Malawi Should Consider Job Creation To Protect Its Youth From Future Xenophobic Violence- Kalindo

Hon Bon Kalindo

Mulanje South legislature, Honorable Bon Elias Kalindo says xenophobic attacks against African immigrants in South Africa should serve as a wake up call to Malawi government on the need to addres unemployment amongthe youth.

Kalindo remarks comes as he joins in solidarity with the rest of concerned Malawians in condemning bloody attacks against foreign African nationals by South African citizens on the root that the immigrants have taken up their jobs.

Kalindo in font of protests carrying Malawi flag

Kalindo on Tuesday joined the march from Parliament building to Kang'ombe house in city centre to South African embassy to present petition calling the rainbow nation to immediately halt the ongoing violence against fellow Africans and was dressed in black a symbol of mourning and carried national flag in the front of the protesters.

In an interview, the Parliamentarian has urged government to consider job creation as the remedy to protect its citizens from being victims of Xenophobia in South Africa or any other country in future. He said as Malawi condemns South Africa there is need also to address the unemployment problem in the country so that youth do not flock to South Africa.

“The word to government is that it should look beyond xenophobia, because if we are not creating job opportunities to our people surely we are going to continue experience more problems and see more victims from Malawi whenever such forms of violence errupts."

The Mulanje South parliamentarian says will speak in National Assembly on this issue and matters relating to the ongoing violence in South Africa.

Hon. Kalindo has also condemned the South Africa violence “As a Malawian I needed to join this demonstration to show our solidarity and anger to the rest of African countries that what is happening in South Africa is very bad and we cannot support it” he said, “We condemn what is happening in South Africa”

“We are all Africans we don’t have to kill each other” appealed Hon Kalindo

Two Men Arrested For Possessing Prohibited Weapon

Two men suspected to have been on armed robbery mission from Lilongwe to Kasungu district were interrupted by police and are expected to answer charges of possessing prohibited weapon.

Lilongwe Police Deputy Public Relations Officer, Constable Margaret Selemani has named the two suspects as Decent Amos aged 27 from Kambalanje of T/A Chiseka in Lilongwe and Kazimkambani Bongololo aged 21 from Mvela village of T/A Kwataine in Ntcheu district and were arrested this week.

Constable Selemani said Police arrested the suspects in Lilongwe at Area 13 near Kamuzu Institute for Sports and were also found with four live ammunition.

The Lilongwe Police deputy PRO said police managed to arrests the suspects when investigators followed tip-off from members of general public that some criminals were on their way to Kasungu for robbery operation.

"Having received the tipp-off we elected a temporary roadblock at Area 13. There, we detained a vehicle registration number; BM 9279 Toyota Carina silver in color." Said Selemani

"After thorough inspection we found a pump gun and four live ammunition hidden in the boot" said the police officer who also indicate that the size of the gun appear to have been reduced probably to fit in a pocket of a jacket.

Police says the two are in police custody pending further investigations but have been charged with Found in possession of prohibited weapon.

For the past two month police in Lilongwe have recovered more than seven firearms especially pistol guns. Last week, Lilongwe police arrested two men who are suspected to be those that are hiring their licensed firearms to criminals. They were found with  Short gun 12 Bore Greener with 2 rounds of live ammunition and Short Gun CAL 12 with 18 rounds of ammunition.

Constable Margaret Selemani has since hailed members of the general public for reporting suspects and criminal activities to police "We encourage everyone to report crimes and suspects to police whenever you suspect any criminal act so that together we end these crimes in the city"

South Africa Xenophobia: Malawians Issue 48 Hours for South African Govt to End Xenophobic Violence Or Face Boycott of Products and Businesses

March Begins at the National Assembly Premisses

The largest crowd has marched in Malawi on Tuesday morning from outside National Assembly building to Kang'ombe House in the city centre of the Capital, Lilongwe where the South African embassy is based to give petition which is calling South African Government to immediately halt the ongoing Xenophobic attacks against foreign African nationals.

 The demonstration organized by a group of human rights activists was joined by legislatures Honorable Bon Kalindo,  and other dignitaries including Mr Dalitso Kubalasa of MEJN, Martha Kwataine (MHEN), Hon. Rev. Malani Mtonga (PP), and The Presidential Advisor on NGOs Mavuto Bamusi, and others. 

