Malawi’s Leader of Opposition in Parliament and main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Vice President for South, Dr. Kondwani Nankhumwa, will on Sunday invade Mgoma Ground in Area 25 in Lilongwe.
Dr. Nankhumwa, a crowd puller, will address a rally alongside DPP’s Secretary General Gledezer Jeffrey and other senior party officials from the Central Region.
Dubbed Mother of all rallies, thousands upon thousands of DPP supporters from Lilongwe and surrounding areas have vowed to grace the blue jamboree.
The rally will be graced with live music performances by Annie Matumbi, Lawrence Mbenjere, Atoti Manje and traditional dances such as gule wa mkulu which is common in Lilongwe.
Malawi’s Vice President Salous Chilima has a packed schedule in the United States of America with several high level meetings lined up to attend the whole week.
The Malawi Veep started his work schedule by interacting with Malawians living in the USA on Sunday, immediately after his arrival in New York.
Chilima is in the USA to attend the 2022 United Nation (UN) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Forum for Financing Development in New York, USA, where he is representing President Lazarous Chakwera.
According to a hectic programme, Chilima is on Monday morning scheduled to attend a high level and important meeting for Financing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by increasing fiscal space for an inclusive and sustainable recovery.
He is also scheduled to attend a meeting aimed at aligning the global debt architecture with the SDGs later in the day and then participate in general debate on behalf of Least Developed Countries LDCs and Africa.
On Tuesday, the Veep is scheduled to attend a special high-level meeting with Bretton Woods Institutions such as the World Bank and IMF, WTO and UNCTAD aimed at securing an Inclusive and Sustainable Recovery.
On Wednesday, Chilima will attend a meeting on building a fair and effective tax system and combating illicit financial flows, meeting on Boosting private investment in the SDGs and another meeting on expanding concessional finance aligned with national sustainable development strategies
The programme gets busier everyday and on Thursday, the Malawi Veep is scheduled to attend a high level meeting on Digital transition: Opportunities and risks and later be a Guest of Honour at the launch of International Labour Organiastion (ILO) Report on Future of Work.
Earlier on Sunday the Malawi Veep interacted with Malawians living in the USA where he thanked the USA Diaspora community for the invitation and the commitment that they have for their country.
“A number of issues and questions were raised during the meeting ranging from Passports renewal to national development issues,” he said about the meeting.
He assured the Diaspora community that initiatives like the Public Sector Reforms are bearing fruit and that improved means of processing the Malawi passport are on course.
The ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development that Chilima has been invited to is an intergovernmental process with universal participation mandated to review the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (Addis Agenda) and other financing for development outcomes and the means of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Speaking to the media before departure on Friday, Chilima said the trip is important for the country as delegates at the event will discuss ways of advancing development in least developed countries such as Malawi.
He is expected to return home on 30th April, 2022.
Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA) Board Chairman has chided his secretariat staff including the Director General Edington Chilapondwa for ‘leaking’ information after the board declined to approve a ‘No objection’ application for a government department recently.
In an email to Chilapondwa and secretariat staff, PPDA Board Chairman John Suzi Banda, a lawyer by profession, said he was disappointed that members of the secretariat leaked the decision of the board which declined the ‘No objection’ application.
“Last night I received some information that seemed to suggest that some of the discussions which took place at our Tuesday’s meeting in Salima regarding our decision whether to approve a certain application or seek further clarification from the applying PDE were leaked. Now, there’s a difference between going back to the PDE and stating that the Board wants this or that clarified and saying ‘the Chairman was angry with your application!’ Surely! C’mon!”
“It is not my intention to pursue this matter further. I think that as an institution we’re already dealing with more important and critical issues requiring our urgent and total focus and concentration. We mustn’t allow ourselves to be derailed with this. For the record, the leakage came from the Secretariat. Let’s do better, folks,” reads the email in part.
Suzi Banda said as Chairman of the Board, he gets all sorts of enquiries, calls, demands, ill-conceived ‘instructions’, even threats regarding some of the issues being handled by the PPDA.
Chilapondwa: Accused of leaking information
“These come from all manner of people – interest groups, NGOs, senior politicians, senior government officers, suppliers and some ‘hired guns’. I have shared with some of you these challenges. It has always been my modus operandi to ensure total professional independence of everyone involved in the approval process (which seems to be the one area of most interest to many) – this is from the analyzing desk officers, their immediate supervisors, the DG and each and every member of the Board.”
Suzi Banda therefore motivates his charges that his board is out to work and send the right message by remaining professional and respecting the law.
“As I have said before, this professional independence and open and transparent debate deepens our engagement of issues before us and enriches the quality of our decisions,” said Suzi Banda.
