…..Readers on the Politics and Ideologies WhatsApp platform weigh in on allegations of “State House in disrepair,” reflecting deep divisions over media reporting and political accountability in Malawi.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Malawi Congress Party’s demand for an immediate apology from the Times Group over a newspaper story alleging State House disrepair has provoked vigorous debate among citizens.
Members of the Politics and Ideologies WhatsApp platform expressed contrasting views on the matter, highlighting the polarized nature of political discourse in Malawi.
Live pictures on Kamuzu Palace vandalised staff houses
One participant dismissed the MCP’s reaction, remarking that journalists were merely reporting what they observed and had not explicitly blamed the party for the alleged disrepair.
Others on the platform accused the party of exaggerating and attempting to manipulate public perception, with comments implying that the MCP leadership was overreacting to media scrutiny.
Some readers defended the media, noting that reporters provided evidence in the form of photographs and on-site verification, suggesting that the story reflected factual observations rather than political bias.
Several participants mocked the MCP’s expectation that the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) should have delivered all its campaign promises immediately after taking office, highlighting perceived double standards in political accountability.
Desperate MCP letter
A number of contributors ridiculed opposition rhetoric, describing it as disconnected from reality and dismissing the party’s accusations as overblown or self-serving.
There were also humorous exchanges in the conversation, with participants joking about opposition exaggeration and describing the party as being “lost in dreams” or “overly dramatic.”
Some members criticized MCP supporters for failing to respect collaborative governance efforts, suggesting that internal party attitudes sometimes hinder constructive political engagement.
Other comments referenced historical governance issues, with readers drawing comparisons between DPP performance in local districts and MCP’s current claims, further fueling the debate.
Despite the humorous and critical tones, the conversation reflected genuine frustration among citizens about political posturing, media responsibility, and the challenge of maintaining trust in both institutions and opposition parties.
The debate underscores a broader issue in Malawi: the public’s intense scrutiny of politicians, media outlets, and their interactions, revealing how quickly misinformation, perception, and satire can shape political narratives.
The discussions also highlight the importance of responsible reporting and cautious commentary by political parties, as public reactions can quickly turn into widespread discussions on social media and messaging platforms.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s civil rights group Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has allegedly accused some State House officials for interfering fuel procurement arguing that the move goes against the law of the land.
The grouping observed that much-publicised importation of fuel under the guise of Government-to-Government (G2G) arrangement is not serving the public interests but individuals.
Addressing the news conference on Wednesday, February 12, 2024 in the capital Lilongwe, CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa challenges State House to immediately stop the illegal procurement of the said 360 metric tonnes of fuel under the guise of the G2G arrangement.
Namiwa calls, “We urge the people at State House who are behind this sinister project to put their hands off fuel issues in the country and allow fuel to be purchased following the laid down regulations and procedures.
“Buying of fuel should remain a preserve of the mandated State organs, not individuals who are riding the political gravy train at the expense of the poor majority”.
He adds, “CDEDI challenges those few privileged State House employees, who seem to have captured government, to inform Malawians where they are drawing their mandate to be involved in matters that, according to the country’s prevailing laws and regulations, belong to the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) and the National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA).
“We at CDEDI are disturbed and disgusted to note that Minister of Energy Hon. Ibrahim Matola travelled all the way to Tanga in Tanzania in a desperate attempt to hoodwink Malawians into believing that he was welcoming 51 million litres of fuel procured through an arrangement between the governments of Malawi and Kenya”.
Namiwa observes further, “CDEDI is reliably informed that that fuel was supplied by Gulf Energies, which is a private company, and the arrangement came in as an emergency albeit at a higher CIF.
“Actually, with a larger part of the fuel consignment still stuck in Tanga as we speak, the deal has ceased to an emergency”.
Namiwa says, “Malawians may wish to know that at the height of this deal, a US$150 million Letter of Credit was opened when the traditional suppliers’ bill was hovering at around US$100 million.
“This meant that if it were in a serious arrangement, the best way to go about it was to sort out the suppliers and maintain those who were compliant with the law”.
He adds, “Simply put, the country’s persistent fuel woes are a result of an engineered non-payment of fuel suppliers calculated to dodge the law and allow those behind the scheme make a killing.
“To validate the above, CDEDI regrets to inform the public that arrangements are at an advanced stage to identify a vessel to move the fuel stuck in Tanga to Nacala”.
Namiwa observes further, “This is called double-handling by the end of the day, which will make the product more expensive and in the process further defeat the element of feeling with an emergency.
“Malawians ought to know that the country’s annual fuel consumption is far below that which we can be considered to buy from the refineries whose minimum order stands at 100 million metric tonnes”.
