![Kachale: The DPP]()
“His [Lutepo’s] declaration statement raises the issues of political party financing, this is a good governance issue. From the evidence provided we have also known that People’s Party gave K11 million to one of the Malawi Congress Party [MCP] presidential candidates to disturb MCP election and convention and influence the outcome.” – Mrs Kachale, Director of Public Prosecutions.
She, however, refused to name the MCP presidential candidate that received K11 million to influence the outcome, saying that would disturb the investigations.
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![Kachale: The DPP]()
Kachale: The DPP[/caption]
Murder and burglary:
In a country where crime investigations do produce results, the gruesome and yet to be avenged murder of late IssaNjauju and the break in into the German GTZ official’s residence would have long been resolved and the culprits locked up in prison, where they belong.
However, Malawi being a country where the arm of the law is compromised by whichever Kahuna is ruling, and where some crimes are reportedly carried out with the knowledge of senior officers in the Police (e.g. late Robert Chasowa RIP) and Intelligence Services (e.g. burning of MEC warehouse and lately GTZ official burglary according to
Nyasa Times sources);no arrests have been made.
The murder of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) director of corporate affairs IssaNjauju and the break in into the house of a high-ranking German official handling the K557 billion forensic audit of government coffersshare one common denominator: they are actions of defianceagainst the fight against corruption in Malawi.
This defiance is what is often referred to as impunity.
Both are deliberate attempts to bog down the ongoing deeper investigations into the genesis of cashgate and intended to buy time for some big wigs who, once the review going back to 2005 is completed, will be disgraced.
While indeed late Njauju was not in the ‘frontline’ fighting graft at ACB, he was arguably managing the hub on which the bolts and nuts that do the actual investigations were revolving.
While the high-ranking German official handling the K557 billion forensic audit of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) era of cash-gate is doing the analysis after the fact and the documents stolen from his home merely contained information already in public domain; the robbers – in their keenness to destroy material evidence at the behest of their masters– would not have known what he was analysing until they stole it, thinking that this would stop the effort.
In other words, whichever way one looks at it, the robbery was staged to derail the analysis and eventual fingering of the inventors of cashgate just as the coldblooded killing of ACB’s senior official was intended to pump the fear of God in ACB employees.
A phantom on the loose?
Going by the high profile nature of the targets: Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) director of corporate affairs IssaNjauju and the house of a high-ranking German official, the perpetrators cannot be common criminals.
Their acts required a degree of sophistication, planning and ruthlessness to tail their targets for sometime, wait for an opportune time, and then strike.
The hoodlums obviously, had the ample resources not readily available to equip district hospitals adequately.
The question is:who in Malawi has or controls such resources? Whoever it is, we are dead men walking.
Innuendos and smokescreens:
The motive of both crimes, as established above was to protect someone – who can only be highly influential and wielding power and resources – from being implicated from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) era cashgate.
As for the reason, one only has to look at the embarrassment that former President Joyce Banda is experiencing now after being implicated in cashgate.
Whether the allegations will hold or not, the resulting loss of faceis not something anyone holding office – at whatever level - would cherish.
Knowing Malawi as we do, we can conclude without fear of contradiction that if she is indeed charged, the trial will be delayed for a myriad of reasons (back problems, medical check-ups etc.) and not see the end of day as is happening with the MK1.7 billion trial.
And check this: we now have no less than the Director of Public Prosecutions Mrs Kachale “jeopardising” investigations.
This week she told the court that she has information that an unnamed MCP presidential aspirant got MK11 million Kwachaof cashgate money from one of Oswald Lutepo’s companies.
Ironically, for fear of “jeopardising” investigations, she could not reveal the name.
This is what I call “Grade A”trash.
Point is, out of the truck load of MCP presidential aspirants, the character that got the dough knows it.Hence the premature and uncalled forinsinuation before he has been interrogated, even without naming him, means that he is now on alert, either ready to bolt like that Kaka chap who has vanished into thin air while on bail awaiting a murder trial or to “interfere” with investigations.
What was the point of the premature revelation? What was Mrs Kachale trying to prove? And the media is blamed for being “sensational”? If you want sensationalism, try Mrs Kachale.
Playing cloaks and daggers game: suicidal
With the respect to the burglary carried out at the German Official, tailing, snooping or spying on diplomats is something normally expected of the Obamas and Putins of this world.
In fact, Putin is on record saying: “
I envy him (Obama) because he can do something like this (spying) and get away with it!”
