Minister of Finance Felix Mlusu has been dropped in the new cabinet which is scheduled to be realised this weekend , but chances are high that the announcement may be shifted to a later date following our expose.
Mlusu chopped in the new cabinet
Malawi Observer has it on authority that Mlusu dropping from the cabinet is on suspicion that he is aligned to vice President Saulos Chilima.
Information in our possession is that President Chakwera is threatened by allegations made to him that the insuerer turned Minister of finance, Felix Mlusu is loyal to Chilima than him .
Apart from Mlusu, three other Ministers have also been kicked out from the cabinet.
Two prominent business figures have been drafted in the new cabinet.
Corrupt Portuguese construction giant Mota Engil, has bought Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera a stone crusher and offered him lucrative deals , in his capacity as Minister of transport, Malawi Observers can exclusively reveal.
The post of Minister of transport became vacant on 12 January 2021, following the death of Muhammad Sidik Mia, who succumbed to covid 19 .
However, eight months down the line after the death of Sidik Mia, President Chakwera has not apointed his replacement , making him an automatic Minister of transport .
Mota Engil which was bullied left and right as soon as Chakwera took off leadership , has transformed into the darling of the ruling Malawi Congress Party , wining and dinning with President Chakwera , Foreign affairs minister Mkaka , State House chief of staff Prince Kapondagaga and others in the corridors of Kamuzu Palace .
Malawi Observer can reveal that Mota Engil, is now in good books with President Chakwera having bought him a stone crusher which Mota Engil will hire from Chakwera and in return, launder the proceeds on his behalf in offshore accounts which we will not disclose .
As that is not enough, Mota Engil has given Chakwera lucrative offer on each contract awarded to the Portuguese giants as a token of appreciation, for his good gesture towards them as Minister of transport .
If you were wondering why President Chakwera is not willing to appoint Minister of transport, here is the answer , President chakwera is the major beneficiary of all corrupt deals taking place in the Ministry of transport with the major construction goliath,Mota Engil .
Chakwera is doing the same in other ministries which have no line minister following the death of the minister responsible or firing of the same .
MultiChoice Africa is excited to welcome the next generation of passionate young film creatives to the MTF Academy hubs in Nairobi, Lagos & Lusaka as part of the Class of 2022. After a 6-week selection process across 13 African countries, 60 aspiring filmmakers representing East Africa, Southern Africa and West Africa will begin their 12-month training programme at the MTF Academies in October this year.
The final candidates were selected after a rigorous interview and adjudication process by film and television experts, as well as regional Academy Directors. Now in its third year, the MultiChoice Talent Factory has honed the skills of 120 emerging filmmakers in 13 countries across the continent, who are now part of the growing MTF alumni network, taking African stories to the world.
At the onset of the pandemic, MTF looked for ways to ensure that our curriculum was still delivered with the expected impact. Critical to this was leveraging relationships with our strategic partners when identifying solutions for our students. This led to even greater opportunities as our last cohort benefited from an intensive 3-week New York Film Academy (NYFA) online training course. Formulated in partnership with NYFA, this course is now part of the MTF curriculum where the new cohort will learn how to produce micro documentaries, public service announcements, television commercials and music videos. This type of training broadens their skillset and allows them to be economically active in various sectors, not only the film industry.
The success of any academic programme can be measured by the contribution made by alumni in the industry. To find out how MTF academies are continuing to ignite Africa’s creative industries, MTF carried out an annual survey, and found that of those that participated in the survey from of the inaugural class of 2019, 92% are economically active in the industry. According to CEO: General Entertainment & Connected Video Yolisa Phahle, this is exactly what the industry needs and why MTF was launched.
“As Africa’s most loved storyteller, our commitment is not only to tell authentic African stories but to also invest in them, that is why some of our alumni are working on M-Net and Showmax productions. Currently we have alumni in 7 countries working on M-Net and Showmax productions and the list keeps growing. They are helping us to realise the vision of taking African stories to the world with a “hyperlocal” approach, producing relevant content within the respective regions of our continent, as opposed to a one-size-fits-all strategy,” says Phahle.
The academy’s curriculum was tailored alongside MultiChoice Africa partner institutions Pan-Atlantic University in Lagos, Kenyatta University in Nairobi, and the University of Zambia in Lusaka, which will respectively confer the course qualification upon completion of the academy programme. In addition, The Henley Business School offers an orientation intervention to the students at the beginning and end of the 12-month programme as well workshops on Business for Creatives focussing on entrepreneurship.
