January 22, 2021 Watipaso Mzungu – Nyasa Times 10 Comments
Salima Sugar Company Limited (SSCL) has challenged the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) to provide evidence on the allegations the coalition has reported to the Minister of Trade, Sosten Gwenge, and law enforcement agencies.
Thupi: Go back to your source to verify these allegations
Last week, HRDC – a self-styled whistle-blower on corruption and bribery in the public service – alleged that the company is involved in a number of malpractices, including tax evasion, failure to account for the proceeds of the company and failure honour its obligation to remit 12 million shares to the Malawi government.
Government closes campuses amid COVID’s second wave
Malawi universities and colleges have been closed for three weeks, following a second wave of COVID-19 that has taken a heavy toll, with daily reports of increasing infections and deaths.
This includes two cabinet ministers who died earlier this month – Transport and Public Works Minister Sidik Mia and Local Government Minister Lingson Belekanyama.
The pandemic has also been ripping through universities and colleges that were reopened in September after being closed under a national lockdown since COVID-19 hit the country last March.
Mzuzu University, in northern Malawi, is one institution that has taken a major hit, with two forest faculty teachers dying from the disease, senior lecturer Dominic Gondwe and Professor Chimuleke Munthali.
January 20, 2021 Watipaso Mzungu - Nyasa Times 17 Comments
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (Cdedi) and the Blantyre Small Scale Business Operators led a peaceful demonstration against the Tonse Alliance government in Blantyre on Tuesday with dozens of protestors giving the leadership a demand for an immediate reduction on fuel prices in light of Covid-19 lockdown measures and governance queries.
Protesters during their march in Blantyre
Some of the scenes during Cdedi led protests
The protesters marched peacefully unlike in the past when demonstrators led by HRDC under the leadership of Timothy Mtambo would damage property
The message on the placards carried by the protesters was clear
January 20, 2021 Watipaso Mzungu – Nyasa Times 4 Comments
Key development partners (DPs) have weighed in on the proposed NGO Act Amendment Bill, recommending that Non-Governmental Organizations Board (NGO) Board of Malawi should conduct comprehensive and inclusive consultations before taking the Bill to parliament.
Njikho -Lungu: Bill needs a clear roadmap on the amendment Bill
Among other things, the NGO Act Amendment Bill seeks to transform the NGO Board of Malawi into a more powerful NGO regulatory authority. It also seeks to impose new stiffer penalties and criminalization in case of malpractices by NGOs.
But the donors feel that the proposed Bill is still not sensitive to human rights and has potential to limit civic space.
January 16, 2021 Alfred Chauwa -Nyasa Times 3 Comments
The Kidney Foundation of Malawi has put on hold its planned vigil at State House gates in order for the government to swiftly address the current situation of the dialysis unit at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH).
From left Isha Mataka member of Kidney Foundation, presidential advisor on NGOs Kwataine, Mwale the chair and member Denis Nyirenda
The foundation has been rooting for a dialysis clinic operator Fresenius Medical Care which is embroiled in allegations that the company paid bribes to in several countries to win or retain business including Malawi’s Ministry of Health that it should be given a contract for services to supply dialysis services to Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe