Self acclaimed son of Kamuzu Banda is back in Malawi

Self acclaimed son to first Malawi president Kamuzu Banda, Jumani Johansson Kamuzu Banda , is reported to be back in the Malawi.

Jumani was deported to Sweden in September 27, 2011  by the Democrat Progressive Party (DPP) regime

 Immigration authorities took Johansson in for overstaying in the country and started processing his deportation. He acquired a Swedish passport after his adoption by his step-father, Matt Johansson.

   Jumani Johansson  changed his name to Jim Jumani Immanuel Masauko Kamuzu Banda. Johansson says that it was after Banda died in 1997 that 'some government officials' told him about who his father really was.

Officially, Banda died childless and unmarried. His claim and resemblance to the former dictator opened up many unanswered questions about the legacy of Banda. Johansson became a celebrity overnight in Malawi owing to his uncanny resemblance to the former president and his measures to seek legal means of proving his identity.

Profile: Ghana President John Dramani Mahama

Former Vice-President John Dramani Mahama, who has been sworn in as the president of Ghana following the death of John Atta Mills, is regarded as a champion of the underprivileged.

He also has a keen interest in the environment, particularly the problem of plastic pollution in Africa.
A Christian, Mr Mahama is a respected historian, writer and communications specialist.

He recently published a book, entitled "My First Coup d'Etat", looking at the political problems that have gripped Africa since independence.

Mr Mahama was born at Bole-Bamboi in Ghana's northern region on 29 November 1958.
He spend much of his 20s and 30s studying, including a period in Moscow, and worked for four years as an information officer at the Japanese embassy in Accra.

John Dramani Mahama also served as a member of the Pan African Parliament in South Africa

He joined the non-governmental organisation PLAN International in 1995, working as a sponsorship and grants manager in the Ghana country office.

In December 1996, Mr Mahama was elected to his first term as MP, running on the ticket of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) party.

Mr Mahama served as deputy communication minister from April 1997 to November 1998, stepping up to head the ministry for the following two years.

While communications minister, Mr Mahama also served as the Chairman of the National Communications Authority, and played a key role in stabilising the Ghana telecom sector after deregulation in 1997.
He also served as a member of the Pan African Parliament based in Pretoria, South Africa from 2004 to 2011 where he was Chairman of the West Africa Caucus.

On 7 January 2009, Mr Mahama became Ghana's vice-president, remaining in the post until Mr Atta Mills' death.

He is married to Lordina Mahama and has seven children.

Ghanaian President Died Of Throat Cancer

Throat cancer claimed the life of   68- year - old Ghanaian President John Mills government officials disclosed.
 Mills died on Tuesday, a few hours after announcing to Parliament that he was leaving for Nigeria.

 The British Broadcasting Corporation reports that 68-year-old Mills,  who had been suffering from throat cancer,  died in  the capital, Accra a few hours after being taken ill.

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the sudden and untimely death of the President of the Republic of Ghana"  a government statement said

Addressing the nation via state-run GTV and TV3 Chief of Staff John Newman said  Mills died  at the
37th Military Hospital in Accra. Newman gave no details about the cause of Mills’ death.

Information Minister Baffour also declined to elaborate."yes I can confirm his death but I can't say more"  he told The Associated Press.

 It is reported  that  Mill’s voice had been degenerating in the last few months.

Vice President John Dramani Mahama was sworn in as President before an emergency session of parliament, pledging to maintain stability as he serves out the remainder of Mills' term.

Malawi President risks being dragged to court

Malawi president risks being dragged to court if she fails to declare her assets with immediate effect.

Renowned political activist sounded the threat in an interview when he was giving his assessment on 100 days of Joyce Banda’s presidency

Mkandawire blamed Banda for not fulfilling constitutional mandates like coming forth in the open and publicly declaring her assets saying such behavior promotes corruption among leaders.

Mkandawire argued that if Banda was a good leader who wants to improve the economy of the country she could have followed what Section 88 (1) of the Constitution of the republic of Malawi says , which stipulates that the president and members of cabinet must disclose all their assets, liabilities and business interest - as well as those of their spouses or any assets that are held on their behalf upon election or appointment.

“Such a declaration is supposed to be made in writing within three months of their election or appointment .Recently the president celebrated her 100 days in office and dedicated it to the Malawian people. But after such dedication one would expect the president to fulfill certain constitutional mandates like declaring her assets”. Wondered Mkandawire.

