Category: National

By Mc Donald Chapalapata, a Contributor:

National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc has concluded a month-long Independence month promotion where the bank was running quizzes on its social media pages on facts about Malawi as part of 58 years independence celebrations in the month of July.

The promotion saw 20 people who got the questions right winning the Bank’s My Fuel card loaded with K100,000 worth of fuel or cash if they did not want the fuel and another 20 people getting hampers with Malawian products worth k50,000.

NBM plc Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager Akossa Hiwa said in an interview yesterday that the Bank is satisfied with the promotion which created excitement among Malawians about some facts about their country.

“We are happy that the promotion created excitement as many people participated and all of us, ourselves inclusive, learned some interesting facts  about our country. Our social media pages were very active during this period and the engagement on the Trivia cascaded to engagement on our products, services and general information.  As ‘The Bank of the Nation’ we found it meaningful to conduct this promotion during the independence celebrations month of July,” said Hiwa.

Throughout the month of July, the Bank posted trivia questions on its Facebook page every Friday. .

Esau Kalungulu, a fourth year Public Health student at Malamulo College of Health Sciences who won K100,000.00, hailed NBM plc for the promotion.

“This money will really help me in my education because I won it when I was too broke. I wish the Bank could have conducted this promotion for at least two months. But I am grateful to NBM plc for the trivia quiz promotion that has taught us about our country,” said Kalungulu.

He said  he won after correctly responding to which medical school in the United States of America (USA)  Malawi’s first President the late Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda graduated from. Kalungulu’s answer was Meharry Medical School.

By Staff Writer:

President Lazarus Chakwera has emphasized the need for a transparent and accountable judiciary for the smooth administration of justice in the country.

Chakwera made the remarks when he presided over the Annual General Conference of the African Bar Association (AFBA) which Malawi is hosting for the first time.

His remarks come at a time when the country’s judiciary has come under immense attack from some quarters of the society for what they are describing as dubious judgements by the country’s court.

Addressing delegates to the four day conference, Chakwera underscored the need for the country to have an independent and transparent judiciary if effective administration of justice is to be achieved.

Chakwera said for that to be achieved there are a number of measures that have to be undertaken some of which he said his government has already started undertaking.

The Malawi leader singled out the constitutional court ruling that nullified results of the 2019 Fresh Presidential election as one clear example of how independently the judiciary ought to operate.

“It is also worth noting that the fresh presidential election that followed that ruling was the most credible in Malawi’s democratic history, in large part because it was administered under the stewardship of an excellent member of our esteemed Judiciary, whose leadership single-handedly removed the stain that had been placed on our Judiciary by his predecessor, a feat for which he is owed the thanks of a grateful nation,” said Chakwera.

The Malawi leader further went on to highlight some of the key reforms his government is undertaking within the judiciary.

Said Chakwera: “The first is our policy of steadily raising the allocation of financial resources to the Judiciary in the national budget until we reach our desired goal of a minimum of 3%.

“A second correction is our policy of placing the most accomplished and capable of our judicial officers on the top benches of our justice system, which ensures that errors in judgement in our lower courts can ably be corrected before the higher courts.

“ Third correction we have been pursuing is the legislative creation of special courts to expedite certain categories of cases of great national interest, and as I speak, the Courts Amendment Bill, which establishes the Financial Crimes Division of the High Court, has just been passed by Parliament and on its way to my desk for my enacting signature.”

Meanwhile Chakwera has suggested on the need for parliament to be empowered to able to keep security organs in check in the country following revelations of massive abuse of resources by the country’s security organs which he believes is as a result of lack of clearly defined laws guiding operations of such security organs.

Before taking to the podium Chakwera awarded medals to some renowned legal minds on the African continent who have greatly contributed to the formulation of laws on the bloc.

Among them were Malawi’s longeest serving lawyer Modecai Msisha who has practiced for 47 years and is one of the lawyers that drafted Malawi’s constitution.

Retired professor of law Edge Kanyongolo who has taught law for 36 years at the University of Malawi and abroad was also one of the awardees.
Earlier Malawi’s law professor Brigadier General Dan Kuwali was inducted in the AFBA Governing Council.

The African Bar Association Conference has drawn together over 750 delegates from across the continent.

The theme for this year’s conference is instituting an enduring legacy of transparent and accountable governance in Africa: Basic issues and roadmap.

