralysis, stroke, AIDS, cancer, fractures, ulcers, tuberculosis, heart diseases and kidney failure just to mention a few, go home completely and instantly healed after being prayed for by Major Prophet Shepherd Bushiri.

On a number of occasions, verifiable cases of resurrection from the dead have taken place in his services. Just to demonstrate the power of God at work in his ministry, the man of God has prayed, not just for short hands and legs to grow to match the whole ones, but also for the lengthening and then restoration to their original position, of normal hands and legs.

As if this was not enough, he has prayed for miracle money to appear in people’s hands, pockets and handbags, as well as in their bank accounts, all of which has happened as God honored the word of His highly favoured prophet. People have received miracle job offers over the weekend within minutes of the man of God praying for them.

Supernatural oil and gold dust have also appeared in people’s hands and faces at crusade grounds and in church at the word of this amazing prophet of the Most High God. Time and space would not allow us to mention all the jaw dropping miracles that follow this God sent minister of the Gospel. Although it is difficult to follow up on all the possessions of Major Prophet Shepherd Bushiri, we have it on reliable authority that he could very well be one of the youngest, if not the youngest, richest men of God in recent times.

He has on occasion declared that he possesses an 18 seater jet and a Bentley. It is also said that he runs several big businesses outside Malawi, including a profitable diamond business. Every time he is traveling, he and his family and entourage fly business class, and he is always traveling internationally to fulfill the obligations of his prophetic vocation.

He is the only Malawian man of God who has managed to run his own television channel, which is over a year old now, and which beams to over 130 countries. He pays school fees for and sustains over 70 high school and university students, some of them outside Malawi. He also financially assists many men of God and less privileged people.

Talking about international ministration, the Major Prophet is always given VIP treatment in every country he goes to, right from the airport. He is always provided with full time police escort, which in many countries includes a motorcade,and he is hosted in some of the most expensive hotels. In all countries, he is given access to talk to top Government officials, and in countries like Tanzania he has actually met the Heads of State themselves. The honor and respect that this highly anointed man of God receives internationally is unprecedented, with the United States of America giving him full time police escort, a benefit never accorded to visiting men of God.

As some great men of God have said of this humble servant of The Lord, he has a coat of many colors, as he consistently operates in all the nine spiritual gifts and can function in all the fivefold ministries of the Holy Spirit. Why don’t you make a date with the Major Prophet and experience for yourself God at work in your life through the ministration of this wonderful man of God, Major Prophet Shepherd Bushiri?

BLANTYRE (MaraPost)—Malawi Finance Budget Director Paul Mphwiyo has denied involvement in the cash gate scandal when he appeared before the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament in Lilongwe on Tuesday.

Mphwiyo, who was making his first public appearance since he was shot at the gate of his Area 43 residence on September 13, said during the short period he was in that office, he noted some anomalies and he alerted authorities on the steps that needed to be taken.

 When his time came to speak, Mr. Mphwiyo started by saying that he was excited to have met the committee so that he can give his side of the story regarding his shooting and looting of government money.

He told the gathering that when he became budget director in mid July, he discovered that there were many irregularities in the integrated financial management system commonly known as IFMIS.

He further said due to the level of weaknesses in the system, he suggested that there should a complete change of the system.

Paul Mphwiyo insisted that during the one and a half months that he was in office, he did his best to correct things.

He also said at the time government was waiting for the IMF mission to review the budget he noted that the levels of borrowing that the reserve bank of Malawi had were different with what the ministry of finance had.
He said he demanded a print out to know who was spending what but unfortunately he never got to see it because he was shot a few days later.

Quizzed by one of the members of PAC Henry Musa on what he knows about the people that have been arrested in connection with his shooting.

Mphwiyo’s response was that he has an idea on what might have led to his shooting and the suspects behind it but that he could not reveal the details now as that would jeopardize investigations into the matter which as of now is already in court.

Mphwiyo also defended himself on the assets that he has which include a mansion in area 43 and posh cars by saying that it is possible for a young man like him to accumulate wealth at his age adding that he already gave details of his assets to the Anti Corruption Bureau.