“However, this is only possible if everyone engages on issues without fearing that their personal position on an issue shall leak out. It’s just not the right way to manage ourselves. Irrespective of the constant pressures from all manner of people, some of us have taken the default position that either ‘the Secretariat will analyze and give us their view’ or ‘that the Board shall discuss and revert with its position’ and, of course, ‘I stand by the analysis given’.”
“When such a decision is made, it is then up to me, as the leader, to explain to those that are entitled to any explanation. This is probably the worst and perhaps the most risky part of my ‘job description’. But I suppose it comes with the territory. There’s, therefore, no reason that any member of the Executive should feel pressured to explain anything to anyone,” advised Suzi Banda.
“In short, let’s de-risk the approval process from foreign contamination (either from political pressures, financial interests or whosoever) by refusing to draw a sharp focus on anyone by singling them out for their position on an issue. Don’t feel pressured to do this. I too deal with those pressures every day! It’s simply the nature of the beast! Let’s get back to work!” said Suzi Banda in the email.
New York, Mana: Malawians living in New York, USA have reaffirmed their continued support to the development of Malawi, because they feel they are indebted to their home land.
Representative for the Diaspora community in New York Cliffton Bobe made the assurance, Sunday when the Vice President of the Republic of Malawi Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima hosted members of the community at the Lotte New York Palace where he is currently lodging.
The Vice President is in New York to attend the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Summit which will be held from April 25 to 28.
Speaking on behalf of the grouping, Bobe said the Diaspora community is very committed to contribute to national development through investment and creation of new jobs and asked the leadership to continue creating conducive environments for them to connecting more with Malawi and play their role in development.
“We appreciate the manner in which government supports us and we would like to assure the leadership that we will always remember that we are Malawians and Malawi needs us in its development,” said Bobe
He added that through partnerships, members of the community are investing in businesses being held in Malawi with a core intention of ensuring that fellow Malawians benefit from the proceeds of the businesses.
Bobe However raised the concern on foreign currency shortages which he said heavily affects their businesses at the time they want to stock their outlets in Malawi, consequently causing lucrative business opportunities slip through their fingers.
Aside getting involved in businesses in Malawi, the grouping of Malawians in Diaspora is known to have taken part in raising funds to support Malawians back home during the calamities caused by the recent Tropical Storm Ana and Cyclone Gombe.
Taking his turn in the engagement, the Vice President commended the Diaspora Malawians for their continued interest in Malawi’s development, further inviting them to be part of a mindset change project that Malawi needs to undergo for sustainable development to blossom.
He said the obsession with negativity that is at reign in the country is not fueling development but rather killing the spirit of togetherness that is critical for national development.
“In order to deal with this we need everyone to take part because the government alone cannot manage. That is why every Malawian needs to take the role in their hands, and n this we would like to invite people like you who have been exposed to other cultures to be part of this expedition to redeem our country’s future,” the Vice President said.
On the Malawi government’s commitment to work with them in development, the Veep further added that there would be more engagements through the Mission in New York and all missions across Malawi’s diplomatic relations.
Apart from investment and mindset change the two sides discussed various issues of national interest in areas of education, health and national security in which the Diaspora Malawians raised questions on areas they needed clarification from the Malawi leadership.
Malawi’s fight against corruption needs total corroboration from all spheres of governance including civil society organizations (CSOs), media state prosecuting agencies and among others.
This fight cannot be for one man show the way Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General Martha Chizuma is pursuing the matter.
ACB is a public office not CSOs, social media buzz that one can have personal agenda against public office Act mandate.
Chizuma might have passion to end corruption in Malawi but does not give her a leeway to bypass other state prosecuting agencies including Office of Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Attorney General (AG), Malawi Police Service (MPS) and courts.
The ACB director keeps on ignoring AG, DPP, Police, court in her duties while accusing them of not supportive or being bribed according to the contested leaked audio.
Chizuma has resorted seeking sympathy from social media friends no wonder she is in trouble in court for rosy approach of ACB office.
Martha Chizuma is being overrated despite several mistakes she has made at ACB which by now she could be fired or honorably resigned.
Any public officer who breaches secrecy oath (the way Chizuma) gets fired or resigns to pave away for other able individuals to take over the task.
We have recently, witnessed the firing of former Lands Minister Kezzie Msukwa, ex-labour Minister Ken Kandodo, former Energy Minister Newton Kambala, Ex-AG Chikosa Silungwe and other President Lazarus Chakwera’s aid. These public officers messed up in one way of the other to get the boot.
Chakwera however only warned Chizuma of her silly action at ACB. But she continues ignoring that warning while engaging militant social media friends who agitate for anarchy.