Having said that, when Malawi is perceived, not only to have spied BUT to have actually carried out a “Mossad-type-robbery” on a GTZ official’s residence with Nicholaus Dausi’s knowledge according to a
Nyasa Times report, shivers start running down the spines of our development partners.
“What will Malawi do next?”or rather “What will Dausi do next?” are the questions that follow.
One can argue about double standards: i.e. why is spying more or less tolerated when Russia and USA are involved and theft equally accepted when carried out by Mossad?And why all the fuss when some yet to be named Malawi operative – never mind his employer – breaks into a GTZ official’s home to steal cashgate documents?
The response is rooted in an adage: biting the hand that feeds you is
haraam.
The cashgate triangle: Bingu-JB-APM
Never mind propaganda to the contrary, it is a fact that cashgate was invented by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), viaa presidential directive that banks should honour all government cheques without asking questions.
Why else was this idiotic directive issued if not to facilitate cashgate?
According to one convict, Leo Kalonga, Peoples Party (PP)– through Paul Mphwiyo - just enhanced the process byshort-circuiting the Office of the Director of Public Procurement (ODPP) (which was in DPP’s time issuing no objections to ridiculously over-priced contracts) so that the cream can go to you-know-who’s bank accounts.
The latest, as per Mrs Kachale premature ejaculation, is that other than the motive of funding its own campaign, Peoples Party (PP) went one up in an attempt to destabilize democracy by using Oswald Lutepo’s companies to cause chaos in rival parties.
What we have learnt this far however emanates from cashgate crimes committed after 2012. What is remaining is what the Germans are trying to get to: the period prior to 2012.
When they get to this part, and names get mentioned, the shit will practically hit the fan. With respect to the current regime, they have already crafted ways of continuing cashgate.
In my previous write up I referred to the ridiculously high contract amount of the 95km road from Lilongwe old airport. I can safely predict that the community or district colleges now on President Mutharika’s radar will also be as ridiculously over-priced.
Just watch this space.
Is Malawi sleepwalking or speeding towards a failed state?
What is making every patriotic Malawian to be ashamed of these developments is that Cashgate, be it the Peoples Party brand or its precursor, the Democratic Progressive Party invention, was and is still repulsive. But it was local.
However, ‘cashgating’ documents from a development partner, one who is investing resources trying to clean the mess, is beyond nauseating.
Therefore, when I heard someone remarking that Pres Peter Mutharika is “sleepwalking Malawi into a failed state”,Icould not help but laugh at the understatement.
A more apt observation is that the man isfast-tracking Malawi into a failed state. No two ways about it.
My Malawi My Bandit Territory:
Look at this: it is a fact that criminals – ranging from the unpretentious burglars to diplomatic burglars, random murderers to professional hit squads, are having a field day in Malawi.
It is a fact that we have a Police Service, a National Intelligence Service and a host of state apparatus headed by a Commander in Chief.
In light of the increasing levels of criminality, does anyone see“leadership”?
Shuffling AtupeleMuluzi and replacing him with Dr Jean Kalirani in the Ministry of Home Affairs is the very height of presidential naivety.
If the good doctor could not watch over aspirin, how is she going to even begin presiding over national security?
Not that Atupele was doing any better, but entrusting Dr Jean Kalirani, who could not explain where drugs were going at the Health Ministry with national security, is one of the dumbest reshuffles made in our fifty one year old history.
Cluelessness does not even begin to describe this folly.
Closing the stable door after the horse has bolted?
To wrap up, one can safely conclude that late Njauju’s murderers and the hoodlums who burglarizedthe GTZ official’s house willnever be caught because the body charged with the investigations, i.e. the Malawi Police, is one that has never really solved any crime especially when there are big fish involved.
And both these cases reek of big fish involvement.
The hoodlums will go scot-free because we simply have no political leadership with the capability and will to make life bearable for the common man.
Sadly, what we should all learn to live with is the fact that under the current administration, the long arm of the law is at the mercy of the local mafia andas a result, Malawi is now bandit territory cruising towards failed statehood.
To put things in their proper perspective, everything we have been doing as a nation, with respect to cash-gate, is worse than locking the barn after the horse has already bolted.
In May 2014, through omission or commission, aided by one Maxon, we locked our horses in a barn with a pack of hungry hyenas. No wonder the oldboy was crying!
If we find any bones therein after this administrative term, we should count ourselves “lucky”. And never forget, when a wise man is pointing at the moon, fools concentrate on the finger and lose out.
I rest my case.
