Our beloved country Malawi is bleeding. Corruption is rampant in every sector. People are unable to access basic health care in our hospitals as they are underfunded. Constitutional reforms are in a drawer somewhere gathering dust. It is extremely sad to note that post our one party era our Presidents have been extremely greedy. Greedy beyond measure. They ascended to the presidency with less than 40% of the votes in order to plunder the country’s resources along with their cronies. Unfortunately as Malawians we have somehow been complicit and stood by watching these illegalities and clapped and cheered as these institutions and systems are being raped.
I would herein like to quote what Political Analyst Mr. Makhumbo Munthali quoted in the Weekend Nation on May 16th 2020.
“The level of impunity MEC demonstrated is partly due to the fact that they are not personally liable for the cost of the case. It’s high time we had a sober debate over the matter”
If Malawi was a developed country and guided by leaders of integrity, the MEC Chairperson, Commissioners and CEO would not have been allowed to go the route they have taken. If they did, they would all end up in prison for abuse of office and misuse of public resources and tax payer’s monies.
Ansah – resigned from the commission
It’s now time as Malawians to stand up and correct the situation. As tax payers why should we be footing these exorbitant legal costs incurred by the Malawi Electoral Commission which was brought about by the incompetence of the Chairperson, Commissioners and the CEO. If we do not take any action by bringing these perpetrators of these gross violation to justice we are creating a precedent in the matter and denial of the tax payer and law abiding citizens the right to justice and redress. I am optimistic that some concerned citizen will take action.
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential hopeful Lazarus Chakwera ballot paper will have his face and party black cork symbol only and not with UTM, the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has said after it rejected an application to have amendment on the paper symbol.
MCP applied to MEC to let the party use a fusion of MCP and UTM symbols to reflect the UTM and MCP electoral alliance.
But the electoral body has rejected the application on grounds that MCP did not notify the registrar of political parties on any changes on symbols to be used on ballot paper in the forth coming fray presidential election.
MEC argues that MCP is registered as a party and that the symbols are regulated by Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Act of 2018 whereas the new symbol is not.
Last week UTM Secretary General Patricia Kaliati has been telling people in campaign rallies that the paper ballot will have MCP-UTM symbols.
But as it stands now, it’s an MCP ticket of Chakwera with his runningmate Saulos Chilima.
The Member of parliament for Kasungu West Madalitso Kazombo has told people in the district that Vice President Dr Saulos Chilima , who is also running mate in the Tonse alliance is a man of his promises. Kazombo was speaking at mega rally that Tonse alliance leaders conducted at Ntchalachala stadium in the district.
Kazombo who is popularly known as Kamatcheni described the works that Chilima did when he was heading civil service reforms as outstanding . Chilima promised to bring reforms and he went for it before being frustrated by the people within the DPP regime . Kazombo who is also deputy speaker of parliament reminded the people that he was not speaking at the rally in his role as deputy speaker but as “Kamatcheni “as they know him. Remarks which earned him a lot of ululation and whistling from the thousands of people who came to attend the rally
Kazombo
Kamatcheni went on to remind people that Dr Lazarus Chakwera and Chilima is the dream ticket that will take care of the many of the problems that people in the villages face. He cited farmers for examples who he said work hard in the fields only to see their efforts being bought at minimum prices “ This is Kasungu , we have tobacco farmers who work hard in the field , but when they go to auction floors , all they see is their tobacco being bought in cents” highlighted Kazombo
Kamatcheni also spoke of the many problems people in the district face and blamed the DPP government and their predecessors UDF for not doing enough to bring any meaningful development in the area. He spoke of the many families that cannot afford to pay school fees for their children when they reach higher education. The state of the roads in the district was another issue in the district as majority of the roads are of poor quality with examples like chamama road, Shayona and Chulu.
In regard to healthcare Kamatcheni said it is sad that Kasungu still has one main hospital that was built under Kamuzu. The affairs at the hospital are in sorry state with lack of beds forcing patients to sleep on the floor. The hospital also faces lack of drugs and other necessary facilities “ The population of Kasungu has been growing , when the first hospital was bullt we had less that 200 thousand people and now the population is close to a million but we still have the same hospital”
Kamatcheni finished by describing how sad he is with the state of poor people in Malawi. He said poor people keep getting poor while the rich keeps getting richer. He said the levels of corruption in the country have left poor people destitute as they cannot afford to get services or things done as they don’t have money to bribe somebody for their needs. Kamatcheni however said , there is hope and excitement with the coming in of Tonse Alliance and the leadership of Dr Chakwera and Chilima
Following the decline in social activities due to coronavirus (Covid-19 )restrictions on social interactions that are currently in place, Airtel Malawi plc has announced an upcoming live party to be hosted on its official Airtel Malawi Facebook page this Friday, May 15 from 8 pm to 9 pm in the evening.
Featuring renowned Radio DJ and media personality Joy Nathu as the host and pioneer VJ, VJ Ice on the decks, the Airtel Live Party will be a first of its kind event to be held from the local telecoms and corporate sector.
