Kondwani Munthali -Malawi

PUTIN MIGHT HAVE INTENDED THE US FIASCO

2017-08-02T07:38:00.001-07:00

The United States of America, the beacon and defender of world democracy suddenly is a subject of ridicule in many platforms. Its core institutions and values are now undermined by tweets and outrageous attacks from highest offices of American power. Dictators elsewhere might be taking notes on how to attack a free press, how to undermine own Attorney General and out rightly how to interfere in judicial processes- all these are hallmarks of despots, not the mighty USA.

But technology has narrowed the field. Even the poorest and most oppressed regimes have no access to the unfolding drama in the United States, where all media houses that do not “praise sing” now are branded fake news. Reporters are publicly humiliated. Unfortunately, it started with reporters- everyone, mostly apologists of the right-wing mentality clapped hands.

Then came the attacks on Former FBI director, humiliated publicly, sort of intimidated about never existent tapes and his crime was not to stop an investigation, every rational believer in rule of law and democracy wants it concluded. But James Comey humiliation saw others rejoice and join in questioning one of the flagship intelligence institutions in USA history.

This week everyone is not rechecking themselves. The question is, has this gone too far. Now it’s the respected Republican Attorney General, accredited for tough immigration, homeland security through tough penalties and many other people wanted the administration to achieve. Today, his own boss has told the world “is beleaguered.”

The USA today mirrors more like a country in crisis that a world leader. Global leadership for now has moved to Germany and co-shared by France. The United Kingdom post snap election, has not only seen the weakening of the Government, but even in the eyes of its not biggest rival the European Union, especially at the negotiating table. Elections, can’t be ruled out in the next 10 months if the British Government could retain some sort of bargaining power on Brexit.

Back to USA, Attorney General Sessions had refused to resign. The Administrations inner circle is being summoned at Capital Hill to answer questions. Essentially, the focus of administration, for the first half a year in office has simply been how to make the Russian questions go away.

Despite declaring to get out of the Paris accord on climate change, USA slowly is losing much of its foreign policy pronouncements with its “money first” approach to international relations and the current political infighting that has consumed the whole of Washington.

The administration has been keen to blame the losing party and witch-hunting intelligence agencies.

But on the other hand, the beneficiary of a long political battle and undermining of USA democracy is the same cause of the crisis Russia. The question is what if Vladimir Putin intended it so. There was no collusion but created an image that would point direction. This would be a counter attack, a master piece hit back of all years USA has been accused of fomenting trouble for Putin using Human Rights card, elections and recently Crimea and Ukraine sanctions. Add that to Edward Snowden.

The pattern is simple, whenever the fire in Washington seems to be dying down, an explosive leak happens. The White House and all intelligence agencies are suspicious of each other being the source of the leak. This is the exact intention of counter intelligence- cause confusion and mislead enemy camp.

Suddenly Russia is free in Crimea, Eastern Ukraine by now inside, Chechnya and its other collections including Afghanistan, Iran and Syria. Nobody is talking of human rights in Russia nor about elections and stifling of opposition. Somewhere after a long investigation, the USA would have lost its clout on international scene, Russia already dictating most of the middle east would be back as a serious rival, China will win the cyber warfare and EU will be busy with Brexit. The current political upheavals in the west only benefit one man- Vladimir Putin. I seriously believe he intended the outcome.

All opinion is mine and not reflective of any agency or policy.

The Blog now will now focus on International Affairs.

Ousmane Owen Munthali 1987-2015, the best of memories

2015-12-14T02:40:00.000-08:00

Good morning Mr Munthali. I always responded Good morning Mr. Munthali. He always ended ndimakukondani Achimwene. I would laugh or ask what is it you want. He would say your time, I have nobody to bother now, so you are my choice lets chat. Every call, whatsapp, messenger from Ousmane was something else. He did not see what time it was and neither did he mind that he was inconveniencing you. He said he never applied to be my brother, so since he cant be fired, get used to it and live with it.
In 2007 whilst in Johannesburg, we were with Chikwekwe Khonje, is his rugged Fiat, South African Police stopped and searched us. I was furious, Ousmane was laughing after the ordeal I snapped up asking him what was funny about the humiliation of being stopped and searched as potential suspects, he casually said "zilibe woti wachoka ku USA, kaya ndiwe celeb wa newspaper ku Malawi umazunza ma President kwanu, aliyense kuno ndi suspect. Pepa chimwene." I am dark, he could not read I had turned red.
Tears roll as I remember Harare, at its peak of lacking in 2008. Ous, found way of making fun of everything. He used to take my place and do things I could not do myself. Slowly he became my substitute. That when my best friend Blessings Phumisa was marrying his Josophine, Ousmane was to be a groomsman. We had another fight coming, he wanted the most expensive suit and said I could afford it. I showed him my payslip, he pulled out my bank statement he had gone to an ATM earlier and knew my balance.
Nobody could convince him to go to repeat Form 4. Someone in the family called me and said munthu wako azipita kusukulu umuwuze. I casually brought it up when we went out to drink that evening, he looked at me and asked me if it was me asking or someone had asked me to ask him. I said it was me, the next week he was happily off to school.
All these memories make me look back the wonderful kid Ousmane was, and how he slowly transformed to become a man. He never was shy to pick up and argument with me, and he never said sorry, he only told me to relax.
Every friend of mine who would meet Ousmane, they became good friends. Pilirani Phiri, Late Dennis Chirwa, Aubrey Kalino, Blessings Phumisa and others. He never was an irritation, he simply went his own way.
But one thing Ousmane was to me, he could literally read me. With my little Sister Olipha, they formed a gang that would know how get anything from me without suggesting. He became close to the ladies that I dated or associated with. He would smile and push them to ask for anything he wanted, he would say mukakhalapo amaphweka nkuluyu.
That can only come froma true brother. When my best friend Clement from Swaziland came, he took over as his close buddy. When we met King Kawamba in Johannesburg they went to all sorts of places I could not go.
I feel privileged everytime he confided in me and waited for my reaction. When his girl was pregnant it took him days to tell me, I only smiled and told him he was a man now. He hugged me relieved. I never saw the kid so happy one morning, when after a night at Chez Ntemba he came and asked how drunk I was last night, because I had danced with his girlfriend someone we never had a good start with. I laughed and said I remember and that was nothing, he explained to me how much it meant to him. When his daughter was born, he took the day old kid to my house to show me, I laughed at the name Zaquisha, his close buddy and partner in crime in UK had also given another name to his newly born daughter. I smiled and said these names you might have kids suffer in future.
We travelled a bumpy and smooth roads. When I was down, fired from work, Ousmane would buy my Malawi gin, roast chambo and find my dear neighbour and mother to give him nkhwani wotendela my favourate. He will remind me stories of our many escapades.
The famous of all, involved the four of us. Myself, my brother, Limbikani and late Dennis Chirwa. Now we will write Late Ousmane, Late Dennis Chirwa and myself and Limbikani Chisi.
The rented car we had hired was misbehaving and breaks were not working, Ousmane was a jack of all trades, he said he will fix the car. After we started off, the breaks were worse, as he enjoyed fighting with me, I gave Limbikani the car. After a few minutes we turned back, Ousmane only was convinced after being told by Limbikani or Kakabalika as we called him. We were on the road around 3am after getting someone to look at breaks, we took turns to drive as my self and Limbi were to be at work in the morning. Near Chiyingeni it was Limbikani's turn and with Ousmane they saw that were sleeping. They started shouting "nfiti". When we woke up startled they swore they had seen a naked person as we travelled. Nobody went to sleep again until Lilongwe. Ousmane was laughing when we arrived- it was a gimmick to have everybody up than leave one man driving.
On Saturday, 12th December, 2015 I got one of those calls. Six missed calls from Dru Chabwera, dozens of texts asking me if I had heard on Ousmane. I was driving from Birmingham to Coventry. I asked what mischief has he done. Everyone could not tell me straight, saying they heard he had an accident. Aunt Innocent Changwa in Johannesburg, sent a simple text- Ousmane had an accident he has passed on.
Death, comes when least expected. As I figure out memories I shared with my kid brother Ousamane one thing that comes in my mind constantly is that I never saw him with an angry face. Not towards me. The painful part was as much as he told me he loved me all the time, what he shared about me with friends make me cry. He always thought I was better among all when it came to compassion.
We travelled many journeys. When I acquired a farm, he became a self proclaimed Chief Adviser. I never allowed him anywhere near it, he found his way and charmed the workers and got chicken for his field work.
He never spoke tumbuka, he almost put us in trouble at Mozambique border where he could not say his village. He managed to get away with immigration officers laughing. He told me they were friends.
On Thursday the 10th, we spoke four times. Discussed the future. I asked him to come to London with my son for my graduation in May. He said he will be harvesting his crops then. I now realised he followed me and listened to whatever I told him, only he never showed.
Last Christmas, I spent my lunch with him and his wife Getrude and daughter Zaquisha at Mzuzu Hotel, we agreed to farming to supplement his income. He was to start this year.
On 28th September, 2015 in Mzuzu was the last time together physically. I had problems with my ATM, he called someone he knew. Actually despite being in the city for only a year, he knew everyone.
When I was leaving, he pulled me aside and said, "achimwene ndapeza nyumba yayikulu, you wont sleep elsewhere but my home when you are here, tanvana." I laughed, two days before he died he told me his future plans after selling tobacco. He knew I don't support growing tobacco, he promised that it was to raise capital and he will do other business.
His last message was I love my brother. I said I cant wait to see you next year.
I promised to send him Christmas surprise, he laughed he said the best surprise would be me flying down home.
We were four in our gang. Dennis Departed on 26th October, 2014, brutally murdered by thugs. Ousmane killed in a car accident on December, 12, 2015.
Where are these two brothers of mine now, or who will join them next.
Ousmane exactly at 12.14 Malawian time, his coffin was lowered into the soil at Area 18 cemetery. I couldn't cry because I can not believe it. I cant be sad because I have no sad face of him anywhere in my memory. But I am weak and with questions, why my little brother, why?
No more good morning Mr. Munthali. No more ngati mwandiona tola mwala ndigende. No more crazy dance on the middle of the road, no more long calls, long trips, no more laughter, no more texts nor messages.
Like that, Ousmane Owen Munthali, you are gone. Until we meet again, I will never forget you and promise to look after your only daughter to grow up knowing how much you loved her. Getrude, thank you for being with him these years. It hurts knowing we wont see him again.
To my friend Limbikani, slowly the boys are gone. To Aubrey, home wont be the same, nobody to fight with.
To Masida, be strong, I know how much he meant to you. To Chazika, you did all you could, so too Uncle Levi and the Mwalas.
To God, glory unto thy name for the life of Ousmane. You gave us a beautiful soul, you took him home at your own befitting time. Your time and ways are yours God, we ask you look after his soul.
We look forward to the proclamation of your word 1 Corinthians 15 from verse 42:
42 So will it be¹ with the resurrection of the dead.² The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;³

