Malawi Parliament Adopts Hemp Cultivation Motion

How Malawi Economy Wins Through Industrial Hemp

Industrial Hemp Farm

In a historic way, the Malawi National Assembly on Thursday, 16^th June 2016, adopted a motion legalizing the cultivation of the Industrial Hemp for its economic and health benefits.

Ntchisi North Legislator, Boniface Kadzamira presented the motion which has been appearing in the Order Paper since in February this year but the motion failed to be debated.

Mw Govt. Says Discipline Is Answer To Health Sector Woes

Kumpalume:we are instilling discipline 

Government says instilling discipline in the health sector will help to end current health sector woes.

Minister of Health, Peter Kumpalume said in an interview after listening to the presentation of findings and recommendations from the Parliamentary Health Committee following visits to various districts on quality of health service delivery.

Kumpalume while acknowledging the existence of the problems and issues presented by the Committee, said there is nothing new as the ministry already knows all problems in the sector.

He therefore said the only remedy to put to an end most of the challenges is to brining in discipline in the sector as the Ministry established that the biggest problem is about the attitudes.

“The biggest problem that we face in the health sector is not so much that people are not doing anything. We as the Ministry are addressing those problems” he said 

Then explained; “The biggest problem in the Ministry is not so much say about money, at the end of the day the biggest problem is about the attitudes. 

We have talked about discipline and we have talked about powers concentration at headquarters. But when we had one party state, power was even more concentrated at Capital Hill, and things were working because people knew that there were consequences if they don’t perform and somehow, we have run away from that, and that is kind of discipline that I want to institute in the Ministry of Health”

He said since appointed as head for the ministry, he has successfully instituted discipline especially strong punishments on drug theft as well as for underperformances and that there are indicators that the Ministry is now well disciplined.

“To me by far the biggest problem is the change of attitudes. When the President says let’s have a change of mindset, that is very important because it is only then we can truly transform the health sector.”

He said there are more reforms taking place in the Ministry of Health. Added that there are several achievements including signing of MOU with CHAM, implementation of some of the suggested  areas for health reform, for hospital operations and autonomy have been already been worked on.

Lunguzi

Honorable Juliana Lunguzi, Chairperson for the Parliamentary Health Committee said findings of the Committee following field trips as regards quality of health service delivery established that there are still problems in the health sector.

Unavailability of drugs, lack of enough workers and the need for the autonomy of the central hospitals are among cited problems in the Committee report.

“On equipment and supplies, we found out that in most of our health facilities we get equipment but repairing is a nightmare. We hardly repair our equipment we just dump the equipment, we also don’t have reagents and is an issue that needs to be looked into.” Said Lunguzi

“We are hoping that we will get solutions on how best we can address these issues.” She hoped

The Parliamentary Committee on Health Reform Symposium Agenda, discussed findings of the Health Committee field trips as regards quality of health service delivery, analyzed the Ministry of Health led health reforms and how they address service delivery challenges. 

The meeting also was organized to agree specific actions that need to be covered in the Health Reform process with timeframes and Parliamentary Health Committee oversight.

Former VP Kachali, Kamlepo, Makowa Mwale Questions Put On Hold Until President Avail In The House

The Malawi former Vice President, Khumbo Kachale, Kamlepo Kalua and Everson Andrew Makowa Mwale have joined opposition leader, Lazarus Chakwera by reserving their questions until President Peter Mutharika finds time to avail himself in the House to answer their questions.

Questions directed to President from both Kachali legislature for Mzimba South-West and Kamlepo for Rumphi East are on status of food situation in the country while question from Makowa Mwale for Nkhotakota-South East is on progress to identify a cash crop that replaces tobacco.

Minister of Agriculture, Allan Chiyembekeza was delegated to answer the questions although they were seeking direct reply from the President in the House.

