Saturday, December 20, 2025
No menu items!
spot_img
Home Blog Page 1458

Ben Longwe vows to be Chisale’s mouthpiece

0

By Vincent Gunde

A human rights activist based in South Africa Charles Ben Longwe, has vowed to work personally as Norman Chisale’s mouthpiece to pressurize the MCP government to release property it ceased from him for the truth to prevail.

Ben Longwe has said the Government has closed all spaces and tying Chisale’s mouth so that he should not speak to the press on matters surrounding his life claiming that he is failing to access his bank accounts and enjoy ownership of his business property and lodges.

He said the issues surrounding Chisale are pure violation of human rights and him as a rights activist will not be sitting down and watching but to press the authorities to have a second thought of at least allowing him to access part of the ceased property.



Speaking through an audio clip circulating in various social media platforms, Longwe has claimed that the Government is afraid that once giving back all of Chisale’s property, he will be paid all of his money for the years the property was in the hands of the Government.

Longwe said Norman Chisale has become the number one citizen in Malawi to be killed of his freedom of press following the interview which he had on Zodiak TV where he attacked the Government for treating him not as a human being but an animal saying he shares the same pain like everyone else.

He said freedom of press is enshrined in the Republican Constitution claiming that during a television interview, Norman Chisale had to share something of public interest to Malawians on what is hurting him looking at the pace his case is taking two years without completion.

The Activist has lamented that the court ordered Chisale not to speak to the media while the same, ceased his property without verifying it for 2 years describing this as a total violation of one’s rights a development which is worrisome.

“It is very unconstitutional for the court to cease his property for 2 years, there is a clause in the Constitution not to cease somebody’s property for a 90 day period,” said Longwe.

He said Chisale’s case is one of the many cases in Malawi prompting him to report the Government of Malawi on various human rights abuses to the International Criminal Court (ICC) saying Malawians will have a say and the last date given to them is Sunday, the 25th November, 2023.

Longwe has claimed that ever since President Chakwera was ushered into Government in June, 2020, all those that are against him and his MCP are being arrested and prosecuted in a court of law describing this as democracy under siege.

Salima Sugar Company beamons lack of knowledge and skills transfer from expatriates

0

By Linda Kwanjana

One of the Malawi’s leading quality Sugar producer, Salima Sugar has expressed concern over high levels of racial discrimination at the factory which has led into failure to transfer skills from expatriates to local Malawians.

Salima Sugar Company Board Chair , Mr Wester Peter Kosamu said this in Lilongwe when he addressed a press conference saying the company is doing everything it can to ensure that expatriates are doing only those specialised skills only while Malawians are understudiying them.

Wester Peter Kosamu



He said it is sad that up to now some Indians can fly all the way from India and work here as security guards and some as messengers.

“But the good news is that it is now becoming a mixture of both Malawians and I think that’s something other than what was happening before, ” he said.
Adding that there are Malawians in some sections that ever before.

Kosam commended some brave Malawians who run the machines after all the expatriates had gone to their homes in Indeed following the closure of the season on 18 November, 2023.

“Despite the tradition of closing the season on 18 November every year, there was some sugar cane which was due for crushing, and when the Indians had left , our own people in Malawi run the machines ,” he said.

“We are thinking of sending them to school to further their education because they have already demonstrated their capabilities,” he said.

On demand of Salima sugar , Kosamu said the demand is so high both in Malawi and abroad.

He said as a board chair he received a lot of phone calls from neighboring countries and beyond.

“I wish I had the magic, to expand the factory that in a minute, I can expand the sugar fields in a minute. I can expand the tonnage , currently we have exported low tonnage of sugar to Kenya and we have a dollar account as we speak ,” he said.

Kosam encouraged more Malawians to grow more sugar cane because there is already a readily available market.

“We are inviting Malawians to invest in Sugarcane farming as it is a viable business since off- takers are readily available such as our company, ” he said.

RBM Governor Dr Wilson Banda speaks tough against misreporting on financial matters

0

By Linda Kwanjana


The Reserve Bank of Malawi Governor Dr Wilson Banda has expressed concern over the manner in which the media has been misreporting issues on financial matters.

Addressing a press conference in Lilongwe, Banda gave as an example how the media reported on Friday daily papers on the current foreign currency exchange rate.

“There is a need to be very careful on financial matters,” he said.

The bank has since appealed to the media to be responsible all the time saying the media is a powerful tool and the people believe everything that the media is reporting.

