Category: National

Activists under the Malawi First have called on the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to investigate the awarding and subsequent execution of contracts to Paramount Holding and Dec Construction, for the construction of Inkosi Ya Makhosi M’mbelwa University, formerly Mombera University.

The project has an estimated cost for completing the entire university at K450 billion,

During a tour at the site in January last year, then minister of education (now minister of basic and secondary education) Madalitso Kambauwa Wilima said the university was to open its doors next month with an initial intake of 500 students under the School of Basic Sciences.

Managing Director for Paramount Holdings Limited Prakash Ghedia agreed with the minister on the deadline, with a promise to create employment opportunities to more than 600 people in the district.

However, since then, nothing much has been done apart from clearing and levelling the ground.

Addressing the media at the site, Malawi First’s Bon Kalindo said they are appalled by the utter neglect and abandonment of the University, a project that was touted as a flagship initiative to boost education and economic development in Malawi.

“Despite significant resource allocation, the university has been reduced to a white elephant with no signs of completion or functionality. Against this background, Malawi First would like to demand accountability from the Minister of Finance, Minister of Education, and Minister of Transport and Public Works regarding the mismanagement of this critical project.

“Furthermore, we call upon Paramount Holdings, Delta Construction and the Chinese Company involved in the project to explain why they allegedly abandoned the project site. What went wrong? Who is responsible for this monumental failure?

“In light of these egregious circumstances, Malawi First demands that Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) launches a thorough investigation into this matter. We want to know who is behind this scandal and what happened to the resources allocated for this project. The people of Malawi will not be fooled by empty promises and grandstanding.

“We demand transparency, accountability and action. The University project must be salvaged, and those responsible for its downfall must be held accountable. We therefore call upon the government of Malawi to: Investigate the circumstances surrounding the abandonment of the project Recover any misappropriated funds Ensure the completion of the university and its functionality

“In conclusion, Malawi First will continue to monitor the situation closely and demand justice for the people of Malawi. The University must rise from the ashes, but first, those responsible for its downfall must be held accountable. We won’t rest until justice is served,” he said

In the 2023/2024 National Budget, government allocated K5 billion for the project ollowed by K500 million in the 2024/25 fiscal year and K2 billion in the current 2025/26 budget.

The site was handed over to contractors and preparatory works started on January 2, 2024.

The first phase, estimated to cost K190 billion covers the School of Basic Sciences plus its ancillary structures such as administration block, hostels, staff houses, cafeteria, auditorium, multipurpose hall, sports facilities, clinic, commercial complex and waste management system.

 

Communities around Senior Chief Malili have hailed Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) for providing them with tapped Water in as far as  access to clean and safe water is concerned

8 kiosks have been handed over to residents of area 45, a sign of relief as the area was hardly challenged with waterborn diseases like cholera due to Water issues.

Speaking during the hand over ceremony on Wednesday, the Board Chair for Lilongwe Water Board, iNkosi Mberwa V said through their corporate Social responsibility, they have spent over K20 million to install the kiosks and therefore asked the communities to take care of the facilities.

“we are looking forward for the Community to take care of these kiosks. Let’s not vandalize because if we do, then we  vandalize our own future”, said Mbelwa V.

In her remarks, the Minister of Health, Khumbize kandodo Chiponda applauded the Lilongwe Water Board for the initiative as it is going to help reduce waterborn diseases in the area.

Chiponda said in 2022, the area had huge cholera outbreak due to unsafe Water but the coming in of water is going to help people in the area to prevent such diseases.

Member of Parliament for the area, Jean Sendeza said  the project will benefit about 5, 000 people in the area and appealed community members to join hands looking after the facilities.

Sendeza said she is grateful with the initiative as women, children and the elderly will no longer be walking long distances to fetch water as they are now have access to clean and portable Water.

 

The High Court sitting as a Constitutional Court has declared section 200 of the Penal Code of Malawi as unconstitutional.

Under Section 200 of the Penal Code, criminal defamation involves unlawfully publishing defamatory matter about another person with the intent to defame them, which can be done through print, writing, painting, or other means (excluding gestures or spoken words). A conviction can result in a fine, imprisonment not exceeding two years, or both

Delivering a ruling in an application which Joshua Chisa Mbele was challenging the constitutionality of the section which criminalized defamation, a panel of three judges found the section 200 of the Penal Code was in conflict with the right to freedom of expression under section 35 of the Constitution

In the application, Mbele argued that the provision infringed his right to freedom of expression under section 35 of the Constitution and was inconsistent with Malawi’s obligations under regional and international human rights law.

