Government has refuted false claims going round on Social Media that the President of Rwanda Paul Kagame, is coming to Malawi for a State Visit.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also equally refutes claims that His Excellency the President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, and Her Excellency the First Lady Madame Monica Chakwera will go on State Visits to Namibia, Qatar, Germany and Kenya in the near future.
The Ministry has described the social media claims as fake, as they did not originate from any department or office of the State. It says this is the work of impostors usurping the authority of state officials, which is a crime punishable by laws of the country.
Government, has therefore warned all those committing these offences that the law will catch up with them since such conduct has adverse effects on Malawi’s diplomatic reputation.
Similarly, media houses are advised to desist from publishing such claims as that makes them complicit in illegal acts of disinformation.
Both the media and the public are therefore encouraged to verify with responsible offices the authenticity of all communication purporting to come from State offices.
Vice President Salous Chilima on Wednesday held a joint meeting with the top leadership of Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) and Electricity Generation Company (EGENCO) to ensure there is power all day, everyday in the country.
Chilima said later in the day he also met Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) top management in a drive to free the public broadcaster from political capture.
He said the meetings were part of the public sector reforms that he is championing under the leadership of President Lazarous Chawera.
“As we start engaging individual parastatals following the Reforms Status Reports that they have been submitting to my office, today I had a joint meeting with the top officials of Escom and Egenco in our bid to ensure that there is stable and uninterrupted power supply in the country,” wrote Chilima on his official Facebook page.
Chilima
The Veep said during the meeting Egenco, as a power generating company, presented a number of challenges choking its operations which include billions of unpaid electricity bills sold to Escom.
“The non-conclusive unbundling process that has left Egenco without legal title of assets; high operating costs from running diesel generators; and environmental degradation of the Shire Valley catchment area that has had adverse effects on its generation operations,” he said.
Chilima further said on its part Escom, as a power supplier, also presented a number of challenges including a K1.8 billion average monthly bill which Egenco charges which Escom feels is not sustainable.
He said Escom also complained about non-payment of bills by some government ministries and Departments who owe the power utility body billions in unpaid bills.
“The institution is also losing investments due to rampant vandalism among other legal and financial challenges,” said Chilima.
The Veep however says the meeting resolved that by next week, all the challenges that Egenco and Escom presented will be dealt with at a decision-making meeting that he will hold together with other government stakeholders with the two institutions.
“We must all go to work as soon as possible. Moving forward, we are devising a 24-month plan with Egenco and Escom to ensure that the current stable power supply maintains or further improves. The ultimate goal is to ensure that within the same timeframe, there must be surplus production of power that will ably sustain the manufacturing industries,” he says.
Chilima says the government will soon announce measures and mechanisms that are being put in place to ensure that issues of interrupted power supply are completely dealt with once and for all.
The Veep added that the government will also review all the interventions at hand to make sure that they make financial sense to the economy in the quest of power generation.
Minister of Health Hon Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda MP today on behalf of Malawi Government today received a donation of Medicines worth K1.5 billion from Indian Government
In her remarks Hon Chiponda thanked government of India for their continued support to Malawi government’s health system
She has however send a strong warning to health workers who are fond of stealing government drugs that Tonse Government will not tolerate drug theft in public health facilities
Chiponda receiving donation from High commissioner Anurag Bhushan
She said under the leadership of His Excellency state President Dr Lazarus Chakwera no one will be spared caught stealing or selling government drugs
In his remarks Indian High commissioner to Malawi government Anurag Bhushan said his government will continue to support Malawi in different sector Health as one of them
The high commissioner also hailed Malawi for holding a free and fair fresh presidential elections
There are growing calls for Police and civil society organisations to take action on a Man from Thyolo area who is suspected of a number of sex crimes . Using his power and influence, the man is instilling fear in the people from the area, many of whom are scared and choosing to shut their mouths for fear of repercussions despite knowing about the many wrongs that are happening .
247Malawi News investigative desk has established that a Mr Steven Kaunda of Traditional Authority Nsabwe from Thyolo hwo was born in the 1950s is at the centre of alleged suspicion over a number sex crimes that includes sex with minors, grooming and forcing girls into prostitution. . He is a Transporter involved in Mini buses and trucks as a means of his living.
Kaunda is believed to be soliciting younger girls into prostitution as part of rituals in order to boost his business. It is also believed that by him sleeping with young girls it will not only make him more richer but also powerful. A number of girls and families have reported him to police but it is allegedly that he has been bribing the police officers. Malawi faces the challenge of high corruption and bribery levels , a loophole that Kaunda has so far used to try to silence those that have attempted to report him to police , or police attempts to investigate him further
Malawi facing challenges- early and arranged marriages, sex grooming among other things
Ironically, Mr Kaunda has been supporting a lot of orphans and elderly people in this community. He is loved among his people because of a number of charity works he has done in the community.
Kaunda has 3 wives and has 8 children (2 of his wives are arranged marriages and are half his age) younger brides. He is known to be abusive to his wives which led to one of his arranged wives to escape 20 years ago to the USA. It was established that Kaunda loaned wives father money to boost his business in exchange for a bride. Since the Wife ran way,he has been demanding his bride price money and has been threatening that unless the wife returns back to him, he does not want the money back and upon return if she doesnt cooperate to his demands he will arrange for her to be killed
247Malawi News spoke to Thyolo Police public relations officer Chitsanzo Banda, who acknowledged that the rumours have indeed been going on but the police has not arrested anybody yet “We had some files that were opened years ago, unfortunately they kept missing . Lack of computerised system has been the problem as it is harder to follow up on investigations once files are lost like that ” . She however called on people in the area who have strong evidence to come forward.
People go to courts to seek justice, people are in prisons after having their cases heard and judgement passed by the judiciary. Those waiting for trials are kept either in police cells or prison on remand, yes this is how the process goes like in most cases. When we are sick we rush to health facilities for help. In all these we find contacts of one kind or the other.
Should the police, prisons, courts and our health facilities be shut down amidst the at hand Covid-19 pandemic? I hope many will say No!! But should they keep risking their lives for nothing just in service? I believe many different answers will follow this question, but the first thing is to put yourself in their shoes and feel it.
Health Minister Kandodo Chiponda
It is against this back ground of their Noble, humble and dedication to this nation that we think the government must carefully look into these places and provide them with good risk allowances just in trying to thank them for taking risk in this tough and trying moment.
Indeed its our hope here that the government has already done this, for we look at it as a matter of agency, if not we remind the government that these allowances were due even before a week ago. Failing to do so in our view is failing to appreciate what these departments are doing and indeed demeaning their efforts to serve the nation with passion.