Nuka picking a team as Alide (far right) looks on, Pic Alex Mwazalumo.[/caption]
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Zakazaka announcing the cup format, Pic Alex Mwazalumo[/caption]
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Its Silver! Eagles team manager Gabriel Chirwa send a text msge the draw, Pic Alex Mwazalumo[/caption]
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Standard Bank, Fam officials show off the cup, Pic Alex Mwazalumo[/caption]
The Nomads, who have been ushered into this year’s edition of the Knock-Out competition by Standard Bank customers through a voting system after finishing on an unfamiliar ninth position during last year’s league season have a tricky military puzzle against another voted side Mafco to solve if they are to join the six seeded quarterfinalists.
The seeded quarterfinalists include defending league champions Big Bullets, Moyale Barracks, Blue Eagles, Civo United, Silver Strikers and Red Lions.
Another battle for the last eight slots will involve Kamuzu Barracks and Dedza Young Soccer, who have also sneaked in via a voting process.
Should Wanderers or the Salima based Soccer Instructors make it to the quarterfinals, they will face another military hurdle in the name of Red Lions. The winner between Kamuzu Barracks and Dedza Young Soccer will meet Civo in the quarterfinals.
Big Bullets, alias The People’s team have been drawn against Moyale Barracks, the soldiers from Kaning’ina in another explosive quarterfinal with struggling central giants Silver Strikers paired against Blue Eagles.
In the semi-finals, winner between Moyale and Bullets will meet the winner between Civo and Kamuzu Barracks/Dedza Young Soccer with Red Lions/Wanderers/Mafco lining up against Silver/Blue Eagles.
According to Football Association of Malawi’s (Fam) competitions manager Gomezgani Zakazaka, the preliminary play-offs have been slated for September 12/13 with the quarterfinals scheduled for September 27/27. Semi-finals will be played on October 16/17 whereas the final is set to be staged on October 31, 2015.
Much as the first drawn teams are deemed as home teams, Zakazaka stressed that Article 8.1 of the competition’s rules and regulations empowers the organising committee to determine match venues, depending on conditions of the playing venues and other factors.
Chairman of the organising committee and Fam legal advisor Jabar Alide hailed Standard Bank for sponsoring the competition for a 10th season, pledging the organisers would see to it that it should be another incident free competition.
Alide disclosed that the organising committee has decided increase the winner’s prize from K9 million to K10 million while the runner-up is set to walk away K5 million richer. He said semi-finalists will pocket K500,000 each, a decrease from last year’s K1 million and that there will be no prizes for quarterfinalists.
Standard Bank’s head of Information Technology William Nuka said the sponsors were looking forward to another exciting football tournament.
“Standard Bank has been sponsoring this cup for nine years and we are looking forward to an exciting 10th anniversary, which will be full of surprises. It is our sincere hope that all the teams and their fans will conduct themselves in an orderly manner. We do not want violence or hooliganism to be a show-stopper as this would curtail our goal of assisting in the development of football in Malawi,” said Nuka.
The Standard Bank head of IT hailed the bank’s customers for patronising the voting process in large numbers.
The voting outcome was as follows: Be Forward Wanderers 1.045 votes, Mafco 395, Kamuzu Barracks 298, Dedza Young Soccer 253, Airborne Rangers 226, FISD Wizzards 189, Azam Tigers 169, Mzuni 55 and Epac 54.
Below is the full draw for the 2015 edition:
Preliminary Play-offs
Mafco vs Be Forward Wanderers
Kamuzu Barracks vs Dedza Young Soccer
Quarterfinals
Civo vs Winner Game 1
Red Lions vs Winner Game 2
Silver vs Blue Eagles
Moyale vs Bullets
Semi-finals
Moyale/Bullets vs Civo/KB/Dedza
Red Lions/Wanderers/Mafco vs Silver/Blue Eagles
Kamoto: Redeployed[/caption]
Kamoto has been deployed to Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) as its boss.
Malata, who holds Master’s Degree in Accounting and Finance has wealth of experience heading major institutions in the country having led the defunct Malawi Development Corp (MDC) , Admarc Investment Holding Company Limited and Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund.
He also served as a Non Executive Director of First Merchant Bank Limited until September 26, 2013.
Malata serves on the boards of numerous companies in Malawi including Illovo Sugar Malawi Limited and Malawi Property Investment Company Limited.
He comes to the tax collecting body at a time when it has come under fire for introducing tax incentives that do not benefit small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
During an interactive meeting with SMEs in Blantyre few weeks after President Peter Mutharika assented to the new Customs and Excise Act (measures) on July 27 2015, about two months after the Act came into effect on the midnight of May 22 2015, MRA deputy commissioner for technical and domestic taxes Rainnie Vokhiwa said the tax collector has introduced a number of tax incentives to stimulate the growth of businesses and the economy as a whole.
