MADONNA TO BUILD 10 SCHOOLS IN MALAWI

Madonna’s Raising Malawi charity is set to break ground on the construction of schools in the impoverished country, which will be run by the local community, not the superstar’s organization.

According to Raising Malawi , work on the first school will start on March 30 in the Kasungu area, about 80 miles from the capital of Lilongwe, and all of the schools should be built by June 2013. Raising Malawi is providing $300,000 to the non-governmental organization buildOn to develop the schools. They’ll serve about 1,000 boys and girls in the southern African nation.

“This remains a very big priority in my life and I am excited that with the help of build on we can maintain our ongoing commitment to move forward efficiently,” Madonna said in a statement provided to The Associated Press.

Raising Malawi had originally intended to build all-girls schools that the organization would run. But it faced several obstacles in its goal, including complaints from some local farmers that they had been moved off land that Raising Malawi intended to use for its mission. Raising Malawi also had difficulty getting title to the land and there were concerns about the high costs of construction.

The new plan calls for “simple structures” that will be more practical and better serve Raising Malawi’s original mission, said Trevor Neilson, who is helping to direct the project as partner of the Global Philanthropy Group. The approach will allow the program to serve twice as many children as before, Madonna said.

“I have learned a great deal over the last few years and feel so much more confident that we can reach out goals to educate children in Malawi, especially young girls, in a much more efficient and practical way,” she said. Madonna has adopted two children from Malawi.

BuildOn has already built more than 50 schools in Malawi and 427 schools worldwide.

“For schools to be successful, they need to have community ownership and leadership,” Neilson said in an interview with The Washington Post on Friday. “Raising Malawi shouldn’t be running schools in Malawi. Local communities in Malawi should be running those schools, so that’s a big part of the shift.”

BuildOn has been working in Malawi for almost 20 years, said spokeswoman Carrie Pena. The organization works closely with the community, and locals even volunteer the labor to build the schools, according to Pena.

“It’s absolutely a community-owned school,” she said.

Neilson praised Madonna for sticking with her plan to build schools for Malawi’s children despite several setbacks for the star, who is the director of the new movie “W.E.,” out next week, and is this year’s Super Bowl performer. Madonna brought in Global Philanthropy to work with Raising Malawi more than a year ago and removed the involvement of the Kabbalah Centre. She has practiced Kabbalah, a form of Jewish mysticism.

“When the previous management team had those problems, I think a lot of people thought Madonna would give up,” Neilson said “It would have been understandable, but instead she’s going to reaching twice as many kids.”

___

MALAWI POLICE BLAMED FOR SUPPORTING THE UNDRESSING OF WOMEN.

MALAWI: Youth Association for Democracy (YADEMA) have accused the Malawi Police Service for failing to rescue women who were harassed by Vendors for wearing trousers and mini-skirts by forcing them to undress.

On January 17^th 2012 people in the capital Lilongwe witnessed what is called "an out of this world behaviour" by some men who went on a rampage unleashing terror on women dressed in trousers and mini-skirts a development which YADEMA has described as Terrorism according to section 2(b) (iv) of the constitution.

According to the statement released by the organisation it is reported that YADEMA members  who witnessed women being undressed disclosed that it was happening in full view of Police Officers who did not bother to rescue or arrest the so called Terrorist group.

"We condemn in strongest terms possible the Malawi Police Service for their failure to act where we most expected them to. As a matter of grave concern, the recent service we are getting from the police Service leaves a lot to be desired" said the statement which was signed by its chairperson Wapona Kita.

The statement said it is unfortunate that the Malawi Police Service is acting in such a way when Malawians’ memories are still fresh of how the police service failed to contain the rioting by Lilongwe vendors and government had to call upon the Military to take over.

The statement further mentioned another incident which happened in the commercial city of Blantyre where opposition Member of Parliament Hon Kunkuyu was roughed up and no arrests have been made up to date.

YADEMA said Malawians now feel more insecure than ever before despite having the police service which is lawfully entitled to prevent crime, apprehend offenders, protect life, property and fundamental freedoms and rights.

The organisation therefore demanded a serious soul-searching of what is happening with the Malawi Police Service for the laxity of failing to act as expected by the citizens.

YADEMA further demanded the Police Service through the office of the Inspector General to offer a public apology within 24 hours in particular to the women who have been subjected to the inhumane.

