Kalindo Brings Lighter Moments In The House; Voluntarily Explains His Absence And Denounce President, Speaker Resignation Calls

There were some lighter moments at the very beginning of the Monday sitting in the National Assembly when Mulanje South legislature dramatised his two week absence and condemnation of resignation calls for Malawi President and the Speaker of the National Assembly.

LL City Mayor Commends DAPP TTC For Cross-border Education Tour Programme

Mayor Chaponders posing with DAPP students 

Students will travel by buses 

Lilongwe City Mayor, has commended DAPP Malawi Teacher Training College (DAPP TTC) for being the first teacher school in the country embarking cross-border education tour programme for its students.

His Worship, Willie Chapondera made the remarks in Lilongwe on Friday at a send off ceremony of Mzimba DAPP TTC students who are among a total of 354 first year students from four DAPP TTC’s who are on their three months education tour to some African Countries.

The first year students from all four DAPP TTC compasses are now spread across the country visiting various districts for three weeks beginning 1st March this year, and will leave the country in two weeks time for Zambia, Botswana and return through Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

Chapondera

Speaking to Mzimba students who are visiting Lilongwe and other districts, His Worship Chapondera said he was pleased to note that DAPP TTC has included international field trips for the students.

"Education tours like this one are very important and must be encouraged because they assist learners come into direct contact with a different environment or even a new culture or language.” He said

He mentioned that educational trips stimulate learning beyond what textbooks can provide to the learning environment and has also encouraged the traveling students to make the most of the trip as well as carry Malawi flag wherever they go.

“It is very encouraging that DAPP is taking these students to various countries. We know that these students will gain a lot of knowledge within this three months period because they will be sharing experiences with other students as well as observing and learning about other things also" Said Chapondera later in an interview

Nozipho

Partnership Officer for DAPP Malawi, Nozipho Mguquka, said DAPP introduced this tour programe in 2013 as part of the first year students training called Crossing the Rubicon. She emphasized that these tours are very important because students are offered opportunity not only just to travel to Southern African countries but as well learn different things including on economic development, traditions, education, political systems and the basic facts about the countries.

“At DAPP Teachers Training College we appreciate the importance of educational tours and this is why we always make sure that we organize tours to other countries in order to give our students exposure.” said Mguquka

Some of the students meeting with Mayor 

Mguquka said these tours are helping in academic performance of students and that through experiences and knowledge learn from such trips some who completed their studies at DAPP have introduced various initiatives including adult literacy education to rural communities they are working as primary schools teachers.

Among others, she also indicated that the 354 students will travel by buses and will visit historical sites, learn about countries they are visiting and share experiences with other schools.

DAPP Malawi has four primary school Teacher Training Colleges; Amalika, Chilangoma, Dowa and Mzimba.

ACB Hiding K4 Billion Cashgate Document In Kalonga Case From DPP Office

Mary Kachale; DPP

The office of Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) has asked court to compel sister institution, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) to release document belonging to former Chief of Tourism Leonard Kalonga, that details the distribution of K4 billion among Cashgate beneficiaries.

Kalonga was convicted following his guilty plea on conspiracy to defraud government using forged documents and paid the money to bogus suppliers. Charges includes money laundering of K520 million where he facilitated, a baited and aided acquisition of 6 Marcopolo Scania buses of Paul Mphwiyo and Money laundering which were proceeds of serious crime between April and September 2013 with other persons to a tune of K3, 252, 225 billion.

On Monday, DPP, Mary Kachale informed court that ACB investigators are keeping the document which details distribution of K4 billion among cashgate beneficiaries which Kalonga had provided during 22nd October 2013 interrogation.

Kachale said attempts by her office to get the document from ACB yielded nothing for almost a year now.

Speaking in an interview, Kachale said since her office does not have powers to compel ACB to produce any document to her office, the court would be an appropriate institution at this time to force ACB release that document to her office.

She said her office is very keen to see the document and therefore could not wait and be silent any longer when several attempts to ask ACB to produce the document internally yielded nothing.

