A man without knowledge of his culture and history is like a tree without roots. Inspired with the ingeniousness of the local music legends, one Tay Grin born Limbani Kalilani has decided to rope in the past to give the urban music fraternity a new feel and touch.
Tay Grin has started to urbanize some of the local vintage songs, latest being the Lucky Stars’ 1971 classic ‘Chilipo Chinafuna m’bale’ quickly becoming a play hit of most local radio stations.
Chilipo Unafuna m’bale re-titled ‘Awe’ was played at Zanzi in Lilongwe to usher in the New Year.
“There are quite good vintage songs that have withstood the taste of time carrying vital cultural and tradition elements, which the younger generation is likely to miss if not re-done in modern style. This is why I would like to re-do some of the songs and give the world a new perspective of Malawi’s music,” explained Kalilani.
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Tay Grin performing
While some may criticize, saying the two time Channel O awards nominee has lost his touch musically and thought of getting a lift through already established songs, Tay Grin brushed off the suggestions, citing Jay Z, Shaggy, 2pac and other world renowned artists who have once done a rendition of old school hits.
“Unafuna m’bale is one of the songs to be featured in my 10-track album, Malawi History X to be launched in April this year. I have re-titled it ‘Awe’ and all the instruments were recorded live. This clearly shows how matured I have become with the passage of time,” he said.
Tay Grin is working with long time producer, Taps Bandawe at the Audio Vision studio.
“Special arrangements have been put in place that the original owners of the truck, the Lucky Stars, should be enjoying the loyalties,” he said.
He said the project is not an indication that he is failing to come up with his own original products, saying the trend is an internationally accepted phenomenon.
“It takes great talent and skill to re-do other peoples works. You talk of Akon, Kanye West and Jay Z, all have songs that were produced by others way back. For your own, information, my music targets the youth of Africa urging them to take pride in their nations and culture. To take responsibility, utilize their God given talents and find value in contributing to a positive and prosperous future, whilst emphasizing the need to eradicate negativity and low self,” he explained.
Tay Grin has taken the Malawian music local scene by storm since his launch of a formidable album “Proudly African” produced and mastered by Bandawe and since then, he has been receiving several nominations at Channel O music awards.
Malawi has recorded fewer road accidents on festive season, police has said.
Southern region has recorded three accidents with four deaths, according to Police.
Southern Region Police publicist, Nicholas Gondwa told Nyasa Times, out of the three accidents that happened on Christmas, one was fatal where four died, and the other one was serious with three children sustaining fractures.
“The other accident was minor, one person only sustained browses. But there was no accident recorded on New Year just like was last year.
“However, this year’s Christmas accident record is not good compared to 2011 where only two accidents occurred. Despite all this, we can say we are improving in reducing road accidents during festive season,” said Gondwa.
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Police on the scene of one of the accidents in the roads of Malawi
Gondwa also said the deployment of traffic officers in accident spot areas during the New Year had helped in ensuring the region registers no road accidents as people celebrate the down of 2013.
“The media has also helped for advocating for safety driving during the festive season. We are grateful to the effort put up by various sectors in propagating the ‘don’t drink and drive and arrive alive’ messages to ensure we have an accident free season,” he added.
In the past years, Malawi has been recording highest rate of festive season road accidents, with most of them fatal resulting to the loss of lives.
The Christmas and New Year holiday period is historically associated with disregard of road rules and laws, which subsequently leads to accidents, damage to property and loss of lives.
Big Bullets general secretary Higger Mkandawire has warned Mighty Wanderers to keep their hands off striker Gabadinho Mhango, saying the the BB hot-short is not for sale.
Wanderers general secretary, David Kanyenda said the club has an eye on Gabadinho.
Kanyenda said the Blues were keen to land Gabadinho at the end of the season at Lali Lubani Road on full time contract or loan.
“I have already found a place for him at Kalibu Academy, which is a good school and we are serious about it,” Kanyenda said of the striker who is smarting from a brace he registered in his team’s a3-0 victory against Wanderers in a TNM Super League second-round showdown on Sunday.
Kanyenda said getting Gabadinho will not be the first time for a big-name player to cross the floor from a rival camp, citing Meke Mwase. Yasin Osman, Mike Gladstone, Peterkins Kayira, McDonald Yobe, Andrew ‘Aluki’ Chikhosi, the late John ‘CJ’ Banda and Muzipasi Mwangonde as examples.
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Gabadihno Mhango
But Bullets secretary insists ‘Gaba’will not be sold to Wanderers at any cost.
“We will not let Gabadininho away and not to Wanderers. He’s an incredible talent,” said Mkandawire.
He also said even if the player was put on sale, Wanderers “cannot afford him.”
Mkandawire said “Gabadingho has a future at Bullets.”
He said Bullets will resist all bidders for the striker, saying the club will hold the pint-sized tight.
“ All we want is that he should complete his secondary education and explore the possibilities of selling him abroad,” said Mkandawire.
Gabadinho could not immediately comment on Nomads’ interest in him.
Malawi’s former finance minister Friday Jumbe is challenging President Joyce Banda’s administration to highlight the economic achievement it claims has been registered after the introduction of the much-touted Economic Recovery Plan (ERP).
Jumbe, who is also the president of the newly formed New Labour Party, was reacting to a statement from Finance Minister Ken Lipenga that the recovery plan has started yielding fruits.
According to Lipenga, partial recovery of the economy will be achieved by November this year, 18 months after the devaluation of the kwacha.
