As part of its goal of promoting an inclusive, diverse and sustainable environment, FDH Bank plc in partnership with Press Trust and Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare recently donated 15,000 fruit trees worth K8.5Million to women under the social cash program to empower them towards sustainable livelihoods in Lizulu, Ntcheu.
Speaking at the tree planting ceremony, FDH Bank Managing Director Dr Ellias Ngalande encouraged the beneficiaries to take care of the fruit trees for they will be a source of income and an investment for the future generations.
“The initiative has reached out to 42 groups and 1552 individuals. The goal is to empower the social cash beneficiaries for a more comprehensive and sustainable livelihood support,” Ngalande said.
“The fruit trees will allow you to not only rely on cash transfers but to have alternate sources of income,” he added.
Ngalande planting a fruit tree in Ntcheu
The Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare Honourable Dr Patricia Kaliati commended FDH Bank Plc and Press Trust for the initiative.
“It is clear that this will benefit the community and the nation at large by not only providing fruits for consumption and businesses but for the conservation of our environment as well. The fruit trees will allow the beneficiaries to not only rely on cash transfers but to have alternate sources of income,” she said.
The seedlings consisting of Banana, Paw-Paw and Mango seedlings were planted around the homes of the beneficiaries to be grown all year round surviving various seasons.
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has petitioned the Malawi Parliament, calling for an urgent review of the country’s laws governing the status of refugees and asylum seekers to ensure some of the fugitives are integrated into the society.
The human rights watchdog argues that some of the refugees and asylum seekers have proven to be critical to the social and economic development of our nation, despite their status.
Ironically, CDEDI has all along been pushing the Government of Malawi to enforce the laws that give guidance as regards the welfare of refugees and asylum seekers in the country.
CDEDI executive director Sylvester Namiwa said their earlier call for the enforcement of the laws was necessitated by government’s lack of proper monitoring of the refugees and asylum seekers, who had left their designated areas, such as Dzaleka Refugee Camp, and were indulging in various economic activities in towns and cities across the country, illegally.
“CDEDI petitioned President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera on the same matter, and +we were invited for roundtable discussions with the Minister of Homeland Security, Hon. Richard Chimwendo-Banda, as well as the minister of trade, on the same,” said Namiwa after presenting the petition to the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament on Tuesday afternoon.
He hailed the Ministry of Homeland Security for taking such a bold decision in line with the country’s existing laws and regulations to ensure that all the refugees and asylum seekers have returned to Dzaleka Refugee Camp.
“It is our hope that this ultimatum, which has also been validated by the High Court of Malawi, is really being enforced. However, it is important to point out that the refugees and asylum seekers came to Malawi in search of peace, which they could not find in their own countries and elsewhere! Therefore, we have no one but ourselves to blame, as a country, for allowing these refugees and asylum seekers to leave their designated areas in search of shelter and economic activities outside the refugee camps, all these years,” emphasized Namiwa.
However, the CDEDI boss observed that the government’s ultimatum on the refugees and asylum seekers had unearthed a number of issues that need to be addressed.
He said since the relocation exercise started, the organization has received numerous cases, especially from Malawian who got married to some of the refugees and asylum seekers, whose marriages have now been disintegrated, and they are seeking advice.
Namiwa said it is against this background that CDEDI decided to request the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament to consider discussing the matter and see if it is worth being tabled in the National Assembly for further debate in order to review the “archaic laws” governing the refugees and asylum seekers in Malawi.
He justified that a better chunk of Malawi’s economy is controlled by foreign based business operators, most of whom have no legal permits for such business activities, precisely the refugees and asylum seekers.
“Some foreign nationals who entered into the country as investors, have beaten the system and are operating as economic migrants, something which is conveniently ignored and rarely discussed; mrriages are at the verge of disintegration – CDEDI has received reports where even top government officials and cabinet ministers married some refugees and asylum seekers and vice versa,” said Namiwa.
He added that some of the refugees and asylum seekers came into Malawi with skills and expertise that have benefited the society, and are rendering essential services in areas of health, education and social work, among other sectors.
