President Chakwera has joined the people of Namibia in mourning the death of its leader, President Hage Geingob.
A message released by State House , President Chakwera said he was saddened by the death of Geingob who he described as a “dear brother and colleague”
President Chakwera went further to say ” His leadership and dedication to Namibia and Africa were admirable throughout the continent”
Hage Geingob, aged 82, has passed away in a hospital early on Sunday.
His death was announced by the Namibian president office via a social media post on Sunday earlier this morning.
This comes weeks after his cancer diagnosis, disclosed last month after a medical check-up. Geingob, in office since 2015, had previously survived prostate cancer.
An excerpt of the statement on X reads thus,
“Fellow Namibians, It is with utmost sadness and regret that I inform you that our beloved Dr. Hage G. Geingob, the President of the Republic of Namibia has passed on today, Sunday 4 February 2024 at around 00h04 at Lady Pohamba Hospital where he was receiving medical treatment from his medical team. At his side, was his dear wife Madame Monica Geingos and his children. His medical team, as I informed the nation only yesterday has been trying its utmost best to ensure that our President recovers. Regrettably, notwithstanding the team’s spirited effort to save his life, sadly, fellow Namibians, President Geingob passed on. “
President Hage G. Geingob of Namibia, was a prominent figure in a struggle for independence from apartheid-era South Africa who later became the country’s first prime minister and a long-serving head of state.
The Joint Civil Society Organizations delegations meeting Defense Minister Harry Mkandawire, has expressed concerns about alleged intimidation of whistleblowers Gregory Gondwe and Mercy Matonga regarding the expose of arms deal in the Malawi Defense Force (MDF).
The delegation says the Ministry of Defense has assured them that there have been no attempts to intimidate whistleblowers saying the Ministry affirmed its commitment to following the rule of law in case of the need to investigate how whistleblowers accessed confidential information.
Harry Mkandawire ,Defence Minister
It has recommended that the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) suspends the initiated payment of US$4,983,400 until government clarifies the identified inconsistencies in the arms deal such as the validity of the payment without a valid contract.
In a statement dated 2nd February, 2024 signed by Youth and Society (YAS) Executive Director Charles Kajoloweka on behalf of 15 organizations, the delegation has demanded an explanation from the government’s assertion of the old contract and the delay between the alleged termination in 2021 observing that all these, raises questions.
The CSOs say they remain dedicated to continued dialogue in pursuit of a collective resolution that fosters public trust, good governance, and the best interests of taxpayers saying the recommendations are essential steps toward ensuring transparency, legality, and the safeguarding of national interests in this arms deal.
The organizations say the Ministry of Defense stated that there is no new contract between the government and the International Armored Group (IAG) saying the existing 2020 contract with Malachitte remains in effect.
The CSOs say as a matter of national interest, they have urged government to address the nation on the arms deal, providing clear and comprehensive information to the public without compromising on security protocols.
“The joint Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) delegation reiterate its commitment to closely monitor this matter and demands accountability from the government of the contract with Malachitte,” reads the statement in part.
And writing on his face book page, Minister of Defense Harry Mkandawire, has assured the CSOs delegation of the Ministry’s highest support, and free civil space in course of discharging their duties by agreeing to work together for the benefit of the beautiful beloved nation.
“We discussed matters of national importance that helped to clear a lot of misconception, and misinformation that has potential to damage the country’s reputation, Malawi will never be the same with the leadership we have in this nation,” reads Mkandawire’s writing on the wall.
The ruling by the constitutional court in Malawi nullifying the presidential elections set a significant precedent in future elections as it highlighted the importance of addressing and rectifying irregularities in the electoral process.
The ruling emphasized the need for free, fair, and transparent elections in order to uphold democracy and the will of the people.
In the case of Malawi, the court found evidence of widespread irregularities, including tampering with result sheets, the use of correction fluid on tally sheets, and unverified results.
These irregularities undermined the integrity of the electoral process and ultimately led to the nullification of the election results. This ruling sent a powerful message that electoral irregularities cannot be tolerated and must be addressed promptly and effectively in order to protect the democratic process.
Voting in Malawi
Since the ruling in Malawi, there have been efforts to improve the electoral system and address irregularities in future elections. For example, there have been calls for electoral reforms, including the introduction of new voting technologies, the training of poll workers, and the establishment of independent electoral commissions to oversee the electoral process. These reforms aim to prevent irregularities and ensure that elections are free, fair, and transparent.
Despite these efforts, it is difficult to guarantee that elections will be completely free from irregularities. Elections are complex processes that involve multiple stakeholders and factors, making it challenging to eliminate all potential sources of irregularities. However, by implementing reforms and mechanisms to address irregularities, countries can work towards improving the integrity of their electoral systems and ensuring that the will of the people is respected.
