MALAWI PRESS REVIEW June 2008
From Centre For Social Concern (see our house)

News clippings with analysis
From the Major newspapers
in Malawi

Compiled by the
Center for Social Concern (CFSC)
Box 40049 Lilongwe 4
Area 25
Next to St. Francis Parish
Tel: 01 715 632

LIST OF NEWSPAPERS REVIEWED

Daily Times, Malawi News, The Weekly News, The Nation,
The Weekend Nation, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The Chronicle,
Nation on Sunday,

PREVIEW

Politics in Malawi currently dominates the press. The political atmosphere is so tense as evidenced by the delays in passing the proposed 2008/2009 budget that was presented to the National Assembly.

Prices of goods and services are expected to go up following the increase in the cost of fuel. It is a worldwide problem because there is a huge demand on fuel in many countries and this has resulted in price increases.

Debates on the food situation were the order of the day when parliament met in June. Almost each legislator spoke about the shortage of maize in his or her area. The government still insists there is plenty of maize the staple food in the country, though it is not certain that this is the situation on the ground.

To end the wrangle between government and opposition political parties on the issue of Section 65 and passing of the 2008/2009 national budget, the clergy came up with one solution. The two issues should be tackled together.

The Ngonis in Ntcheu now have a new king, Inkosi ya Makosi Gomani IV. Retired Colonel Alex Kanjedza Gomani became the new Ngoni paramount chief to replace his father the late Inkosi ya Makosi Gomani III who died in 2006. Before retiring from the army, his sister Mary Malinki was acting-chief.

In the education sector there have been complaints from some parents who feel free education is actually not free.

Is Malawi ever going to reach the required 30 % of female representation in decision-making positions? This is a question that lingers in people's minds. In the 2004 general elections only 27 women out of the 193 MPs made it to the National Assembly.

POLITICS

As the budget session of parliament continued a lot of uncertainity surrounds the future of the deliberations. This is the case because three weeks after the Minister of Finance Goodall Gondwe presented the 2008/2009 budget opposition Members of Parliament have not yet commented on it. The opposition's stance has put things at a standstill because it is only Members of Parliament who support the government that contributed to the proposed budget. Surprisingly the MPs have chosen to impress their masters by not participating in the deliberations in the House at the expense of people who sent them to the National Assembly.

Deputy ministers of the incumbent government in the month of June allegedly fought with Gerald Mponda, Member of Parliament for Blantyre South West, on the August House premises. The two parties allegedly insulted each other in the Banana Room where they had gone for a tea break. Mponda was treated at City Centre Clinic as an outpatient after the alleged beating. This is happened when there is an outcry from almost all sectors of society over the conduct of parliamentarians. On a number of occasions MPs have abused their right to expression by insulting each other forgetting that the deliberations are aired on national radio. It is high time the MPs who are supposed to be role models to aspiring politicians to behave in an orderly manner.

Although the United Democratic Front (UDF) conducted a convention where they nominated Dr Bakili Muluzi as their presidential candidate, they still have not yet chosen a running mate. At the same convention the party amended its constitution to allow the presidential candidate to choose his own running mate. To date it is not clear who this is going to be for the general elections next year. However rumour is rife that Muluzi will choose one of his political friends from another party. Among these friends is Gwanda Chakwamba of the Republican Party (RP), United Party's (UP) Amunandife Mkumba and Uladi Mussa, who has just dissolved his Maravi People's Party (MPP), and Kamlepo Kalua. Some observers have warned the party not to make the same mistake it made in 2004 when Muluzi took it upon himself and anointed Bingu wa Mutharika as his successor. Mutharika later ditched the UDF to form his own Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Political analysts have warned the UDF to expect more divisions in the party if such a scenario occurs again.

As the political impasse continues in the country president Bingu wa Mutharika is reported to have told the international community that the country is in the current situation because of Dr Bakili Muluzi. Mutharika who was attending an International Economic Forum in South Africa was constantly being asked to explain the political situation in Malawi. Recently the Mutharika administration has found it hard to survive politically. The boycotting of parliament is something that people have never witnessed before but it happened this year. For the first time in the history of Malawi opposition Members of Parliament refused to comment on the president's speech. Some experts have warned that such a scenario is bad for Malawi's developmental works because they await the budget approval. Despite all this the Mutharika administration has struggled day and night and has managed to upset tables in the economic sector.