Lipenga said in a statement published in newspapers on Wednesday that monetary expansion has started slowing down from an average of 35 percent during the twelve-month period to April 2012 to now 18 percent at end-November, a development he hopes could enable the Reserve Bank to ease monetary policy and starting bringing down lending rates.
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Jumbe: Give practical examples
But Jumbe told a local radio, Capital FM, that the government needs to furnish Malawians with practical examples of the achievements made.
He said this can be done by bringing a clear breakdown of the achievement that could be appreciated by the Malawians.
“If the minister of finance feels that the program has started yielding fruits people want to know where the fruits are coming from so that they can start believing that everything will be fine,” said Jumbe.
President Banda’s administration launched the ERP as a blue print that seeks to solve economic challenges facing the country. The government had earlier asked to be given18 months to bring back on track the economy.
Lipenga cites improved foreign exchange and fuel availability as well as resumption of donor support as some of the achievements realised as a result of the Economic Recovery Plan (ERP).
“Full recovery will take some time given the enormity of economic mismanagement of the past few years,” said Lipenga, adding: “In the meantime, the government is doing all it can to mitigate some of the adverse impacts on the welfare of the most vulnerable households.”
However, human rights activist Billy Mayaya also said Lipenga’s statement on achievement s of the recovery plans is “misleading.”
“There is express mention of the IMF and donors and everybody knows a large portion of these resources are loans which is adding to Malawi’s accumulation of new debt. That’s’ not Economic Recovery that’s entrenching underdevelopment. Stop whitewashing the problem,” noted Mayaya.
I have just returned from a visit to Malawi after a decade long absence. Malawi has changed a lot over the past 10 years. Unfortunately, most of the change is in the negative direction.
Buildings that used to be the pride of the cities are now spotting rain-stained walls and dirty roofs. Once nicely kept lawns are now bushy. Yes, new buildings have been erected; but most of those look as if they were designed for the 1960’s.
The only television station, the pride of the country, has not improved much over the last 10 years. The studios are dark and cameras used substandard. Just like 10 years ago the state president is a constant, perhaps, permanent fixture on TV. While I was in Malawi the president made a few trips in the country. The TV heavily covered these presidential trips. When I asked whether this was normal for her, I was told that she actually had scaled down her public engagements because of the holidays. Apparently she is usually up and about opening restaurants, rest houses and distributing maize. All these events are covered in their entirety on TV.
The Malawi economy seems to be on a deathwatch. In theory, the currency has been ‘floated’. In reality though the currency is not floating but “sinking” deeper and deeper everyday. Floatation would imply moving up and down. Our currency is just on a downward trajectory. Hardships abound. A good cookie/biscuit costs not less than K1,000.00.
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Countrywide demonstrations were held in July 2011 that left 20 Malawians dead over the same socio- political and economic challenges. Similar protests are scheduled for January 17
On my way back at Kamuzu International Airport departures section, I looked up and saw cobwebs on the walls. One door marked, “strictly for employees only”, was decayed and literally falling apart.
We may not have money to build new infrastructure, but do we really lack money to have cleaners at the airport? How about maintaining the building by painting the walls and keeping the lawns nice?
I had a layover in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. As I was boarding a plane to the US, I met an old friend. He too had been visiting his home country Ethiopia. We were in graduate school at the same university at the same time. He was at the time studying for a PhD in Biomedicine and, as I recall, was very passionate about African politics.
During our conversation on the plane, he talked about exciting developments he had seen in his country on this trip. When he left Ethiopia in 2000, there were only two government universities in that country. On this trip he found that the number had grown to 31. New world-class buildings are cropping up everywhere in Addis Ababa. Major multinational organizations are partnering with the city to conduct their annual meetings there. The Ethiopian economy is doing very well and future prospects seem good. True Ethiopia had its own shares of dictatorship woes in the past, but things are different now.
As I listened to him I felt sad that I could not say the same about my own country. It sounded like a tale of two countries –Malawi and Ethiopia- with similar backgrounds and challenges but yet on two different paths. The question that kept coming up in my mind was, “Will Malawi ever develop?”
It is very important for people to understand that countries do not always succeed. Some end up as failures. No nation is guaranteed success. I have talked to many Malawians who believe our country will develop because it is our turn to do so. This is erroneous reasoning.
Nations, which eventually become prosperous, have had to work hard for the success. If our citizens are not careful enough, it is possible that Malawi could remain poor for a long, long time. It is possible that 100 years from now Malawi could still be at the bottom of the table.
The greatest problem with Malawi is a wrong mindset. I recall a conversation I had with a relative in 1994. The UDF had just taken over government. The economy immediately went into a tailspin.
This relative, a diehard UDF supporter, had come over for a visit and was complaining bitterly about the economy. When I asked him whether he felt responsible for the hardships since he had helped put Bakili Muluzi in office, he looked surprised and said, “What has Muluzi got to do with the economy? You think he is God? If God wants Malawi to pass though economic hardships, nobody can do anything about it!”
My relative had not yet made a connection between the economic performance of a country and the country’s leadership. No, it was not just because he was an uneducated villager. Most Malawians including the educated elite, to this day, have not yet made this connection in their minds. We choose our leaders based on everything else except their ability to solve problems at hand. And then we sit back and say, “perhaps we should give him/her more time”. It is as if we expect our problems to be solved, not through carefully designed strategies, but by mere luck or trial and error.
