The Lilongwe Chief Resident Magistrate Madalitso Chimwaza has on Monday adjourned an extradition case involving Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife, Mary to July 20, 2023.
Through a written adjournment notice that we have in possession,Chimwaza says she is outside the country; hence all parties should appear before court on July 20, 2023 to know about new dates for hearing.
On May 30,2023, defense lawyer Wapona Kita pleaded to the court to dismiss the case since South Africa failed to bring key witnesses for cross-examination.
Then, Chimwaza had advised the defense to make a formal application on its request.
The Bushiris are answering criminal charges in South Africa where they fled in November 2020 while on bail, and South African authorities are seeking their extradition to face trial.
The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) has backed its decision to adjust electricity tariff by 69.7 percent saying the move will help the corporation to provide continuous and uninterrupted electricity to many Malawians across the country.
This was said on Monday during a 2023-2027 electricity base tariff application public hearing held at Mount Soche Hotel in Blantyre.
According to ESCOM Operations Officer Maxwell Mulimakwenda, on top of providing continuous and uninterrupted electricity to Malawians, the elecctrity tariff adjustment which will run for four years will also enable ESCOM to pay power generators, fund its operations, cushion against devaluation and improve customers service.
Maxwell Mulimakwenda, ESCOM Operations Officer
“We need to provide continuous and uninterrupted supply of electricity to malawians,” said Mulimakwenda.
The ESCOM Operations Officer added that through the process, ESCOM is expected to make 240, 000 new connections in the next four years, of which 20,000 will be free.
But on his part,Consumers Association of Malawi (CAMA) Director John Kapito protested the said 69.7 percent electricity tariff hike saying it will have negative implications on the consumers who are already struggling.
Kapito suggested a 46 percent tariff hike makes more sense.
He said the parastatal has no moral ground to raise electricity that much observing that it has failed to meet many of its key performance indicators in the previous four years.
CAMA Director also condemned ESCOM for allegedly failing to find lasting solution towards eradication of corruption at its institution; arguing most of its generated money is misused.
John Kapito, CAMA Director
He further called for the dissolution of the Electricity Generation Company (EGENCO) arguing its existence is fueling electricity tariff increase in the country.
“Why having EGENCO for 300 megawatts? If we get rid of EGENCO, the proposals being made on tariffs will be low,” said Kapito.
He gave an example of a drop in the new proposed tariff arrangement to 67.9% following dissolution of Power Market Limited(PML).
“Just see, before PML was dissolved, the electricity tariff was about 90 or 99 percent after dissolving it, the figures dropped to 67.9 percent,” he said.
Again, Kapito asked ESCOM to be strategic enough in terms of disasters to avoid serious power disruptions.
“What we need from you is electricity, nothing else! Once you deliver that, we are also ready to abide by your requests,” he said.
The application for the tariff increase is set to be a successor base tariff to the one implemented from 2018 to 2022 which will mean that electricity consumers will pay an average of K177.26 per kilowatt hour (kWh) from the current average of K104.46/kWh.
In line with the 2017 Tariff Methodology, once every four years,ESCOM submits a base tariff application to Mera for consideration and approval.
Innobuild Limited Company has given Flames interim Coach Patrick Mabedi a 15×30 plot of land over impressive performance the Malawi team is showing at an ongoing Hollywoodbets Cosafa Cup in South Africa.
According to Innobuild Company Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Billy Jonathan Chiwotha, Mabedi has been given a chance to choose the aforementioned plot in city of his choice, Blantyre, Lilongwe or Mzuzu.
Patrick Mabedi showing his boys how it should be done in ground
“We salute Flames for record breaking performance at on going Cosafa and we are delighted and join malawians in recognising General Patrick Mabedi with a 15×30 plot in city of his choice.
“Mabedi mwatichotsa malungo amaluzi amalawi,” said Chiotha.
He said the move is also part of motivating the caretaker coach to keep coaching the Flames well.
The Flames are now in the semifinals of the 2023 Hollywoodbets Cosafa Cup following a 2- 0 win over Comoros at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South Africa on Tuesday.
The Flames have finished top of Group B with nine points from three matches.
They have scored five goals without conceding.
This is the first time the Flames have qualified for the semifinals in 20 years.
In exercise of the power vested in him under Section 161(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi, President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has appointed Lieutenant General Paul Valentino Phiri as the Commander of the Malawi Defense Force (MDF) with immediate effect.
Valentino Phiri
Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba has confirmed of the development in a statement adding that the President has promoted Phiri to the rank of General.
Phiri replaces Lieutenant General Vincent Nundwe who was appointed the MDF commander in 2019.