WOMEN IN MINISKIRTS ATTACKED IN CAPITAL LILONGWE

SHAME: The Decency in Dress Act, of 1973 which made it unlawful for women to wear trousers and miniskirts was repealed in 1993. We now have the 1994 Constitution which guarantees everyone freedom of expression which includes freedom of dress and right to privacy which includes the right to be left alone. However some Malawians have democracy and chose to take the country back to 1973 by attacking women wearing trousers ans miniskirts.

Since Monday January 16, there have been reports that women who goes in town wearing miniskirts and pair of trousers were attacked by people who forced them naked.

According to a local Radio Station Zodiak Broadcasting, its journalists, who were assigned parts of the capital Lilongwe,  eye witnessed ugly scenes of mobs of men attacking innocent women.

A similar case was also reported close to Constantine company next to Shoprite,where a woman was innocently walking into town when a group of young men descended on her, forcing her out of her pants.

The lady was rescued by another woman driving past. She stopped, invited her in and drove off.

Others are stranded in shops and other places as they fear the unjustified attack.

MALAWI GOVERNMENT BLAMED FOR INCREASED CHILD TRAFFICKING CASES

Luck of government commitment to introduce a law on Human trafficking is said to have fueled  the increase cases of child trafficking in Malawi

Activist  are now pointing  Fingers of blame at Malawi government authorities for failing to protect  Malawian Children.

The blame largely stems from the reluctance of government authorities to take the anti-human trafficking bill into parliament despite its approval by the cabinet some years ago.

This was reveled during the   Radio Islam’s hottest panel discussion program Contemporary Issuessaid the absence of the law on human trafficking prevents courts from punishing the culprits.

  Executive Director of a child rights organization, Eye of the Child, Maxwell Matewere  who was one of the panelist cited several examples in which human traffickers were given lenient and irrelevant court sentences despite pleading guilty to the human tracking.

“There was case in 2007 in which one street kid who was ‘trafficked’ from Mozambique had his private parts severed by child traffickers here in Malawi. But the culprits were instead charged with grievous harm because the laws of Malawi do not recognize child trafficking.”

Modern slavery

Matewere said it is very unfortunate that until now Malawi do not have a law on human trafficking which is ranked the fourth most organized and lucrative illegal businesses in the world.

He described the practice as a ‘modern-age-slave trade’ as most of the victims end up in suffering various abuses wherever they are taken to just as was the case with the abolished slave trade.

Matewere said his organization is doing what it takes to ensure the parliament passes the law by the end of this year. He said among other initiatives is to work with organizations that are pushing for the enactment of the law on human trafficking.

Hastings Jumbe and a Malawi correspondent for SABC’s Channel Africa and Christopher Sande, a journalist with Radio Maria are among journalists who are in the media taskforce which is lobbying for the passing of the law.

They said they are working to tour various rural areas to sensitize people on the vice which statistics show that between 1000 and 1, 500 people in Malawi especially children have been trafficked per year since 1998.

One of the country’s practicing lawyers Yusufu Nthenda conceded that it has been difficult or rather impossible for the courts to convict human traffickers because there is no law in Malawi’s penal code that punishes the culprits.

However contributors to the weekly program which is hosted by Amadu Rashid Mapila, said as Malawians wait for parliament to pass the law, they should also be on guard against the practice in their respective communities.

MALAWI STARTS DISTRIBUTION OF RELIEF ASSISTANCE TO HUNGER-STRICKEN FAMILIES

Despite claiming a bumper harvest some Malawians have been heavily affected by hunger in some parts of the country 

This has been reviewed following the distribution of relief assistance which has  reportedly started.

Distribution of relief assistance to families affected by hunger in some parts of the country has reportedly started.

The distribution exercise is being done by the department of disaster management affairs.

Up to two hundred thousand people are reportedly without food in some parts of the country following a poor harvest last year.

Principal Secretary and commissioner for disaster Geoffrey Kanyinji told Capital fm that over 4 thousand metric tonnes of maize will be distributed in parts of Blantyre, Chikhwawa, Nsanje, and Chiradzulu, among other districts.

CIVIL SOCIETY WARN THE INVOLVEMENT OF ACTIVITIES IN CIVIL DEVELOPMENT

Soldiers provoke a major row between civic activists and city authorities after riots.

