Tag Archives: Onjezani Kenani

The story of Nursing Graduate Isabel Tekwatekwa as narrated by Onjezani Kenani says a lot about Malawi’s lack of progress

2021-06-12 Ufulu

Isabel Tekwatekwa graduated from the Kamuzu College of Nursing in September 2018 and collected her degree of Bachelor of Nursing and Midwifery at a colorful ceremony in February 2019. In July 2020, she participated in a written interview – the government of Malawi, the Ministry of Health to be specific – wanted to hire nurses.

In March this year, it turned out she was one of the successful candidates – but nobody informed her. On the application letter and also on her CV, she had left all the details: her email address, the postal address care of her husband at the Dwangwa Sugar Corporation, two phone numbers of her own and one phone number of the next of kin. The hiring office at the Ministry of Health called everyone else except her and another nurse, who is no longer pursuing the matter as she is already employed elsewhere.

How, then, did she know she had been successful? A friend of hers – at the Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH), to which she had been posted, on paper – saw her name. Among the headcount of nurses working for the hospital her name was there, although she never, at any point, signed the GP1 form, which civil servants sign at the time they are hired.

Alarmed, she travelled all the way from Dwangwa to Lilongwe to follow up the matter. She tells me she had even checked the spam box of her email, to see whether any email may have strayed there, but there was none. In addition, the ministry did not publish the names of successful candidates in the newspapers, or even have them announced on the radio – they simply decided to call the successful candidates one by one and decided to omit Isabel and another.

At KCH she went straight to the Human Resource Office. The office explained to her that it was not the one that had been responsible for distributing offer letters to successful candidates. Coincidentally, some HR officials from the ministry were at KCH at the time, and Isabel brought the matter to their attention. They told her, “Sorry, your offer was valid for 14 days. Your colleagues reported for duty in March. Your offer has expired. Even if we were to stretch it to the 90 days (usual grace period for accepting a government employment offer), those 90 days have also expired. Sorry, there is nothing we can do. Give us your name and number, so we can invite you to another interview in July.”

“But why did you not exhaust all means to reach out to me?” asked Isabel.

“Sorry, there is nothing we can do. Just accept our advice that you should attend interviews in July.”

In the afternoon of that same day, Isabel went to the Ministry of Health. Someone there gave her the number of the official responsible for the headcount. After explaining the matter to him, he also said there was nothing that could be done as the offer expired.

Isabel did not stop there. She went to the Chief Human Resource Officer of the ministry. The Chief said that the only thing that could come out of her complaint is a lesson learnt that in future they should exhaust all means of reaching out to successful candidates. As for her specific situation, nothing could be done. “On our part, once the 14 days have passed,” said the Chief, “we assume that every candidate has been informed, and has made a choice either to take up the offer or not.”

“Assume?” asked Isabel. “Even when you know very well that you haven’t reached out to all of them?”

“Sorry,” said the Chief. “There is nothing we can do about your situation. The offer period has expired.”

The following day Isabel went to the Health Service Commission. The commissioners were not there, but she met some ladies who work there. The ladies explained to her that the Commission’s role stops at conducting the interviews. It is not involved in the recruitment process. “There is nothing we can do,” they said.

That, friends, is the injustice Ms Isabel Tekwatekwa has suffered. She passed the interviews, but the hiring office at the Ministry of Health decided not to reach out to her to inform her she had passed. Now they are saying they cannot recruit her because the period for recruiting her has expired. Just like that.

Just like that.

Law and order, Malawi

Sigh of relief! First Capital Bank lauded for agreeing to assist duped Malawian farmer

2021-06-11 Maneno Chimulala

BLANTYRE—(MaraviPost)—A Malawian smallholder famer Mr. Kitmass Ngoleka from Lumbadzi in Lilongwe, whose money in First Capital Bank (FCB) vanished into thin air, can at least afford a smile as the bank has agreed to assist him outside the court.

According to the concerned citizen who took the matter to the public, Onjezani Kenani, FCB has agreed to resolve the matter amicably with the client as soon as possible.