43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory;⁴ it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;

44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.⁵ If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

45 So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"^a;⁶ the last Adam,⁷ a life-giving spirit.⁸

46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.⁹

47 The first man was of the dust of the earth,¹⁰ the second man from heaven.¹¹

48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.¹²

49 And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man,¹³ so shall we^b bear the likeness of the man from heaven.¹⁴

50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood¹⁵ cannot inherit the kingdom of God,¹⁶ nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.¹⁷

51 Listen, I tell you a mystery:¹⁸ We will not all sleep,¹⁹ but we will all be changed²⁰--

52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,²¹ the dead²² will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

53 For the perishable²³ must clothe itself with the imperishable,²⁴ and the mortal with immortality.

54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."^c²⁵

55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"^d²⁶

56 The sting of death is sin,²⁷ and the power of sin is the law.²⁸

57 But thanks be to God!²⁹ He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.³⁰

58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,³¹ because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.³²

Welcome Community Technical Colleges: Addressing a 21 Year Gap in Youth Development

2015-03-19T07:21:00.000-07:00

I had to graduate at the age of 27 years from a youth activist to a youth worker, to adjust to age. I am not sure what I am supposed to call myself in reference to advocating youth rights in political, social and economic development of Malawi.

Today, 19 March 2015, however brought back emotions we experienced when we fought, not to a greater success of the need to have a structure to formally impart youth skills from community level. With assistance of Unicef, between 1996 to 2001, we tried to set very powerful youth led skills centres like Gemacadet in Rumphi, Focus in Karonga, Cayo in Kawale, Mteso in Nkhatabay, Yased in Area 18, Youth Arm Drop in Centre, Chingale in Zomba and many others in Chikwakwa, Ntchisi and Nkhotakota. Some suceeded, some failed.

Today, President Peter Mutharika launched the Ngara Community Technical College. After 21 years since the dismantling of the Malawi Young Pioneers, the opening should have marked a greater celebration to those that have worked tirelessly to ensure that a firm, structured and organised skills programme is available for Malawi’s young generation.

May be let’s start from the beginning to make sense of how this initiative is an important milestone to the development, the future and indeed foundation of our social economic development.

Half of Malawi’s population (it used to be 65 percent) is below the age of 30 years. If you put at 35 years you get at least 9 million Malawians, making it one of the most youthful countries in the Sub Saharan Africa.

At least 3 million are enrolled from Primary School to the University level. Until 2000, Malawi had only one public University, and by end of 2014, they had grown to four with the addition of Malawi University of Science and Technology and Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The total intake including parallel programmes could be estimated at around 12,000 maximum.

Then we have Technical Colleges, whose intake according to Labour Minister is at 2,000 annually. The Private Universities and Technical Colleges intake is around 5,000 more. The total spaces combined in Universities, Colleges, Technical and other skills centres can be estimated at 25,000 annual intake. Backstreet Colleges are ripping off many with four intakes annually some with bogus qualifications being offered.

In 2014, According to MANEB, 130 293 Young Malawians sat for examinations. Only 71,486 (54 percent) passed and 44 180 got an MSCE certificate. Of the figures almost 58,000 were females. The figures indicate that almost 60,000 young Malawians failed. Nobody speaks what has become of them.

In the last decade alone, with failure rates as high as 60 percent, one can safely estimate that over 600,000 have gone through the 12 years of basic education without getting out with any formal qualification. If we add the Primary School Leaving Certificate taken after 8 years and the Junior Certificate of Education, putting the figure of 1 million Youth having failed to attain any formal recognition in education would be a conservative estimate.

The next question before we even look at those that have attained a formal qualification whether PSLCE, JCE and MSCE, let’s ask where have the million people gone after failing and dropping from the formal education sector?

Malawi needs to ask the questions like these if we will have a proper policy direction and investment that will deliver the next generation from poverty and make the 100^th anniversary of independence an occasion worthwhile.

The 1 million being chunked out every 10 years without any formal qualifications, become vendors, girls rush into early marriages, others go into excessive drinking, and others criminal activities, others even into prostitution. The majority of youth challenges are associated to idleness and lack of opportunities. Very few, especially in rural Malawi have an opportunity to go back to school or learn a lifelong skill.

Back to the MSCE graduates. The Malawi education sector has no real skills transfer in the first 12 years despite out cries and revision of curriculum. Students are asked to sit and pass six subjects, which have no real life giving direction. The curriculum has remained a joke that the same level of education in England or South Africa, a student is already shaped to his future career or life experience. In Malawi you graduate with general knowledge, from all the chapters of the Bible via English literature books to Rain Forests or Monsoon winds, which will not deliver anyone skills required in future life.

Apart from the urgent need to change the curriculum, there is need to reduce the primary school years to standard six and introduce form five for Internationally recognised qualification that could increase competitiveness of our academic basic papers.

Now even the 71,000 that passed 2014 MSCE, we can assume 30,000 were absorbed into the different local and international education opportunities available. The remaining 41,000 armed with general knowledge enter the job market. Many end up in unskilled employment, frustrating their life ambitions to decent work, creating angry population.

If you add the 60,000 that fail the exams and 31,000 that enter the job market each year, we are talking of 90,000 young Malawians between the age of 15 to 23, going home frustrated and without skills that does not augur well.

From 1965 to 1992, those that had no skills and could not access higher education, used to go to Malawi Young Pioneer, the major reason we had no vendors or petty criminals across the cities and towns or major trading centres.

The end of MYP meant all Young people either had to fight for spaces or create own opportunity in a country whose poverty and attitude towards a young person’s idea is already a hindrance to his or her participation, made the things worse.

Despite launching various credit schemes in 1996 and 2005 targeting the Youth, nothing tangible has come out of it, due to politicisation of the loan schemes and more importantly adults who man the Youth Departments of political parties suddenly qualify. There is nothing to write home about Youth Wings of our political parties, the average age of their directors are 40. They do not serve interests of young people, save for stoning those perceived to be political enemies.

The Community Colleges, is what people like Late Ndamyo Mwangomba, Late Dan Maseko, Late Big Billy Chirwa, Late Wales Chitsulo, Late Sarah Mbingwa and many others including Late Ellen Jika, alongside people like Alex Mseka. MacDavies Chiluzi, Kennedy Warren, Lichapa, Kalima, Patrick Chakholoma and Pamela Twea among others fought and wanted to deliver to young people.

The special Committee instituted in 1999 by late Mary Kaphwereza Banda, which was chaired by Linda Lisa Kwabwila, in which yours truly, alongside people like Prince Lwanja and others, the Speakout by Honourable Alekeni Menyani and Fryson Chodzi and the initiatives such Yoneco centres, have all evolved on the concept of transfer of skills.

The Ntonda and Neno Colleges under the Ministry of Youth are a good starting point, but we needed more and we needed a Government policy recognising the urgent need of a community skills centre for young people. The idea of 28 of them is one welcome and grand ambitious plan that needs everybodys support.

Institutions such as World Bank other United Nations Agencies should seize the opportunity and use the community centres as entry point among young people, transfer of skills and empowerment of young females in making life long decisions. Actually there should have been competition to build and sponsor more than 28 Community Colleges as they provide a firm platform and Government commitment to address challenges.

The Industry in Malawi need to adopt each five of the them, Airtel, TNM, Carlsberg, Banks, Tobacco Firms, Manufacturers and all that require specialised skills, should quickly adopt the colleges and help develop skills required. Community Colleges in districts such as Kasungu can provide Tobacco growing skills or modern farming, in Nkhotakota Tourism, Sugar and Rice growing skills, others basic mining while generic community programmes should be embedded including governance, accountability, health such as HIV/Aids and social care.

The Community Technical Colleges offer an opportunity to Civil Society to sponsor and support them in areas of interest from Human Rights to Climate Change. Even funds such as Tilitonse should rush to support the colleges.

I can write and write on the opportunity, the structures the community colleges can provide to governance, social, political and economic development. The skills acquired at a such formal training centre will make lasting contribution to issues everyone has been worried about Malawi.

In the United Kingdom, the majority of the Universities were Technical Colleges, today they have changed the face and skills of the United Kingdom.

With the Community Technical Community Colleges, we should finally be on the path towards first ever long term intervention to our development. We all just need to pitch in, share ideas and support it. Aluta continua!

Death is Life's high meed: Goodbye to my Teacher, My Boss and Mentor: Edward Chitsulo

2015-03-15T02:07:00.001-07:00

"Why did I laugh to-night? No voice will tell"-John Keats

Why did I laugh tonight? No voice will tell.

No God, no Demon of severe response,

Deigns to reply from Heaven or from Hell.

Then to my human heart I turn at once.

Heart! Thou and I are here sad and alone;

I say, why did I laugh! 0 mortal pain!

O Darkness! Darkness! ever must I moan,

To question Heaven and Hell and Heart in vain.

