President Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika Tuesday afternoon began his speech with a minute silence in respect of the Police Officer killed in the disturbances at Msundwe earlier this morning.
Speaking at Kamuzu Institute of Sports, after successfully launching the construction of 250 secondary schools at Kawale Community Day Secondary School in Lilongwe, the President said his administration will make sure all corners of the country recieve equal development and treatment regardless of whether they voted for him or not adding that he is president of all Malawians adding that he will make sure there is unity of purpose.
The President also called on the public to desist from violence and vandalism of public infrastructure that is aimed at developing this nation.
Early in the day, a police officer was stoned to death at Msundwe trading centre as people were demonstrating against Mutharika holding a meeting at Kamuzu institute for Youth.
President Arthur Peter Mutharika has for the third time strongly refuted assertions that the May 21st Presidential election was rigged.
President Mutharika said this during a half an hour program on one of the reputable media organization in the world, Aljazeera.
President Mutharika who responded to the questions calmly and composed reiterated that the 2019 elections were free, fair and credible as was declared by six election observers namely European Union, African Union, Commonwealth among others.
The half an hour program, centered much on most critical issues affecting the country including the alleged election fraud, good governance, corruption among others.
On Presidential election outcome, in which the opposition parties are challenging in court, President Mutharika said the election was free fair and credible and repeatedly said the way Malawi’s elections were conducted should set an example to the rest of Africa and the world.
When asked if the current demonstrations being perpetrated by HRDC and the opposition political parties have affected his ability to run the country’s affairs this is what the Malawi leader had to say: “It does not affect my programmes. All the programmes we promise during the campaign, we are doing them.”
On the same, President Mutharika said he is not against the demonstrations but is against violent demonstrations. He said no right is superior than the other and he has since challenged the demonstrators to stop because they don’t have a point.
Mutharika on aljazeera
Professor Mutharika said he is not surprised with the post-election violence being championed by HRDC’S Timothy Mtambo and MCP’s Lazarus Chakwera because they already planned for this in February following a leaked conversation between the two that they would not accept the election outcome not in MCP’s favor.
“Under the constitution, peaceful demonstrations are allowed, and I support that. I am one of the drafters of the constitution, Am a Comparative Constitutional Lawyer myself. What has happened is that, these demonstrations are becoming violent, property has been destroyed- what the attorney general did was to go to court and get an injunction to stop violent demonstrations until the rganisers of the demonstrations can prove to the court that they are able to conduct peaceful demonstrations. I swear to protect the people, and also to protect the country and that’s what the attorney general was doing,” said the Malawi leader.
Asked whether he was grooming someone to take over from him after 2024, this was what Mutharika said: “There are many young people in the Government. In my cabinet, half the cabinet is under 40. We even have a 23 year old parliamentarian. I don’t think it is necessary to groom somebody. This is a democracy. This is not a monarchy and I cannot anoint anybody. The DPP will decide in 2023 at the convention on who should be the leader of the party and therefore the presidential candidate.”
The program also highlighted Malawi’s commitment on climate change and bilateral relations with countries like China and Japan among other important issues affecting Malawi and beyond. This is not the first time for the President to speak to the media after May 2019 post-election matters. Professor Mutharika also recently had an interview with British Broadcasting Corporation-BBC.
The LFC Foundation headed back to Malawi last month to deliver the final stage of the Health Goals Malawi project alongside the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM).
The joint project, which was launched in 2017, delivers sports-based public engagement activities in Malawi, which allow young people to access health services and education focused on HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Liverpool charity work in Malawi
Using the power of the LFC badge and the wider appeal of football, the programme engages with local youngsters – in particular, males aged 14-22, who are least likely to access health education and services such as self-testing and treatment plans.
In Malawi, the number of people living with HIV is one of the highest in the world and young people account for 50 per cent of new infections, with incidences highest among 15 to 17-year-olds.
Knowledge around prevention and transmission of disease is essential among young people, who often have low levels of awareness and are therefore more likely to contract HIV or be living with it unknowingly.
Matt Parish, director of the LFC Foundation, said: “We were delighted to head back to Malawi once again to deliver this fantastic project.
“The programme has built an amazing platform for health education in Chikwawa and has ensured sustainability through the training and development of local coaches.
