TAMA’S PRESIDENT’S WELCOME SPEECH TO THE GUEST OF HONOUR, HER EXCELLENCY THE STATE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF MALAWI, MRS. JOYCE BANDA.

Tobacco Association of Malawi

TAMA’S PRESIDENT’S WELCOME SPEECH TO THE GUEST OF HONOUR, HER EXCELLENCY THE STATE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF MALAWI, MRS. JOYCE BANDA.

                   The Guest of Honour, Your Excellency, the State President of the Republic of Malawi, Mrs. Joyce Banda.

                   His Excellency Chief Justice Richard Banda SC. (Retired).

                   Right Honourable Khumbo Hastings Kachali, Vice President of the Republic of Malawi.

                   Honourable Professor Peter Mwanza, MP, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security.

                   Honourable Jermoth Ulemu Chilapondwa, MP, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security.

                   Mrs Erica Maganga, Secretary for Agriculture and Food Security.

                   Mr. Gary Taylor, Our Distinguished Guest Speaker.

                   Members of the Board of Trustees of the Tobacco Association of Malawi.

                   Members of the Executive Committee of the Tobacco Association of Malawi.

                   Dr. Bruce Munthali, Chief Executive Officer of Tobacco Control Commission.

                   Mr. Kelvin M’mangisa, Chief Executive Officer, Lilongwe City Council.

                   Mr. P.K.C. Kalilombe, District Commissioner, Lilongwe District Council,

                   Honourable S. Jonasi, MP, Lilongwe City Centre.

                   Mr. Evance Matabwa, Chief Executive Officer of Auction Holdings.

                   Dr. Ibrahim Phiri, Director and Chief Executive Officer of Agriculture Research and Extension Trust (ARET).

                   Mr. Dyborn Chibonga, Chief Executive Officer of NASFAM.

                   Distinguished Managing Directors and Chief Executive Officers of the Tobacco Merchant Companies.

                   The President and Executive Director of Farmers Union of Malawi.

                   Councillors, Alternate Councillors and Delegates.

                   TAMA Management and Staff.

                   Distinguished Guests.

                   Members of the Press.

                   Ladies and Gentlemen.

This is our 24th Annual Congress and indeed this is the first time our Guest of Honour is interacting with all the tobacco stakeholders under one roof. It, therefore, gives me great pleasure to welcome you, Your Excellency to the 24th TAMA Annual Congress. Your acceptance to grace this occasion is a great honour to The Tobacco Association of Malawi (TAMA), the tobacco industry stakeholders, let alone the tobacco farmers. On my own behalf, and on behalf of my colleagues, I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you for coming here, despite Your Excellency’s busy schedule.

For the ease of administration in our operations and policy making, the Tobacco Association of Malawi has divided the country’s tobacco growing areas into 21 areas that take care of representation for both smallholder and big commercial farmers for all tobacco types. Those gathered here, are three representatives from each area, i.e. a Councillor, Alternate Councillor and a Delegate and they all bring issues from the grassroots for discussion, and resolutions thereafter. Therefore, the Tobacco Association of Malawi’s Annual Congress gives an opportunity to the elected representatives of our farmer members to discuss issues of importance affecting our tobacco farming and marketing business. 

Your Excellency, this year, we meet at a time when we have seen improved prices on all the auction floors with an insignificant rejection rate. This boils down to your Government’s good governance and for that; we sincerely thank you, Your Excellency. Your Excellency’s passion to see to it that the tobacco grower earns better prices was vividly shown during your surprise visit to Kanengo Auction Floors on 10th May, 2012 when you urged Buyers to do more. That was a great encouragement and motivation to us growers. We salute you for that.

To give a snap shot of how the market has faired since opening on 26th March, 2012 in comparison to last season, it is noted that there is a big marked improvement this season. As of 15th June, 2012, a volume of 42.4 million Kgs of Burley had been sold on all the floors averaging $1.94 as compared to last year’s 40.8 million Kgs of Burley sold at a meagre average of only $0.93 representing a marked increase of 108%. In terms of income the country has amassed a total of $82.3 million as compared to only $37.9 million same period last year.