 

 

By Chancy Namadzunda:

Government through the Ministry of Trade and Industry held a sensitization workshop at the Mchinji – Mwami One Stop Border Post (OSBP) aimed at creating awareness about the new One Stop Border Post (OSBP) to the community and economic operators in the district and beyond.

Supported by TradeMark East Africa through funding from the United Kingdom’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, the workshop was led by the Secretary for Trade and Industry, Christina Zakeyo, senior officials from the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI) and the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA). Participants, including border officials, District Council members, religious leaders, village elders and various border community members were sensitized on how an OSBP operates, its efficiencies and expectations on cooperation.

Further, the speakers outlined the benefits of the OSBP to Malawi’s trade development prospects and the resultant socio-economic development of communities around the border and the economy as a whole.

Speaking at the workshop, the Director of Trade at the Ministry for Trade and Industry, Charity Musonzo said: “This OSBP will significantly change the way of doing business at the border by improving cross-border trade; free movement of people and enhancing trade facilitation in general, thereby further accelerating Malawi’s trade integration of the regional and world markets. Under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), we are exposed to a market of over 1.2 billion people and a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of more than US$2.5 trillion across Africa. This OSBP therefore becomes a strategic tool for leveraging our own and our neighbours’ respective trade potential.”

Zakeyo also enumerated the benefits that the users and the local community would derive from using the OSBP.

”With the new infrastructure present at the OSBP, we anticipate enhanced efficiency and effectiveness in border clearance processes. This will consequently reduce the time spent at the border and trade turnover will increase significantly”

On his part, Steven Kapoloma, Head of Corporate Affairs at MRA noted the impact on revenues that will be created by traders using the border post.

“Through this sensitization workshop, we are encouraging formal trade because this will increase the revenue for the government and consequently development in the border community and beyond.”

He added, “As MRA we are committed to working with individuals that use this OSBP to ensure their products are well classified so that they have a smooth transition as they use this border and transport their valued products across the NACALA corridor and beyond.”

TMEA’s Economic and Trade Advisor, Victor Mponda-Banda added, ‘’The Mchinji OSBP is an important milestone for Malawi in cementing its position as a key player in trade in the Southern African region and sets a positive precedent for other similar projects in the country’s key border points. The OSBP will improve efficiency by reducing time and transport costs for businessmen, traders, tourists, transporters, and communities while crossing from one partner state to another.”

The Mchinji – Mwami OSBP, which is the first of its kind in Malawi, is expected to usher in a new chapter in the trade relations between Malawi and the region by boosting the volume of trade passing across the country. Further, increased efficiency in doing business, improved community cohesion and development, and the strengthening of relationships between Malawi and her neighbours is expected as a result of the OSBP.

Supported by the strong ties and trade relations between Malawi and other countries in the COMESA -SADC regions, this will collectively accelerate socio-economic transformation in the country.
An OSBP uses simplified and harmonized legal and institutional framework, facilities, and associated coordinated procedures and processes that enable goods, people, and vehicles crossing a border, to stop only once in the country of entry. They undergo necessary regulatory controls in line with applicable regional and national laws to the adjoining state.

The Mchinji – Mwami OSBP is an inter – governmental project implemented by partners from the integrated border management, including the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA), Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) and other Government of Zambia and Government of Malawi border control agencies.
The construction component of the Mchinji – Mwami OSBP was supported funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) while funding from the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through TradeMark East Africa (TMEA), supported the Integrated Border Management component which included the development of the OSBP Procedures Manual, Curriculum, Training and the sensitization elements.

By Staff Writer:

As part of his commitment towards rule of law and good governance President Lazarus Chakwera will on Monday preside over the 2022 Annual Conference of the African Bar Association hosted by the Malawi Law Society at Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe.

The conference which will draw together over 750 delegates from across Africa is expected to run for three days.

In a statement released by the Ministry of Justice the conference will be held under the theme;” Instituting an Enduring Legacy of Transparent and Accountable Governance in Africa: Basic Issues and the Road Map”.

“It is expected that over 750 distinguished legal minds from across the continent of Africa and beyond together with other professionals, academics, political and religious players, business captains and the civil society will attend the conference to deliberate on topical issues around the theme whilst offering practical and professional solutions to many governance challenges in African countries including Malawi,” reads the statement.

