LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera has condemned violence which marred protests in Lilongwe on Thursday and has since directed for an investigation.
In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, Chakwera says the right of Malawians to protest peacefully is not only enshrined in the Constitution, but also a birthright.
“I have, therefore, directed all relevant state agencies to act swiftly and decisively to restore calm as well as to investigate what happened and ensure that all those who violated the law are held accountable,” he says.
“As President, I will be expecting a preliminary report on findings from both the Ministers of Homeland Security and Defense upon my return, which will form the basis of further actions we will take to ensure this does not happen again and that the 80 days between now and election day are peaceful and violence-free,” demand Chakwera.
The Malawi is expected to be back on Sunday from Afrexim Bank annual meeting which was held on in Abuja, Nigeria.
Meanwhile, pressure ìs mounting on Chakwera to sack Homeland Security Minister Ezekiel Ching’oma, Inspector General of Police (IG) Merlyne Yolamu and Malawi Defence Force (MDF) General Valentino Phiri for siding with thugs.
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s watchdog Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), has written Minister of Health Khumbize Chiponda on the rising work place policy that is making Covid-19 vaccine mandatory.
What has raised CDEDI’s eyebrows is the fact that government is silent on the matter despite its earlier stand that highlighted that the vaccine is not mandatory.
CDEDI has since given seven days to minister Chiponda to explain to Malawians the status in policy direction on Covid-19 testing and vaccination.
In a statement made available to this publication and signed by its Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa, CDEDI has described the current trend as a silent government policy of ‘NO VACCINE NO WORK POLICY’ in the country.
Namiwa says it is saddening to note that both the public and private institutions are currently outclassing each other, by imposing mandatory Covid-19 testing and vaccination.
He says this is contrary to what Hon. Minister of health told the nation, when announcing plans to roll out the vaccination campaign where she emphasised that the exercise was voluntary.
Namiwa observes that silence on these developments, is more disturbing despite being reported in the media, and more so, being contrary to the Malawi government policy.
“It is against this background that CDEDI is challenging you to come out very clearly, on whether or not the Tonse Alliance government has changed tune as usual, on its earlier position on voluntary testing and vaccination,” he says.
Adding that Malawians would like to know as to where these institutions are getting the mandate to impose the Covid-19 mandatory testing and vaccination from, and why the Ministry has chosen to keep quite on the same.
CDEDI says since President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera claims that is running a transparent and accountable government with the welfare of Malawians at heart, it was proper for ministry of health to come in the open.
“It is therefore, prudent that your Ministry should be very open, clear and consistent on any policy changes, as long as it is done in good faith and in the best interest of the people of Malawi,” he says.
However in a letter Namiwa has expressed gratitude on how the ministry previously handled the Covid-19 mitigation measures.
He acknowledges the highest level of dedication demonstrated by Minister Chiponda by providing strategic leadership in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
“One thing that quickly comes to mind are the daily updates and periodic media briefings. This is highly commendable, as citizens have access to reliable information, in near to real time, and right at their finger tips,”
Unfortunately there is any response from Ministry of Health officials when we attempted to contact them on the matter.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s watchdog Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) is demanding resignation of Agriculture Minister Robin Lowe for misleading directive on reduced numbers of Affordable Inputs Program (AIP) beneficiaries.
The call comes after President Lazarus Chakwera over the weekend disowned Lowe’s directive on reduced number of AIP beneficiaries.
In his national address Chakwera hinted that no any communication was issued from his office to reduce AIP beneficiaries.
The Malawi leader assured the nation that his Tonse government will deal with anyone to tries to tamper with AIP program including hiking fertilizer prices that pin down poor farmers.
It is this background CDED gives Agriculture Minister Lowe “seven days to either make publicly, a detailed statement, justifying your decision to scale down the number of AIP beneficiaries, and indicating how much the exercise has cost Malawians, or step-down, to save yourself from shame and further embarrassment, following your lack of knowledge on government protocols and procedures, given President Chakwera’s reversal of your action, as the responsible Minister of Agriculture”.
“Failure to do so within the stipulated period, will leave CDEDI with no option, but to invoke the Access to Information Act, to ensure that the citizens, who double as taxpayers, have the right to access this public information, without undue hindrance, as evidence that will help them to push for your resignation,” reads in part CDEDI letter signed by its Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa to Lowe dated August 25, 2021.
Below is CDEDI letter to Lowe:
Dear Sir,
RE: CONCERNS ON THE NEEDLESS SCALING DOWN EXERCISE OF THE AIP BENEFICIARIES FOR THE 2021/2022 GROWING SEASON
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), hereby writes you Hon. Minister, with reference to a circular Ref. No.30/15/14, dated 21st July 2021, and signed by the Secretary for Irrigation, Sandram Maweru. Reference is also being made to a public address by President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, delivered on August 21, 2021.
Through the aforementioned circular, under the headline 2021-2022 AFFORDABLE INPUTS PROGRAMME BENEFICIARIES, addressed to all District Commissioners, for the attention of All Directors of Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources, your ministry scaled down the number of AIP beneficiaries, for two reasons: (a) financial constraints; (b) rising prices of fertilizer.
Effectively, 1 million beneficiaries were deleted from the initial 3.7 million, recorded in the 2020/2021 growing season, bringing down the figure to 2.7 million in the 2021/2022 farming season.
Our investigations have shown that all the district councils responded promptly, by moving into the scaling down exercise, where the number of beneficiaries in some villages was trimmed to 6 farming families only.
It is a known fact that taxpayers’ money was used to undertake this very costly exercise, in the form of fuel, stationery, and allowances.
In a twist turn of events, President Chakwera publicly nullified your ministry’s decision, sir, giving an impression that he was not party to the directive, and neither was he consulted on the matter.
Now that we know the scaling down exercise was not sanctioned by President Chakwera, then Malawians are justified to say that you made a unilateral decision, which has cost the taxpayers huge sums of money.
In all fairness, sir, you should have resigned immediately after the public address was made by Dr. Chakwera, since his remarks smelt a vote of no confidence in you as the responsible Minister of Agriculture.
This has also soiled your credibility in the eyes of the district council authorities, who will be hesitant to abide by any instructions from your office, in future, hence the more reason CDEDI is calling for your resignation, in a bid to protect your integrity.
CDEDI is, therefore, giving you sir, seven (7) days to either make publicly, a detailed statement, justifying your decision to scale down the number of AIP beneficiaries, and indicating how much the exercise has cost Malawians, or step-down, to save yourself from shame and further embarrassment, following your lack of knowledge on government protocols and procedures, given President Chakwera’s reversal of your action, as the responsible Minister of Agriculture.
Failure to do so within the stipulated period, will leave CDEDI with no option, but to invoke the Access to Information Act, to ensure that the citizens, who double as taxpayers, have the right to access this public information, without undue hindrance, as evidence that will help them to push for your resignation.
Yours Faithfully, Sylvester Namiwa EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)—Malawi Government has taken heed of advice from the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiative (CDEDI) to provide a waiver on access to pension funds in a bid to alleviate the suffering of workers from the private sector, especially teachers and those from the hospitality industry who have been affected by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
CDEDI Executive Director Slyvester Namiwa in a press release said, for instance, private school teachers and employees from the hospitality industry are struggling to meet ends meet since they are either staying idle or lost jobs.
He said, for this reason government should provide access to pension funds even before one reaches the retirement age.
Responding, the Minister of Finance Felix Msulu has accepted the appeal and has since asked all affected employees to write the ministry of finance through their employers.
Teachers of private schools and those working in the hospitality industry have been going without pay for close to three months now due to covid-19 preventive measures that saw the closure of all public and private schools.
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