Foreign Affairs Minister Eisenhower Mkaka has promised that Malawi will strive in maintaining its relationship with South Africa. He said Malawi bilateral working visits by President Dr Lazarus Chakwera are helping Malawi regain its position of influence within the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region. He was speaking this ahead of President’s two-day working visit to the Republic of South Africa, starting November 12.
Mkaka highlighted that there is need to cement the long-term relationship between the two countries as it stands to benefit the people of the two countries in all spheres of development. “South Africa being the largest partner in Africa, the two leaders will among other things discuss the issues surrounding trade and mining. These are the issues that matter the most to most Malawians living in South Africa and beyond’’, the Minister said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Eisenhower Mkaka
He said the Malawi leader’s visit to the Rainbow Nation is a key milestone as it will further strengthen trade opportunities and attract potential investors to the two countries.‘’It is very crucial to maintain a healthy relationship and discuss matters that do matter to people in terms of trade between the two countries’’, he said. Mkaka says the visit will also provide an opportunity to the two leaders to learn from each other and maintain the foundation for a healthy strong relationship.
Chakwera has recently visited neighbouring countries such as Zambia, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe in order to strengthen Malawi’s bilateral relationships.South Africa remains the largest trade partner to Malawi and richest in Southern Africa and maintains excellent diplomatic relations with Malawi. – Reported by Emmanuel Thuwala in Pretoria
Agriculture Development and Marketing Cooperation (ADMARC) has suspended its top management. Felix Jumbe the acting Chief Executive Officer, Director of Finance Harold Mwala and Director of Operations Garnet Gwembere are the casualties.
The three have since been replaced by Dhlelisile Malanda Phiri, Gerald Ganizani and Michael Mnenula respectively, according to a letter signed by the company’s board chairperson Alexander Kusamba Dzonzi.
Felix Jumbe- Suspended
Jumbe was first appointed by the DPP as chairman before he became CEO of the politically- sensitive limited company whose main mandate is to buy produce from villagers and later sell it during lean times to Malawians
The chairperson of the Admarc board Kusamba Dzonzi did not disclose the reasons behind the suspension . However it is strongly rumoured that this follows President Chakwera recent directive that boards need to take proactive action in helping cleaning the rubble left by the previous DPP regime.
The battle for Karonga central constituency famously called Bengazi has left Frank Tumpale Mwenifumbo bruised and crashing to the floor as his main rival Leonard Mwalwanda carried the day to become the new member of parliament of the area
In the highly contested by elections Mwenefumbo who stood on UTM ticket finsihed with 6173 votes , short of MCP candidate Mwalwandas 6703 votes . The result means Mwenifumbo has suffered defeat twice in his attempt to reclaim the seat which he in the past represented in parliament as its legislator. Karonga Central became vacant after the death of Dr Cornelius Mwalwanda , who died earlier this year of Covid19
Mtambo played key role in Mwalwanda campaign
As social media was awash with celebrations from MCP supporters, it was evident that the race was tight and it could go both ways. The tension among MCP supporters was the fact that in the previous elections , the winner, the late Mwalwanda only defeated Mwenefumbo with a handful of votes. Some political commentaors however have picked out Timothy Mtambo, commander in Chief of CFT Movement as the catalyst that brought the difference to Mwalwanda campaign. Mtambo and his movement endorsed the MCP candidate and relentlessly campaigned for him .
It is not known as to what the future of Mwenefumbo will be politically. With a history of switching political parties , some fear his stay in UTM might be shortlived as he will be looking for other political opportunites somewhere.
President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera on Monday inaugurated the 2020 Malawi Council for the Handicapped (MACOHA) Flag Week with a call to all stakeholders to support programmes aimed at promoting the welfare of people with disabilities.
Speaking in Mzuzu when he presided over the ceremony, the President said his Government was committed to implementing inclusive programmes to benefit all Malawians, including those with disabilities.The Malawi leader said the Tonse Administration realizes the importance of implementing programmes that “progressively promote the rights of persons with disabilities.”
MACOHA’s board member Alex Machila said most of their 1.7 million members across the country face a number of challenges.Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Patricia Kaliati, said apart from training sign language interpreters, her Ministry has lined up programmes that will enable persons with disabilities to meaningfully participate in national development.This year’s MACOHA Flag Week is being observed under the theme: Inclusive Health Response to Combat COVID-19.MACOHA is targeting to raise K10 million during this year’s Flag Week.
The government of Malawi under the administration of president Lazarus Chakwera has repeated that it is so committed to rollout several developmental projects in the northern part of the country so that it is changed into its deservedly outlook. The reaffirmation has been made during the 10th Weekly brief from the state residences which took place at Mzuzu State Lodge on Monday morning, Addressing media, the presidential press secretary Mr. Brian Banda told the nation that president Lazarus Chakwera has the lives of all Malawians at his heart regardless of where they are coming from, but all what is needed is for Malawians to be hold their patience.
On the ongoing AIP, the presidential press secretary said the program has been smoothly running despite in some isolated cases where some vendors are trying to abuse the program and network problem in other areas. But he assured the people that the president is serious about the program and will not tolerate this, hence ordering the ministry of Homeland security to deal with any kind of abuse to the program. On connectivity issue, Brian Banda has said the president has ordered that the network problem must be dealt with immediately, once and for all as it is a big project that is targeting over 16 million people of 4.3 households from previous 900,000 people and if abused or meets some problems it can affect a huge number of beneficiaries.
Brian Banda in Mzuzu
Mr. Banda took advantage also to reveal that president Chakwera plans to build a mini Capital Hill in the Northern region so that the president and his ministers can find time to work in the region. He further mentioned a number of projects that Chakwera administration intends to roll out in the region like building a brand new campus for the Mzuzu University to increase intake, Inkosi Mbelwa University to replace the failed Mombera University, linkage between areas like Chintheche, Nkhata-Bay Boma, Likoma as well as Nyika plateau, a beautiful big Jetty at Nkhata-Bay and railway from Salima to Mbeya. He also told the nation that the president is so committed to finish all important projects which were rolled by his predecessors once funds are available as they belong to Malawians. Mr Banda added that president Chakwera will construct an international airport in Mzuzu and be named after Orton Chirwa as well as turning Nkhata-Bay district into a municipality among others. But Mr. Brian Banda was quick to appeal for calm among Malawians as he said all these developements won’t happen in a day, a month or a year.
The presidential press Secretary has also assured the nation that the M1 road is on the priority list of president Chakwera and that the process of getting funds for the project is underway, adding that even within the city of Lilongwe many new roads will be constructed to ease congestion at all times, saying all what is needed is to give president Chakwera and his administration ample time of sourcing funds for these projects as the projects are aligned within short term, medium and long term plans in the quest to uplift the lives of Malawians.
On the much debated bilateral relationship that Malawi intends to establish its office in Jerusalem, Banda denied to comment on it, saying the meeting between the state president and an envoy from Palestine was held in a closed door.
Meanwhile Mr. Brian Banda has assured the nation that the issue to do with the publicizing the Tonse alliance agreement will be addressed by partners soon.
Before Mr. Brian Banda took answers from media, the executive assistant and director of communications Mr. Sean Kampondeni clarified on a number of issues of public interest including that of letters of appointment to 2 DPP MEC commissioners who were found to be incompetent by courts of law. He also outlined several activities that the president has done in the week including a visit of a young girl admitted at Mzuzu Central Hospital who is among 119 defilement cases attended by the Mzuzu Central Hospital and intends to do in the near future.
Weekly brief from the state house aims at letting the Malawians know what president Chakwera has done in the week or has put forward to do in the following week.
