Tag Archives: Chakwera Tonse government

Human Rights, Lifestyle

Chakwera’s Tonse admin given 90 days ultimatum on address Mulanje, Thyolo land impulse

Maravi Post Reporter

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s social rights body, Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) on Friday, June 18, 2021 gave President Chakwera’s Tonse government 90 day ultimatum to resolves land issues in Mulanje and Thyolo that communities make use of the idle land.

CDEDI gave the ultimatum was following a peaceful match the group led aimed at forcing the Chakwera government to swiftly take action on the matter which has been there for years.

The protesters marched from Nkhonya via Chitakale, to the Council offices where a petition was delivered to Stallich Mwabiwa representing the District Commissioner who assured the protesters that the petition will reach President Chakwera.

Namiwa delivering the petition

CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa observed that it is worrisome that leaders of the country do not pay attention to queries raised by people from Mulanje and Thyolo.

Namiwa said now is the time when people from these two districts should get back all the idle pieces of land which were illegally grabbed from their ancestors by British nationals, failing to do so communities will get all the idle land on their own.

“The petition we have delivered to the Mulanje DC’s office contain tears, tears which have been there for decades. People from Mulanje are crying because their asset was grabbed at gun point by the white settlers.

“The suitable arable and prime land are owned by foreign nationals, Malawians have no land here. Now the time is here, these people cannot take it anymore that’s why we have given the Malawi government 90 days ultimatum to surrender all the idle land to the locals failing to do so will automatically mean all the idle land belongs to the locals,” said Namiwa.

Namiwa added that it is sad that some estate owners are now hiring police officers to assault any community member who seem to be in forefront in fighting for justice on the matter, a development which he said can never be condoned.

He however cited a landless lady identified as Estere Maviyaji who is struggling for life in ward 5, bed number 31 at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre after she was assaulted by a police officer over the matter.

Meanwhile, Malawi police service is yet to act on the allegation but earlier this week national police publicist James Kadadzela told the local media that investigation on the matter will soon be launched.

Thyolo and Mulanje has huge idle land along tea estates.

Business, Malawi

Tonse Govt cancels Opposition DPP financier Mulli’s 167 years MK10bn loan payment deal

Lloyd M’bwana
from left; Leston Mulli and Mutharika

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse government has canceled the deal in which opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) financier Mulli Brothers had with previous government to pay the loan worthy MK10 billion in 167 years.

Minister of Finance Felix Mlusu on Friday, March 12, 2021 to Malawi Parliament that Mulli Brothers has managed to repaid MK75 million.

Mlusu disclosed that Tonse government has cancelled the agreement saying will find alternative means of recovering the remaining amount.

There are 12 other people who also owed government money but only one has so far repaid.Mulli is owned by Leston Mulli who campaigned for Former President Peter Mutharika during the 2020 presidential elections.

Mulli Brothers secured an agreement with DPP administration for the company to repay a K10.5 billion loan over a period of 167 years.

The company got a loan from the government owned Malawi Savings Bank before the bank was sold in 2015.

Government set up a debt collection company to collect toxic loans following the sale of the bank.

However, before the 2020 presidential elections, the DPP government bypassed the debt collection company and entered into an agreement with Mulli Brothers allowing the company to repay MK5 million every month. It would have taken Mulli Brother 167 years to repay the loan.

The revelation about the agreement has however shocked Malawians who have wondered how any sane person representing Government agree to such a deal.

“When we talk of a wasted education we should always refer to those “educated” people who sat around a table, drafted documents and agreed that Mulli Brothers should pay the K10 billion debt they owe to the people of Malawi in 167 years. Yes, 167!

“The tragedy of our time is that we have too many people with academic degrees but are, in essence, shameless mercenaries who could sell their own mothers for money to drive a Mercedes Benz,” said social commentator Idris Ali Nassah.

Currently, the opposition DPP is in leadership crisis after booted out of power since June 2020.

Law and order, Lifestyle, Malawi

Tonse Govt caught on nepotism, cronyism in MDF recruitment; Concerned Malawians demand cancellation

Maravi Post Reporter
Nepotism at its best; two young females soldiers from one family recruited in 2020

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse administration slowly continues loosing public trust over procedural public office recruitment and appointments process.

For instance, concerned Malawians in Mzuzu are claiming that the recent Malawi Defense Force (MDF) recruitment was marred by massive  nepotism and cronyism.

