The Atlas Malawi

Author: Contributor

  • Court rebuffs businessman Shiraz Farreira

    Court rebuffs businessman Shiraz Farreira

    High Court (Commercial Division) judge Chifundo Kachale on Tuesday rejected an application by businessman Shiraz Ferreira who wanted the court to dismiss an application by Attorney General (AG) Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda disputing a K11, 8 billion claim.

    Ferreira, trading as SF International is demanding K11, 8 billion compound interest as delayed payment interest for equipment he supplied to the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) between 2012 and 2014.

    After he made the application through his lawyer Shabbir Khan, Chakaka Nyirenda presented six legal questions before the court to dismiss the claim, arguing that the matter is statute barred.

    Statute barred is a term used to describe a legal action that cannot be brought to court because too much time has passed.

    He further argued that the contract was entered into in contravention of the then Public Procurement Act, which changed to Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Act and that there were issues of bid rigging.

    Chakaka Nyirenda said the claim comes from Cashgate contracts of between 2012 and 2014.

    Justice Kachale has adjourned the case to March 29 2024 when the AG will present arguments to have the claim dismissed.

     

     

     

  • NCHE hails NBS Bank partnership on digital payments

    NCHE hails NBS Bank partnership on digital payments

    The National Council of Higher Education (NCHE) has hailed its partnership with listed NBS Bank on digital payments for students applying for public universities selection saying it will foster innovation while improving efficiencies in their processes.

    NCHE Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Ambumulire Phiri said the partnership will help simplify the application process.

    “In our continuous efforts to enhance accessibility and convenience for prospective students, we are delighted to partner with NBS Bank again this year. This collaboration will boost the application process by enabling applicants to conveniently pay their application fees through the Bank,” said Phiri.

    Phiri added that the partnership with NBS is one of NCHE’s ways of fostering innovation and efficiency in their processes.

    “Our major aim is to facilitate easy and inclusive access to higher education for all eligible candidates and this is one way of ensuring that,” said Phiri.

    The Banks Head of Corporate Banking, Frank Nakoma, said with the  partnership, the ‘Caring Bank’ anticipates more usage of digital banking platforms.

    “As we all know, the world is moving towards a digital direction especially where payments are concerned. Customers usually use their cards to make online payments or pay for their goods through a point-of-sale machine in a shop. As one way of responding to an ever-evolving climate, NBS Bank has decided to partner with NCHE to ensure that students across the country can easily pay their application fees using the digital platforms we have dubbed ‘EazyBank’,” he said.

    Nakoma further said the Bank believes that the process speaks to the Bank’s slogan of the ‘Caring Bank’ by providing convenient ways of transacting.

    This is one of the other partnerships the Bank has made that require digital transactions.

    NCHE, which harmonizes the selection of students into all public universities in the country, will this year start receiving these applications from February 19 to  March 19.

  • Malawi participates in R & A Africa Amateur Golf Championship in SA

    Malawi participates in R & A Africa Amateur Golf Championship in SA

    Malawi has sent two talented golfers to South Africa to participate in the R & A Africa Amateur Golf Championship, a prestigious event that aims to showcase some of the best amateur golf talent from across the continent. 

    Folindo Rodrick and Kamoza Longwe are talented golfers who have earned the opportunity to represent Malawi on the international stage. 

    Golf Union of Malawi (GUoM) Director of Public Relations and Marketing Mercy Jumula Kamanga said in an interview that the tournament is expected to run from Wednesday through to Saturday this week.

    “Their (Folindo and Kamoza) participation in this championship will not only provide them with valuable experience and exposure but also help raise the profile of golf in Malawi,” said Kamanga. 

    She said the two golfers will be doing practice rounds at the Leopard Creek golf course in Mpumalanga, RSA from today, the 19th February to Tuesday, 21st February, 2024 in readiness for the competition which will take place on the same course. 

    “We wish Folindo and Kamoza the best of luck and hope they perform to the best of their ability,” said Kamanga.

    The championship will feature 72 men from the Africa region competing in a 72-hole stroke play format with the winner receiving an exemption in the 152nd Open at Royal Troon.

  • NBS Bank Plc celebrates Valentines Day with chocolates to customers

    NBS Bank Plc celebrates Valentines Day with chocolates to customers

    As people across the world showed love to their loved ones on Valentine’s Day, NBS Bank Plc took an opportunity to celebrate with its customers by giving out chocolates to their customers in service centres countrywide.

    The Bank’s Acting Head of Marketing and Customer Experience, James Chikaonda said the initiative was meant to appreciate the customers for their loyalty to the brand.

