One of Mighty Mukuru Wanderers FC’s diehards, Mphatso Howahowa has rewarded the team’s midfielder Blessings Singini with money amounting to K100,000 for his outstanding performance during the Blantyre derby against FCB Nyasa Big Bullets FC last Saturday at Kamuzu Stadium.
Speaking after presenting the cash to Singini, Howahowa said he was moved to reward Singini for his great performance in order to encourage hard work and commitment amongst the players.
Singing being rewarded
“A number of our players had a grand game and Singini was amongst the star performers. The game against Bullets was his first derby but his performance was top notch. I decided to thank him for his first-rate effort and encourage him and his peers to keep working hard” said Howahowa who works as Finance Chief for G4S Company.
Singini who has just signed for Wanderers a couple of months ago from Mzuzu City Hammers, also won the Man of the Match accolade during Nomads’ first game against FOMO FC in Mulanje last month.
President and Commander in Chief of Muvi wa Chilungamo Revolutionary Party (MRP) Bantu Saunders Jumah, has advised the government not to use any penny from taxpayer’s money as compensation to Dr. Saulosi Klaus Chilima following the government withdraw of Chilima’s corruption case in court.
Jumah said he has learnt with shock and dismay reading media reports that the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is contemplating to cough out K980 billion to pay Dr. Chilima as damages he has suffered for 2 years with his corruption case in court.
Chilima
He said it is sad that the government is contemplating paying a whooping K980 billion as compensation to a man who has not been arrested by police, he has not spent any day in police cells and any prison in Malawi to demand payment of such nature.
Speaking through his Facebook page which is widely read by millions of people in Malawi and Africa, Jumah has claimed that politicians know each other well and paying Dr. Chilima with K980 billion compensation for damages is speaking for itself that politicians pay each other for their own mistakes.
Jumah said the reasons given for the withdrawal of Chilima’s corruption case citing national security is not convincing arguing that for national security, Dr. Chakwera and Dr. Chilima must be involved and this should not be applied to other corruption suspects.
He has asked President Chakwera that since when did he realize that Dr. Chilima’s case is of national security observing that he was the one who informed Malawians that his Vice President Dr. Chilima is involved in corruption cases being a beneficiary of Zuneth Sattar corruption basket fund.
The MRP President has warn government not to play around with taxpayer’s money and if it is suing, Dr. Chilima must sue President Chakwera and his family to pay him compensations for damages not Malawians.
“Malawians should not make a mistake voting into government MRP, we will not tolerate this nonsense, we will follow the people’s money to Kasiya back to Capital Hill,” said Jumah.
He has registered his deep concern that President Chakwera has been going to countries around the world as a global trotter preaching that his government will end corruption fooling the world and Malawians and today, the same man is withdrawing high-profile corruption cases.
Jumah said Dr. Chilima’s name is on the list of 84 corruption suspects the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) submitted to President Chakwera for action but only one, Dr. Chilima has been appearing in court while 83 others, are being hidden.
He said the withdraw of high-profile corruption cases has not been applied to Dr. Chilima alone saying all the other 83 suspects besides being shielded of their identities, will be the beneficiaries to have their cases be dropped as well.
Democratic Progressive Party DPP has appointed Dr George Chaponda as new Leader of opposition. According to a letter seen on DPP official Facebook page, the appointment is with immediate effect.
In the same letter, Lonnie Chijere had been appointed as Commissioner in Parliament. This appears to be a new position announced by the opposition DPP.
Dr George Chaponda
The party has also thanked hon Mary Navicula who served as Leader of DPP before this appointment.
Writing on his Facebook page, Dr George Chaponda thanked His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika for the appointment.
In a surprise move, Kondwani Nankhumwa, the interim president of the People’s Development Party (PDP), announced his resignation 5 days ago as Leader of Opposition in Parliament. This move comes as Nankhumwa focuses on strengthening his newly formed party ahead of next year’s elections.
