2 Primary School Head Teachers Arrested Over Cheating

This year's Standard Eight MANEB Examinations register a single cheating case involving two primary schools in in Nambuma, Dowa district, but the institution is still following up other tip offs on suspected organised cheating in other schools.

Public Relations Officer for Malawi Examinations Board (MANEB), Mr Simeon Maganga in a statement released Saturday morning says findings from investigations by MANEB in conjunction with the police following tip offs from members of the public on suspected organised cheating in some schools, has led to the arrest of Head Teacher at Chisepo Primary School, Mr Gideon Kalinde, aged 42; and Head Teacher of Chinzili Primary School, Mr Steven Sajeni, aged 43, as their act was contrary to MANEB (Amendment) Act, 2003, Section 14.

Maganga says MANEB preliminary investigations revealed that Head teachers of Chisepo and Chinzili Primary Schools had been meeting in the staffroom at Chinzili Primary School, strategising on how to assist their candidates says Maganga

Maganga says findings indicated that they drew up a budget of K15,400 to feed invigilators and this was financed by candidates from both schools who paid K500 each.

MANEB further discovered that the Head Teacher of Chisepo Primary School collected K21,000 from his candidates says Maganga who indicated that MANEB is yet to establish how much the Head Teacher of Chinzili Primary School collected.

MANEB PRO has since said the two head teachers will be taken to court soon but investigations on the matter continues

The Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) administered the 2015 Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) examination to standard eight pupils from Wednesday 6th May to Friday 8th May where about 290,000 prospective candidates had registered to sit for the examination.

The statement says administration of this examination was successful saying there was no leakage.

Guard Breaks Into Court Store For 36 Bags of Marijuana

A 32 year old man who worked as a watchman for Salima district court is in police hands for allegedly stealing 36 bags of Marijuana (Indian Hemp) from a court store.

Yeremia Harry aged 32 was a guard at the court till the morning of 8th May when court clerks noticed that someone broke into the storeroom and that 36 bags of Marijuana to be tendered in court were missing.

Sub Inspector Gift Chitowe a Salima Police Public Relations Officer said police considered the guard as the first suspect.

"He in the company of other unknown criminals in the night of 7th May 2015, broke into the Salima court storeroom and went away with 36 bags of Indian Hemp weighing 536 kilogram's." confirmed Chitowe

The police officer has however said the suspect is still denying to have committed the offense.

"When we were interviewing the suspect he did not accept to have committed the offense but from what we have seen, he was the one guarding the place and was entitled to safeguard whatever was there that is why we have arrested him as we are still hunting for other suspects in this matter" said Chitowe

Yeremia Harry is expected to appear in court to answer charges of breaking into a building and commit a felony therein charges says Sub Inspector Chitowe

The suspect hails from Mfuti village of T/A Kalinga in Salima district.

A Female Pastor Dump's Her Newly Born Child To Save God

• A 41 year old female pastor was Leading Mvera Assemblies of God Church 

• Dumped the child for fear of being fired 

Sgt Richard Kaponda: The female pastor is in
Police custody and the baby is fine

A female Pastor of Assemblies of God Church in Mvera , has dumped her newly born baby boy, but the baby weighing 3.6kgs is in good health at Mvera Hospital as a 41 year old mom is in police custody in Dowa district.

The baby boy has survived after members of community found him crying in a bush and was taken to Mvera hospital immediately, says Dowa Police Public Relations Officer Sergeant Richard Kaponda who identified the mother as a pastor leading the congregation at Mvera Assemblies of God Church, Mercy Longwe aged 41 from Chipuza village of T/A Chiwere in Dowa district.

Dowa Police PRO said members of the community found the newly born wrapped in clothes and it was clear that the child was dumped there. 

"After the child was taken to Mvera hospital, police were alerted of the development and our investigation led to the arrest of Mercy Longwe" said Kaponda while confirm that the female pastor confessed she is the owner of the abandoned baby boy.

Sgt Kaponda said Pastor Mercy Longwe (not married) told police that she delivered the child in the bush so that it should be easy to dump the newly born child.

She explained to police that the decision to dump the child came when her boyfriend had earlier denied to support her and the unborn child.

She further told police that, she could have been fired as a pastor if she kept the baby alive, since it would have been considered an offense against church doctrine for unmarried female pastor to bore a child.