He lamented that the recent government directive seems to have been craftly narrowed down only to our brothers and sisters from Rwanda and Burundi, fondly called Maburundi, when the rest, i.e. those from Nigeria, Somalia, India, Pakistan, Lebanon and China are deemed off the hook.
“Some of those affected by the directive have stayed in Malawi, and outside the refugee camp, for over 25 years, thereby raising the questions as to what the law enforcers have been doing all this time? It is important to bear in mind that asylum seekers and refugees also have rights and dignity as human beings, therefore, reports of inadequate space at Dzaleka refugee camp ought to be considered,” emphasized Namiwa.
CDEDI has since requested the Speaker of Parliament, Catherine Gotani Hara, to ensure that the petition is presented and debated within this sitting of parliament, stressing that the matter at hand has far-reaching consequences to the country’s economy.
But in reaction, the Minister of Information and Government Spokesperson, Gospel Kazako, said the government will proceed with the relocation exercise as there is nothing criminal about it and that Malawi is only following the statutes.
Kazako said the incumbent government will not tolerate lawlessness to flourish as it was the case in the previous administrations.
Vice President Salous Chilima has implored research and policy experts gathered at a national agricultural policy conference in Lilongwe to fast track the commercialisation and diversification of the agricultural sector for national development.
Chilima said this on Tuesday when he presided over the official opening of the 2021 Malawi Annual Agricultural Policy Conference at BICC in Lilongwe.
” We need to swiftly move beyond crop enterprise into other non-traditional enterprises, such as livestock and fisheries. This is the only way we will be able to achieve the transformation we have espoused in both the National Agriculture Policy (NIV) and National Agricultural Investment Plan (NAIP),” he said.
Several cabinet ministers, policy makers and high profile researchers are attending the two day conference where research findings will be presented and deliberated upon.
This year, the event is being held under the theme, “Supporting Agriculture Transformation in Malawi: Beyond Research to Implementation.”
” The importance of this conference cannot be over emphasized as it also seeks to effectively recommend quick win initiatives for implementation under the first pillar of the MW2063 using research based evidence,” said Chilima.
The Veep said the timing of the conference and its theme resonates well with the tenets of the MW2063 under the Pillar of Agriculture Productivity and Commercialization as well as the Tonse Alliance’s commitment to the agriculture sector development.
” I do believe that having clear and relevant guidance from sector experts is very important for us because the mega socio-economic trends for the country are currently pointing to an impending socio-economic crisis if we do not act decisively now,” said Chilima.
He said the agriculture sector faces several challenges that need quick fixingsuch as rapid population growth, acute land scarcity, stagnant agricultural growth, and limited off-farm employment opportunities.
“It is clear that transforming the agricultural sector holds the key for enhancing and sustaining the socioeconomic transformation our country yearns for,” he said.
The Malawi Agriculture Advancement and Transformation Agenda (MwAPATA) Institute in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture; the National Planning Commission; the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources; the Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry; the Civil Society Agriculture Network; and the Donor Committee on Agriculture and Food Security have jointly organised the conference.
The conference is part of a series of annual conferences aimed at providing stakeholders a platform for disseminating new research findings to stakeholders, exploring partnerships in research, and increasing uptake of new research findings in policy making processes in the agriculture sector.
It is expected that the research findings presented and discussed at the conference will be integrated into Malawi’s agricultural policy making processes to support agricultural transformation in line with the Malawi 2063 Vision.
The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) and the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) have finalised investigating SH Adam Wholesalers over money laundering and illegal business transactions encountered over the past decade.
This follows a written tip by Human Rights (HRDC) which went viral exposing allegations of illegal dealings perpetrated by S H Adam Wholesalers.
Among many companies to be investigated are;
1) Shoprite 2) Chipiku Stores 3) Sana Cash and Carry 4) Peoples Supermarkets.
It is speculated S H Adam Wholesalers and their affiliated business ventures have accumulated serious wealth over the years in Malawi using the crooked way.
The saddest part is that all the billions are laundered into other countries especially India and Pakistan in a form of real estate.
If that is not all, the company is also accused of tax invasion, milking Malawi government of billions. It is recorded that the H Adam team are suspected of various offences committed contrary to the provisions of the Customs and Excise Act, Taxation Act and Value Added Tax Act thereby defrauding the Malawi Government of revenue amounting to MK4.6billion.
