Man Gets 8 year Jail Sentence for Possessing Marijuana

Kasungu  First Grade Magistrate Court on Friday  has sentenced Symon Phiri age 46 to serve 8 years imprisonment for being found in possession  of cannabis sativa popularly known as Marijuana or Indian Hemp.

Symon was arrested on 18th April this year after Police got a tip from members of the public that he was keeping  cannabis  in his house said Inspector Edwin Kaunda Kasungu Police Public Relations Officer.

Inspector Kaunda said the man was found with 34 bags of the drug each weighing 50kg.

He pleaded  guilty to charge of being found in possession of cannabis sativa which is contrary to regulation 4(a) of Dangerous drug regulation as read with section 19(1) [subsection 1], of Dangerous Drug Act. 

Police prosecutors also tendered to court the said bags of cannabis sativa before sentencing.

In his submission the state prosecutor Assistant Superintendent Alphas Banda asked the court to give the convict a stiffer punishment because the offence he committed is serious and that the drug is one of the cause of insanity among the youths in the country. 

His worship Damiano agreed with state prosecutor and  gave the convict eight year jail term. 

Symon Phiri comes from Mekembambo village of Sub T/A Chisinga in Kasungu district.

18yr Old 'Malawi Vice President' Impersonator Ends Up In Police Custody

A silly planned idea has ended up young man in Lilongwe trip himself up into police custody, he pretended to be Malawi's Vice President 'Saulos Klaus Chilima'. He called police officer and order a release of his father from police cell.

The young man aged 18 who resides in Area 25, has since been arrested says Kanengo Police Public Relations Officer, Sergeant Esther Mkwanda.

Sgt Mkwanda has identified the impersonator as Frederick Chiwere of Chiwere village from T/A Chiwere in Dowa district and says police have charged him with offense of Giving false information.

According to Kanengo Police PRO, Frederick father, Mr. Munde Chiwere, was arrested on Wednesday for receiving stolen properties which were found in his house and is in police custody. But later that evening Kanengo Police Station Officer got a  call from a person claiming to be the 'Vice President of Malawi (Mr. Saulosi Chilima).'

Sgt Mkwanda said the 'Vice President' told the police officer that Mr. Matewere being detained in their custody was his uncle.

"He claimed Mr. Munde Chiwere is his uncle and ordered an immediate release of him in our custody"

"We began to investigate on this suspicious call and try to identify the caller. So our investigations revealed that the caller was only impersonating the Vice President and we manage to arrested him but to find that he was a son to our suspect Mr. Matewere." Explains Kanengo Police PRO

Then Sergeant Mkwanda said the young man, Frederick Matewere who is currently in custody, is to appear before Mkukula Magistrate Court this Friday 24 April 2015 where he will be answering charges of giving false information to a person employed by public service, an offence which is contrary to section 122 of the penal code and attracts a sentence of five years imprisonment.

"He has accepted to have committed the offense and was unable to say reasons for making the lie" said Sgt Mkwanda

Malawi Confirm Third Death in South Africa's Xenophobia Violence

 One more Malawian confirmed dead in South Africa's Xenophobic violence bringing total number of Malawian casualties in the ongoing bloody attacks against foreign African nationals to three (3).

Malawi Government in a statement confirms the death of the man Charles Toni aged 24 years and he hails from Chipole Village, Traditional Authority Maganga in Salima District. 

Kondwani Nankhumwa 

Information, Tourism and Culture Minister Kondwani Nankhumwa says the deceased was stabbed to death in Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa on 22nd April, 2015 and was laid to rest on 23rd April, 2015.

The Malawi Government Spokesperson further says the Government of Malawi through its High Commission office in South Africa, is still trying to establish the facts surrounding the death of another Malawian reportedly run over by a moving train in South Africa.

Nankhumwa says the circumstances surrounding his death will be made available as soon government establishes more facts on the matter.

The Government of Malawi continues to repatriate Malawians who have been affected by xenophobic attacks in South Africa as eight (8) more buses will arrive this Friday, 24th April, 2015 with 532 returnees.

However, the Information Minister says the buses were initially carrying 509 returnees from Durban but when they got to Beit Bridge in South Africa they came across and picked up 23 Malawians who were stranded there without proper travel documents.