A major row is brewing between civic activists and city authorities after soldiers of Malawi defence force were called in to put down a riot by street vendors in Lilongwe.

The police arrested several vendors in the Malangalanga area of the old town by the police who opened fire and used tear gas.

But the army was ordered in after it appeared that the police were failing to contain the situation.

It is no clear who ordered the soldiers in.

But activists are warning against involvement of the military in civic developments and questioning the legitimacy of military operation.

Wapona kita is a lawyer who is raising such questions.

He says that the trend indicates the Malawi Police Service is incapable of handling operations whose domain remains in police.

COURT FREES UDF SECRETARY GENERAL

BLANTYRE: High Court in Blantyre has vacated an injunction obtained by the Friday Jumbe UDF faction that restrained Secretary General, Mr. Kennedy Makwangwala from transacting party business.

In is ruling, Justice Joseph Mwanyunga argued that the time given for Mr. Makwangwala to appear before the party’s disciplinary committee was too short hence he could not be removed.

In an interview with Zodiak Online soon after the ruling, Mr. Makwangwala said he would soon convene a meeting to sort out squabbles within the party.

According to our reporter in Blantyre, Rodrick Sinoya, the Jumbe faction through Mr. Ken Msonda has indicated that it would take up the matter furthe

South Africa’s ANC sacks youth leader

1. Posted on Thursday 10 November 2011 - 11:20
   South Africa's governing ANC has found the embattled youth leader Julius Malema guilty of bringing the party into disrepute and has been subsequently suspended. Malema, who did not attend the announcement of the verdict, was found guilty of three of the four charges brought against him, said Derek Hanekom, who headed a disciplinary hearing.

   

   Malema was found guilty of disrupting a national ANC meeting, of bringing the party into disrepute by calling for regime change in Botswana, and of provoking serious divisions within the party by praising Thabo Mbeki, who was sacked as party president and then removed as state president by the ANC three years ago.
   
   "Ill-discipline is not a cure for frustration," Hanekom said. "Such disobedience undermined the effectiveness of the ANC."
   
   Malema's conduct "would have a negative impact on international and inter-state relations, and would be prejudicial to South Africa as a whole," he added.
   
   "In respects of the present disciplinary hearing, the respondent's membership is suspended for five years," he said.
   
   "The respondent shall vacate his position as the president of the ANC Youth League," he said.
   Malema was, however, found not guilty of sowing racism or political intolerance.
   
   The Youth League spokesperson Floyd Shivambu was also suspended for three years over the Botswana statements as well as for swearing at a journalist, which the displinary hearing said had brought the party into disrepute.
   
   Four other top ANCYL officials were also found guilty on various charges, but were granted suspended sentences — meaning they retain their memberships unless they are convicted of a new offense.

Malawi’s veep to be charged with treason

1. Posted on Monday 24 October 2011 - 10:55
   Ulemu Teputepu, AfricaNews reporter in Pretoria, South Africa

   Malawi's government plans to arrest the state vice president, Joyce Banda, when she returns from Zambia where she is attending the country's 47th independence celebrations on Monday October 24 on charges of treason. Banda flew to Zambia on Sunday morning after receiving a telephone call from Zambia's president Sata on the evening of Thursday, requesting her to be part of the celebrations in the neighbouring country.

   

   According to inside sources government is planning to arrest Banda upon arrival at Chileka Airport in the commercial city of Blantyre.
   
   Impeccable information suggests that governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has been fabricating strategy documents implicating Banda, who is also leader of the People’s Party (PP), in an alleged coup plot against President Mutharika and his government.
   
   The plotters have been concocting communications allegedly between the VP and various people, including others from the military and foreign nations, strategizing on how to wrestle power from Mutharika before his tenure of office ends in 2014.
   
   A security officer close to the plot confided on Saturday that the VP was initially targeted for arrest on Friday, the day PP’s Secretary General Henry Chibwana was detained by Blantyre Police for “questioning” over a letter he allegedly authored and addressed to Banda.
   
   In the letter, Chibwana was allegedly proposing that the PP retaliates the torching of its organizing secretary’s house in Area 47, Lilongwe. Salim Bagus’ house was set on fire by suspected state agents on Sunday, September 18, 2011.
   
   The incident happened four days after Information Minister Patricia Kaliati had accused him (Bagus) of travelling to Germany to solicit funds to facilitate planned and abortive national vigils on September 21 against the deteriorating social, economic and political order in Malawi.
   