The statement further states that the conference aims at instituting an enduring and intergenerational legacy of transparent and accountable governance on the African continent, whilst adding the values that underlie African democracy which is common to mankind.

 

By Eric Chiputula:

In his quest to foster bilateral relations, President Lazarus Chakwera on Friday held bilateral talks with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky.

The talks are coming at a time when Ukraine is still fighting the Russia invasion which has seen the European country plunging into a crisis. This has led to global economic meltdown as the country can no longer export it’s commodities.

According to a State House statement in Lilongwe, the two leaders discussed their shared aspiration for the betterment of the two countries.

The two leaders shared their aspirations for stronger Malawi-Ukraine relations.

“Zelensky thanked Chakwera for his strong moral leadership, having been one of the first African leaders to speak out against the invasion of Ukraine. He also outlined the various disruptions the war is causing, including the global price of fuel, food, and fertilizer, which he said will regularize once peace and security in Eastern Europe is restored,” reads the statement.

The statement further states that on his part, Chakwera commended his counterpart for his inspiring resolve to mount a formidable defense of Ukraine’s freedom and global stability, and assured him of Malawi’s bilateral and multi-lateral support.

 

By Staff Writer:

Insurance giant, United General Insurance (UGI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Car Select, a local car selling company which will see the insurance company covering vehicles from the port of entry into the country.

Speaking in Blantyre during the signing ceremony, UGI Acting Chief Executive Officer Mc Donald Chibwe said the partnership with Car Select will offer convenience to Car Select customers as they would no longer need to source two separate quotations for vehicle purchase and insurance.

“What we have witnessed today is that two major brands have partnered to offer a unique service to customers in terms of affordability, convenience and fast service of claims. We feel this is timely and will offer convenience to the customers especially in these hard economic times,” said Chibwe.

He said Car Select offers customers, mostly the working class, good and affordable terms to purchase a vehicle where a customer pays 40% of the total value of the vehicle for the company to start the process of purchasing the vehicle and another 30% when the vehicle has reached the port of entry.

“The remaining 30% is paid through monthly installments of 10% each while the customer already has the vehicle. So, customers will now get the whole package where we cover them from the port of entry up to delivery of the vehicle to the customer which is convenient and as you can see the terms are affordable,” said Chibwe.

Car Select Managing Director Sarai Chimombo hailed the partnership of the two companies saying customers will benefit more.

“Car Select offers unique vehicle purchase solutions where  customers do not need to pay a lump sum to purchase their vehicles. Our partnership with UGI will help our customers because their vehicles will now be covered from the port of entry up to delivery, a thing which was difficult to do before.”

“We thank UGI for the partnership and we encourage Malawians to buy vehicles from us because they will not be worried about where to get forex as we will handle everything and they will be flexible in terms of payments,” said Chimombo.

She touted Car Select, established in 2017, as the first of its kind car selling company which offers convenient car payment plans.

The insurance facility which UGI will be offering Car Select customers has been christened ‘AutoSelect’, a multi-branded comprehensive motor insurance product which has three package options namely AutoSelect Silver covering vehicles valued between K4 million to K10 million, AutoSelect Gold covering vehicles valued between K10 million and K20 million and the AutoSelect Diamond covering vehicles valued above K20 million.

By Staff Writer:

Parliament has approved the appointment of Merleyn Yolamu as the new Inspector General of Police replacing George Kainja who President Lazarus Chakwera fired some two months ago after it emerged that he is one of the top government officials implicated in the Zunneth Sattar corruption scandal.

Following the firing of Kainja, Chakwera appointed Yolamu as the new Inspector General of Malawi Police pending Parliament’s approval.

On 3 August Yolamu appeared before the Public Appointments Committee of Parliament where 17 out of the 18 present members of the committee voted in support of her.

Following the August 3 meeting, on Friday the committee presented a report in parliament on its findings before moving a motion for members of parliament to vote which the members unanimously voted for Yoamu to become the first female Inspector General of Police approved by Parliament.

The only woman to serve in that highest office of the Police was late Mary Nangwale who was later rejected by Parliament.

Speaking to journalists later, Public Appointments Committee Chairperson Joyce Chitsulo said she is excited that parliament has agreed with the committee by approving Yolamu’s appointment.