He said the problem in Malawi is that success is not a phenomenon and people are jealousy of those that have succeeded adding that there are other things that he does apart from being budget director.

Mphwiyo sent the room into stitches of laughter when said he does not have to be apologetic for being blessed by God.

The budget Director then described as nonsensical media reports that suggested that he was being used as a conduit for siphoning money from government from one point to another.

The room then went into total silence when Mphwiyo narrated the shooting ordeal. He told the room that on that day he found five people outside his gate.

He disclosed that he still has two bullets in his body which doctors could not remove.
Meanwhile Chairperson of PAC Beatrice Mwangonde says her committee will discuss and come up with the way forward on the matter.

She said PAC will table a report in Parliament on the issue when the house reconvenes in January.–MARAPOST

As the world mourns the passing of global hero and icon, South Africa’s Nelson Mandela, AIDS activists are paying homage to this great man at the 17^th Annual International Conference Against AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA) in Cape Town. On Saturday evening, at the opening of the conference, South Africa’s Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe said that Mandela’s legacy will continue to echo justice, peace, democracy, equality, non-racialism and non-sexism across the ages.

He said that those dedicated to the fight against HIV were sad of the passing of Mandela also because “in Madiba, we had a fearless partner in the fight against this epidemic,” he said “We know fully well the positive impact he made in our efforts to fight back this scourge both during and after his term of Office as President of the Republic of South Africa.”

Michel Sidibé UNAIDS Executive Director, told the ICASA attendees on Saturday that “Africa shall not be afraid of calling for ending AIDS.” He said, “AIDS in our continent is still an unfinished business.” Suggesting that the HIV and AIDS global community should draw on big dreams like that of John F. Kennedy’s dream of getting a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s, he said, “I believe that by 2030, we can end AIDS. Yes HIV may be with us…until we achieve a cure, the vaccine, but the disease that HIV causes need not be with us.”

 
Sonke Gender Justice thinks that in order to achieve this dream, it is important to look at why men are not being adequately reached by HIV and Health Services, arguing that to get to zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination, zero AIDS-related deaths, and now Sidibé’s new added goal of zero AIDS, we must also get HIV and Health services to men. 

A growing body of research data, including important studies by the University of Cape Town shows

 
Data from South Africa’s groundbreaking HIV testing campaign in which nearly 14 million people were tested reveal that only 30% of those tested were men. Preliminary reports from the National Department of Health show that men make up no more than 40% of those on treatment.

 
“Too many men are being left out of HIV services,” says Bafana Khumalo, Co-Founder of Sonke Gender Justice, and Chair of the South African National AIDS Council’s Men’s Sector (SANAC) “Our new National Strategic Plan on HIV calls for attention to be paid to increasing men’s use of HIV services, but we’re not seeing enough action on that yet.” Khumalo explains that it’s necessary to work on both demand and supply of health services. “In South Africa, and globally, we need campaigns that encourage men to value health seeking rather than see it as a sign of weakness,” he says.

 
Sisonke Msimang, Sonke’s Senior Programme Specialist says that concern about men’s low use of HIV services is an issue of concern for everyone, and should not be seen to detract attention from the urgent need to address women’s HIV related needs, explaining that the two are very much interconnected. “When health systems fail to engage men adequately, both men and women suffer,“ she says. Msimang explains that HIV positive men who don’t know their status are less likely to use condoms and more likely to have multiple partners than men who know that they are HIV positive, and that they are also more likely to become sick and die unnecessarily.

 
As Sidibé proposed his dream to end AIDS by 2030, he said “Let us bear in mind that we shall not live on our memories, but on our dreams,” and he quoted Mandela: “One cannot be prepared for something by secretly believing that it will not happen.” Sidibé said ending AIDS by 2030, is “possible, and within our reach,” and proposed that  “Together, let us make it happen, and let us make it the legacy of Mandela.”