“I’m glad to report that the First Capital Bank (FCB) has undertaken to resolve the matter amicably with their client, first thing tomorrow morning. I am grateful to FCB for taking swift and decisive action.

“Senior management at the bank called Mr. Ngoleka and spoke to him and invited him to the bank for the matter to be settled. I have also been on a call with FCB’s management, who took time to explain to me how their internal controls work.

“In short, FCB has a mobile application designed for customers to conduct self-registration. To have access to the application, the system generates a One-Time-Password (OTP) which it sends to the phone number registered in the core banking system. The only way fraud can occur is when fraudsters call the customer to ask for the OTP, which they use to access the mobile app,” wrote Kenani on his official facebook page.

In the case of Mr Ngoleka, the bank informed Kenani that the OTP was generated on 5th December, 2020, and was delivered to his mobile number at 09:51 a.m.

“The bank concludes that the customer shared his OTP with the fraudsters,” he said.

Kenani has, therefore, advised the general public remain vigilant and never give up OTP to anyone as technology is advancing at a supersonic speed.

Ngoleka is suspected to have duped money amounting to over K2 million which he deposited in HIS FCB account after selling his maize last year.

According to Kenani, the fraudsters used airtel numbers: +265 995 727 359; +265 995 798 051; +265 997 476 978 and +265 995 276 446 to siphon money from the bank account of the victim.

According to investigation by Maravi Post Reporter the numbers belong to Chimwemwe Kennedy, Sanderson, Ndichitenji Ndichitenji Chibandu and Fane Nsamila respectively.

Kenani was set to seek justice from court through Counsel Sylvester Ayuba James who together with Counsel Khumbo Soko and Shepher Mumba stepped forward to represent the victim pro bono.

Law and order, Malawi

Malawi’s Banks thievery reaches stinking levels: poor farmer Ngoleka duped over K2 million by First Capital Bank

2021-06-10 Maneno Chimulala

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—After toiling for a number of years in his farm, trying to change his economic status, a smallholder famer Mr. Kitmass Ngoleka from Lumbadzi in Lilongwe is in financial abyss as his proceeds amounting to over K2 million cannot be traced in his First Capital Bank Account.

According to information from concerned citizen and well wisher, Onjezani Kenani, on 14 January 2020, after the victim sold his maize, he decided to open a bank account at First Capital Bank, or FCB in short, in Lilongwe’s City Centre.

“In the course of one year, he made deposits – no withdrawal, only deposits – nine in total, and by 4 December 2020, his balance was K2,021,985.34. All from selling his maize. Then on 5 December, something at the bank happened, according to the bank statements he has shown me. His money disappeared!” narrated Kenani, a man who is known for fighting for justice of vulnerable people.

He added: “On the date the money disappeared, Mr. Ngoleka did not know anything. He was home, waiting, like everyone else, for Christmas. In fact, because of his lack of knowledge about what had happened, he sent his brother, Charles, at the beginning of January 2021, to deposit K100,000, and then his sister, Edna, to deposit K500,000.

“It then turned out that one of the sisters wanted to borrow some money, about K600,000, to inject capital in a business of hers that was going through troubled waters, with a promise to pay back as soon as she was able. For the first time, Mr. Kitmass Ngoleka decided to go to the bank to withdraw the money. In the banking hall, the first thing he wanted to do was to know the balance.”

Kenani says Ngoleka was heartbroken after seeing a balance of K621, 500.61 and he asked the teller in disbelief if what was written was indeed his balance, but the teller emphatically said “That is your balance today.”

After a great of deal of enquiries, the teller printed statement which indicated that money amounting to 2 million Kwacha was withdrawn through airtel money accounts with the following numbers: +265 995 727 359; +265 995 798 051; +265 997 476 978 and +265 995 276 446.

According to investigation by Maravi Post Reporter the numbers belong to Chimwemwe Kennedy, Sanderson, Ndichitenji and Fane Nsamila respectively.

“How was this theft possible without collusion with someone within the bank? With all those know-your-client procedures, how did FCB approve the linkage to all these numbers?” wondered Kenani.

