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Happy 2016, where are we today? In Malawi its raining gays, oops I mean the biggest challenge facing Malawi is what two adults do in their bedrooms, the Church is angry, politicians like Ken Msonda are so agitated that they want to have all gays killed pronto.
Suddenly NGOs like Centre for Development of the People (Cedep) are convinced people are out for a genocide on all suspected gays. Suddenly, first two monthinto 2016, we have no problems or challenges, our biggest problem are gays.
Hold on, there are two interludes, a Prophet in Area 25 turned into a snake, my cousin heard it from a friend who heard from a friend’s aunt who was passing by Nsungwi and heard from a vendor selling tomatoes who had heard from a bar man at a Kachaso at Kang’oma who eeeish, who heard from……. Suddenly thousands of busy Malawians convinced that Prophet Snakes are worth lynching- stop their money making business and attend to a very important national discourse- rumour mongering. After wasting energy and time, it all turns out that it was just a rumour.
But still hold on, we the educated lot on social media have another one, Prophet Sherperd Bushiri has bought the same jet twice. We all go bonkers, praising and believing, criticising and condemning, why does he not help his compatriot’s poor.
Bushiri, according to his spin machine heads, has 30 mineral mines, 27 gold (I am waiting to get the location too), a University in South Sudan (get the name please) and he launched a multi-billion dollar foundation which nobody has yet “testified” to have benefitted from. Of course a “miracle bank” and “miracle mobile” is on its way.
We perhaps spend too much money believing in miracles, witchdoctors and Satanism, that our national discourse has been reduced to three- sex – in this category there are three- porn sharing, gays and rapists, miracle money-prophets, God fearing mantra and Satanism and finally our trade mark “gossip and rumour mongering.”
A whole national radio went to town on a former president claiming he had engaged privately after someone sick twisted an innocent picture- that’s the level of rumour mongering and gossip we are proud of.
Then we wonder why we are poor today. Why we have to kneel down (the spiritual part of the country) and ask God for water to water our crops. If this is not enough we will be praying while our hearts full of “kill gays” or “stone Simama hotel” for being Satanist hub. You can’t have a cake and eat it, they say. God gave us enough water, one third of Malawi is water, we lack brains to utilise it.
Illovo grows millions of tonnes of sugar not from rain, but from irrigation from Shire River. At national level our discourse is not how best we can utilise our waters, our thinking is let’s kneel down and ask for water from heaven! You want to know why you are in a hungry and poverty stricken society?
Ulalo Holdings, that of social media commentator and practical millionaire Joshua Chisa Mbele announced recently of 200 megawatts solar power generation project in Dedza East. That did not even attract a mention by most of the nosiest social media owners, instead we were so obsessed with Bushiri’s jet and the Presidents motor-home.
The Sunday school bible I went to says clearly “
uzadyathukutalako.” Malawians should stop complaining, stop politics and stop gossip, stop useless debates like gays and start serious national discourse that shapes our thinking into productive citizenry.
In Zambia, they passed a new constitution, apart from that, concrete making and poultry businesses has been classified as projects for citizens only not foreigners. That’s progressive national discourse not waiting and singing for money from heaven, that according to Bible does not exist. You work you eat, very simple.
Everybody, even lazy people who sit down and gossip on Facebook the whole day complain about the economy of Malawi. The Burundi’s, Tanzanians with their Taifa market or timber in Mzuzu and even a nsima bar at Songwe, Nigerians with motor spares and electricals, Chinese with toothpicks to fake hair styles, Indians buying all produce and selling everything are not complaining. We even proudly post photos eating “nsima” cooked by Chinese.
Who is buying from these people? Why is Be Forward in Malawi full time even sponsoring a well known football team, why is a cigarette company sponsoring a team worth MWK500 million in a country where the economy is bad. Why are beer companies running millions of kwacha competitions when people have no money to spend.
No, as
Thom Chiumia wrote the other day in Loose Cannon column, the problem is with Malawians. There are five industries flourishing Churches and Prophets, Witchdoctors, Beer and Cigarette companies, politicians and foreigners.