He therefore appeals, “When all is said and done, and left wanting about this particular fuel issue, on behalf of well-meaning Malawians, CDEDI wishes to implore the Malaŵi Government, MERA and NOCMA to stop the illegal purchase of the said 360 metric tonnes fuel under this shoddy deal; otherwise, it has potential to spark public anger”.
On halted Age Bill, Namwa says, “CDEDI is aware that a lot has been said on social media in relation to alleged attempts, by whoever, to take to Parliament an infamous Age Limit Bill. But it is pleasing that the Leader of Government Business in Parliament, Hon. Richard Chimwendo Banda categorically dismissed that assertion andbranded it as a mere rumour.
“Equally pleasing was a post on social media Tuesday evening by Leader of the Opposition in the House Hon George Chaponda to the effect that according to a Business Committee meeting be had attended to agree on matters to be transacted when Parliament reconvenes this week, there is nothing like that infamous and undemocratic matter”.
Namwa explains, “CDEDI was however disturbed to hear from reliable sources that about K1 billion was invested in attempts to bring this matter for debate in Parliament when Malawians are starving due to acute food shortage.
“We gathered that proponents of the bill intended to push it into the Chamber as a Private Member’s Bill. For starters, Thursday is a Private Member’s day in Parliament”.
He added, “It is when members of Parliament (MPs) are at liberty to waive relevant Standing Orders to allow any MP to bring to the floor a motion.
“But all that has to be done with the knowledge of the Business Committee of the House, in which case, if Hon Chaponda’s post is anything to go by, the infamous and undemocratic bill about capping the country’s presidential age limit is not part of what our parliamentarians will deliberate on in the weeks ahead”.
Namiwa observes, “In view of the dust that this stirred when it started making rounds, there is no harm in CDEDI borrowing the words of retired Supreme Court Judge Dunstain Mwaungulu, that under any circumstance such a bill is unconstitutional and not welcome in any democratic society.
“Ordinarily, a bill of such nature, cannot just appear in the Chamber from nowhere, since it calls for exhaustive consultative processes spearheaded by the Malawi Law Commission (MLC) in collaboration with the Malawi Law Society (MLS)”.
He concludes, “Apart from the rigorous consultative process, such a law cannot come in the middle of an electoral process, where registration of voters has already been conducted and all major political parties have conducted their conventions effectively electing or endorsing their torch-bearers.
“That said, CDEDI is mindful that this is Malawi, where overzealousness, coupled with forces of greed, drive some supposedly Honourable people do not act as such; hence warns such people to be ready to face the music for taking Malawians for granted”.
Meanwhile, State House is yet to respond on fuel procurement interference allegations.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi State House has described as false information the media reports suggesting that wages for workers at state residences have been increased by 360% as reported by the Nations newspaper today, the 25th March 2024.
According to the Presidential Press Secretary Antony Kasunda, State House has since supplied The Nation newspaper with correct data to ensure that it provides readers with a true picture reflecting the figures in the 2024/2025 national budget.
Kasunda further assured Malawians that President Lazarus Chakwera, remains committed to giving media outlets and the public accurate information as a matter of principle.
Malawi Parliament is yet to pass the 2024/2025 which is pegged at MK5.85 trillion.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Umoyo News blog leader Rodgers Kadiso Banda was on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, arrested in Lilongwe for defrauding Israel’s farm job seekers.
Kadiso has been charged with an offence of obtaining money other than by pretense/personation(Identity theft).
The suspect is being held at Lingadzi Police Station at Area 18.
According to sources privy to The Maravi Post, President Lazarus Chakwera’s Press Secretary Anthony Kasunda is the one who complained to the police about Kadiso’s misconduct.
A source within police services told The Maravi Post Kadiso through a Facebook Account that bares the press secretary’s name has been defrauding job seekers.
The Maravi Post has messages Kadiso has been sharing with victims by demanding money if are to be recruited.
The suspect is said to have created a fake Facebook account in the name of Anthony Kasunda and has been duping people with money in the pretence that he would employ them in government and send some to Israel.
But Kasunda disputed the claims arguing that he was not aware of any arrest related to his name.
However, all the Facebook message screenshots in our possession show that Kadiso was paid using a number that indicated Masautso Kasunda.
Meanwhile, National Police Spokesperson Kalaya asked for more time on the matter as he was called late hours.
This follows another investigation that is underway where the son of Commissioner Rhoda Manjolo, Chifuniro Keith Manjolo is implicated in a fraud case by recruiting people at police service by asking them to pay MK500, 000 and some senior police officers are also involved.
