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CDEDI demands sugar price reduction

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By Chisomo Phiri

Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) is demanding immediate price reduction of sugar for the benefit of the majority of Malawians.

Speaking during a press briefing on Friday, CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa wondered why sugar is an affordable basic commodity in neighbouring countries while it is beyond the reach of the majority in Malawi.

He said currently, they are in a ‘Sugar Price Must Fall campaign aimed at forcing authorities to reduce the commodity price.

Sylvester Namiwa



Namiwa said while pushing for the immediate price cut, his organisation also intends to lobby individual members of Parliament (MPs) and relevant Parliamentary committees to ensure the Sugar Industry Bill is prioritised and transacted during the next sitting of Parliament.

“The scenario is a result of lack of regulation of the sugar industry in the country, which for decades gifted Illovo Sugar Company with a monopoly in the sugar industry, whereby cartels have been created at the expense of consumers and cane growers,” said Namiwa.

He observed that the wrangle is happening as a Sugar Industry Bill of 2021 is gathering dust at Capital Hill in Lilongwe.

“It is our considered view that sanity can only prevail in the sugar industry with the passing of the Sugar Industry Bill of 2021,” he said.

In June last year, the Ministry of Agriculture told the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture that all procedures for the tabling of the 2021 Bill had been finalised after successfully engaging the Ministry of Justice.

The 2021 Sugar Industry Bill is designed to regulate the production and sale of sugar in the country.

And currently, the industry is being governed by the Control of Goods Act of 2018 that replaced the 1950 Act.

President Chakwera leaves for Ghana

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By Linda Kwanjana


Malawi President Dr Lazarus Chakwera is destined for Accra, Ghana, for the 30th Annual Meeting of the African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIMBANK) from 18th to 21st June 2023.

According to a statement Chakwera will depart Kamuzu International Airport Saturday, 17th June, 2023, at 10:00 hours, and return to Malawi on 21 June, 2023, at 15:00 hours.

The statement which Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released show that President Chakwera will also take advantage of the meeting to engage in bilateral talks with other African leaders on matters of mutual interest.



The statement further says the annual gathering which coincides with the 30th anniversary celebration of the establishment of the bank, offers African countries a platform to discuss economic and international trade promotion.

The meeting is expected to be heard under the theme ‘Delivering the Vision, Building Prosperity for Africans’.

“The annual meeting, which coincides with the 30h anniversary celebration of the establishment of the bank, is important for African countries as it offers a platform for leaders to discuss economic and international trade promotion.

The theme of this year’s meeting is Delivering the Vision, Building Prosperity for Africans. Key issues to be considered during the meeting include economic integration; industrialization; food security and peace and security in Africa. For Malawi, AFREXIMBANK has been very instrumental in supporting the country’s economic development. The bank is currently supporting the development of
industrial parks in key locations in Malawi.

His Excellency the President will, therefore, attend the meeting to promote trade and investment linkages in order to stimulate economic growth. The Malawi leader will also take advantage of the meeting to engage in bilateral talks with other African leaders on matters of mutual interest,” he said.

President Chakwera leaves for Ghana

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By Linda Kwanjana


Malawi President Dr Lazarus Chakwera is destined for Accra, Ghana, for the 30th Annual Meeting of the African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIMBANK) from 18th to 21st June 2023.

According to a statement Chakwera will depart Kamuzu International Airport Saturday, 17th June, 2023, at 10:00 hours, and return to Malawi on 21 June, 2023, at 15:00 hours.

The statement which Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released show that President Chakwera will also take advantage of the meeting to engage in bilateral talks with other African leaders on matters of mutual interest.



The statement further says the annual gathering which coincides with the 30th anniversary celebration of the establishment of the bank, offers African countries a platform to discuss economic and international trade promotion.

The meeting is expected to be heard under the theme ‘Delivering the Vision, Building Prosperity for Africans’.

“The annual meeting, which coincides with the 30h anniversary celebration of the establishment of the bank, is important for African countries as it offers a platform for leaders to discuss economic and international trade promotion.

The theme of this year’s meeting is Delivering the Vision, Building Prosperity for Africans. Key issues to be considered during the meeting include economic integration; industrialization; food security and peace and security in Africa. For Malawi, AFREXIMBANK has been very instrumental in supporting the country’s economic development. The bank is currently supporting the development of
industrial parks in key locations in Malawi.

His Excellency the President will, therefore, attend the meeting to promote trade and investment linkages in order to stimulate economic growth. The Malawi leader will also take advantage of the meeting to engage in bilateral talks with other African leaders on matters of mutual interest,” he said.

Chakwera’s government committed in flushing out illegal immigration

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By Linda Kwanjana

The State President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has expressed his government’s commitment to flush out illegal immigrants, saying they rob the country’s economy under the pretext of refugees.

Chakwera made the remarks when he hosted the permanent Mission Resident to the United Nations Dr. Agnes Mary Chimbiri -Morande at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.

President Chakwera and Dr Agnes Mary Chimbiri-Morande



Chakwera told Morande that illegal immigrants are taking farm produce using informal ways.

“Do not talk about Homeland Security Minister,am talking about the scrupulous dealers who are the vading taxes from BRP- TEP and others under the pretext of political asylum seekers yet their aim is to smuggle our produce thereby eroding our economy,” he said.

Additionally, Chakwera said that his government will continue to fight against scrupulous bandits who enter the country as political asylum seekers and refugees.

“We will fight them head on to protect our economy from being exploited”, Chakwera said.

Malawi loses over 367 million US dollars just in BRP at a fee of 7000 US dollars per foreign trader.

Reports show that Malawi is hosting about 51000 informal traders who are doing informal businesses that elude taxes and permits.

Malawi can recover its economy if callaborative efforts can be made among the key Ministries of finance, Homeland Security,Trade and Agriculture by tightening their operations.

The Ministry of Homeland Security is playing a leading role in ensuring that such malpractices are stopped through refugees head count exercise that is currently underway.

President Chakwera to scale up efforts in fighting fraud

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By Linda Kwanjana

President Lazarus McCathy Chakwera says his government will not relent on his quest to fight fraud and scaling up productivity in the country.

President Chakwera was speaking on Friday during the signing ceremony of the co-management agreement between the Ministry of Tourism and Peace Park Foundation at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe

President Chakwera singled out the two as the evils that are slowing down the growth of the economy in the country.

Hand shake: Chakwera and Chisanno



He said: “My Administration is determined to defeat these two evil twins, and you get used to the fact that as we ramp up the fight against low productivity and fraud, those who benefit from these two evils are going to fight back with their smear campaign to paint us black.”

The Malawi leader stated that the signing of the agreement is a move in the right direction towards realising a legitimate economy in the tourism industry.

He said: “The signing ceremony of this agreement for the co-management of Nyika National Park and Vwaza is a victory for us on our quest to build a legitimate economy in the Tourism sector to supplant much of the illegitimate business that goes on there.”

The signing of the agreement will among other things help to boost security in the national parks and wildlife centres.

In Malawi, the agreement will result in the proper management of Nyika National Park and Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve which will in turn boost tourism in the country.