   When he was picked on Friday, Chibwana argued he was “too educated” to author such a letter as alleged by the police. He also wondered how he could have written a letter to the VP when in fact, on the date the letter is said to have been written, Banda was on a private visit to the United States of America. He was released unconditionally.
   
   According to Malawi online news paper the Nyasa Times People’s Party national publicity director, Stephen Mwenye confirmed that the party was aware of plans by government to arrest the VP on tramped-up treason charges.
   
   “However, the party’s position is that we’re not moved at all. The guilty are afraid, so goes the adage; in these circumstances, Malawians will be able to tell who, between President Mutharika and Madame Banda is guilty or not,”
   
   He said Mutharika has implicated “many rivals” in corruption, treason and other serious cases but none of the cases has seen the light of the day in court.
   
   “Remember the treason case against his former deputy Chilumpha; treason case against Muluzi? It’s his political pattern we’ve become so used to that whenever they plan to arrest Madame Banda or any one of us, we just laugh it off,” Mwenye concluded.
   
   Plans to arrest Banda come fast on the heels of the Sata’s avoidance of Mutharika to be part of the Lusaka independency party.
   
   Sata did not attend the Heads of State and Government summit in Malawi from October 14 to 15, 2011, accusing Mutharika of failing to apologize for unceremoniously deporting him in 2007 as leader of Zambia`s main opposition Patriotic Front.
   
   Sata was detained and declared a prohibited immigrant; bundled into a vehicle and driven across the country to the Malawi-Zambia border in Chipata.

Malawi’s vice president seeks asylum in Zambia

1. Posted on Wednesday 26 October 2011 - 11:00
   Ulemu Teputepu, AfricaNews reporter in Pretoria, South Africa

   Malawi state vice president Joyce Banda has applied for an asylum permit in Zambia fearing a possible arrest by government on treason charges. This comes after the Media reported that government is planning to arrest Banda upon arrival at Chileka Airport in the commercial city of Blantyre.

   

   According to Zambia local press , Banda who was expected to leave for Malawi made an unceremonious return to Pamodzi hotel midday Tuesday after confirming about her arrest warrant.
   
   Banda flew to Zambia on Sunday October 23rd, 2011 to attend the country’s 47th independence celebrations on Monday, October, 24 at the invitations of new Zambia’s leader, Michael Sata.
   
   Sources familiar with the development disclosed that the Malawian vice president is now applying for Aslyum in Zambia. However, Zambian government officials were not available for a comment.
   
   According to the Nyasa Times of Malawi plans to arrest Banda come fast on the heels of the Sata’s avoidance of Mutharika to be part of the Lusaka independence party. Sata seems to have a soft spot towards the opposition political leaders in Malawi after he granted Malawi’s opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) a television broadcasting licence recently
   
   Zambia has been entangled in a diplomatic row with Malawi after the Zambian president while the leader of the opposition was detained and declared a prohibited immigrant:bundled into a vehicle and driven across the country to the Malawi-

Heat on Bingu wa Mutharika

Ulemu Teputepu | 29 July, 2011 00:34

Protestors take to the streets of Malawi's commercial capital Blantyre, July 20, 2011. Riots broke out in several cities in Malawi on Wednesday after police tried to disperse protesters demanding the resignation of President Bingu wa Mutharika, whom they accuse of ignoring civil liberties and trashing the economy.
Image by: Eldson Chagara/REUTERS / REUTERS

Some ruling party members of parliament in Malawi have turned against President Bingu wa Mutharika and say they plan to have him impeached because he is acting in "bad faith".

Five members of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party are leading the revolt.

"We warn the president to abandon the path he has taken or it would be suicidal for parliamentary candidates to stand on a DPP ticket but he did not listen," said MP Jeffrey Ntelemu.

At least 19 people were killed during demo s against bad governance and persistent fuel and foreign exchange shortages. Two weeks ago the DPP expelled five MPs who accused the president of bad governance
.

