State House has dismissed reports that President, Dr Lazarus Chakwera has secretly given himself a 40 percent salary increase. Recently, social media was awash with reports alleging that the President’s salary has secretly been increased. State House Press Secretary, Brian Banda, made the remarks on Monday during the State House Media Brief. He said the President’s salary is implemented by Treasury and others who follow all protocols. “The President does not have powers to raise his salary and neither does State House. The President is a servant of Malawians. This is a lie and State House doesn’t respond to lies. “The President has said from the beginning that he is a servant leader. He wants to serve Malawians and not vice versa,” Banda pointed out. A recent report by Business Insider placed Chakwera among 15 African leaders with bloated salaries with Paul Biya of Cameroon as the highest paid. The list also includes Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, Zimbabwe’z Emerson Mnangagwa and Ghana’s Nana Akufo Addo. Speaking during Late Hastings Kamuzu Banda’s memorial on May 14, 2021 at the Kamuzu Mausoleum in Lilongwe, Chakwera appealed to Malawians to let him be their servant and not their boss. State House Director of Communication, Sean Kampondeni, gave the diary of the President for the past two weeks and what was expected of the presidency for the coming two weeks. The President is expected to travel to Blantyre on Monday where he will, among others, commission the Tedzani IV Hydro Power Plant.
Author: Franklin Ndagha
Son to the late Belekanyama champions youth agenda after election
Newly elected Member of Parliament for Lilongwe Msinja South constituency Francis Belekanyama has challenged stakeholders championing youth participation in politics to rise above policy direction and start telling young people real issues entangled in the country’s politics. Belekanyama defied the odds to win the March 30 by-election on a Malawi Congress Party ticket following the death of his father Lingson Belekanyama. During Monday’s 98 Degrees Program aired on Timveni radio Belekanyama said as a young person he faced opposing forces aimed at backsliding his political ambitions over unfounded fears that he is too young for politics. “Politics is a serious challenge which needs one to be prepared strategically, mentally and financially before setting out on such journey” Said Belekanyama. In the one hour long program Belekanyama also shared a brief background of how he became a politician following footsteps of his father who before his death, served as a member of parliament for Nsinja South in Lilongwe for 16 years. “Although I calculated my moves well which earned me a sit from party primaries to the parliamentary election, I owe this to my father. He taught us well and I know I am just leveraging on his legacy.” Said Belekanyama.
Sweet Aroma to walk from Lilongwe to Kasungu to raise K3.7 M for vulnerable children
One of the charity organizations in Malawi Sweet Aroma will on Wednesday April 7, 2021 embark on a two day fundraising walk from Lilongwe Kasungu to mobilize Three point Seven Million Kwacha to go towards improving the plight of street connected children. Its executive director James Wiz Manda said the organization is touched by stories of increased number of vulnerable children in need of support. Manda said “Sweet Aroma settled for the 108 km big walk from Lilongwe to Kasungu district as a way to raise the funds and we are calling on well-wishers to join the noble cause.” Manda said the two-day journey will be spiced by entertainment from some musicians who have sacrificed their time and resources to join the race. Among others Sweet Aroma plans to send back to school the vulnerable children and buy music equipment to train the street connected children. A total of three hundred children will be reached with the initiative.