Mkandawire said President Banda is not honoring her promises which she made to Malawians once she was appointed

“ President Joyce Banda promised Malawians that she will rid the country of any corrupt practices by promoting mechanisms and institutions that will help combat corruption, little did we Malawians know that we were being hoodwinked yet again as she continues to fret and lag on the decision to declare her assets even after the tree months period mandate by the constitution is over” worried Mkandawire.

Mkandawire reminded Banda that she should remember that she was not wholly voted into office but rather she became president by virtue of Section 87 of Malawi constitution which reads in part “(1) Whenever the President is incapacitated so as to be unable to discharge the powers and duties of that office, the First Vice President shall act as President until such time, in the President’s term of office.”

Mkandawire therefore warned that this is part of the mandate Malawian people gave to the late President President Bingu Wa Mutharika because of the constitution which is sacrosanct that Banda must adhere and respect its supremacy and declare her assets.

" The president must declare her assets with immediate effect failure to do so Malawians will have no choice but to take the matter to the court of the land" Warned Mkandawire.

Donor taps continue for Malawi as IMF approves $156m package

The International Monetary Fund's executive board on  Monday approved a new three-year arrangement for Malawi under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) for an amount equivalent to $156.2 million as donor aid  continues to flow  following the brave reform of government under President Joyce Banda.

This means an immediate disbursement equivalent to about $19.5 million.

This comes on the back of new aid packages over the last weeks by the World Bank, African Development Bank and Britain.

Malawi has over the last two years battled with serious macroeconomic challenges including a severe shortage of foreign exchange and critical imports of fuel, inputs for production, and medicines after the government of the then President Bingu wa Mutharika fell out with donors over governance concerns.

The IMF suspended its credit plan with Malawi after President Mutharika refused to among other things devalue the country's currency as a measure to turn around the economy.

But following his death in April new President Joyce Banda has moved to repair relations with lenders, leading to major financial responses by the donors.

"Malawi's new administration moved swiftly to devalue the kwacha, adopt a flexible exchange rate regime and liberalise current account transactions to address the country's chronic balance of payment problems and improve the outlook for poverty reduction and growth," IMF deputy managing director and acting chair Naoyuki Shinohara said in a statement.

Mr Shinohara also said the new ECF arrangement provides support for the authorities' medium-term economic programme based on Malawi's second Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS II), adding that specific objectives include macroeconomic stability with low inflation, increasing international reserves to provide a buffer against external shocks, and reforms to improve the investment climate and promote sustained inclusive growth.

"The authorities have adopted a prudent fiscal stance in the 2012/13 budget. Higher donor support and a sizeable domestic revenue effort allow the government to increase total spending slightly without recourse to domestic borrowing," the statement quoted Mr Shinohara as saying.

Madonna to support Malawi paediatrics

 After abandoning her plans to build a girls academy US pop star  Madonna, has launched a new fund-raising drive to support the training of a Malawian pediatric surgeon.
Through her US registered charity Raising Malawi, the ‘Queen of Pop’ has emailed hordes of her well-wishers and fans, addressing them as Dear Friend, and asking: “Will you consider donating $5 or more to support people like Dr. Erick Borgstein, for many years the only paediatric surgeon in Malawi, who are helping orphans and vulnerable children in Malawi?”Malawi, where 39 percent of the 13 million citizens are poor, has over one million orphans and vulnerable children, and less than 200 doctors, creating huge shortages in the medical system.
The charity said Borgstein “treats thousands of paediatric patients every year, performing hundreds of life-saving operations.”He also trains medical students in general and in paediatric surgery, thanks to the financial support from Raising Malawi.
“He will now formally train a young Malawian doctor to follow in his footsteps as a paediatric surgeon,” the charity added.
Raising Malawi said for the past six years, it has “remained committed to supporting orphans and vulnerable children in Malawi… This would not be possible without the support of people like you, who share in our mission to end the poverty and hardship endured by the country’s estimated one million orphans.”Calling itself the Raising Malawi Team, the charity thanked its supporters “for your support…we look forward to sharing future updates with you about the inspirational work of Dr. Borgstein and others.”
It was not clearly how much money Madonna is seeking in this new venture, coming more than a year after her charity controversially cancelled the construction of a state-of-the-art $15 million Raising Malawi Academy for Girls -RMAG- in Chinkhota village, 15 kilometres from the capital Lilongwe.
The academy, meant to offer 500 scholarship to girls from poor backgrounds and train them into doctors and future leaders of the country, was mired in allegations of mismanagement, including excessive spending on offices and cars.
An audit had found $3.8 million had been misused.
Madonna, who has adopted two children from Malawi- Mercy James and David Banda – said she had realised the academy would not be enough as two-thirds of Malawian girls are not educated beyond primary school and she wanted to reach “thousands and not hundreds of girls” by constructing several schools.
She said she was focussed on an approach to 10 build schools within communities across the country, that would educate at least 1,000 children a year, half of them girls.
The charity has teamed up with the non-profit group buildOn, which has constructed 54 primary schools in Malawi in the last 19 years.