And lucky viewers of the Live Party stand a chance to win 2GB data bundles if they share the live event to 10 or more of their friends by creating a watch party on their respective Facebook pages.
Airtel Malawi’s Managing Director, Charles Kamoto said the Live Party will launch the leading telecoms operator’s newly revamped My Airtel Mobile App and the ‘Katswiri‘ Community Champion initiative.
“We realize that during this period of social distancing, our customers are currently looking for sources of entertainment and ways to remain connected to their friends and family,” Kamoto said.
“And so the Airtel Live Party this Friday will be a great opportunity to engage and entertain our customers through the revered art of music while informing our customers about these two new digital campaigns.”
He further said the ‘My Airtel Mobile App’ now has an improved user interface featuring different synergized elements such as the ability for the user to input recipient details direct from their phonebook when sending money or buying airtime.
It also offers the use of debit and credit cards to purchase airtime and push funds from the bank to Airtel Money and eases the buying of all bundles via the app without having to remember the USSD codes.
The app also easily accesses Airtel Money tariff for easy reference before sending money and also eases topping-up airtime using recharge scratch cards by simply inputting the serial number into the mobile app’s recharge portal, among other features.
With regards to the ‘Katswiri‘ Community Champion initiative, Kamoto elaborates that this is an opportunity for Airtel’s prepaid customers to get 4% extra airtime when they buy airtime for their family and friends on the Airtel network.
This is through using the My Airtel Mobile App or the Airtel Money *211# platform thereby becoming their respective communities’ or families ‘Katswiri‘ or local Airtime provider.
“The customer can, in turn, use this extra 4% airtime as normal airtime or share it with family and friends via Me2U at no extra fee,” Kamoto said.
“Furthermore, in line with the ‘Katswiri‘ initiative, daily transaction limits for Me2U have now been revised from the initial K3,800 limit per transaction in a day to K45,000 limit per transaction.
“What’s more, customers will now be able to make as many of these K45,000 Me2U transactions as they like in a day.”
He said Airtel prepaid customers will simply have to use the Me2U option in the My Airtel Mobile App in order to share their airtime to others.
“The Airtel Live Party, ‘Katswiri‘ community champion initiative, and the My Airtel Mobile App are part of Airtel Malawi’s various projects aimed at keeping customers connected through more digital transactions in the wake of social distancing and the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Headquartered in Lilongwe, Airtel Malawi plc is the country’s leading mobile service provider offering 4G/LTE, 2G and 3G wireless networks; and high speed fixed broadband internet services.
Airtel Malawi also offers the largest mobile commerce service in the country through Airtel Money which was launched in Malawi in February 2011.
Airtel Malawi was established in Malawi in 2010 as a subsidiary of Airtel Africa. Airtel Africa PLC is a Pan- African telecommunications company with operations in 14 countries across Africa
Vice President Saulos Chilima has hailed the first President of Malawi the late Ngwazi Hastings Kamuzu Banda on Kamuzu Day – May 14 which was declared a public holiday by government – for his zeal to develop the country and that he was a brave person, who liked order, hardworking and also very decisive.
Chilima joined family members of Kamuzu Banda and president of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Lazarus Chakwera with his party officials on Wednesday honoured Kamuzu by laying wreaths at his mausoleum in the capital city.
He said Kamuzu [Alidzi] is the first champion of democracy because he allowed Malawians to vote for a multiparty democracy when he called for a referendum and then gave up gracefully to Bakili Muluzi when he lost in 1994 elections.
“Had Kamuzu not agreed to a referendum there would be no democracy. Had Kamuzu not conceeded to usher in multiparty democracy there would be no democracy. So Kamuzu is the champion of democracy in Malawi,” said Chilima, who took an active role as a university student to fight one-party dictatorship and champion multiparty democracy.
Chilima further said Kamuzu should be hailed for fighting to liberate Malawians from colonial rule and that the legacy of the Father and Founder of the Malawi nation is the fulcrum around which the country will always hold.
He said Kamuzu upon arrival in Malawi he declared that he has came to end the “Stupid Federation [Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland]”.
Chilima said: “ That’s where we take our cue from; when you speak with decisiveness like when we say we will win [elections]! We mean just that we will win.”
He said: “There are three types of people; those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder how things have happened. We want leaders in Malawi that make things happen not who wonder how things have happened. We do not want clueless leaders. We want people who can and who will.”
Chilima laying a wreath at Kamuzu mausoleum
However, Chilima stressed that Kamuzu Day is an important and historic national event which must be remembered by the whole country.
Kamuzu Day falls on May 14, believed to be the birthday of Malawi’s founding Head of State.
He ruled Malawi for 31 years before losing power in 1994 to Bakili Muluzi following winds of change blowing at the time in this part of Africa.
He died in 1997 and hailed from Chiwengo village in the tobacco growing district of Kasungu.
Apart from speeches, the ceremony saw Chilima and others in wreath-laying on the tomb where Kamuzu—the country’s ruler from independence in 1964 to 1994—now rests.