Why did I laugh? I know this Being's lease,

My fancy to its utmost blisses spreads;

Yet would I on this very midnight cease,

And the world's gaudy ensigns see in shreds;

Verse, Fame, and Beauty are intense indeed,

But Death intenser--Death is Life's high meed

I rarely write nowadays because primarily of the nature of my work, nobody is supposed to know your opinion, I hope soon or later could live to the promise of three books, one on inside politics (1994-2015), one on media (history and greatest stories) and one on the greatest Malawians to remember. I hope to do that soon or later. For the media, I always thought I will have time to interview Edward Chitsulo, the Managing Editor of Nation Publications, who God recalled to his glory this morning. The wealth of information, experience and indeed skill taken from the Malawian media this morning, is simply unquantifiable. He was the media encyclopaedia. I was privileged to work under him for a good for years, before the "it has pleased letter" to serve your country came. My exit from the media was not that smooth, but as quickly as I learned on the new job, you do not make enemies with the media and you live for the day on all political appointments. Mr. Chitsulo, famous for his Raw Stuff column, interestingly never believed at once that I should continue with the political jobs. He called once in a while and asked if I could come home. Apart from MBC, NPL is my career home having served the company twice (2000-2002) before returning (2008-2012) in between I served MBC during the third term period, went to Ministry of Trade for some months. My second return at NPL I was greeted by Mr. Chitsulo on the telephone as I reported to Lilongwe office, he said "Welcome home, I was told we should expect bombs from you". I laughed and went on to work, it was the same time Malawi was changing it diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China and I went straight into the stories. In 2011 after the July 20 demonstrations and baptism by Malawi Police, he and the company's CEO would call every morning to check how I was doing. He was shocked on July 21, 2011 that I was in Lumbadzi following up on the riots that followed the demonstrations. He asked me to rest, "I think you have given us all the bombs we could ask you for." The paper started the Investigative Desk, I was privileged to be among the founding team. Of course some stories came out and some never did, we fought on the quality of the source, we fought on public interest and some were referred to the legal team who warned us all the time we took to publish. But between what would raise Mabvuto Banda's blood pressure, or the calm Bright Sonani's controlled temper, was that in the end we all had a product we agreed served the best interests. He never asked me to reveal my sources, he joked at "your spying capacity to get stories" but for sure, he protected us many times as his own children. Three stories I would do he would later ask me what would have happened if they were not true....I would say my sources were part of the whole event. In my short 10 year career, I had one law suit from an angry Parliament report which I am not sure how it ended, two injunctions against my story one I was named exclusively as first defendant, 10 break ins into my house and countless threats. Interestingly none at NPL bureau was a coward that we would scream into the paper of the daily threats we got. Mr Chitsulo was accused of all sorts of things, but the man was brave. Brave in the face of real danger, and hard on the real value of every story. NPL news process are very rigid, not for the weak nor faint hearted, that it is advised to take a break now and then for one to survive, but one thing every morning when he was chasing his next story Edward Chitsulo would call, apologise for the fight and report that the paper run out early because of your story. Personally I would understand the integrity of this man when I accepted a political job, alongside other Editors at NPL, in my new role I saw media from a different angle, he was among the few Media Managers with integrity and the paper stood among those I would be happy to say passed the test. Today many will write about this man from Cholo, who wrote his mind but also found time to teach others like me who never had a chance to get a Journalism degree in the first place. He never made you feel inadequate, he made you fight for your place on front pages. He was a remarkable man, he could spike all the NPL staff stories and put a MANA story as a lead, we would fight and whine, he would tell you, he considered the news value not the name. One story was about the Lilongwe kids clearing human faeces using bare hands. He stood by a news value. There are many stories he stood by a Malawian, pushed the agenda and interests of Malawians forgetting sometimes his ailing health, to me he was a patriot who served his country well. He was a man who taught many, resisted everything and inspired a whole generation of media personalities to believe in the story, dig further and of course defend your story. When I wrote a story of new flags being imported before being passed in Parliament, alongside my brother in profession, our source was very sensitive. The story run, everyone involved jumped and efforts and pressure was applied. We carried an apology based on business interest, he called me to apologise to me and asked me to accept without a sense of betrayal. He said we all know its true, but business sometimes comes first. When I wrote that the flags were flying hours after being passed in parliament, he personally said I will make this a front page big big headline to compensate you for the last one. There many stories, many fights, but looking back then and now, the Editor, my Editor and boss stood by me and was proud of me always. I am proud of this patriotic Malawi and wish he could have lived longer, taught many more. I went into Journalism at the age of 17 with no practical skill and a certificate from Pen Point. Late Jika Nkolokosa and Late Edward Chisambo and Aubrey Mchulu, lectured me all my first six months, asking me tough questions on every story, while Aubrey pointed out on a news story structure all the time. Later in 2008, it was Mr. Chitsulo and Mabvuto Banda who took time to mentor me. Ephraim Kasambo Munthali became another Jika, asking tough questions all the time. Mr. Alfred Ntonga was the silent gladiator, poking holes to a finished product but always made sense at the end of argument. To this patriotic Malawian from Cholo, I say depart well teacher and my boss, greet those that have gone before you, Your name and works will always be remembered!

You cant be wrong about Malawi

2015-01-29T05:04:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year. It is not very late to say that, only first month gone. 2014 was a very long year, as one of those rightly observed, a very trying year. Of course, 2015 has started on the extreme side, we have lost a very good Bishop Zuza, and of course, one of the ever smiling warm persons I came across in politics, Mai Ruth Tembo. With almost all interviews in my career as a Journalist with JZU at his area 10 residence or Nyambadwe, travelling with him during the 2009 campaigns, I ended up interacting with the mother of the house often. And whenever she was mentioned "Baba" as we call JZU would beam with pride, as speak of her as "my dietitian." For the Bishop, he loved farming, and I am sure he was coming from his farm in Hesyeni, when called recalled him to his home. We met and spoke at length about farming near my farm after Jenda, he thought it was very unusual for someone of this generation to speak of farming the way I do. May their souls, of these two unique persons Rest In Peace.

But you see, you cant go wrong about Malawi. The land where everyone looks happy, smiles and sometimes offer help when one has not asked it. The floods, deviating and horrible as they were, failed to curb the spirit of sharing that we have. The response, locally I mean from locals, has been overwhelming. People have been asking where can they give a bag of maize, some a piece of cloth. The spirit of a Malawian, who knows how to share and give is evident, that in Machinga, some camps have been disbanded after the food aid delayed, and people opted to open their homes and get the victims and share the little with them.

I have listened to the collaboration by Lulu, Lucius Banda, Skeffa and others. You definitely know that Malawi's warmth and friendly spirit is still part of our national heritage. You cant be wrong with Malawi.

Many start a new year with hope, resolutions and new sense of direction, but we have equally seen many young people working and becoming more creative in almost all fields. Young people have stopped complaining or waiting for jobs from institutions, many are trying hard, to make a difference for themselves. The frequency of Malawians travelling for business to Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa, Dubai and China tells a story of a generation that finally is conscious of creating its own destiny.

Of course water and electricity have been a let down, but travelling in many rural areas, solar is slowly replacing the need for light from a service which is inadequate. The trend is that soon, even most urban homes will use renewable energy and institutions that fail to cope up with the changes and demand will be left behind.

Anywhere you drive now, you will see thousands of well tended gardens, full of green maize, tobacco and other crops. The most interesting thing is when someone accuses Malawians of being lazy. How? has been my answer, millions of tonnes of crops are harvested after cultivating using only a hoe and human labour. We have even fed agriculturally advanced neighbours without machinery and you think they are lazy. No pay a fair price, create right market conditions and let the world trade freely then poverty will be really reduced.

Finally, as I wonder in my thoughts why you cant go wrong about Malawi, is the art of story telling. There many wonderful tales, about mysterious nsima on Mulanje mountain, or Chipoka wa woli at Njakwa in Rumphi, the Cattle in Chiweta and the Phoka, or Chingwe Hole on Zomba Plateau, Mwalawanthunzi whistling in Thyolo, Chisapo Cha mbuzi, and many others, nobody has really experienced what you are told or face, but everyone has repeated them. Of course the beautiful ghost of Area 18 round about inclusive.

But 2014, ended on high note with the tale of Beans of Biwi. I heard the story from five people, so the version is an abridged version of the same. The beans were allegedly stolen by a trader and were en-route to the market when they started slapping the theif. The thief dumped them at Biwi, and everyone says there are still there, but everybody had no time to take me to see the thief slapping beans. With so many reported robberies, surely you cant go wrong to hire the thief-slapping-beans from Biwi, at least its a tale that closed 2014 tales.

Of course story telling or nthano is one area you cannot go wrong about my country. A blessed new year to all of you!

Ebola: The moral story in International relations

2014-11-10T04:17:00.000-08:00

The World Health Organisation has declared stabilization of Ebola cases in West Africa, specifically in Liberia. The release stated "Case incidence is declining in some districts in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, while steep rises persist in other districts," There are nearly 5,000 reported deaths. The WHO said that more than 4,960 people have died of Ebola, mostly in the three African countries worst-hit by the outbreak. It added that over 13,200 cases of Ebola have been reported in the West African states. What has changed the course of Ebola? The realities that Ebola could spread to the Western World, has seen the most frantic efforts outside terrorism for the World to tackle a health crisis in recent months. Just a month ago, Ebola, seemed like an African problem with each dipping a little something to help the poor Africans to get along. Until the cases were reported in the United States, Spain and now even in Ireland. The cases appeared to have gone all the way to Australia and threatened to collapse the aviation sector which is still trying to find its feet. By 1st September, 2014, Philanthropist Bill Gates had given more than many Western Governments in tackling Ebola. International emergency response organisations such as the Medicines San Frontiers and the Red Cross were reporting crisis level approach to handling of the cases, nobody, paid attention. The month of October reported cases in the Western World has acted as a reactor for the required response from the World self appointed moral leaders. They do preach peace, against nuclear armament, human rights and many other critical issues, whose voice and opinion matters. However Ebola has revealed that moral leadership is what is lacking in tackling global health issues. Perhaps more especially when it affects the poor nations. The hypocrisy of asking poor countries to respect human rights even at the extent of cutting aid, has been glaringly exposed with the Ebola response, allowing the loss of human life, a basic human right just because they are poor, too poor to afford sanitation and getting infected by the Ebola virus. The global response, coming only after the spread of the virus into the West, reminds many of us of the problem of the many killer diseases that the world, especially the moral leaders who scream human rights in the context of personal liberties or political freedoms at the expense of other basic rights such as a right to life, that are yet to be tackled but have been neglected since the essential affect the poorest of the poor, or the bottom billion. Ebola, since it was discovered by Peter Piot, nobody has paid attention to developing treatment or vaccine. Experiments were being conducted at a snails pace that, the only first batch of vaccines are said to be underway and might be only available around mid 2015. The same has been said of why there is no malaria vaccine, one of the number one killers in developing countries. The reason one scientist told me at a health conference, is the cost of research is high and African countries where the problem is endemic cannot afford them. Its a risky business. He said treatment drug research had already recovered most of the costs and it was cheaper and profitable to treat the disease than stop it through vaccine as it would affect the companies that are making a killing from the millions of episodes of malaria that countries like Malawi alone records. Prof. Paul Farmer of Partners In Health was among the sole voices that spoke of the need to treat Extremely Drug Resistant Tuberculosis when it broke in Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa. He said today's world of travel and connectivity is an illusion for anyone to isolate infectious diseases as a problem of one particular geographic location. The reality is that one travel in plane from Durban to New York, as Ebola has demonstrated can become a global health crisis. No problem in this age and era, should be left based on the basis of their financial status, as those with adequate healthcare can easily catch up with similar challenges. To be honest, it is not a question of moral obligation, Africa and much of the poor countries have made a fair contribution to the global development agenda. They have contributed with human life from slave trade to periods of colonization to actual mineral resources. The consequence of poor nations remaining where they are is the ownership of their own resources, poor leadership and the imbalance of trade and many restrictions that the poorest of the poor have to accessing proper and well compensating market and skills. Dealing with health issues, is beyond a moral obligation, it is supposed to be rightly an issue of global politics, just as terrorism or the push for the best deal with Ukraine between the West and the East. The Ebola crisis has proven that with adequate resources and a united approach, any health challenge can be tackled, quickly and effectively. We can all learn lessons from this debacle and perhaps as we set the new development goals for post 2015 start to seriously consider targets to some of the remaining health challenges that can easily be removed from the global health agenda in the next decade also. Ebola has shown us that globalization, means we sink or rise together. No more diseases or issues for the poorest of the poor.

so far released

2014-10-30T12:45:00.000-07:00

here are all cashgate documents

Proper analysis for cashgate

2014-10-30T10:43:00.001-07:00

Will be processed by 7 am Malawi time with whoever is involved and what happened. The documents are just too many.

