The US embassy in Malawi has chartered a plane that will evacuate its citizens from Malawi amidst the Covid19 pandemic.
In statement from the embassy there will be a Special Flight Leaving Lilongwe to the United States.
Americans interested in repatriation should immediately contact the U.S. Embassy Consular section no later than 7:30 am on Tuesday, April 14. Vulnerable populations will be prioritized
President Trump leading the fight against Covid19
The decision has angered some critics who have questioned the idea of repatriating citizens from a less hit area like Malawi to USA where the pandemic has hit hard
USA President Donald Trump initially downplayed the impact of the virus ,describing the whole thing as a hoax before changing his tone after the USA became the worst hit country. There are 434,791 cases of covid19 in USA, 24,058 people have recovered so far and 14,802 people have died.
As the covid19 pandemic continues to take lives throughout the world, a Malawian based in UK became the second victim to die of the illness barely a day after another Malawian nurse succumbed to the illness.
It is reported that London based Best Nkhoma has died. This follows the death of Birmigham based Nurse Elsie Chafulumira Sazuze also died of the illness.
Best Nkhoma- Covid19 victim
The UK is one of the worst hit areas in the Europe with average death of 700 people a day as the illness reaches its peak
Friends and a family have paid tribute to Best Nkhoma with
some describing him as one of the most talented Volleyball players to grace the game in Malawi.
Be Forward Wanderers general secretary Victory Maunde has said FAM’s decision for clubs to get back K1 million bond is not a solution to the effects of Covid-19.
In an interview yesterday, Maunde said Super League of Malawi (Sulom) should have called for a meeting with clubs to iron out the problems
He said: “It’s not a solution at all. Sulom was supposed to call for an emergency annual general meeting whereby all teams should come together and assess the situation and agree on certain measures. For instance, we have a wage bill of over K10 million what will K1 million do?
Maunde said Sulom should have recommended for players to take salary cut as it is the case with some European leagues.
“There are issues to do with players contracts, wages among others. We should be going that direction not refunding of K1 million. That’s not the way to go,” he said.
However most clubs welcomed FAM’s decision, saying it will cushion their expenses.
Karonga United GS Ramzy Simwaka was quoted in our sister paper, Weekend Nation saying: “We mainly depend on gate collections for the club’s operations, in particular players and technical staff’s salaries and with the current situation, we are bankrupt. So the K1 million will help us pay players.
Azam Tigers director responsible for technical services Robin Alufandika was also quoted as saying: “For a club that does not have sponsorship like ours, this money will make a difference, especially in paying players upkeep.
Bullets chief administration officer Albert Chigoga said FAM’s move shows that they appreciate the effects of the Covid-19 on local clubs.
Malawi’s president and all government ministers are taking a 10% wage cut for three months to raise money to tackle the coronavirus outbreak.President Peter Mutharika made the announcement as he set out a stimulus package to help cushion the economic impact of the disease.
Malawi reported its first cases of the coronavirus on Thursday – one of the last countries to do so. The country, among the world’s poorest, has declared a state of emergency.
Mutharika: Measures to combat Covid19
There is no lockdown but schools are closed and the government says it is urging people to work from home and follow hand-washing and social-distancing guidelines.All social gatherings of more than 100 people, such as funerals, church services and political rallies, have been banned.
Mr Mutharika earns about $3,600 (£3,000) a month but no figure was given for how much money would be raised by the pay cut for all ministers.
As part of the stimulus package, the president announced a series of tax breaks for businesses, a reduction in fuel prices and an increase in risk allowances for health workers, Reuters news agency reports.
He also said that an extra 2,000 health workers would be recruited
President Mutharika latest national address appear to have
earned him some praise across a section of Malawians. While his critics are yet
to respond, but it appears many are satisfied.
We can all agree; Corona Virus is threatening us all and the degree at
which this pandemic is spreading and killing people is sending shivers to many
if not all the people around the world. While Mutharika was announcing the new measures,
his government will take to combat the virus, it appears its announcements like
reduction of salaries for his cabinet ministers, increase in MEDF loans,
reduction of fuel prices and increase of salaries in risk allowance for
healthcare workers that have got people excited in these doom times.
Nobody knows whether the fight against corona a short-term
thing is, or if the pandemic will carry on for months to come. As a Malawian myself,
it is my prayer that the disease does not spread and ravage my country. Truthfully
speaking, if what is going on in Italy and USA or UK is to go by Malawi cannot
cope with this outbreak. Our strained
healthcare system will collapse, and we don’t have enough resources to face
this pandemic head on.
Mutharika- To be trusted in the fight against Covid19?
In as much as I am one of the people who were impressed
with Mutharika speech, I have chosen to have reservations is singing praises
about him and his speech. I applaud him for all those measures but to praise
him will be going a bit far. I would happily wear the title of a hater, but if experience
is to go by, Mutharika will be a victim of his own making. If one can trust
Mutharika just at his word, then I am afraid one doesn’t take issues with a
critical mind and doesn’t look back at the history of the man behind the word.
Mutharika has proved again and again that he is the master of broken promises.
The point I am making here isn’t about ignoring the fact
that Mutharika has put measures to help combat the virus or that Covid19 is
dangerous for Malawi. What I am arguing here is the fact that Mutharika history
of maladministration, lack of leadership and the rampant corruption by him and
his cronies will make all these efforts about fight
against corona, nothing but a channel for them to profit financially and
politically. Mutharika cannot be trusted and it’s an open secret majority of
Malawians do not trust his government. The lack of trust itself will be the
first setback on his fight against this pandemic.
My reservations kicked in when I realised that lack of transparency
regarding the actual statistics of Covid19 cases in Malawi. For days now,
nobody knows the truth in whether we indeed have the Covid19 cases in Malawi
yet or not. When the president decides to be making the announcements himself
without any visible input from health professionals one begins to wonder if the
stats are real or just scaremongering.
This is not helped by the fact that the president presented
to the country that the decision to reduce Fuel prices was his government
making. He failed to acknowledge that the fuel price reduction has been caused
by the complete collapse in world oil
price due to plunging demand due to the pandemic .The price of crude oil in the world has reduced and this is not Mutharika’s government sole
decision.
Here is a president, who deliberately refused to assent the
electoral bills to allow the country to go ahead and start preparing for elections
just because he wants to delay things as much as possible. Yes, he is the same
guy who is refusing to fire Jane Ansah and his team of Commissioners. To him
and his government, any opportunity to delay things is a blessing to them.
Amid the pandemic, rumours are rife that the first lady Gertrude
Mutharika organisation BEAM is one of the first beneficiaries of the financial aid
aimed to fight the Covid19 virus. We all know how; this organisation has turned
into a channel of syphoning money out of the government into certain people
close to the president’s pockets.
Nobody wants to politicise the Covid19 pandemic, however,
when the nation is dealing with an untrustworthy president, then we must take whatever
he says with caution. Malawi would rather follow measures and advise from World
Health Organisation than to massaged coronavirus rhetoric from a government
that is keen to use the pandemic for its political advantages.