EU Projects In Malawi Making Positive Impact To Communities

• Five EU Member States Diplomats says are Impressed with Projects in Malawi

• The Ambassadors visited several projects before meeting CSOs, Private Sector and Legislatures 

The European Union (EU) Diplomats says EU is making positive impact to lives of Malawians through its funded projects being implemented in some parts of the country.

Five EU Member States Diplomats were in Malawi to assess its development projects including appreciate political situation and meet government officials, members of parliament, private sector and civil society.

After four day visits to EU projects sites, five senior resident and non-resident EU Member States Ambassadors of Finland, Italy, Spain, Ireland and Belgium have all expressed satisfaction of how EU projects are positively playing a key role in Malawi communities. 

At a press conference in the capital, Lilongwe, Head of EU delegation to the Republic of Malawi, Ambassador Marchel Gerrmann said the visit was very important for member states and ambassadors from five countries whom he described as ‘shareholders of EU’ to see firsthand and share quite a number of good results of EU projects in Malawi.

“They need to be convinced of what we are doing is a right thing, that we are really helping alleviate poverty of Malawians and support the government in doing that” said ambassador Gerrmann

Finland Ambassador to Lusaka, Timo Olkkonen also accredited to Malawi and Zimbabwe says the EU money in Malawi is being channeled for the good use after observing that every project being implemented is bringing positive impact among lives of Malawians.

“What we have seen here is that the EU money in my opinion is targeted to the right sectors and strategically important sectors like agriculture, forestry, human rights and democratic processes” said ambassador Olkkonen whose remark were echoed by Italian ambassador to Lusaka, Pier Mario Darco.

“What we saw on the activities taking place in Malawi, am quite confident also that we are reaching results with that funding. So, at least for me this was a very positive experience and in the sense that the European tax payers money are put in the good use” 

But the Finish Ambassador has pointed out rapid population growth as one critical issue that Malawi has to address a point which Spain Acting Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Komena Tarmori agrees and also mentioned that the government is ready to support Malawi in several investments areas.

On her part, the Irish Ambassador to Malawi, Ms. Aine Hearns said the field visits to the EU projects has been enlightening moment and was happy to note that the annual 500 km rural road rehabilitation projects are economically empowering communities in transportation of their farm produce to markets as well as assisting women to easily access to hospitals since the roads are passable by ambulances.

And the Belgium ambassador to Dar Es Salaam, Koen Adam who also said he is impressed with development projects in Malawi, promised that Belgium is committed to continue assisting Malawi in agriculture.

The delegation has further expressed satisfaction in projects on civic education, Agriculture Sector Wide Approach project which is supporting in food security, rehabilitation of Kanengo grain silo upgrade a project which with EU intervention the ambassadors says there is much more efficient usage of the storage of grain, and on sustainable management of forests.

The delegation also hails Malawi civil society organizations for being active and in good terms with government.

Malawi Inflation Down By 1.5% In March

February 2015 

Malawi has registered another improvement in the month of March as the inflation ease by 1.5% similar to last month rates.

The National Statistical Office on its website indicates Malawi Consumer Price Indices (CPI) Dashboard for March 2015 has registered a reduction as the headline inflation for March 2015 shows now stands at 18.2 percent a decrease of 1.5 percent from last month (February 2015) where the rates were at 19.7%

The decrease is also an improvement from headline inflation of 24.0 percent for the same period last year (March 2014).

NSO indicates this is a result of decrease in both food and non-food commodities. 

The urban and rural rates stand at 19.7 percent and 18.0 percent respectively from 22.5 percent and 19.0 percent respectively last in February.

Now, overall, food inflation stands at 17.0 percent from 19.0 percent in February 2015. Food inflation has decreased due to continuous low prices of various food items while the decrease in non-food inflation is still emanating from mainly the effects of decline in fuel prices.

Malawi Public Sector Reforms Remedy To Get Economy Back- EU

A delegation to Malawi of five European Union (EU) Member States Diplomats has promised to support implementation of the Malawi Government reform agenda saying these reforms are a promising path to sustainable economic growth for the country.

The five Senior Diplomats of EU Member States of Finland, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Ireland had on Tuesday met Malawi Vice President Hon Saulos Claus Chilima as they were about to conclude a four day visit to Malawi to appreciate number of projects being Funded by EU. 