This year’s Annual Congress’ Theme is “INTEGRATED TOBACCO PRODUCTION SYSTEMS (IPS) – FOR PROFITABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY”. We have invited a Guest Speaker who is an authority on IPS matters from the Trade, an expert in this field who has followed the IPS issues from birth to now, when seemingly the FCTC is bearing its ‘UGLY HEAD”. IPS is one such big response to some of the negative articles being championed by the FCTC machinery. We thank Limbe Leaf Company for arranging that the Guest Speaker comes to Malawi to share the in-sights of IPS and interact with the tobacco farmers and stakeholders at large on such an important topic that touches on their livelihoods and future.

Your Excellency, allow me to bring to your attention just a few topical issues, just nine in number, before you can address us.

1.              INTEGRATION OF AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION TRUST (ARET) INTO LILONGWE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES (LUANAR)

             

Your Excellency, ARET, was created in 1995 by two Donors - Government and TAMA. Government provided two technical staff whilst TAMA provided all the start-up capital and working capital. From the humble beginnings of a 30-foot container Office, ARET, has from 1995 grown to its present stature to become a world re-known “Centre of Excellence” in dedicated tobacco research and extension. In all these years, it has been wholly funded and supported by a levy on tobacco farmers without any single Government subvention.

For Government last year in 2011 to suddenly announce that ARET would be integrated into LUANAR without even consulting its co-donor, TAMA, we thought, that was regrettably a serious error of judgement. We immediately engaged Government in closed door discussions and pointed out that it was the wish of the two Donors at that time in 1995 that ARET as a Trust shall be in perpetuity and to this effect, this was duly provided for in Clause 21.1 of the Trust Deed of ARET. The Board of ARET is composed of eight members  where four are from TAMA, two are from Government, one from NASFAM and the other one is from Tobacco Exporters Association of Malawi (TEAM). The Board Chairperson as per the Trust Deed is always from TAMA being the major donor. Therefore, ARET could not be dissolved without the consent of TAMA. TAMA, having solicited the views of the grass-root tobacco farmers all over the country, the position of the tobacco farmers is that ARET should not be integrated into LUANAR. TAMA however is in full support of and applaud Government’s initiative to create more Universities.   

TAMA therefore noted with sadness and dismay in the passing of a Bill by the Malawi Parliament which was initiated by the former regime that incorporated ARET into LUANAR despite the on-going closed door discussions. The conclusion that was sadly made was that, we were, perhaps, talking to a regime that was not willing to listen to alternative views and we almost resorted to seeking a court injunction and going for arbitration. With your ascendancy to the Presidency, Your Excellency, we halted all the legal options and we are humbly coming to you to seek your Government’s intervention. Your Excellency, in our view, the integration of ARET into LUANAR is another example of a bad law which needs to be amended by your Government. It sadly reminds us of the old Forfeiture Act during the one-party era. ARET is a private institution, wholly funded by tobacco farmers, that should be de-linked from LUANAR. Let ARET continue on its own in its task of providing dedicated tobacco research and extension to tobacco farmers.

2.              THE FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON TOBACCO CONTROL (FCTC)

As the ‘War’ on tobacco continues through the FCTC, the FCTC through their working committees circulated measures, recommendations and guidelines on articles 17 and 18 which relate to alternative crops and sustainable environmental management. These measures will be discussed during the forth coming CoP 5 meeting in South Korea, in November 2012.

In brief, the measures seek to:

       Abolish tobacco growing by Year 2025.

       Abolish contract growing since it encourages tobacco farming

       Stop financial institutions from providing finance to tobacco farmers

       Abolish tobacco bodies/grower associations by Year 2025.

We were delighted that the Government of Malawi sent a highly powered and highly charged Delegation to a similar meeting in Uruguay in 2010, although as Observers since Malawi is not yet party to the conference. As part of the Malawi Delegation, TAMA was represented by our late Chief Executive, Felix Mkumba as well as the President of TAMA himself. However, TAMA was further represented by the office of The International Tobacco Growers Association (ITGA), headquartered in Portugal and co-founded by TAMA in 1984. The Malawi Delegation and ITGA Delegation were always in constant touch and kept sharing strategies to counter whatever was coming from inside the Conference Room. It is pleasing to report that as Observers, the Malawi Delegation together with the ITGA Delegation made an indelible and significant mark to the outcome of the Uruguay discussions to the extent that the banning of burley tobacco never materialized. This shows how serious the Government of Malawi ponders on the welfare of its citizens, more so the tobacco farmers, and let alone the economy of the country. However the battle against the FCTC continues.

