Tag Archives: Henry Mussa

Business

African-Japan Business Forum; Malawi Trade Minister calls for equal financing on serious investment

Ausborn Banda 1 Comment
Minister Henry Mussa
Minister Henry Mussa

TOKYO-(MaraviPost)- In a bid to boost economic growth, Malawi’s newly appointed Minister of Trade and Industry Henry Mussa, this week appealed for equal financing on serious investments for African countries.

The Trade Minister made the call during this year’s Africa-Japan Business Forum, currently underway in Japan. The aim of the forum is to provide business stakeholders from Japan and Africa an opportunity to share business ideas, opportunities, and network on various thematic areas of energy and power, agriculture and agri-business, infrastructure, trade and industrialisation, financing for projects in Africa, and health and sanitation.

Mussa told the gathering that despite increased agricultural production and food self-sufficiency, agri-business and value addition in many Africa countries, their economies retain their shrinking modes due to poor financing.

Mussa pointed out that some African countries are grappling with how to develop their economies so as to uplift the lives of their people, and at the same time, fight poverty and underdevelopment.

He urged Japanese companies to take over the investment portfolio in the Africa and help develop the region into a formidable economic arena that will be the model of the entire world, through direct Japanese investment, or through partnerships with local investors that are already established in the region.

The Minister added that there is the need to move with urgency to uplift the lives and social wellbeing of the majority of the people, whereby captains of industries could seize opportunities to partner and grow with local investors.

“We also realise that an empowered nation should have healthy people who are provided with appropriate sanitation systems.

For African countries to undertake all these daunting tasks, there is the need for equity financing.

Therefore, deliberate intervention policy in Africa encourages member states to invest in innovation and technology capabilities, so that Africa can expand its manufacturing base.

“We need you to invest in developing our innovation and technology capabilities; for the reason that we ourselves do not have the financial muscle,” said Mussa.

With the funding from African Diplomatic Corps and the African Development Bank (ADB), the 2nd Africa-Japan Business Forum attracted investors, financial institutions, government officials, ministers from both Africa and Japan.

Malawi is currently at level 133 out of 162 countries on the World Bank’s ‘Ease of Doing Business Index’ with the desire to be in the top 100.

Investment Licences are obtained within five working days; border agencies have been reduced from 22 to 5, to facilitate trade.

The Land Act was promulgated to allow the State to easily redistribute land to would-be investors, various incentives including tax holidays, investment allowances, have been put in place.

Malawi’s constitution guarantees equal participation of businesses in qualifying areas. Further, Malawi is a free-market economy and foreign investors are allowed to repatriate 100% of profits and dividends.

The policy also allows 100% ownership of private investment unless stipulated. However, joint venture with locals is encouraged for employment purposes.

 

Malawi

Bloody Malawi independence celebrations: Mutharika condemns poor crowd control

Maravi Post correspondent
Mutharika at Kamuzu Central Hospital visiting those who were injured in the stampede

As the prayers marking 53 years of independence celebrations were getting to its climax at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe, the mood was suddenly dampened with news that eight people had died while making their way into Bingu National Stadium (BNS).

Continue reading Bloody Malawi independence celebrations: Mutharika condemns poor crowd control →

Top News

Rumphi east legislature warns the ruling DPP Government for being against him

Maravi Post correspondent
Kamlepo kalua
Outspoken Malawi Politician Kamlepo kalua

Rumphi east Member of Parliament (MP) Kamlepo Kaluwa on Thursday, warned the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Administration for taking people from his area for granted, especially by mocking him while in the Parliament.