    “As the Caring Bank, we believe that exceptional customer experience is one of the keys to memorable customer service. The chocolates are a token of the Bank’s appreciation to our customers for choosing to bank with NBS Bank,” said Chikaonda. 

    One of the customers, Mary Changwa, thanked the Bank for showing her caring side during Valentine’s Day.

    “I didn’t expect this from my Bank. It came as a surprise and has really served its purpose on Valentine’s Day. Bravo NBS Bank,” said Changwa at Ginnery Corner Service Centre in Blantyre. 

    Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14 every year. This year, the day fell on Wednesday this week. 

  • NBM supports lawyers’ conference with K3 million 

    NBM supports lawyers’ conference with K3 million 

    National Bank of Malawi (NBM) Plc has given K3 million to the Malawi Law Society (MLS) for their annual general meeting (AGM) in March this year.

    Speaking during a symbolic cheque presentation at NBM Head office in Blantyre on Wednesday, the Bank’s Senior Legal Manager Mercy Mulele said NBM plc has been impressed with the Law Society’s work of upholding the rule of law.

    “As a Bank, we need to have good microeconomic factors as we operate, and that is highly affected by the political environment that we are in. So, we are hoping that when the political environment is conducive, we are going to strive.”

    “We expect that this conference will go a long way to making sure that the elections of 2025 go according to the rule of law and what the laws of Malawi provide,” said Mulele.

    MLS Chief Executive Officer Chrispin Ngunde said the support received will help the society to have a successful annual general meeting. 

    “Our theme is interrogating the Malawi Electoral System as we move towards the 2025 general elections. At the conference, we are going to discuss several things including our current electoral laws, where we are coming from, and where we are going. We want to see if the laws have any gaps and if we can contribute in any meaningful way by making suggestions to the Electoral Commission and all stakeholders involved in an election.”

    “For any economy or business to strive you require a stable political and business environment, if we are going to have successful elections and put in power people who have the right vision and those who are going to help us build our economy,” explained Ngunde.

    MLS will hold its annual general meeting in Mangochi from March 21 to 24 under the theme ‘Interrogating the Malawi Electoral System Towards 2025 general elections.’

  • Mulli wants K270bn compensation

    Mulli wants K270bn compensation

    Businessman Leston Mulli has dragged the Attorney General (AG) to court demanding K270 billion compensation following the government’s decision to restrict its entities from dealing with his businesses.

    Mulli, represented by his lawyers Lusungu Gondwe and John Kalampa, contended that subsequent to a restriction letter dated September 5, 2018, issued by the then Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, who also served as the Attorney General, government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) ceased doing business with his enterprises.

    As reported by The Nation, Mulli is pursuing approximately K966.3 million for supplier and staff salary interests, K602.5 million for interest charges on litigation cases, and K131 million as excess interest on loans due to delayed repayment, restructuring, and extended repayment periods.

    Additionally, he is seeking around K104.8 million for loss of earnings, while approximately K33 million is designated for the loss of profit incurred between 2012 and 2017.

    The claimants are seeking a total sum of K270 448 222 520.00 from the defendant for damages related to public misfeasance and/or causing loss by unlawful means, along with 10 percent interest above the commercial base lending rate from the time the tort(s) were committed to the time of full payment.

    Mulli’s businesses include Zao Marketing Agencies, Mulli Brothers Limited (MBL), Celcom Limited, National Bus Service Limited, Sunrise Pharmaceuticals Limited, and Chombe Foods Limited.

    A notice of adjournment prepared and filed by the Attorney General chambers dated February 12, 2024, reveals that the State has filed an application to dispose of the matter on point of law, indicating a desire for the court to continue hearing the matter without parading witnesses.

    In 2022, Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda issued a memo to MDAs advising them to cease conducting any business with MBL or allowing the company to participate in any public procurement.

  • DPP MPs protest against suspension, CSOs condemn move

    DPP MPs protest against suspension, CSOs condemn move

    24 legislators for the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on Tuesday blocked the entrance to the Parliament in protest against their suspension for disrespecting Speaker of the National Assembly Catherine Gotani Hara.

    Hara used Order 105(3) on the MPs for ignoring her call to sit down when the embattled Leader of Opposition (LoP) Kondwani Nankhumwa was responding to the State of the Nation Address (SONA).

    DPP leader in the house Mary Navicha said they were surprised when the security blocked them saying they were not told not to go to parliament.

    The party appointed Navicha as LoP replacing Nankhumwa who was expelled from the party.

    However, Hara earlier communicated that she recognizes Nankhumwa as LoP because of the injunction he obtained in 2022.

    The MPs, who were later joined by party supporters, vowed to continue with the protests until speaker of parliament addresses their concerns.