Meet your MTF Class of 2022:
East Africa Academy
Southern Africa Academy
West Africa Academy
Kalkidan Fessehaye (Ethiopia) Nahusenay Dereje (Ethiopia) Ritha Saxon (Tanzania) Christopher Masalu (Tanzania) Raimon Sanga (Tanzania) Kenneth Msanjila (Tanzania) Doreen Kilimbe (Tanzania) Audrey Egesa (Kenya) Bruno Tanya (Kenya) Cesylia Oketch (Kenya) Clerick Werimo (Kenya) Desmond Okeyo (Kenya) Josh Artkins (Kenya) Mary Njoroge (Kenya) Patrick Odongo (Kenya) Yvonne Wambua (Kenya) Nassanga Ann (Uganda) Justine Nabunya (Uganda) Phillip Sentamu (Uganda) Tusabe Ivan (Uganda)
David Paulo Sapalo (Angola) Fabiana Alexandra da Barros (Angola) Larona Dichaba (Botswana) Refilwe Kathleen Onana Podi (Botswana) Asante Mbaimbai (Malawi) Chisomo Kawaga (Malawi) Nelson Omar Faquirà (Mozambique) Silvana Pombal (Mozambique) Jerome Claasen (Namibia) Jose Carlos Panduleni Amutenya (Namibia) Lucia Kim Hamunghete (Namibia) Amos Mwape (Zambia) Blessings Mainga (Zambia) Canicius Kabwe (Zambia) Catherine Zulu (Zambia) Daniel Lungu (Zambia) David Senkwe (Zambia) Victor Lushinjilo Kasanga (Zambia) Chimwemwe Chipidza (Zimbabwe) Yvonne F. Feresu (Zimbabwe)
In addition to the academy, MTF also provides resources for industry professionals across Africa. The second pillar, the MTF masterclass initiatives is aimed at upskilling industry professionals and emerging creatives alike by offering exclusive access to practical, expert-led industry skills workshops across the continent. Through these masterclasses, MTF has trained over 1000 creatives since 2019. The MTF Portal is a third pillar, a pan-African digital market-place for the over 40 000 creatives who are registered which provides access to free online masterclasses and profiling opportunities.
Finding ways to offer pay TV subscribers more choice is a continuous goal, especially in a competitively priced industry. In an effort to full their “Sankha Wekha” proposition which described providing customers with more choice, DStv will now provide customers with 8 new HD channels. Over the past few years, DStv has introduced new ways of viewing content from platforms such as Showmax and the DStv App (formerly DStv Now), which allows consumers to watch their favourite shows while on the go through their mobile devices.
Customers will now have an improved overall viewing experience through the upgrading of eight DStv channels from SD (Standard Viewing) to HD (high definition).
The channels that are now available in HD are as follows:
● Africa Magic Urban
● Africa Magic Epic
● Akwaaba Magic
● Abol TV
● Honey TV
● Pearl Magic Prime,
● Maisha Magic Bongo
● CNN
“This advancement further reiterates our commitment to putting our customers first. HD will truly improve the viewing experience and sound across all the channels through increasing the resolution, making sure the images are clearer to ensure optimal enjoyment” said Gus Banda, Multichoice Malawi MD.
To stream shows anywhere anytime and enjoy offline, download the DStv App available for download for via iOS and Android.
Plans are at an advanced stage by the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) to repeal the recently amended part of Section 80 Subsection 2 of the part of the Malawi Electoral Act that defines majority as 50+1, Malawi Voice can tell.
According to an insider, MCP has already started canvassing for numbers by bribing some Independent members of Parliament with their recently acquired pick-ups, in readiness for the move.
The judgment of the High Court of Malawi sitting as the Constitutional Court and upheld by the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal, the definition of “majority” in determining a winner in the election is 50-percent-plus-one.
The move aims at giving an easy ride in 2025 polls in a likely event that Saulos Chilima and his UTM pulls out of Tonse Alliance.
Mwazani (left) presents the dummy cheque to Kamndaya
National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc on Wednesday gave out K2.8 million to three faculties of the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) for their symposia.
NBM plc Business Development Manager Wezi Mwazani said the donation shows the Bank’s commitment towards its support of tertiary education in the country.
“As the Bank of the Nation, we have decided to help all the three faculties which approached us for support. We are doing this cognizant of the fact that one of the key enablers of Malawi’s vision 2063 development agenda is the development of human capital through provision of education and skills development for the youth.”