We have multiparty politics but we really do not understand what it really means. As I write this article, there is a stand off in the United States on negotiations to prevent the so-called “fiscal cliff”. The real problem comes from the fact that the two parties –Republicans and Democrats- have two different ideologies on how to run the country.
Democrats believe that government has potential to do a lot of good to the society. If you get more revenue in form of taxes, government can use this money to better people’s lives. Republicans believe that individuals can use their own money better than government. So the less taxes you collect from people, the more the people will have extra money to invest and grow the economy.
These two different ideologies mean that the two parties approach problems differently. So if one party wins an election but then fails to solve problems at hand, it makes sense to give the other party a chance because they will be trying a different approach.
Compare this to Malawi where the political parties have no ideologies at all. Some of them do not even have manifestos or constitutions. There is no difference between them. That is why people can easily defect from one party to another and then back. That is why people like Goodall Gondwe can be Bakili Muluzi’s adviser (UDF party) and become Bingu wa Mutharika’s minister of economic affairs (DPP party) and then secure a similar portfolio in Joyce Banda’s government (PP party). There is simply no difference between these parties. Changing parties in Malawi usually means changing personalities not ideologies. This in effect nullifies the real purpose of a multiparty system.
Malawi desperately needs a solid plan for development. Yet, nobody seems to have a clue on how to move this country forward. We continue to be a nation heavily dependent on aid. Our budget is heavily subsidized by donors. None of the current crop of leaders have suggested how to get out of this humiliating cycle. Ministers of finance give yearly budget speeches in parliament but they are yet to set forth a time-frame for weaning the country off the aid. Instead, politicians take a lot of pride in receiving aid, pointing to it as a sign of endorsement by the Europeans.
Are we really looking to the future with a purpose? Will Malawi ever develop? Unless there is a radical transformation of our mindset, Malawi could remain the tail of the world forever.
The Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) has expressed disapproval of government’s control in agriculture trade arguing it impacts negatively on the market.
The Chamber, in a statement signed jointly by its Ppresident Matthews Chikankheni and Chief Executive Officer Chancellor Kaferapanjira, says such restrictions deprive farmers of better prices and also act as disincentives for them to grow more.
MCCCI has since asked authorities to issue such bans only when there are compelling reasons.
“Sometimes they [farmers] shift to producing other crops and, at times, they reduce output of the food crop. When farmers produce less, consumers pay higher prices since the food commodity’s production is kept below potential. Thus, food trade restrictions actually aggravate the price spiral [inflation] and instability,” reads the statement in part.
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Kaferapanjira: Decries export restrictions
The chamber has also condemned government for setting minimum and maximum prices in agriculture trade.
It further argues that when export bans are adhoc, food products that are grown to satisfy export orders translate into substantial income losses by farmers as they are left rotting.
“The persistence of such uncertainty about the implementation of export bans can erase Malawi’s ability to engage in export trade, yet the overarching objective of Malawi is to become a producing and exporting country,” observes the Chamber.
MCCCI also notes lack of transparency in decisions governing food commodity trade policy.
In October 2012, the Ministry of Industry and Trade warned against maize exports to neighbouring countries and indicated that the export ban on maize and maize products issued earlier in the year was not yet lifted.
Export of maize and maize products requires an export licence issued by the Ministry of Industry and Trade before effecting exportation which is in accordance with the Control of Goods Act Chapter 18:08 of the laws of Malawi.
In view of the above, the ministry emphasised that the export ban on maize and maize products had not been lifted as such no person is allowed to export maize and maize products.
The year 2012 saw the best in Malawi’s music circles; the birth of new artists and the production of songs that defined the country’s entertainment scene in the year.
Nyasa Times engaged the country’s top radio personalities, others who are also well-known on the ones and twos in Malawi’s top clubs.
We get them to share their best selection, the Malawian songs that made the year 2012.
Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) youth wing paid a visit to Mlambe hospital in Blantyre to bring festive season cheer to patients.
The ‘youth for hope’ comprising youthful lawyers, business youth, students from University of Malawi cheered patients and gave out assorted food and non-food items worth undisclosed amount..
Lawmaker Shaibu Kaliati, who is also deputy youth director of UDF, led the group.
The parcels comprised among other things sugar, salt, cooking oil and soap.
Kaliati said they thought of making the donation as one way of celebrating the festive season with the patients.
“As UDF youth for hope we want to be involved in charity and development work to reflect the agenda for change of the party being propelled by our president Atupele Muluzi,” said Kaliati.
The Hospital officials thanked the UDF for the donation, noting that patients generally require a lot of food supplements so that the medicine can effectively work.
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UDF youth give patients festive cheer
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UDF ‘youth for hope’
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UDF youth sorting out the packages
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Making a donation to the patient
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A nurse explaining to UDF youth on the situation at the hospital
An Ethiopian national believed to have illegally entered the country was found dead in a rest house in the northern city of Mzuzu . Wednesday morning.
Mzuzu Police spokesperson Maurice Chapola said the deceased whose particulars could not be verified, had booked a room at Sungabana rest house at Chibanja township in Mzuzu.
A rest house cleaner told Nyasa Times that the deceased booked a room Tuesday night alongside other two Ethiopians but the two others left the room soon after he died and are now at large.
He was discovered when some cleaners wanted to clean the room.
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Mzuzu Police Station PRO Maurice Chapola
“We initially thought they were still sleeping when we knocked at the door for several times. But we came suspicious when we later found their key at the reception,” said the cleaner.