“If a document was found with Leonard Kalonga that had distribution of K4 billion, we are interested to know what did that document say, and to whom…”

She emphasized that her decision to ask the court to intervene was not to turn on her sister institution, but “this is justice” and they “just need the truth” 

While emphasizing that she waited long enough and could not remain silent as Director of Public Prosecution, Kachale also did admit that the defense has been asking the State why it never disclosed that document to court.

“When Kalonga was pleading guilty his lawyers did ask why the state never disclosed the document that was found in the office and the House of their client. We committed we are going to investigate and find out but those investigations have yielded nothing, that’s why I brought it up in court to say the court should assist” she said 

Kachale has also put to question the the failure of the ACB Investigators to disclose such an important document to DPP office. She further raised her perplex questions on whether if or not there is need for powers of her office on ACB investigations.

   

“You have noticed that we work very well with the prosecutors in ACB. There is power that the Director of Public Prosecution has a say in what prosecutors in the ACB do under the consent, but Investigators in the ACB are not answerable in any way to the Director of Public Prosecution. So, may be this calls into question that I always ask; who watches the watchmen, who polices the investigators?

Should the office of the Director of Public Prosecution, may be have some powers also in terms of evidence? ….It’s a difficult question I am raising now I know am raising it deliberately because it has taken us one year and there about to try to get that document but we are not getting it.”

CashGate Case: State, Defense Differs On Kalonga Sentencing Submissions Facts: Court Reserves Ruling To Wednesday

The High Court in Lilongwe has reserved its ruling to Wednesday on differences on the facts relating to sentence submissions between the State and Defense in the cashgate case of former Chief of Tourism, Leonard Kalonga.

Kalonga was convicted following his own guilty plea for defrauding government money more than K3 billion between April and September 2013.

In their submission, the defense claims that the convict had wanted to plead guilty at an earlier stage but the state (both DPP office and Anti Corruption Bureau ACB) had prevented him from doing so. But state is fighting back saying the claim is not true.

If the accused person at a very early stage pleads guilty, indicates other more offenses that were committed than were charged and cooperates with investigations, can have a lesser sentence unlike when someone plead guilty after the state has done all the work to prove someone guilty.

Now, the court has adjourned the case to Wednesday to deliver its determination whether or not the dispute is substantive enough to hear the witnesses. This followed State application of Newton Hearing for it to respond to the claims by defense as well as enable the court to have a clear factual basis for sentence.

Kachale

According to Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mary Kachale said at this stage, if the Judge decides to hear the facts in dispute which are essential for sentencing after Kalonga plea of guilty, means there would be ‘Newton Hearing’ whereby court will hear witnesses on facts that parties are disagreeing on.

Defense lawyer Emmanuel Theu told court that the Newton hearing application was unnecessary.

But Kachale said the state is prepared to have witnesses from ACB and DPP office to prove that the defense claims are not true. 

“If indeed it would transpire that it is true then let the court be the one to determine that, but we cannot allow such an allegation to just go without making attempts to dispute them.” Said Kachale

“We have been hearing too many allegations of perverting the course of justice. Now what we are saying and what I am saying as Director of Public Prosecution is that the submissions made by the defense seems to imply as if the office of the Director of Public Prosecution or the ACB were perverting the course of justice in preventing Leonard Kalonga from pleading guilty at an early stage. That’s too serious allegation to leave without disputing. 

If indeed Mr. Kalonga has the good course to do that then let Malawians know the truth through the court.”

PP Says First Half Of 2015/16 Budget Underperfomed

Jooma

The opposition People's Party (PP) says it does not agree with Finance Minister claim that the the performance of budget in the first half of 2015 to 2016 fiscal year was good.

When delivering Midyear budget statement in the National Assembly, Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe informed the House that "The performance of the budget this year has been better than before except for the projected expenditure on FISP." 

He said the bulk of expenditure on FISP relates to the imports of fertilizers and in view of the escalated deep depreciation of the currency and the cost of procuring fertilizers.