EU Head of Delegation to Republic of Malawi, Ambassador Marchel Gerrmann at a press conference on Wednesday in Lilongwe said their encounter with the vice president was fruitful because the EU got an over view of what Malawi government is doing.

He said the issue being pursued by Malawi Government on reforming the Public Sector is the way to go and the EU is ready to help in the implementation.

Malawi government is implementing the Public Sector Reforms in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness in public institutions. 

“With the Vice President we discussed mainly the reform agenda of the government in terms of public sector reform and the public finance management reforms. The vice president gave an overview the current state of affairs.” Said ambassador Gerrmann

“From our side, we have commended the government for launching these reforms and we have also committed ourselves to support government in the implementation because at the end of the day implementation of those reforms is needed to get Malawi back on the path to sustainable growth.”

“We are ready to assist and we are assisting and we are working closely with the Government to do that and it was a positive meeting as well.” He added

On his part the Ambassador Koen Adam of Belgium based in Tanzania also said was impressed with the reforms being championed by Malawi Government but emphasized that the implementation is very crucial.

The Belgium Ambassador further hailed the Malawi National Assembly for its diligence in promotion of constitution and democracy in the country.

"Xenophobic Attacks Tantamount to Boko Haram Acts" Malawi Human Rights Activists Threatens To Report South Africa To ICC, UN

A human rights activist and executive director for Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), Timothy Mtambo says Malawi Civil Society Organisations will seek help from international organisations on human rights to investigate the Government of South Africa it fail to stop to an end the ongoing bloody attacks against African immigrants.

Mtambo and other human rights activists including politicians have on Tuesday presented a petition to South African embassy in Malawi calling the immediate halt of the Xenophobia attacks against African immigrants a bloody violence which has killed more than five people including two Malawians. The petition which was received by South African high commissioner to Malawi, Ambassador Cassandra Mbuyane Mokone has threatened boycott South African products and businesses once no concrete steps are taken to end the violence. 

In an interview, the human rights activist Timothy Mtambo said apart from action to boycott any product and services which are South African once the violence continues, Malawi CSO's will be left with no other option but also to mobilise themselves to report South African Government for atrocities being committed through its citizens to international human rights institutions like International Criminal Court (ICC), United Nations (UN) And African Court of Justice and Human Rights saying South Africa is commiting crimes of the highest order.

“As civil society we will be watching, if we see that the South African Government is not handling this issue seriously we have other forums to complain to” said Mtambo who mentioned International Criminal Court saying such acts taking place in South Africa are "crimes against humanity! People have been killed” he said 

"We will mobilize ourselves to complain before ICC or United Nations (UN) which Malawi is signatory so that they can intervene and investigate the South African Government." 

Disapointed with reports of violence in South Africa, Timothy Mtambo has also branded xenophobia violence in South Africa as tantamount to Boko Haram acts, "They are both killing people so for us there is no deference and the way we condemn Boko Haram we also condemn the Xenophobia in the strongest terms.”

“What is very painful is that this is not first time for xenophobic attacks happening in South Africa, it is very shocking” he said and continued "Why is it that the government of South Africa continue dehumanizing the rights of the people in such a manner through its people?” 

"So, we want the South African government to show leadership, condemn this and make sure that justice is met. The repetition of Xenophobia shows lack of seriousness on the part of South African Government." 

Mtambo added "We citizens of SADC we would like them to make sure that people that have been victimized receive justice and those responsible be punished and xenophobia must end once for all, that should not repeat itself in the history of Africa.

Meanwhile, reports in South Africa indicates that Government is stepping up efforts in ending the violence following deployment of military to support police in Johannesburg township of Alexandra. According to News24, the South African Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula announced on Tuesday that the army will be involved in fostering peace in volatile areas. 

Reports also indicates the tribal leader for Zulu ethnic group King Goodwill Zwelithini, has distances himself from the widespread allegations that he uttered remarks which fueled the Xenophobia violence.

King Goodwill Zwelithini who is being blamed for inciting deadly xenophobic violence in South Africa claimed he was misquoted by media to have uttered words "foreigners must pack their bags and go home" during speech last month. He has since appealed for calm and condemn attacks against foreigners.