“Working with LSTM and the local coaches out in Malawi has allowed us to engage with such a hard to reach group and we’ve been able to make a real difference to the health and life chances of hundreds of young people in the area.”
Across the week, LFC Foundation coaches and LSTM staff delivered seven community outreach sessions throughout the Chikwawa region, with over 600 young people taking part.
25 local community coaches, who were trained by FA Malawi and LFC Foundation back in June, worked alongside LFC Foundation staff to lead carousels of activities including football training and HIV education.
LFC Foundation staff provided feedback, hints and tips to build on the community coaches’ skills and continue their aim of becoming genuine role models in the local community.
The week-long programme of activities culminated in the MLW Kafukufuku Festival in Chikwawa, where LFC Foundation coaches led football education sessions alongside HIV education messages.
All participants were taught how to use a HIV self-test kit and shown a demonstration video featuring Sadio Mane, with those who were old enough given a self-test kit to take home.
In total, over 1,000 HIV self-test kits were distributed to participants and amongst the 5,000-strong crowd, who gathered to watch a Health Goals Malawi squad take on Blantyre-based team, Wizards FC, in the final of the MLW Kafukufuku tournament.
Local coach, Frank Chilongo, said: “The Health Goals Malawi project has not only increased knowledge of HIV amongst young people, but it has also broken down the fear of getting tested for HIV.
“Now, if you finish a session without telling the participants any health messages – they are going to ask you, ‘Coach, are you not going to tell us a health message?’ It’s because they are enjoying it, so it’s great for us.”
Bordering Tanzania and Mozambique, Malawi is a relatively small country in southeastern Africa. However, it is actually home the fourth largest freshwater lake in the world (by volume), Lake Malawi. Lake Malawi is home to more species of fish than any other lake in the world, and Liwonde National Park in the southern part of the country is home to lots of wildlife as well, including: elephants, hippos, lions and black rhinos, which are a member of the endangered species list.
Every year, the founders of We Are Travel Girls, take a group of 12 women to Malawi for their annual Malawi Safari & Charity Trip. We Are Travel Girls is a global travel community that started with the intention to “inspire, connect, educate and empower female travelers around the world”. The organization shares travel tips and tricks via its popular travel website and collection of social media channels, amongst other resources. I spoke with founders, Becky van Dijk and Vanessa Rivers about why they have fallen in love with the country and why they keep going back. Here are six reasons you need to visit Malawi according to the founders of We Are Travel Girls.
Malawi – Founders of We Are Travel Girls, Becky van Dijk and Vanessa Rivers in Malawi on their annual charity trip. WE ARE TRAVEL GIRLS
1) GOING ON A RIVER SAFARI IN LIWONDE NATIONAL PARK
Liwonde National Park is located southeast of the capital, Lilongwe, near the Mozambique border. The Shire River runs alongside the park and serves as a watering hole for elephants, hippos, black rhinos, crocodiles, leopards, antelopes, and more. Taking a river safari here is like stepping into the Lion King. Becky and Vanessa describe seeing elephants, warthogs, meerkats, and baboons gather at the river’s banks as a “once in a lifetime experience.” “Seeing such an array of creatures come together to drink water, play and hunt for food is out of this world. And doing so from the river itself is a much nicer experience than from a noisy jeep.”
Malawi – A group of elephants drinking water on the Shire RiverWE ARE TRAVEL GIRLS
2) DRINKING GIN & TONICS
Most African Safaris usually end with a “sundowner” and those in Malawi are no different. “In Malawi, we discovered how incredibly tasty Malawi Gin is, and that it of course pairs very nicely with tonic and a magical African sunset! Malawi Gin has long had something of a cult following among British tourists. They’d return home from vacations to the former British Colony raving about the local gin and once we tried it, we could easily understand why!” Becky and Vanessa added. “If you are doing a river or land safari in Liwonde National Park make sure to request that your safari guide brings along Malawi Gin & Tonics so you can enjoy a special G&T sundowner from your safari vehicle or boat overlooking the Shire River.”
3) MEETING THE WARM PEOPLE OF MALAWI
Frequently referred to as ‘The Warm Heart of Africa,’ Malawi is known for its welcoming people. Their hospitality makes visitors feel at home as soon as they step off the plane. According to Becky and Vanessa, “Their wealth of happiness is infectious. The value they put on family and relationships makes it an amazing place to return to year after year.”