Ethipia Prime Minister fread Dead

Ethiopia’s government said has dismiss reports  that Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is dead  after he failed to attend the African Union Summit.

However the authorities have revealed that Zenawi  is ill .

  An opposition group recently  reported  that the Prime Minister  have died in a European hospital.

“There is no serious illness at all. It’s minor only,” Deputy Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said to local press  in an interview in Addis Ababa, the capital. “As any human being, he has to get medication and he’ll be coming back soon.”

The 57-year-old Zenawi failed to attend  the opening of the African Union summit in Addis Ababa . He also skipped a meeting of the New Partnership for Africa's  Development in the city on July 14 for “health reasons,” Senegalese President Macky Sall  was quoted as saying by the Addis Ababa-based Reporter newspaper.

Meles who  heads  the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front  has held power in Ethiopia for more than two decades.

“ENTC on behalf of the Ethiopian people demands that the government has the responsibility to disclose the truth to its citizens,” the council said.

Morocco says expels Syrian ambassador

Morocco government has officially asks Syrian Ambassador to leave the country following tha ongoing political crisis in Syria

Morocco Foreign Minister disclosed this on Monday saying the ambassador has been declared person non grata and asks him to leave the country immediately 

Meanwhile there is no immediate comment from Syria embassy, recently a Syrian embassy official denied speculation that the ambassador had defected  

Stocktaking 100 of Joyce Banda's Presidency

Malawi’s new president, Joyce Banda, clocks 100 days in office on Saturday Since took over power after the sudden death of president Bingu wa Mutharika. Since she took over the power, The Iron lady as she is called changed many of her predecessor's policies and laws which had cost the country much needed foreign aid.

But Malawians are divided on their assessment on the new president and.
There are mix reactions on whether President Joyce Banda is as good leader as the international community thinks she is.

This the stocktaking of 100 days of Joyce Banda’s presidency by the opposition parties, Civil society and the public.

CIVIL SOCIETY
Renowned political science activist Ben Chiza Mkandawire blamed Banda for not fulfilling constitutional mandates like coming forth in the open and publicly declare her assets saying such behavior promotes corruption among leaders.

Mkandawire argued if Banda was a good leader who want to improve the economy of the country she could have followed what Section 88 (1) of the Constitution of the republic of Malawi says , which stipulates that the president and members of cabinet must disclose all their assets, liabilities and business interest - as well as those of their spouses or any assets that are held on their behalf upon election or appointment.

“Such a declaration is supposed to be made in writing three months of their election or appointment .Recently the president celebrated her 100 days in office and dedicated it to the Malawian people. But such dedication one would expect the president to fulfill certain constitutional mandate like declaring her assets”. Wondered Kandawire.

Mkandawire said President Banda is not honoring her promises she made to Malawians once she was appointed

“ President Joyce Banda promised Malawians that she will rid the country of any corrupt practices by promoting mechanisms and institutions that will help combat corruption, little did we Malawians know that we were being hoodwinked yet again as she continues to fret and lag on the decision to declare her assets even after the tree months period mandate by the constitution is over” worried Mkandawire.

Mkandawire reminded Banda that she should remember that she not wholly voted into office but rather she became president by virtue of Section 87 of Malawi constitution which reads in part “ (1) Whenever the President is incapacitated so as to be unable to discharge the powers and duties of that office, the First Vice President shall act as President until such time, in the President’s term of office.”

Mkandawire therefore warned that this is part of the madate Malawian people gave to late President President Bingu Wa Mutharika because of the constitution which is sacrosanct that Banda mush adhere and respect its supremacy and declare her assets

OPPOSITION

Conquering with the Civil Society the Opposition parties have said that the incumbent president Joyce Banda has failed in her 100 days in office.