The Cashgate web_ the links between payers, paid and beneficieries

2014-10-30T10:21:00.002-07:00

The cashgate web. Down load the link and post in your browser and it will take you to where the web of beneficieries: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cdX3Qo5-qDQHGc02EVTLxYyiOODQ9wGPpRkRtRvLZ9M/edit?usp=sharing

The Cashgate Report

2014-10-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

Access the names and payments recieved. Some were not able to cash. Copy the link and put it in your browser it will take you to the actual Excel file. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12NmFsO1R_Dnx3u6Mj-n06Wm4pJgXxHjBzGn0CCxdfUk/edit?usp=sharing

The Last Post for My Friend as he is laid to rest

2014-10-29T04:27:00.000-07:00

Adios amigo, adios Dennis Atcheya Chirwa- one day we will meet again

2014-10-28T04:01:00.000-07:00

Adios amigo, adios my friend

The road we have travelled has come to an end
When two love the same love, one love has to lose
And it's you who she longs for, it's you she will choose

Adios compadre, what must be must be
Remember to name one muchacho for me
I ride to the rio where my life i must spend
Adios amigo, adios my friend

Adios compadre, let us shed no tears
May all your mañanas bring joy through the years
away from these memories my life i must spend
adios amigo adios my friend.-by Jim Reeves

When we thought we got it right in our life journey, death bites hard and takes away one of our own. We were four, in 2001, Chiletso Shati then having a shop in area 18A, introduced me to a friend, who instantly turned into a brother Aubrey Kalino. Aubrey one day brought along friend, Denis Chirwa, who would years later follow me into Journalism and become one of the closest sparing critic in everything I did. Limbikani Nzungu Chisi moved to Lilongwe, the boshitia gang was born. Boshitia is a Mozambican hit, nobody but Nzungu can tell its singer, Denis was the pilot of the group, I was the one one sitting in front and Aubrey was the story teller. We traveled all corners of Malawi, we planned all sorts of things. But Denis, among us had one unique character, he would be the most argumentative, more than Nzungu when high, but he will be the peacemaker with everyone.

He never left a friend, even if they had quarreled. He would argue, argue and argue, then remark in his idol Bakili Muluzi's voice "Mumaona Atcheya Amatekeseka" then take a long sip of his carlsberg green, and go on to the dance floor, in his jacket and dance. After his dance, he would order all of us home, that his BCA Hill Jnr should not be left empty.

In the morning, he will be the first up, drive to my place, let himself in and drink anything he found. As if nothing happened, as if there was no argument, if you brought it up he will tell you, "za dzulo Atcheya amwela dzulo, lero ndi tsiku lina". He imparted that bond, that no matter what happened or argued on, you should wake up a different person the next day.

Many knew him for his strong criticism of any Government of Malawi, many wondered if he had lost his head, many wondered why he admired Former President Bakili Muluzi than any other politician. The politician whom we named him after- Denis, became our Atcheya. He became the symbol of boldness amid chaos.

I write far away, wondering what is going on with his spirit. What is happening to this bold brother of mine, all alone, killed like a dog in a foreign land, looking and crying over the spilled blood. The blood now on You Tube, died a painful death. I hope I can provide answers to what he lived for and what he did for the 14 years, we became good friends, workmates and brothers.

We were four, now we are three. May the soul of Atcheya look upon and protect us.

Denis, never wanted to be a journalist. But since 2001, when I was covering local Government elections for the Nation, he offered to drive me around. His daddy, now my Uncle Brigadier Marcel R.D Chirwa, loved his first born son more, he gave him a Toyota Corrola at the age of 17. It would be our feature of transport for fun or work.

We covered the elections, he took my notes, or brought to my attention anything that I had missed. We spoke and argued about parties and when Limbikani Chisi, then an engineer moved to Lilongwe, politics was the main subject, that Aubrey always shouted at us to find better topic.

In 2008, he applied, without any qualification to the Malawi Electoral Commission as a stringer. He was picked, he called me and told me "I will be your driver and you will tell me how you spot news" I took it as a normal project.

We literally travelled wide and far, thats when the fascination with President Bakili Muluzi started. He believed Muluzi presented both politics of the past, but more importantly what he called "human politics."

Every time we covered a presidential rally, Denis would come to MBC area with his MEC badge just to check what President Muluzi was wearing and which jokes he would through. He always thought Dr. Muluzi was a human first and a President later. He bought jackets and wrist watches that matched Muluzi's and spoke and joked about him everyday.

When his father was arrested, he was furious and dared even Police officers who were refusing us entrance to court, he said all these are Brigadiers sons, they will go in and write what this stupidity is all about.

He loved and adored his father. We spoke at length why he never wanted to be a soldier like him, he said my mind I would not be a disciplined soldier. He had company of soldiers whom he called friends.

He loved and adored his mother. He would speak of her hours end. When he lived in Blantyre at Chimwankhunda, he only had one fear- I dont know what would do if my mother died. He feared her, never even wanted to sleep out, but sneak in. I cant face Denis's mother today and not any time soon.

He adored and loved his mother Tamara, they became buddies and more often driving around together. Whilst in Kenya, he told me where they went, what they were doing. A bond so rare.

The he adored his sisters Felistas was his best friend than a Sister, dragging us to see her. We knew Marion and Mtisunge before we met them. Claudia was an angel in Denis words. He would stop everything, even his favourate drink would be second if any of the sisters called, he would walk away at a distance to speak to them. He would come back beaming "Atcheya monga mwini mbumba was being consulted." He planned their weddings, spoke about it and wanted the best out of them.

Then there is Pacharo Marcel, his brother he loved and protected. He admired and openly expressed his emotion. Very rare would Atcheya speak about emotions, even the "First Ladies" at each time, would rarely be a subject of discussion, always ending with I give them enough attention. But Pacharo was his world. When he went into the Army, he spoke everyday about him, he planned his pass-out more than his graduation. Pacharo's return into the military was a triumph for Denis personally, a soldier was in the house. On the pass-out, though I was out of the country, he sent me a picture of himself, the retired brigadier and the young-man, telling me "osaopa" we have conquered. No words can heal the pain his brother will forever fill.

Then there are other two people Malumbo he called My elder brother and fighting partner, they argued fought, but anything happened, he called him first and also Ralph whom he said, "I want to get better and write something about his skills."

Despite his well-to-do status at any point, he gave priority to his friends. The stories are abound about his driver-like attitude at MEC as a stringer in 2004, Democratus where he picked everybody and even at Capital Radio, where he enjoyed radio more than any other place.

If you asked him his dream, he said meeting Atcheya and having a cup of tea, Ooh Yes, we will be two Tcheyas in on room.

Apart from his criticism to any work you did, he was an advisor to the gang. When I moved to the Office of Vice President, he gave me three months to survive, when I told him I was moving out of the office- he laughed as said "I told you, cant work with politicians, it needs boot looking and pretenders. You cant fit in, come to BCA jnr tizawotche mbuzi." When we gathered at BCA Jnr, he never raised the issue, he said that is gone, forget you worked there, lets find something to do.

He hosted a barbecue when he was about to leave for Kenya, within a short time he had been in Area 25C, everyone around him knew about BCA Jnr and himself as an organiser and his skills.

Politics, he never supported any party- he would tell you the good and bad things about each party and why nobody among the gang should join politics, saying "Ndizabwera mmakwanu kuzakusamutsani mukalowa ndale." He sounded very political on social media, but he never wanted to join anybody. He said it was the easiest way to destruction.

Last Friday we spoke about a death of his closer friend, I called him, he was defiant as usual, we agreed in December we will be in Malawi, we will roast mbuzi which I had run away. After his degree he will come to London and stay and look for post graduate opportunities. We should he said, go back to Balaka and see what we saw that night. We should go back to Salima and dance on top of those boats again. He said we should make sure we record videos of eevrybody dancing. On Saturday, his last day on earth he wrote inbox "You dont like football, Tcheya akunyamuka kukaonela mpira, tilankhulana mawa". The tomorrow that will never come.

I have left out deliberately his amazing part of life- Denis liked reading on human life and freedoms. He read Martin Luther King Jnr. He knew everything about it. He said "the great die young".

He seemed to have prepared for his death. He took photos of all of his family a week ago and put them together on his war. His last profile page.

He took pictures of all of us, his gang at wrong places and times, and in-boxed us. We went berserk that he was keeping the photos, we laughed and joked about those days. Before he died, he found time to remind us the bond we shared, the good times we took for granted. More important he brought us together again.

My family of the Chirwa's, the loss is not bearable. To my brothers of the gang, Tcheya will always linger around, huge and larger than in our past when we thought he will be forever somewhere and we will meet again.

All alone, he was stabbed and killed from behind, nobody could face this courageous from front. He travelled today alone in a box. He said when he died everyone including foreign media will write about him. Tragic as it has been, it has been true to his word.

Perhaps tomorrow I will wake up and understand this bad dream.

Perhaps when I see his grave one day, closure will come.

