JOYCE BANDA DID VISIT MPHWIYO - HOSPITAL OFFICIAL

In a black Mercedes Benz registration number N 43 GP Malawi president Joyce Banda was spotted being driven inside the Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg where treasury  budget director  Paul Mphwiyo was admitted  after being shot some weeks ago at his house in the capital Lilongwe.

But  Banda recently denied visiting Mphwiyo at the hospital by claiming that she traveled to South Africa to visit one of her minister Eunice Kazembe who is receiving medical treatment in the country.

The Mercedes Benz  used while going to Milpark was also captured at Southern Hotel in Pretoria where she was sleeping .

However speaking in a telephone interview Milpark hospital manager Antom Tillis confirmed that Banda did visit the hospital but he could not give more details as to why Banda did visit the hospital saying as the hospital they do respect patients confidentiality.

" As a matter of principal we are not in a position to discuss our patients or who visits them with anyone other than the patient themselves. We are ethically obliged to respect our patients confidentiality" said Tillis

However the same vehicle which took Banda at the O.R Tambo airport was the same car which was spotted at Milpark hospital and where she was residing  at Southern Sun Hotel in Pretoria.

Malawi President Joyce Banda Dissolves Cabinet

Malawi President Joyce Banda has dissolved her cabinet effective Thursday, October 10, 2013.

The development comes a few hours after she met the ministers on Thursday.

This comes amidst  pressure and calls from development partners, civil society organisations and the media that the president act on the continued looting and plundering of public resources.

According to a statement issued by State House Presidential Secretary Steve Nhlane whose copy Zodiak Online possesses, the decision is in line with the powers vested to the president by the constitution.

The statement said the President will announce a new Cabinet in due course.

“All ministerial matters will revert to the Presidency through Controlling Officers. Her Excellency the President will announce a new Cabinet in due course,” reads part of the statement.

The decision is in exercise of the powers conferred upon her by Section 94 (1) and Section 95 (2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi, has today, 10th October 2013, dissolved Cabinet,” reads part of the statement.

Meanwhile a political analyst Dr. Henry Chingaipe says the dissolution of cabinet will give the president time to reflect on the scandal of public resource plunder.

He also advised that Dr. Ken Lipenga “be moved to another ministry if he is to be appointed into the cabinet again”.

A law expert, Associate Professor Edge Kanyongolo of Chancellor College says there is no legal requirement on when the president should appoint a new cabinet.

“There is no law that stipulates when the president should appoint a new cabinet but sooner is better

Civil Sosiety calls Malawi president to resign

The Malawi  civil society are demanding for the head of   President Joyce Banda  saying her administration has failed Malawians following reports of massive plundering of resources by government officers.


The call was made by the Consumer Association of Malawi Speaking following the increase of corruption in the country.

 CAMA Executive Director Mr. John Kapito maintained that the  mass demonstrations against looting of government resources, ‘Capitol Hill shut down’-will proceed as planned on October 10.

CAMA’s Kapito said, “President Joyce Banda has failed to provide oversight leadership on the management of the government affairs since she took office because she has been rarely found in her office other than the many foreign and local travels that she continues to undertake in the name of development when actual fact they are just a drain on the tax payers.”

According to CAMA, President Banda’s failure to provide leadership in the current economic crisis has ‘blown up’ in her face where everybody has decided to join her plundering the economy through theft and corrupt practices taking advantage of her weak leadership.

Kapito said, “The march will take place on 10^th October and it will start from Parliament round-about up to Capitol Hill where they are going to present a petition to the chief secretary in the office of president and Cabinet Hawa Ndilowe.”

The CAMA petition to be presented to the chief secretary on 10^th October is calling on the immediate removal of the current minister of finance and the entire cabinet to pave way for unimpeded investigations at the treasury and all the government ministries and departments.

CAMA is also calling upon the head of state to call for early elections, and that a forensic audit of all government ministries and departments by a firm independent of government and of international repute. 

SOURCE ZBS

Joyce Banda visits Mphwiyo's hospital

President Joyce Banda visited shot treasury budget director Paul Mphwiyo on Tuesday at the Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg South Africa while she was coming from the United State of America where.

This visitation comes amidst calls from Malawian citizens, political and civil society for Banda to return home and address the looting of public resources at Capital Hill

Banda who jetted at O.R Tambo international airport in Johannesburg drove straight to the Milpark hospital in Johannesburg and spend close to four hours in the hospital.

However the press were not allowed to enter in the hospital saying the visit was private and confidential.

Speaking in a telephone interview Malawi embassy health attach Nedson Fosiko confirmed the presidential visit but denied to shed more lights on the issue by directing the reporter to speak to Malawi ambassador Stella Ndau.