Our investigative reporter is on the ground and will bring more details whenever new developments crops up.
Since its formation in 2003, the National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) has been functioning efficiently — until it fell into the harness of MCP politics.
Now a coveted estate of President Lazarus Chakwera and his errand boys Zangazanga Chikhosi and Eisenhower Mkaka, NOCMA is today a looters’ paradise for that MCP enterprise.
Sources privy to the goings-on have told this publication that Chakwera, Chikhosi (Secretary to President and Cabinet) and Mkaka (MCP Secretary General) have found a good ally in NOCMA Deputy CEO Hellen Buluma in fraudulently awarding fuel importation contracts.
That is why she has stayed put, although Chakwera earlier said she was linked to the former ruling party, DPP.
In truth, Buluma is the smooth operator for Chikhosi and, indirectly, the President. The scheme was to award the contracts to MCP loyalists and bootlickers.
Minister of Energy Newton Kambala is against this corrupt arithmetic, resulting in the fallout between him and Chikhosi and Mkaka. Chikhosi is the main actor and common denominator in all such dark cases and dirty games.
As a result, Chikhosi who is Chakwera’s alternative brain has recommended to the President to sack Kambala in the next cabinet reshuffle accusing him of sabotaging MCP deals.
According to our sources, Chikhosi has also recommended that the President should hire Chewa as Chief Executive Officers for NOCMA and other government-controlle¬d companies so that he can easily manipulate them.
A renowned social commentator and opinion influencer has since advised President Chakwera to trade carefully on the matter.
He warned Chakwera to be carefully with Chikhosi who is ‘silently’ his downfall.
“In each administration, there are two to four people who are a big problem and bring down a government through selfishness, tribalism and pure greed. They capture the president.
“It will be the same with the so called Tonse government. This government is going to fall because of a few individuals,” said Mauka in indirect reference to Chikhosi.
He further said: “But look around the events happening in Malawi and you will easily see them. For example, who’s the common denominator in the OPC and Attorney General fight?
“Who’s the common denominator in the NOCMA and MERA scuffle? That common denominator is the problem. He is Secretary to the President and Cabinet Zangazanga Chikhosi who is also Board Chairman of NOCMA.”
The analyst also noted that appointment of parastatal Chief Executive Officers is being delayed by Chikhosi who wants to recruit only Chewa’s and sympathizers of Malawi Congress Party.
“Chakwera should know that we are associating Chikhosi’s actions with him. He must solve this problem if he wants to rescue his credibility and remove the perception of leadership failure,” he concluded.
NOCMA Limited is wholly owned by the Government of Malawi and was formed in line with the National Energy Policy of January 2003, but was registered on December 14 2010 under the Companies Act of 1984.
The company is involved in fuel importation, storage at strategic fuel reserves and distribution nationwide.
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has challenged native small and medium business operators to step up their operations to save the economy from an imminent collapse as refugees and asylum seekers relocate to Dzaleka Refugee Camp.
The human rights watchdog has also asked the Malawi Government to consider integrating some of the refugees and asylum seekers who have proven to be of economic value to the nation.
CDEDI executive director Sylvester Namiwa made the remarks in response to the directive by the Ministry of Homeland Security that the relocation of the fugitives should restart following the lifting of the injunction yesterday.
Namiwa, who addressed journalists in Lilongwe on Wednesday afternoon, observed that business nearly came to standstill in most of the suburbs of Lilongwe, Mangochi, Dowa and Blantyre.
“This, unfortunately, tells us that business operations in the country are precisely dominated by foreign based business operators, most of whom have no legal permits for such business activities. Marriages are at the verge of disintegrating – the government directive has unearthed cases of intermarriages, where some refugees and asylum seekers have married our native women and vice versa,” he said.
Namiwa further observed that some of the refugees and asylum seekers came in with skills and expertise that have benefited the society and are rendering essential services in areas of health, education and social work.
He alleged that there has been selective application of justice against fugitives from Rwanda and Burundi, fondly called Maburundi, when those from Nigeria, Somalia, India, Pakistan, Lebanon and China are left scot-free.