How long will Chizuma protected for being taken as a sacred cow? Why is being treated with gloves at ACB than her predecessors? Is Chizuma the only capable Malawian to handle corruption?
All these questions are nothing to do with her sex, being woman but ability to run public office entrusted by Malawian people not social media friend.
Even these so called social media friends’ credibility is questionable as others are in court battles while some are disgruntled, frustrated after being denied positions in Tonse government and one is advancing political agenda in 2025 presidential polls.
It’s now surprising that Chakwera still keeping Chizuma at ACB when the court ordered her to be probed later the High court stops the process.
Chizuma is not above the law otherwise we are turning her to be semi-god. Sadly, USA, UK government are supporting Chizuma illegally whereby she is now reporting to them in any office operations.
Malawi government is a system which don’t work in isolation with other agencies the way Chizuma is operating at ACB.
If Chizuma wants to win back public trust not social media friends on corruption fight, she needs to work closely with courts, AG, DPP, Police otherwise her effort in corruption fight is water under the bridge.
Agitating for anarchy through social media friends will make her useless at ACB.
The CCAP Blantyre Synod has agreed with the contents of Pastoral letter by its Sister Synod of Nkhoma who have punched holes into the Chakwera led adminstration calling it weak, corrupt and nepotistic.
Speaking at Mitawa CCAP in Mulanje Presbytery, General Secretary for BT Synod, Rev Dr Billy Gama said as a Synod, they agree with the contents of the Pastoral letter as they are a true representation of the country’s social, economic and political situation
Rev Gama who spoke amid a biggest applause and ululation from the congregants, said as Blantyre Synod they too will be sitting to reflect over the issues affecting Malawi and come up with their own Pastoral letter guided by their relevant church courts.
He said it is true that the current leadership has failed to bring the desired change following the highest cost of living, nepotism, corruption, security lapse, among other dents under the Tonse government as highlighted by the Nkhoma Synod.
The sermon was held to induct Rev Charles Ntonya as Moderator for Mitawa CCAP under Mulanje Presbytery of the Blantyre Synod.
Rev Ntonya has taken over from Rev Kondwani Cheuka who has been posted to Matope CCAP of Mangochi Presbytery.
SuperSport viewers on DStv and GOtv will be counting down the days to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, with the tournament set to run from 21 November to 18 December and provide the most thrilling distillation of ‘The Beautiful Game’.
Qatar 2022 will not only be the first-ever World Cup played in the Middle East, but also the first to be played in the Northern Hemisphere’s winter months of November and December (the tournament has always been held in the summer months of June and July in the past).
This means that major European leagues, such as the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A will have to be suspended while the 2022 FIFA World Cup is ongoing, bringing on major changes in their schedule for the 2022-23 season.
The 2022 World Cup begins on November 21st, with the Premier League set to be suspended roughly a week before. Matchday 16 will be the final round of fixtures before the break, with those games falling on the weekend of November 12th and 13th. Then, the call-up period will begin on Monday 14th November, where international managers select their squads.
The season will be adjusted slightly to accommodate the tournament, with the opening day now set to take place on the earlier date of August 6th.
The 2022 World Cup final will take place on Sunday 18th December 2022, and there won’t be much time for Premier League players to recover, as Boxing Day, December 26th, marks the resumption of the 2022-23 season.
Due to the aforementioned adjustment, the Premier League campaign will end later than usual on May 28th. Other leagues which run from August to May are expected to follow a similar schedule to the Premier League’s.
The UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League will also have adjusted schedules to accommodate the World Cup. The Champions League, for example, will complete its qualifying rounds by the end of August, while the group stage will be crammed into the time from 6-7 September until 1-2 November.
The knockout phase of the competition will resume as usual in February 2023 after the World Cup has come and gone, but the final will only be held on 10 June 2023 (with the Conference League’s final on 7 June and the Europa League’s final on 31 May).
Don’t miss the New Football Season on SuperSport on DStv and GOtv. Access a world of choice and easily manage your subscription using the MyDStv and MyGOtv app, subscribe or upgrade, and join in on the excitement. And while you’re on the move, you can stream matches on the DStv App.
PRESS STATEMENT FROM TUMBUKA SENIOR CHIEFS AGAINST INSTALLATION OF GVH BONGOLOLO AS PARAMOUNT CHIEF CHIKULAMAYEMBE
22nd April, 2022
Told to cancel the installation ceremony
In utter-disbelief and state of shock to what has transpired in the Chikulamayembe succession wrangle, specifically government’s handling of the issue, we would like categorically communicate our strong stand and stance against government’s plan to proceed with the installation of GVH Bongololo as Paramount Chief Themba Lama Themba Chikulamayembe of the Tumbuka Tribe and Cultural.