“Honestly I’m super excited and relieved at the same time because this only shows that the house has confidence in the committee,” said Chitsulo.

Chitsulo said she expects the new Inspector General to fulfil the promises she made when she appeared before the committee to ensure that there is peace and order in the country.

In his remarks Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Mark Bottoman who is the party’s shadow Minister of Information said as a party they had no reason to reject Yolamu as they feel she is qualified for the job.

“We had no reason to reject her as Madam Yolamu has risen through the ranks of the Malawi Police Service and she rose all the way to the rank of acting IG and most part of her profession she served under the DPP administration so as a party that believes in women empowerment we had no reason to reject her,” said Bottoman.

Meanwhile Minister of Homeland Security Jean Sendeza has expressed her excitement at Parliament’s approval of Yotamu.

“Her confirmation is a great milestone to us as women and this just corresponds well with the President’s commitment towards empowering women in the country,” said Sendeza.

Yolamu holds a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from the Bilberck University in the UK. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts with credit from the University of Malawi.

Before her appointment as IG, Yolamyu has served in several senior management positions within the Malawi Police Service.

By Staff Writer:

Chief Resident Magistrate Madalitso Chimwaza has granted bail to former Solicitor General and Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Reyneck Matemba.

Matemba, who represented himself in court, was charged with one count of corrupt use of official powers contrary to Section 25 (1) of the Corrupt Practices Act.

On Friday, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Matemba and , former Board Chairperson for the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets (PPDA) Authority, John Suzi-Banda for receiving advantage from Zuneth Sattar, Managing Director of Xaviar Limited.

According to ACB Principal Public Relations Afficer Egrita Ndala, the arrest is in relation to the vetting of the said contract of procurement, contract reference number MPS/SB/16/04/2021, to supply 350,000 food ration packs worth USD7, 875,000.00.

“The investigations conducted by the Bureau established that Mr. Reyneck Matemba corruptly received USD10,000 as an advantage for the vetting process of the food rations contract. Mr. John Suzi-Banda received MK3,000,000.00 from Mr. Zuneth Sattar’s agent Zun Cheena to influence Mr. John Suzi-Banda to grant a no objection for the Malawi Police Service to award the contract to Xaviar Limited.

She said Suzi-Banda is likely to be charged with one count of obtaining an advantage contrary to Section 24(1) of the Corrupt Practices Act and one count of failure to declare interest contrary to Section 25D (2) (a) of the Corrupt Practices Act

 

By Chancy Namadzunda:

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested former Solicitor General and Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Reyneck Matemba and , former Board Chairperson for the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets (PPDA) Authority, John Suzi-Banda for receiving advantage from Zuneth Sattar, Managing Director of Xaviar Limited.

According to ACB Principal Public Relations Afficer Egrita Ndala, the arrest is in relation to the vetting of the said contract of procurement, contract reference number MPS/SB/16/04/2021, to supply 350,000 food ration packs worth USD7, 875,000.00.

“The investigations conducted by the Bureau established that Mr. Reyneck Matemba corruptly received USD10,000 as an advantage for the vetting process of the food rations contract. Mr. John Suzi-Banda received MK3,000,000.00 from Mr. Zuneth Sattar’s agent Zun Cheena to influence Mr. John Suzi-Banda to grant a no objection for the Malawi Police Service to award the contract to Xaviar Limited.

“Mr. Matemba is likely to be charged with one count of corrupt use of official powers contrary to Section 25 (1) of the Corrupt Practices Act while Mr. John Suzi-Banda is likely to be charged with one count of obtaining an advantage contrary to Section 24(1) of the Corrupt Practices Act and one count of failure to declare interest contrary to Section 25D (2) (a) of the Corrupt Practices Act,” she said

 

By Staff Writer:

Chief Resident Magistrate Madalitso Chimwaza has set August 22 as the day she will give a ruling on how South African witnesses will give their evidence in an extradition case involving Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary.

The State wants witnesses to be allowed to present their testimonies in South Africa while the Bushiris want the witnesses to physically come to Malawi and testify.

In his submission, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Steven Kayuni said the courts in South Africa are competent enough to handle the witnesses and procedures where Bushiri and his wife can instruct their lawyers to cross-examin the witnesses.

On the other hand, the Bushiris lawyer Wapona Kita argued that the law requires witnesses to be physically available in Malawi as a primary option.