We Are Delivering Our Promises-President Mutharika

President Mutharika delivering speech in
Parliament 

President Professor Arthur Peter Mitharika says his government has began delivering promises made during the campaign period.

Mutharika was speaking during official opening of the 2014/2016 Budget Meeting of the National Assembly this Tuesday. 

In his State of the National Address Mutharika says his government is laying strong foundation to propel the nation forward.

President Mutharika greet
Speaker Richard Msowoya

He said his government is already delivering promises even before his first anniversary of his administration. 

He also talked of his continued commitment to ensure that there is tight security in the country, and make Malawi grow economically.

On economic development Mutharika says, his administration has embarked on number of policy reforms particularly on designing sound macroeconomic policies.

He said from such reforms Malawi is projected to register economic growth of up to 6.5% by 2016 regardless of threat originated from flood disaster this year.

President Mutharika great
Opposition leader, MCP
President Lazarus Chakwera

President Mutharika also added that annual inflation is also expected to go down to 12% by 2016.

Meanwhile the speaker of the National Assembly has adjourned the house to Wednesday afternoon where the opposition leaders, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Peoples Party (PP) will make their response. However, the opposition party, United Democratic Front (UDF) is not expected to make any response following decision to move to government side

President Mutharika greet
Hon Atupele Muluzi

Read President Statement in full here

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_djmeY3fFSHLVBINU9xbnV0WEU/view?usp=sharing

Catholic Education Secretaries Wants More Catholic Students in Their Schools

Bishop Martin Mtumbuka: the call not intend to
 bar Non-Catholics in their schools

The Malawi Catholic Church Education Secretaries are advocating for the change in the percentage number of primary school students government sends to Catholic Secondary Schools.

Government has a lion share in the current selection criteria for primary school students to begin secondary school in Catholic Schools. Government selects 60% of students to study in Catholic Girls Secondary schools and 55% of students to study in Catholic Secondary schools.

Diocesan Secretaries from all eight dioceses across the nation have recently raised an observation that current selection criteria which the Ministry of Education selects large proportion of students to catholic schools, minimizes number of catholic students selected to catholic schools.

One of the Diocesan Secretaries from Lilongwe Ach Diocese Katie Nkhoma says there must be 50-50 selection because it will help catholic students to study in catholic schools where they can be nurtured into catholic faith and values.

“When you look at the numbers that goes into our schools from government side you will discover that we only have one catholic student from a whole diocese, and therefore we feel that we are sending very few catholic’s to our schools and this has been our observation in the past four years.” She said

“We need to have 50-50 selection of both girls and boys so that we have equal number of catholic students and government selected students studying in our schools. That will help us to have more catholic’s into our schools because our intention is to form and cultivate the values of our learners into the catholic’s. But with this system a lot of catholic students are left out, they go to government secondary schools and day secondary schools where we don’t have mandate to cultivate the values into them” explained Nkhoma

But the Bishop Chairman for the Catholic Education Commission His Lordship Right Reverend Martin Mtumbuka says the call being made should not be understood as if the church would like to stop non-catholic’s from learning in the Catholics schools.

“Yes the education Secretaries were talking about the aspiration that the number of catholic students selected to catholic schools should be increased but it should not be understood that the catholic bishops don’t want non Catholics in our schools. These schools are for public because we receive grants from government”

But he said, “The research has demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that majority of adult converts to Catholicism are former students of our catholic schools. But I think it’s an our aspiration to say these schools should take more Catholics, a legitimate aspiration but it should never be understood that the catholic church does not want non catholic’s in their schools.”

First Malawi 5Star Hotel

Umodzi Park 5 Star Hotel 

The Umodzi Park precinct in the heart of Malawi's capital of Lilongwe officially opened Friday 1 May 2015.

President Mutharika presided over the opening of the complex includes the world class Bingu Was Mutharika Internal Conference Centre the Presidential Villas and the 5 star President Walmont hotel which is the only Malawi's first five-star hotel.

Mutharika Promise Media Freedom

Journalists at World Press Freedom in Mzuzu

As the Media celebrates the World Press Freedom Day, which comes 3rd May, the State President, Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika joins the local media fraternity in celebrating the day and reiterate his administration

commitment to safeguard the enjoyment of the twin freedoms of speech and of the press for they are part of the axis that anchors democracy.

President Mutharika 

In a statement signed by Government spokesperson hon. Kondwani Nankhumwa says President Mutharika recognise the important work that the media plays in Malawi and, thus, reaffirms his commitment to let journalism thrive because it is an enabler for achieving social economic development, good governance and the rule of law.

President and his Government welcome the theme of this year’s celebrations: “Let journalism thrive: towards better reporting, gender equality, media safety in the digital age and access to information.” It is a theme that rhymes with the principles of the Mutharika administration. Says the statement 

Mutharika has also promised that Government remains committed to creating an environment in which quality journalism can be achieved.

Mutharika further encourages media houses to complement  efforts in promoting gender balance by allowing more women journalists to reach

decision-making positions.

In the statement, Nankhumwa says Government will always play its part to bring about the reforms that encourages the media to freely use Digital technology as a useful tool for

bettering the lives of the people including reviewing all pieces of legislation that impede on their work.

Recognizing that access to information feeds into the wider development objective of empowering people, the statement says the processes of concluding the Acess to Information Bill are being expedited so that it is enacted into law as soon as possible.

AU Asks Malawi to Implement Long Term Measures That Reduce Disaster Effects

Ambassador Fathi Edrees

The African Union (AU) Permanent Representative Committee (PRC) Sub-Committee on Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons has stressed the need for Malawi government and humanitarian actors to step up efforts that reduce the impact of disaster in future.