Sonke Gender Justice is hosting two events which will look at how we need to engage men if we are to make this dream a reality, responding to the facts which show that men’s low utilisation of HIV testing, treatment and care, particularly in Africa, is poorly understood and bad for everyone’s health. Panelists will discuss interventions to challenge harmful social norms, improve men’s health seeking behaviour and address related structural barriers in the health system and policies, and how to make sure that health services also “get to men.”
 
Six years ago, on World AIDS Day, Mandela addressed the 46664 concert – the campaign to fight HIV and AIDS that used his prison number: “If we have to stop the AIDS epidemic from expanding we have to break the cycle of new HIV infections.”
 
“Tonight, we want to urge all of you to make a personal commitment to stop the spread of this disease. Together we have the power to change the course of destiny,” said Mandela to the crowd, “Yes, big ambitious plans are needed to deal with the pandemic, but what really matters are the small acts of kindness and courage…such as protecting yourself. Talk openly about HIV/AIDS. Urge people around you to act differently to people living with HIV. Break the cycle of violence against women and children.”

[Dedicated to the memory of Professor Robert Kamwazamchenga]

On a hot and dusty afternoon, Gogo Sinsamala explained the point to the Chief Mourner almost with tears in his eyes. He was pointing out that the old Chinese farewell, “may you live in interesting times”, was created with times like the present Malawian times in mind.

 

We had just returned from the funeral of a senior member of the Bawo Club, Professor Robert Kamwazamchenga, a brilliant man with delectable humour and quiet wisdom who had always brought his own brand of warmth to the Bawo Club, whether we were enjoying Abiti Mwenye’s sour brew, or living it up on modern lagers from town [an indisputable inspiration to the Chief Mourner, the passing of Professor Kamwazamchenga had caused the Chief Mourner to observe 40 days of private mourning and leave of absence from his other mourning duties- hence the missing Chief Mourner reports].

 

Kamwazamchenga had himself been partial to chicken Kanyenya, but he was never afraid or too Christian in his own eyes to bring bakayawo to the Bawo club, knowing there are those at the bawo club that enjoy this particular brand of delicacy.

 

“You see, Chief Mourner, there have never been in the history of this country, more interesting times than these”, continued Gogo Sinsamala. “Even while we were bidding farewell to our beloved Professor Kamwazamchenga, interesting events were unfolding at State House and at Capital Hill.

 

‘Do you recall that before we went to the funeral, I had informed you that you were being considered for the post of Acting Budget Director at the Ministry of Finance while the current director is on sick leave?”

 

The Chief Mourner promptly informed Gogo Sinsamala that he clearly remembered this conversation. The near murder of Amai’s Budget director, Chingolo Piyo had left a vacancy and, according to Gogo Sinsamala, an astute man was needed to feel it.The Chief Mourner had frightfully choked on the mouthful of wa Masese he had just seeped and it had taken a while, Abiti Mwenye’s skilful caressing of his back not withstanding, for him to finally settle down.

 

“You are no longer being so considered,” Continued Gogo Sinsamala. “New information now reveals that Laughter Kambala may have been wrongly implicated.” Gogo Sinsamala was poking the fire with a stick. He the pointed the smoldering twig at the Chief Mourner and there again was seriousness in his eyes. “Chingolo Piyo, Amai’s flamboyant and rather crooked Budget Director, had almost been dispatched to meet his maker with bullets from three hired Ntchetunzas. We are now certain that those three Ntchetunzas may have been hired by Solid Ubepo, a close friend of Amai, and on instructions from Amai herself!”

 

Strangely, apparently to keep his mind clear, Gogo Sinsamala was refreshing himself with Thobwa this time. This underlined the seriousness of the matter, for the Chief Mourner could hardly recall a time when he had ever seen Gogo Sinsamala prefer thobwa over Abiti mwenye’s legendary sour brew! And the surprise was in line with the surprising information he had. Gogo Sinsamala went on to reveal to the Chief Mourner that it was no accident that through Amai’s machinations, Laughter Kambala was being kept incarcerated for days on end for no real reason other than the fact that he had tried to have his badly stinking suits laundered in Mozambique and Tanzania after Rapid Team Laundry had rejected the offending outfits.

