The Malawi Government is alleged to have paid each family a meagre K1, 000 [One Thousand Kwacha Only] as compensation for the destruction of property and houses in Nsanje-Marka Road Project in Chikwawa and Nsanje.

China Railway 20 Bureau Limited (CR20) started constructing the 26-kilometre tarmac road in 2019 after the Roads Authority (RA) awarded it a contract worth close to K11 billion.

When it launched the project, the government said the road would simplify and reduce transport costs for smallholder and large-scale farmers and businesspeople.

The road was designed to connect and boost economic activities among the people of Traditional Authorities (T/As) Ndamera, Chimombo, Ngabu, Makolo and Malemia through removal of the transportation challenges farmers and businesspeople used to face when taking their agricultural produce to towns and cities such as Blantyre in search of better prices.

But two communities affected by the project are not complaining that “instead of being a blessing to the people of Chikwawa and Nsanje, the road project has become a trumpeter of death.”

Scores of people who thronged journalists who were on tour of the road project on Thursday alleged that apart from the government paying them a meagre K1, 000 as compensation for the loss of their property and houses, the quality of the workmanship on the road leaves a lot to be desired.

The tour was organized by the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI).

One of the affected people, Ibrahim Amon, pleaded with journalists to assist in sending the message about their plight to the leaders at Capital Hill.

“What can a family that has lost a house and other valuable property do with K1, 000? Is the government serious that, in this era and economic times, one can rebuild his or her family with K1, 000?” asked Amon.

Catherine Stafford – a resident of Chamboko Village under Traditional Authority Ngabu in Nsanje – lamented that instead of boosting social and economic activities, the road has become a “death trap”.

Speaking in her Sena language, Stafford said schools and rural health centres have been washed away by water, which the CR20 diverted to the facilities in the course of the construction work.

“Of course, this is a village. But this road is not of up to standard. I have been to Nsanje Boma and Blantyre. I have never seen a road of poor standard as this one,” she said.

Group Village Head White accused the government of betraying his subjects, arguing the project is a sham and a mockery to taxpayers.

White said the government did not consult traditional and community leaders before embarking on the project.

“I have been to the DC’s office countless times, but we are not being assisted. We would like to appeal to the Minister responsible and even the President to intervene because people are suffering here,” he said.

Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Halima Daud, was in a meeting when Nyasa Times wanted to seek her comment on the matter.

Meanwhile, CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa has challenged Malawians to stand up and defend their rights by “keeping an eye” on development projects.

Namiwa observed that officials at the Capital Hill are taking advantage of the docility of Malawians to abuse resources meant to develop this country.

By Deus Chikalaza

The country’s graft agency Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) and Immigration department has been challenged to probe on reports that Indian businessman Waheed Kassam has swindled billions of kwacha through dubious deals when importing raw materials for Sun Seed Oil and Central Poultry.

This publication has in possession of documents corrupt syndicate in which Kassam and his cousin Nazim Kassiman have been stealing from hard earned taxpayers’ money.

Kassam whose offices are at Dudu and close to Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) have been importing raw materials through dubious means.

According to the documents seen, raw materials were imported from China, Dubai, India, the United Kingdom (UK) and South Africa.

This has been happening for as many years as you can imagine, evading tax as well as externalizing forex in the name of hotel construction. They buy materials more than required. For instance, instead of 5 containers they bring 50 or more on duty free and sale the rest.

Inside sources at Sun Seed Oil confided in with this publication that all imports were never bonded and went straight to Dudu or Airport Road premises.

“On externalization of money, they buy goods outside using their Dubai Company and inflate the figures. For example, something they buy at US$10 000 it is invoiced at US$50 000 or more. A container of US$30 000 is priced at a larger amount like US$300 000 and at the border it is reduced to US$10 000,” reveals the source.

“We want ACB to investigate dubious deal Kassam companies have been stealing from Malawians through importation of raw material dubiously. Billions of kwachas have been swindled.
“We are ready to cooperate with probing agencies on this dubious deals Mr Kassam has been doing over the years. We love our country that’s why we are coming out now,” dares inside sources at Central Poultry.

He adds, “We want MRA to tell the nation how one person could invade tax through dubious deals when importing raw materials while the rest of us are burdened with duty on border or airports”.

Five workers from two companies; Sun Seed oil and Central Poultry told this publication that were ready to testify again Kassam’s corrupt dealing when matter is probed.
This comes barely months after Kassam is implicated a case where registered Trustees of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) want court involvement in claiming the land now housing Bisnowaty filling and supermarket, the UNICEF offices and the National Audit Office.
This follows the manner how the said land was sold to David Bisnowaty who later sold the land to Waheed Kassam of MANOBEC limited in Lilongwe.

Kassam has never been available to this publication for reaction over numerous corrupt dealings on his head hence the need for ACB to probe on the matter.

Like-minded individuals and organizations have formed Land Justice Consortium (LJC), which is expected to provide Malawians with platform to demand entrenchment and promotion of transparency and accountability in the land sector.

The consortium also aims to ensure that indigenous Malawians own land and benefit from it unlike in the current scenario where indigenous citizens face challenges to access and own land because of rampant corruption in the sector.

Notable faces in consortium are Land Governance Expert Emmanuel Mlaka, social and human rights activist Sylvester Namiwa, social and economic justice advocate Jolly Kenan, women’s rights activist and farmer Mphatso Jumbe, peace, security and development activist Edward Chaka and Mzuzu-based youth advocate Gomezgani Nkhoma.

