Govt Ministries, Departments Be Creative As Resources Continue To Dwindle

Hon. Wakuda Kaanga: Lets be creative

As Malawi continue to face economic challenges, difficult to adequately finance most Government Ministries and Departments, Kasungu North East legislator, Elias Wakuda Kamanga says Government institutions must be creative and efficient in using the limited resources to achieve high quality results.

The People’s Party legislator, hon Wakuda Kamanga was reacting to underfunding concerns being expressed by various Government Ministries and Departments pertaining to the allocations in the 2016/2017 national budget.

“You know, at a time like this when every country in the world, Malawi not being exception, where economies are not performing very well it is very dependent upon institutions across the board to begin restructuring their activities” Said Wakuda Kamanga

Hon Kamanga argued that “it doesn’t make any sense” in the face of dwindling resources to see institutions expanding in terms of activities but stressed for “serious radical transformation” that may translate how institutions work. 

Wakuda maintained that Malawi is endowed with resources but only that people are not working out ways to expand resources they have.

“I don’t agree with anybody that says Malawi has no resources this country has financial and human resources but we are mismanaging resources. We are not prioritizing very well about what is it that we should be doing. If Government can look inside itself they will definitely see that the resources are there but we need to take certain actions that can protect those resources and re-direct them to activities that would make sense to the growth of this economy.” he added

Friends Of Zomba Diocese In Colorful Sendoff Of AMECEA Pastoral Coordinator

Fr. Chimombo pose with Friends of Zomba Diocese

 

Fr. Chimombo pose with Friends of Zomba Diocese

The group of Friends of Zomba Diocese living in Lilongwe Arch Diocese, on Sunday gathered in Area 12 to sendoff Reverend Father Emmanuel Chimombo, newly appointed Pastoral Coordinator for AMECEA (Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa) who is leaving for Kenya to work at  AMECEA Secretariat.

A large crowd of Catholic faithful from Zomba Diocese organised the colorful ceremony and presented their gifts to express their happiness that a priest from home diocese has been appointed to serve the big institution in the Catholic in the region as AMECEA Pastoral Coordinator.

Friends of Zomba going to present their gifts to Fr. Chimombo

Fr. Chimombo receiving presents from Mr. Nanthambwe chairperson for Friends of Zomba Diocese

  

"We are very proud that you Fr. Chimombo, a son from Zomba diocese has been appointed as Pastoral Coordinator for AMECEA Secretariat. This is why we mobilised ourselves to hold this ceremony today to celebrate your appointment and wish you well as you go to Kenya for this new task that the Lord has given you in our church of AMECEA region." Said Mr. Stephen Nanthambwe chairperson of Friends of Zomba Diocese 

Several speakers at the event expressed their utmost excitement for this appointment and offered words of encouragement to Fr. Chimombo to continue working hard as he has been doing while working at Catholic Secretariat of Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM). 

This colorful event also helped to bring together the faithful from Zomba Diocese living in Lilongwe Arch Diocese.

Fr. Emmanuel Chimombo

Fr. Chimombo glad with the presents from Friends of Zomba Diocese

In his remarks, Fr. Chimombo thanked the faithful for the support and encouraged them to pray for one another.

"Its quite a big task but with your prayers and help of God I will work well" said Fr. Chimombo while encouraging members to remain united and work together as Catholic faithful and work to continue helping the church.

Fr. Emmanuel Chimombo, a diocesan priest from Zomba diocese was consecrated priest in 1999 and comes from Mayaka Parish.

During its Ordinary Executive Board Meeting held from 19 to 20 May 2016 at the AMECEA Secretariat, Nairobi in Kenya, the AMECEA Executive Board resolved to appoint Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Chimombo from the Episcopal Conference of Malawi in the position of Pastoral Coordinator. Until his appointment, Reverend Father Chimombo was serving as the National Pastoral Secretary and Deputy Secretary General.

AMECEA is a Catholic service organization for the National Episcopal Conferences of the eight countries of Eastern Africa, namely Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Djibouti and Somalia are affiliate members.

2016/17 National Budget Scrutiny Ends Today

The cluster Parliamentary Committees scrutinizing the 2016/2017 Budget are finalising today analysis of budgetary allocations to various ministry's and departments.

Finance Minister, Goodall Gondwe presented K1 trillion budget on 27th May 2016 a budget which is prioritizing agriculture.

2016/2017 National Budget Trim MHRC Budget Down By Half

The Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) to face more challenges in the 2016-2017 financial year as the national budget has only allocated half of the amount needed by the institution this year.