Despite failing to discuss the 2008/2009 proposed budget the opposition Members of Parliament had promised to deny funds for both Television Malawi (TVM) and Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC). In the 2007/2008 national budget the MPs did the same thing when they allocated only K1 to each of the above mentioned government institutions. This was the fist time for such big institutions to get K1 as funding for the whole year. Now MPs have promised that they will use their numbers in the house to deny the two institutions funding. As time goes by the nation awaits a stable political atmosphere where the opposition and government will be able to work together and resolve their differences amicably.

Some leaders of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have pressed UDF National Chairman Dr Bakili Muluzi to explain what he meant when he said he would deal with president Mutharika. Dr Muluzi is reported to have told his supporters recently that he will do all he can to deal with Mutharika. These statements have not gone down well with some of the DPP gurus. The DPP leaders think there is more to what Muluzi is saying and that he should explain what it means. Muluzi, who has on several occasions said he is not afraid of Mutharika, is confident that he will remove the incumbent president from office come May 2009.

ECONOMY

Malawians woke up to another fuel price increase in the month of June. The Petroleum Pricing Committee (PPC) raised the price of fuel by 25%. According to experts the fuel increase is a worldwide issue and no country can run away from it. Reports have shown that of late there has been a high demand for fuel throughout the world. Malawi has not been spared from the global fuel increases. The price of petrol rose from K187.50 to K251.20 at the same time paraffin, which is used in the rural areas for lighting, is now selling at K165.00. As it has always been the case there is fear that the prices of other commodities might go up following the increase.

Some economic experts have warned that the current political situation might scare off investors. It is common knowledge that foreign investors want to have a peaceful country for security reasons. This is why some economic experts are concerned over the current political situation. Of late the government has been finding it very hard to run things smoothly because of the volatile political atmosphere. As a country Malawi needs to put its house in order. It is the political leaders that hold the key for a peaceful environment that in return can beckon many would-be investors.

In June former president Dr Bakili Muluzi, who is also the United Democratic Front presidential candidate, was again telling people in Blantyre that once in office he would revamp the Malawi economy. Muluzi's ten years rule failed to impress the donors to the extent that some stopped assisting Malawi. The ten years will always be remembered for the massive cases of corruption and mismanagement of funds. However only a few individuals benefited from Muluzi's "generosity" notoriously known for dishing out K50s. Now it is surprising that Muluzi, who failed to convince donors to give Malawi a debt relief in ten years, should claim he would improve the economy. If anything Malawi had a lot of local and international debt during his tenure.

As the tobacco season continues press reports have shown that revenue from the sales of the leaf is expected to go up. This is because of the improved prices and increased production of the gold leaf. On several occasions tobacco farmers have shown disappointment over the prices of the crop, but with government's intervention the price of the leaf has changed for the better. Tobacco is Malawi's major forex earner and reports that tobacco earnings have gone up is good news.

FOOD SECURITY

Fertilizer prices have shot to almost K10,000 per 50-kilogramme bag. This is a large amount that many Malawians cannot afford. Agricultural experts have however advised farmers to use other alternative means of adding fertility to their gardens. Apart from planting Nsangu trees, which add fertility in the soils, farmers can also make composite manure that can easily be made locally at no cost at all. Perhaps the increased price of fertilizer could make people think of using composite manure more because it is also not harmful to the environment. Fertilizers contain some chemicals, which in the long run have negative effects on the soils. Therefore the use of composite manure is highly recommended for increased crop production at this time of high prices of fertilizers.

A number of Members of Parliament, both from the opposition and government side of the National Assembly, spoke of the food shortage situation in their areas. It seems some people will have to go on empty stomachs again this year. This is however against the fact that government has not yet admitted that there is scarcity of maize. Although some people have not finished harvesting their crop, reports have shown that this year's harvest is going to be slightly lower than last year's. The rumour that there is a shortage has pushed up the price of maize in some districts. Traders have taken advantage of the situation to raise the price of the staple food. Press reports have disclosed that the average price of maize in Lilongwe is currently at K2,500.00. But this price is expected to go up in the coming months.