However, People's Party spokesperson on finance matters in the National Assembly, Ralph Jooma said the performance of the first half of the budget was not all well.

“Am not of the same view, because the minister has already stated that he has underperformed on FISP side by K26 billion. So, that means that the Minister will have to be forced to borrow domestically in order to pay for the FISP.

If you have got arrears it doesn’t mean that you are performing well, if you haven’t spend and yet you are owing your people, is just a question of when you are going to pay them. So it’s not performing well it’s actually just a postponement of an underperformance.” 

Kabwila, Chakhwantha Bail Bond Extended: Fears Treason Case

Malawi Police have left two Malawi Congress Party (MCP) legislatures, Jessie Kabwila and Peter Chakhwantha in panic after informing them on Friday that their bail bond has been extended to 18th March 2016.

As a condition to their bail, Salima North-west legislature Kabwila and Lilongwe South-West legislature, Chakhwantha on Friday appeared at Area 30 Police Headquarters and were left gob-smacked to hear that their bail has been extended and should appear again to Police on 18th March. 

MCP supporters on Monday evening following
Kabwira arrest

Kabwila, spokesperson for MCP and Chairperson for Women Caucus in Parliament was arrested on Monday on her way to Germany Embassy to seek asylum while Chakhwantha, Chairperson of Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament surrendered himself to Police on Tuesday and were both charged with treason over Whatsapp conversation. However, Inspector General of Police Lexten Kachama on Wednesday clarified that the two were only called for cautioning and were never charged with any offense.

The two legislatures said they are surprised that Director of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has contradicted Police IG’s earlier statement regarding the arrests by extending their bail.

“We waited there for an hour then we were ushered into the office of the Director of the CID, it is where we got the shock of our lives where they told us that they are going to extend our bail bond to 18th March the very same day this House (National Assembly Meeting) will be rising.” Explains Chakhwantha

Chakhwantha reacted that the extension of this bail is a confirmation that Police would like to pursue Treason case against them

“This is something very strange because we understand that the IG had told the nation that we were never arrested and we are not on any charge so far, so by way of extending the bail bond we take it that legally what he said is has been contradicted by his own junior officers. 

By the extension of this bail bond we deem that we are indeed were formally charged and we are under arrest and as we are, we are suspects” said Chakhwantha waiting to hear what would be the next step by Police on 18th March

On her part, Kabwila expressed concern that these charges are preventing them from attending to important matters in National Assembly citing Friday as an example whereby as they were at Area 30, the House was listening to Minister of Finance presenting Midyear budget statement.

“You hear Police IG stating that there is no case and hear Area 30 Police saying we are extending your bail, so we don’t understand as who is telling the truth.” Reacted Kabwila

Kabwila said the bail extension is Government plan to keep them off from talking about the hunger in this country.

“To tell the truth what this is all about is trying to keep Malawi Congress Party quite because people know that what Malawi Congress Party has been saying that this Government has not handled the hunger that we kept on saying is looming for so long. And it is not by accident that we had to go and do this bail on the day that Minister of Finance was presenting his estimates and we missed that.” She said

The Case will cost public money 

Kabwila warned that their arrests will costs Malawians tax because at the end the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) will compensate them just like it is planning to do with the ‘July 20 victim’ families. 

“DPP Government seems to be bent on misusing taxpayer’s money because they are paying people for mistakes they did and now look at what they are doing to us. This is also another self inflicted pain on the state. We don’t have resources, why should we have a Government that is so good at making mistakes and costing the public money, now they are even costing public its legislatures.” Said Kabwila who described DPP government as clueless and the charges are ridiculous 

The two MP's also said their appearance at Area 30 Police Headquarters was violation of assurance of Legislatures immunity and privileges as made in the National Assembly by Leader of House Francis Kasaila that Police will follow procedures that are established as to how they can deal with members of Parliament once found on the other side of the law.

