Tag Archives: Madam Getrude Mutharika

Malawi

Pan-African Parliament crucial—Mutharika

Maravi Post correspondent
Malawi president Mutharika

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)— President of the Republic of Malawi, Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika on Wednesday, described the Pan-African Parliament as crucial because it brings together 55 African countries to advance economic integration, youth and women empowerment, peace, and unity, among other benefits.

Speaking in a press conference on arrival at Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe, President Mutharika said the 4th Ordinary Session of the Pan-African Parliament, held in South Africa, also aims to improve and give the Pan-Africa Parliament, enhanced powers to ensure the full participation of African peoples in development and economic integration of the continent.

In his opening speech at of the 4thordinary session of the Pan-African Parliament on Monday, Mutharika called upon African leaders to strive for unity on the continent.

“Our national boundaries should never be an excuse for division. I have used the word excuse, because excuses are not reasons anyway. From the 1890 Heligoland Treaty to the 1964 Resolution on Border Disputes among African States by the OAU, there has never been a reason for disrespecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of nations. Africa did not come to be what it is by mistake. It is then wise to remember that we co-exist peacefully, because our forefathers who founded the countries we govern today, valued unity in spite of our boundaries.”

African Union Member states are represented at the Pan-African Parliament by five parliamentarians from each country. During the gathering, the Pan African Parliament inducted Malawi’s First Lady Madame Dr. Gertrude Mutharika, Ambassador of Goodwill to the Parliament.

Accepting the role of Goodwill Ambassador, Dr. Mutharika pledged to continue supporting efforts to reduce illiteracy amongst women, and  improve girl child education. She also pledged her support to advocacy on the environment.

She also pledged to prioritise girl child education and women empowerment.

“As PAP goodwill ambassador, I will come up with a number of programmes aimed at empowering women, protecting the rights of children in Africa, and protecting the environment,” she said.

 

Malawi

Malawians commemorate Bingu Wa Mutharika: Archbishop Msusa praises him for complying with the 1992 Pastoral Letter

Maravi Post correspondent
First couple laying wreath on Bingu’s grave

BLANTYRE (Maravi Post)— President Peter Mutharika on Saturday, led the Mutharika family and Malawians from all walks of life in remembering the late President Bingu Wa Mutharika, during a memorial ceremony held at Ndata Farm in Thyolo.

The service, which was memorialized by the Archbishop of Blantyre Thomas Luke Msusa, was attended by former First Lady, Madame Callista Mutharika, some cabinet ministers, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Esther Mcheka-Chilenje, and Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda, among many other dignitaries and

Speaking at the ceremony, Archbishop Msusa described the Malawi late leader as having been a blessing to the Malawi nation. The late President Bingu wa Mutharika, also known as Ngwazi by his supporters, succumbed to cardiac arrest on April 5, 2012

“In April 2012, we gathered here (at Bingu’s Ndata Farm) with our hearts broken and heavy with sadness at the loss of our President. What compounded our sadness was that we had lost a leader who had achieved a lot for us. Bingu was a blessing to the nation of Malawi,” Msusa said.

On more than three occasions during his memorialization of Malawi’s economic engineer, Archbishop Msusa recited one of Bingu’s favourite chorus “Tiyende pamodzi ndi mtima umodzi.”

Msusa said Bingu was also a blessing to the nation because he believed in God and that he demonstrated this through finding time although he was a busy President, to frequently attend church services.

“Let’s appreciate our believer leaders and that we are in a country that believes in God. All our presidents have been believers and those are the leaders we need for our country,” the Archbishop said.

He reminded the gathering that the year 2017, marks 25 years since Catholic Bishops issued the pastoral letter that spearheaded political change in Malawi.

He said in his time, Bingu delivered on some of the issues which the letter highlighted and said Malawians needed. The Archbishop also said when Bingu had assumed the presidency in 2004, he was aware of the challenges which Malawi were facing, and which the Pastoral Letter had documented. The Archbishop said “Malawi benefited a lot under Bingu’s leadership.”

“Yes, we did not reach where we wanted (as spelt out in the 1992 Pastoral Letter), but he did his part. Rome was not built in a day,” he said.

Archbishop Msusa therefore called upon Malawians, to build on Bingu’s work and adopt his spirit of “Tiyende pamodzi ndi mtima umodzi” and mantra “let the works of my hands speak for me,” for Malawi’s development.

“We need to stay united, to pray for our leaders, so we get the answers to the problems we continue to face,” he said.

The memorial service was followed by laying of wreaths at the late President Bingu wa Mutharika’s grave at Mpumulo wa Bata Mausoleum at Ndata Farm in Thyolo district. This is also the former First Lady, late Madame Ethel Mutharika, was interred in May 2007.

The late President Bingu wa Mutharika, was the first president in Malawi, to die in office. He is survived by his wife and four children.

Business

Malawi women to learn how to make ceramic jewelry in Kenya

Maravi Post correspondent
Malawi women to learn how to make ceramic jewelry in Kenya

There is potential that Malawian women could travel to Kenya to learn how to make jewelry and pottery from clay for exports. Malawi’s First Lady Madame Dr Gertrude Mutharika, made this announcement on Monday in Nairobi, Kenya, after touring Kazuri, a centre where women make jewelry, and pottery by hand. The women then sell their wares to countries such the United States of America, Australia, among others.

 The First Lady said she was impressed with the work the women are doing and she promised that when she returns home, she will discuss with relevant stakeholders to facilitate the tour for Malawi women.

 According to Madame Mutharika, African women are very talented, optimistic, and have the potential to improve their livelihood and their families through handiwork.

 “It usually does not require huge sums of money to begin a business, but if you put your mind to it, there is a high chance that you will come up with something big,’’ Madame Mutharika said.

 She said visited the Kazuri centre after she noted that single mothers and less privileged rural women are the ones working with just clay, but producing high quality jewelry that is being exported and generating money for their families.

 The First Lady has since committed to ensuring that the innovation the Kenyan women have is shared with their colleagues in Malawi.

 The Kazuri centre was established in 1975 and specializes in making beads and pottery from clay, dug from Mount Kilimanjaro.