He made the application came amidst pending criminal proceedings against him for alleged defamatory statements concerning a public official.

The three judges, Chifundo Kachale, Mzonde Mvula, and Fiona Mwale applying principles of purposive constitutional interpretation and having regard to comparative and international jurisprudence, held that section 200 imposed a disproportionate and unjustifiable limitation on freedom of expression.

It noted that civil remedies for defamation provided a less restrictive and more proportionate alternative, and that the criminalisation of defamation, especially with the threat of imprisonment, had a chilling effect on public discourse.

“The right to freedom of expression under section 35 of the Constitution is a foundational value in Malawi’s constitutional democracy, subject only to limitations that are lawful, reasonable, recognised by international human rights standards, and necessary in an open and democratic society (section 44(2) of the Constitution).

“Section 200 of the Penal Code, which imposes criminal sanctions for defamatory statements, is not the least restrictive means available for the protection of reputation, given the adequacy of civil defamation remedies.

“The breadth of the section, its potential for arbitrary enforcement, and the deterrent effect of criminal prosecution on legitimate public discourse render it incompatible with constitutional guarantees.

“Comparative and regional human rights jurisprudence strongly supports the decriminalisation of defamation, favouring civil remedies as the appropriate legal response to reputational harm.

“Section 200 of the Penal Code is therefore unconstitutional and void for inconsistency with section 35 of the Constitution. The provision is struck down with immediate effect; no further prosecutions may be brought thereunder,” reads part of the ruling

The state opened a criminal defamation case against Chisa Mbele in 2022, following a Facebook post in which he alleged that former Malawi Defence Force (MDF) General Vincent Nundwe benefitted with money from suspected corruption businessman Zuneth Sattar.

 

 

By Pempho Kantayeni:

Police in Lilongwe have arrested 51-year-old Egnat Katengeza in connection with the brutal murder of her biological sister, Agnes Katengeza, a Reserve Bank of Malawi employee who was killed on September 24, 2023.

Egnat, who becomes the second suspect in the high-profile case, was taken into custody over the weekend following fresh evidence linking her to the murder. 

According to Lilongwe Police spokesperson, Inspector Hastings Chigalu, Egnat is Agnes’s only full sibling and was earlier questioned and released, but has now been formally charged with murder.

“Egnat was the one who reported Agnes missing on the day she was found dead, and new evidence has led us to believe she played a significant role in the crime, possibly motivated by financial reasons,” Chigalu said.

The first suspect, 27-year-old Amos Katengeza Agnes’s half-brother was arrested on December 14, 2023. 

During police interviews, Amos allegedly implicated Egnat as a key accomplice in the killing.

Agnes Katengeza, aged 44, worked as a Network and Systems Administrator at the Reserve Bank of Malawi. 

Her body was discovered inside her official vehicle, a Kia Sportage (registration BY 4159), which was abandoned behind Gateway Mall in Lilongwe on the same day she was reported missing.

Police investigations now suggest that Egnat may have orchestrated or directly participated in the murder. 

Investigators have been gathering evidence connecting her to the crime, with the case increasingly pointing to internal family disputes possibly related to money or inheritance.

Egnat resides in Area 25, Sector 5, and works as a Monitoring and Evaluation Manager at the Malawi AIDS Counselling and Resource Organization (MACRO) in Area 9, Lilongwe. 

She hails from Kalembo Village, Traditional Authority Chiwere in Dowa District.

Police say investigations are ongoing and more arrests have not been ruled out as they continue to build their case.

 

A Master of Arts in Media, Communication, and Development student at the University of Malawi (UNIMA) has developed an innovative WhatsApp chatbot named SafeChat Guardian to help children report online abuse safely and privately.

The initiative, supported through a school-based campaign and in collaboration with YONECO, is part of a broader digital media for development effort aimed at protecting children aged 10–17 from increasing online risks such as cyberbullying, sextortion, and exposure to harmful online content.

The chatbot is being piloted in four Blantyre-based secondary schools: Zingwangwa Secondary School, Njamba Secondary School, Ndirande Hill Secondary School and Nyambadwe Private Secondary School.