 

According to Gogo Sinsamala, patriotic Bawo clubbers needed to wake up, read between the lines and understand the underlying issues in the puzzle. The questionable moves were as follows:

1. The appointment of a deputy police Chief by the name of Iphani! If this was not a clear signal of what Amai had in mind for Laughter Kambala, and all others like Chingolopiyo, who would dare expose her, then what was?

2. The house imprisonment of Chingolopiyo from the day he was shot. Gogo Sinsamala’s insight was that contrary to the story fed to the public, Chingolopiyo was not being given state protection. Chingolopiyo was under house arrest. What suspect of mafia style looting was ever given state protection to the tune of millions of Kwacha? Amai was spending the money to ensure that saw no evil and spoke no evil, lest he would expose Amai and reveal that she has been stealing from the very evening she took the presidential oath.

3. The protection of Solid Ubepo. Now, Solid Ubepo as all Bawo clubbers know is the crook that was being used by Amai’s Party to siphon Billions from the government coffers. According to Gogo Sinsamala, It was at Ubepo’s company that his workers would daily go to banks in the morning and evening to withdraw huge sums of money, which was then handed over to Amai and her party officials in clandestine midnight hand-over meetings. The evidence, though circumstantial, is compelling, for instead of Ubepo being charged with attempted murder- as he had been fingered by 2 witnesses-, or being charged for stealing- as he had paid billions by government without delivering anything-, Ubepo had been charged with staying too long outside Malawi. But the clincher, as Gogo Sinsamala revealed, was that none other than Amayi herself had then paid his bail, of MK50 million!

4.Then there was the case of Pako Kanundu, the bagman whom police deputy Chief Iphani was pressing hard to falsely implicate Kambala as the hirer of the three Gwenembe assassins that had practiced their shooting on Chongolopiyo. Gogo Sinsamala insisted that it was no vain talk that immediately after the shooting, Amai informed the nation that she knew who and what the motive behind the attack was. Amai indeed knew, and now that the waters seemed to be reaching round her neck, she was sparing no money nor effort to ensure that Kambala, Ubepo, Kanundu and indeed Chingolopiyo were all in her radar and under her control one way or the other!

 

What has made these times the most interesting times in Malawi’s history, however, according to Gogo Sinsamala, is that Dr Mudzafa Zaeni, a somewhat controversial political analyst from the University of Mpatse Abwile claimed recently that in spite of the violence that erupted in Mangochi over pork sausages, in spite of the unprecedented looting happening at Capital Hill, and in spite of a president deep to her neck in the looting of state coffers, there was no crisis in the country.

 

Gogo Sinsamala then urged the Chief Mourner to record for posterity this wonderful quote from Dr Mudzafa Zaeni:

 

“There is absolutely no crisis. A looting crisis is defined in politics as the worst form of stealing and pillaging of public funds. Now, my studies have shown that although there was looting here, the proportions are not catastrophically sufficient as to be referred to as a crisis. Finding the loot in car boots and bedrooms is not enough. It would be a crisis if the police were finding money in these people’s living rooms, toilets, refrigerators and kitchen pots. The stolen loot was used to buy pork sausages in Mangochi, thereby increasing pork sales and making pork traders wealthy. It was also used to pay for Solid Ubepo’s Bail, in which case, it was returned to the state.

 

What happened here was a breakthrough. Had it not been for the Cash Gate, would we have known where Amai got the money she has been using for all her personal projects? Would we have known what her children are doing and why their wealth and fortune have multiplied overnight from owning a small bar to owning big trucks and international companies?

 

As you can see, we now know why Amai’s government has been unable to do any development projects and why her children have been putting on weight.”

BLANTYRE (MaraPost)—The recent firing of the Chief Executive Officer of the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA), Nansinuku Saukira is a serious error of the current President Joyce Banda and raises more serious concerns on the independence of Statutory Corporations, Malawi Watch has said.