He singled out the reduction of excise duty from 110 percent to 80 percent on passenger-carrying vehicles under tariff heading 87.03 exceeding 12 years of age with cylinder capacity (CC) exceeding 3 000.
Vokhiwa also said government had reduced excise duty from 55 percent to 40 percent on passenger-carrying vehicles under tariff heading 87.03, which are between zero and eight years old with CC exceeding 3 000.
But SMEs complained that incentives MRA introduced are not intended to cushion lives of low-income earners and SMEs, but big entrepreneurs.
First Lady lays stone[/caption]
The project which is being sponsored by Plan Malawi International is part of Beautify Malawi, BEAM Trust girls’ education programme.
Through the project, BEAM Trust will facilitate as well as fund construction of hostels in many community secondary schools across the country.
It aims to counter challenges that girls face due to long distance they cover to access their respective secondary schools across the country and the impact of these challenges to the girls education efforts.
The First Lady disclosed that the Khwalala Girls Hostel will accommodate up to 80 girls “giving them secure accommodation and conducive environment for them to excel in class and become empowered women and make positive contribution to the social and economic development of Malawi.”
Kaliati warns against sexual abuse[/caption]
Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Patricia Kaliati, recently urged Malawi women to remain vigilant and refuse any demands for sex encounters in exchange of any service.
She urged communities to report any misconduct by officials taking advantage of body currency of Malawi women..
“No one should take advantage of the plight of you the poor to coax anyone, especially women and girls, into a sexual relationship,” Kaliati cautioned.
A survey conducted by Karonga CCJP shows that the district’s water woes are very pathetic as the population density is also on the rise.
“As it stands, the district is in need of extra 600 boreholes to rectify the water challenge but the current allocation of about K150 000 per month at the district council for water and sanitation is not enough to meet the required demand,” said Karonga CCJP Project Officer Lewis Nkhata in an interview with Nyasa Times.
Nkhata said a lot of boreholes in the district are non-functional because they are either of substandard or the taste of water is very salty.
“Some of the boreholes were just drilled anyhow without conducting visibility studies and others mainly in the southern part of the district have salty water that whenever they use them for cooking the food could turn yellow and the teeth of the under five children could also turn to the same colour.
“So because there has never been any scientific study to find out if there are some health hazards, the communities have abandoned them and return to their usual sources of unprotected water sources which is very dangerous,” he said.
Nkhata said as CCJP, they are empowering the communities and local leaders with knowledge to monitor visibility studies and drilling processes of the water points.
Malawi’s report on Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) I and II notes that there is an increase in population with access to safe and portable water, whilst the Malawi Economic Justice Network (MEJN) report of 2010 speaks to the contrary indicating that majority of the population are yet to have access to clean and portable water as a
result of dysfunctional water points.
Hillary Rodham Clinton[/caption]
Mrs Clinton, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for the 2016 presidential election, has been under fire for using a private computer server for work emails while in office.
The state department disclosed that Mrs Clinton used a private server during her time as secretary of state (2009-13) after journalists requested copies of her government emails
The state department 
Writing to Hillary Clinton at 5:50am, Cheryl Mills explains in the email that the Malawi courts have “imposed the maximum sentence against the couple”.
She further explains that the US Embassy in Malawi notes attitudes in Malawi are against homosexuality before concluding that the Information Minister, who at the time was Hon. Patricia Kaliati MP, stated: “[Malawi] government was pleased with the conviction”.
Bingu’s wedding
The second issue is much more mundane. Following the death of Ethel Mutharika, Bingu remarried Callista Mutharika. It would appear invitations were extended to Hillary Clinton. Expectedly, she was unable to attend.
Cashgate suspects walk in shame covering their face[/caption]
The first is the attitude of President Peter Mutharika towards the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). Unlike former president Bingu wa Mutharika, who led the country from 2004 to his death in 2012 and who was Peter’s brother, the current President Mutharika is not actively obstructing the ACB’s work.
In fact, he appointed the industrious and brave Mary Kachale to be his Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and the DPP and ACB are reportedly working without obvious political interference from the top – though how long this will last is anybody’s guess.
The second shift happening today is that Malawi’s political culture of secrecy looks to be weakening. In his three decades in office, Malawi’s first president, Hastings Banda, put a strong emphasis on deference. The motto of his Malawi Congress Party (MCP) – now the main opposition – was “Unity, Loyalty, Obedience, and Discipline”, and one of his legacies has been a lack of transparency. However, there are suggestions that this culture is beginning to break down in the Lilongwe High Court where high-level fraudsters are starting to spill the beans under plea-bargaining arrangements.