These schools are also part of the Malawi CERT Child Online Protection Programme.

The SafeChat Guardian chatbot, integrated with YONECO’s child protection channels (toll-free line and email), allows young users to report harmful digital experiences via WhatsApp in a friendly and confidential format. The platform then links users to professional support from child protection officers or counsellors.

“As a student of Media and Communication for Development, I wanted to use digital tools to create something practical and life-changing. This chatbot is designed to give children a voice and a safe space online,” said the project’s student lead Nathan Majawa.

Research-Backed Innovation

The idea was inspired by findings from the 2023 National Survey on Access and Use of Information and Communication Technologies by Households and Individuals in Malawi, conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO) in collaboration with the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA).

The survey revealed that while only 4% in Malawi have internet access, 23.2% of children reported experiencing cyber or internet-related uneasiness. Alarmingly, 46.1% of those children said they did not report the incidents to anyone.

“This data challenged me to come up with a solution. We needed a tool that children could easily access, trust, and use without fear or embarrassment,” added Majawa.

The project runs from 1st July to 31st July 2025.

As the 50 megawatts Malawi-Mozambique power project approaches commissioning phase, ESCOM has secured a grant approval of USD 2. 15 million (about K3.6) to conduct feasibility studies for the Tanzania-Malawi project boosting the corporation’s efforts towards reliable power supply.

A press release from ESCOM says the grant application was made through the African Development Bank AFDB by the governments of Malawi and Tanzania for the feasibility and ESIA studies on the 400kV transmission line to be constructed from Iganjo Substation (Mbeya) in Tanzania to Nkhoma Substation (Lilongwe) in Malawi.

In the statement issued on Sunday, ESCOM Chief Public Relations Officer Pilirani Phiri said the grant had come at the rigjttime

“Coming at a time when the 50 megawatts Malawi – Mozambique (MOMA) Power Interconnector Project is almost complete for commissioning before year end, the grant approval for TAMA project is a significant step towards ESCOM’s efforts to stabilize power supply and ending power blackouts in Malawi once and for all,” Phiri said in the statement.

The statement further said the feasibility and ESIA studies will be an update to the studies that ESCOM undertook in 2008 on the Western Backbone (Nkhoma-Kasungu-Mzimba-Bwengu-Karonga) transmission line as well as the study will also review the studies that TANESCO undertook in Tanzania side in 2022.

Reacting to the development, ESCOM Chief Executive Officer Mr. Kamkwamba Kumwenda said the grant should allow for a smooth commencement of the project.

“This funding will allow us to assess the viability and potential benefits of this important infrastructure project, which has the capacity to greatly enhance energy connectivity and reliability in Malawi and the region,” he said adding that:

“As ESCOM, we are on the right track to achieving our vision of becoming a supplier of reliable, inclusive, and affordable electricity in Malawi and in the region.”

According to the statement, feasibility study and, Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) are expected to take 12 months from February 2026 while ESCOM commences procurement processes of a consulting firm to carry out the studies.

By Sheminah Nkhoma:

Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested former Procurement Officer at Parliament of Malawi, Alinafe Banda, and Grace Kusani, owner of Divine Excellence, over suspected procurement fraud.

According to a press statement issued on July 10, signed by ACB Senior Public Relations Officer, Jacqueline Ngongonda, Malisawa instructed officers to process payments before goods were delivered while Kusani submitted forged quotations to win contracts.

“The arrests followed an investigation by the Bureau which uncovered evidence of misconduct during procurement processes by Maliwasa while working at Parliament of Malawi around 2020,” reads the statement.

The statement states that investigations also established that Kusani forged and submitted quotations from companies such as Allu-Tech Aluminium Systems and Carports Kings International to mislead Parliament into awarding contracts to her company.

The two will appear in court soon to face charges including abuse of office, neglect of duty and uttering false documents.

 

 

The Supreme Court of Appeal judge Dingiswayo Madise has faulted the decision by High Court Judge William Msiska of denying Luthando Holdings Limited permission to move for judicial review on a decision by Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Masauko Chamkakala to discontinue the case involving Paramount Holdings Limited directors.

In April last year, Chamkakala controversially discontinued prosecuting a criminal case against the directors who were answering charges of making and uttering false documents to get government contracts.