Malawi: Pressure mounts on President Mutharika to resign

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Tuesday, 27 December 2011 14:23

By Ulemu Teputepu Opposition parties in Malawi has called a has called upon President Bingu wa Mutharika to resign or face immediately saying he has failed to provide a rescue plan for Malawi. The call was made by Alliance for Democracy (Aford) National Chairperson Enock Chihaning The call comes after Malawi is facing economic Challenges such as shortage of fuel, foreign exchange and increase in food prices. This comes after Malawi is facing economic Challenges such as shortage of fuel, foreign exchange and increase in food prices. According to Malawi online newspaper Nyasa Times Chihana made the scathing call during a public rally he addressed at the Katoto Freedom Park in Mzuzu on Friday. “Where is this country going with this person ? We know where we are coming from but Mutharika is leading this country into highway to hell,” Chihana said. Other opposition parties and Malawians are supporting Chihana’s idea saying it’s the only move to rescue Malawi from bad governance economic challenges. But presidential spokesperson Heatherwick Ntaba said Mutharika is the best President in Africa and cannot stand-down. “Why should he resign? The problems Malawi is facing are globally,” Ntaba claimed. Chihana said Mutharika must publicly take responsibility of the problems Malawi is facing and provide a timetable of how he intends to solve these problems. “If he fails to do this he must call for a Government of National Unity or resign. It’s simple. He should not take Malawi as his personal farm or estate. Malawi belongs to all of us. We only employed him,” Chihana said. He said Mutharika has created enmity with Malawi’s neighbours because he is a person who could not be advised. “Look at Zambia, Mozambique and even Tanzania. We cannot afford to live in isolation because we are a landlocked country,” he said. Chihana, son to fallen pro-democrcay activist Chakufwa Chihana, said Malawi will economically slide into another Zimbabwe if Mutharika does not step down. “The problems we have here mirror those of Zimbabwe. I am reliably informed that government has printed a MK1000 note and that the IMF has demanded that our currency be devalued by 40 percent. These are sad developments,” Chihana said.

SADC leaders embrace MDGs

Southern Africa Social Forum (SASF) participants have
agreed  that citizens and Civil Society Organizations
should stand up and join hands to ensure that their
respective governments in SADC are on track towards
the fulfilling of Millennium Development Goals.
At the very end of 2006 SASF in Lilongwe, delegates
paraded colorful banners and donning t-shirts of all colors
with different messages. Rights activists from Swaziland,
Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and
Malawi all walked from Civo Stadium to the Town Hall,
about five kilometers.
Participants marched in solidarity and country
representatives delivered speeches calling  for an end to
neo-liberalism and imperialism. They observed a moment
of silence of for all the late brothers and sisters that had
died in the struggle against negative forces that had not
been of their own making.  
Participants expressed the need for government to
free the media and facilitate a free access to information
arguing that they were tired with dictatorship cover ups.
They called for quick implementation of land reforms and
other laws in the region.
“There should be less talk and more action .SADC
governments must design policies and set aside adequate
resources to achieve the goals, the communique said.
It said governments in the region should ensure that
citizens, particularly those in rural areas, are consulted
widely to ensure that national development policies on
health reflect the needs and concerns.
“Governments should take the responsibility to educate,
sensitize citizens on their health rights and that information
should be disseminated in vernacular language,” reads the
communiqué.
It further suggests that leaders should prioritize access to
treatment like having health facilities near the communities
and essential drugs like anti retroviral (ARV’s), malaria
drugs, tuberculosis.
The communiqué added that governments should
recognize that women are critical to fighting poverty and
that no poverty eradication programme or initiative can
succeed without centralizing women’s rights and gender
equality issues.
Current  international policies rob women of livelihoods,
health care and other economic rights.
On a broader level it said international and national
policies are urged to consider poverty, privilege and
discrimination as inter-related and therefore feminization
of poverty is a reality that needs to be addressed by
inequalities of trade, debt and aid within the global policy
framework.

Kabila wins DRC elections

Kabila wins DRC elections

1. Posted on Saturday 10 December 2011 - 15:08
   Ulemu Teputepu, AfricaNews reporter in Pretoria, South Africa

   Against all odds president Joseph Kabila has won the Democratic Republic of Congo's election, provisional results show. Kambial who took over from his late father Laurent obtained 49% of the vote against 32% for veteran opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, the election commission chief said.

   

   The announcement has been delayed since Tuesday, with election officials blaming logistical problems.
   
   The opposition has complained of fraud and security is tight in the capital, Kinshasa, amid fears of violence.
   
   According to BCC riot police are patrolling the streets of the capital, which is seen as an opposition stronghold fearing demonstrations reports.
   