The case those in court are speaking out about – and which the DPP and ACB have their hands full with – is the huge government scandal known as “Cashgate”. In this long-term case of high-level fraud, millions of dollars of public money were channelled into private accounts through construction companies that provided the government with bills, but no services.
The details are only beginning to emerge, but as the stakes get higher and the sense of outrage grows, Malawi’s peaceful atmosphere is becoming tainted by resentment and violence. Three years ago, Paul Mphwiyo, the former Budget Director at the Ministry of Finance and the man now named by Kachale as the Cashgate “mastermind”, survived a murder attempt. (Mphwiyo implicated former Justice Minister and prominent lawyer, Ralph Kasambara.) Furthermore, this July, the bullet-riddled body of the ACB Director of Corporate Affairs, Issa Njauju, was found in Lilongwe next to his burned out car.
Lucius Kondowe, ACB’s director, admits that his officers are “terrified”, and Cashgate witnesses are now insisting on armed guards.
A history for the future
As the full scale of Cashgate emerges, it is provoking some wider reflections in Malawi on national identity and public responsibility. This most recent scandal saw officials use their public office to enrich themselves massively, but this phenomenon is far from unique in the country as the record of its presidents shows.
Starting with Hastings Banda, an investigation found that he had accumulated at least $320 million in personal assets while in office. His successor Bakili Muluzi, who ruled from 1994 to 2004, had been a small-time businessman but also lived in great opulence as president. He faced corruption charges after stepping down, but as a Commonwealth special envoy, he is now supping with the notorious king of Swaziland and his teenage wives. His prosecution for financial wrongdoing is losing momentum, while his son, Atupele, is a cabinet minister in Peter Mutharika’s government.
The next man, Bingu wa Mutharika, a former taxi driver, commissioned a vast private palace while in the top job. Located in Thyolo and built for Bingu by a grateful Portuguese roads-contractor, the residence towers like a stranded white whale over the neighbouring houses of poor tea-estate workers. Brother Peter inherited the property.
Meanwhile, the colourful Joyce Banda, who completed a brief term from 2012 to 2014, now spends all her time in voluntary exile, feted by the international community but refusing to answer questions in Malawian courts about the disappearance of 24 billion kwacha ($43 million) during a mere six months of her presidency between April and September of 2013.
Malawi, one of the world’s poorest countries, is now being described as a kleptocracy in some circles, and international aid is drying up. The contrast between the lives of the majority of the population and elites caught with suitcases of stolen government money – not to mention those who successfully enriched themselves over years in power – are as clear to see as ever.
Malawians are now awaiting details of the latest scandal to emerge, but as they do, a deeper question is also being asked: Namely, while the country’s political leaders do not seem to fear the judicial system enough to deter them from fraud, why do they also not fear the judgement of posterity?
One possible answer to this is that Malawi’s leaders have little sense of history and their own place in it. Of course in order to tackle a culture of impunity, the country’s institutions will have to be strengthened in various ways. But at the same time, perhaps Malawian academics also need to be invited, as a matter of urgency, to write a new History of Modern Malawi – a history that will give the country’s leaders a sense of posterity to which they will one day be answerable.
A sense of the modern history of the country is lacking in Malawi, and although a new understanding of this history would not end impunity or high-level fraud, it might help create a sense of unity and highlight the fact that Malawi’s leaders are accountable to their people and their country not just now but forever more. It would remind those that might be tempted to enrich themselves to the detriment of their country that they will be judged not just by Malawi’s imperfect judicial system, but by generation upon future generation of their compatriots.
Few people out there can really tell where this country is heading; what they can tell, however, is where we are coming from under the stewardship of Peter Mutharika. We are certainly in this together.
It is often said that a good predictor of the future is the past. It is difficult therefore to craft a good model of the future minus a detailed profile of the past. It is simply impossible.
A precursor of the future under the DPP government is therefore accurately pictured based on a review of where we have come from. The past 14 months under Mutharika is a wake that is littered with a mixture of armature dramatics, cronyism and silly power-games.
Professor Peter Mutharika came on the scene with a new promise to do away with the old politics that is not tainted with tribal hyperbole and political patronage. He promised politics unusual. He raised the bar of expectation and for once a lot of Malawians began to believe in themselves; people began to look forward to a new future with abundant promise.