In this case, Kalaya failed to comment as he asked for more time to date.
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-While government is finding it hard to stand on its feet in the ailing economy, State has no choice but to pay over MK100 million after the Industrial Relations Court (IRC) has ruled in favour of Journalist Brian Banda.
According to court documents in our possession, Banda sought legal assistance after conviction that his three year contract as Communications Officer for State residences was unfairly terminated.
Meanwhile in its ruling presided over by IRC Deputy Chairperson Peter Kandulu, delivered in chambers on 22nd day of December 2023 at Blantyre, Journalist Brian Banda is awarded MK 103, 316, 418. 00 being compensation for unfair dismissal and severance allowance and the same must be paid within 30 days.
From the background records, it is evident that there was delay tactics on the government side to have the case completed.
For instance from the very same court documentation, it shows that the Applicant commenced proceedings seeking compensation for constructive dismissal, severance allowance pay, and compensation for unfair labour practices on the 28th day of September 2022 and was served to the respondent on the 26th of October 2022 at 2.45 pm, service was duly received and the respondent stamped an official stamp acknowledging service but the Respondent failed to file a reply within the prescribed period by law hence the applicant obtained a default judgement on the 7th day of November 2022.
It was upon default judgment when state started reacting after a notice of assessment of compensation was duly issued and served on the respondent on the 7th day of November 2022.
The Respondent filed a motion to set aside the default judgement.
“The motion was scheduled to be heard on the 20th day of June 2023. On the date scheduled for hearing the motion, the respondent or his legal representative did not appear in court and no reason was given to the court on their absence. The motion was dismissed. The court issued a notice for the hearing of the assessment of compensation trial. The said notice of hearing was served on the respondent on the 11th day of August 2023 at 1.50 pm and service was acknowledged by C. Chitsonga on behalf of the Attorney General.
“The Attorney General’s Chambers filed an exparte motion for a stay of proceedings pending hearing of an application to set aside the default judgement. The motion was issued to be heard on the 25th day of August 2023 the day the court had scheduled to hear the assessment of damages. When the motion was called, the Respondent or Attorney General Representative was not present in court,” reads the court document.
Now the court has ruled in favour of Journalist Brian Banda considering that his submissions were genuine and that his Legal representative addressed the court that the delay tactics by government was irritating considering that it was happening for the third time that the Respondent or his representative was served or they initiated court proceedings but on the date scheduled, they never appeared or communicated with the court or the applicant on the reasons for their failure to attend court’s proceedings.
Counsel Mauya Msuku who represented the highly appreciated Radio personality, implored the court to dismiss the motion and proceed with the hearing of the assessment of damages which was the first to be issued before the motion.
The Law, according to Section 8 (2) of the Labour Relations Act empowers the Industrial Relations Court to award compensation.
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-News that Malawi State House’s Chief of Staff Prince Kapondamgaga has entered into an agreement with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for prosecution waiver to become a state witness, is a worrying matter.
There is no way State House Chief of Staff Prince Kapondamgaga received a bribe, only suspended later accepts receiving the bribe.
Thereafter, he returns the bribe, and comes to ACB assuring him of the safety of not being prosecuted as he turns again as a state witness against others in the same bribe.
Later, Kapondamgaga was all over social media claiming innocent.
This is a joke! Immediately, he returns the bride is guilty of prosecution.
Kapondamgaga must be arrested and prosecuted if President Lazarus Chakwera Tonse Alliance’s government is serious about fighting against corruption!
NO TO SELECTIVE JUSTICE!
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are those of the author not necessarily of The Maravi Post or Editor…
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera’s son in-law Sean Kampondeni has been removed as Director of Communications at the Malawi State House.
Kampondeni has made the announcement on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 during the Quarterly State House Brief which he hosted art Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.
Addressing the media towards the end of the briefing, Kampondeni said Wednesday’s briefing is his last as the Director of Communications as the President will soon appoint a new Director of Communications at State House.
He added that he is set to be given a new role at the State House.
“It has been a great honour to serve in this office. The president is keen on having me serving in another capacity,” said Kampondeni.
Kampondeni, who is married to Chakwera’s daughter Tapiwa, was appointed as State House Director of Communications and the president’s Executive Assistant in 2020, weeks after Chakwera was elected president of Malawi.
Kampondeni also worked with Chakwera during the president’s time as an opposition politician and during the campaign period for the presidential election.
However, the appointment of Kampondeni in 2020 was condemned by some quarters who accused Chakwera of nepotism.
Chakwera’s Tonse Alliance government has been characterized with tribalism, regionalism, favoritism and nepotism in public appointments the same way former regime of Peter Mutharika’s Democratic Progress Party (DPP) used to do.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera’s State House staff members are tussling for recognition from authorities for personal interests than of the house.