Banda at the Press Conference



RBM says if the media is not sure on the information on financial matters, there is a need to cross check with the Governor’s office.

He said this misinformation has the capacity to trigger inflation and prices.

Commenting on the recent 44 percent devaluation the Governor said that the move will help to bridge the gap between exports and imports.

“The misalignment of the Kwacha to the Dollar increased the amount of money being borrowed. With the situation now the amount of money borrowed will be small,” he said.

The Governor said the good news is that what the Bank did has helped to deal with black markets.

The Bank has questioned the criteria of adjusting with 44% prices on domestic products.

“The market has taken advantage of the adjustment, this is not allowed,” he said.

Comprehensive WASH package a game changer to Ntchisi residents

0

By Wilfred Golden

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services which WaterAid Malawi is implementing in Ntchisi district have been described as a game changer to Ntchisi residents.

This was disclosed during a media tour which WaterAid Malawi organized as a water challenge has been described as a crucial challenge affecting the operation of some key services at Sambakusi healthcare post in the district, a thing which is delaying the opening of the maternity ward at the facility.

GVH Sambakusi speaking to the journalists who are on a media tour


Speaking to journalists, Group Village Head(GVH) Sambakusi commended the gesture by WaterAid Malawi saying it has come in time and that it will ease maternal deaths which were there as expectant women walked long distance to access healthcare services.

“We built this martenity ward in 2017 but it is failing to start its operation because of water problems and we wish this project would be fastened.

“Alot of women face alot of problems when they go to access healthy services at Ntchisi district hospital as they need alot of money to use while they are there and this is bringing alot of challenges and we are very thankful with the coming in of WaterAid with this project as we know that some of our problem will be minimized,” GVH Sambakusi said.

On his part, Chairperson of Health Center Management Committee (HCMC) at the facility, Daniel Chikuse said as a community they have been very much committed to support the facility with water supply every time as they work on shifts and make sure that water is available at the facility and he was quick to react that the coming in of WaterAid Malawi with water supply system at the facility will give a chance to the community members at least to concentrate on other issues including farming activities as the facility will have enough water.

WaterAid Malawi is implementing a four year WASH related services project in three healthcare facilities including Sambakusi, Chinkhande as well as Chandawe healthcare facilities.

The project is being funded by Wimbledon Foundation to the tune of 1.2 billion Malawi Kwacha and it is targeting 10 villages in the district.

A maternity ward built in 2017 with support from Malawi Red cross but it is yet to start functioning due to water challenges

Human rights activist Ben Longwe says Malawi Kwacha secretly drops by another 13 percent

0

By Vincent Gunde

Just only two weeks after the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) announced a 44 percent devaluation of the Malawi Kwacha,human rights activist based in South Africa Charles Ben Longwe, says the Kwacha has again secretly lost its value by 13 percent.

In an interview with 247 Malawi News, Longwe said the Malawi Kwacha has been devalued by 57 percent within a period of 3 weeks describing this as time out for President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera to change things in Malawi but continuing destroying Malawi.

Charles Ben Longwe


He said after the announcement of the 44 percent devaluation, the exchange rate for one US Dollar was being bought at K1,700 and starting from the November 2, 2023 the exchange rate has moved to k1,900.

Longwe said it is not a surprise that some other groups of civil servants have pegged the devaluation to be at 100 percent a development which is worrisome and a regret to have voted for a wrong government.

He said in one or two weeks to come, the Malawi Kwacha will again lose its value to one American Dollar meaning that Malawians must bless themselves for tougher times advising the citizens not expect the Kwacha to regain its value anytime soon.

He said he do not find it proper for Malawi First going to the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) for funding when they know pretty well that President Chakwera has failed to govern Malawians in the interest of all and that that his servant leadership has been proved to be zero.

The Activist said Chakwera is not worthy to be the President of Malawi arguing that he does not know what to do in Government saying the only solution for him is to resign honourably or to be forced to resign to pave way for others to lead the country.

He said with the promised funding for Chakwera to change things and not resigning, there will be propagandas against him, assuring Malawians that time is out for President Chakwera to fix the country’s economy.

“The way how Malawi has reached, there is no way Chakwera can change things, he has failed in his three-year rule as President of Malawi,” said Longwe.

Ben Longwe said Malawi has no Public Affairs Committee (PAC) claiming that Malawians who are patriotic to their country will mobilize each other to close PAC offices located at the City Centre in Lilongwe for the men of God to join frontline politics.