How that high promise has turned out to be a maze of confusion is an archetypal story of a long mile from the ridiculous to the sublime and seconds from the sublime to the ridiculous.
The first warning shot was fired when, just a few months in office, President Mutharika held a series of political rallies where, among other things, he declared his candidature for 2019 elections. It was also during these political rallies that we got the hint that the President still nurses a burning hatred against Joyce Banda and her People’s Party, especially over the treason charges slapped on him for attempting to usurp a constitutional order.
Mutharika’s speeches and actions hinted that he would do anything to ‘revenge’ what he said was unjustly done to him. He said this despite his amnesty declaration against his perceived enemies and call to bury the hatchet at his inauguration.
Now, 14 months later, the DPP government seems to be lost in wonderland. Mutharika has turned out to be an aloof and arrogant; a President who has practically disconnected with the ordinary Malawian – and ‘sleeping walking’ in power as others have said.
His ability to annoy and disfranchise people, including those who were prepared to die for him just over a year ago, has been legendary. He is more than happy to leave the reins of power to self-made and incompetent subordinates under the alias of advisors.
His procrastination on major decisions has been breathtaking. The much touted Malata Subsidy project has turned out to be an instrument of political patronage to appease his DPP apologists.
Donors are still withholding their budgetary support and have demanded a forensic examination and report of all the ‘cashgates’, not just the cashgate unearthed during the PP regime, but also the other ‘cashgates’ including the MK92 billion cashgate that took place during the reign of Bingu wa Mutharika.
The corruption fight has been reduced to only about a way of ‘shaking up’ political opponents. Security breakdown has reached pitiful levels.
Armed thugs are hitting fast and furious including at places that ought to be most secured. Cabinet Minister, AtupeleMuluzi was paid a visit in the middle of the night by robbers who made away with assorted items. The house of the State Vice President, Saulos Chilima, was also broken into, leaving people wondering whether they are any secure if armed robbers can just walk in and out of the most heavily guarded places on the land.
Ballots were set on fire at Malawi Electoral Commission warehouse in a mafia-like style.
In the latest armed robbery episode, the house of the Germany envoy was broken into and documents relating to the MK577 billion cashgate stolen. The Germany government is funding the forensic audit, which is looking into the MK92 billion scam.
But perhaps the lowest moment in this security breakdown was the killing of Anti–Corruption- Bureau (ACB) Deputy Director, IssaNjauju, who was kidnapped, gunned down and buried in a shallow grave just close to State House in Lilongwe. His official vehicle was burnt to ashes. Up to now no arrests have been made except for high sounding statements from Police and government.
At the rate we are going, Malawians have every reason to fear for their future. The Head of State must quickly come off the hangover of his ivory tower conditions and simply lead the country.
A government that fails to provide the most basic services has no business to be called government. ‘Learning expands great souls’, so the saying goes. Mutharika should consult even those people that he does not agree with. The lone-wolf approach will not help Mutharika and certainly not Malawians. Milk and honey have different colours, but they share the same house peacefully. Otherwise, he who thinks he is leading and has no one following him is only taking a walk.
Flashback: Atupele Muluzi of UDF greets DPP supporters[/caption]
The Nation newspaper reports that this happened after UDF president Atupele Muluzi , who is also the Minister of Lands , Housing and Urban Development and minister of Local government and rural development Kondwani Nankhumwa –DPP - presided over the launch of the Descent and Affordable Housing Programme in Mangochi and the two ministers dressed at Mchoka Primary school ground which attracted supporters from parties.
The UDF and DPP supporters kept on taunting each other and singing disparaging songs.
Nankhumwa’s attempt to appeal for unity failed in deaf ears.
He said President Peter Mutharika wants Malawians to remain united to foster socio economic development in the country hence the working relationship between DPP and UDF .
“ You all know that I am a DPP member and honourable Muluzi is UDF but we are all working under the leadership of President Muntharika . We encourage you also to work together. And because of that I could have loved if you could stayed together here, " said Nankhumwa .
The supporters did not listen to Nankhumwa at all.
Muluzi also called upon all Malawians to remain united item despite political affiliation , saying 51 years after independence , there is no need for the country to be divided .
But when UDF supporters stood to sing between Muluzi's speech , DPP supporters also stood and started sing songs in praise of Mutharika
Noticing danger, Muluzi quelled the tension with some jokes .
Since UDF and DPP announced their working relationship, there has been a lot of discontent among supporters from both camps , especially in the eastern region, a thing senior officials from both parties describe as normal considering that not all people can accept change .