President Banda fired Saukira despite being advised to recall him from suspension after the disciplinary committee cleared him of charges over 30,000 metric tones of maize which got rotten in the strategic grain silos on his watch.

 

Saukila, together with Operations Director Clement Lwanda and Depot Manager John Maganga, appeared before a disciplinary Committee which was made up of Trustees of NFRA Board, Chief Sultan Chowe, Sam Mang’anda, Peter Bvalani, Dorothy Banda and Hendrix Kazembe-Phiri from the Ministry of Agriculture, James Nkhokwe from the Department of Statutory Corporations and Mike Majabula from Management Services in the Department of Human Resources.

 

Saukira was not found guilty, but the disciplinary committee found the government at fault for failing to respond in time and by providing resources to run the agency despite being informed of the need.

 

But instead of following the disciplinary committee’s recommendation of reinstating Saukira, President Banda last week hired Kelvin M’mangisa as the new Chief Executive Officer of the food reserve agency.

 

“The firing and hiring of Chief Executive Officers in the Parastatals without complying to the required procedures raises more serious concerns on the independence of Statutory Corporations.

“The recent firing of former NFRA CEO Mr. Nansinuku Saukira is a serious error of the current president Dr. Joyce Banda,” said Malawi Watch Executive Director, Billy Banda.

He further said “our big worry as citizens is how too much powers any president has in the constitution which is evidently being abused but little is done by ordinary citizens to timely react.”

 

“We do not know if any efforts will be made to review the constitution. When the president errors, can she fire herself or himself? Where does she get things too personal on very crucial life threatening issue like the maize issue?” wondered Malawi Watch boss.

 

He further wondered why the country’s leaders do not take heed to sound and constructive advices from many quarters of Malawi.

 

There was no immediate comment from government’s spokesperson Brown Mpinganjira as his phoned went answered on several occasions.-MARAPOST

Press Release

The Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) remains one of the leading human rights non-governmental organisations in Malawi. It was founded in February 1995 as a non-profit organization registered under the Trustees Incorporation Act of 1962. Since its inception CHRR has championed its work at national level, SADC level through the SADC Human Rights Defenders Network at which it sits in the board, continental level through the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights using its observer status, and at UN level through different UN mechanisms such as the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCR).

 

The Centre for Development of the People (CEDEP) is a registered human rights organisation under the Trustees Incorporation Act of 1962. The organization was established in November 2005 in order to address the needs and challenges of minority groups in Malawi in the context of human rights, health and social development. CEDEP works at UN level through different UN mechanisms such as the International Convention
on Civil and Political Rights (ICCR) and the Universal Periodic Review(UPR).

 

We, the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and Centre for Development of People (CEDEP) would like to join the government of Malawi and the entire world in offering our heartfelt condolences to
the family of Mandela and the people of South Africa following the demise of one of Africa’s great sons Nelson Mandela. We have learnt with great shock at this news of Mandela’s death, a man who lived a fulfilled life in self-lessly serving the interests of the common man.

 

It’s our sincere prayer that the Almighty God will give hope and strength to Mandela’s family, President Jacob Zuma and the entire people of South Africa during this difficult, painful time.

 

At the same time, we at CHRR and CEDEP find solace in Nelson Mandela’s remarkable legacy which he has left for all of us –particularly those of us privileged to speak on behalf of the less privileged and oppressed. His old stance against apartheid in the face of gross human rights violations and his inward resolve towards championing peace, tolerance and love across diversity shall live to be remembered in all generations as the fundamental pillars on which Mandela’s life was built on.

 

It can therefore be said beyond reasonable doubt that Mandela’s life truly provides a good, practical standard for all of us working in the realm democratic governance and human rights on which we can soberly assess our efforts or actions if they are selflessly geared at standing for the rights of the oppressed, common man in the face of gross human rights violations.

 

May the souls of Nelson Madiba Mandela rest in eternal peace.

Signed by
Timothy Mtambo
Gift Trapence
Acting Executive Director
Executive Director
Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation
Centre for Development of People
mtambot@chrrmw.org
gtrapence@gmail.co.uk