MHRC submitted to treasury a planned budget of K213 million but the national budget has allocated K110 million.

The 50 percent reduction will scale down half of the planned human rights activities for this very important institution in this financial year of 2016-2017.

Grace Malera

Executive Secretary for MHRC, Grace Malera told the Cluster Committee on Authorities and Public Appointments which is scrutinizing the budget that this is “a record low” funding to the institution comparing to the previous budgetary allocations.

According to Malera, there are several implications to this reduction. She says the office will scale down crucial activities including Investigations, research and advocacy and education relating to ongoing attacks and killings of persons with albinism.

Even the construction project of MHRC long waited regional office in the Northern Region will continue to remain a dream as again this year, there is no allocation to that budget.

“The people in the northern region are people too, they are human beings and they have got human rights. So, this national body, the Human Rights Commission has got to reach out to them but this is one of the implications.” Says Malera who laments that MHRC activities in the north are experiencing number of problems due to lack of regional office

Malera also informed the parliamentary committee that with this reduction, MHRC will fail to hire new officers and solve office space problem. She told the committee that MHRC currently has 60 members of staff but requires 144 members of staff and that this financial year it plans to recruit 16 staff.

She further disclosed that MHRC has eight old vehicles but the budget has again failed to allocate money for the procurement of new vehicles and that this is a perennial issue which is again putting MHRC in mobility challenge situation when reaching out to communities across the country.

Among others Malera informed committee that MHRC is yet to receive from treasury, part of 2015-2016 budgetary allocation which is worrisome as there are only few weeks before the 2015-2016 financial year comes to an end.

“Whatever we are going to receive from July onwards, if it is going to come at the level of reduction of 50 percent, means the number of areas that we would have wanted to reach out to are going to happen at a lessened level.” Said Malera

Chairperson for the Cluster Committee on Authorities and Public Appointments, Hon. Lilian Patel, observed with concern that MHRC problems have remained the same for years now and that what the institution is asking Government this year were very same things that were asked previous years.

Patel then pleaded with the treasury to consider raising the allocation to the MHRC for it to fulfill its constitutional mandate of promoting human rights in the country.

However, in her response, Deputy Budget Director, Loyce Chilimsungwi maintained that it will be difficult to revise upwards the allocation to MHRC because the major hiccup in Government is resource availability.

“We don’t have enough in the basket” maintains Chilimsungwi

Affordable Prices To Domestic Tourists Can Boost Malawi Tourism Sector

Billy Banda (Shot By EYE LEVEL ART_Francesco Jnr)

Malawi tourism sector players tipped to work out ways of attracting domestic tourism for the sector to register growth.

The Malawi tourism sector recently held Annual General Meeting where sector players noted that the sector is registering small number of local tourist’s as compared to international tourists. 

As the sector is thinking deep on ways to make the tourism sector more attractive to local tourists, one of the country's human rights activist, Billy Banda also Chairperson for Malawi Gaming Board and National Lotteries Board says introduction of ‘special affordable rates’ for the local visitors is a solution.

While sharing similar concern with the tourism sector players, however, Banda observed that the low number of visits to Hotels, resorts and tourists attraction places by locals is because charges are much higher as compared to the income levels of many Malawians who cannot afford to pay for services offered by hotels, holiday resorts and other service providers in the tourism sector.

“What the tourism is looking for and to make it more significant and more important we need to start with our selves.” He said “However one of the key challenge contributing to the lack of commitment by citizenry is because there is no policy that guarantee that a local citizen must be charged a low amount that someone can afford to bring a family to such kind of places.”

He suggested that Malawi Tourism Council need to come up with a policy that inspires local citizenry to participate and support the tourism industry and that one of the key component be that tour operators, travel agencies and other agencies should work out packages which Malawians could conveniently afford.

He emphasized that tourism sector is a key sector for Malawi economy and backbone of the international tourism. 

Billy Banda (Shot By EYE LEVEL ART_Francesco Jnr)

“We cannot say tourism is a failed industry, tourism is another big potential for the economy and if ordinary citizens were committed to support the industry and are given fair charges that can also be a better way. Once that is put in place Malawians will go out strongly and support the tourism sector.” Said Banda but stressed that efforts needs to be made to provide domestic visitors economy accommodation, meals and many other services

But Banda also asked Government to support tourism industry with incentives and reducing interest rates in commercial banks. On this, Banda noted that although access to loans is a challenge in the sector, cost of borrowing in most banks are much higher with short period of time to repay.