The grouping has since demanded that freehold land ownership should be removed and converted to leasehold estates.

In a statement issued at a press briefing in Lilongwe on Tuesday, the grouping suggested that freehold land tenure should be an exclusive entitlement for indigenous Malawians.

“In-line with the proposed land bill, there should be creation of customary land estate which will be held by indigenous Malawians in perpetuity. Registration of customary land into customary estate will ensure security of land tenure. Government must ensure that all idle land is made available and accessible to all landless indigenous,” reads the statement in part.

The grouping claimed that there are “some elements who are working day and night with the oppressors to discredit the forthcoming land bills amendments, which are in circulation.”

It further alleged that there is an invisible hand, which, for ages, has successfully denied Malawians a chance to reclaim their ancestral inheritance by taking away Sections 9 sub-section 2 and 3 in the then land bill of 2016.

The grouping said it is for this reason that they are on high alert to expose and fight against any such attempts this time around.

“We are appealing to Members of Parliament to bear in mind that land issues in Malawi have reached crisis levels that require urgent attention, and the time for action is now. Needless to remind our MPs, the citizens and all the sundry that land is the only natural resource that identifies us a people of Malawi and the rate at which our people are losing land if not checked, we will wake up stateless when all the land is gone,” they said.

They warned that they will not hesitate to mobilize the well- meaning Malawians to protest any attempts to frustrate any efforts for land amendments or reforms that favor the marginalized and the vulnerable such as women and the youth to exercise a right to own and benefit from land.

On the other hand, they challenged the new Minister of Lands, Sam Kawale, to quickly call for a land audit exercise in order to ascertain who owns what land and for what purpose.

“Similarly, the Land Management Information System (LMIS) must be fast tracked to facilitate land audit and digitization in a transparent manner. This will in turn enhance transparency, reduce corruption, will ensure the land rights of indigenous citizens are secured. As regards to large scale land acquisitions, Customary Land holders should be sensitized against selling land but rather, be encouraged to lease it out or convert it into shareholding in any proposed investment. These options are already in the 2016 land law but need to be promoted even by Authorities such as Green Belt Authority, and other land investment related authorities including District Commissioners; bearing in mind about ownership in perpetuity and rural land development. This will also mitigate against rendering the indigenous citizens of Malawi landless.

“There should be speedy implementation of customary land registration. Recruitment of required personnel is critical for the successful implementation of the same and should be done in line with the Decentralization Policy. Issues of “tradition” or culture in land access, ownership and control must be in tandem with the legislation to ensure that the rights of the people are safeguarded irrespective of their gender, age or tribe. The discrimination of women and youth goes against the constitution of Malawi and destabilizes the possibility of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” reads the statement.

Meanwhile, LJC has appealed to Malawians of good will and other like-minded individuals and institutions to come forward and join the struggle to liberate the country from land colonization where most of the arable and prime land is in the wrong hands.

The current land law and policy in Malawi traces its roots back to the formal declarations of British authority over Central Africa by the British Orders in Council of 1889, 1892 and 1893.

The British Orders in Council of 1893 formally proclaimed British Protectorate status over Malawi (then Nyasaland).

It has been argued that the general thrust of colonial land policy was to appropriate all land to the British Sovereign for the ultimate occupation and ownership of the colonial settler community under private land tenure.

The natives could only acquire “occupational rights” which ensured cheap labor for the colonial settler community.

Political activist Bon Kalindo has issued an audio, warning Asian Business person Abdul Karim Batatawala over his letter, threatening and demanding an apology from National Publications Limited Journalists who he claims are doing biased reporting on issues connected to him to stop the act.

In an audio, Kalindo says the letter that Batatawala has issued threatening Journalists is a clear indication that he does not know the freedom of press in Malalawi and that he is rude and disrespectful to the Malawian press.

He says, threatening a Journalist in any means is an act against Malawi’s Constitution that guarantees freedom of press among the Journalists.

” I have seen your letter, warning and threatening Journalists to issue an apology for covering issues connected to you. I wish to let you know that this is against the law that guarantees the freedom of press and anyone found threatening Journalists should face the court of law”, says Kalindo in an audio.

Kalindo says Batatawala should withdraw his letter demanding an apology within the seven days, warning that failure to do so will force him to lead the demos on the issue.

” We have seen the letter that you have wrote, demanding an apology from NPL Journalists who you claim are misreporting issues connected to you within the seven days. I Bon Kalindo also giving you the same seven days to withdraw the letter and if you fail to do so, I will organise demonstrations that we will go and march at your house.

Let the Journalists cover what they feel is for public interest and remember there is access to information law that allows them to do so without being threatened with anyone. No one is above that law,” says.

He challenges that he is ready to be arrested again until Batatawala withdraws his letter .

” I am ready to be arrested again until you withdraw your letter within the seven days. I am ready to call all Malawians to demonstrate against this,” says Kalindo.

He adds that his silent in leading anti-government protests in the country is not that he has given up but he is helping and reaching out Moderate Cyclone Ana victima with various donations.

On March 2, 2022, Nation Publications Limited published an article covering four top government claims list, including Batatawala who is said to have claiming about K250 billion through 20 business entities.