The then ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Leader in Parliament George Chaponda said in a telephone interview .

According to DPP the current administration has failed to live people’s expectation by being selective when it comes to constitutional matters.

Chaponda pointed out the failure  to impose section 65  where by members of parliament are not allowed to cross the floor as a major abuse of the constitution  

TRAIN CRASH KILLS 20 IN SOUTH AFRICA

At least 20 people have been killed and more than 20 others injured after a train collided into a truck in South Africa, police and emergency service confirmed.

However it is expected that the death toll might rise. 

The coal tarin ploughed into the truck, carrying farm workers on their way to pick fruits at a nearby farm, on Friday in Mpumalanga province.

"It ia a very gruesome scene, Some bodies are without heads and some without limbs". Police spokesman Joseph Mabusa said 

 Provincial community safety department spokesman Joseph Mabuza added that  the train dragged the truck for about 200 metres, leaving bodies with limbs missing scattered on the ground. 

The Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) said the coal train had been travelling from Witbank to Maputo. RSR spokesman Sibongiseni Henna said there were 44 people on the truck. 

“No injuries to the train crew or damage to the train or (railway) infrastructure were registered,” he said.

Safety inspectors were at the scene. 

However Cosatu spokesman Patrick Craven said the accident was an example of poor labour practices.

“This terrible tragedy exposes once again the scandal of workers bring transported in open trucks. In a country where drivers and passengers of cars are legally obliged to wear seatbelts, how can we tolerate workers being transported with absolutely no protection in the event of an accident?” 

South Africa's government has announced plans to spend billions of dollars on revamping its creaking rail network.

Stocktaking 100 days of Joyce Banda

Malawi president Joyce Banda clocks 100 days since she took over from late president  Bingu Wa Mutharika . I will be Stocktaking 100 days of ‪Joyce‬ Banda's presidency in ‪Malawi

"Zuma's legacy is corruption and an immoral leadershiip". Great video for all of you missing Malema. http://mg.co.za/multimedia/2012-07-04-malema-out-with-guns-blazing

Zambia ready to face Malawi

The African champions, Chipolopolo boys who   arrived in  Malawi on Wednesday to face  the Flames at the Kamuzu Stadium says its pumped up for the game.

Coach Renard Herve told SuperSport.com upon arrival in commercial capital Blantyre  that he had confidence in his second choice squad comprising only three players who were part of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations winning squad.

Among the three in Malawi are Evans Kangwa and Nyambe Mulenga who travelled to Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

“I am giving a chance to as many players as possible to prove and show me that their standards are no far off their main team. I would have loved to bring all my top players but there is nothing I could do since this is not a Fifa sanctioned day for warm-up matches,” he told SuperSport 

Joyce Banda continues Witch- Hunting

The arrest of  former presidential spokesperson Chikumbutso Mtumodzi and Lilongwe City Council Chief Executive Officer Kelvin Mmangisa has been described as political witch hunting by Joyce Banda's administration.
 
According to local media Mtuumodzi was arrested  his Area 10 residence in Lilongwe. Accused  of keeping firearms.

According to Police spokesman Davie Chingwalu, Mtumodzi  was found  with an a AK 47  gun.

Mtuumodzi has however denied keeping guns, saying “there is no iota of truth” in the allegations.

 Lilongwe City Council Chief Executive Officer Kelvin Mmangisa was on Thursday arrested by Malawi Police Service for  theft by public servant.

 He is also accused of pocketing K30 million in illegal allowances


Meanwhile, former ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)  Regional Governor for the North Rev
Christopher Mzomera Ngwira was arrested on  Wednesday night  after being arrested on suspicion of misappropriating development funds.

Woman arrested with R3m tik at Cape Town airport

South African Police has arrested a woman at Cape Town International Airport for drug trafficking

The woman (46) was arrested  yesterday for allegedly carrying 10.5kg of tik, with an estimated street value of R3 million, the police’s Warrant Officer November Filander said today.

According to police the woman  arrived on a flight from Johannesburg with the drugs in her handbag . Filander further  said the woman had a criminal record.

“During 2006 she was arrested in Johannesburg for dealing in dagga. She was sentenced in 2007 for seven years, but released after five years.”