The Member of parliament for Rumphi West Kamlepo Kalua has taken time to thank God for the opportunity handed to him by President Mutharika in appointing him as a cabinet minister . Kalua has been appointed Minister of lands in the recent cabinet reshuffle.
Although the rumours were rife that the firebrand legislator
will not accept the ministerial position in Mutharika’s government, he went on
and was sworn in together with the other new ministers. Former Speaker Chimunthu Banda shocked the
nation when he declined the offer of a ministerial position after the president
had already announced him as one.
Clerk to Cabinet Marjorie Nhlema (L) administers oath of office to Kalua
Speaking during the swearing
in of 31 Cabinet ministers at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre, President Mutharika warned the new ministers to resist from corrupt practices saying
corruption is a serious evil against development. He urged newly-appointed
Cabinet ministers and deputy ministers to protect public resources and not
engage in corrupt activities. He said the wheels of justice will not spare
anyone found to be in conflict with the law.
Kamlepo Kalua took time to post
on his Facebook page a message of thanks.
Kalua wrote “ God has allowed it that the minister of lands and Housing should
come from Rumphi East. Let Jehovah Guide us on this journey. God bless Malawi”
Commenting on Mutharika
remarks about corruption Kamlepo promised
to continue fighting corruption.“It will be unfortunate if I will be found
practising corruption. Corruption is serious evil to development and we can’t
prosper if we continue doing this malpractice,” he said.
The Corona virus pandemic which has led to government issuing measures such as ban to public gatherings is set to be a major disruption to the preparation of the fresh elections that are due to be held in May this year.
Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) plans to meet to decide how to implement the electoral calendar in preparation for fresh presidential elections following the ban on gathering of up to 100 people as a precautionary measure against the spread of coronavirus.
But analysts say though the ban has the potential to affect preparations for the Constitutional Court-ordered presidential elections, MEC has no power to change the date for the polls scheduled for May 19 2020.
In an interview , MEC chairperson Jane Ansah said commissioners are expected to meet soon and come up with a position on how to respond to the order. She said the President’s statement must be taken seriously.
“We have seen the statement, but I cannot answer on my own for now. We will have to meet and make a decision as a commission because this is a serious matter. I cannot tell you if preparations will be affected or not but you must know that coronavirus is not a joke,” she said.
MEC Chair Jane Ansah
Electoral processes such as registration, civic education and political parties’ campaign rallies and voting attract large gathering of people.
President Peter Mutharika on friday declared Malawi a State of Disaster and made a number of orders, including the ban on gatherings.
Opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP), which has entered into an alliance with UTM Party and others, says while it appreciates the instituted measures to contain coronavirus, but expects government to equally respect the court order to hold elections within the agreed time.
MCP spokesperson Maurice Munthali said elections can still take place even when public gatherings are banned.
He said each political party and indeed the electoral body can implement all activities with extra care.
“While we are working to contain this global pandemic, we must know that we have a national issue to attend
to [elections] and we must do everything to avoid a constitutional crisis.
“All these are important issues we need to focus on. We do not want to have anyone frustrate the electoral process using the coronavirus,” said Munthali.
The former head of state who is also the president of the Peoples Party (PP) Dr. Joyce Banda has appealed for unity among followers of various political parties if the MCP/UTM signed alliance is to bring the desired outcome.
Dr. Banda who is the only woman to have served as the state vice president and state president respectively was speaking this at Kamuzu Institute for Sports in Lilongwe on Thursday afternoon, March 19, 2020 where the official signing of the MCP/UTM alliance took place.
Former President Dr Joyce Banda
She said since her party entered into an alliance with Malawi Congress Party, there has never been time for finger pointing and backbiting or even gossiping and urged that this must be maintained in the newly formed alliance saying many Malawians have been looking up for such alliance but with serious agenda for common Malawians who are poor. Dr. Joyce Banda then saluted the leadership of Dr. Lazarus Chakwera as being God fearing, humble, wise and determined to change Malawi for better and as being one to unite Malawi regardless of the region, religion, tribe and gender, citing the rising of Honorable Catherine Gotani Hara and worship Juliana Kaduya to the position of the speaker of the national assembly and mayor for Lilongwe City respectively as tangible examples of Chakwera’ determination towards promoting women.
She also took time to thank the MCP’ first vice president who was the runningmate to Dr. Chakwera in 2019 Hon. Sidik Mia for his humility and maturity that he paved way on his position as the running mate for the sake of saving the nation from the current situation and urged the party leaders not to look at positions but have interest of Malawians at heart as set by Mia.
Dr. Joyce Banda signed the alliance documents as a witness for MCP at a function that was attended by thousands of Malawians and has been joined by 9 political parties. If this will be intact to the polling day, Malawi can for the first time have only 2 main contestants on presidential race.