“There are concerns of inadequate space at Dzaleka Refugee Camp and it is against this background that CDEDI is calling for a review process of our laws to ensure that some of these refugees and asylum seekers are integrated into the society, as they have proven to be critical to the social and economic development of our nation, despite their status. Most importantly, CDEDI would like to challenge the local business people to up their game in order to fill the gap that has been created due to the relocation exercise of the refugees and asylum seekers to Dzaleka Refugee Campso that consumers should not be punished,” he said.
Meanwhile, confusion has emerged following revelations that there were two injunctions against the government decision to relocate the refugees, with only one lifted.
While Judge Ruth Chinangwa had thrown out an injunction obtained by Elie Umkunzi at the Lilongwe Registry, Judge Mandala Mambulasa is yet to deliver his ruling on another injunction obtained by Abdul Nahimana at the Blantyre Registry.
National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc has donated K1.3 million towards the Rotary Club of Lilongwe fund raising golf tournament slated for this coming Saturday at the Lilongwe Golf Club.
Rotary Club of Lilongwe wants to raise funds to finance a dental camp for patients who would ordinarily not afford such services and also sponsor an essay competition for students in National Peace Building to avoid conflict
Presenting the donation in Lilongwe on Thursday, NBM plc Service Centre Manager for Lilongwe Service Centre Eric Bob Munthali said as ‘the Bank of the Nation’, NBM plc is proud to be part of initiatives which provides for humanitarian service to ensure the promotion of good will and peace in the country.
“The Bank acknowledges the importance of dental health care and the fact that access to this service is often a challenge especially to the less privileged. We also agree with the Rotary club that the essay competition will enhance development of the students into future leaders who will value the need to build a peaceful nation because they will have started thinking about peace initiatives at an early stage,” said Munthali.
“National Bank is always involved in humanitarian service through various Corporate Social Responsibility programs, the reason we decided to contribute K1.3 million towards the two initiatives,” added Munthali.
Speaking on behalf of the Rotary Club of Lilongwe, past president Nurul Amin said the dental camp is an annual event where they arrange a dental camp to assist communities within Lilongwe to access dental treatment free of charge and 1, 300 people benefited from targeted initial number of 1,200 adding that this year they are targeting to help 1,500 people.
“We need to start grooming future leaders now. This essay competition on peace building will ensure that we have future leaders in touch with realities and who also had enough time to think through the challenges we face and their possible solutions,” said Amin.
“Therefore, we are grateful to NBM plc for the sponsorship of this golf tournament during this difficult period. We have had a long standing relationship of support from National Bank. However and particularly this year, we don’t take this gesture for granted. The covid-19 pandemic has affected the bottom line of many organisations,” said Amin.
He also hailed the Bank for sponsoring two teams for the golf tournament.
“The funds raised will go a long way to putting a smile to the less privileged in our society,” said Amin.
Listed National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc has said it will be coming up with a new product that will be specifically targeting young entrepreneurs so that the youths in the country are economically empowered.
Speaking in Blantyre Friday evening during a cocktail for Chief Executive Officers from the private sector organized by the National Youth Council of Malawi (NYCOM), NBM plc Business Development Manager (Retail Banking) Wyson Kayira said the bank has been engaging the youth entrepreneurs since 2019.
“NBM had engagements with the young entrepreneurs in 2019 across the country. Our main aim was to get feedback on major hurdles they face to access financial services in the country and we equipped them with business management skills,” said Kayira.
He said the idea was to come up with interventions to help them grow and be economically empowered.
“But the Covid-19 pandemic disturbed the process but now an offering is almost ready which will be specific for the young entrepreneurs, you just need to watch this space!” said Kayira.
Speaking at the function, Press Corporation plc General Manager (Operations) Dr. Lyton Chithambo said youths need support and encouragement by government, as well as non-state actors in order to meaningfully contribute to national development.
“Everybody needs to contribute in whatever little way they can. The rural youth needs to step forward and out of their comfort zone, the urban youth needs to think beyond their own material satisfaction and the other citizens need to push the youth and themselves to perform better, every single day,” said Chithambo.
