News-Malawi Freedom Network

Aug112022 by Suleman ChiteraNo Comments

NBM Donates K100 Million Towards Forest Restoration

News

National Bank of Malawi has committed K100 million for preservation and restoration of 6 natural resources in the country by partnering with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change. Deputy Chief Executive Officer for the Bank, Harold Jiya, disclosed this in Dedza during the signing ceremony with the ministry saying this initiative will cover 1,500 hectares of the land in three districts namely Dedza, Mangochi and Chitipa. Speaking during the function, Minister of Natural Resources, Eisenhower Mkaka, thanked the NBM for the positive contribution to protect the forest cover and intensify the restoration of the forest activities. Mkaka further said the partnership will greatly help in forest management and landscape restoration thereby mitigating the impact of climate c...

Aug92022 by Malawi Freedom NetworkNo Comments

Electricity To Go Up

News

Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) , Kamkwamba Kumwenda, says there is a need to adjust upward end-user tariffs if the power utility body is to sustain its operations. The Escom CEO, speaking at a press briefing in Blantyre, said the state-owned power utility body has been operating at a loss, which cumulatively stands at K112 billion since its unbundling in 2018. He disclosed that the company currently buys electricity from power producers at K140 per kilowatt per hour but sells it to the end-user at K104 per kilowatt per hour, a thing he said is crippling operations. "Escom is dying. The choice is ours; either we close Escom or increase tariffs," Kumwenda said.

Aug82022 by Suleman ChiteraNo Comments

Letter Direct To Chakwera Demos

News

Action Against Political Impunity says there will be another set of demonstrations dubbed ‘Chakwera Alandire Chikalata' from August 18, 2022. According to Sylvester Namiwa, Leader of the grouping who is also Center for Democracy and Economic Development Initiative - CDEDI's Executive Director, the grouping plans to deliver the petition directly to President Lazarus Chakwera. Namiwa has told the Media in Lilongwe that the grouping will deliver the petition at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe; at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre, Zomba State Lodge in Zomba, Chikoko-Bay in Mangochi and Mzuzu State Lodge. "The demonstrations, among many other things, aim at forcing President Lazarus Chakwera to deliver on his flagship campaign promises, starting with the scrapping off of presidential immunity and...

Aug82022 by Suleman ChiteraNo Comments

UNDP Hands Over 220 Kilowatt Bondo Min-Grid to Malawi government.

News

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has handed over a 220 kilowatt Bondo Min-Grid to the Malawi government. Tapped from Mulanje's Luchenya River, the three hydro-power stations are servicing 1, 150 households in the district. Speaking during the handover ceremony of the $500 000 project, UNDP Resident Representative, Shigeki Komatsubara, indicated that their organisation is committed to developing more mini-grids in fulfilment of the Malawi Renewable Energy Strategy to deploy 50 mini-grids by 2030. On his part, Energy Minister Ibrahim Matola has indicated that mini grids are a solution to the current power challenges and hope for future generations. Bondo mini-grid is being run by the Mulanje Electricity Generation Agency-MEGA

Aug52022 by Suleman ChiteraNo Comments

MERA REDUCES PRICE OF PETROL, GAS

News

The Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) has reduced the price of Petrol from K1,999 to K1,946 representing a 7.47 percent decrease. Disclosing this at a press briefing in Blantyre, MERA CEO, Henry Kachaje, said the adjustment was made following some trends in the international market as dictated by the Automatic Fuel Pricing Mechanism. The price adjustment will be effective by midnight. The prices of Diesel, and Jet Fuel will remain the same while the price of Gas has also been slashed now it will be selling at K2,726 per kg.

Aug52022 by Suleman ChiteraNo Comments

BUSHIRIS’ EXTRADITION CASE BACK IN COURT

News

Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary, are back in court for their extradition case. Today, Senior Resident Magistrate, Madalitso Khoswe Chimwaza, will hear submissions from both the State and defence lawyers on how South African witnesses should testify in this case. The State has been asking the court to allow witnesses to testify in South Africa citing challenges in bringing the witnesses into the country. However, the defence lawyers have maintained that the witnesses should physically testify in Malawi arguing the State's arguments are not satisfactory. After these submissions, Senior Resident Magistrate Chimwaza will rule on how the witnesses should testify.

Aug52022 by Suleman ChiteraNo Comments

Parliament To Draft a Bill To Protects Personal Property From Seizure

News

There is a standstill in Parliament as members of Parliament are pushing for a motion to draft a bill that protects personal property from seizure. The motion was moved in the morning as a private members motion but the Speaker of the National Assemby Catherine Gotani Hara directed that the motion needed to go through the Business Committee so the house adjourned early to allow the Business Committee to meet. Soon after the House resumed at 2pm, Hara announced that the Business Committee had observed that the matter of the acquisition and sale of Kanengo Bam Filling Station, the issue behind the motion, is in court therefore in the spirit of respecting separation of powers between the Legislature and Judiciary, the motion cannot be discussed. But reacting to the announcement, Rum...

Aug42022 by Malawi Freedom NetworkNo Comments

Chizuma caught in a housing allowance web

News

ACB Czar Martha Chizuma Caught Drawing Housing Allowance While she stays in a government house at the Presidential villas The scanderous Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General Martha Chizuma who has never won any court case since her appointment, has been caught in an allowance scam where she is getting paid heft sums for accommodation yet she stays in a government house. This is a direct breach of the integrity code of her job. According to sources, Chizuma resides in an upmarket estate in Lilongwe in one of the 14 Presidential villas along the Presidential Drive. The source further revealed that the house belongs to Malawi Government and she does not pay rentals, yet since she was appointed ACB DG she has been drawing monthly allowance for housing. “When she assumed o...

Aug42022 by Suleman ChiteraNo Comments

Chinese National Lu Ke Susu will spend more time at Maula Prison

News

Chinese National Lu Ke popularly known as Susu will spend more time at Maula Prison as the case has been adjourned to 19th August. This comes as Serah Mwangonde Senior State Advocate said defense asked for ample time to go through first set of disclosures which have only been provided this morning. Mwangonde added that there will be second set of disclosures that will be provided to the defense in 7 days time. Meanwhile Andy Kaonga Defense lawyer agreed to adjourn the case to the next immediate available date saying the accused has already spent a long time at Maula Prison. Senior Resident Magistrate James Mankhwazi has since ordered the state to fast track in providing disclosures to defense so that the plea taking should take place on 19th August. Susu is accused of explo...

Aug32022 by Malawi Freedom NetworkNo Comments

Emmanuel Thuwala Suspended, Kumtambira Demoted At MBC

News

MBC DG George Kasakula who is well known for bullying his subordinates at Times and firing them at will, is at it again, now even with more power and without mercy. Kasakula ordered the suspension of Acting Controller of Programs (TV) Emmanuel Thuwala for alleged insubordination. According to some MBC sources, Thuwala, who replaced Steven Maseya on the position in an acting capacity, stepped on the toes of Kasakula after he sent Saul Rashid and Stanley Kadzuwa to Neno where President Lazarus Chakwera was launching the National Youth Service, last week Tuesday. This got Kasakula infuriated because the two are on the list of some blacklisted "cadets" who are not supposed to cover Presidential functions. Thuwala has been sent on suspension pending disciplinary hearing. Apart f...