Education impasse, government dates TUM over risk allowances
Teachers Union of Malawi is expected to meet government officials on Tuesday after government failed to address the issue of risk allowances before schools were set for reopening on Monday February 22, 2021. The impasse in the education sector has attracted mixed reactions from stakeholders as some quarters want the government to give the striking teachers risk allowances for working amidst the covid-19 scare, as is the case with public health care workers While others feel the teachers should not be paid for doing their job, adding there is no scientific explanation to their demand under the public health guidelines for covid-19. Ironically, the teachers are among the first people to be inoculated with covid-19 jab it arrives this month before the mass vaccination campaign according to the minister of education Agnes NyaLonje who sits in the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19. But speaking with one of the local radio stations (Timveni radio) on Monday morning president for the Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM) Willy Malimba said teachers were advised not to report for work again as TUM secretariat was still in talks with government officials on their three concerns which were partly responded to. “Teachers are still exercising their right to stay away from work until government addresses their concerns fully. We presented three concerns ranging from recruitment of teachers, provision on Personal Protective Equipment and risk allowances for teachers,” said Malimba. Malimba added “It is unfortunate that government has decided to partially address two issues (recruitment of teachers and provision of PPEs) leaving the contentious issues of risk allowances forcing our members to stay away from work, since they are also at risk of contracting corona virus.” Meanwhile Malimba says government has invited them to a round table discussion on Tuesday where they anticipate that their bosses will respond positively to their grievances which have prolonged the covid-19 school closure to over six weeks now. Responding questions from members of the press on Monday morning during the presidential brief held virtually, presidential press secretary Brian Banda said president Chakwera is not happy with the stand-off but was quick to point out that the matter has been referred to the presidential task force on covid-19 for guidance as regards to who is at risk and not in as far as scientific understanding of the pandemic is concerned
Speaker Catherine Gotani Hara tests positive for Covid-19
Leader of the house Richard Chimwendo Banda has announced that speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani Hara has tested positive for Covid-19. Confirming the development in parliament on Thursday, Chimwendo Banda said Hara was diagnosed with the diseases on Thursday after two of her domestic workers tested positive. According Chimwendo Banda Hara was not in contact with Members of Parliament when reported for work on Monday. “The speaker has been isolating herself, she has been in her office and when she appeared in the chamber on Monday the first day of our sitting for the Mid-Term Review Budget Meeting of Parliament she sat on her chair and controlled the deliberations and left for her residence thereafter.” Said Banda. He said Hara attended some business committee meetings virtually and maintained social distancing during physical interactions. Meanwhile Banda has however said her absence will not affect proceedings in the house as she has two deputies to run business of the house.
Kaliati touts early childhood development
Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare Patricia Kaliati has rallied support for early childhood development centers stressing the institutions have potential of transforming the education sector. Speaking in Parliament on Thursday, Kaliati said currently more than six hundred Early Childhood Development centers (ECDs) have been constructed nationwide and that authorities are renovating the learning facilities. “We have upgraded 235 ECDs, constructed 480 ECDs with support from Action Aid, and World Bank has also supported us with 150 model ECDs in 13 districts with nutritional programs among others.” Said Kaliati. According to Kaliati coordinated efforts with different organizations have made a difference in promotion of early childhood development adding other organisations are complimenting government’s efforts by implementing programmes of the same nature in the remaining districts. To support and maintain gains registered, Kaliati told Legislators government plans to construct ECDs close to trading centers to help traders who bring along children to business places. The minister emphasized government is more interested in keeping all the children in the foundation schools for them to be able to absorb the basics before joining their counterparts in upper classes. She also expressed willingness to drill more boreholes as well as provide nutritious food to children.
Affordable Input Program to start early this year- Minister
The Ministry of Agriculture has announced that the 2021/2022 Affordable Inputs Program (AIP) will commerce earlier than the 2020/2021 program started. Minister of Agriculture, Lobin Lowe, said this on Monday in Parliament when he was presenting a ministerial statement on how the AIP fared in the 2020/2021 growing season. “Last season, we worked under pressure, but this season we will try to start as early as possible to make sure that by June or July, fertilizer is readily available in all the markets. “This time, we will give a lot of quota to public institutions, more especially ADMARC considering its wide network,” Lowe said. The Agriculture Minister said so far, government has already sourced 150, 000 metric tons of fertilizer which will be supplied to ADMARC depots. In the 2020/2021 growing season, the affordable agricultural inputs under AIP targeted 4.2 million households, however, after the list of farmers was validated by the National Registration Bureau (NRB), the number of farming households reduced to 377, 500, according to Lowe. He said “The drop was due to several factors including deaths, duplication and ghost households, just to mention a few reasons,” The reduction in the number of beneficiaries also led to reduction in fertilizer targets from 427, 910 metric tons to 378, 810 metric tons and from 21, 396 metric tons to 19, 145 metric tons for seed. “In monetary terms, the budget requirement for the program also reduced from K160.2 billion to K140. 2 billion,” he said. The minister then assured the nation that his ministry would continue to work with NRB to clean and update the AIP list in the system to ensure that they have a true record to guide their programming in the future. Leader of the House, Richard Chimwendo Banda, commended the report from the Minister of Agriculture, saying it captured both the achievements and challenges of the program. He said government should be able to open up and tell people the challenges that they have gone through. “The best of it all is despite the challenges, they have been able to achieve a good percentage of AIP and members were able to express different experiences in their constituencies. “Chimwendo Banda further said it was pleasing to note that legislators were able to share how best AIP can be improved as it continues.”