The Late Bingu wa Mutharika used to say, Malawi is not poor, it’s the people that are poor. Our poverty of mind is very pronounced as you see educated people on Facebook asking you to send their numbers to share pornography or lists of sex philanderers. Our poverty of mind is clear when we spend five weeks debating “gay sex” instead of debating what we can do to replace rain fed agriculture.
Malawi politicians are worse, nothing good can come out of them, they are all behaving like the same, they cant inspire national discourse that will teach our children values of hard work, education and innovation.
Today in most neighbourhoods, you find men under a tree drinking from morning, gossiping or plotting how to “cashgate.” Others are busy gossiping and spreading rumours on social media, others are politicking.
The sad part of rumours and rumour mongering, is after smashing Simama Hotel one day for lost kids who had disappeared into the hotel, the kids were found not anywhere near the Hotel, but at home playing. Without shame we nearly lost an investor who is employing Malawians.
2016 is a new year, lets bring new thinking. Starting with individuals, gays were there in the Bible that’s why God said it was a sin, just like theft, adultery and many more we try to pretend do not happen, but that wont bring food on the table. Go and find a slice of money making venture.
For the young generation, there is no miracle money. Read again, we had millionaires like Nalilo Khoromana of Nali Fame, Phekani of Phekani House, Kansawa of Tikumbe Limited, Chinsima of Kudya Hotels, Makhumula of Yanu-yanu, Chend aMkandawire of Hotel Chenda in Mzuzu, we still have Khondowes of Kalikuti fame, the Mlombwas of Country Wide, Leston Mulli of Mulli Brothers, Nopolean Dzombe and his Sugar and agriculture schemes, Jimmy Korreia Mpatsa of Mpatsa Trust, Henry Mussa and his Eagle Insurance, Patrick Mbewe and his Trust Auctioneers and Chilembwe , Gospel Kazako and his media empire Zodiak, and many more Malawians who worked tooth and nail to be where they are today.
If you invest money at Church, pub or internet bundles to share gossip and porno, start self-reflection today, you will die a miserable soul while Prophets and beer companies are flying all the way in your sponsored jets……..
Dzuka Malawi!
President Peter Mutharika, speaks after receiving a report from MEC as MEC Chairman, Justice Maxon Mbendera AC, listens at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe-(c) Abel Ikiloni, Mana[/caption]
Mutharika, who did not mince words during the audience with the commissioners over the mismanagement of the money, said the pollster needs to be transparent over the way it deals with the matter to restore public confidence.
"It is important that independence and accountability go hand in hand," said Mutharika.
He said it was imperative that men and women who have final say in a national election should not have “questioned credibility."
This is the first time that the President has commented on the issue since auditors raised the issue.
The audit report had accused MEC commissioners and staff of pocketing allowances and not undertaking the trips.
Maxon Mbendera, chairman of MEC maintained there was no mismanagement of money at MEC as raised by auditors.
He said MEC responded to each and every query raised by the auditors and the responses are on MEC website- www.mec.org.mw
Bullets lift their TNM Super League cup, glory to the champions.-Photo by Mphatso Nkhoma, Nyasa Times[/caption]
Super League of Malawi, the country’s top league runners has disclosed that it would extend the awards to former players, administrators and journalists who have played a big role in the development of the league.
Sulom General Secretary Williams Banda urged those who will be invited to grace the event as it would be red carpet ceremony.
“This year’s prize presentation ceremony will be the first of its kind because we would also recognise those who have contributed towards the development of the league. These are former players, administrators and journalists as well as current ones,” Banda said.
The Super League season finished on 27 December with Bullets winning the title for the second consecutive time with four games to spare.
Apart from Bullets being officially crowned the gala will also offer runners-up Mafco, third positioned Blue Eagles and Mighty Be Forward Wanderers on fourth in paid up ranks.
Individual awards will also go to golden boot winners, best goalkeeper, best defender, best midfielder, up-and-coming player, most disciplined team, best technical panel, best coach, most disciplined supporters committee among others.