   Many shops and stalls in the city's markets have been closed for most of the week.
   
   "The Independent National Electoral Commission certifies that candidate Kabila Kabange Joseph has obtained the simple majority of votes," said election commission chief Daniel Ngoy Mulunda.
   
   In the eastern city of Goma, people started to celebrate as soon as the results were announced on national TV and radio.
   
   The results still have to be ratified by the Supreme Court.
   
   In 2006 he won the first elections since the end of a five-year conflict and is now due to be sworn in on 20 December for his second term.

Malawi govt accepts information bill

After twelve years without access to information, Malawian
civil society, in conjunction with the National Media  Institute
For Southern Africa (NAMISA) has managed to  push
government to introduce  the Access to Information Bill to
be soon tabled in parliament.
Speaking at the second day of the Southern Africa Social
Forum meeting in Lilongwe, Innocent Chitosi national director
(MISA )Malawi disclosed that following the drafting of the Bill by
NAMISA and appearances before  the Legal  and Communication
Committees of Parliament, the Ministry of Information has now
taken over the  draft bill and handed it over to the Ministry of
Justice before tabling it before Cabinet.
In the absence of the Access to Information Act the media
in Malawi has been denied vital information by public officers
resulting in local people not being informed correctly.
The government and other stakeholders have been looking
at the Access to Information Act as only beneficial to the Media
and subject to abuse by the same media.
Chitosi observed that the government has been withholding
information under the guise that information was power and
that it could not share it with anybody else. Most of the public
relations officers are not specialists and not well-resourced,
coupled with the centralised beureaucratic  way of  handling
information in  public offices has remained a  challenge  in the
absence of the Bill.
Among other things the Bill seeks to promote transparency
and accountability within the public sector while at the same
time ensuring that the freedom of  expression, as provided in
the country’s constitution, is respected.
The public will have a voice in   the projects and decisions the
government seeks to carry out and whistle blowers and national
secrets and security issues will be protected as well.
“Africans, Malawians included, must create a culture of
openness and formation of Media networks in the sub-region in
order to make governments accountable to the  public,” he said
in his presentation.
Only 55 countries in the world have enacted  access to
information laws  with South Africa and Zimbabwe as the only
countries in the sub region having enacted the same.
Although (Namisa) wished the Bill would be tabled in
Parliament, the Information Ministry has asked for time until
June next year to have Parliament’s approval of  the Bill.

SADC losing more teachers to Aids

The Civil Society in the SADC region
has expressed concern following the
increase of  teacher who are dying of
HIV/ AIDS.
Speaking at the southern Africa social
forum in Lilongwe education annalist said
the region is losing a number of profession
teachers who could have improved the
education standard.
Commenting on the issue Alfred
Kamphare Excutive   secretary for Teachers
Union of Malawi said the issue of HIV/
AIDS and education is  crucial and very
serious  in the region.
He said out of 54 thousand teachers in
Malawi, the country has lost six thousand
of them due to HIV/AIDS in the last 2
years only which shows that the country
is losing a lot of teachers.
He said it is high time the SADC region
should come up with programs to reduce
HIV/AIDS among teachers and student
in the region He further called on the
SADC leaders to  put strong policies and
HIV/AIDS programs  to its teachers in
the region.
“ The issue of HIV/AIDS among
teachers is a cross cutting issue and  has
created a big gap which is very difficult to
fill, most  teachers have died and if strong
programs are not produced  quickly the
region  will suffer due to loss of many
professional teachers,”said Kamphanje.
Commenting on the issue Lewis
Mwape General Secretary for the Project
Management Association of Zambia said
apart providing ARVs government needs to
consider raising salaries for teachers.
 “ Teachers within the region  do not
get enough money to cater for their day
to day to day life  most of them who are
on free ARTs  can  not  afford  maintain
a good diet to keep them going health,”
disclosed Mwape.
Commenting on the issue of girl
defilement in schools by male teachers
Mwape called the region to policies in
place and produce stiffer pernatys to
such perpetrators saying such cases are
increasing  the region.
He said students must know their rights
and where to report on defilemen