    Meanwhile, a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has denounced the interruption of parliamentary proceedings caused by a disagreement over the Leader of Opposition position in Parliament.

    In a joint statement by National Advocacy Platform (Nap), Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC), Youth and Society (Yas), and nine other CSOs, the coalition has urged members to uphold the principles of the Constitution of Malawi, which provides avenues for seeking justice and resolution.

    The statement also emphasized that disrupting parliamentary business undermines the rule of law and sets a dangerous precedent for democracy.

     

  • Standard Bank Chief says Visa Removal to boost forex

    Standard Bank Chief says Visa Removal to boost forex

     

    Government’s decision to heed calls for removal of Visa restrictions into Malawi will help the country increase inflows of scarce foreign currency, Chief Executive of Standard Bank Plc Phillip Madinga has said.

    Madinga, whose bank has been advocating for the relaxation of the Visa requirement described the government’s decision as timely as the country continues to battle foreign currency shortage.

    “The development will help make Malawi an attractive tourism destination and boost foreign currency flows in the long-term,” he said.

    Removal of Visa restrictions is one of bottlenecks identified during the bank’s-led Business Leadership Round-Table on December 12.

    The high-level forum brings together government, regulatory agencies, donors and private sector to discuss areas of economic policy reform.

    Home Affairs Minister Ken Zikhale N’goma announced the removal of the entry restrictions in a Gazette published on Wednesday.

    It said the government has lifted the restrictions for 48 countries including USA, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia, China and Russia which are considered key source markets for international tourism and business arrivals into Malawi. The Visa exemptions also apply to all SADC and Comesa member states, including some multilateral institutions that do business with the Malawi government.

  • NBM splashes prizes in “Popanda Chifukwa” Promo

    NBM splashes prizes in “Popanda Chifukwa” Promo

     

    National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc has splashed various prizes to winners of the first monthly draw of the “Popanda Chifukwa” Promotion, which the Bank is running from December last year to April this year.

    The Bank conducted the first draw in Lilongwe on Saturday afternoon, which saw 73 customers and five merchants cart home cash prizes for transacting using NBM’s debit cards, Mo626 Pay, and Point-of-Sale (POS) machines.

    NBM Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager, Akossa Hiwa, said in an interview after the draw that the promotion has seen a surge in digital banking on their platforms.

    “This promotion, essentially, is two-fold for us as a Bank. We want to reward our customers for their trust and loyalty and to encourage them on the other hand to keep transacting on National Bank POS devices and to also transact using MoPay which is a scan to pay feature which National Bank introduced in 2022.”

    “So far, the support, the figures are quite encouraging, the transactions are overwhelming, people are using credit cards on our POS devices,” she said.

    Apart from the cash prizes from the monthly draw, the Bank also held a storming session at Lilongwe Gateway Mall aimed at rewarding customers with instant prizes for transacting using the Bank’s digital platforms.

    One of the instant prize winners, Annabel Hazel Mbewe commended NBM for the promotion, saying it is important to embrace digital banking due to its reliability and security.

    “Its risky to carry cash these days. I use the digital platforms and was not aware that one day I would get a reward,” she said.

    The cash prizes during the draw include K150, 000 to three people, while 30 others won a 50% refund on their transactions capped at a maximum expenditure of K75, 000.

    Thirty more customers won gift packs.

  • Merchants embrace FDH MiniPOS devices

    Merchants embrace FDH MiniPOS devices

    FDH Bank Plc says it has seen a 140 percent increase in transaction volumes from merchants and small to medium businesses after the introduction of the Mini POS (FDH MPOS) in September last year.

    FDH MPOS is the first easy-to-use handled POS Machine on the market, that can take all local bank cards as payment for transactions and does not require receipts.

    The Bank’s Digital Sales Senior Manager Yamikani Mbawala says they have received overwhelming responses from small to medium businesses from the onset.

    “We are delighted with the response so far and our goal is to make it accessible to more SMEs in the country so that we champion inclusion by providing a platform where small to medium business owners can take card payments from any Bank in Malawi,” said Mbawala.

    Mbawala added that the MPOS enables business owners to take card transactions and payments from all banks in Malawi, assists merchants in managing cash and re-ordering, and allows immediate access to cash from all banks requiring no waiting period, and is available to all SMEs.

    Mathambo Lowole, owner of Sunnyside Lodge also commended the the Bank for the device on the first use in September 2023 during the launch of the facility dubbed “Tswaa MiniPOS”.

    The easy-to-use gadget has a 13-hour battery life with a fresh keypad and Android look giving it longer endurance than the traditional POS machine.