Meanwhile, Kenani has asked law practitioners who are willing to take this case pro bono to quickly coordinate with him so that the poor farmer should seek justice in the court of law.

There have been cases of Commercial Banks and telecommunications company staff colluding to siphon customers’ money from bank accounts and Airtel money and Mpamba accounts.

People have been pleading with the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM), as a regulator of commercial banks, to intervene in the nasty deals happening in the banks.

Due to insecurity created in banks by its staff, many people have resorted to Village Banks which appear economically viable and secure.

Health

Lazarus Chakwera poor leadership style losing him allies

2021-04-18 Ufulu

In the last few days Lazarus Kadingus Chakwera the judiciary-imposed President of Malawi has seen his fortunes take a sudden turn from savior to Evil Incarnated. People that marched against Peter Mutharika and celebrated following the Concourt rulings for Lazarus Chakwera are now pointing fingers at his poor leadership or non-leadership style. Making speeches without action. Blaming others and never seek to shoulder blame. Promises that are never fulfilled. Lying his way to an alliance without respecting his partners.

so, writes Onjezani Kenani one of his many friends that helped put him in power:

In the last few days, the nation has expressed shock and anger following the release of the audit report that has shown how the K6.2 billion national covid response funds were abused.

Perhaps what has shocked Malawians more is not just the plunder itself since we all have become used to stories of rampant corruption for three decades. Rather, the most frustrating thing is that on 23rd June 2020—just 10 months ago—millions across the country rose early in the morning to stand on long queues to elect a new leadership. We did so because for months we had been told that things would be different; we were promised good governance and that there would be serious attempts to end corruption. The audit report, however, has shown that corruption is alive and well, and that there seems to be no serious effort to end it. There is a business-as-usual attitude with no respect to public resources. The promissory note we were given is worthless. The promise of hope that we had is now confronted with the grim and sober reality that the fight against corruption appears to remain no more than a mere lip service.

Malawians want answers on why and how at the peak of the COVID wave, when their relatives and friends were dying in large numbers and suffering was everywhere, government officials – who were trusted to serve the people – abused the very resources that were desperately needed.

During this tragic time, Malawians rushed to contribute whatever they could to limit the impact of the COVID pandemic. I have in mind a man from Dowa, who contributed K1,000; he said it was the only amount he could manage. I recall a woman who donated K75,000 as a way of mourning her brother who had died of COVID. Malawians scrambled to help one another because they were aware that in the hospitals, there was lack of basic tools and equipment that were required to fight COVID. At the time, there was no sign that the K6.2 billion the government had released in August 2020 had made any difference. This is a betrayal of trust and failure of leadership in a time of need.

We Malawians have to pause and reflect. A small oxygen plant able to generate oxygen costs $40,000. Twenty-eight of them could have provided sufficient oxygen for each district. That is K900 million. Remember the entire country has two small plants (one at Nkhata Bay and another at Phalombe) and two big plants, at Kamuzu Central and also at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospitals. A Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) machine – used to treat conditions that affect your breathing – costs between $1000-$2000. Our hospitals had none. Twenty per district could have been less than K450 million. A basic ventilator costs less than K5 million in China. We could have afforded 20 per city and five per district. All this could have cost us no more than K2 billion. The K6.2 billion could have been adequate for an effective response to covid, had it been used for its intended purpose.

I am sure many Malawians will now reflect on how many deaths that could have been prevented. To be clear, I remain immensely proud of the ife-tokha-patokha philosophy that we Malawians demonstrated by coming together to rescue the situation on our own, but I am bringing this up to underscore the fact that perhaps our effort could have been better channeled elsewhere, if the K6.2 billion had been utilized in an effective manner.
Onjezani Kenani

Going forward, I guess I would be speaking for many if I said Malawians expect real and visible change in the fight against corruption. Each and every single suspect – without exception – should be arrested and tried for their role in plundering the K6.2 billion. On our books, we have the enabling laws to recover money and property from those who enriched themselves through thieving.