Parliamentary Standing Order 35(1) reads: “The leader of opposition shall be elected by the party not in government having the greatest numerical strength in parliament at any point in time and officially announced as such by the speaker”.
The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government.
The Leader of the Opposition is responsible for managing the way the opposition develops policies , scrutinises the government and acts in Parliament. Their duties include: acting as the main opposition spokesperson. selecting members of their party or coalition to be shadow ministers.
Malawi Government and the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) on Monday formally inaugurated the US $350 million (about K612 billion) second compact at a ceremony held in Dallas, Texas.
The launch, which coincided with the MCC’s 20th Anniversary celebrations held at the George W. Bush Presidential Center, was presided over by His Excellency Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of Malawi and Alice Albright, MCC Chief Executive Officer.
President Chakwera, who is in the United States of America for the US-Africa Summit, commended the compact’s importance in driving Malawi’s economic prosperity and promoting transparent governance for all citizens.
“This compact exemplifies Malawi’s steadfast commitment to building a more resilient and self-reliant nation,” said President Chakwera.
Chakwera said the financial resources provided by the American people under the compact would enable Malawi to resolve challenges in linking smallholder farmers to markets by improving the road infrastructure.
“With poor rural road infrastructure, we see extremely high prices of farm-to-market transport and in some cases, significant market power of transporters and agro-processors,” he said.
He added; “These prices potentially inhibit the development of Malawi’s rural economy and stymie structural transformation by preventing the rural to urban movement of labor, and diversified production of cash crops.”
President Chakwera said he was proud that Malawi has fulfilled both legislative and administrative reforms and actions which were conditions set out before the Compact could become effective.
Albright described the multi-million dollar grant for infrastructure and land policy reforms as a significant investment in the people of Malawi.
“We are proud of our strong, enduring partnership with the people of Malawi and believe this compact will play a crucial role in Malawi’s economic development,” said Albright.
The MCA, a US Government agency, is investing in Malawi’s transportation and land sectors to enhance rural market access, improve land administration and promote inclusive economic growth.
Malawi’s longstanding partnership with the MCC, dating back to 2005, has seen commendable progress in previous compact programmes and policy areas.
The new compact will prioritise the Accelerated Growth Corridors Project (AGC) to reduce transport costs in rural areas and enhance land productivity, alongside the American Catalyst Facility for Development Project to facilitate private sector engagement.
As part of the official launch, MCA Malawi II will host a symbolic celebration on May 30, 2024, in Lilongwe, to be graced by President Chakwera and MCC boss Albright.
The Malawi Law Society (MLS) has expressed concern over the government’s delay in tabling the Constitution (Amendment) Bill and the Judicial Service Administration Bill both of 2023,saying this is heavily impacting on Malawians seeking justice.
MLS President Patrick Mpaka made the remarks on Monday during an engagement meeting between MLS and the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe on the necessity of advocating for the tabling and enactment of the two bills.
Patrick Mpaka
He said currently, the law does not provide for any tribunal responsible for judges’ disciplinary in case of any malpractice or injury to any party in the course of administering justice and the two bills are seeking to correct this anomaly.
“What we want is to ensure transparency and accountability in the judicial system so that citizens are provided with a platform where they can take their grievances against the judiciary,” he said.
He further said that apart from this, the bills are also seeking to address a number of issues affecting the delivery of justice such as funding mechanisms.
CSOs’ representative Charles Kajoloweka who is Executive Director (ED) of the Youth and Society (YAS) said the CSOs will push for the tabling of the bills in the next Parliament meeting.
Kajoloweka said judicial impunity is real in Malawi and there is a serious need to dismantle that impunity by having the Bills enacted into law.
“Impunity is a poison to the justice system, and we must work together to antidote it,” said Kajoloweka.
MLS is a legal membership organization that unites all lawyers in Malawi.
The society is administered by an elected executive board.