“What is happening now is that, apart from that commitment, the IG also came in the open and said there are no charges. And today behind the back of the speaker, they call his children to Area 30 and extend the bail bonds. This is where we are saying something very fishy is being cooked up and we are saying this Government does not even care whether there would be consequences in terms of monetary compensations at the end of the day as they have already demonstrated that they are now currently paying the 20 July victims with Millions of money’s. So what will happen to us?” asked Chakhwantha 

But Kabwila said their arrests means police are getting orders from politicians and that DPP Government does not believe in independence of institutions

Opposition PP, MCP Vary Opinion On Budget Reduction

Gondwe; Revised budget downwards

The two main opposition political parties in the National Assembly are holding varied views regarding the announced proposal to reduce the 2015/16 budget by K23.7 billion for the second half of the fiscal year.

People’s Party (PP) says the reduction of the approved budget of K929.7 billion will create more problems than solving them as Malawi Congress Party (MCP) welcome the move but only skeptical over promises that the country should expect good economic environment soon.

Minister of Finance, Goodall Gondwe announced on Friday in the National Assembly that Government has decided to revise downwards the 2015/16 budget for the upcoming second half of the fiscal year with cuts in some areas and prioritization on resources for important matters including food.

Finance spokesperson for PP in the National Assembly, Ralph Jooma said in an interview that it is sad to hear that Government would like to revise downwards the budget instead of asking the House to revise the budget upwards since the original budget value has been reduced by half due to devaluating local currency.

“We don’t welcome the reduction as PP, we should have been expecting an increase to total budget because the Malawi Kwacha has already lost its value.” He said 

PP is worried that original K930 billion budget passed in July was framed when Malawi Kwacha was pegged at K400 to a dollar. Now that Kwacha has depreciated by 100 percent where it is now being changed to a dollar at close to K800, the same amount can only pay half of the planned activities.

“Therefore we should have expected the Budget to be improved upwards in Malawi Kwacha if we are to achieve the objectives of this budget but coming here and say that the budget is being reduced even in Malawi Kwacha is a mockery and it is a disappointment to Malawians. What we expect is that people’s expectations will not be met, this budget will not achieve its objectives and it is a total waste of financial year for Malawian” said Jooma

Chakwera

However, Leader of Opposition Parties in Parliament and President of Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Lazarus Chakwera gave thumbs up for the Minister decision to revise the budget downwards.

He said his party was happy to hear the Minister admitting in his statement that things are not well in this country and more money will be borrowed for hunger response.

The MCP President said some of the promises in the statement including on stabilizing economy were not new yet nothing is happening  “But you will recall that in the past they have given us this week this month’s; staff like that. They tell us that there is hope at the end of the tunnel, I hope it is not an oncoming trend”

“There is not much that is new really” Chakwera added

He continued; “The performance of this administration leaves a lot to be desired and so because of the past history it is kind of hard to tell that they are now telling us the truth. We will have to wait and see” 

Gondwe led into the chamber

Minister of Finance when delivering his statement on Friday did admit that the economy is still passing through turbulent times. 

“I regret that we have not yet established a stable macroeconomic environment in which low inflation and interest rates prevail, and where the variability of the exchange rate is narrow and predictable.” He said 

Gondwe informed the House that Inflation has stubbornly remained high since the shock devaluation of 2012, apart from a short period between May 2014 to April 2015 when inflation decelerated to 18.2 percent, thereafter it has kept on crawling up to 24.9 per cent in December 2015.

But he assumingly said last month’s decline of the rate of inflation to 23.5 percent is a welcome sign of light at the end of the tunnel. 

“In general however, the rate has remained high at an average of 23 percent during the period in question. In the circumstances, interest rates have also remained high, with the policy interest rate at the Reserve Bank of Malawi remaining for a long time at 25 percent, and lately increased further back to 27percent. In tandem, prime lending interest rates at commercial banks have also remained painfully high.” He noted

Gondwe then touched on the power of the local currency which is facing sharp decline against major trading currencies. He offered hope that the point of equilibrium for the exchange rate has been reached already since free floating exchange rate policy was adopted in May 2012 and “it is therefore expected that the rate should stabilise soon and those speculations that are perpetuating the depreciation should take note of this."