According to inside sources, every staff member at State House fight for their personal interests than of the President and the Palace.
This has been testified in a letter The Maravi Post is in possession of Tiyanjane Mlangeni penning deputy Chief of State Residence Max Kalamula reveals how rotten the house has become among staff members.
Kalamula letter to Mlangeni
Mlangeni’s letter comes after she was suspended for exposing nausty issues happing at the house to social media
Mlangeni writes to Kalamula, “Thank you so much I’ve received the letter
What I can tell you Mr Kalamula, the state house is not your home and its not in your hands
You are now above the law you are using your powers
Wanted to tell you that you have used other people’s ideas not the law Everything that you do I know and everything that you said I’ve heard
Know that what you have started is a war and I won’t give up easily on you
My salary is less than yours its like 10 times, I know the story you are blaming me wasn’t mine but you we’re targeting someone else know that you will be ruined the same way people are using you now
Did you forget that you took her from household to the protocol? Its because you sleep with her till now, now because its me going with them ku Chikokobay its now a problem?
I won’t stop talking, that you are taking money in a wrong way we all know kut mukuba
Tonse amene tinabwera kumene kuja we came coz of Chipani and we all struggled to be there Hope next time you are the one that voted and you will also be there next time voting
Had it been that I sleep with you none of this could av happened but because I don’t sleep with you I don’t have peace Odala iwo amene amayenda ndinu pot mavuto ngat amenewa sangakumane nawo
Whether you call me to discipline or not I don’t care with my salary I can do it
Did you go to state house to work or make enemity Ndalam mumatulutsa zija tumaona ndipo tikumava with all those meetings with your people we hear And I know this is not my war you are just passing by there’s someone you are targeting
Thank you very much Mr State house
I don’t care even if you give my allowance ya kuchikokobay Idyan bola tikazatuluka m’boma usazakhale ngat chisale
Ngat munafika potenga anyamata a land scape to clean your house you are at peace better if its forever like that.
This comes also as state House media team is in shambles failing modify Chakwera’s image to the public amid numerous scandals his Tonse Alliance government continues to committe.
Chakwera’s son in-law Sean Kampondeni is State House Director of Communication while Anthony Kasunda is Press Secretary to the President.
Chakwera is in public for wrong reasons while his PR team is in slumber but busy masquerading as press officers on social media particularly Facebook.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s social rights Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has penned Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) seeking clarification on the State House’s purportedly Crossroads Investigation.
CDEDI observes that ACB’s clearance of State House has many loopholes to authenticate the report saying the bureau lacks zeal to investigate more on the matter.
CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa told the news conference on Wednesday, November 3, 2021 in the capital Lilongwe that the bureau has been put on tight rid over shabby work on Crossroads Hotel saga.
The grouping observes that ACB acted in a manner that has compromised the institution’s integrity and credibility.
“Such a rushed and incomplete job, which we suspect has been done just to clear some names that were mentioned in the Crossroads saga, does not only compromise your image madam, but is also too costly to the country’s economy, and has the potential to dent the image of mother Malawi.
“CDEDI would like to bring to your attention a letter dated 30th April 2021 (Attached as Appendix 3), in which we stressed that your appointment as the new ACB Director, was received with mixed feelings,”CDEDI statement reads in part.
The statement the ACB has issued, therefore, has vindicated your critics madam, that your mission at the ACB is nothing but to ensure the protection of the current administration, specifically those from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) witch-hunting tactics.
“Kindly be informed madam that Malawians are waiting with baited breath, on the next move the ACB will take, following the allegations of abuse of public funds by both the Malawi Defence Force (MDF), and the Malawi Police Service (MPS), in relation to the infamous MK6.2 billion Covid-19 audit report, which was sanctioned by President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera. The two state agencies are conspicuously missing in the audit report, when evidence is there that they received a bigger chunk of the funds,” added CDEDI statement.
Below is the full CDEDI statement:
ATT: MADAM MARTHA CHIZUMA Dear Madam,
RE: SEEKING CLARIFICATION ON THE PURPORTED CROSSROADS INVESTIGATIONS
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), writes your good office madam, with reference to a statement dated 2nd November 2021, under the heading: COMPLETION OF INVESTIGATIONS.
To begin with, CDEDI would like to commend you madam, for endeavouring at all times to keep the nation updated, every time the Bureau records a milestone worth sharing with the public.
However, CDEDI and many Malawians that mean well for this country have reservations regarding the contents of the purported completion of the investigations as contained in the aforementioned statement.