The cleaner said when they peeped through the keyhole they discovered the deceased lying on the bed but were puzzled about the whereabouts of the two others.
“When we knocked for several times and found that he was not responding, we broke the door and discovered that he was dead and we reported the matter to police.”
Police spokesman ruled out any foul play. He suspects the man has died due to hunger hence no arrests have been made so far.
A postmortem had not been conducted at the time of the interview with the police spokesman.
But he says the police might arrest the two others if found, for illegal entry . There is a strong possibility that rest house owners would face the law for habouring illegal immigrants.
“We have launched an investigation into how the rest house welcomed the foreigners and the whereabouts of the two escapees,” said Chapola while warning rest house owners against habouring illegal immigrants.
Sungabana rest house is one of the cheapest accommodation facilities in Mzuzu city and it is mostly occupied by commercial sex workers. This is the first time for such kind of incident to happen at the rest house since it came into operation.
A cross-section of vendors in Zomba City has cried foul over People’s Party (PP) zealots’ hijacking of events during a New Year’s party which President Joyce Banda organized at the State House in the old capital.
According to one of the vendors who spoke to Nyasa Times, the Malawi President hosted the celebration party to over 3, 000 youths in the city and had invited the vendors to have an audience with her where they were expected to present their business challenges.
“We are very much concerned with what happened. We were told to send a list of vendors from the city but to our surprise, the police blocked us from entering the gates and some of us were beaten as if we were not invited.
“We were only let in after several consultations with the authorities. PP followers were too selfish to fulfill their desires at the event. It was as if it was a PP function. Worse still, most of us did not eat as we were told that the food had finished,” said the vendor who asked for his name to be shielded,
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As it were on New Year’s Day at State House in Zomba
He added: “At one point the First Gentleman (retired Chief Justice Richard Banda) intervened by directing the chefs to serve food to where we sat but it was not enough to cater for many of us.”
President Banda however ordered that “everybody gets the food and goes home happily.”
Another vendor chipped in to say the vendors did not present their challenges to the President at the event.
“There was resistance from some of the PP functionaries for us to have an audience with the president. We believe that those surrounding her do not give the right picture of what problems people are facing in life.
“We are going to formally request for an audience with the President and our belief is that this time it will materialize,” he said.
Malawi President Mrs Joyce Banda has appointed a private practice auditor, Peter Kamange as new Auditor Genera to replace previous office holder Reckford Kampanje at the National Audit Office (NAO) —an organ mandated to check abuse of public resources
The appointment follows the parliamentary rejection of Anderson Kaligomba during which 64 parliamentarians out of 151 voted for his appointment while 87 MPs rejected him.
The Auditor General Act requires that the head of the institution be someone with almost eight years of practice as an auditor.
Kamange, who confirmed his appointment with Malawi Newson Saturday, is subject to parliamentary confirmation as well.
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Deputy Auditor General Rexie Chiludzi
He runs an audit firm called KCC Finance Associates in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe
Both government spokesperson Moses Kunkuyu and chairperson of the parliamentary committee on public appointment and declaration of assets expressed ignorance on the new appointment.
The supreme audit institution has been smeared with allegations of donor funds mismanagement.
Kampanje’s early retirement came at a time when NAO was locked in controversy after audit exposed alleged abuses of funds resulting in the Norwegian Government withholding of support while the Department for International Development (DfID) warned that there will be no funding until the audit queries are resolved
Recently government appointed of Rexie Chiluzi, who was assistant Auditor General, as the Deputy Auditor General (DAG) with effect from September 27 2012.
The High Court in Mzuzu has ordered the Malawi National Examinations Board (Maneb) to release 2012 Form Four Mathematics results for two former Phwezi Secondary School students not later than Friday 11th January 2013 after the body disqualified the duo without giving reasons.
The Court made the decision on Friday in terms of Order 53 rule 10 (a) of the rules of the Supreme Court which stipulates that the granting of leave for judicial review should operate as a stay for the
respondent’s decision.
Under miscellaneous civil number 01 of 2013, Maneb versus Khumbo Lavati and Nellie Gondwe, the court warns that if Maneb disregards the order, it may be found guilty of contempt of court leading to the jailing of its CEO or have its assets seized.
“Upon reading the statement lodged… and upon reading the affidavit of Khumbo Lavati and Nellie Gondwe and verifying the facts… and upon hearing counsel for the applicants… it is hereby ordered that leave to move for judicial review be and is hereby granted,” Judge Dingiswayo Madise said.
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Lawyer Ghambi: The duo did not deserve to be disqualified
According to a joint affidavit filed by duo through Mzuzu based lawyer Christon Ghambi of CHRAM Associates, the duo argued that they were not involved in any examination malpractice.
“We are aware that in terms of regulation 29 (15) of the Maneb regulations, those candidates found engaging in exam malpractice and other misconduct violate the said regulation and are obliged to sign a Examination Malpractice Form number EMF002 which is sent to Maneb.
“We were not asked to sign that form which is indicative of the fact were did not engage in any malpractice,” the duo said.
They said Maneb has no basis for disqualifying them and they asked the Court to countenance such an abuse of authority.
They further said that Maneb’s decision is a violation of their constitutional rights to education, property, economic acidity and administrative justice as guaranteed under sections 25, 28, 29, and 43.