Perhaps there is a reason his life has been short, his departure brutal

Perhaps he was an angel, who came to teach us something we never knew

Perhaps very soon, we will join him and roast heavenly goat

Everything is in doubt, but I am sure he looks down smiling, wanting us to forget the pain, and live as if nothing happened.

Quoting his hero MARTIN LUTHER KING, Free at Last, Thank God Denis Atcheya is Free at Last.

Adios amigo, adios my friend. You will forever live in our hearts!

The pain of loosing you is eased by knowing that one day we will meet again!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE5nLMzmja4

Changing the way you look- the World is always falling around

2014-10-07T04:33:00.003-07:00

If you asked people in the 1950's, the Africans specific, the World was falling around. The colonialists were supposed to go and the self-governing philosophy would entail development. It would mean deciding what Africans wanted, self-rule and quicker development. 50 years down the line, countries that championed such arguments, like Ghana, Zambia, Malawi and even Zimbabwe, there are almost worse off than they were.

Today, the same World is falling again. There are conspiracy theories, either the Western World is blocking development, or pettiness and pure tribalism is affecting our development. The arguments now range like in Malawi from Federation to Succession, while in other countries like Sudan, the newly created South Sudan is already into civil war, less than a year it moved out of Sudan.

Again the World is falling around, just as it was during liberation struggle, some poisoned minds wants people to move into second liberation fronts, without proper analysis or thinking, to jump and make them power shakers and movers.

Looking at development data over the past 50 years, the poorest of the poor are now heading towards more poverty and very few have hope of moving out of the trap. Investments, or larger investments are only heading to "big" countries that can offer markets and very few small states on the international arena are able to attract investments.

In debating the future of any country, especially development, making an economic argument should be the major priority, than arguing on sharing of positions and seats in parliament. Unfortunately it is the opposite in most of the debates that are now taking place in Africa, that have resulted in a few starting mob debates, without proper research and splitting the countries further.

Abdul Raufu Mustapha paper "Ethnic structure, inequality and governance of the Public Sector in Nigeria" examines some of the core issues that many of the African states are still grappling with and why models that split people on tribal or regional lines do not work.

He states on Nigeria "Nigeria has about 374 ethnic groups that are broadly divided into ethnic “majorities” and ethnic “minorities”. The major ethnic groups are the Hausa-Fulani of the north, the Yoruba of the southwest, and the Igbo of the southeast. These three “hegemonic” ethnic groups constituted 57.8 per cent of the national population in the 1963 census. All the other ethnicities constitute different degrees of “minority” status. The dominance of the national population by the three majority groups was further accentuated by the tripodal regional administrative structure of the 1950s, which gave each majority ethnic group a region. From this demographic and historical starting point, Nigeria has evolved a tripolar ethnic structure, which forms the main context for ethnic mobilization and contestation. This paper investigates the consequences of the demographic and historical legacies for the management of inter-ethnic relations, particularly within the public sector. The paper is divided into three parts.

The history and geography of the ethno-regional cleavages in Nigeria, and suggests reasons for their endurance. Early colonial rule in Nigeria was based on the implicit concept of one country, many peoples, and very little was done to create unifying institutions and processes for these peoples. The internal geography of colonialism expressed itself as a cultural geography, which emphasized the distinctiveness of peoples, and the indissoluble connection between the “tribesmen”, their territories and their chiefs. Colonial administrative regionalism consolidated the link between ethnic distinctiveness and administrative boundaries: Hausa-Fulani in the north; Igbo in the east and the Yoruba in the west. The ethnic minorities in each region were forced to accommodate themselves the best they could in each region. Four factors that guided the evolution of the Nigerian state from 1900 are examined: the policies and practices of colonial administrations; the attitudes and prejudices of colonial administrators; and the colonial economy. From the 1940s, these three factors were joined by the politics of the emergent regional elites who had the incentive to mobilize along regional and ethnic lines, and in the process further entrenched the cleavages developed under colonial rule.

The long-drawn politico-historical process of regionalism, statism and localism has led to a concentric pattern of seven ethnic and political cleavages in Nigeria: (i) between the North and the South; (ii) between the three majority ethnic groups; (iii) between these wazobia groups on the one hand, and the minority groups on the other; (iv) rivalry between states, sometimes within and sometimes between ethnic groups; (v) interethnic rivalry in a mixed state composed of minority groups of different strengths, or a segment of a majority ethnicity surrounded by minority groups; (vi) intraethnic or subethnic rivalry within each majority ethnic group, sometimes also corresponding to state boundaries and sometimes within a single state; (vii) and finally, interclan and intraclan rivalries, particularly in the southeast and the north-central parts of the country. The most politically significant cleavages on which this report concentrates are the first three.

He further examines the manifestations of the inequalities associated with the cleavages examined on the history, particularly in the political, bureaucratic and educational apparatuses of the state. It argues that the cleavages coincide with systematic patterns of horizontal inequalities. It was particularly in the sphere of education that regional differences were first manifested under colonialism. And this then had a knock-on effect on the regional formation of human capital, and general economic development. Persisting educational and socioeconomic inequalities between different regions and ethnicities form the context for the observable inequalities in the staffing of governmental institutions in Nigeria. The long-run patterns of overlapping inequalities have come to shape people’s life chances and their political perceptions. They have also had a tremendous impact on the electoral politics of the country and the composition of different cabinets and bureaucracies, giving rise to political conflicts centred on the nature of ethno-regional representation within the public sector. The patterns of ethno-regional representation in various cabinets, parliaments, military juntas, and different levels of the public sector bureaucracy are examined, showing patterns of systematic correspondence between cleavages and horizontal inequalities in these institutions.

He also looks at various efforts aimed at reforming the lopsided nature of representation within the institutions of the Nigerian federation. Particular attention is paid to an attempt to banish ethno-regional differences through the imposition of a unitary system of government, and the reasons for the failure of this policy. Other reform measures examined include the breaking up of the powerful regions into smaller states, the evolution of a quota system for elite recruitment into the educational system, the constitutional provision for affirmative action under the federal character principle, and the building of a federation with a strong centre and a powerful presidency as the antidote to ethno-regional separatism. There was also the reform of the party system and the introduction of majoritarian and consociational rules to moderate divisive tendencies within the political process.

These efforts at reforming ethno-regional representation and relations in Nigeria have had only limited success. While the reforms have fundamentally transformed the Nigerian state, they have yet to solve the problem of ethnic mobilization and conflict. As a consequence, there is still a plethora of grievances from various ethnic groups."

Such a detailed study is important for people that want to bring arguments that will bring fundamental changes to any state or country, not emotions that have little or scientific proof that will further the interests and development of the people they claim to represent.

Small states have the challenge already to rise up and be counted in economies and investment now built based on populations and very little on individual issues.

For all arguments, the best possible way of debating and looking at issues is finding always the opposite side of what everyone is proposing, looking at the strength and weaknesses of the same, and reasons why we should adopt or not adopt particular system. Shouting for the sake of shouting does not help anybody, both in the short or long term.

In Malawi, institutions such as Public Affairs Committee, can only be taken serious if they commissioned a study on various models of political systems, encourage differences on opinion and propose a plan that will make sure that every Malawian is a winner and not only one particular end. The process requires thoughtful, careful and proper investment and not hurried approaches that the speed of some people suggests.

The World will always be falling apart, but it is the responsibility of all of us who professes to live and make a difference to find solutions to the challenges, than rush in make up solutions that will only reward our thinking and wishes.

High Commissioner for the St Kitts Nevis states "WHEN YOUCHANGE WAY YOU LOOK AT THINGS-THE THINGS YOU LOOK AT CHANGE"

Perhaps, it the way we have been looking at things that needs to change, or perhaps it is the system.

After 13 years without Local Councils, we just formed new councils elected on May 20, 2014. Instead of looking at what we invested in in terms of devolution and power, we are already starting new concepts without evaluation if what we put in place would work or not? Such phased rush of developing ideas would be counterproductive to the very same development that we cry for.

Perhaps, we look at the current structure, change the voting systems to 50 plus 1 and indeed, even nominations of leaders should be endorsed by no less than 1,000 registered voters per district for one to be eligible to be a President. Unfortunately the speed at which we are debating, seems everyone has made up his mind and we will only remember sober facts, when everything ends up in a crisis, leaving the poorest of the poor- very poor and victims of political football as usual!

Ebola needs attention just like Islamic State

2014-10-03T03:19:00.000-07:00

This morning, thousands of West Africans have flown out of their countries-including Ebola affected areas, and alongside many Europeans, Americans, Chinese and fellow southern Africans, they have shared public toilets or plane toilets each heading different direction. Every hour, every trip nowadays brings Ebola close to any part of the world.
With millions of people crisscrossing airports, people searching each other physically, attending conferences, falling in love or simply even going for peace keeping operations, the risk of transmitting the fluid contact virus are higher.
The Centre for Disease Control and the American National Institute of Health estimates that 5 people, at least every hour in Seirra Leone-one of the worst affected countries alongside Liberia are being infected.
Many of those affected do not want to come out for fear of being quarantined. Many have hidden their loved ones and relations for fear of losing them, others simply fearing they wont be able to bury them properly and the "curse" or "angry spirit" will haunt them or some claim will kill them.
Aid or funding to the Ebola hit countries has been on decline, that is obvious just like the absence of funding to many of the poorest countries, with funny conditions attached to many of todays funding. But the risk of an outright global risk does not spare the rich countries, in terms of global health challenges like Ebola, no one, with or without money is safe today.
Imagine a student working on internship in one of the affected countries, going into a club or disco for farewell party. Then flies into London or New Yorks club for a welcome party, sweaty, lots of body fluids exchanges, even kissings and whatever. We can have at least a thousand Ebola cases just in a case of one person coming into crowded areas.
The threat is real and the cost is devastating and without proper treatment, Ebola poses one the greatest challenges to the world, just like the emergence of the Islamic State. While the brutal Islamists behead people and wantonly kill Christians and those of other beliefs, Ebola sadly does not choose the colour or belief of a human being.
Anything to control it today, should be as urgent, well coordinated and well resourced than anything else as a matter of public concern. Not for African states, but the whole world as well.
The United States has just reported its first Ebola case. The large scale of people that the suspect came across with should send more worries to many people.
A media briefing organised by the Kaiser Family Health Programme indicated that at least 1.4 million people could be affected by January 2015, in other words in the next three months if the present response remains the only option for Ebola. The cry for USD$1 billion has largely been ignored and many countries are willing to invest billions a day in controlling the Islamic State than fighting the epidemic that could wipe out all the economic gains made since the 2008 financial meltdown.
The case in USA should raise alarm on the inadequacy and the danger that Ebola can be elusive for as far as 21 days, making it a greater risk than anything esle that can be tackled quickly because it is seen.
Unfortunately, all international reports on media houses like BBC and CNN end with a statement that the virus natural home is a west african bat, which is a delicacy to many in the region.
In a face of a global health threat, it is no longer a matter of reminding people about the bat, whether a delicacy or not, Ebola is now being trasmitted among human beings and it is human to human transmission that is now more deadly than the bat eating communities. Editors should seriously consider removing the bat link which has lived its use as demeans the seriousness of the matter that needs to be delt with.
Nigeria and Senegal have reported no case for 24 days, meaning they might have contained it or as Medicines San Frontiers argues many in affected areas might not be coming forwards. The fact that what started in a small village in Guinea, has affected over 3,000 square miles and now America should worry everyone that we need to do something now.
Listening to Medicines San Frontiers during the Kaiser Health briefing, it is pathetic is that what they lack are basic items to quarantine or force hygiene on many of the infected persons. In a world where football teams spend billions of dollars to pay and buy players, singers spend billions of dollars on anything and politicians trillions on wars, fighting Ebola should have come easy than anything else.
Is it because its in Africa? Our present day connectedness removes the geo political boundaries as people now travel faster and everywhere.
With scramble for Africa's natural resources by Chinese and Westerners alike, supporting Ebola fight should have been a priority or thousands of workers from these countries remain at risk of exporting, not only Africas minerals, but a bonus of ebola virus. Time to act is now!