Hon Bon Kalindo carrying Malawi Flag

Hundreds of Malawians took to the streets while dressed in black attires, some demonstrators were in T-shirts having face of President Jacob Zuma and others for Mandela while another man was seen putting on Ngoni costume.

Songs of expressing anger with South African government and calling President Jacob Zuma to end these attacks were chanted throughout the way to South African High Commission office.

Man put on Jacob Zuma T-Shirt

The protesters have presented the petition to South African High Commissioner to Malawi, Ambassador Cassandra Mbuyane Mokone who has since told those who gathered outside the embassy office that she was sending the petition immediately to Pretoria and thanked the demonstrators.

Cassandra Mbuyane Mokone receiving petition

The petition signed by Malawi Human Rights activists, Billy Mayaya, Gift Trapence, Robert Mkwezalamba, Lucky Mbewe and Timothy Mtambo on behalf of concerned citizens of Malawi is asking South African Government to address the worsening violence within 48 hours, else face boycott to all South African products, businesses including ban of South African airlines from operating or landing in Malawi airports.

Ambassador Cassandra Mbuyane Mokone listening attentively

The South African Government is urged to take a proactive action in protecting rights of all people living in South Africa, in line with provisions in their constitution and international legal obligations and address the cause of xenophobia.

Part of the crowd

The letter is further calling for thorough investigation of these ongoing violence and hold those responsible accountable so that they face justice. Similarly, the petition while accusing Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, Edward Zuma and Small Businesses Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu for their alleged remarks which are fueling the attacks against foreign African nationals it asks south African Human Rights Commission to investigate such xenophobia comments and take appropriate action.

However, the petition noted with disappointment that perpetrators of 2008 xenophobic violence were not held accountable for the killings of more than 60 people.

Though not addressed in the petition, human rights activist Timothy Mtambo says they want compensation to Malawi victims.

The ongoing violence in South Africa against foreign African nationals is premised on alleged  crowding of South African jobs by immigrants and lender the citizens jobless.

But the petition says "We call upon the Government of South Africa to urgently remove the structural inequalities that are rooted in apartheid and white privilege. We believe these are main causes of worsening economic inequality and marginalization. 

Timothy Mtambo

These inequalities were not instituted by migrants and will not automatically disappear if the migrant population decreases."

The petition adds "The most sustainable way to address the economic frustrations felt by many South Africans is to adopt policies that reduce the inequalities and create programmes that empower ordinary South Africans."

The petition also reminds South African Government of how other African countries including Zimbabwe, sacrificed their socio-economic and political resources in solidarity with South African liberation movements to bring to an end to evil apartheid. 

"In solidarity of these extreme sacrifices by African people, we expect the South African authorities and its citizens to reciprocate the solidarity through Ubuntu and shunning of Xenophobia."

Billy Mayaya posing with one of the demonstrators

Billy Mayaya one of the organizers for the demonstration said it is possible to boycott South African businesses and products if Malawians agrees to.

South African businesses including Game shop, Shoprite and Standard Bank have large customers in Malawi.

South Africa Xenophobic Violence:Malawi’s Repatriation Budget Keeps on Rising...From K30M to K195M

The Malawi victims of the ongoing Xenophobia violence in the republic of South Africa keeps on rising so does the costs to repatriate them back home.

From K30 million as a cost of ferrying citizens escaping violence, the figure rose to more than double last week and now has gone to K195 million.

First six buses for Malawians who freely accepted to come back escaping the ongoing attacks have been expected to arrive in the afternoon in Blantyre at Kwacha Social Welfare Centre and are totaling 390. 

Malawi government says K195 million is now the cost of hiring of the busses to ferry its citizens from South Africa.

Minister of Information, Tourism and Culture Hon. Kondwani Nankhumwa revealed this morning in Lilongwe at a press briefing that there are now 3,200 Malawi victims and two confirmed deaths but the number may continue to rise.

Nankhumwa says the buses, which have a seating capacity of 65 each, cost an average of R100, 000 per bus but approximately 50 buses are needed which translates into R5 million or MK195 million.

“We are currently estimating K195 million for the hiring of the buses and the figures will continue to rise but we have the money in place” he said

“So far we are talking of the figure 3,200 even more who have been affected and two death have been confirmed of Malawians and one of them was already laid to rest on Wednesday”

“Day by day we continue to discover that there are more Malawians for example we had a figure of 90 then went up to 120 then 1000 so as we are speaking now is 3,200 which means this is necessitating the rise again in the economic cost of it”

The Minister has since identified one of the deceased person as Adam Kaunga from Chilipa in Mangochi  district and was laid to rest on Wednesday, but Government is yet to establish identity of the other body that is still is still at the mortuary.