Pastor Longer also told police that she kept her pregnancy secret by tighten her stomach and telling lies to those who happen to take notice of it. Said Kaponda, "She said, when someone asks she would claim that it was 'Njodo' (Potbelly)."

"Mercy Longwe will appear in court soon to answer the charge of concealing the birth of a child" says Sgt Kaponda 

President Mutharika's Mention of Women Empowerment in Parliament Excites UN women

President Mutharika

President Peter Mutharika's commitment on women empowerment and promote gender equality is attracting applaud from various institutions as UN Women in Malawi (United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women) says is pleased with his continued commitment in gender issues.

Alice Harding Shackelford Malawi's UN Women country representative says she is impressed that President Mutharika's State of National Address stressed that his government will continue with programmes that empower women and enforce as well as implement  Marriage Bill which he has recently assented 

Alice Harding Shackelford says such commitments from a leader are well come  and encourages other stakeholders to commit themselves in women empowerment issues.

Alice Harding Shackelford pose with
Speaker Richard Msowoya

“His Excellency highlighted the commitment of the government of Malawi to gender equality and women empowerment and I think that for him to reiterate that on regular basis in all his speeches he is so critical." She said 

"He also highlighted that he is the first Head of State in SADC region to sign for He for She campaign and that shows that himself, cabinet and parliament are strongly committed to this. So, I think we are the excellent entry point in this country at this moment to further advance the agenda and ensure that areas of discriminatory and negative attitudes towards women and girls are stopped and we look at enforcing constructive and positive attitudes on these areas.”

Harding further highlighted “I think he also touched on a very critical area, we know the critical legislation has been passed by parliament and he has signed it just recently, The Trafficking in Person Bill and Marriage Bill. But he also emphasized the focus on the enforcement of the law. And I think the enforcement, awareness and capacity building around that have key challenges but we have to work together with the government in the coming months.”

LL Carpark Thieves Nabbed

Toyota Rav4 used in carpark theft 

Police in Lilongwe have arrested two men suspected to be thieves who have been stealing in carparks around Lilongwe shopping centres.

Public Relations Officer for Lilongwe Police, Inspector Kingsley Dandaula while conforming the development said the two suspects have since confessed to be thieves who steal items from vehicles parked at big shopping carparks like, shopprite, Lilongwe City Mall, Crossroads and Gateway Mall.

Toyota corolla vehicle used in car park theft 

He also said three men have been arrested inn connection to the incident after being named by the suspects as buyers for the stolen items.

Dandaula has identified the two suspected carpark thieves as Shamil Osman aged 42 from Mitawa village of T/A Likoswe in Chiradzulu district but stays in Area 36 and Mavuto Mataya aged 28 from Namadzowa village of T/A Mabuka in Mulanje district and stay at Kaphiri.

Two vehicles used in Car Park robberies 

Dandaula said when carrying out theft, the two suspects were using two motor vehicles Toyota Rav4 registration number PE 1769 red in color and Toyota Corolla silver color registration number TO 3064.

The two would park their vehicles next to their target then wait for the victim to come out of the vehicle and go for shopping, said Dandaula.

The police officer said using handmade keys, the two would then open doors of the victims vehicle and went away with various items left inside the vehicle.

Corolla vehicle used in Car Park robbery 

Upon the arrest, police recovered various items including laptop bags, several handmade keys, baby clothes Land Beacon Scanner, Overhead Projector, and cellphones among other items.

The two suspects were arrested during a raid police conducted in Area 36 following a tipp-off from members of general public.

Inspector Dandaula says police investigations are underway.

President Mutharika Is Yet To Deliver Promises says PP

Uladi Mussa

Leader of Peoples Party (PP) in the National Asembly and member of parliament for Salima South, Uladi Mussa says he can't agree with President Mutharika remarks in Parliament that his government is delivering promises made in campaign period.

Mutharika when speaking during official opening of the 2014/2016 Budget Meeting of the National Assembly on Tuesday said his government is laying strong foundation to propel the nation forward.

Mutharika: we are delivering campaign promises

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

Mutharika 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.

“I don’t see anything being delivered in this country and worse in my constituency; no single borehole, no teacher house, no single road. Nothing! What is it that has been delivered?” asked Mussa

“There are only promises from this government as if it is time for campaign." He said and added, "Implementation and funding of the projects being mentioned in his statement is the problem as well.”

This Wednesday afternoon PP is expected together with Malawi Congress Party (MCP) to make a response to the State of National Address delivered by President Mutharika on Tuesday.

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”