“We at NBM plc have been running scholarship programs for the needy students in our public universities on top of awarding best performing students through our Corporate Social Investment (CSI) program for many years. This just shows how committed as a Bank to support tertiary education in the country, after all, we are the Bank of the Nation,” said Mwazani.
NBM plc gave out K1.2 million to the Faculty of commerce whose symposium theme is ‘The Role of Commerce in enhancing and promoting the Malawi’s Vision 2063 and Corporate Agenda in dynamic environment’ while the faculty for Education and Media Studies whose symposium theme is ‘Technology and Innovation: The Hub for an educated, informed and economically developed nation’ got K1 million and the Faculty of Applied sciences whose symposium theme is ‘Integrating digital innovations in the promotion of healthy industry and sustainable environment’ got K639,200.
Receiving the donation on behalf of MUBAS management, Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences Dr Mphatso Kamndaya and Dean of the Faculty of Education and Media Studies Dr Dickson Ndenguma thanked NBM plc for the gesture.
“We are very thankful for the support we have received today for these three faculties. These faculties produce most of the students who are also employed in the Bank and we invite you to come to the symposia so that you should have a chance of appreciating what the students have learnt and also have a chance of interacting with your future employees,” said Kamndaya.
The faculties of Education and Media studies and Science and Applied Sciences held their symposia on Thursday and Friday respectively while the faculty of commerce is expected to hold its symposium on Thursday 10th September 2021 in Blantyre.
National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc Wednesday gave out K1.5 million towards the first ever Malawi Agriculture and Technology Conference (MATC) slated for 23rd to 24th September, 2021 at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe.
Speaking in Lilongwe during a cheque presentation ceremony to Pan African Learning and Growth Network (PALGNET) who are organizing the conference in collaboration with ICT Association of Malawi (ICTAM), mHub and the Ministry of Agriculture, NBM plc Senior Manager, Corporate Banking Shadreck Malenga said the Bank supports the conference because it will help farmers maximize their outputs.
“NBM plc is cognizant of the fact that agriculture significantly contributes to employment, economic growth, poverty reduction, food security, and nutrition in this country and that there is therefore a need to fuel agricultural sector growth in order to aid the country’s development, hence our support towards this sector.”
“The aim of the conference is to bring together Agriculture and Technology communities to share information on the latest trends, technology solutions and scientific advances that will inform agriculture practice and assist farmers to maximize their outputs. As a Bank, this is of interest to us and that is why we are supporting this conference with K1.5 million, we hope this will go in some way to make the conference a success,” said Malenga.
He said NBM plc has been financing small scale and large-scale farmers in value chains of tobacco, maize, macadamia nuts and lemon grass and that as of August 2021, NBM plc has financed farmers with over USD 18 million.
Malenga said as a commitment of supporting the agriculture industry in the country, NBM plc, in November 2020 rolled out of a Farm Infrastructure and Implements loan facility to aid eligible farmers in both the small- scale and Estate sub-sectors in acquiring agricultural equipment and other farm implements.
“This facility covers a comprehensive range of agricultural equipment such as irrigation equipment, borehole equipment, land preparation equipment, solar equipment, silos, threshers, processing and oil extraction equipment, beef and dairy equipment and any other equipment used for agriculture related activities. This is our commitment that we have made to support the agriculture sector because we believe how important it is for our economy to improve,” said Malenga.
PALGNET Regional Director (Southern and East Africa) Leonard Kazembe thanked NBM plc for the support towards the conference.
“On behalf of the organizing committee, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to NBM for the sponsorship support rendered towards our efforts in bringing this conference together. As you are aware hosting such a big event requires a lot of resources which on our own without the support of other stakeholders is hard to achieve,” said Kazembe.
NAMIWA: “We are of the view that it is time the country started saving money from the AIP initiative
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has asked government to depoliticise Affordable Input Program (AIP).
The organisation has also challenged President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera to be sincere in his public pronouncements regarding implementation of safety-net programmes targeting marginalised and vulnerable Malawians.
CDEDI has made the calls after its meeting with the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Lobin Lowe at the ministry’s headquarters in Lilongwe on Thursday, September 2, 2021.
Right from the meeting which lasted for over one hour, CDEDI’s stand remains that President Chakwera’s decision to override the ministry of Agriculture on the matter, as per his directive contained in the recent address to the nation, is an attempt to be seen to be politically-correct.
