The Member of Parliament for Nkhatabay South Dr Kenneth Reeves Zikhale Ng’oma has continued his development exploits after donating another Maize Mill and bags of cement to some areas in the constituency .
Dr Zikhale Ngoma made the donation on Friday afternoon. The maize mill, which will alleviate the problem people had in grinding their maize was donated to Litende area.
The parliamentarian also donated 60 bags of Cement and other building materials at Kande Market which will go towards construction of public toilets. This is not the first time that Zikhale has donated in the area. Since being elected, the parliamentarian has not wasted time but focus on bringing development in the area, that so far includes; piped water, an ambulance, help in construction of local health centres and another Maize mill.
Speaking to 247Malawi News, Dr Zikhale said it is his duty to make sure that people of Nkhatabay South have a good life and have access to better infrastructures “ As a member of parliament , I am the servant of the people here and I will try to do my best so that development should come to this area”.
Dr Zikhale , who is also the MCP Director of Strategy took time to commend the dynamic leadership of President Chakwera highlighting that the President is a hard worker and so eager to develop Malawi, which is also a motivation for legislators like himself to work hard in order to compliment the development agenda of the President “ President Chakwera has already shown in the few months he has been president that he wants to develop Malawi, I think it is also best for us as MPs to support the President and work extra hard towards development of our constituencies” added Zikhale.
Member of parliament for Nkhatabay South who is also MCP Strategic Director Dr Ken Zikhale Ng’oma has said Malawi is on course for greater heights due to President Chakwera’s leadership style. Dr Zikhale made the claims in a radio interview when he was speaking on “Lets Talk Africa” , a radio show on Manchester UK based Radio Africana and hosted by Allan Mandindi.
When he was asked what he thinks about Malawi and how it compares to other African countries as far as democracy is concerned, Dr Zikhale minced no words but to make bold claims that he thinks Malawi is a democracy that need to be emulated by all African countries and beyond. He pointed out that Malawians chose Dr Lazarus Chakwera as the president , a choice that is proving to be a good one as the president has been at the pinnacle of good governance and promotion of democratic values. “ Dr Chakwera is the most democratic leader I have ever come across, Look at the way he is letting the three arms of the government, judiciary , parliament and presidential powers operate independently but all for the good of Malawi” . Zikhale said this should be a lesson to other leaders on how to lead a country
Dr Ken Zikhale Ng’oma: Chakwera a blessing to Malawi
He argued that Malawians are blessed to have a capable leader in Chakwera describing him as so accommodating and the first president to run a government of several political parties smoothly . He said he was sure that if Malawi leader can be emulated, Africa and the world will see no wars , No greed by those in power and people will prosper together . Zikhale went further to argue that President Chakwera is running an accountable and transparent government as evidenced by the recent Covid19 funds report and that he is effecting the rule of law, as those found to have been involved in malpractices are being fired , highlighting that no one is above the law in the country.
Zikhale reminded Malawians of the other core promises that President Chakwera made that puts him on par with the vision that the founding father of Malawi nation Ngwazi Dr H Kamuzu Banda had. He quoted Chakwera’s statements In which he promised Malawians food security , job creation and wealth distribution “ we need to make Malawi to be a food basket , making fertiliser almost available to every family. We need to create jobs and shake up the economy by shifting our focus to mining as tobacco is struggling on the international market and we also need wealth creation and equiptable distribution” Zikhale said he was not surprised with the success of programmes like AIP, And the strategic resource allocation that has become evident in the recent State of the Nation address by the President .
Zikhale also talked about the need to have Values that help govern governments giving example of Chakwera’s flagship Super Hi5 Agenda that was central to his election campaign and has already started being fulfilled. “ Chakwera’s super Hi5 of ending corruption , prospering together, servant leadership, respect for rule of law has already started Manifesting , we have seen nepotism and regionalism now dying slowly , we have seen equal distribution of wealth through infrastructure distribution such as plans to construct roads in Northern Region that were bad and often abandoned by previous regimes”.
Zikhale called on all African Leaders to emulate the leadership style of President Chakwera that promotes independence for governments institutions and working towards promotion of good life for the citizens .
African Regional Organization of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has commended Qatar government over the amendment of its labour laws which is aimed at removal of restrictions to migrant workers ability to change employers at their choosing, following a notice period.
General Secretary, ITUC-Africa, Kwasi Adu-Amankwah who gave the commendation in a letter titled “Commendable steps towards the full protection of the human and labour rights of migrants by the state of Qatar” which was made available to newsmen said the removal of the employer permission regime will make employment relations more humane and also eliminate the slavery –like relationship tied to the kafala sponsorship employment system.According to him “the Gulf State of Qatar has also established a new national minimum wage, which is to be enjoyed by all categories of workers. This new minimum wage now stands at QAR 1800 (493 USD) for workers who are not provided with food and accommodation by their employers. Those that enjoy employers’ provision of decent accommodation but no food will earn QAR 1500 (410USD). Migrant workers whose employers provide food and accommodation will earn a minimum wage of 1000 QAR (274USD).
Director of Occupational Safety and Health Association in United Kingdom David Smith
All workers without discrimination will enjoy the national minimum wage. While noting that the government of Qatar has given employers up to six months to comply with the new regulations said failure to comply with the new directives will attract sanctions, which include suspending the operations of the company and suspending individual operations for those employing domestic workers. He commended the country for establishment of a Minimum Wage Commission and called on others Countries in the Middle East and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States to emulate these actions of the Qatar State which he said will secure the labour dignity of migrant workers.