“We want to apply for admission into the University of Malawi Programmes as recently advertised in the media and the closing date in Tuesday 11th January 2013. This year the University advised that students will not be allowed to apply for admission at the University Entrance Examination Centers. This means if we do not apply now we would have lost the chance to do so this year.
“A Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) without a grade in Mathematics is of a significant lower value. Further this disqualification dented our character and could be a future liability,” said the duo.
The Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC) recently accused government of doctoring the MSCE results to paint a rosy picture of the education sector and demanded an apology and release of correct results.
The coalition, in a statement dated December 31 2012, said it is saddened by revelations from the Ministry of Education that the 2012 MSCE results for some private schools had anomalies.
The coalition said it is convinced it was government’s ploy to doctor the results for reasons known to it.
Maneb spokesperson Gerald Chiunda said the board provided the correct data of the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examination results for the past five years, including 2012, as requested by the ministry of education.
Up-and-coming rapper/singer Yesaya aka Big Y, formerly of the disbanded Malawian boy-group Team Gypsy has said he will be releasing a Rap/R&B mix-tape, before dropping his debut album ‘Chiphadzuwa’ later in the year.
The artist who is also a producer and owns NP (Near Perfection) Studio, based in Nkolokosa Blantyre, disclosed this in an interview with Nyasa Times.
He said the 14-track compilation, titled ‘So Last Year 2.0’, is a continuation from where he stopped last year when he dropped his first solo mix-tape called ‘So Last Year’.
“This is like the second edition to what may become a yearly series which will be available from my website:www.yesayamusic.com,” said Yesaya.
“It’s a compilation of songs I have done in the last two years. A starter course of songs in preparation for my album which will be released later this year,” he added.
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Yesaya performing at Maskal’s Umunthu album launch. Photo by Kimpho Loka/Nyasa Times
The 21-year-old artist, one of the urban musicians whose songs are enjoying airplay at the moment is exploring the Malawian culture, with an Afro-Pop touch in both compositions and production.
The 2012 mix-tape, which will be dropping on Valentine’s Day, February 14, which happens to be Yesaya’s birthday, will have songs like Stutter, Big Boys and the latest singles Ulele and Umandimaliza.
In Stutter, Yesaya raps alongside Wizaymes (now Bagpac), also a former member of Team Gypsy, while Theo Thomson, one of Malawi’s renowned gifted R&B musicians sings. In Umandimaliza, he features the country’s hip-hop icon Tay Grin.
He has also featured up-and-coming urban musicians Pricy, Zain and Karl on the mix-tape. On the production tip, Yesaya has worked with, Stratus, Jabay, another producer from NP, Canny Beats as well as Sannie Beatz.
Born Yesaya Jnr Nkhwazi, the artist was exposed to music in the UK where he was studying Music Technology and acquired a Diploma. His plans are to further his studies in music and achieve a Degree in Music Production.
As an artist, Yesaya worked on a project with Team Gypsy titled Travelling and he produced 12 of the 22 songs on that 2011 compilation, before he released his first solo mix-tape.
He has produced for Tay Grin (Wavin’ Flag Official Fifa Remix), Theo Thomson (Stutter, Bad Guy Remix with Petersen), Young Kay (Wekha featuring Maskal), Maskal (Umamva Bwanji, Kudzagwa Mvula in his new album Umunthu).
Other artists he has produced for are LO aka Lomwe and Botswana’s Zeus (Catch Me If You Can), Armstrong (Losing It, Not You – Unreleased) as well as gospel giants Ethel Kamwendo-Banda (Zabwino Zonse album) and Allan Ngumuya (two albums, The Reggae Side of Allan Ngumuya and 202).
Yesaya also produces radio adverts and radio jingles. He encourages people to support him and support Malawian music as he says “We have so much talent in Malawi, we just need to expose and showcase it to the world.”
IMF chief Christine Lagarde on Saturday praised Malawi’s President Joyce Banda for “bold” economic recovery reforms, saying the measures will lead to a turn-around despite their unpopularity.
“Notwithstanding the current hardships, many of my interlocutors were confident the ongoing reforms will turn the economy around, an optimism that I share,” said Lagarde, wrapping up an official visit to Malawi.
During her trip, Lagarde has praised the reforms which she said had restored stability after Banda inherited a serious crisis characterised by foreign exchange shortages that crippled key imports such as fuel.
Banda has overseen the devaluation of the kwacha currency by 50 percent, the easing of foreign exchange restrictions, and the raising of fuel prices and cutting of subsidies since taking office last April.
Criticised at home for floating the currency under pressure from the International Monetary Fund, she has assured that “there will be no backtracking”.
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IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde (R) shakes hands with Malawi’s President Joyce Banda prior to a meeting at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.
“I welcome government efforts to address unforeseen challenges through her continued commitment to economic reforms,” Lagarde, the fund’s managing director, said in a statement.
She said the country had already made “significant progress” in addressing serious imbalances that were hampering economic growth just a few months ago.
Lagarde said during meetings with Banda, she stressed the “need to stay the course, while putting in place social protection programmes to alleviate the impact of adjustment measures on the poorest households.”
She said Malawi’s recent economic situation has been difficult, adding that drought and lower than expected foreign exchange earnings had “dampened growth and contributed to a spike in inflation in 2012.”
Earlier on Saturday Lagarde stressed the need for Malawi to diversify its economy, saying a reliance on agriculture left the country and its economic recovery vulnerable.
“Following these reforms, the economic wheels started spinning again. But progress is threatened anew by a slump in agriculture,” she said, with the sector accounting 30 percent of GDP and tobacco nearly half of export earnings.