We are greatly disturbed and disappointed that despite all the overwhelming evidence of tension, disunity and political interference surrounding the Chikulamayembe Chieftaincy succession wrangle, a government voted into power on a promise to uphold the rule of law, unity, fairness and justice would proceed to conduct an installation amidst out right political interference evidence, division, disunity, tension among the Tumbuka people. We find this absolutely unfortunate by the government particularly Head of State Dr. Lazarus Chakwera and Ministry of Local Government.
To our further disappointment, we have not received any feedback from our numerous letters to the Office of President and Ministry of Local Government regarding the grave and generational harm approval of GVH Bongololo.
A commission of inquiry was instituted to mediate/bring the two parties in the wrangle into peace and as of today no report has been issued by the commission of inquiry to the Head of State and Ministry of Local Government, yet the Head of State went ahead to approve GVH Bongololo as the rightful heir to the throne rendering a strong question in public domain on what basis was used in the approval. We find this utter unfortunate from the Head of State who is expected to handle and treat issues with sensitivity, thought leadership and scrutiny, especially cultural issues which a single mistake carries a lifetime effect on a tribe’s future generations, unity and culture.
We would like to make the public aware that on the 17th of April 2022 through the Rumphi District Commissioner Emmanuel Bulukutu, Deputy Minister of Local Government Hon. Halima Daud called for a meeting of Chikulamayembe Clan Heads with the meeting invitation letter dated 14th of April 2022 to a meeting on the 18th of April, which was a public holiday and without any agenda specified, where the Chairman of Clans Heads GVH Khalapamhanya responded in writing advising the Honourable Deputy Minister against the meeting as the clans heads included in the invitation were not the rightful ones of the Chikulamayembe royal families.
To our disappointment, the meeting still took place without the royal clans chairman GVH Khalapamhanya and with only GVH Bongololo side representatives where the deputy minister of local government Hon. Halima Daud was quoted to have been satisfied that there are no longer chieftainship wrangles which we find absolutely unfortunate, unprofessional, unfair and shameful of the Hon.
Deputy Minister of Local Government Halima Daud, especially that only one side was present in the meeting. To our further most shocker, we received another letter from the Rumphi District Commissioner on the same 17th April 2022 dated 14th April 2022 demanding the Royal Highness Acting Paramount Chief Themba Lama Themba Mtima Chikulamayembe Mtima Gondwe to surrender his chieftainship gown, office keys and stamp rendering a question to what exactly was the basis of the meeting by Honourable Deputy Minister of Local Government Halima Daud if a determination was made before the meeting, of which we refused to hand over any regalia or keys. We are aware of rumours that members of the instituted commission of inquiry in the Chikulamayembe chieftainship succession wrangle are being denied an audience with the Head of State to question the president’s basis of approving GVH Bongololo in absence of their report and against their recommendations, which we find very unfortunate from a leader who was voted into power on the promise of changing the status quo of how affairs are runed in the country, Malawi.
We further would like to bring the public to awareness that we filled for an injunction application with the Mzuzu High Court on the 12 of March 2022 and we are yet to have a ruling which is quite strange especially with the fact that our legal representation Kitta & Company and Kawelo & Company filled the application with certificate of urgency per required by law in matter that requires urgent determination.
The case was assigned to Justice Maureen Kondowe of Mzuzu High Court. We are fully aware the extent of political interference in the wrangle to the extent where T/A Mwankhunikira who is looked at as Acting Paramount Chief’s Mtima Gondwe sympathiser, was invited to Lilongwe by Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Spokesperson Rev. Maurice Munthali on the 6th of April 2022. The Senior Chief met Rev. Maurice Munthali on the 7th of April 2022 at 4:30PM at the Ministry of Local Government offices in Lilongwe at Capital Hill where Rev. Maurice Munthali was accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Local Government Hon. Halima Daud and Aford Party President Enock Chihana.
The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Spokesperson Rev. Maurice Munthali with the aid of Deputy Minister of Local Government Hon. Halima Daud and Aford Party President Enock Chihana coerced T/A Mwankhunikira to support the unlawful and unculturable ascension of GVH Bongololo to the Chikulamayembe Chieftaincy with a promise to purchase a vehicle and construct a house for the Traditional Authority, which we find very unfortunate and of great concern.