Called to the Service of Malawi

2014-09-23T06:38:00.001-07:00

For many that Malawians that have traveled, lived or visited other countries, the first identity they always bear is that of a Malawian. Nobody readily identifies himself or herself by his tribe, home district or ethnic orientation. The diversity, that's what I call the various tribal or ethic orientations of Malawians, including 9 in Chitipa district alone, has been a great source of pride than division.

The crowded nature of our cities, intermarriages and movement and resettlement's across all the 29 districts, has diluted the ethnicity of a particular area. Attempts to shift teachers from other regions to the North in the late 90's saw the majority of schools in one region almost close. The policy, myopic as it was, was short-lived.

The majority of Malawians, in the major cities and towns, rarely live with their ethnic-like identities as neighbors, they are from all over the country. The fact that they have lived together, worked or schooled together, many have become best of friends, others have married and others literary have become brothers and sisters through our community extended family system.

Many have lived together that their communities even forget where they came from and have looked at their competences and sent them even to Parliament, as their representatives, without looking as where they are coming from.

People like Chambo Kalua, from Rumphi is now MP for Mangochi North Constituency. Others before him include Late Elizabeth Aipira for Mangochi Northwest, Gift Mwamondwe for Blantyre City Central, Henry Mpofu Shaba for Blantyre Bangwe, Moses Kunkuyu for Blantyre City South, Billy Kaunda for Blantyre City East, Late Mary Kaphweleza Banda for Lilongwe City Central and Samuel Kaphuka for Blantyre Kabula.

The quality of Malawian non discriminatory attitude, when you look at Malawians of different origins getting elected to represent the ordinary black indigenous Malawian. These include Jan Jaap Sonke for Kabula, Jacqueline for Rumphi West and David Bisnowaty for Lilongwe City Central.

This proves that to ordinary Malawians place of origin, and ethnicity or tribal alignment is secondary, perhaps its our politicians we should be asking, why the bring the issue as a key issue instead of taking a cue from ordinary voters.

The tolerance of Malawians is well documented beyond even religious boundaries. A predominantly Christian nation with as high as 75 to 80 percent professing and practicing Christians, many forgot their religious inclinations and sometimes outright campaigning by some religious leaders for a particular candidate-Malawians have voted before for a Muslim President and later a Muslim Vice President. It tells you religion really does not matter in our choices.

This should bring us to examine our past. Those that before us were called to Service of Mother Malawi. Were they too selfish to identify regions, tribes or ethnicity or even religion to make decision or decide what role they would play to their country?

The answer is an overwhelming no, they served Malawi and its interest first and never at any time did they think of how their region or particular tribe first, but they thought of Malawi, they were pride of their country and they came together for a cause.

This generation of politicians, commentators and even businesses can learn from those that were called to serve in all capacities who served Malawi first, its interest and its cause. There are many but the following can suffice to say they were true Malawians and served our cause:

Reverend John Chilembwe, who protested the inclusion of all NYASA's not from his village alone, in the First World War. He did not specifically ask for people from Mbombwe or Chiradzulu to be exempted. He knew he had a platform and voice and spoke on behalf of all Nyasa's.

Then we had Levi Ziliro Mumba, James Sangala, Lali Lubani, Kanyama Chiume and Orton Chirwa, Masauko Chipembere, Yatuta and Dunduzu Chisiza and many more, who despite their huge differences, came together at different times from 1935 to 1964 to stand up for what will become Malawi.

I am sure when they were deciding to recall Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda, tribe or ethnicity was not part of their thoughts. Their thoughts were to liberate the future Mother Malawi. Self determination does not include tribalism or splitting of areas, it includes ability of like minded and love of ones land to succeed.

What has gone wrong, that every jim and jack wants to put tribal label on everything about Malawi. Who is serving Malawi and why is suddenly everybody so much in a hurry to acquire a certain label.

When Masauko Chipembere heard that his colleagues including Orton Chirwa, Yatuta Chisiza and others had rebelled against Kamuzu Banda, he did not think of where they came from, he thought of the service to Malawians-he quit in solidarity to his colleagues.

Yatuta Chisiza picked guns and was killed trying to save Malawi, Masauko Chipemberes rebellion was about Malawi.

When people like Attati Mpakati, August Bwanausi, David Rubadiri, Amunandife Mkumba, and later the Chakufwa Chihanas, ArchBishop James Chiona and colleagues. Dr. Silas Ncozana and many others, they have stood up and spoke for Malawi, they have worked to serve Malawi.

How may today have been called to service of Malawi and are serving the interest of Malawians? That is a great question each has to ask. Does the solution lie in splitting or entrenching regionalistic systems instead of building on how others, from political podiums crossed regions and won seats in areas they would not call home tribal or ethnically?

Are there lessons to be learnt from our past heros, why did they not look at a tribe or region to fight for a cause, they demanded within Malawi and got what they wanted?

The colonialist mentality was to keep different tribal groups against each other, that worked well until people like Levi Ziliro Mumba, James Sangala and Lali Lubanis refused to be bound by tribal lines and worked for the country. Kamuzu kept Malawians guessing of each other, people like Chihana rose for Malawi and mobilised a unity of purpose to spread the gospel of change!

Some peoples legacy will go as quick as they open their mouth, serving their bellies and mouths, than the larger and true calls of mother Malawi.

Just as there is enough room for all of us to stay together, there is enough room for all diverse group to demand changes or more, without trampling on the united country we have been for years. Perhaps we should look from the past and learn how they did it...........it should be service to Malawi first!

MALAWI NEW CABINET MINISTERS

2014-06-19T00:14:00.000-07:00

President: His Excellency Prof. A. Peter Mutharika

Vice President: Rt. Hon. Mr. Soulos Chilima

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation: Dr. George Chaponda

Minister of Health: Dr. Jean Kalilani

Minister of Finance: Mr. Goodall Gondwe

Minister of Education: Dr. Emmanuel Fabiano

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs: Mr. Samuel Tembenu

Minister of Information, Tourism and Civic Education: Mr. Kondwani Nankhumwa

Minister of Labour: Mr. Henry Mussa

Minister of Transport and Public Works: Mr. Francis Kasaila

Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation: Dr. Allan Chiyembekeza

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture: Ms. Grace Obama Chiume