With regard to the fight against corruption in general, the appointment of the highly principled and hardworking Madam Martha Chizuma as Director-General of the Anti-Corruption Bureau is a good start. In her capacity as Ombudsman, Madam Chizuma has defied all challenges – including being starved of funding, suffering a public campaign of personal abuse and threats in the past. Despite this, she has been relentless in the fight against corruption in all its forms.

To show the nation that we are serious on corruption, we should use her professionalism, zeal and focus on a way that benefits our country. Her office should be appropriately funded and fully staffed. She should also have authority to oversee the financial crimes unit and must be free from political influence. I also hope she will have adequate security and protection.

I – and I am sure millions of other Malawians – remain hopeful in the words of President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, who, during the campaign, said that corruption would not be tolerated under his administration, and that neither he nor his team would shield anyone from prosecution. I also remain confident in the words of Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima, who told Malawians that jails would be emptied of petty thieves who stole chickens, so that big thieves who plunder national funds should fill them instead. I have no doubt that Malawians are expecting to see real action on corruption.

I hope the leadership will take this case as an opportunity to restore some confidence in our government. That confidence will be restored by demonstrating that culprits are punished and what they stole from the poor to enrich themselves is taken away from them and given back to the people.

Good night.

Opinion

Cry Not for Magufuli – Dr. Daniel Dube

2021-03-31 Ufulu

The salt of the earth should come to Malawi Writes My brother Tom Likambale.

Legend has it that shortly after he came to power, Magufuli went to the port authority in Dar-El-Salaam and said that he was getting tired of hearing stories of containers that were in transit to Malawi, Zambia and many inland countries missing. He demanded answers and shortly thereafter the port authority was jobless. No constitutional discussions, and no criminal out of court settlements, the attorney general for Tanzania said nothing. Zero! ( They do not understand the law as well as we do) Incompetence had no place in Magufuli’s world. Rest Well.

Likambale professionally written article is about the powerful leadership that Onjezani Kenani and Thandie Wa Pulimuheya have shown the country. Likambale mentions My brother Idriss Ali Nassah who is risking his life for the sake of us poor Malawians.

The first two people started a revolution in Malawi. There was serious fear within the political and ruling classes that the momentum of good will could spill out of control. Careful breaks were put. The nation has however opened her eyes! We know now that public money never gets a chance to be put to good use.
Dr. Daniel Dube

Malawi is like woman in obstructed labor waiting to be delivered.

I wondered whether this was going to be the moment. Unfortunately, although we were courageous and audacious, we were ill and too afraid to be able to fight the evil that is enslaving us leading us to death. I no longer take the arguments that we are a hopeless nation. I know that our moment will come sooner or later but not much later. We are constantly being lied to that we are too corrupt to stand on our own. My sister told me of two women who had two oxygen cylinders and they set up their own ambulance system with their car risking their lives and ferrying patients to Kamuzu Central Hospital. We have all heard of Malawian children who were donating their piggy bank money, little known Malawian Businessmen unaffiliated with the procurement government complex and donating tens of millions of Kwachas. Yes! This was Malawi. A donor dependent country now donating. The power of God, Love, good will, or humanism call it what you will, all came to Malawi. The devil was embarrassed!

Does Malawi Needs a Magufuli? I do not think so. We have a thousand Magufuli’s.

I do not cry to God anymore. I saw a confident Kachale preside over the dysfunctional Electoral commission of Malawi with its arrogant officials. For once, government workers looked like servants of the people. I forgot they were called civil servants. The leader, Kachale was delivering competent leadership with humility and made African History. I saw our judiciary rise up to a difficult legal and political position to order a rerun of an election. The first time in African history.

I have seen the Ombudswoman who now carries a cult figure among Malawians. He has openly exposed Malfeasance at multiple levels of government at risk to her personal safety.

I have seen Idrissa Ali Nassah hold the government to account, again at a serious risk to his life. Abroad I have met reluctant warriors organizing mental health counseling services for Malawi and I have seen Malawians rise to volunteer their time for our nation. I have seen the lone warriors like Indefatigable Doreen Chisiza organizing public awareness for COVID against a barrage of demeaning insults on occasion. This was way before anyone was talking of COVID a seriously . I have seen the Mahara Mhango’s of this world trying to single handedly focus the National narrative for change and achieving tangible results.