SADC LEADERS BLAMED SUPPORTING MUGABE

By Ulemu Teputepu
Zimbabwean civil society has blamed SADC leaders
for supporting Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe
and not doing anything to help the country overcome
the crisis it is currently facing.
Speaking at the Southern Africa Social Forum, in
Lilongwe, Nkosilathi Tshuma Programme Manager for
crisis in Zimbabwe coalition said its unfortunate for
SADC leaders to keep on supporting Mugabe following
his bad governance rather than helping the country to
maintain its independence and good governance.
He said its high time civil society and human rights
forget about borders but join together to promote peace
and independence in SADCC region.
He said Mugabe has silenced civil society and
independent media houses with the aim to bar access
to information to the public on his wrong doing, “we
have a collapse in social –econimic and political setup
in Zimbabwe which have been caused by corrupted
governance structure that is characterized by repressive
registrations, like breakdown of rule of law, weak
parliament and lack of accountability.”
Commenting on the issue the director for Centre
for Human Rights and Rehabilitation, Undule
Mwakasungura said its high time civil society should
join together to help Zimbabwe to overcome the crisis
it is currently facing.
He said it’s vary fortunate that Malawian civil society
devided during the Mugabe visit to Malawi saying he
was not supposed to be honoured and be named in the
Midima road. He said its high time should step down
and pave way for good leaders to govern Zimbabw

Brutal Malawi crackdown

REUTERS and ULEMU TEPUTEPU | 22 July, 2011 00:12

Protestors take to the streets of Malawi's commercial capital Blantyre
Image by: Eldson Chagara / REUTERS

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At least 18 people have been killed as Malawian demonstrators and police clashed in rioting in three cities against President Bingu wa Mutharika, officials and families said.

Health ministry spokesman Henry Chimbali confirmed 10 deaths in the northern city of Mzuzu, where protesters pillaged the offices of Mutharika's Democratic Progressive Party on Wednesday in a rare show of public anger.

Reports late yesterday quoted the ministry as revising the death toll up to 18. Relatives said a man died after being shot in the southern city of Blantyre as police and troops fired tear gas to disperse crowds of demonstrators demanding Mutharika's resignation.

Other reports said three people were killed in Blantyre's Chilomoni township. Troops in big towns and police are reportedly targeting journalists. At least one reporter was seriously hurt.

The national death toll looks set to rise, with security forces in the capital Lilongwe clashing for a second day with groups of anti-government youths.

"Most casualties are dying of excessive bleeding," Chimbali said. "As people are still rioting out there we're seeing more casualties coming in, especially at Lilongwe Central Hospital."

Mutharika, a former World Bank economist first elected in 2004, took to the airwaves to make a 12-minute appeal for calm, saying that he was happy to hear grievances from opponents who accuse him of ignoring civil liberties and ruining the economy.

"Stop the rioting and let's sit down to discuss," he said on state radio, while hinting at a fiercer crackdown.

"I have a responsibility, based on the powers vested in me by the constitution, to bring law and order."

On Wednesday, the demonstrations started peacefully, but violence erupted when police set up roadblocks to keep people away from city centres.

People dressed in red, the colour favoured by opposition supporters, were forced to turn around or remove their red clothing.

''Malawi is no longer a good place to live as Bingu is ruling just like Mugabe," one demonstrator said.

Mutharika has presided over six years of high-paced but aid-funded growth.

The sheen came off this year with him embroiled in a diplomatic row with Britain, Malawi's biggest donor, over a leaked UK high commission cable labelling him as "autocratic and intolerant of criticism".

The cable led to the expulsion of Britain's high commissioner in Malawi. In response, Britain expelled Malawi's envoy to London and suspended R3.7-billion in aid over the next four years.

The freeze left a yawning hole in the budget of a country that has relied on handouts for 40% of its revenue.

It also intensified a foreign-currency shortage that threatens the kwacha's peg at 150 to the US dollar.

The dollar crunch has pushed up fuel prices and aggravated a chronic energy shortage, making a state economic growth forecast of 6.6% for this year look increasingly unrealistic.

In Blantyre, the commercial capital, shops that were shuttered during Wednesday's clashes reopened, but some banks remained closed.

Southern region police spokesman Davie Chingwalu said the riots had caused extensive property damage. Several demonstrators and police were injured. Several arrests had been made, he said.

On Wednesday, as unrest erupted across the normally sleepy former British colony, state media broadcast a long economics lecture by Mutharika in which he harangued critics including the International Monetary Fund.

"We are not off track. It is the IMF which is off track in Malawi," he said.