It is important to highlight that, the ACB is a constitutional office whose transparency, accountability, integrity and credibility should not be questionable, if at all as a country we are to make the fight against fraud and corruption a reality.
That said, we would like to register our reservations on the ACB’s attempts to clear the State House from any wrong doing, in the alleged abuse of public funds in its transactions with Crossroads Hotel. Having read through the ACB’s statement, the CDEDI has made the following observations:
Point no. 1 in the ACB statement states clearly that the guests in question came at the invitation of the State House, while point no. 4 in the same statement says the payment made by Mr. Miguel Elias, did not come from the State House. Point no. 5 in the statement goes on to say that a payment of MK12.5 million was made to the Crossroads Hotel by the State House, in reference to the same guests.
Surprisingly, the ACB has not made any clarification as regards these two different payments, made to the same client, for the same purpose, by different entities.
We further draw your attention to an article which appeared in The Nation newspaper dated October 20, 2020 (Appendix 1) in which a manager at Crossroads Hotel Mr. Sameer Sacranie confessed that Mr. Miguel had personally informed him that he was at the hotel on a State-House sanctioned assignment. This is what Mr. Sacranie told The Nation Newspaper:
In fact, I called Mr. Miguel this evening (yesterday) to my office and told him that we thought it was personal cheque without knowing that it was a State House cheque and he said yes I gave a cheque of MK12.5 million from State House because the activities I am doing here are funded by State House.
Why did the ACB not develop any interest to investigate the payment made by Mr. Miguel, a private citizen who used his hard-earned cash to pay for State House guests and activities?
Point no. 3 in the ACB statement claims that there was no inflation of the figures that were indicated on the payments. However, in the aforementioned newspaper article Mr. Sacranie indicated that at one point the visitors were accommodated in suites that cost US$350 per night but after negotiation they were offered at US$300.
Our investigations including quotations sourced from Crossroads Hotel show that accommodation rates range between MK 65,000 to MK81,000.Knowing that these are public funds it baffles the logic that the ACB took no interest to investigate what appears to be an inflation of prices but instead rushed to close the case ( see attached quotations Appendix 2).
It is against this background that we at the CDEDI, and all well-meaning Malawians, believe that the ACB has, under your watch madam, acted in a manner that has compromised the institution’s integrity and credibility.
Such a rushed and incomplete job, which we suspect has been done just to clear some names that were mentioned in the Crossroads saga, does not only compromise your image madam, but is also too costly to the country’s economy, and has the potential to dent the image of mother Malawi.
CDEDI would like to bring to your attention a letter dated 30th April 2021 (Attached as Appendix 3), in which we stressed that your appointment as the new ACB Director, was received with mixed feelings.
The statement the ACB has issued, therefore, has vindicated your critics madam, that your mission at the ACB is nothing but to ensure the protection of the current administration, specifically those from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) witch-hunting tactics.
Kindly be informed madam that Malawians are waiting with baited breath, on the next move the ACB will take, following the allegations of abuse of public funds by both the Malawi Defence Force (MDF), and the Malawi Police Service (MPS), in relation to the infamous MK6.2 billion Covid-19 audit report, which was sanctioned by President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera.
The two state agencies are conspicuously missing in the audit report, when evidence is there that they received a bigger chunk of the funds.
Additionally, Malawians are also anxiously waiting for the day on which the ACB is going to make its findings public on the following incidences, which have taken ages to be investigated: The 2020 Independence Day expenditure; The MK17.5 million Covid-19 Funds; The just ended SADC expenditure; The MK5 billion State House renovations; We are looking forward to hearing from you, the soonest.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Former British prime minister Tony Blair is in the country despite numerous calls from the general public for President Lazarus Chakwera not hire him as his
Blair, who arrived on a private jet around 5am today, is said to be on private visit.
However, acting Presidential Press Secretary Anthony Kasunda says after learning about Blair’s private visit, President Lazarus Chakwera invited Blair to State House for a courtesy call.
Blair visit comes barely eight ten months after Malawians across urgued President Chakwera to cancel any business arrangement, paid or unpaid, that this administration has made with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The Chakwera administration engaged the Tony Blair Institute to identify gaps in governance institutions and address the deficiencies.
State House Communications Director Sean Kampondeni disclosed that TBI had already sent three experts to Malawi and they will be providing their services at no cost to the Malawian taxpayer.
Blair’s arrival therefore confirms his work with Chakwera’s state house remains intact.
However, Malawians demanded the Chakwera administration to cancel the arrangement which commentator Onjezani Kenani has described as neocolonialism.
Despite the call Chakwera did not cancel Blair’s hiring.
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