Lutepo: Sentenced to 11 years IHL[/caption]
“Joyce Banda used me. She knows how she used me,” claimed Lutepo to reporters.
In a prepared message to reporters, Lutepo who was with his relatives, well-wishers, police officers and his lawyer Oswald Mtupila said JB should know that “love is more important than anything else. Using someone is a sign of lack of love,”
Lutepo was still adamant , claiming he is “ a good role model to the youths.”
He said: “ I was able to contribute to the country’s development by offering employment. I did not get rich because of cashgate, I had businesses before.”
Without shame, the cashgate prisoner said: “I insist, my conscious is clear that I didn’t steal from government. How could I get hold of government money on my own? The money was for them,”
Lutepo has since pledged to fight for minority rights in prison including homosexuality.
Kachali : The battle for PP'sheart and soul[/caption]
Thugs disrupted the meeting and “detained” PP spokesman Ken Msonda to give them “allowances” and transport reimbursements.
Matola said the meeting was organised to brief members of the return of Banda and series of meetings lined up to rejuvenate the party.
But party members said Kachali had earlier bankrolled controversial Mzomera to pay thugs to disrupt the meeting.
Mzomera confirmed that indeed the meeting was disrupted, saying he is in charge of the party in the north and maintained that Kachali is acting leader.
“I am taking orders from Khumbo Kachali, he is the acting leader of PP,” said Mzomera.
Kachali played down such assertions, saying he has come back in frontline PP politics to help rebuild the party and that Banda remained the legitimate leader.
“The party has the hierarchy and Joyce Banda is president; some of us we are members. We need to listen to senior party members, but we need the party to grow,” said Kachale on Friday during Daybreak Malawi programme on Capital Radio.
He also said the return of Banda is “good news” for the party.
But regional members in Mzuzu who spoke to Nyasa Times accused Kachali of being a “serpent” who is bankrolling infighting behind closed doors with Mzomera as his errand boy.
Ironically, Kachali was dropped as running mate by Banda after Mzomera has told her that the former vice president that planned to assassinate her and ascend to presidency.
Banda reportedly asked Kachali about the claims in the presence of Mzomera and some northern region chiefs. Mzomera maintained his claim.
No permanent enemies in politics, so they say, and the two -Kachali and Mzomera - are now fighting a common cause.
Senior Prince Titus Gomani: Obtains court injunction[/caption]
The function will take place at Manda aGomani in the area of Nkolimbo in Ntcheu as Ngonis in the country as well as Mozambique and Tanzania converge to showcase and celebrate their tradition and culture.
The injunction which was obtained through Chamgwanjira company lawyers delivered by High Court Judge Justice Maclean Kamwambe stopped the three from holding the Umhlangano ceremony on 5th September or any date untill the inter party hearing of the injuction or when another order is issued to remove the current order.
According to senior Prince Titus Gomani who is the only surviving son to Inkosi Phillip Gomani
also a Custodian of Mkolimbo and grandfather to Ngwenyama Swati Gomani V, he is against the idea to hold the Umhlangano ceremony at Mkolimbo citing several reasons .
Titus Gomani argues that it is against the culture of the Maseko Ngonis to hold celebratory event when they are mourning Royal Son Inkosi Christopher Bvumbwe –TA Bvumbwe .
“ How can the Ngwenyama hold a Kingship ceremony whilst one of his fathers has just died two weeks ago . We are mourning and its not time to hold cerebrations, that abormination,” he told Nyasa Times on Friday.
He also said the royal family has a lot of “issues” to be resolved before the ceremony.
Meanwhile, Nyasa Times has learnt that the Ngwenyama went to apologize to Prince Titus Gomani last Tuesday at his place in Machinjri, Blantyre to allow him host the ceremony but it is reported the senior prince refused the apology and threatened Swati Goman V that he must host the ceremony at his headquarters in Lizulu not at Nkolimbo.
The Inkosi has involved lawyer Chancy Gondwe to vacate the injunction to allow them proceed with the event .
Gondwe confirmed to Nyasa Times on Saturday morning that the injunction has been suspended by Judge Kamwambe and the celebrations will go ahead as planned.
"I was instructed by the Inkosi Gomani to move the courts and have [the injunction] suspended and the court agreed with us and proceeded to suspend the injunction," Gondwe informed Nyasa Times.
According to Inkosi Yamakhosi Gomani V, before the ceremony there will be a Kukhwisulua pa Manda event at Gomani Chikuse grave early in the morning.
Chikuse was known as a courageous man who fought for the rights of local people. He was later killed by the colonial settlers.