When we could not even utter the word women’s rights, the great Inkosi Kachindamoto was annulling underage marriages and firing chiefs who officiated those marriages. Then, there are the famous Mwai Kumwendas who move the earth for Malawi organizing donations for the country silently. I could mention my brother in London Wati Mkandawire and the Malawi Health Care Association who have probably mobilized close to a million dollars in medical equipment over the years. The list of our national heroes listed here is limited by my knowledge. There are thousands of Malawians who are doing a lot on the ground and abroad.

This positive story should not be a tonic against the real serious genocidal organized cartels bedeviling our country. The amount of money being stolen in Malawi announced in official channels now raises serious questions of whether we should be designated a third world country at all.

Let’s explain how the water boards of Malawi are loss making, let’s explain how ESCOM is loss making, let’s explain why ADMARC is loss making, let’s explain where the PAYE goes, let’s explain the fate of the Customs and duties, let’s explain where our annual income of a billion dollars in exports goes, let’s explain why we condone loss making deals, let’s explain where are our minerals are being sold, let’s explain who is transporting our fuel, let’s explain where the money collected daily from the thousands of markets is going? Let us explain where the fuel levy is going. Let us explain where the foreign aid is going. Let us explain where the remittances are going. How many civil servants are there? We discovered accidental bank accounts of Press Corporation during the Panama papers affair. How many other government accounts are out there that we do not know about? We are only discovering the obscene compensation of the foreign service. How much money does central stores spend procuring drugs?

Where is the reform commission? Where is the auditor general? Where is the ACB? Where is the office of government ethics? Where is the opposition? Where is the church? Where are you? Where are the CSOs?

Our situation is no longer tenable! We need a good answer why $300,000 can do so much for a country, when we cannot account for tens of millions meant for COVID.

We have our Magufuli’s and Kagame in Malawi and ten times more powerful! We the people need to say this is enough. No nation can develop under these conditions. Our politicians are always in a State of perpetual campaign.

During the second cashgate, President Jacob Zuma said that Malawi is a nation at war. It is a nation at war with itself.

Daniel Dube: Pulmonologist and Intensivist CEO Nasoro Medical PLLC

Health

Rare species! Malawian businessman donates ‘Ford Ranger’ towards Covid-19 response

2021-01-23 Maneno Chimulala

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—David Kasenza and his family, who are also the owners of Davina Furnishers, have just given a true meaning of selfless by selling their posh car, Ford Ranger, and donate all the proceeds towards Covid-19 fund raising initiative championed by Onjezani Kenani.

On Friday, pictures of the stylish car were viral on social media with a message “FAST SALE.

Order this car at only K10,000,000 ( ten million kwacha) and make a good profit after. This is my personal car and I have only used it for one year plus a month ( second hand car from South Africa).

“Don’t be scared with the lower price…. I have an emergency ( 100% clean deal and no issue with interpol). New tires / new shocks / mileage less than 130k” attached to it.

In view of the message, one would think David Kasenza was in financial gulf and wanted to quickly address it by selling his beautiful car at a giveaway price. But to the contrary, the emergency that Kazenza had was the exponential increase of Covid-19 cases across the country and felt duty bound as a citizen.

“After spending sleepless nights with the increase in number of COVID 19 cases I had no choice but to make this sacrifice of moving from my comfort zone to save lives. The past two weeks has made me realise what really matters in life.

“There are things that you can get after working hard and disciplining yourself but with life, once lost then the chapter is closed. I don’t want to wake up one day regretting that I could have done something and save the lives of two or more people in the process. Am here to honour Onjezani Kenani’s initiative of curbing the spread of the virus and equipping our health facilities by donating

K10,000,000 ( ten million kwacha ) towards it,” wrote Kasenza, adding “TOGETHER WE WILL SAVE LIVES!!”

Onjezani Kenani came up with the initiative to raise funds for the battle against the second wave of Covid-19, which has proved more deadly than the first wave.

The initiative, which started on a low pace, is now receiving an overwhelming support from Malawians across the global and the private sector.