The delegation composed of three persons led by His Excellency Ambassador Mohamed Fathi Edrees, Ambassador of Egypt to the AU and Ethiopia, were on a four day Humanitarian Assessment and Support Mission, a follow up on the consequences of the floods that occurred in January and resulted in displacement of thousands of Malawians.

The ambassador Mohamed Fathi Edrees after visiting affected areas of Phalombe, Chikwawa and Nsanje where they see for themselves of the magnitude of floods spoke highly that Malawi has to implement programmes that looks at how in future the country can reduce the impact of natural disasters like floods which have affected many Malawians.

He named problems the team has observed among them; diseases, food, shelter and health services then said "Our view is that the efforts should be empowered on both tracks” and named immediate and long term plans as very important aspects to consider.

He said urgent need is required particularly to adress insufficient basic needs and services for the victims. The Ambassador said Malawi must work on long term structured measures  that would increase resilience, preparedness and prevent the impact of natural disasters if the strike again in future so that it does not cause much pain as this year had.

“Of course as we saw the situation on the ground the situation is in the progress. As we have heard from the people the situation is improving but it is far from being over.”

Ambassador Edrees continued, “Still our brothers and sisters in camps have problems which we heard and listened to, and need to be addressed.” 

“But we understand that this situation is one of exceptional magnitude in relation to previous similar incidents this is apparently as we came to learn is one of the toughest strongest and far consequences” he said

Then said “Government level and all actors in the situation efforts should be stepped up to face urgent needs of on the short term and at the same time work on long term durable measures in order to address the long term aspect of this phenomena and prevent the repetition of suffering and painful experience which we witnessed as the aftermath of this dreadful floods.”

The delegation composed of three persons includes Ms Lisa Fergusson-Nicol, Senior Legal Officer at the AUC and, Mr. Cyprien Nthahomvukiye, Humantarian Affairs Officer at the AUC. It is also expected that the assessment mission will inform the PRC Sub-committee on ways to assist the government to effectively respond to the disaster situation.

Research Shows Social Cash Transfer Programme Is Supporting Utra-poor Households

Government says positive strides are being registerd in the Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) observed since its introduction in 2006.

The programme targets 10% ultra-poor and labour constrained families in the national population.

It has an objective of improving resilience and the quality of life of the poor to move out of poverty and vulnerability through increase in school enrolment and attendance, improve health and nutrition of children as well as reducing poverty and hunger among the target group.

Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare honorable Patricia Kaliati says a recent evaluation by Boston University and Centre for Social Research at Chancellor College has shown that the programme currently reaching out to 104,908 households has met its objectives. 

Hon Kaliati says now supported families are among others able to engage in small scale businesses, employ labour in their field as well as have improved nutritional and health status.

"The Social Cash Transfer Programme is effective and has born remarkable impact on the utra-poor and labour constrained houses holds." 

"We have registered improvements in school enrollment and attendance from both primary and secondary school. We have seen people building good houses out of benefits from cash transfer programme, and also these families are able to eat two meals a day." Says Kaliati

Currently the programme is in 18 out of 28 districts in the country and the minister assured that in two year time the government plans to spread it into the remaining districts.

The programme provides monthly cash transfers to the households calculated based on the households structure plus the number of school going children in the beneficiary households.

Cash transferred to household beneficiaries includes school bonus for each child enrolled in primary and secondary school for school related materials such as uniform, notebooks pens and other materials. However the minister has revealed that the transfers provided to beneficiaries is being reviewed to an average of K4,500 per household per month based on cost of living which is yet to be approved.

SCTP is being implemented with financial support from Malawi government, German Government, Irish Government, European Union and World Bank.

AU Donates US$100 Thousand Towards Disaster Response Programme

Symbolic cheque 

The African Union Commission (AU) has assisted Malawi government with a contribution of US$100,000 (US$100 thousand) to help alleviate the impact of the floods on the people of Malawi.

His Excellency Ambassador Mohamed Fathi Edrees, Ambassador of Egypt to the AU and Ethiopia, made the symbolic presentation of the donation through Minister of Information, Tourism and Culture Kondwani Nankhumwa on Thursday evening in the Capital, Lilongwe.

The ambassador Mohamed Fathi Edrees is leading the delegation from the AU Permanent Representative Committee (PRC) Sub-Committee on Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons. The delegation composed of three persons were on a four day Humanitarian Assessment and Support Mission, following up on the consequences of the floods that occurred in January and resulted in displacement of thousands of Malawians. 

The team toured affected areas of Phalombe, Chikwawa and Nsanje districts after meetings with government officials and groups involved in humanitarian assistance to the recent floods.

“One important thing that we wanted to tell all our brothers and sisters here is that you are not alone.” Said Ambassador Mohamed Edresees while making assurance that African family will continue render support to Malawi in addressing some of the problems the floods have brought to the victims.

Ambassador Mohamed Edrees

“We also wanted not to stay at our offices and receive reports and just read and hear. Definitely seeing is not like hearing or reading. So it was important that we have this first hand encounter with the officials, peoples at the sites and different humanitarian actors and to have some sort of a more elaborate and comprehensive understanding of the situation.”

Receiving the donation, Hon Kondwani Nankhumwa said Malawi government is grateful of the kind gesture from the AU saying it will go a long way in the ongoing translocation and rehabilitation process. 

Hon Nankhumwa said the situation is now improving in the flood affected areas and that people will be relocated very soon. He also indicated that in some areas people have begun returning to their homes. 

However, Nankhumwa said currently, government is involved in the process of doing assessment of the damage caused by the floods and the report will be out very soon which will inform the financial resources, materials and technical support needed for the reconstruction and rehabilitation process.

Nkankhumwa has therefore asked governments and organizations to come in and assist Malawi as it is conducting reconstruction and rehabilitation process.