The body of Honourable Mcdonald Kenneth Lombola has been laid to rest today Saturday at Zalewa in Neno.
Hon Lombola, who was a member of National Executive Committee for the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and former Vice President for the party died Friday, February 12, 2021 at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre where he was being treated for Covid-19.
MCP Campaign Director Hon Moses Kunkuyu paying last respects
Delivering the condolence message from the President of the Republic of Malawi Dr Lazarus Chakwera who is the MCP’s President, the Party’s National Campaign Director and Presidential Advisor on Chiefs Honourable Moses Kunkuyu said the President is saddened with the death of Hon Lombola and has assured the bereaved family of his prayers.
Among other key people were Hon Halima Daud Deputy Minister of Local Government, MCP’s Chairman for the South Hon Peter Simbi and Mayor for the City of Lilongwe Hon Juliana Kaduya.
In a quest to support government in the war against COVID-19, two parastatal organisations; the Lilongwe Water Board and Press Trust have made a multi-million kwacha worth donations to the ministry of health to support Bingu National Stadium Field Hospital.
The donation was made on Friday 5th February and was received by Health Minister Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda.Apart from donating 156 oxygen cylinders valued at k10 million Lilongwe Water Board has also Committed a water bouser to be servicing the facility for an initial period of 3 months at an estimated amount of k5.6 million.George Kajanga, LWB Board Chairperson said the donation is just a fulfillment of the Company’s Corporate Social responsibility.’In total we have made a donation of 15.6 Million Kwacha. This is part of responding to President Lazarus Chakwera’s call for corporate support in the fight against Covid-19′, said Kajanga.
On its part, Press Trust has donated 30 oxygen concentrators, 30 oxygen cylinders, 30 regulators, 30 oxygen face masks,40 infusion pumps,10 syringe pumps and 1 ventilatorAccording to Audrey Mwala, Press Trust Board Chairperson the equipment has cost the Trust K87 million.”Our total contribution has been valued at 200 million kwacha with other funds being channelled towards the rehabilitation of health facilities in Mzimba, Salima and Mangochi to turn them into isolation centres for both COVID-19 as well as other health outbreaks that require isolating patients for treatment and prevention of further spread”, Said Mwala
Reacting to the donation, Khumbize Chiponda thanked the two parastatals while urging the health workers not to sell the equipment to private hospitals.Meanwhile Dr Jonathan Ngoma, Kamuzu Central Hospital Director who is also among the team manning the field hospital promised to take good care of the items.Government turned Bingu National Stadium into a Covid-19 field clinic after Kamuzu Central Hospital had run out of space to accommodate Covid-19 patients. Malawi is grappling with impacts of COVID-19 which has already disturbed almost all sectors of the country due to travel restrictions, imposed curfew on businesses among others aimed at slowing the pace of transmission of the virus.
Various organisations, companies and private citizens have teamed up to support government with resources such as medical supplies which are very few in most COVID-19 treatment centres considering the increase in number of admissions and fatalities.
The Government of Japan has committed about K126 million to fund detailed project design works for the improvement of the Old town and Kanengo substations in Lilongwe.
According to a statement from the Japanese Embassy in Malawi, His Excellency Satochi Iwakiri, Ambassador of Japan to Malawi and Felix Mlusu, Minister of Finance have signed for the implementation of the project for the improvement of substations in Lilongwe
The project seeks to prepare actual work for rehabilitation and reinforcement of the substations for the provision of reliable and stable supply of electricity for more sustainable economic and social development in the city. The Project will be executed by Escom.
The Ministry of Energy has been tasked to supervise implementation of the project. Due to COVID-19 prevalence, no physical meeting was convened. Mlusu and Ambassador Iwakiri just exchanged notes and the signed documents
The High Court in Blantyre has finally ruled in favor of the petitioners in the 2019 election cases for the Nsanje North, Central and Chikwawa East constituencies with an order to have fresh elections held within 60 days.
In the court battle that has taken months of hearing, Enock Chizuzu of MCP was disputing the election of Esther Mcheka Chilenje while in Nsanje Central constituency MCP’ Kafandikhale Mandevana was challenging Francis Kasaila. In Chikwawa East, Foster Thipiwa of MCP filed a case against eligibility of Sam Khumbanyiwa as an MP for the constituency.
Esther Mcheka Chilenje and Francis Kasaila belong to DPP while Sam Khumbanyiwa is for UDF.
The ruling comes barely a day after Malawians celebrated one year of court’s victory over a historic presidential election case.
One of the well known ‘cheji golo’ politicians has done it again .Former Energy minister and Lilongwe Msinja north member of parliament Bintony Kutsaira has dumped the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
In a brief letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Kutsaira is not stating reasons for his decision to leave the party that once gave him the powerful position of secretary general.
Bintony Kutsaira
He says in the letter that he wants the Speaker to relocate him from DPP bench in parliament to that of independent legislators.
There are strong rumours that he is rejoining the Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
The former National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) boss has been a political nomad , he once cut ties with MCP where he once served as a mmber of parliament. Kutsaila joined the DPP where late president Bingu wa Mutharika gave him the position of deputy minister of Agriculture.
After Mutharika’s death in 2012, he joined the Peoples Party soon after former president Joyce Banda was sworn in as president.
After the DPP came back to power after ousting the Peoples Party at the ballot box in 2014, Kutsaira rejoined the DPP.
Now that the MCP is in government, he is rejoining the party.