President A. Peter Mutharika inaugural speeech

2014-06-02T04:02:00.004-07:00

INTRODUCTION
First of all, I would like to extend a special welcome to Your Excellencies and distinguished guests who have travelled from various countries to witness this momentous occasion. I thank you all for coming to Malawi and it is a great honour to have you here. Your presence is a source of inspiration to us and a demonstration of the confidence and trust that you have in our young democracy.
My fellow Malawians, I feel greatly humbled today to be inaugurated as the fifth President of Malawi. A country known for Peace and Calm, Law and Order. A country known for its hard working citizens. A country known for its political tolerance. A country that is safe from internal and external enemies.
Today, we begin another leg of 50 years. My fellow Malawians, the next 50 years of our journey presents us with an opportunity to reset our priorities, rethink our strategic focus, redefine Malawi, and make it progressive.
Today, we have people from the North, South, Centre and East to inaugurate a new era. During the 2014 Tripartite Elections, Malawians went to the polls to vote for change, and change they voted for a better Malawi. Today I stand before you to offer you, with your help a very distinct possibility of the future in our hands. Change has come to Malawi. Yes, our vote for change was not easy, you voted for change and victory belongs to us all.
UNITY OF PURPOSE
My fellow Malawians, this is not time to rest; this is not time for vengeance; this is time to build our great Republic into the force for good that we can be. This is time for Malawi to be strong again. Strong against marginalization, strong against poverty and disease, strong against fraud and greed, strong against weakness and fear.
Let us pick up the pieces. The journey has just begun. We must strive for unity of purpose, oneness of vision. We may belong to different political parties, but we belong to one nation. We voted for different parties, but we all voted for development.
It is now time to share our common development agenda. It is time to share what binds us as Malawians. It is time to show the World that we may differ in ideology, but we stand together as Malawians. That we shall develop this nation together. That we shall defend, if need be, this motherland together. We may share a divided past, but we share a common future. We may come from different origins, but we are heading towards the same destination. We share a common destiny.
My fellow Malawians, today we embark on a long journey of hope, patriotism, security, passion for country and pride to be Malawian once more. And we have come on a long journey.
OUR FUTURE, OUR DESTINY
Fellow Malawians, every fifty years has brought a new era in our history. One hundred and fifty years ago, in 1864, the first European missionaries began the idea of creation of Nyasaland. This is the moment that began to unite tribes of the land. One hundred years ago, in 1914, a great World War began and ignited the spirit of independence in the dreams of our forefathers. These forefathers faced a global super power with conviction and courage. My fellow Malawians, we face similar challenges today.
Fifty years ago, in 1964, Malawi was born when we became politically independent. Today, in 2014, we inaugurate the rebirth of our nation. We inaugurate the lost dreams of our forefathers and fallen heroes. We inaugurate the spirit of economic independence. We re-launch a new, better, stronger, proud nation once more.
The pursuit of our dreams knows no limits, no boundaries, no skies. Our only problem is the way we think. The only barrier to our national achievement is our Belief in others at our expense.
My fellow Malawians, We know that no nation was created poor by God. No nation has license to bury its naturally endowed treasure: No country can call itself poor.
Today, my fellow country men and women, we declare ourselves ready for the next fifty years. Today we get new faith and belief in ourselves. Today we begin the road to a coherent nation of achievers.
My fellow Malawians, the first years of the DPP in government restored faith in ourselves. We proved that it is possible for Malawi to be the second highest growing economy in the world. We proved that it is possible to grow abundant food and make prices more affordable. We may not have done some things well. But we have learnt our lessons, great lessons. We pledge to do better, to do more, and to live the lessons of the years.
Our first task is to create a proper economic, political and democratic system. Our task is to re-create an environment that gives our people hope and belief once more.
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SERVICES
Security for our businesses and homes is key to sustainable national development. We intend to restore Peace and Calm, Law and Order. I intend to over- see a Malawi that has good road networks within the townships we live, a Malawi that does not victimize its professional civil servants simply because of change of Government. A Malawi which has clean cities, functional street lights, viable public transport, visible infrastructure, good housing for our Police and Army, strong security, jobs for our youth and college education for everyone who passes at Malawi School Certificate of Education.
We must be a country where critical dialogue prevails for our collective participation in the pursuit of socio-economic development. I am therefore looking forward to leading a listening government. It is only with a listening government that citizens participate because people feel valued whenever we listen to them.
My fellow Malawians, I intend to actively involve the youth in my Administration. We need the Youth to participate. The Youth are the energy that drives any country, any vision, any dream. It is on their shoulders that we must delve away from the shackles of non- performance of the last few years. It is to them that I call upon to meaningfully move into small and medium enterprises, to get an education, to do something for themselves every day, to look up with pride and energy and help me transform our cities into clean places, help me defend our borders, help me move Malawi to a major force for good in this part of Africa.
We need women to participate in our development agenda. They are the ones that build the fabric of society. Women have always been at the core of the economic fabric of the African society. No society, and no economic system can do without women. My Administration intends to work with all women in utilising all of its human resource to develop this country in the shortest period possible.
NATIONAL RECONCILITAION
We need collective participation in development. That is why I have extended a hand of RECONCILIATION to my colleagues who contested for this highest office. I offer them a new way of doing politics in Malawi: Respect, Consultation, Integrity and Honesty. I offer them a progressive way of doing politics which should not push us asunder, but rather bring us together. Together we can do more for each other. Together we can do more for our communities. Together we can do more for our country.
My fellow Malawians, TODAY, we must begin to put interests of Country First before our own. And you do not need to be in government in order to love, serve and develop your country. I want you to spend one minute greeting those next to you, promising them that from now on You will put the interest of Malawi First above personal interest.
My fellow Malawians, these contestants are great and patriotic sons and daughters of the land. We were all fighting for the same thing - passion for a new direction, a transformational Leader for genuine change, we all shared those sentiments during the debates, We still share that common purpose to heal our country.
You voted for me because you saw that what we need as a Country is not vengeance and pretence but a transformational leader who would take this country to greater heights. Greater heights, indeed I promise you.
You saw just as I did that what we need is a unity of purpose to transform our country to a middle income country; capable of producing and exporting once more. You saw that what we need is development. My fellow Malawians, today we begin that journey, TOGETHER!
My fellow Malawians I swore to defend and protect the Constitution of Malawi and uphold the rule of law. This I will do. But let me make one thing clear. The law must be left alone to do its work whenever crime is committed. We should never again arrest anyone and hunt for the crime later. We should never again punish those we don’t like because they hold a political view different from ours. The age of using state instruments of justice to deal with our political opponents is gone. Let us not confuse the pursuit of justice with political vendettas.
RULE OF LAW
Fellow Malawians, in the last 12 months or so, there were a number of crimes committed against the State for example the infamous cashgate scandal. I wish to state that the cashgate investigations which Her Excellency Dr Joyce Banda started will be pursued and concluded justly.
Malawians are waiting to know who did what. Malawians need their plundered resources paid back. Malawians need justice delivered and no one should blackmail the state by saying this is witch-hunting.
The Police, the Anti-Corruption Bureau the Directorate of Public Prosecution and other security and law enforcement agencies are from this day free to operate independently but, professionally.
We will fully arm the Anti-Corruption Bureau with human and financial capacity to do its job without the interference of the executive.
In service to the nation, I will not tolerate one day more if a Cabinet Minister or civil servant takes what does not belong to them. Next time you see a cabinet minister arrested, do not be surprised. My cabinet shall live up to this principle of being accountable to the people.
I want this message to be very clear even before I appoint my cabinet. If what anyone wants is to become rich instead of serving Malawians, then do not come into my cabinet. When I appoint you, please just say ‘No’! Today, I hereby draw a red line against corruption, theft of public funds, and I am prepared to draw this red line with my blood.
Today, we are launching a government that must be accountable to the people. The central principle of democracy is that everyone must be accountable to someone else. The rule of law follows to ensure that we are all accountable to the people and the law.
We cannot afford to waste time with plundering public resources. We have urgent work to do. As I have said, our country is on the edge of collapsing. This country is dying. Organs of government departments are in a state of paralysis. The veins of the economy in the private sector and businesses are paralysed. The cost of living is no longer affordable by many anymore. We cannot even afford to heal those in pain because there is no medicine in our hospitals. It is time to get this country functioning again. And we have no time to waste.
We shall protect the public purse because we need to provide adequate public services. These include quality health care to all Malawians, quality education, good infrastructure and investing in the creation of jobs. We need to invest in the creation of an efficient, motivated, results-oriented civil service which will be the catalyst for the creation of wealth. Our manifesto has promised to create new wealth, and we need a motivated and performing civil service to deliver our policies to the people.
MEDIA AND PUBLIC INFORMATION
Our administration will ensure that there is access to public information and in this regard we shall cooperate with all relevant stakeholders including the media in passing and implementation of the Access to Information Bill into law.
We will allow the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation operate in an open, free and fair manner, make independent editorial decisions and I don’t want my Minister of Information to interfere in their work. This is a promise I make to Malawi.
The era of using the Public Broadcaster for Political mileage is gone. The era of intransigence through use of the public broadcaster is gone.

PUBLIC SERVICE
There is no more doing business as usual. For the first time, we shall now have a central and local government. This will be the government of the people. From this year, the politics of development has changed. With the arrival of the ward councillors, government has come to your doorstep. I welcome all ward councillors, irrespective of your political party into the fold of government. You are part of the government of the people. And to you the people, make sure we do your will, provided it is the right will. And I invite the media to ensure that we deliver our promises.
At central government, we shall keep our promise to maintain a lean, disciplined and efficient cabinet of 20 members. Other new measures include reorganising our ministries for more efficiency. The new measures we bring include elevating the Ministry of Labour to a key ministry in my government. For us, Ministry of Labour is the engine-room for creating jobs. We must create jobs for the youth and everyone capable.
We will implement stern cost-cutting measures. This will include the President working in the office more than on the road. Yes, I will come around to visit you on state functions. But do not ask me to travel around aimlessly and spend your state resources. I will empower all relevant officials in the public service to do their work as they are mandated.
ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
But first, we will see to it that the economy begins to grow again. And we plan to take a “bottom-up” approach that involves and directly benefits ordinary people. And we plan to deliver a people centred economic growth at the rate of 7.5% in the next five years.
What you need is not your President being all over, but it is infrastructure development coming all over and wherever you are. Our plans are to build a new network of first class roads across Malawi. We need open up our rural centres to the main roads and cities of our country so that rural areas have tarmac road access to the rest of the country. We plan to build more rural growth centres so that we can take development to the people.
The DPP has already planned some of these projects. We started some of these projects before and we want to continue and do even more.
We will revive Malawi’s colourful dreams of Nsanje port and building new cities.
FOOD SECURITY
We plan to ensure that every Malawian can afford adequate food, a descent house, and a dignified means of earning a living.
You did not vote for maize in vain. We want to make fertiliser subsidy available to all subsistence maize farmers. We shall continue to grow surplus food to bring down the cost of living. And we shall revive the Green Belt initiative to make Malawi the breadbasket of Africa.
EDUCATION
It is time to revive an education system that empowers the youth in technical and productive skills as well as train them on how best to run their businesses. That is why we will introduce Community Colleges to empower the youth of this country to start creating their own wealth. This robust entrepreneurship education will also create a new middle class which has been missing since we received independence 50 years ago.
Our education programme also includes rehabilitating and expand existing universities while building and opening five new universities in Mzimba, Nkhotakota, Mangochi and Nsanje. And the forgotten MUST in Thyolo needs to properly open with high calibre internationally recognised scholars as soon as we get settled.
SOCIAL WELFARE
My fellow Malawians, is a Malawi without grass thatched houses possible? Yes it is.
We promised to subsidise iron sheets and cement and we are going to do just that. This policy will make construction easy and revive the construction industry.
A vibrant construction industry resuscitates the economy. A vibrant construction industry creates jobs for everyone, and it creates business for all sectors. We want to make construction easy because every Malawian wants to afford to sleep in a descent place.
Our street vendors, our tomato growers and our civil servants should be able to build houses for our mothers and fathers across those rivers, hills and villages where we all come from. And one day, we will travel this country and see development with our eyes everywhere.
SECURITY
As we begin a new era today, we commit ourselves to provide Malawians with “Total Security” so that every individual, our children, our property and businesses are safe. We must live in a country where we all feel safe.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
This country lives in a global community and it is no longer possible to think as if we are an island. We need development partners from the West and the East equally, North and South alike. Let it be known that Malawi will strive to be a friend to everyone in the global community. Even as we protect and uphold our sovereignty, we need each other as humankind in a common global community.
Malawi will continue being a good and trusted partner on the international scene.
We remain committed to the ideals of SADC, COMESA, African Union, the UN and other International Organisations where Malawi is a member.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion allow me to say that we voted for the rebirth of our country and a new beginning. We voted because we believe in the best of Malawi. Today, we have gathered with our feet here because we are ready to walk the new beginning. In every house of our communities we have gathered before television sets because we want to see the new beginning. Across the country, in every village, at every trading centre, in every shop and every house, and at every veranda, we have glued our ears to our radios because we want to hear that we have begun a new beginning. Because this is a new beginning we must walk together.
This is the will of the people. May the will of the people prevail as we move forward as one nation, one country, one destiny! And may God grant us the courage to change the things we can, the serenity to discern the things we cannot change, and the wisdom to know the difference.
We have this day consecrated our nation to walk the path of progress. Our future is for us all, and we need to work for it. No nation can live for us. No country can develop our country for us. So, let each one of us go and work hard knowing that we have a government that will see to it that we earn as we labour. No food for lazy man. Let us all go and roll up our sleeves and be productive with our lives.
My fellow Malawians, I want to thank our development partners our neighbours for being with us at all times.
And I thank Malawians for the spirited fight for our country to be where we are today.
May God bless our beloved country. May God bless you all.
Thank you!