The fund has halved its 2012 growth forecast for the impoverished nation to around two percent but predicts a rate of 5.5 percent this year.
Private sector investment must be made easier and poor infrastructure in areas such as electricity and transport upgraded, she said, with Malawi scoring 129 out of 144 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index.
The IMF, one of the main backers of the country’s reforms, gave Malawi a three-year $157 million loan package in June after ties had broken down amid a spree of global aid suspensions under president Bingu wa Mutharika.
In 2011, the global lender suspended a $79.4 million credit facility during the administration of the late leader who died last year.
Donors provide up to 40 percent of the development budget and salaries for nearly 170,000 civil servants.
Under Mutharika, relations with the IMF had become tense after he refused to devalue the currency as the global lender had advised, arguing it would trigger inflation and hurt the poor. In Malawi, 39 percent of the 13 million population live on less than a dollar a day.
Several key donors, including former colonial power Britain, suspended aid, citing concerns about growing authoritarian tendencies in Mutharika’s government.
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IMF chief dances with members of MicroLoan Foundation at Kasengere village in the suburb of Malawi’s capital Lilongwe, on January 5, 2013..-Photo credit /AFP
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IMF Managing Director, Christine Legarde with President Banda and some cabinet Ministers at Kamuzu Palace for discussions .-Photo credit /Mana
Enterprising right winger Victor Mpinganjira rose to the occasion on Saturday, January 05, 2013 to rescue Mighty Wanderers from another misery with a brace in the elite TNM Super League at Kamuzu Stadium.
Mpinganjira,a son to former Flames striker Albert planted home a well taken pass from Joseph ‘Shakira’ Kamwendo to snatch the Nomads first goal forcing scores of Wanderers supporters, who occupied their traditional southeastern stands of the stadium, erupted into fits of celebrations.
No-one could blame the Lali-Lubani supporters, whose side was massacred 3-0 last Sunday to Big Bullets.
Mpinganjira, who coordinated well with Kamwendo and inflicted pain to the old capital city giants when he scored an easy goal after Red Lions custodian Brighton Ngwenyama made a silly blunder by letting the ball to slip from his hands.
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Victor Mpinganjira celebrating his goal
The Nomads, who missed the services of their four key players Bongani Kaipa, Gerald Chimbaka, Gerald Phiri and Francis Mlimbika could have scored the third goal but the Nomads fans have every reason to blame Anthony Banda, who missed a well taken cross from the right flank by Victor Mpinganjira.
Red Lions tried to come back into the game, but Dave Banda was not sharp enough supply good balls to their danger man Boniface Kaulesi, who was tightly marked by Foster ‘Zagaf’ Namwera.
Red Lions coach Collins Nkuna confessed that the loss was a setback in their quest for the title.
Currently, Red Lions is basking on the fifth slot with 38 points from 22 games while Blantyre United is still ruling on top with 45 points having played 23 games.
“Our chances of winning the title are being shuttered now. We conceded two silly goals and l do not know what our goalkeeper was thinking,” said Nkuna.
Nkuna also admitted Wanderers deserved the victory after putting them under pressure especially in the second half.
Wanderers Coach Felix Fosco, who was under intense pressure to win the match after last week’s 3-0 defeat in the hands of Big Bullets, was over the moon with the result.
“Iam very happy because my boys managed to absorb the pressure after last week’s defeat. We were even unfortunate not to score more than two goals because we played well,” said Fosco.
In Mzuzu, visiting Blue Eagles failed to collect maximum three points, as they were held 1-1 to new rookies Kabwafu FC at Mzuzu Stadium.
The Area 30 Cops scored through Innocent Bokosi while Kabwafu equalized courtesy of Dan Lusale.
In the capital city of Malawi, limping Escom United left behind all their woes as they tamed Kamuzu Barracks 2-1 in an entertaining encounter at Civo Stadium.
The Electricians were first to register on the score sheet through Manase Chiyesa before the capital city based out-fit equalized through Joel Chipofya.
However, it was vast experienced Chiukepo Msowoya, who snatched the much-needed three points.
A youth Malawian grouping, Friends of Atupele, has appealed to the country’s youth to vote for a youthful president as Malawi gears up for the 2014 tripartite elections.
The group, which was launched last December in Mzuzu, claims it has observed that all past Malawian presidents have failed to address issues affecting the youth in the country.
Atupele, the son of former Malawi President, Bakili Muluzi, is so far the sole known youthful presidential aspirant for 2014 elections.
Friends of Atupele’s acting national coordinator, Tega Mwaluwasa, told journalists in Zomba when he unveiled plans of the grouping in Southern Region, the youth have been neglected for long and time had come for them to be accommodated in the affairs of government.
“There is need for renewal in this country’s leadership. We need a youthful president who can listen and act on the needs of the youth who form the better part of this nation,” he said.
Mwaluwasa: Speaking to reporters after a meeting in Zomba
Added Mwaluwasa: “People should know that we have come with this movement to call on fellow Malawian youths to vote for a youthful president come 2014 tripartite eections.
“We already launched it last December in Mzuzu and it is now the turn of Zomba and Blantyre later this month. Let me point out that ours is a composition of all youths regardless of their political affiliation but supporting Atupele Muluzi to champion our call for participation in national development,” he said.
According to Mwaluwasa, the group is expected to spread its wings countrywide to whip up support for the UDF 2014 presidential candidate, also a Member of Parliament for Machinga North East.