In June the Government launched steel silos in a pilot project. After reports of problems with the storage of maize after harvest the Ministry of Agriculture launched the steel silos which are said to be durable and resistant to pests that attack the harvest during storage time. It is common knowledge that sometimes people harvest a lot but have no place to keep it. This has resulted in a good percentage of the crop going bad because of lack of storage places. But just like many other government projects, the opposition Members of Parliament did not support it instead they said people need food not small steel silos. The MPs noted that people could only store if they have plenty to eat, therefore the government needs to make sure people have enough before coming up with such an expensive project.

The 2008/2009 proposed budget which was presented in the August House some months ago, also tackled the issue of farm inputs. Government admitted the fact that there were some hiccups in the distribution of fertilizer coupons. There were indeed some shortfalls that government needs to address during the next growing season if the exercise is to become successful. But the good thing for farmers is that in this proposed budget, which has not yet been passed, government has also included pesticides. This means farmers will also receive a coupon for buying pesticides. Farmers will have to keep their fingers crossed so that the budget is passed.

CIVIL SOCIETY AND RELIGIOUS GROUPS

The clergy in the month of June failed to find solutions to the volatile situation among politicians in the country. Led by Archbishop Tarcizius Ziyaye of the Roman Catholic Church the mediation talks seem to have failed and even the clergy admitted that there is need for divine intervention. The failure is what could also be blamed for the feud that has resulted in uncertainty over the 2008/2009 budget. To some parliamentarians it is better to declare seats of other legislators vacant than to discuss the budget. The future of Malawi politics is indeed unpredictable because anything can happen.

Although there seems to be no way out for the political impasse in the country, there is at least light at the end of the tunnel. The clergy have proposed that the 2008/2009 national budget and the Section 65 should run concurrently. Reports have shown that it is only the United Democratic Front (UDF) that has commented on the proposal, which they feel is good. So far the main opposition party Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has made no comment on the suggestion. It should be noted that it is the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) that will suffer if the Speaker invokes Section 65. The DPP has only six elected Members of Parliament therefore it is going to be greatly affected if the seats of members who crossed the floor are declared vacant.

Some observers have noted that there is need to reconsider the constituency fund. According to the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) it is better that the fund be suspended because some Members of Parliament personalise it. The whole idea of constituency fund is for constituents to benefit from the fund in various projects that the people need. But as some traditional leaders have noted other MPs make their own arrangements without consulting the constituents. Therefore the CCJP feels it would be wise if the fund is suspended.

As the country prepares itself for the next general elections the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has revealed that in the last elections a number of people did not vote. The number of people who voted in 1999 was higher than that who cast their vote in the year 2004. According to research carried out by MEC some people did not vote because they felt cheated by campaigners. Some politicians made many promises which they did not fulfill. These false promises could be said to be the reason behind voter apathy. Against this background there is need for civic and voter education to help people realise that it is their right to vote and that each vote counts.

During June civil society in the country asked for more observers to be sent to Zimbabwe to monitor elections in that country. Since March neighbouring Zimbabwe has been attracting international attention following the failure by the Electoral Commission to release in good time the results of the presidential election that was conducted in March. Zimbabweans voted again in a runoff after Morgan Tshavangrai, president of the main opposition party the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), had pulled out leaving Robert Mugabe as the only candidate in the run off which he eventually won. Despite calls from some SADC countries to call off the elections Mugabe went ahead with it. Civil society would therefore like some action to be taken on Zimbabwe

 

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE

Even though cases of violence against foreigners in South Africa have eased, reports still indicate that some Malawians living in that country are still being targeted. Press reports have shown that another Malawian was killed in Johannesburg in June. This clearly shows that xenophobic attacks are still taking place. Surprisingly some Malawians who are at risk refuse to come home. Government only managed to evacuate 900 people out of the many that are living in South Africa. According to reports some people would rather stay in that country and face the attacks than come to Malawi and face poverty and hunger. It should be noted that a number of Malawians live in South Africa illegally with no proper documentation.

Like in many other poor countries prisoners in Malawi live in bad conditions. In this situation it is difficult to believe that the whole aim of reforming people can be fulfilled. Press reports have shown that prisons in the country are so congested that it is easy for people to get infected by many diseases. As if the congestion issue is not enough, reports show that in some prisons inmates go for days without food. However all is not lost because some prisons have come up with coping mechanisms strategies. Makande and Makhanga prisons have projects that ensure that the inmates develop physically and spiritually. Among other things inmates in these prisons grow a number of crops to sustain their diet.