4) EXPLORING MUMBO ISLAND ON LAKE MALAWI
Lake Malawi – A dinner set up on the banks of Lake MalawiWE ARE TRAVEL GIRLS
For the luxury traveler looking for an untouched paradise, Mumbo Island in the middle of Lake Malawi is the place to go. Named one of the Sunday Times’ Top 100 Places to Stay in 2017, this private island is a must. The island is only a half a mile in diameter and has never been inhabited by a population. It is a pristine, natural, oasis offering visitors a luxurious and sustainable travel experience. If you are truly looking to unplug, Mumbo has no cell service or electricity so you can truly get that digital detox we all need. You’ll arrive on Mumbo Island, turn off your devices, leave them in your room and start connecting with nature. The wooden stilted cabins overlooking the turquoise water of Lake Malawi are the definition of rustic luxury. “We recommend leaving the doors to the balcony open and so you can wake up to the incredible sunrise and the birdsong of the island.” Becky and Vanessa mentioned. “On our Malawi Safari & Charity Trip our guests love taking advantage of the delicious meals, kayaking, yoga, hiking, sunset boat rides and evening campfires (with wine of course!).”
5) VISITING THE SATEMWA TEA ESTATES
Tea is a major crop in Malawi. Tea estates like Satemwa, which is a third-generation family-owned business offers tours and tastings.
Malawi – View of the Satemwa Tea Estate fieldsWE ARE TRAVEL GIRLS
Founded in 1923, Satemwa is one of the last family-owned tea estates in the region, as most have been purchased by large corporations. Guests can spend the night at Satemwa and enjoy sundowners overlooking the rolling tea fields, estate tours, and private tea tastings.
6) GIVING BACK THROUGH RESPONSIBLE TOURISM
While Malawi is a country full of beauty and amazing people, it is also important to remember that the average person in Malawi struggles to live on less than $1 a day. Tourism is a significant part of the economy and as it is still a hidden gem, foreign dollars can stretch far here. However, it is crucial when visiting developing countries such as Malawi to ensure being a respectful visitor. “We Are Travel Girls strives to work with tour companies that give back to the communities we visit so we are proud to have partnered with The Responsible Safari Company to show our guests the best of Malawi during our annual Malawi Safari & Charity Trip.” Says Becky and Vanessa. “The Responsible Safari Company is committed to creating sustainable growth [in Malawi] through social enterprise, reducing dependence on foreign aid and driving tourism that generates income for rural communities in Africa.”
Malawi – Co-founder of We Are Travel Girls, Vaness Rivers in Malawi on a river safariWE ARE TRAVEL GIRLS
A portion of the proceeds from the Malawi Safari & Charity Trip are donated to Malawi to go towards local resources and infrastructure. Becky and Vanesa have also worked to raise through their, “Travel Girls Giving Program” over $15,000 for school children in need in Malawi.
Catholics in Malawi will on October 19 hold national prayers pray for peace, unity and reconciliation following “disturbing trends that have occurred as an aftermath of the 21st May tripartite polls,” the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) has said.
Malawi has been rocked in an elections dispute over the results of the presidential race, after MEC declared President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika winner of the poll.
Fr. Henry Saindi
Both opposition parties MCP and UTM have petitioned the court, seeking nullification of the result, claiming the poll was fraught with irregularities.
But ECM Secretary General Fr. Henry Saindi said in a statement said it was important for the biggest church in Malawi to hold the Eucharist celebration and pray for peace, unity and reconciliation. “It is an important national celebration for the entire Catholic church in Malawi,” he said.
“As Catholics, we believe in the power of prayer. We are aware human efforts can fail but God does not fail,” he said, adding that:
“It is against this background that the ECM has decided to hold nationwide prayers in all dioceses of the Catholic Church to seek God’s intervention.”
The Church was this time divided on whom to support for president, with several of the seven dioceses openly supporting Saulos Chilima (a catholic) of UTM, while others remained non-committal.
MEC has said no church or religious body should endorse a candidate as this is against the rights of the electorate to choose a candidate of their choice.