Rev Maulana: Irrigation afrming should be encouraged[/caption]
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President Mutharika hosted the clergy from CCAP Blantyre Synod[/caption]
Blantyre Synod general secretary Alex Maulana said this when the synod officials met President Peter Mutharika on Wednesday at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.
Maulana told the President to think of large scale irrigation instead of relying on unpredictable rains.
"We know that this would require huge sums of money. At present, government can engage companies to grow maize on large scale that can feed the nation," said Maulana.
On Saturday, President Mutharika led the nation in praying for rains.
Some church clerics have been preaching that the continued dry spell in some parts of the country is as a result of sin with others saying God is punishing Malawi over its stance on homosexuality.
However, weather experts and international organisations like Oxfarm and Unicef have warned of prolonged dry spells in some parts of the country and devastating floods in other areas.
Maulana said the government should now take the Green Belt initiative seriously.
Mutharika hailed the synod for being a true partner of government in development.
The President said the government and church should always work together for the upliftment of people's lives.
Rose Sakala is a youth leader whose passion for youth empowerment and education has created opportunities for thousands of youth in Malawi[/caption]
Speaking in Lilongwe, Sakala said educated girls can help improve the country's economy.
“The rise in population can be reduced if girls spend much of their time in school and once married they would have a better decision to make on the number of children they want to have.
“As of now the country is already complaining about the population rise and if girls are forced into marriages then the population would be tripled by 2020,” explained Sakala.
She added that it is her wish to support girls in their education and at the same time empowering them to become what they want in life.
Sakala also asked men in the country to take part in looking after the girl child and not force them into early marriages so as to have the great future together.
“As of now we want to ask government if possible to remove tax on sanitary pads so that girls can manage to buy and use, so that they cannot fail to attend classes when they are doing menstruation.
“We want even those that are staying in the village to be able to buy and even those that have more girls in their homes to support them all since some parents say they cannot afford to buy for all the girls they have in their homes,” she said.
She then said it is also her wish to make sure that youths in the country are economically empowered as she has been embarked on a programme to make sure that youths are engaged in entrepreneurships.
Sakala said youths should be given loans according to the capacity building, saying that those that are at the university should be given big loan.
Speaking earlier, Bishop Joseph Manguluti called upon people in the country to hold hands and support needy children to have a better Malawi.
He then encouraged girls to concentrate on education and not rush into marriages to become what they want in future.
The Future African Leader Award is a competition for youths between the ages of 16 to 23 and they are supposed to produce a video clip of three minutes on what they have done in the year.
A 22 year old Rose Sakala, student at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANER) is an adopted child of Bishop Joseph Manguluti and Family. Sakala is a third year student pursuing Agro-Business.
Sakala is also a National Chairperson for Common Wealth Secretariat; she has also embarked on the programme to improve nutrition and empower women and girls economically with Save the Children, girls awareness on education with United Nations (UN) Women and also to empower youths in entrepreneurship skills working with his fellow students at LUANER.
She always get inspired by the words of Pastor Chris Oyakilome of Christ Embassy who said to youths “You are a leader and you have to make an impact in your country and the world. You can be born poor, you cannot change your yesterday, but your today and future.”
Minister of Agriculture Dr Allan Chiyembekeza (c) being briefed on the Solar-powered irrigation - pic by Gladys Kamakanda[/caption]
Food demand in 
President Mutharika with the membership of the Blantyre CCAP Syond[/caption]
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Nurses in the corridors of ZCH...Photo Jeromy Kadewere[/caption]
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Zomba Central Hospital (ZCH) continues to experience medical supply shortages as Malawi struggles to address challenges[/caption]
Many parents with children suffering from the diseases have expressed concern that their children have now been abandoned in children ward, a ward that admits genera diseases like malaria.
One woman said care in the children's ward is below standard as children with kwashiokor and marasmus need special attention, special advice and special food.
Hospital administrators refused to comment on the matter but reports say the hospital has few nurses working off hours because the government failed to pay them over time allowance called locum.