Before reserving his question on Friday afternoon just before the House moved the motion to adjourn Sine Die, former vice president Khumbo Kachali sought guidance of Speaker of the National Assembly, Richard Msowoya if the President act to delegate Minister was not contravening Standing Order of 2013 (201) "Where the President is required to respond to questions in accordance with the provision of section 89 (3C) of the constitution he or she may not delegate such functions to a member of Cabinet." 

However, Speaker guided Kachali that the cited section of Constitution provision, chapter 89 .3 further indicates that the President shall respond to questions only when he is addressing the House each year before the consideration of the official budget where he report on the future policies of Government and the policies of the previous year.

“That is what in Parliamentary language is termed as State of the National Address. And during that time the President shall not delegate questions." He said, "Under any other provision, whether the House does request the president to come through resolution or would like the president to come at any point to answer a question not related to provision 89 .3, he is allowed to delegate the questions.” Clarified the Speaker

Accepting the ruling by the speaker, Khumbo said "I will reserve my question until when I see the President in this Honorable House. I know he is a busy person but he will find time"

Kalua: President not to Minister 

When time came for Kamlepo Kalua to ask his question, he  stood to say; "My question is to ask the President not a Minister, to explain to the Nation, the President not the Minister, through this House about the food situation in this country. The President, not the Minister." He said, "And I will go with the decision of the other two speakers that it will be a waste of time for me to ask the Minister when I said the President... this question is directed to the President..."

Nkhotakota South East, Everson Andrew Makowa Mwale also opted to chose the decision made by Kachali and Kaua.

“What Nkhotakota-South East was looking for is HE's perspective" he said, "If the Minister replies, there will be some supplementary questions that honorable ministers will be in a position to consult the President to get his perspective on those supplementary questions so I therefore I would like to pend my question until the President avail himself to answer it"

On Wednesday, Leader of Opposition, Lazarus Chakwera also reserved his question to President on the same reason that he would rather wait until such a time the President avail himself in the House to answer the question. 

These reactions prompted Minister of Health Peter Kumpalume to ask Speaker if the House would prefer the President to write response then read in the House by the Minister and if the House feels that the Ministers are too general to answer questions.

Responding to the first question the speaker's said, that will be another form of delegating question.

But the Finance Minister, Goodall Gondwe also stood to express point that it would not dignify the President to come in the House to answer questions because there would be some follow up questions that may just be asked to humiliate the President.

Health Minister Says No Homosexuality Ties In Global Fund Grant

Some Legislatures suspects Malawi Government accepted Homosexuality as condition to obtain Global Fund grant money signed a month ago in Lilongwe.

Parliamentarian from Lilongwe Msodzi South Vitus Dzoole Mwale was a first member to ask the Minister of Health to provide clarification on the matter.

Minister of Health, Peter Kumpalume downplayed the suspicions saying there is no single condition relating to homosexuality in the Global Fund Grant money.

The parliamentarians raised concerns during the continuation of the debate on the State of the National Address delivered by President Peter Mutharika on Friday 6th November.

“Global Fund does not place on us any obligation to accept homosexuality at all in giving us money to combat HIV/AIDS in Malawi." Clarifies Kumpalume

"The Ministry of Health is in the job of helping people at the point of need. We do not ask how people got their HIV from, we simply treat them.” he said

He then explained that “We as a country when we ask for money for the particular programme we tell them exactly what we want to use that money for but nothing to do with legalizing homosexuality. Global Fund does not ask for that it just give the money for the purpose we ask for.”

Global Fund assistance is used for the fight of Malaria, HIV and Tuberculosis (TB). 

In October, Global Fund gave Malawi US$378 million towards the fight of HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

US$346 million is for HIV and TB while US$32 million is for the fight against malaria. 

President Peter Mutharika signedd Partnership and Acknowledgement of Grants Agreement with the Executive Director of the Global Fund, Mark Dybul, at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.

The US$ 378 million support is the largest allocation that the Global Fund has made anywhere in the world and President Peter Mutharika said the support will save millions of lives of people.