Meanwhile, Standard Bank has become the first commercial bank in the country to respond to President Lazarus Chakwera’s declaration of State of National Disaster, announcing that it has released K112 million to go towards the provision of Covid-19 emergency medical equipment and supplies.

Standard Bank Chief Executive Philip Madinga indicates, in a statement, that this brings the bank’s total contribution to coronavirus response initiatives to K214 million after it spent K102 million towards the same cause during the first wave of the pandemic.

“The immediate release of the additional K112 million is our swift response to the current Covid-19 emergency. The funds will specifically go towards the purchase of vital supplies and the replenishing of medical supplies critically running low in the hardest hit facilities in Blantyre, Lilongwe, Zomba and Mzuzu,” Madinga says.

In additional to the K112 million, Madinga said Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Mzuzu Central Hospital, Kamuzu Central Hospital and Zomba General Hospital will each receive refills of oxygen, personal protective equipment for frontline healthcare workers and care-givers as well as patient monitors.

Since the pandemic found its way into Malawi, 17 365 cases have been recorded with 445 deaths and 6408 recovery as of yesterday.

Globally, as of 7:11pm CET, 22 January 2021, there have been 96,267,473 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 2,082,745 deaths, reported to World Health Organisation.

Malawi

Malawi’s Attorney General Silungwe accused of conspiracy to defraud govt

2020-10-06 Maneno Chimulala 2 Comments

Attorney General Chikosa Silungwe under fire

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—The Attorney General (AG) of the Republic of Malawi, Chikosa Silungwe, is under fire for being party to a ‘scam’ that will see former Principal Secretary going away with K755 million from the shrinking public pulse as compensation over unfair dismissal.

The former employee Christopher Makileni was redeployed to the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), Special Duties in 2014 during the Peter Mutharika administration.

Makileni then demanded compensation saying his official vehicle, a Toyota TX, was taken away and that he had stayed at home for months without being given any duties which he regarded as constructive dismissal.

According to an Industrial Court consent order dated 4 August, 2020, Makileni has been awarded K216 million as pension, K205 million for loss of motor vehicle, K270 million as salary before tax and K63 million fuel allowance.

The order was signed by Registrar of the court, lawyer for Makileni, Paul Maulidi and Attorney General Chikosa Silungwe.

However, the consent order has not gone well with the general public and some quarters are of the view that there is a nasty agreement between the AG and Makileni considering the ‘unreasonable’ amount of money charged.

For instance, social commentator Onjezani Kenani has faulted Silungwe for failing to challenge the Makileni demands in Court.

In a post on Facebook, Kenani argued that a brand new Toyota TX costs MK80 million but Makileni has been awarded MK205 million as loss of use of an official vehicle plus MK63 million fuel.

“No, not you, you cannot be compromised. Please challenge the Makileni case,” said Kenani adding that he will not stop until the interests of the poor are protected.

He added: “Interesting arguments people make to defend nonsense. One guy said: When Mulli was given K11 billion you did not make any noise. As if we did not kick out Mutharika for doing precisely that. As if the evils of the Mutharika regime must justify the evils of this regime.

“Listen, if people were pocketing money to enrich themselves by selling access to the President during Mutharika’s rule, it was not right then and it will not be right now. If we hear some people are enriching themselves Ben Phiri or Chisale style, we will rise up against them as much as we did back in the day. Don’t use the nonsense of the past to justify the nonsense of the present. Last of all, do not be mistaken: we are not idiots.”

On his part, aspiring lawyer Negracious Justin, who uses LordDenning QB on social media as pen name, has demanded the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) to challenge the Consent Order arguing it is indicative of corruption and money laundering.

“The Applicant was getting a Salary while at home and carrying out no work, but he claims loss of salary. The Applicant had his pension accumulating while at home, but he claims loss of pension.

“The Applicant was at home, not reporting for duties while earning salary every month, and he claims loss of use of Government vehicle and demands the Government to compensate him with money equivalent to buying 3 new vehicles. And these vehicles are to be turned into his personal property.