Some observers have noted that estate owners still employ children on their farms. Children are targeted because they are cheap labour and easy to exploit. Reports have shown that the children, most of who are of school going age, are working in tobacco estates and some go for months without pay. The sad part is that most of their work is done at the time they should be in school. In such cases the children are being denied their right to education and it remains uncertain if the future of these children is going to be bright. For this reason some organizations that look into the rights of children warned estate owners to stop employing children.

It is all smiles among the Ngoni Maseko in Ntcheu. They now have a new chief (Inkosi) who was crowned in style at Lizulu in Ntcheu. The youthful retired Colonel Alex Kanjedza Gomani was chosen after the death of Inkosi ya Makosi Gomani III. President Bingu wa Mutharika was present at the colourful function that was attended by people from all walks of life in the country. Among other things Mutharika advised the new Ngoni chief to help in preserving the Ngoni culture. On a sad note the country lost a chief in Blantyre. Chief Kapeni died in June and was buried in the same district.

EDUCATION

The sector still has an uphill struggle to find solutions to the falling standards of education. For some reasons standards of education continue to go down each year. This is evidenced by the fact that Malawi Schools Certificate of Education (MSCE) results continue to deteriorate almost every year. Some observers have noted that this is because of cheating. It seems some students fail to work and study hard because they find solace in cheating come examination day. For this reason cheating has been blamed as one of the reasons education standards are dwindling. This revelation calls for concerted efforts so that cheating among students can be stopped.

Although it is difficult to secure a place in a secondary schools in Malawi some people still find their way into such schools. These people easily find these place at the expense of some deserving students. To make matters worse some secondary schools have more than their capacity. Therefore there are not enough resources for all the students. For this reason the Ministry of Education dismissed such students in secondary schools. It is obvious the illegal students found their way into the schools through dubious means. Unlike some years ago when a person could go to a government school after passing the standard 8 Primary Leaving Certificate of Education, now people easily access places in secondary schools. The efforts by the Ministry of Education to flush out illegal students should be applauded.

Although the country established free primary education in 1994 some analysts have noted that in reality it is not free. Press reports have indicated that the cost of other things like printing of examination and school reports has left some people wondering why it is called free education in the first place. On several occasions parents and guardians pay school and general-purpose fund, which is used for maintenance of schools. All these added up with other things like school uniforms mean a large sum of money that some guardians find it very hard to raise. Against this background some people feel they are only cheated that primary school education is free.

Another challenge that came with the free primary education is the increased number of pupils. Those that previously could not afford to send their children to school because they had no money now had the chance to do so. The increased number of pupils who enrolled in primary schools resulted in a shortage of teachers. To solve this problem the Ministry of Education is training 7,000 teachers to beef up the current number. According to Mrs Olive Masanza, the Deputy Minister of Education, has also attributed the dwindling number of teachers to HIV and AIDS. The ministry keeps losing some of its teachers to the deadly disease. Perhaps the training of 7,000 teachers will change things in the education sector.

HEALTH

Malawians are anxiously waiting for the passing of 2008/9 budget because among other things it directly affects their daily lives. And more relevant is the fact that this year's portion of K49.9 billion, representing 21.8 percent of the national budget, is K14.1 billion more than last year. It is a well-known fact that good health is a prerequisite for anyone, and when more resources are invested to improve that health, Malawians have every reason to believe there are better days to come.

According to media reports of the month under review, allocations to the Health Ministry have in the past often been under-spent. The findings by the Malawi Health Equity Network (MEHN) indicate that each Malawian needs at least K2,380 for a year's supply of drugs, yet each was being allocated K1,680. We need supervision, we need monitoring so that the past mistakes either in drug theft or under-spending are minimised.

Nurses serving in various hospitals in the country have said they will continue to care for the patients despite huge temptations to go to greener pastures abroad. This sentiment was expressed when nurses in the country participated in activities to mark the World Nurses Day on June 7. Among other challenges, the nurses observed that in the past men did not want their wives to be treated by male nurses because the men suspected their wives were being sexually abused. This ill feeling has been ironed out and hopefully will never surface again in our communities.

Although HIV and Aids has been devastating the people of Malawi for more than twenty years, there haven't been adequate policies at work places to accommodate people living with the virus despite a circular letter by Secretary for Human Resource Management and Development of November 5 last year. The letter recommends that the civil servants living with the virus should be supported with an extra package of K5,000 a month. This, however, has not been implemented. It is therefore desirable that all civil servants who have bravely declared their sero status should be rewarded with the extra money.