The three directors are Prakash Virji Ghedia, Arvindikumar Atiti Patel and Surej Khimji Jagatiya as the first, second and third accused, respectively.

They  were being accused of offences surrounding conspiracy to utter false documents and utter a false document showing that the company is an authorized dealer of Yamaha Motorcycles in Malawi.

Following the discontinuous, the directors, through their lawyers TD and Partners, applied for discharge, which Chief Resident Magistrate, Austing Banda, granted despite a challenge from Luthando Holdings Limited.

The application by Luthando Holdings for a judicial review was denied by High Court Judge Msiska.

Following the appeal to the Supreme Court, Madise has ordered that a substantive judicial review application shall be before a different Judge in the general division of the High Court within 60 Days.

“In this matter there are clear triable issues which borders on the exercise of discretion of the DPP and the powers vested in him under section 99 (1) of The Republican Constitution.

“The applicants have made serious allegations against the DPP in exercise of his powers to discontinue a criminal matter. These issues can only be ventilated and investigated in a substantive judicial review application.

“The Judge below erred in refusing to grant permission to the applicants to move for judicial review. In these premises we find that this fresh application before this Court has merits. We therefore grant permission to the applicants to move for judicial review against the decision of the DPP to discontinue the above cited criminal matter,” reads part of the ruling delivered on July 7 2025.

lawyer for Luthando Holdings Limited, Jefferson Luwa, had argued that as the complainant, his client was not aware of the DPP’s actions.

“The DPP is unwilling to prosecute the matter and the complainant learnt about this in court. The complainant is a key party in the proceedings and there cannot be criminal proceedings without the complainant,” he said

Despite the Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament recommended that the case be revived, Chamkakala has instead, written a supportive sworn affidavit for Paramount Holdings Limited directors to have the case discontinued, citing the six months that have lapsed.

In his affidavit, Chamkakala said that a period in excess of six months has lapsed since the discharge and “the Republic is not recommencing this matter “Wherefore the Republic prays that the court makes the necessary orders in this regard,”

Read a full detailed analysis of the case HERE

As part of Malawi’s 61st Independence Anniversary celebrations, Luthando Holdings Limited, has announced the donation of brand-new Yamaha YBR125 motorcycles worth MK128,800,000.00 to all Paramount Chiefs across the country.

According to the company’s statement, the move is to ease the chiefs mobility.

“These custodians of culture and community cohesion carry out indispensable service to our communities, with their close staff/messangers moving from place to place discharging duties on behalf of the Chiefs.

“We have, for now, targeted Paramount Chief Kawinga (Machinga), Paramount Chief Lundu (Chikwawa), Paramount Chief Mbelwa (Mzimba), Paramount Chief Kyungu (Karonga), Paramount Chief Kaduya (Mulanje & Phalombe), Paramount Chief Chikulamayembe (Rumphi) and Paramount Chief Gomani V (Ntcheu).

“This donation is a token of appreciation for the vital role that these esteemed traditional leaders play in preserving our culture, uniting communities, and fostering development across Malawi.

“At Luthando Holdings Limited, we believe that strong and empowered communities are built on collaboration with our traditional leaders. We are confident that these terrain-adaptable motorcycles will enhance the Chiefs’ mobility in executing their duties, facilitating community engagement, conflict resolution, and other day-to-day responsibilities that keep our societies strong and connected,” reads part of the statement

 

High Court of Malawi Commercial Division has denounced the growing illegal lending of money through usury (katapila) and the use of hiring “muscle men as debt collectors to harass debtors and squeeze them of every drop of blood.”

Katapila is the practice of lending money at excessive, predatory or unlawfully high interest rates.

In his judgement in a case in which Joana Phiri dragged her uncle Smith Kamwangala to court claiming K15, 750 000 due under the katapila loan taken in 2021, Justice Trouble Kalua noted that the practice appears to be going on unabated as several cases of the same nature find their way to court

In the case, the court heard that in October 2021, Phiri lent Kamwangala K3 million repayable with 50% interest in two months. He further borrowed K1 million and K6,000,000.00 sometime in November 2021 bringing the total owing to K10,000,000.00.

In December 2021 Kamwangala repaid K1,5 million by cheque and in February 2022 he repaid K4,5 million in cash. Between March and May the he paid the claimant small amounts of about K100,000.00 on not less than three occasions.