Kaluwa, who is also the acting Vice President for Peoples Party (PP), said this in Parliament when he was mocked by the Minister of Labour, Henry Mussa.
Mussa, who stood to respond to the question raised by the Zomba Mtonya legislature to his ministry.
 “Mr Speaker Sir, allow me to inform the Rumphi east legislature that my shirt collar is a Chinese one, this why I am not in a neck-tie,” said Mussa.
The development angered Kaluwa, who stood up on a point of order to warn the Government side against such remarks.
“Mr Speaker Sir, I want to warn the DPP Government that it will regret one day, for taking me and the people of Rumphi east constituency, for granted,” said Kaluwa.
He said the DPP Government can use different plans to deal against him, but will not succeed.
Speaker Richard Msowoya, sustained Kaluwa’s point of order, and told the minister (Mussa) to stop saying such remarks.
Speaker Msowoya said the question raised by the Zomba Mtonya legislature to his ministry, did not have anything to do with the Rumphi east MP, and pointed out “it was a carried question.”
Malawi

Trade minister says Illovo to flood the market with sugar, warns traders charging exorbitant prices

Maravi Post correspondent
Illovo sugar to be available on the market in abundance

BLANTYRE—(MaraviPost)–Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism Henry Mussa has assured Malawians that scaricity of sugar will be not be an issue in few days to come as Illovo Sugar Company Limited has promised to flood the market with the commodity.

Mussa said this in Parliament while responding to a question from Nsanje South lawmaker Thom Kamangira who asked the minister to brief the house on the sugar situation in the country.

In his response, the minister said according to the discussions the ministry had with the Illovo Company on 2nd May, 2017,  the situation will improve in few days to come.

“The objectives of the meeting were as follows: to understand why there is shortage of sugar in the country and 2. to understand their plans for addressing the situation. Lastly, I also took advantage of my visit to appreciate the fortification of sugar at the factory. As the August house may be aware, sugar is supposed to be fortified with vitamin A as required by the law.

“In their response, the Illovo Sugar Malawi Limited indicated that the shortage was due to heavy rains that hampered production this year and also due to the annual shutdown during which production is suspended for annual maintenance. However, Illovo assured my ministry that they have resumed production of sugar and is committed to flood the market with sugar within a week from the date of the meeting,” said Mussa.

To insure consistent supply of sugar, Mussa said the company has opened sugar depots at Karonga, Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Limbe.

The minister has since warned traders who are charging prices above the recommended price that if found, they will face the long arm of the law.

He said the recommend price for the commodity is 750 Kwacha per kg and if any trader is found selling the commodity not within the set price, certificates of trading will be confiscated.
“Our meeting with Illovo assured us that there will be availability of the commodity on the market and yet some unscrupulous traders want to reap from consumers,” he said.

Sugar was scarce on the market for the past few weeks and Illovo Sugar Company who are the processors of the commodity attributed this to the late harvest of sugarcane due to rains that the country was experiencing.

 

 

Top News

Super Leaugue scores big, regains sponsorship as national mobile provider makes u-turn  

Maravi Post correspondent

 

TNM
TNM to continue sponsoring super league

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—The telecommunications service provider Telekom Networks Malawi (TNM) has made a u-turn of its decision to withdraw sponsorship from the country’s Super League.

The company said it will continue sponsoring the league. The company’s 10-year romance with Super League of Malawi (SULOM) ended abruptly recently, following Competition and Fair Trade Commission (CFTC) ruling that when renewing the contract, clauses that stop Super League of Malawi (SULOM) and clubs from entering into agreements with other mobile service providers should be scraped off.

The service provider’s chief executive officer, Douglas Stevenson and Minister of Sports Henry Mussa, confirmed the development through a joint statement released this Tuesday.

They say mobile service provider will now renew the sponsorship until 2020.

In the statement, Mussa said the government appreciates the company for reconsidering its earlier position to withdraw sponsorship.

CFTC Board and ministry of industry and trade have made clear interpretation that the current contract be maintained until the year 2020, according to the statement.

 

Lifestyle

Labour Minister Henry Mussa disputes claims of pocketing MK700 million in community colleges constructor award; says politics at play

Lloyd M’bwana
Minister Henry Mussa
Labour Minister Henry Mussa disputes claims of pocketing MK700 million in community colleges constructor award

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost) -Malawi Minister of Labour, Sports and Manpower Development Henry Mussa has disputed social media reports claiming that he pocketed about MK700 million for the construction of two community colleges through dubious contractor awarding.