Frank Soko , one of the men who were not recruited disclosed to our sister paper Malawi24 that most recruits did not even attend either of the interviews.

“Some were just watching us splinting. We thought they had come only for that. Unfortunately, they’re the ones who were picked. We were left behind,” complained Soko.

“Likewise myself,” added David Mulungu. “I believe I made it. Only that I don’t have connections. Some guys who were recruited are merely relatives of some senior army officers.”

Recently, a grouping of UTM die-hards, led by Mzondi Mkandawire, threatened they would hold massive protests against, among other things, the corrupt recruitment process of the Malawi Defense Force.

According to Mkandawire who has since announced the cancellation of the demos pending discussions with government on their petitions, the recruitment process of the MDF exposed massive cronyism, nepotism and corruption.

He said, most deserving interviewees were left out.

Last year, minister of homeland security cancelled the recruitment process of police officers citing massive irregularities.

Richard Chimwendo Banda, the line minister, is on record as promising that henceforth, the recruitment in all security agencies would be conducted in transparent manner.

There was no immediate response from the MDF authorities on the matter.

Since ascendancy to Presidency on June 2020, Lazarus Chakwera has not shown any interest to end nepotism, regionalism and favouritsm in public appointments with social commentator labels him,” A family man”.

Development, Travel & Tourism

“Tonse Govt set up towards one million jobs creation”- Tourism Minister Usi

Maravi Post Reporter
Tourism Minister Usi

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Tonse government through Ministry of Tourism Culture and Wildlife, is leaving no stone unturned in the fulfillment of the Tonse Alliance campaign promises.

Speaking on Friday during the official launch of Sogecoa Golden Peacock Hotel in Blantyre, Dr. Michael Usi who is the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Wildlife expressed excitement that his ministry is on track in the quest to create jobs in the country by creating an environment for investment into the Sector.

“The tourism ministry has great potential as regards job creation and the launch of this hotel has potential to create a good number of jobs,” he said.

The minister also outlined a number of strategies his ministry has put in place to make the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Wildlife vibrant. Among the strategies, Dr Usi said his ministry plans to develop a tourism marketing strategy that will create jobs for the youths and women besides taking the country far and wide.

President Lazarus Chakwera who presided over the launch, said the tourism industry is a top priority in the Tonse administration, adding that the sector has the potential to help in restoring the country’s economy.

“When Dr Chilima and I promised one million jobs, it was not just mere rhetoric. And when we promised these jobs we didn’t promise jobs in the future; but jobs in the making,” said Chakwera.

The president also advised the management of Golden Peacock Hotel to come up with reasonable charges that are affordable to Malawians.

He said the hotel should not only be accessible for government conferences and NGOs rather by many Malawians.

The launch was also attended by vice president Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima, deputy ambassador of People’s Republic of China to Malawi Mr Wang Xiusheng, and Sogecoa Golden Peacock Hotel Managing Director Mr Mike Zhang.

Malawi’s Tourism sector is expected to initiate Malawi’s economy recovery from the Negative impacts of Covid-19 which have greatly affected several operations both locally and internationally due to imposed travel ban and restrictions.

Development, District News

“Do not politicize loans”- Chakwera’s Tonse Govt asked

Maravi Post Reporter
Yicod executive director Andrew Bwanali

By Horace Tebulo

DEDZA-(MaraviPost)-Youth Initiative for Community Development (Yicod) has asked President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse government to refrain from politicisation in the provision of loans that has been initiated to transform livelihoods of Malawians.

Speaking on the sidelines of a full council meeting in Dedza district, Yicod executive director Andrew Bwanali observed that the program has of late been benefiting people who are affiliated to a ruling party.

He described the tendency as worrisome arguing it does not meet it’s intended purposes as handful of people benefit from the program.

“It is an undeniable fact that the program has been targeting members of the ruling elite, this does not fully benefit a lot of Malawians. We can not develop as a country if we continue with this,” he lamented.

Bwanali added, “we want government to take our concerns seriously by making sure that the program is not politically connected. A number of youths in the country are suffering due to unemployment among other challenges, we therefore appeal to government to act with caution this time around.

Efforts to speak to the Public Relations Officer for the National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) Whytone Kapasule were futile as his mobile phone went unanswered after several attempts.

Speaking in a separate interview, Member of Parliament (MP) for Dedza North West constituency Auzious Chidovu said lack of transparency among authorities has been compromising efforts to bail out communities from devastating effects of poverty.