It is now a reality that male circumcision reduces risks of catching HIV and Aids virus by a whopping 60 percent. It started as a rumour but now medical professionals have confirmed circumcision is one of the most effective ways of controlling the transmission of HIV. The question now is who wants to be circumcised.

ENVIRONMENT

The environment sector is still being faced by deforestation. A number of hills that used to look green and beautiful are now almost bare because of uncontrolled wanton cutting down of trees. This is the case because there are no laws against felling trees. But some people feel it is better to think of tomorrow by planting trees every time one cuts down a tree. An example is that of herbalist John Mauzeni who uses trees in his daily work. Reports disclosed that Mauzeni after realising that most of the trees that he uses in his trade are on the verge of extinction, decided to venture in a tree planting exercise. With fellow herbalists in Zomba City, Mauzeni is planting more natural trees so that they do not have problems in looking for medicine. This is a project other people should emulate.

Malawi in the month of June commemorated a World Day on the Environment with a theme 'lets kick the bad habits! Save our forests'. Indeed observers have noted that it takes only one to change the mindset so that our forests are saved from the wanton cutting down of trees. If only people knew the importance of having trees perhaps they would not cut them down carelessly. According to experts there is need for people to change the bad habits and act responsibly.

Despite all the calls to conserve the environment, the efforts seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Some people are not aware of what damages they do to the environment when they set the bushes on fire. It is common knowledge that immediately after harvest time boys burn their gardens in search of mice which is a delicacy to some people. The fires, which are uncontrolled, can go for many days with smoke covering the atmosphere. This smoke pollutes the air we breathe. At the same time the fire robs the soil of its natural nutrients and exposes it to the sun and rain. A change in people's attitude towards the environment is what should be instilled in people's minds.

Environmentalists have disclosed that the rare specie in Mulanje mountain called Mulanje Cedar is on the verge of extinction. This is the case because there are some people who cut down the trees and sell it to foreigners. Cedar, which is famously known for its good smell, is only found in Malawi at Mulanje Mountain. There are fears that the continued cutting down of the trees might deprive future generations from seeing the beauty of the tree. Experts have also disclosed that Mulanje Cedar is resistant to termites.

GENDER

Much as people would want as many Members of Parliament in the country in the next year's general elections, experience has shown that not too many women vote for fellow women. Women on their part have most of the times failed to convince the electorate to vote. Press reports have shown that women find it difficult to campaign against male aspirants. This is the case because a number of women are not financially stable. With this knowledge the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) is asking for a quota system. In this case a number of constituencies will automatically be reserved for a female aspirant. Despite signing the 1997 SADC gender protocol that requires member states to have 30% of women representation in decision-making positions, Malawi is far from reaching the target. It is known that some countries in the region have reached the required percentage because they introduced a quota system. Examples of such countries are Tanzania, Mozambique and South Africa. It is sad to note that Malawi is at 14% with only 27 female members out of the 193 members. It still remains a unknown if Malawi will achieve the 50% that gender activists want now.

Calls for equal opportunities to all genders seem to have hiccups in some sectors. At a recent pass out parade only 23 newly recruited female soldiers passed out of more than 1,000 males. Press reports have shown that much as they want to recruit more women, the structures still remain the same. Therefore it can be a problem if the Army recruited a big number of women because the structure has not changed. It should be noted that the Malawi Defence Force only started recruiting women a few years ago perhaps that is why it is a male dominated area.

Some gender activists have called for more seriousness for writers to avoid using gender sensitive language. Those that are fighting for gender equality have always wanted writers and speakers to use a language that would not offend others. Examples of such words are chairman, spokesman, policeman and many more. Observers would want people to use a language that would not be putting one of the genders in them. For instance people should be using spokesperson and not spokesman because a spokesperson can either be a male or female. At the same time use police officer and not policeman. Though it is a difficult subject activists have always wanted to have more gender sensitive words used so that the other sex is not left out.

Fr. Bill Turnbull

Center for Social Concern (CFSC)
Box 40049 Lilongwe 4
Area 25
Next to St. Francis Parish
Tel: 01 715 632
billturnbull@cfscmalawi.org
Website : http://www.cfscmalawi.org