“Otherwise, the move by the ministry was a response to the prevailing situation on the ground. It is everyone’s guess as to the uncertainty that faces this year’s AIP; more so given that options available to meet the President’s political wish are a tall order,” reads the CDEDI statement signed by its Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa.
CDEDI has, therefore, advised President Chakwera to accept the harsh reality on the ground and act above politics saying he must stop making populist political pronouncements, which are mostly too costly on the public purse.
“The truth of the matter is that the AIP has become a huge mountain to climb for the Tonse Alliance administration as it has proved to be a very costly and unsustainable exercise,” he says.
CDEDI has since suggested that government must start saving from AIP while investing in local fertilizer manufacturing company.
“We are of the view that it is time the country started saving money from the AIP initiative, by slowly scaling down the number of beneficiaries, and invest such savings in local production of fertiliser as a meaningful way of cutting down both on government expenditure, as well as on the sky-rocketing prices of fertiliser.
The meeting with minister Lowe followed some grey areas in his response which was coupled with inconsistencies in the policy direction on AIP between himself as the Minister of Agriculture, and his boss–the President.
For instance Lowe’s response justified that the scaling down of beneficiaries was necessitated by the resource envelope for the programme in the 2021/2022 growing season, and that it was a routine exercise which the ministry conducts prior to the growing season.
He also said that the programme faces challenges, which include what he termed as ‘a cartel’ by those involved in the fertiliser industry in Malawi if not to mention of undeserving beneficiaries.
To make the program sustainable, Lowe said the list of beneficiaries had to be reworked after it was noted that it included ‘undeserving beneficiaries’.
“It included people such as some officials from my own ministry and other civil servants, but now had been removed from the database,” Lowe said.
According to the minister, based on the allocated resources, it is not possible to maintain the initial beneficiaries’ list, unless Cabinet pushes Treasury to either make available additional resources, or approve the increase of the contributions made by the beneficiaries from the current MK4, 500 per 50kg bag of fertiliser to any reasonable amount, or look for cheaper fertiliser elsewhere.
Anthony Kasunda has been appointed as acting press secretary according to a State House statement which Director of Communications Sean Kampondeni has signed.
Reacting to the development, Kasunda said was ready to serve the country.
“It is a privilege and honour to serve President Chakwera and mother Malawi,” he said.
Kasunda, a seasoned journalist, worked for Malawi News Agency, Times Group and Nation Publications Limited before joining BCC as public relations manager.
He also served as the chairperson of Media Institute of Southern Africa- Malawi.
Over 40 local artists will perform long side international headliners at this years Sand Music Festival according to festival’s director Soldier Lucius Banda. Among the announced international artist Nigeria’s Mr P, Jamaica’s Gramps Morgan and South Africa’s Makhadzi and Sipho Big Fish Makhabane, organisers of Sand Music Festival have released some of the local acts that will be held at Sunbird Nkopola in Mangochi District from October 1-3.
Some of the acts released Tuesday include Sam Smack, Don Tarz, Dan Lu, Kell Kay, Leslie, Skeffa Chimoto, DJ Mighty Virus, Macelba and Piksy.
“ We still have a lot more coming, the ones announced are just a quarter. This year we have an expensive festival and people will experience something top notch. We have responded to people’s plea to change things and bring in new faces and this is why we have blended new and old,” he said.
Lucius, who has hinted that he will perform for a short time on a Sunday to be headlined by Makhabane, said they were still sealing deals with other artists before putting them to light.
The other artists who he indicated have already been confirmed include Billy Kaunda, Lambanie Dube, Eli Njuchi, Edgar ndi Davis Band, Gwamba and Onesimus.
“We are happy that we are giving people variety and for the first time as a festival we have a headliner for gospel music on Sunday. In the past we only had headliners for the first and second day with gospel being sidelined but we are having a new crowd for Sunday this year,” Lucius said.
He said they were cautious of Covid and that they would make sure that they follow all the measures.
“We hope the time we will be having the festival, the situation will be completely normal. But we are ready and people will not regret attending the festival,” Lucius said.
The festival has this year shifted from Sunbird Livingstonia to Sunbird Nkopola due to construction works.
Sand Music festival is among the few top festivals alongside Tumaini and Hangout taking place this year with Blantyre Arts and Lake of Stars in no show due to Covid.
Tumaini takes place in November at Dzaleka Refugee Camp whereas Hangout which is also having Makhadzi taking place at Kabumba Hotel in Salima end October.