Government to proceed delinking UNIMA into three universities
Government will proceed to delink the University of Malawi (UNIMA) into three universities; namely the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) through Act No. 19 of 2019; the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHES); and the University of Malawi (UNIMA) passed as Act No. 18 of 2019. The government communicated its position on Thursday February 18, 2021 in Lilongwe at a meeting where Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima met with the Council of the University of Malawi alongside the Minister of Justice Hon. Titus Mvalo, the Attorney General Hon. Chikosa Silungwe, Director of Higher Education Dr. Levis Eneya and officials from the Department of Statutory Corporations and Public Sector Reforms. Speaking with Leyman Publications Director of Higher Education Dr Levis Eneya said the meeting was a follow up to the one held on February, 2, 2021 which discussed the resolution made by the Council to review the process of delinking the University of Malawi. Prior to delivering its position, there have been consultations within the government hierarchy to affirm its position to proceed with the delinking process. “ Moving forward, the Ministry of Education will proceed to gazette the commencement date for the 2019 Acts of Parliament in line with Section 74 of the Constitution; implement a detailed Plan of Action on the delinking; and establish a Transitional Unit to oversee and conclude the process” Said Eneya. According to a press statement issued by the press secretary in the office of the vice president Pilirani Phiri, the delinking of UNIMA is a progressive process in increasing access to higher education and improving governance and operational efficiency in public universities in Malawi.
Parliament starts meeting Monday for Mid-Term Budget Review
Parliament has announced that the 2020-2021 Mid-Term Budget Review Meeting of parliament will commence on February 22, 2021 and will run up to March 26, 2021, through uniquely devised hybrid interactive method to safeguard lives. The meeting was first scheduled to be held from February 8 to March 12, 2021 but was postponed following escalating numbers of covid-19 in the country. A statement signed by the speaker of the national assembly Catherine Gotani Hara, made available to Leyman Publications, says the postponement was to allow parliament to devise appropriate safety measures for its meetings to safeguard the lives of members of parliament, staff and all stakeholders. Meanwhile parliament secretariat says with guidance from the business committee and support from the development partners the forth coming meeting will combine physical and virtual meetings and they will be conducted simultaneously. In a telephone interview on Wednesday night, chief public relations officer at parliament Ian Mwenye confirmed the development. “You may wish to recall that we postponed the parliament meeting which was supposed to run from 8 February 2021 to 12 March 2021 because of the surge in Covid-19 cases, but I am glad to report that as parliament we have come up with measures on how best we can proceed with deliberations concerning our nation.” Said Mwenye. He added “What will be happening is that, some members of parliament will be physically availing themselves in the chamber while others will be attending the meeting virtually and this will be happening simultaneously.” Parliament passed a K2.1 trillion national budget in October last year after minister of finance Dr Felix Mlusu presented the budget statement. In the budget development expenditure is projected at K511.2 billion, consisting of K100.9 billion for domestically financed projects and K410.3 billion for foreign financed projects. The budget has a fiscal deficit of K754.8 billion, which is expected to be financed by foreign borrowing amounting to K224.8 billion and K530.1 billion from domestic borrowing.
Schools to reopen next Monday-Task Force
Barely six weeks of school break due to escalating numbers of covid-19, the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19 has announced schools will reopen on February 22, 2021. The Task force made the announcement on Wednesday evening during a press briefing in the capital Lilongwe. Co-chairperson of the task force Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda said the decision is based on reduced positivity rate currently at 16.2% compared to the 30% the country had registered when schools were closed on January 17, 2021. Taking her turn minister of education Agnes NyaLonje said her ministry has been provided with K5 billion to help put in place measures that will help fight the spread of Covid-19 pandemic in schools. “Government will also drill 400 boreholes in primary schools and 240 boreholes in secondary schools to improve sanitation as a number of schools do not have water sources.” Said NyaLonje. NyaLonje also disclosed that government has recruited 2,275 auxiliary teachers to ease pressure on teachers. The education minister also said there will be reprogramming of school calendar and that students will be attending classes in shifts.