 

Social media commentator Gerald Chavez Kampanikiza, on Tuesday wrote on his Facebook wall alleging that millions of Kwachas lined the Minister pockets, and some contractors upon completion of the Mangochi and Nkhatabay community colleges. Continue reading Labour Minister Henry Mussa disputes claims of pocketing MK700 million in community colleges constructor award; says politics at play →

Malawi

Malawi Govt. repatriates 60 stranded girls from Kuwait

Maravi Post correspondent 1 Comment

 

Kuwait City where most Malawian labour girls were trekking to

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost) -There is a big sigh of relief among parents, relatives and guardians whose daughters were stranded in Kuwait: the Malawi Government facilitated in the repatriation of 60 Malawian young women.

The 60 Malawian young women were said to be stranded in that country after their passports were confiscated by their employers upon arrival in Kuwait.

Through the Malawi government intervention, the young women were released from Kuwait on March 3, 2017 and arrived at Kamuzu International Airport on March 4, 2017.

Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Ministry Spokesperson Rejoice Shumba, confirmed this to The Maravi Post on Wednesday, saying the ladies have safely joined their families.

Shumba said that all stranded young women have been released and returned to the country with the help of the Kuwait government as was agreed last year.

“It’s indeed that last group of the Malawians ladies that were trafficked to Kuwait, has now been released to Malawi on March 3 and arrived home on March 4, 2017.

The girls are believed to have been trafficked to Kuwait while being assured of employment. But, upon arrival in that country, they were entangled in domestic work such as being house maids.

The stranded Malawians young women are said be have been subjected to various torture including working long hours (usually in excess of 16 because the houses are very big and accommodate several families), working in confinement without being allowed to go outside of the house, and being forced to eat food remains or expired food as a meal.

The Malawian girls also received reduced wages and I some cases, no payment. Their identity and travel documents were retained by their employers. They also complained of verbal, physical, and sometimes sexual abuse.

After the disclosure of the girls’ torture, the girls were transferred to and kept at the Kuwait Government Holding Shelter awaiting repatriation back to Malawi.

Following reports of the girls’ torture, the Malawi government in conjunction with the Kuwaiti Ministry of Social Affairs, suspended the issuance of Visa 20, which is granted to domestic workers or housemaids.

This was aimed at excluding the recruitment of housemaids from Malawi to work in Kuwait, while initiating discussions on the formulation of a Bilateral Labor Agreement as a framework for regulating labor migration from Malawi to Kuwait and also as a framework for engagement on issues of mutual concern.

Last year, Labor, Youth and Manpower Development minister, Henry Mussa, assured the general public that all logistical arrangements were in place to repatriate the young Malawi girls.

Minister Mussa emphasized the need for Malawians to follow immigration and labor laws when seeking international jobs.

Mussa disclosed that currently his ministry is formulating laws on immigration and labor which will crackdown fraudulent recruiting agencies operating in Malawi which are traffickers.

Sports

FAM not happy with govt’s delay to hire coach

Maravi Post correspondent 1 Comment

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)–Football Association of Malawi (Fam) Executive Committee has expressed worries over the delay by government to hire expatriate coach.

Fam has said this ahead of its meeting which will  decide whether or not to keep waiting for the government’s decision on hiring Malawi National Football Team’s expatriate coach.

Speaking with Daily Times, Fam President, Walter Nyamilandu, on Monday admitted that, with the African Nations Championship qualifiers getting underway in April, there was every reason for the football fraternity to panic over the absence of the coach.

“We are meeting over the weekend and one of the items on agenda is to look at the position of the national coach. The delays are not doing us any favour. We need to make a decision on whether we should continue waiting or discuss an alternative,” Nyamilandu explained as quoted by the Daily Times.