He added that another one person was seriously injured and is in a Plaster of Paris (POP). He is too afraid to seek medical attention while expressing Government deepest sympathy and condolences to families of the deceased.

According to the government plan, the returnees who are to arrive in Blantyre will be separated with those coming from other regions being ferried to their regions of origin as per their choice.

Meanwhile, Hon Nankhumwa has confirmed that Malawian foreign minister will be meeting South African counterpart later this week but Secretary for Foreign Affairs is already in South Africa to discuss with his counterpart on the agenda to be discussed when the two ministers meet. 

As some angry Malawians are to hold anti-Xenophobia demonstrations in the capital, Lilongwe this Tuesday where a petition is to be delivered to South African Ambassador, the Minister has asked the demonstrators to exercise caution and conduct their protests in “free and fair” manner without attaching any form of violence to it.

“We maintain Malawi is a peace loving nation, we undertake freedom of association, freedom of expression which is there and freedom of demonstration which is there. We don’t intend to block anyone from doing this, they are exercising their rights.” He said

The Government Spokesperson has assured peace and security for all foreigner’s and their businesses whether of South Africans or others.

LL District Assembly Finance Director Gets Two and Half Years Imprisonment

A former Director of Finance at District Assembly office has been sentenced to serve two and half years in prison after Lilongwe Chief Resident Magistrate Court found him guilty of misappropriation of K6, 227, 500 (Six million  Two Hundred and Twenty Seven Thousand Five Hundred Kwacha) in the year 2010.

Leonard Kishombe aged 40 from Mpondaliwonga village of T/A Chikowi in Zomba was arrested in 2010 while working as a Director of Finance at Lilongwe District Assembly. 

Police Arrests Two Men For Allegedly Lending Firearms To Criminals

Police in The Capital, Lilongwe arrests two men on suspicion that they hire their riffles to some criminals to conduct armed robberies around the city.

Inspector Kingsley Dandaula, Lilongwe Police Publoc Relations Officer named the suspects as Christopher Moya Chimzukira aged 27 from Zamula village T/A Khongoni in Lilongwe cureently based in area 24 and Symon Kaphata Kalitsiro aged 40 from Matapa village T/A Malili in Lilongwe but is based in Kaphiri.

Inspector Dandaula says police suspects that the two have been lending their licensed  guns to criminals.

Dandaula said the two own Short gun 12 Bore Greener and Short Gun CAL 12 Bore respectively. 

The police officer however said the first suspect Christopher Moya Chimzukira was found with 2 rounds of live ammunition while the second suspect Symon Kaphata Kalitsiro was found with 18 rounds of ammunition when police were making the arrest on Thursday.

Both suspects are in police custody pending further investigations of whether the suspects have been hiring their firearms to criminals for armed robberies happening in the city.

EU to Inject €560 Million For Malawi Projects, Plans to Support in Technical Education Skills

The European Union (EU) Delegation to the Republic of Malawi says very soon funds amounting to €560 million (Five hundred and sixty million Euro) is expected to assist in its various projects being implemented in the country in five years time.

EU office in Malawi further announces plans to invest more in education sector particularly on technical skills education as one way of economic empowerment for the youths.

“We will remain closely involved with Malawi” Said EU Head of Delegation to Malawi, Ambassador Marchel Gerrmann in an interview, “For the period of 2015 and 2020 there is amount of €560 million Euro that will be approved over the coming month.”

“And am also very excited that now we will start in the education sector, very important for the future of this country.” He said 

Ambassador Gerrmann continued, “We will invest in the Technical Vocational Educational and Training called TEVET, it is very important that young people in particular are developing skills that they can use in making a living. So am very excited by this prospect of investing more in the future of Malawi by investing in education and technical skills education.”

The EU delegation to Malawi is currently active in agricultural sector, rehabilitation of 500 Km rural roads every year, works with forestry where 11 thousand hectors of forest was set aside for regeneration and 24 thousand hectares are under sustainable management.

In addition, EU is also a largest contributor to Wide Sector Approach in Agriculture and that over last five years it has provided access to safe drinking water to 750 thousand Malawians and plans to double the impact in over the coming two and half years.