“The Applicant claims loss of fuel yet he was not reporting for duties. The claim is equivalent to telling us that he was converting the Government fuel into his personal resource and that he lost that opportunity when he was kept at bay. Conceding abuse of Government resources for personal benefits,” argued LordDenning QB.

He added: “To all these nonsensical claims, the Attorney General endorses and supports through the signing of the Consent Order. This can only happen where there is a shady mission agreed upon and going on.”

Silungwe confirmed signing the agreement but said the negotiations over the settlement were already completed when he came into office.

“The signature is mine and the date shows in August 2020, but it’s a long standing case, negotiations with relevant stakeholders started in 2018. Litigation for what it is, the same will say that AG, but negotiations started in 2018, find out what PSs get from government. The public officer decided to go on an early retirement,” Silungwe said as quoted in The Nation.

Quizzed on whether he agreed to the terms of the Consent Order by signing it, Silungwe had this to say: “You haven’t seen the minutes, Sir. As a lawyer I don’t create facts. If someone wants us to vary the order, they can as us to do so. I was not in the room in the first place. How do I review matters I never negotiated? I will insist you must talk to OPC. The facts to that case talk to OPC, I will insist.”

However, LordDenning QB finds Silungwe’s arguments void of sincerity.

“If the OPC was party to the scam, why would it be rejecting to agree to the proposed settlement?

If the OPC was party to the claim, why would it instruct the Attorney General to challenge the claim?

If the OPC was an accessory to the scam, why would it be so determined to challenge the claim and contest the alleged contempt of court charges?

“Better still, why would the AG be so unwilling to challenge the claims and yet so willing to sign to the alleged settlement agreement?” he queried.

The ‘scam’ comes high on the heels of a warning by the Attorney General that government is losing billions to payments for contractual disputes.

According to leaked memo by the Attorney General, government has lost a whooping K29 billion in illegal dismissals, poorly drafted contracts, transfers and redeployment of heads of ministries, departments and agencies.

Malawi, Religion

Malawi Reverend encourages MCP Hooligans to deface a Muslim billboard

2020-07-29 Maravi Post Reporter

Muslim billboard defaced — The Muslim Billboard before defacing

Reverend Zacc Kawalala advised MCP hooligans to deface a billboard spreading ISLAMIC MESSAGE in Blantyre.

in a statement seen by the Maravi Post, the reverend addresses The Honourable Minister – Ministry of Local Government, The Honourable Minister – Ministry of Home Affairs and internal Security the Honourable Minister – Ministry of Civic Education and National Unity the Mayor- Blantyre City Council.

We would like to bring to your attention of a Billboard erected by the Islamic Information Bureau at Maselema near Toyota Malawi in Limbe which is deemed offensive to the Christian faith.

The BM Board cearly states the following: “IF YOU HAVE READ THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE NEW TESTAMENT NOW READ THE LAST TESTAMENT -THE QURAN. Visit the Islamic Information Bureau-Limbe, Balaka,, Mangochi and Lilongwe. End of quote.

We want to dearly state here that the Old Testament and the New Testament are books in the Christian Bible. Therefore, reference to the Old Testament and New Testament in such a manner, in a country that is predominately Christian., even without specifically mentioning the Bible, tantamount to a comparison between the Bible and the Quran.

Such an action is unacceptable and a recipe for religious conflict in the country. Church in the City of Blantyre are disturbed with this message displayed on this Billboard.

We would like to requ.t the City of Blantyre, therefore, in the spirit of peace and coexistence, to immediately remove this provocative Message on the said Billboard by the Islamic Information Bureau within the next 7 days. The Churches in the City decide their next course of action if this message is not removed by that lime.

Your urgent and utmost attention to this matter will highly be appreciated. Yours faithfully,

Signed Rev, Dr. Zacc Kawalala
Chairman – Blantyre City College of Spiritual Fathers

After the release of the statement the Billboard was found defaced and many suspect MCP hooligans who were seen last week busy taking down opposition political party flags including those of the UTM which is part of the Tonse alliance

The defacing of the billboard has attracted a lot of social Media pontificators, some accusing the Malawi Government of being intolerable to religion.

The Maravi Post