The Chinese government has on Monday donated 12 motorcycles to the Malawi Police Service (MPS) worth K30 million.
Receiving the donation from Chinese ambassador Long Zhou at a function that took place at Area 30 headquarters in Lilongwe was Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng’oma.
In his remarks, Long Zhou said the donation is part of the promotion of practical cooperation.
Hon Ken Zikhale Ng’oma and Long Zhou
Said Zhou:”Through this donation we continue our practical cooperation with the Malawi government.
“The world is far from tranquil, various security threats keep emerging. This demands global cooperation among countries to build global security.”
On his part, Ng’oma commended the Chinese government for the donation saying it will go a long way in strengthening mobility in the MPS.
“This is a demonstration that China is a true friend of Malawi.
“We are really grateful and this donation will go a long way in fighting crime in hard to reach places, more especially assist in cross border crime fight.”
Inspector General for MPS Merlyne Yolamu since promised Zhou that the assistance will be put to good use.
“The motorcycles will enhance boarder security and will be deployed to hard to reach areas to bolster border patrols,” she said.
The rejection of the Presidential age limit bill by United Transformation Movement (UTM) and United Democratic Front (UDF) members of parliament has sent shockwaves through the political landscape in Malawi.
Hon Kondwani Nankhumwa, the former Leader of Opposition(LoP) and the legislator for Mulanje Central, is facing a tough battle to garner support for his private member bill aimed at restricting the age of Presidential candidates to 80 years.
Nankhumwa’s efforts to sway UTM and UDF MPs to support his bill have hit a dead end, with MPs from both parties rejecting his advances.
The rejection has left Nankhumwa scrambling to find alternative avenues of support, including approaching independent MPs.
KondwaniNankhumwa
However, it seems that even independent MPs are wary of supporting Nankhumwa’s bill.
One UTM MP, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that they could not accept the money being offered by Nankhumwa, as it was allegedly proceeds of corruption from the MCP.
The MP also claimed that Nankhumwa was being sponsored by the MCP, with promises of a running mate position in exchange for his support for the age limit bill.
The rejection of Nankhumwa’s bill by UTM and UDF MPs highlights the deep divisions within the political landscape in Malawi.
The allegations of corruption and political maneuvering have further fueled tensions and suspicions among MPs, making it difficult for Nankhumwa to garner support for his bill.
Furthermore, the looming threat of leaked recordings of conversations between Nankhumwa and independent MPs adds another layer of complexity to the situation.
The potential exposure of behind-the-scenes dealings could have far-reaching implications for Nankhumwa and his allies, potentially damaging their credibility and reputation.
As Nankhumwa prepares to present his private member bill in parliament, he faces an uphill battle to secure the support needed to pass the bill.
The rejection by UTM and UDF MPs, coupled with the skepticism among independent MPs, poses a significant challenge to Nankhumwa’s efforts to push through the age limit bill.
The unfolding drama surrounding the age limit bill reflects the power struggles and political intrigue that have come to define Malawi’s political landscape.
The rejection of the bill by UTM and UDF MPs underscores the deep-rooted ideological differences and personal rivalries that continue to shape politics in the country.
As the debate over the age limit bill intensifies, it remains to be seen how Nankhumwa will navigate the challenges ahead and whether he will be able to garner the support needed to pass the bill.
The coming days and weeks are likely to bring further twists and turns in this unfolding political saga, as Malawi grapples with the implications of the age limit bill and the power struggles it represents.
The Malawi’s Central Bank,Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) says it is optimistic that the local economy will grow by 3.2 percent this year from 1.5 percent last year.
This is contained in its statement on the first 2024 Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting which took place on 31 January and 1 February 2024.
Reserve Bank Governor Banda
RBM says even though the positive outlook is threatened by El Niño-induced weather conditions and a highly uncertain global economic and geopolitical environment, the economy will still grow, supported by an increase in public investment and recovery in mining and quarrying, manufacturing, information and communication, financial and insurance activities among others.
The bank’s committee has also agreed that the policy rate should be at 26 percent.
RBM’s projected growth of 3.2 percent is in line with last week’s International Monetary Fund (IMF) projection of 3.3 percent economic growth this year.
The growth further shows that the economy is recovering after growing by 0.9 percent in 2022 and 1.5 percent last year as it was struggling with the effects of Covid-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war among others.
RBM was established in 1964 to serve as the banker of the government.
The bank issues legal tender currency as well as formulates the monetary policy of the country.
Political activist Bon Elias Kalindo, says gone are the days when Malawians could live in fear in their own country as refugees saying it is sad hearing media reports that government and senior Malawi Defense Force (MDF) officers are hunting for Gregory Gondwe’s life.
Kalindo has claimed that Gregory Gondwe’s only sin he has committed to the MCP led Tonse Alliance government is exposing the dubious deal involving government and MDF on the sale of armored vehicles to International Armored Group (IAG), a company linked to Zuneth Sattar.
Bon Kalindo
He said being the President, Minister, Principal Secretary, Army Commander and Inspector General of Police is not a passport to be threatening journalists who are doing their noble work in Malawi by making sure that all the hidden agendas are coming to the open.
Speaking through an audio clip circulating in various social media platforms, Kalindo said Malawi of today needs courageous journalists like Gregory Gondwe and Mercy Matonga claiming that journalists of today, are praising team members of political parties.
Kalindo said some journalists have forgotten their noble profession, they are being used by politicians to write good things for them so that the electorate trust them to bounce back into Parliament in 2025 describing this development as nonsense.
He said journalists who cover the bad with the good are not wanted in Malawi claiming that many journalists in Malawi are afraid of telling President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera the truth that Malawians have lost confidence and trust in him.
The activist said President Chakwera has failed in all of his HI-5 Agendas observing that instead of fighting corruption, he is condoning corruption through the same Sattar who has destroyed the country by corrupting politicians in favour of government contracts and tenders.
He has warned government that if Gregory Gondwe is arrested as per its demand and that of the MDF, Malawians will not sit down and watch, but mobilizing one another to go into the streets protesting in defense of the Republican Constitution.
“This is not the time of threatening Malawians with arrests, try to arrest him, Malawians will be in the streets holding demonstrations against you,” said Kalindo.
He has advised President Chakwera that his Ministers are deceiving him with large crowds attending to his rallies across the country for him to be made to believe that they are rallying behind him saying the truth of the matter is that patriotic Malawians are not ready to vote for him as their President anymore.
On age limit Bill of a presidential candidate, Kalindo has advised all Members of Parliament (MPs) both of government and opposition that Malawians are mobilizing each other and are coming to close their house run by their hard-earned taxes.