In May 2022 the Phiri engaged mercenaries who came to his house to harass him. They found the Kamwangala’s wife and went away with the Mercedes Benz. Sometime in June 2022 he was informed that the car had been sold and he obliged by facilitating a change of ownership of the vehicle to the new owner.

“He thought the matter was closed then. But he thought wrong. The claimant continued to demand more money even though she never indicated how much the vehicle was sold for and how much was still outstanding. The defendant gave her K500,000.00 on one occasion and K400,000.00 on two separate occasions.

“In July 2022 the claimant again sent mercenaries to his house to squeeze him and it was then that he was informed that his debt was K15,750,000.00. He was not told how this figure was arrived at but was made to sign the loan agreement. The men refused to leave the house until he signed and committed to settle the said sum. It was humiliating. He had no choice but to sign the agreement so that the men could go away.

“In August 2022 the defendant paid K1,000,000.00 (K600,000.00 through the bank and K400,000.00 cash). Again, the claimant hired mercenaries who followed his wife on her way to drop kids off at school and seized the car she was using even though it was a hired vehicle.

“On the day of the release of this vehicle by the order of the Court, on 8^th September 2022, the defendant paid K500,000.00 to the claimant’s account as well as K125,000.00 to the owner of the car for the period that the claimant had held on to the car.

“On 26^th September 2022 the defendant paid K500,000.00 to the claimant’s account. In total the defendant has paid to the claimant in excess of K9,300,000.00. The lowest the seized vehicle could fetch on the market was K9,000,000.00 and consequently the defendant had fully discharged the debt owed and interest herein,” reads part of the judgement

Although the judgement went in favour of Kamwangala, Kalua took time to address the Katapila issue.

“The evidence clearly points to the practice of lending money at excessive, predatory or unlawfully high interest rates. Whilst there is generally no law preventing an individual from lending money to his friend, but doing so at predatory interests is illegal.

“We see it in this Court every day. Katapila clothed in fine linen to avoid detection. Many a time we are unable to see the transaction for what it really is. This particular one was dressed in a promissory note three-piece suit. Complete with a matching pocket square and silk necktie. That suit having fallen off the Katapila has been exposed. With nowhere to hide.

“The claimant stated that the loans advanced herein were subject to 50% interest compounded every month. The defendant stated that the interest was 50% to be compounded every two months. Whichever way you look at it, the interest was harsh, excessive and unconscionable. This is a proper case in which the transaction ought to be revisited so as to relieve the defendant from these harsh and unconscionable terms, in line with the provisions of the Loans Recovery Act.

We take judicial notice of the growing tendency of people hiring muscle men as debt collectors to harass debtors and squeeze them of every drop of blood. This practice appears to be going on unabated. It has surfaced in this Court in a number of cases. We cannot let it continue without a judicial pronouncement. It is in evidence in the instant case that the claimant hired her brother in law, the said Heather Phanga, to collect the debt on her behalf.

“He, in the company of at least Steve Kadammanja and Flint, known muscle men from Mchesi, descended on the Defendant to carry out the instruction. They confiscated the Mercedes Benz. They pounced on the Defendant’s wife whilst on an errand as innocent as dropping kids to school. Harassed her by the road side. Overpowered her and took control of the Belta she was driving.

“Tricked her into believing they were going together with her to her house to meet and discuss the issue with her husband, the Defendant herein. She didn’t owe them anything. Whatever issues there might have been were with the husband. The moment she alighted from the vehicle into her house they decamped. With the Belta. This is mob (in)justice. It is illegal. Debt collection is the preserve of legal practitioners.

“In our view, someone who is not a legal practitioner may not, therefore, collect debts for a fee, a gain or a reward. If he does so, he commits an offence, for which he may suffer a long prison term. However, even the lawyers do not just go about seizing other people’s property in their debt collection exercise. The lawyer would almost always write a letter of demand.

“And if the debtor does not accede to it, they invariably resort to the Courts for help. A summons would be taken out, kick starting debt collection proceedings, all the way to execution by the Sheriff of Malawi in the event of judgment. That is the way the law works. Anything else is pure thuggery and should, in all appropriate cases, be visited with the necessary sanctions permitted by law,” reads the judgement