Ministry of Health spokesperson Adrian Chikumbe said the phasing out of the ward is part of a restructuring programme for the hospital, he did not elaborate.
Hospital administrator Thom Chisale told Nyasa Bullets FC recently that the hospital critically need nurse and other medical personnel.
Most government hospital have scaled down on operations due to severe cuts on their budgets as the government is facing huge cashflow problems.
DPP MP Chidanti Malunga: Taken to task[/caption]
The concerned constituents voiced out their concern during an interface meeting with their elected duty bearers organized by Tiphedzane Community Support Organization where some threatened to hold demonstrations against their legislator accusing him of lacking transparency and accountability in the utilization of the CDF.
The constituents said, since Chidanti was voted into power in 2014, he has sidelined the development structures within his constituency on the CDF projects which has negatively affected their completion.
“Our Member of Parliament Dr Joseph Chidanti is lacking transparency and accountability in the implementation of projects under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). We are tired of what he is doing in our constituency.
“He seems to have no vision. Just imagine, he is just starting projects without completing them. Since we voted him into power, no project with funding from CDF has been completed in the constituency,” said a visibly angry constituent.
The concerned people have since demanded the transfer of CDF administration from the MP to development structures within the constituency for the sake of transparency and accountability claiming this can also help to speed up completion of the projects.
“We are now demanding that the CDF should be administered by the local development structures for transparency and accountability. This move would help to plan for projects that can be completed in time,” said one of the constituents.
Makoko Area Development Committee Chairperson Mike Kafalachi and some concerned individuals warned that if the MP is not respecting their demands, they will resort to holding demonstrations against him as they are tired of complaining on the issue in question.
“We are now ready to hold demonstrations against him if he fails to respect our demands. We are tired of him and want things change for the better of the constituents not an individual,” warned Kafalachi.
The legislator Dr Chidanti has however thrashed the claims and said all along he has been working with the relevant structures in the implementation of the CDF projects.
“These stories are coming in because I am working with people of different political backgrounds. People should forget about politics and work together for the common good,” said Dr Chidanti.
Tiphedzane Community Support Program Manager Paul Kamwendo said engaging constituents and elected duty bearers in interface meetings is imperative as it helps people to track developmental projects which the duty bearers outlined in their manifesto.
Major 1 Bushiri : I have worked hard for my billions, no cashgate[/caption]
He could not directly say political or economic uncertainty but pointed out that Malawi was simply not a right destination for his investments.
"It has to do with the insurance of your property. We heard of how a hotel belonging to a man of God was attacked in Lilongwe, how a mob vandalised a church in Area 25 in Lilongwe after falsely accusing him of turning into a snake," he said in an interview with private station Zodiak on Friday.
However, he could not say how much he is now worthy but conceded he has a string of investments in South Africa where he has mineral mines and wants to have what he described as the biggest privately owned university and a bank.
Bushiri has a university in South Sudan, wells of oil and property in Dubai.
The ‘Major 1’ as he is fondly called by his followers, Bushiri said he started off in a humble way, buying a gold mine at US$3000 and selling it off at US$2 million, buying more mines in Tanzania and South Africa and reselling them at huge profits, saying currently he remains with seven mines.
Miracle money
Asked about miracle money concept and philosophy, Bushiri said this is in the Bible as Jesus sent Peter to catch fish, telling him the first fish he caught had money in its mouth.
He therefore said he will continue preaching about finances and investments to help uplift people's lives apart from the usual tradition preaching of salvation.
The ‘Majoir 1’ however said it was sad some people peddle lies about him and his wealth saying this would never deter him from achieving his goal and mission in life.
"Lies go faster than the truths. It is sad that lies have gone faster," he said, adding he works hard to earn his money.
He said he is based in South Africa because the country is a one flight country, saying he can connect to another country without having to wait for long and the country is technologically advanced good for his investments.
Bushiri has been in Malawi on charity, donating relief food to hundreds who face starvation.
He has spend almost US$150,000 in his charity drive, receiving commendation from many of his critics, saying his actions have been “Godly”.