The young 34-year-old Muluzi was last year elected to lead the opposition and former ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) party, founded by his father in 1992.
Until 12 November 2012, Atupele was part of President Joyce Banda’s all inclusive cabinet which she appointed on April 26 last year following the death of former President Bingu wa Mutharika.
But he resigned his position as Minister of Economic Planning and Development on what he said was a mtter of principle.
Since then the opposition lawmaker has barnstormed the country’s four political regions redefining his much hyped Agenda for Change campaign.
Ms. Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), made the following statement today (Saturday January 5, 2013) in Lilongwe:
“It is a great pleasure to be in Malawi for my first visit as Managing Director of the IMF. I had the privilege to meet President Joyce Banda and her cabinet, as well as the Governor of the ReserveBank of Malawi. I also had the opportunity to exchange views with members of parliament, development partners, and business and civil society representatives, including a group of outstanding women leaders. Today, I visited a group of women supported by the Microloan Foundation of Malawi. I was particularly inspired by their resilience and entrepreneurship.
“Malawi’s recent economic situation has been difficult. Drought and lower-than-expected foreign exchange earnings have dampened growth and contributed to a spike in inflation in 2012. Notwithstanding the current hardships, many of my interlocutors were confident that the ongoing reforms will turn the economy around—an optimism that I share.
“During my discussions, I congratulated President Banda on the bold economic policies of its administration, including the liberalization of the foreign exchange market. I welcomed the government’s efforts to address the unforeseen challenges through her continued commitment to economic reforms.
“Malawi has already made significant progress in addressing the serious imbalances that were hampering economic growth just a few months ago. I also stressed the need to stay the course, while putting in place social protection programs to alleviate the impact of the adjustment measures on the poorest households. Continued assistance from development partners will be essential to support the ongoing reforms.
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IMF Managing Director Christine Lagard tells Parliamentary Budget and Finance Committee – There was no easy way out for Malawi’s economy to recover (Pic. by Kondwani Magombo)
“Looking ahead, we at the IMF will continue to support Malawi with policy advice, financial assistance under the program supported by the Extended Credit Facility, and technical assistance and training to strengthen capacity in macroeconomic management. Malawi, like all of Sub-Saharan Africa, has become increasingly integrated into the rest of the world. Key risks today include the global economic uncertainty and rising food prices.
“In this context, it will be essential for African countries to have strong macroeconomic frameworks, improve institutional capacity, and ensure sustainable and inclusive growth in order to maintain the impressive economic performance of the last 10 years. The IMF will continue to assist them in these vital efforts.”
Malawian President Joyce Banda has strongly maintained that she won’t reverse the currency’s devaluation as consumer groups plan nationwide protests January 17 against soaring costs.
Banda is strongly maintaining that her administration will never bow down to pressure from some economists and rights campiaigners who are asking her to reverse the devaluation and floatation of the Malawi kwacha arguing similar economic policies have helped a neighbouring country Zambia to be categorized as middle income economy by the World Bank.
Malawi devalued the kwacha by a third against the dollar on May 7, a month after Banda took office, and agreed to let the exchange rate float to meet conditions set by the International Monetary Fund. Since then, the currency has dropped 26 percent to 326 per dollar, making it the worst-performing unit in Africa. Inflation in the southern African nation surged to 33 percent in November from 30.6 percent in the previous month.
“Please don’t comment on issues of economy when you are not competent. Leave issues of the economy to the economists,” said President Banda on Saturday at a political rally held at Traditional Chadza’s headquarters in the capital Lilongwe.
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MF Managing Director Christine Lagarde is greeted by Malawi’s President Joyce Banda on arrival at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe
“ Ask Zambia, a dollar is now equivalent 5,000 Zambian Kwacha yet the World Bank has declared the country a middle income earner,” said Banda.
President Banda therefore said the devaluation of kwacha won’t be reversed as demanded by some people saying it has helped the poor tobacco farmers get good prices of tobacco at the market. She said before devaluation, farmers were selling tobacco at $0.50 per kilogram but just a week after devaluation the same tobacco was going at $2 per kilogram.
“Wasn’t that nice? So what wrong with devaluation?”
Banda said the visiting of the Managing Director of the International Monitory Christine Lagarde confirms her government’s sound economic policies. She said Laggard had previously refused to come to Malawi when she approached her because of poor economic policies but promised to visit Malawi once the economy is in the right track.
‘Critics are jealousy’
However Banda admitted that her government assumed office without clear policies of how she could address economic problems perpetrated by the late president Bingu wa Mutharika’s administration.
“It is God who chose me and this means that I entered the government unprepared because some people were even blocking me from entering into government even after the death of the president”.
This was an apparent reference to six cabinet ministers in the DPP administration who held a midnight press conference before official announcement of Mutharika’s death saying though Joyce Banda was the vice president she was not illegible to succeed the late Mutharika because she was not a member of the then ruling party.
Banda also describes her critics as being jealousy of what she called her fame for speaking against her frequent local and foreign trips which they say are draining the country’s resources.
“To be recognizing as most powerful woman in Africa is not a joke and those people who recognized me are not mad. Yes I have traveled a lot because most of the trips are funded by those who were inviting me. Therefore some people are criticizing me just because they are jealousy of my fame and not my trips,” she said.
She however assured Malawians to be patient saying the end of economic problems they are facing is near.