2014 Malawi Elections Results -Congrats Peter, walk the talk now

2014-05-30T15:09:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to the DPP family. The battle was great, but they have managed to sway Malawians that they offer the best option. Malawians now look forward to moving on after 10 day comedy that has damaged our nation. Congratulations Soulosi Chilima two, Malawi's 5th Vice President, cant wait for Government reforms to a corporate entity and selling of Malawi to foreign investors. We will again write more on such topics. Justice of Appeal and Chairman from the Malawi Electoral Commission at 11.32pm declared Professor Peter Mutharika as the duly elected 5th Republican President. Here is the breakdown:

His Excellency the President-elect: Professor Peter Mutharika (DPP) 1, 904 399- 36.4%
Reverend Dr. Lazarus Chakwera (MCP) 1 455 808-Leader of Opposition- 22.8%
Her Excellency Dr. Joyce Banda (PP) 1 056 236 -20.2%
Mr. Atupele Muluzi (UDF)717 224-13.7%

How will Professor Mutharikas Presidency look like, read the 2009 interview he granted to me which is among the older posts of this blog.
Congratulations to DPP, now lets build one Malawi

Our democracy, our land, one Malawi

2014-05-30T02:41:00.000-07:00

There has never been a time in our history when the country has faced one of its most critical challenge like the one we are facing now. Last night the Chairman of the Malawi Electoral Commission Justice Maxon Mbendera declared the process of the disputed 2014 Tripartite elections free, fair and credible. The only question everyone has, is to whom.

The Justice of Appeal went further, describing the 65 anomalies that had been noted as such and not consistent pattern to subvert the will of the people. This was on the eve of a court ruling, that will reclaim Malawi either as a democratic or a chaotic nation.

We have become a laughing stock, reduced entirely as a travelling theatre and nobody among our political class seem to care. They all want their positions to prevail. The Courts have been dragged into the mud and for the first time, Malawi's most independent Government branch has come under attack from all sides based on ones political inclination.

The biggest question is what next for Malawi? Where did we go wrong that today we have reached at a circus level of a nation? Who can salvage the situation? And what could be the future.

There are many hardworking Malawians, who live barely on the few kwachas they make everyday. The majority remain poor, the pay cheque has been devalued over the years and simply life is tough. This electoral impasse is not helping anybody to say the least. The few tourists we had, they have all gone. Business meetings cancelled even charities are hesitant to proceed. Apart from the constitutional crisis, we are now heading towards a fiscal crisis where the budget will collapse on June 30, 2014 and without any recourse to a proper Government system, services will have to come to halt and then the economy, already sliding down will eventually collapse.

Where are we coming from. We are a nation that is proud to be identified as tribalistic. Look at the voting pattern and results, they tell you everyone voted for "wakwawo" save for the few districts in the North and Centre. This is what has brought us to the end.

There was no vote for young people estimated to be at least 2 million voters for their fellow youth Atupele. He should have won easily. But even the next generation of voters are tribalistic, they did not care the age or message, neither did they want to hear anything other than the candidates from their tribe. The same with women voters, they did not want a woman despite all their cries for equality, they voted mainly on tribal lines. I can confidently say that the women of Malawi, as they let their opportunity to vote for their fellow woman, will have to wait for another perhaps 50 years before making it to the top again. Thats my prophecy.

From the tribal card, we have been arrogant for the past four elections mainly by politicians in the ruling parties to change and conform our electoral rules to best practices. One of the key thing is that we are paying for not having adequate laws to ensure that the voice of majority, at each election should be heard. There is a whole document from the Law Commission gathering dust somewhere which proposed that a President should be elected with 50+1. Which meant after all this madness, we should have had a second round to determine by majority who should rule us. Every selfish decision has consequences and I can say thats what has brought us to this mess.

The other element is the logistical systems we have in place. First of all the framers of the constitution in 1993-94 realised the huge task of organizing elections. They separated the Local Councils from General Elections. Even in England today, Local Government elections are held a year before General Elections realising the massive logistics that they require. Even counting at one tally centre, there was abit of chaos.

It was a wrong decision to combine the three and it would be intelligent to revert to what was obtaining in the beginning. These donor pushed changes should come with proper funding and logistical systems before we accept wholesale changes.

The other element that is critical is that we need the National Identity card, which is biometric and issued from birth and cancelled at birth. This card should be used to vote. The card will simply identify how many Malawians are over 18 and those that want can always go and register in the vote register using the card to vote. This will reduce the expensive exercise of issuing new voter cards every five years. Unfortunately the process for us to have identities is also taking ages.

So where are heading. The crisis that is in Malawi is political, only a political solution will solve it. Everyone, every stakeholder in the election should start rethinking their positions and what is good for Malawi. There is no sense in fighting in court, it will just continue the division.

Late Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda said only contact and dialogue solve problems, he said you can shout in Lusaka, shout in London or Addis Ababa, but only when you sit down and talk do you find a solutions. Mozambicans fought for 17 years, sat down for one year and spoke to each other, now they are on their way to prosperity. Nelson Mandela was in jail for 27years, started secret talks with Boers administration, within two years South Africa was on its way to a democracy. In Angola, they fought for 18 years, sat down in the 18th year, within months they were on their way to peace.

Its only in sitting down and talking that a solution can be found. Let us go for Negotiations and not medication and conciliation. There is a huge difference between the three. Article 33 of the United Nations Charter encourages all of them as processes towards a peaceful settlement to any challenges.

Today, my appeal is simple let all 12 Presidential Candidates convene and meet, not four, but 12. Why, as we have noted, some can join one side and bring more challenges.

For People rioting in Mangochi whose property are they burning, whose business are they blocking, a closer look is of their own families and freinds and neighbours. Violence begets Violence.

Bravo to the Malawi Security Agencies for remaining professional at this time, the end will only come with talking to each other.

It is after all, Our democracy, our land and our only Malawi

Form a Government of National Unity

2014-05-25T03:13:00.001-07:00

Malawi is at a crossroads. There is very little that will come from the current election circus. If it is proven of rigging, we have to arrest the rigger and ban them. It will be a crisis. The present danger is that even if one is declared a winner of this election, their legitimacy and ability to govern will be weakened. The elections were a total shamble and the result is not credible. Justice Mbenderas attitude has not been helping matters. Even if we recount so many times, we will have the danger of nobody accepting results. There is one solution, let us from a Government of National Unity for one year. Let us through the government institute electoral reforms and set a date for Presidential elections. All parties should participate in the new Government and elections should be managed by all people. This process has failed Malawi and we are racing against time to time bomb.

Malawi elections recount

2014-05-24T15:46:00.000-07:00

I totally agree to the recount, but we should stand firm on our constitution principles people advising JB should know Malawi belongs to us, any damage to it we pay to it. For JB she has worked hard to be where she is, I expect her to guard her legacy and status. Many people across the World believe in her. The decision to cancel the election was wrong and I will always stand by that. God Bless Malawi, keep it a Land of Peace

Malawi elections cancelled

2014-05-24T03:57:00.002-07:00

JB won't run and Malawians will decide

Projected Final tally

2014-05-23T08:04:00.000-07:00

So far projections across the country are indicating that the Democratic Progressive Party could be returning to power. However it should be stressed that these are unofficials results. The round up figures indicate:

Dr. Lazarous Chakwera: President of Malawi Congress Party: 1,400,000.
Professor Peter Mutharika: President of the Democratic Progressive Party will have unassailable target of 1,900,000.

We will update the blog with indications for each district soon

Emerging Picture from Presidential results and appeal for all voters be allowed to vote

2014-05-23T05:52:00.002-07:00

Elections are expensive for everybody. In 1999, the Electoral Commission rejected results from Livombo Community Centre on the basis that they came late. They declared that it was not important in the final outcome. The MCP candidate Sam Gama was declared winner and the results were later nullified by the High Court after UDF candidate Iqbal Omar contended that every voter has a right to vote. Even without one polling station, the Electoral Commission cannot declare anybody a winner. With 150 complaints, they need to be addressed before we know the results. The Electoral Commission has a duty to ensure that every noise is accommodated and addressed promptly with the narrow margins of victory, the country could be set on fire. We appeal to EC to make sure everybody votes and every vote is counted for.

Finally for those that took oath to uphold the constitution, the time to show that spirit is now, stand by your constitution, your people and the will of Malawians, decisions we make should not inflame the situation, none save for Godfrey Jefa Kamanya (MHSRIP) need to die because of this election. Please let us be restraint and act sober.

After that, the latest update on Presidential election, as we say every vote counts:

Professor Peter Mutharika (DPP): 1 537 209

Reverend Dr. Lazarous Chakwera (MCP): 1 375 548

The results are minus Blantyre both rural and urban, Chikwawa, Machinga and Mangochi.

Projections of Members of Parliament

2014-05-23T05:36:00.000-07:00

The 193 seats chamber will no longer have a party with an absolute majority. The current projections of the seats in the House stands as follows:

1. Malawi Congress Party: 67
2. Democratic Progressive Party: 44
3. United Democratic Front: 35
4. Independents: 24
5. Peoples Party: 12
6. Chipani Chapfuko

The figures represents the current projections only. Many former MPs are making a come back to Parliament from the 2004-2009 including:

Balaka North: Lucius Banda
Chikwawa North: Harry Thomson
Ntchisi South: Nkhosa Kamwendo
Ntchisi North East: Boniface Kadzamira

We will provide more detailed analysis especially for Blantyre City later in the day.

Kondwani Munthali -Malawi

PUTIN MIGHT HAVE INTENDED THE US FIASCO

Ousmane Owen Munthali 1987-2015, the best of memories

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