" According to protocol I am not allowed to comment on that since all the issues regarding the presidency are always handled by the high commissioner herself" said Fosiko

However Ndau could not be reached on her cell number as her mobile phone was answered by her driver who said her boss was in a meeting.

" The owner of the phone is in meeting and she can not be able to pick up your phone" said the ambassadors driver

However commenting on Mphwiyo's current health condition Fosiko said the budget director is in a good condition and is expected to be discharge from the hospital anytime from today.

" He has improved well and the doctors who were observing him have recommended that he can be discharge and treated as an out patient" said Fosiko

When asked as to when Mphwiyo is expected to be released Fosiko said currently he is waiting for a final report from the doctor which indicate the particular date Mphwiyo will be released.

" I will meet with the doctors tomorrow ( Today) where they are expected to give us the final brief as to when he should be discharged but they are well impressed with his condition and they have recommended that he can be treated as an out patient." said Fosiko

Mphwiyo is now in the general ward after being from the ICU where surgical doctors removed four bullets from his body and reconstruct his jaws which was badly damaged. he is now able to talk and walk.

However despite his condition there is still tight security at the Milpark hospital

Paul Mphwiyo wanted by ACB

Shot Malawi treasury budget direct Paul Mphwiyo is among the eight civil servants from the ministry of Finance being hunted by the Malawi Anti-Corruption Bureau on corruption charges and fraud. According to a source within the bureau the ACB have issued 8 warrants of arrest where by Mphwiyo's name and his deputy has appered on the list. The others nortable names which have appered on the list includes the ruling People's Party (PP) director of political affairs Ephraim Chivunde and Oswald Lutepo. The others others have not yet been disclosed reports indicates that they're withing the ministry of financefrom min of finance. According to the sources it has revealed that Ephraim chivunde have been implicated as the one who twisted the Mphwiyo saga and implicated one of the Top lawyers Wapona Kita and Minister of Justice Ralph Kasambara . The source further revealed that Chivunde is a sworn enemy of Kasambara and has reported several things about ralph to president Joyce Banda.

Mphwiyo still in critical condition

Shot  Malawi treasury budget director Paul Mphwiyo still remains  in a "critical" condition, the Malawi embassy in South Africa said on Tuesday, just over two weeks after he was hospitalized.

Mphwiyo  who is battling for his life  at the Milpark hospital  South Africa still remain in  the Intensive Care Unit where he was returned after his condition turned  to worse  few day after  four bullets were removed from his body

Mphwiyo was shot  two week ago at his house in area 10 in the capital Lilongwe in an attack suspected to his fight against corruption.

A hospital source who chose not to be named told the paper that Phwiyo still remains in critical condition and he is not able to speak nor seat on his own  at the moment.

" His condition is critical as we all know that he is in the intensive care unit, he can not speak nor seat down but the doctors are doing all they can to improve his condition" disclosed the source

Speaking in a telephone interview Malawi embassy health attach Nedson Fosiko decline to shade more light on the issue saying they are waiting for the family members to make a decision on whether Mphwiyo's condition should be reported to the press or not . 

But Fosiko  therefore agreed  that Mphwiyo is in  ICU and his condition is currently  critical. 

" Ethically I can shed more lights on the issue meanwhile we're waiting for the family to decide on whether his health condition can be leaked to the media or not" Said Fosiko

Since Mphwiyo was hospitalized at Milpark Hospital his parents and his sister Agatha Mphwiyo has been spotted at the hospital.

Currently there is tight security at the Milpark hospital and only family members and Malawi embassy officials are allowed to visit him.

Mandela responding to treatment - Zuma

South Former president Nelson Mandela is responding well  to treatment  at his Houghton home, President Jacob Zuma said on Wednesday.

"Our revered former president continues to respond to treatment at his home," Zuma said at the opening of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

"His family and our people have warmly welcomed the support he continues to receive from the global community.

"We are humbled and very grateful for this support," said Zuma.

However ever Zuma did not go into details about Madiba's condition  

The previous statements have often said that Mandela is critical but stable

But one of the local newspaper The New Age reported on Thursday that Mandela is sitting up and looking around.

 Mandela's grandson, Mbuso Mandela was quoted by the paper saying his grand father spent time with his children and grandchildren on Heritage Day.

" I just saw him again yesterday (Wednesday) at lunch. He is doing very well," Mbuso told the daily. 

" He is sitting up and looking around. We are keeping him company" 

Thursday  marks the 25th day Mandela has spent at home in Johannesburg, after being discharged from a Pretoria hospital, where he spent nearly three months being treated for a recurring lung infection.