Reacting to the development, Director of Occupational Safety and Health Association in United Kingdom David Smith said OSHA in UK are delighted to see that the Qatar Government has taken steps to put in place new regulations over the employment and payment of Migrant Workers.Nothing that the steps are welcome in a world where we need to recognize the importance of collaboration, well-being and safety.
According to him “There is a need for these steps to be taken in other countries too, so that as a global community we place the value of of human work at a higher level. Too many countries leave the safety and health of employees to the discretion of employers; and, in some instance employers take un reasonable risks with lives of their workers.”“In a world where all lives matter, more governments need to recognize the importance of Health and Safety Legislation, training and accountability.”
The Ombudsman has found that the appointment of Itaye as Macra Director Genaral was illegal and that those who facilitated his hiring acted outside their mandate. These are the then Principal Secretary in the ministry of Information, the then Board and then Malawi Statutory Cooperation Chief Mr Zangazanga Chikhosi. Chizuma says the whole process to hire Itaye was a mockery and a maladministration.
She adds that Redeployment of Itaye to Postal Corporation as Post Master General and to Lilongwe Water Board as CEO was illegal and a maladministration. She has therefore nullified his contracts including his current contract and she has directed the Macra Board to fill the position of DG at Macra. She has further directed the board not to pay Mr Itaye any benefits, and if that was done, it should be recovered.
The Ombudsman report, has however cleared Itaye on allegations that he is a convict, saying no evidence on this was found Martha Chizuma says her office investigated Irregular recruitment where it was alleged in the complaint that Mr Godfrey Itaye wasn’t supposed to be recruited when he was not fit for the position of Director General and when he was a convict after a scandal at a company he was working at, National Bank.
Godfrey Itaye
She adds the investigation also boardered on Tribalism where one Mr Lipenga was recruited for being a relation of Mr Ben Phiri and Irregular recruitment of Ruth Mgwede who was said to be a DPP party loyalist. She further says the report looked into Irregular recruitment Charles Fodya who is also said to be DPP follower too.
Furthermore the report tackled issues of Conflict of interest where Mr Itaye influenced recruitment of his relations
The Ombudsman has also nullified the employment of MacDonald Phoya at Macra for being illegular and illegal and has since directed that Macra fills the position before 31 June 2021.
The report has also faulted the appointment of a non qualified Board members at Macra, then.The report says the Board members could not articulate issues properly and could easily be manipulated by Macra Staff.
She says Malawians were given a raw deal by having such Board members. The Ombudsman has also found the recruitment of Mr Henry Shamu the then Post Master General (2017), as illegal.
The report says his contract was illegular, and that his appointment was made by a wrong authority.
She says the appointment of Shamu without interviews by the former President Peter Mutharika was illegal and unconstitutional. She has therefore directed that Mr Shamu should not be paid any end of contract benefits and if this was already done the money should be recovered.
The report has further faulted his redeployment from Malawi Postal Cooperation to Macra where he is currently Acting Director General. As remedy, the Ombudsman has declared it as null and void
The Ombudsman report has also found that the Macra Board rubber-stamped the appointment of Mr Benson Tembo at Macra as Digital Migration Director just to clear space at MBC for Mr Aubrey Sumbuleta to be promoted from Deputy Director General to Director General.
The report says what happened was irregular and Government and the Board knew they were breaching the law. She says the position was not established at the time and the movement of Tembo to Macra was illegal and a maladministration. She has since declared his appointment as null and void and she has directed the board to give the evidence of the same by 31 July 2021.
The Ombudsman has also nullified the position of Fearless Mululu who was recruited as Director of Internal audit.
The report says the position never existed at Macra. Mululu’s position has been nullified and he has been told to lay his queries with the Macra Board and that no Malawians’ tax money should foot his claims.
Malawi’s Deputy Speaker of parliament Madalitso Kazombo has called on African governments to work on creating more opportunities for the youths , and opening up new ways to engage more with those in diaspora that includes creation of Diaspora constituencies. He was speaking at a radio interview he held with activist and broadcaster Allan Mandindi that aired on Manchester based Radio Africana
Kazombo said it that it is unfortunate that Africa as a continent still lags behind in development and most of its inhabitants are still living below poverty level despite being a continent full of mineral resources . He said, himself as a young politician, it is his wish to see more African government creating environments and opportunities for the youths to flourish. “ The youths have the energy , they have the talent , the challenge with African youths now is that even if they are educated , opportunities are not being given to them unless they are connected to somebody either politically or in one way or another . We also have companies, not opening up job opportunities claiming they want someone with years of experience while the youths are not even being given opportunity to gain that experience “ said Kazombo
The Deputy Speaker also touched on the issue of Africans living in diaspora and how best they can be included in the policy making for their respective countries . He said , he was an admirer of the hardworking spirit of those living in diaspora and is very much aware of the economic benefits that the diaspora provides through remittances and even investments back home .Kazombo said time has come when African governments need to treat Diaspora as constituency “ What I mean is that we need to have a diaspora representative in our parliaments, someone who can be speaking on behalf of the diaspora and having opportunity to debate issues as well as participate in all parliamentary deliberations just like any member of parliament would do” Kazombo went on to say , the world has become one global village and the diaspora cannot be ignored anymore.
On how best Africa can work towards its development – Kazombo said time has come when Africa need to up its game so that it can compete on the level of other continents trade wise . He said they are some basic issues that need to be quickly rectified such as lack of proper infrastructures such as roads , persistent energy problems , lack of good communication facilities , things which he described as catalysts in driving economy forward . Kazombo also said its time for Africa to stop wasting time in unnecessary wars that has helped nothing but deter us from focusing on development . He said that it is unfortunate that the youths are always the victims as they are the ones often being used in all these wars.
