Mutharika State of National Address Not Explicit Says PAC

Rev Dr. Felix Chingota

Public Affairs Committee (PAC) says President Peter Mutharika's State of National Address was not explicit to inform Malawians of critical developments taking place in the country.

President Mutharika delivered a long speech in Parliament as he opened the 2015/2016 Budget Session. Mutharika talked a number of issues taking place in the country from almost every government department and ministry. He also said his administration has already began delivering campaign promises.

But, Rev. Dr. Felix Chingota Chairperson for PAC said the speech lacked focus hence his speech style of covering everything. He said this has therefore left people in suspense as his lengthy speech failed to articulate in detailed form on each point he made.

“There was kind of a uniform way of presentation, he would pick up a ministry looking at what has been achieved so far and then looking what they are planning to do and was picking every government department and ministry.”

“Simply from a formalistic point of view in terms of looking backward and looking forward I think it was oky.” said Chingota, then daid “However, one would have thought that picking up critical areas would have been better, it was a long speech but in certain areas one would ask if that was worth reporting."

"So picking only very critical issues would be very important and dwell on them, elaborate more rather than speak on each and every item and therefore not speak in detail of those issues.” 

The Public Affairs Committee chairperson also noted that although Mutharika mentioned number of issues including xenophobia and floods but failed also to talk of sale of Malawi Savings Bank issue which is topical now and was not explicit on user fees in public hospitals.

The PAC chair however said, commended President his elaborative explanation on the issue of Devolution and Empowering Local Authorities.

"Since it was mentioned we are very happy because it is an issue that we have been advocating for. There should be devolution in terms of activities and that the local authorities should be given a lot of power so that they can manage affairs. This will also ensure that development should be closer to the people."

Chingota however, mentioned that "So it has been mentioned I just hope that it will not be a matter of rhetoric but also it will be implemented”

He also encouraged members of parliament to be thorough when making scrutiny to each and every item they are presented in the national assembly warning that "Otherwise we may spend money on not so much important issues”

Peacock Seed Company Joins Media In Charity Work

Peacock Seeds 

As the Media was celebrating for World Press Freedom Day, Peacock Seeds Company supported Media Institute for Southern Africa, Malawi chapter (MISA MALAWI) with a donation of maize seeds worth K500 thousand Kwacha.

The support was meant to be part of MISA Malawi's donation to Rumphi hospital and for the 250 flood victims in Rumphi district.

"Having realised that MISA is donating few items to flood victims in Rumphi Peacock decided that it should intervene by contributing more to what MISA is going to donate to flood victims." said Innocent Jumbe Director for Production at Peacock Seeds Company, "In this context we are trying to look at peoples welfare. We are donating seeds so that they will plant in their fields, they will do inter cropping and then after three months we believe that these people will get something out of these seeds  if they really want to survive from the loss hey have experienced through floods."

Innocent Jumbe unpacking the seeds

The donated maize seeds to MISA Malawi chapter is half a tonne (that is 250 packs each weighing 2kgs amounting totaling to 500kgs)

Jumbe said "We have donated these seeds with hope that it will really get to the people and we will also follow up through MISA Malawi chapter and through any other means to make sure that the seed goes to the people and that people themselves should benefit from this donation."

Adrian Kwelepeta Recording Second Album

The young talented music artist, Adrian Kwelepeta is back in the studio recording his second album and at the same time is doing an EP project.

In an interview, he confirm to be in the studio recording his second album but the title is not yet decided “Am pretty sure that after am done recording this album I might decide the title to it.” he said

2 Nigerian Nationals Arrested In Malawi for Cocaine, Fake Currency

Two Nigerians nationals are in police custody in Lilongwe for being found in possession of Illegal drugs suspected to be Cocaine and fake local currency.

Police Public Relations Officer Inspector Kingsley Dandaula said the two men were arrested following a tipp-off that they were in dangerous drug business in the capital, Lilongwe.

The two have been identified as Emmanuel Uche and Izuchuku Ekemezia. Both are business men who owns shops in Lilongwe.

Inspector Kingsley Dandaula said when Police CIDs received information that two Nigerian nationals are involved in selling of dangerous drugs they did not hesitate to follow up the matter and made arrests immediately.

Dandaula said one man Emmanuel Uche aged 34, from Nigeria was arrested in Mchesi and was the one found with fake currency

"In the course of searching for the drugs CID officers found one thousand kwacha bank notes amounting to K11,000 but are suspected to be fake."

"Later officers went to area 47 where another accomplice Laurence Izuchuku Ekemezia aged 32 from Nigeria lives" said Lilongwe Police PRO

"After search, police found substance suspected to be Cocaine but we have not yet weighed the substance."

Inspector Dandaula has indicated that police have sent the suspected fake money to Reserve Bank for examination.

As for the suspected cocaine, Pharmacy and Poisons Board are also doing their examination.

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.