The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Spokesperson Rev. Maurice Munthali, Aford President Enock Chihana and Deputy Minister of Local Government Hon. Halima Daud went further to persuade T/A Mwankhunikira to convince his Royal Highness Acting Paramount Chief Themba Lama Themba Mtima Walter Gondwe to take up a diplomatic/embassy post in exchange of GVH Bongololo’s ascension to the Paramount Chikulamayembe Chieftaincy, which we find laughable, immature, unacceptable and further render the deputy minister of local government Halima Daud way compromised to handle this issue.
We would like to once again communicate our strong stand against the approval and installation of GVH Bongololo as Paramount Chief Chikulamayembe as it is unculturable, illogical and of grave harm to the Tumbuka culture and tribe, and if the government decides to proceed with the installation, unspecified cultural actions will be deployed which will unlikely render the installation impossible.
In conclusion, we urge the government not to proceed with the installation until all matters are resolved in this issue and furthermore to save government and Head of State of an impeccable embarrassment and humiliation, and most importantly for the sake of peace in Nkhamanga Kingdom and among Tumbaka’s across the world.
TNM Ngamise Gumbo (standing) engages one of village banks
TNM Mpamba Limited, wholly owned subsidiary of TNM plc, has launched Mudzi Wathu Village Bank at Chatoloma in Kasungu to promote a culture of saving by people in rural areas.
Speaking at the launch, CEO Arnold Mbwana said Mpamba Mudzi Wathu Village Bank is a mobile technology financial tool that will broaden inclusion and participation of rural people in the mainstream of financial services ecosystems.
“Mobile technology is the new bridge connecting community development to financial services to catalyze social-economic development of rural and remote areas. With Mpamba Mudzi Wathu Village Bank, TNM is introducing E-Commerce to the unbanked and under-banked, while offering both security and convenience to savings groups to meet their development needs,” said Mbwana.
He said the Mpamba-based group Village Bank service will migrate rudimental savings and lending from traditional to digitally-enabled platforms with enhanced safety and transactability for cash.
According to Chris Sukasuka, TNM Mpamba Limited General Manager the service will bring equity in financial inclusion.
“The service breaks geographic barriers ensuring that both urban and rural people get equal access to financial services and benefit equally from the diversity of new financial technologies,” he said.
Plan International Malawi Country Director Phoebe Kasoga said the innovation will take financial inclusion to great heights more especially among women.
“Elsewhere in Africa the model has proved to be an effective tool for driving financial inclusion and economic empowerment. We are therefore required to build trust so that women in Malawi can understand that the service by TNM can make their lives better,” said Kasoga.
Appreciating the impact of the product, Kasoga said called for intensive awareness of Mudzi Wathu Village Bank to enhance adoption.
“There is a need to generate enough resources to be able to train women for them to understand the meaning of digital capabilities and ensuring that the product delivers best value in their lives,” she said.
On her part, Chairpeson for Kawiya Village Bank, Loveness Nyirenda is optimistic that the service will secure their club’s money. “Mudzi Wathu Village Bank has come at a right time when groups are searching for ways to improve safety of savings. The challenge we have been encountering in keeping cash has been sorted with the product,” said Nyirenda.
The community launch of Mpamba Mudzi Wathu Village Bank follows its unveiling during the 1st Generation Equality Conference in Lilongwe on April 16, 2022 hosted by former President and prominent Pan African women’s activist Dr Joyce Banda.
Malawi’s Vice President Saulos Chilima on Friday left for the United States of America (USA) to attend the 2022 United Nation (UN) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Forum for Financing Development in New York, USA.
Chilima has been delegated by President Lazarus Chakwera to represent him and lead a lean Malawi delegation of 15 people from the Ministry of Finance and other sectors to the four day forum scheduled for 25th to 28th April 2022.
The ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development follow-up is an intergovernmental process with universal participation mandated to review the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (Addis Agenda) and other financing for development outcomes and the means of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Speaking to the media before departure, Chilima said the trip is important for the country as delegates at the event will discuss ways of advancing development in least developed countries such as Malawi.
The Vice President said only 15 people are on the list of his delegation, stressing it was unfortunate that people bent on denting his image fabricated stories that he will be accompanied by a bloated delegation of 40 people.
According to the Vice President’s Press Office, some of the side engagements that the Vice President is expected to undertake while in New York include a meeting with the current Chair of ECOSOC Collen Vixen Kelapile.
The Vice President is also expected to have meetings with the Acting Representative of the Office of Least Developed Countries and the UNDP Global Administrator.
Chilima has also been requested to make a Keynote Statement at a high level Leaders Dialogue on Green and Climate Resilience Bonds organised by United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF).
The Vice President left through Kamuzu International Airport where he was seen off by hundreds of UTM party officials, supporters and government officials.
He is expected to return home on 30th April, 2022.