Another function that will also entertain people is kuulutsa nkhunda where the chief releases a white dove to symbolise peace.
“Development occurs when there is peace in the country. As Ngonis, we always promote peace. This ceremony is an indication that we need peace as it will accelerate development in our country,” he said.
People will also know the history of the Maseko Ngoni and there will be a display of Ngoni paraphernalia.
Secular Humanism leader in Malawi: Dr George Thindwa[/caption]
The topic that Thindwa, who is the Executive Director of the Association for Secular Humanism (ASH) in Malawi, will tackle is on ‘Humanism in Malawi and ASH contribution to Malawi in promoting human rights of witchcraft accusations’.
“George will address the conference on the work of ASH, looking particularly at the place of religion in Malawi, human rights and witchcraft accusations,” the conference organizers have said.
Before Thindwa’s presentation, Professor Callum Brown will address the gathering on the latest results of the HSS funded research project into the role of religion in Scots Law, looking specifically at education, under the topic ‘Education and Scots Law’.
Other than Professor Brown and Thindwa, Professor Wiseman will address the gathering on his recent research into the science of sleep, with a look at the content of his recent book Night School.
Professor Wiseman, an experimental psychologist, is also an accomplished magician and advocate for skepticism, who earned his PhD at the University of Edinburgh where he has gained an international reputation for research into the psychology of luck, self-help, persuasion, and illusion.
“During the conference there shall also be plenary sessions with HSS staff team and a fantastic evening of entertainment including a speech from HSS President Christopher Brookmyre and the inaugural performance of the HSS’s Humanists in Harmony Choir,” an official, Gary McLelland has revealed.
Thindwa, who has been in controversies with the government on his fight for humanism, is also expected to tackle on Humanism in Malawi: An international perspective.
Nyasa Times understands that there will be also be policy workshops on two topics from; End of Life - Where next for assisted dying?; Education – Creating a fairer, secular, education system; Equality - Human Rights under attack in UK and Abroad; Enlightenment - a vision for post-religious Scotland, and Environment - humanity and the planet.
Humanists include atheists and agnostics who make sense of the world using reason, experience and shared human values. They take responsibility for their actions and base their ethics on the goals of human welfare, happiness and fulfillment. They seek to make the best of the one life one has by creating meaning and purpose for themselves, individually and together.
Humanist Society Scotland (HSS) is the national organisation for humanists in Scotland and aims at promoting a secular Scotland through work in policy, in education and a wide range of ceremonies. It is however part of a UK, European and wider international movement of people and organisations.
“We aim to reflect the views of the millions of Scots who value secularism in public life – and who go on to agree with our Vision of a fair, progressive and open Scotland.
“We seek to influence public policy - not just in Scotland, but in the UK and internationally. We know that we are just one voice among many. We recognise that we have a right to be heard, but not a right to win the debate; and we ask that those who do not share our values to recognise the same,” the HSS has said ahead of the conference.
At this year's conference, the organisers indicate that there will be an opportunity for people to get involved in setting the HSS campaigns agenda and policy for the future.
Flashback, Kachepa: He impersonated a police officer[/caption]
The suspects, identified as Charles Labana, Gerald James and Moses Kachingwe, were also found in possession of a Malawi Police camouflage uniform, two handcuffs, panga knives and a bunch of keys they were allegedly using to break into targeted houses.
"They were terrorizing and targeting unsuspecting people at the Park. With the Malawi Police camouflage uniform and handcuffs, the suspects were impersonating police officers until some victims came to report to us about these people whose criminal acts reflected badly on us," said Andrew Mayawo, Assistant Publicist for Blantyre Police.
He further said apart from cash, the suspects were also targeting items like cell phones and laptops.
Mayawo said they will answer two charges of impersonating police officers contrary to Section 389; and robbery and violence contrary to Section 301 of the Penal Code.
He said they also recovered some items, mainly cell phones and hoped the owners will identify them.
So far, two people, 44 year-old Howard Phaiya and Robson Chinyama have identified their items. Phaiya, who was attacked on August 10 this year, was snatched Nokia XL valued at K95,000 while Chinyama was snatched a Blackberry and Nokia C3.
"We will ask the court if they could be remanded at Chichiri Prison. We need to gather more evidence and figure out other proper charges for them," said Mayawo.
Twenty-seven year Labana hails from Nyaulombo village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Makhuwira in Chikwawa district; James, aged 29, comes from Khatata village, T/A Kuntaja in Blantyre district while Kachingwe, 27, comes from Nkusa village, T/A Changata in Thyolo district.