Speaking at the same function, Director of Youth in the ministry of Youth and Sports Judith Msusa hailed NBM plc and other organizations that are supporting youth empowerment activities.
A journalist draws a winner in Tikolore promotion draw
Malawi’s pioneer mobile and ICT services provider TNM plc Thursday splashed out K4.5 million during the sixth draw of its Tikolore promotion which is a celebration for the harvest season.
Through the promotion, TNM plc will be making 30 millionaires in a space of three months, between 1st April 2021 and 1st July 2021 and on Thursday it unveiled two more millionaires to take the number to 13.
A Standard 8 pupil at Buthe Primary School, Nkaya in Balaka Joseph Mphaya became the first pupil millionaire in the promotion. Another millionaire drawn on Thursday is Luka Mwandira from Nthalire in Chitipa.
Mphaya could not believe it when TNM officials called him to alert him that he was now a millionaire.
“Ooooh I cannot believe this! I have not made any plans what to do with this money, I need to let this sink in first,” said Mphaya after TNM officials instantly transferred the money into his Mpamba account.
The pupil said he won after topping his phone with only K200.
Mwandira’s phone could not be reached at first but later TNM officials managed to get through to him.
“Thank you TNM, this is like a dream, thank you, thank you,” he said.
TNM plc Brand and Communications Manager, Limbani Nsapato said the identification of the 12th and 13th millionaire draw signifies the commitment that TNM plc has made of producing 30 millionaires in the space of three months through the Tikolore promotion.
“As you are all aware, our first winner of the grand prize Mr. Francis Mtukanika won after buying airtime worth K200, so it is possible to become a millionaire through the Tikolore promotion,” said Nsapato.
The Tikolore millionaires include a student at Mzuni, Horace Chiumia, a maize trader from Mangochi Kingsley Flao, Sheila Kadethe, a nurse from Nsanje and business lady, Chimwemwe Banda from Mchinji, Anthony Msambewa from Likoma, Michael Chitseko,a business person from Neno, Mollis Siywale, a farmer from Rumphi, and Esnart Diliro, a mandasi business-lady from Mulanje, Nollah Chiwingo, a nurse from Dowa and Leonard Muotcha, a retailer from Mwanza.
Apart from the two K1 million winners, TNM plc also unveiled 250 lucky winners who won K10,000 each and 10 lucky winners who won K100,000 each.
Entry to the promotion is simple as customers are bound to win after an airtime recharge of K200 or more. But the promotion has also been designed that everyone will be a winner in that if a customer recharges with a minimum of K100, they will instantly receive free voice minutes, data and SMS.
Customers who will take a step further to recharge with at least MK200 will enter into weekly, monthly and grand draws throughout the promotion period and stand a chance to win cash. All recharge channels are applicable to qualify for the draws, including scratch cards, Mpamba, Pompopompo and Banks.
A total of 250 lucky customers will win K10,000 every week for 12 weeks, making a total of 3,000 winners, 50 lucky customers will win K100,000 every month, making a total of 150 winners within three months. TNM has since created 13 millionaires, given out K10,000 to 1,500 people and 60 K100,000 winners.
FDH Bank plc has partnered iT Centre and Smart Zone to enable customers purchase appliances through a flexible payment plan.
The arrangement will allow FDH Bank customers to purchase electronic appliances of their choice and pay through monthly instalments over a period of 24 months.
FDH Bank Marketing and Communication Manager, Ronald Chimchere said the arrangement will see customers buy appliances with ease.
“We want to see customers owning good things through flexible payment terms. There is no need for our customers to pay the full purchase amount at once, our customers should enjoy the good things while we sort out their payments,” he said.
“All the customer needs to do is select the appliance they are looking for from iT Centre or Smart Zone, get an invoice and get the loan processed at any FDH Bank Service Centre. Once approved, the customer will collect the item” added Chimchere.
Some of the products on offer include air conditioners, cookers, fridges, television sets, mobile phones and washing machines
FDH Bank plc boasts of the widest network in Malawi with 51 service centres, 96 ATMs and over 5000 Banki Pakhomo agents.