“Government is also a bigger player” he noted then urged it to look at the local operators needs and challenges saying “They must be given some incentives, even financing mechanisms they have to be given infrastructure banks, loans that are more manageable, loans that are not crippling the hotel sector.”

Issues Making Malawi Tourism Sector Too Expensive For Domestic Tourists 

The Malawi tourism sector is facing number of challenges that includes visa issues, lack of skilled workers even lack of tourism statistics which is affecting potential investors to advance with tourism business in the country.

However, key challenges making the prices for services beyond reach of the domestic traveler are particularly issues on lack of sector specific incentives for investors and lack of access to finance and cost of borrowing.

Florentine Kabefu

Florentine Kabefu, Chairperson for Malawi Tourism Council, says cost of operating businesses in Malawi is very expensive in tourism. 

Kabefu mentioned a lot of duties and taxes, and said “so that is a big challenge.”  

She pointed out that in order for them in the sector to make Malawi a place of excellent domestic tourism and where Malawians can go and have access to tourists products “we need to work on some of the costs that our tourism operators are facing in order for them to make them cheaper.”

During the recent Malawi Tourism Council Annual General Meeting, minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Joseph Mwanamvekha highlighted key steps that Government is undertaking to improve the tourism business environment to make it more competitive and attractive.

Mwanamvekha said his ministry together with the ministry of Finance and Economic Planning are working out on issues of incentives. 

“As such proposals for incentives for the tourism sector shall become part and parcel of a comprehensive tax review which government will undertake soon as part of the ongoing Public Sector Reforms,” assured Mwanamvekha adding that Government is also developing a Tourism Investment Master Plan to guide the development of the sector and it will included mapping and zoning of potential sites across the country and that the plan shall also include development of specific incentives to encourage participation in development on the identified sites

On access to finance, the Minister further promised that Government is undertaking a study on the availability of setting up a Development Bank but at the moment the only opportunities for SMEs are only MARDEF and the Export Development Fund.

“As for cost of borrowing is concerned, it is my belief that as the economic fundamentals or our economy stabilizes, interest rates shall also become more favourable.” Said Mwanamvekha who also hinted that he has asked tourism department to finalise the Tourism Policy before the end of 2nd quarter of the coming financial year

Intra-Africa Trade Can Boost Africa’s Economy-DHL

Hennie Heymans

African countries need to focus on Intra-Trade and rid some of the barriers affecting cross border trade for the continent to realize substantial economic growth, says one of the leading global brand in the logistics industry, DHL. 

Cashgate Case: Lawyer Refuse Comment On Katengeza 5yr Sentence As State Express Excitement

Katengeza

Lawyer for Angela Katengeza, Gilbert Khonyongwa, says he needs more time to go through the ruling made on Tuesday before making his comment to press.

Katengeza who was answering to Money laundering of K105 million in 2013 was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment by Lilongwe High Court justice Fiona Mwale.

Asked to comment on the verdict, Khonyongwa said he need ample time to look at the judgment and after he will make his position.

Khonyongwa

“As of now I could not comment much until I go through it at my own time and then determine my position on that.” He said adding that his client will decide on whether to appeal the ruling or not but that will be after they go through the ruling

Several mitigation factors that defense submitted to court were refused. Reacting to this Khonyongwa conceded that the court has authority to consider or to disregard the mitigation factors.

“In terms of the law the court has the final discretion how it handles the sentence. So, from its analysis it has decided to ignore some of the mitigation factors. So that is the position of the court” he conceded

Saidi

Meanwhile, the state has welcomed the court verdict of 5 year prison sentence to Angela Katengeza 

Imran Saidi a state advocate described the verdict by Justice Fiona Mwale as an indication that justice is still taking its course in the country.

“Beyond what the Court has found we wouldn’t have any comment but I think that is a reflection of justice that it is still taking its course in our land.” He said

Judge indicated that Katengeza was supposed to serve a total of six years inprisonment but because of old age and health problems of the convict, one year has been deducted to make the sentence be at 5 years. 

Commenting on this reduction Saidi said “As I said, it is the Court discretion that when it is sentencing there are a lot of circumstances and matters that it puts into considerate on. It is our view and belief that at least what the court found by deduction one year, it is still in order.”

On the ongoing and future cashgate cases he said “This is a positive development. As a state we have always relied upon court duty and the way courts conduct its activities. It is a reflection to the effect that at least the justice is still prevailing and we believe that will still send a signal to the rest of the other offenders probably it is high time that they can make decision of coming forward to plead guilty and probably surrender whatever they acquired from our state coffers.”