The Fam boss said it was only his board that could, if need be, decide on the plan B for the Flames’ next mentor to replace Ernest Mtawali, whose contract was not extended beyond July 31 2016.

The team also has tough 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying assignments for Group B against Cameroon, Morocco, Mauritius/ Comoros islands. The qualifiers will start in June.

Walter Nyamilandu
FAM President Walter Nyamilandu

Fam proposed to the Ministry of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development the hiring of an expatriate coach with the line Minister, Henry Mussa, referring the proposal to President Peter Mutharika for his final approval.

The ministry’s spokesperson, Symon Mbvundula, yesterday said he would follow up with his superiors on the coach’s issue.

Weekend Nation over the weekend quoted Fam General Secretary, Alfred Gunda, indicating that most expatriate coaches were demanding perks in the region of K9 million. Fam has proposed a 50-50 sharing system with the government for the coach’s salary.

A local Flames’ coach earns around K1.5 million. Locals Kinnah Phiri and the late Henry Moyo are considered as the most successful having steered the team to 1984 and 2010 Afcon finals in Cote d’Ivoire and Angola, respectively.

Recently, the Tanzania’s Mbeya City FC Kinnah dismissed Nyamilandu’s assertions that Fam has with little success exhausted all domestic coaches. Fam wants a coach capable of also developing the country’s distinct playing philosophy.

Eddingtone Ng’onano, Gilbert Chirwa, Lawrence Waya and Yasin Osman are among the locals said to be angling for the Flames’ job with the expatriates in the picture being Honor Janza of Zambia, Bruce Globbelaar (Liverpool goalkeeping great) and Bobby Williamson (ex- Uganda’s Cecafa Cup record-winning Scottish coach).

 

Malawi

Govt lawmakers turndown electoral reforms bill, demand thorough consultations

Maravi Post correspondent

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Government lawmakers in the ongoing Parliamentary 2016 budget review meeting under way in the capital Lilongwe on Thursday vehemently opposed amendments to the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections Act (PPEA) arguing that thorough consultations have not been conducted on the bill.

The government legislators went further advising opposition Member of Parliament (MPs) to leave the whole process of reviewing the law to the Malawi Law Commission (MLC) in consultation with Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) alongside its stakeholders.

The main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) MP for Lilongwe South constituency, Peter Dimba moved the motion as a private member bill which seeks to change counting and management of elections results.

Richard Msowoya: Malawi speaker

After the bill was introduced in the house, on several attempts, government MPs called for a roll call vote (division) to stop the mover of the bill (Lawmaker Dimba) for making a second reading which summaries the contents of the bill prior for debate.

Eventually, a motion to extend time beyond 17:00 hours to allow continuation of the debate thwarted government attempts to have the bill dismissed at second reading before it could possibly referred to a legal committee with expectation to bring the bill next week Thursday.

Government Chief Whip Henry Mussa observed that electoral reforms were an issue of national importance and could not be passed without consulting a large number of Malawians.

Justice and Constitution Affairs Minister Samuel Tembenu therefore asked for patience on the electoral reforms process which he said would be completed on March 31, 2017.

But Peoples Party (PP)’s Nkhata Bay Central MP Ralph Mhone expressed worrisome over some members that do not believe the house has powers to introduce and amend laws when Section 8 of the constitution mandates Parliament with the duty of enacting laws.

Mhone reminded those against the bill of what transpired during the 2014 tripartite elections which were marred with irregularities arguing that the current bill amendments are simply aimed at addressing such challenges.

The bill introduces a new section, Section 93 (2) that stipulates that “all recordings in relation to the number of votes, just voters and ballot papers shall be recorded in both Arabic numerals and words” to deter alterations of results at the district tally centre where results from constituencies are tallied.

The bill seeks also to establish constituency tally centres by deleting the word “polling station” from Section 94 and 95 of PPEA and substituting them with “constituency tally centres”.

The law proposes provision for smooth transition after elections that swearing in of the winning President should be done after 21 days of announcing results.