When comparing irregularities to rigging in elections, it is important to note that irregularities refer to deviations from established electoral laws and procedures, while rigging refers to the deliberate manipulation of election results to achieve a desired outcome. Both irregularities and rigging can undermine the integrity of elections and distort the will of the people.
Irregularities can take many forms, such as voter intimidation, ballot stuffing, vote buying, and tampering with election materials. These irregularities can occur in various stages of the electoral process, from voter registration to the tallying of votes. Irregularities can be unintentional or the result of negligence, but they can still have a significant impact on the outcome of an election.
Rigging, on the other hand, involves deliberate and systematic efforts to manipulate election results in favor of a particular candidate or party. Rigging can take many forms, such as falsifying results, suppressing the vote, or disenfranchising voters. Rigging is a serious violation of the democratic process and can have far-reaching consequences for the legitimacy of an election and the stability of a country.
In comparing irregularities to rigging, it is clear that both can have a detrimental impact on the outcome of elections. Irregularities, if left unchecked, can erode trust in the electoral process and undermine the credibility of election results. Rigging, on the other hand, is a blatant violation of democratic principles and can lead to widespread unrest and instability.
In conclusion, the ruling by the constitutional court in Malawi nullifying the presidential elections highlighted the importance of addressing irregularities in the electoral process. While it is difficult to guarantee that elections will be completely free from irregularities, countries can work towards improving the integrity of their electoral systems by implementing reforms and mechanisms to prevent and address irregularities. Both irregularities and rigging can have a significant impact on the outcome of elections, and it is essential for countries to take steps to ensure that elections are free, fair, and transparent in order to uphold democracy and the will of the people.
Minister of Labour, Agnes NyaLonje, has emphasised on the need for collaborative efforts to end sexual harassment in the work place if the country is to have productive citizens who will contribute to the economic development of the country.
NyaLonje made the call on Friday in Salima during a sensitisation meeting of Parliamentary Women Caucus on the International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention 190 on elimination of violence and harassment in the work place.
Agnes Nyalonje
According to NyaLonje, there is need to ensure that all four arms of government, and other stakeholders, coordinate in the ratification and domestication process of the Convention 190.
She said it was sad to note that women work in unconducive environments marred with sexual pressure, a tendency that is increasing day by day, thereby reducing the country’s economic growth.
“Issues of sexual harassment in the work place are common more than we can ever anticipate. Therefore, there is need to have a globally acknowledged legislature that can protect people as they give their services because there is lack of labour protection,” she said.
Representative for ILO, Valentine Beghini, said harassment in places of work is a global challenge that needs to be seriously addressed.
In her remarks Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Aisha Adams, said the Parliamentary Women Caucus will assist with the ratification process once the bill is brought to parliament.
She recognised that it is the duty and responsibility of duty bearers to promote and address issues of sexual harassment by creating a general environment of zero tolerance to violence and harassment in order to facilitate economic growth through productive citizens.
The call to ratify the ILO Convention 190 was agreed upon in 2019 at the 108th ILO general conference, which was aimed at eliminating workplace harassment globally.
Communities in Salima have hailed the maize distribution initiative in the district as a good solution to their food insufficiency as the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), through Salima District Council Disaster Risk Management Office, continues rescuing people from hunger.
Speaking at Mgwirizano Primary School, in the area of Senior Chief Pemba, Disaster Risk Management Officer for Salima, Gloria Chinangwa, said the distribution exercise is going well as there is neither duplication of beneficiaries nor corruption.
“The activity has been moving well. We have managed to distribute the maize we were allocated to various centres in the district. However, we are still remaining with other centres which we are yet to reach out to because we have been receiving one or two trucks a day which is delaying the exercise to sustain the number of people that are yet to receive.
“Sometimes, we are also receiving people that are not beneficiaries and this is affecting us as we have to handle their issues instead of focusing on the exercise. However, we have just received reports that many districts have completed the exercise which will put us at an advantage to start receiving more trucks that will cover many centres,” Chinangwa said.
In his remarks, Group Village Headman Pemba said the relief items will benefit his people because most of them were experiencing acute hunger.
A beneficiary from the area of Senior Chief Pemba, Charles Frank, said the maize will solve food insufficiency challenges his family was facing.
“We are grateful for the gesture. Now we will focus on finding other necessities more than we used to do to find only food,” he said.
Another beneficiary from Nungwana Village, Finess Mustafa, concurred with Frank that relief maize will help her family have enough food throughout the month of February.