IMF defends devaluation
IMF Managing Director (MD) Christine Lagarde on Saturday strongly defended the devaluation of the Kwacha as the only option Malawi had to get the economy back on track.
Lagarde said this during her interaction with the Parliamentary Budget and Financing Committee at Paliament Building in Lilongwe where she attended to a number of concerns from the committee on the state of the country’s economy.
During the meeting, legislator for Lilongwe Central and member of the Finance and Budget Committee, Lobin Lowe, queried Lagarde as to whether IMF is “a true friend to Malawi” considering how the Fund’s advice on the devaluation and floatation of the Kwacha impacted on the citizens’ livelihoods.
In response the IMF boss said : “IMF is a true friend to Malawi and we are here as caring friends ready to assist the nation regain its economic stand,” said Lagarde, adding, “if there was any easy option, believe me, we would be the first to offer it, but based on the situation and what neighbours around had been doing, we felt devaluation was the only cure for the problem.”
She said the Fund “does not set prescription that the country has to swallow” but that the realities of the economy dictate the right way out.
“The country was importing massively as compared to exporting and a lot of reserves were lost by the day,” explained the IMF Managing Director, “for a better economy Malawi had to reduce imports and increase exports; devalue the currency to make her commodities valuable and increase interest rate to stabilize the economy.”
Lagarde added that Malawians should persevere the hard times they are going through saying the economy would soon get full recovery following the devaluation and floatation of the Kwacha.
“You have hit the bottom and you are now climbing out and it is your responsibility to explain this to the people,” the IMF chief challenged the Parliamentary Budget and Finance Committee members.
She said most countries which went through similar process such as Russia, Ghana and Seychelles had gone back to IMF and said ‘We are glad we did it’ hence; there was no need for Malawi to worry.
In what could be seen as political persecution, Malawi Vice president Khumbo Kachali on Saturday ordered Justice Minister Ralph Kasambara to resurrect the case against government’s fierce critic John Kapito.
Kachali made the order on Saturday during a public rally he held at Chadza ground in Lilongwe.
Kapito, Chairperson of Consumers Association of Malawi, is organizing protest demonstrations against President Joyce Banda administration’s failure to address current economic challenges, saying it’s their constitutional right scheduled to take place on January 17.
“Let me remind Justice Minister Ralph Kasambara to resume the case of Mr. Kapito,” said Kachali.
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Khuimbo Kachali : Resume the case against Kapito
The vice president said he was making a reminder to the Justice Minister.
The move is likely to silence Kapito and would be seen as political persecution rather than prosecution.
Kapito, who was also critical of the late Bingu Wa Mutharika administration, was arrested on March 17, 2012 on suspicion he acquired forex illegally and that he was in possession of seditious materials just before he left for Geneva, Switzerland for UN conference where he was to present a paper on the human rights situation in Malawi.
Police dropped the charge of forex because police investigations clearly found that Kapito acquired the forex legally.
Kapito said he stands “for the truth” and that he has no fear.
He said he is aware his work has “many challenges including those that can land you into prison or even be killed. But that is the price you pay for justice.”
Tongue–lashing Kachali
Malawi’s second in command has not been short of controversy when it comes to tongue-lashing.
Last year, the vice president berated critics for expressing concern over what they view as excessive travel by Kachali and President Joyce Banda at a time the cash-strapped government is preaching austerity.
Kachali’s remarks triggered off a barrage of criticism and the vice president was forced to apologise and withdraw the insensitive remarks.
He also launched a verbal war against Machinga North East lawmaker Atupele Muluzi for his ambitions to run for presidency in 2014.
Muluzi later resigned from cabinet following the hate-speeches.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Lilongwe Msozi North Godfrey Kamanya who is also Deputy Minister of Environment and Climate Change on Saturday attacked consumer advocate John Kapito for being critical of the government, saying he must join the political battle field.
Kapito, Chairperson of Consumers Association of Malawi, is organizing protest demonstrations against President Joyce Banda administration’s failure to address current economic challenges, saying it’s their constitutional right scheduled to take place on January 17.
But speaking during a political rally President Banda addressed at Chadza primary school in his constituency, Kamanya accused Kapito of championing January 17 demonstrations, saying it is just a ploy to attract attention to himself.
“I think if Mr. Kapito is so interested in politics, he should go where he comes from and contest as a Member of Parliament,” said Kamanya.
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Kamanya: Rails against Kapito
“If he is good enough, he will win and we should meet in parliament and talk politics,” said Kamanya amid huge ululations from the crowd which defied an earlier heavy down pour to witness the meeting.
Kamanya asked President Banda to disregard critics.
“Madam President, let me assure you one thing, we as your government main supporters, we will continue to sell your development agendas to the masses so that people should know you have really performed during the short period you have been in the high office of this country,” said Kamanya.
Kapito said he has no political ambitions and he has taken up the cause of Malawians who are suffering.
The CAMA chief who also kept the Bingu wa Mutharika government on checks when he was head of state-funded Malawi Human Rights Commission, Kapito said he was not going into politics.
“I have said this more than enough that I have never had and will never have [political ambitions],” he said.
“We are just championing a simple cause. To hold people accountable.”
The monopoly to question government is not in the political parties. I am asking Malawians to stand up and demand their rights, demand their economic rights.”
Kapito said his job is to speak on behalf of the marginalised and vulnerable people that do not have platform to do so.
“I will continue doing so without anybody trying to complicate my life into politics,” he declared.