The MCP UTM alliance was sealed today at Kamuzu Institute for Sports in Lilongwe. It was a colourful event that not only dominated the social media , but had the whole country glued to their TVs and radio to hear what the key players in the alliance were to say. Th event has received a number of reviews already but one group which has not missed words but speak highly of the ceremony is the diaspora Chapter of Malawi Congress Party .
In an interview with the Deputy leader of MCP diaspora Wing Allan Mandindi, the MCP diaspora chapter said it had faith in the party in Malawi that they will come up with a decision that will be better for the members of the party and for all Malawians.
Chakwera and Chilima
“Todays event has summed up the faith that we have in the leadership of Dr Lazarus Chakwera, People were running out of patience saying the deal was taking forever but we knew something big was coming” said Mandindi.
The signing of the alliance saw leaders from the other
coalition partners deliver their speeches endorsing the alliance. Former President
and leader of Peoples party Dr Joyce Banda
took time to thank Chakwera and
Chilima for humbling themselves and deciding to work together for the betterment
of Malawi. The former leader went on to
declare that the alliance is the work of
God who has brought all these leaders to
work together. Other alliance partners that were represented at the event were
Enock Chihana, leader of Aford, Khumbo Kachali of Freedom Party, Prof Chisi of Umodzi
party , George Mnesa of Mafunde and Mark Katsonga of PPM.
MCP Diaspora Deputy Leader Allan Mandindi
The MCP diaspora
deputy leader Mandindi described the signing in ceremony as not only just historical
but the beginning of a new Malawi . He described todays event as the beginning of
the end of President Mutharika and DPP regime “Today we
witnessed the beginning of change as demonstrated by our leaders. The only way Malawi can progress
and people start seeing change is only by bridging gaps that divides us as Malawians. Chilima and Chakwera and alliance
partners have one mission and that is to end nepotism, corruption, end hunger
and bring oneness to the nation “
Mandindi said the MCP Diaspora leadership will work on
reaching out to the diaspora wings of the alliance partners to establish ways
on how they can work together. “We are already in contact with our UTM diaspora wing
groups and all we need is just to establish
a working relationship that will take us to the elections and to the time when
we will be in government together”.
MCP diaspora Wing works as the arm of the party and has members all over the world who link up together as MCP diaspora network
Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda is yet to admit for practice two of the four South African lawyers that Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has hired for the presidential election nullification case.
High Court and Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal registrar Agnes Patemba said in a written response yesterday that the Judiciary has asked MEC, which wrote a letter asking for approval of the lawyers from the Chief Justice, to make a proper application.
Malawi Law Society (MLS) also wrote the Chief Justice last week recommending that the lawyers be admitted for practice as they have satisfied statutory requirements.
However, Patemba said it is only after a proper application has been made to the Judiciary that they will sit down and discuss it.
She said: “They have been advised to file a proper application and not a letter that was earlier on sent to the office of the Honourable Chief Justice. Once MEC files the application, we will set it down for hearing.”
Constitutional-Court-Judges
MEC chairperson Jane Ansah last Thursday confirmed the hiring of the South African lawyers to lead the defence in the Supreme Court of Malawi following the Constitutional Court ruling that annulled the May 2019 presidential election and stated that Attorney General KalekeniKaphale should no longer represent the electoral body.
A document that has been seen indicates that MEC made a contract with a South African law firm Mboweni MalulekeInc Attorneys worth $788 500 (about K600 million).
This means that taxpayers will have to foot the bills of the four lawyers, legal costs and all other incurred costs. The lawyers are Gideon Phalatse, DumisaNtsebenza, SC, Elizabeth Makhanani Mere and CaphusMboweni.
When asked what role the foreign lawyers will play given that MEC has other local lawyers, MEC director of media and public relations SangwaniMwafulirwa said details would only be made available once hearing starts.
He said: “All details will be known when hearing commences but its common sense that the court ordered the lead lawyer for the commission to stop representing it.”
With MEC racing against time as full hearing of the appeal case is expected to start on April 15, critics have faulted the electoral body for not coming out clear on whether they have an alternative plan in the event that the lawyers are not admitted.
Dean of the Faculty of Law at Chancellor College Sunduzwayo Madise said MEC is supposed to have an alternative plan on lawyers representing them in the appeal case.
He said: “If they are not admitted for practice, then they can’t practice. As such, MEC would have to use either the lawyers they have or hire local ones. It is something MEC would have put in their plans as plan B in case they are not admitted.”
According to the recommendation letter MLS wrote to the Chief Justice, which was signed by honorary secretary Martha Kaukonde, she said they reviewed the lawyers’ application and found it satisfactory.
Reads in part the letter: “The Malawi Law Society has examined the application and it considers that the applicants have satisfied the statutory requirements and hence no objections. If it pleases you, my Lord Chief Justice, you may grant the application.”
But in an interview with The Nation last week, private practice lawyer John Gift Mwakhwawa said there was no reason for government to procure legal services from outside. In a February 3 ruling, the Constitutional Court nullified the May 21 2019 presidential election, citing irregularities and flouting of electoral procedures by MEC.