With the good news that Burley tobacco may be not banned as an ingredient in cigarette manufacturing, this presents the best opportunity for us as a country to start analyzing the implications of FCTC and to start living within the confines of the implications so that we are not overly affected. Certainly, this calls for some policy changes within the tobacco industry sector for which the Ministry of Agriculture, as the sector Ministry, must champion with due diligence and rationality, as it is good to be forewarned in order to be forearmed, and it is much better to be prudent by taking heed of the forewarnings. One such big step towards dealing with the FCTC is to venture into Integrated Tobacco Production Systems which encompasses measures that deal away with the vices the anti tobacco lobbyists are capitalizing on, like Child Labour, Traceability Issues, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) etc hence this year’s timely theme of “INTEGRATED TOBACCO PRODUCTION SYSTEMS – FOR PROFITABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY”

3.               TOBACCO GROWER ASSOCIATIONS AND REGISTRATION OF MEMBERS TO TOBACCO GROWER BODY ASSOCIATIONS

Your Excellency, of late, there has been a proliferation of “supposedly” tobacco grower body associations that are fronted/headed or owned by clearly businessmen whose interests may not be to genuinely assist the vulnerable tobacco farmer but rather to reap from him/her. This mushrooming of grower body associations is a direct result of a protracted legal battle that TAMA successfully fought in the High Court in 2009 by way of Judicial Review whereby it was decided that the off-loading quota at the auction floor belongs not to a Transporter but to a tobacco grower and his/her grower association. With the passing of that landmark judgment, the tobacco industry has seen this proliferation of grower associations fronted by transporter/cum businessmen who are motivated by securing an off-loading quota at the auction floor and not necessarily with an interest to help the farmer. 

We applaud the initiative that the Ministry of Agriculture took two years ago in vetting the Grower Associations through the Farmers Union of Malawi whereby only a few grower body associations passed the litmus test. However lack of transparency and operational code of conduct are some areas that obviously lead to one not hiding discontent on the impression created that there might be discord on such matters between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Tobacco Control Commission. There is need for concerted efforts on working for a common good and understanding for the benefit of the tobacco farmers.

We say so, because, we have for a long time desired as an industry to have a Strategic Plan which will guide us in certain strategic approaches of national concern for our common good. We are happy now that the process of formulating one is underway. Obviously, the Strategic Plan may be our blue print but it does not give us full proof confidence, as one part of the Stakeholders, when trivial issues like the Grower Associations are dealt with some looseness thereby giving doubts that big issues like the Strategic Plan could ever be implemented with rationality. We have witnessed dubious registrations of these ‘brief case’ Grower Associations in collusion with some elements within the authorising structures.

The proliferation of these grower body associations lends itself as a fertile ground for the perpetration of fraudulent and corrupt practices whereby “compliant” officers tap members from genuine associations to these brief case associations for the sake of achieving “numbers’. A case in point is where some of our reputable Councillors were registered as members of some of these dubious Grower Associations without their knowledge through forged forms when at the initial outset, the Councillors had registered themselves for TAMA. We have documentary evidence in support of this. Now if this is happening to our Councillors, what more with other farmers who are not opinion leaders and are not able to challenge their legal right of voluntary association – this may just be a tip of the iceberg. Worse still, some of our Councillors are sometimes classified as non-affiliated and are not deducted the appropriate association levy until they raise a protest and records are then belatedly updated but with loss of levy. Each year a countless number of growers complain of such irregularities when we deny them service for not being our members. Just this 2012 marketing season, TAMA has had to literally force for the inclusion of some big growers who voluntarily signed for TAMA membership into our database before they could sell their tobacco so that the appropriate association levy could be deducted. How much levy is lost each year due to such an indifferent approach to work?  It is therefore sad to note that the right to association levy may rest in the hands of officers who may not be objective and professional in their duties and it becomes even more scary if such officers have personal interests in the dubious brief-case associations to the detriment of the genuine associations like TAMA or NASFAM. We hope with the Ministry’s co-ordination, these practices will be put to a stop to instil the confidence of farmers in some of the tobacco industry stakeholders. We as farmers, keep wondering why growers are bothered each year to renew their association membership. We hope that Government will come in and ensure only new entrants are subjected to this yearly registration and allow those that have been in the system maintain their status unless they voluntarily opt out through a formal letter of revocation.  Under normal and ideal situations, if people have no sinister motives or even personal interests in any association’s membership, that membership is supposed to be permanent but with the option to revoke through formal communication and this is what we are advocating in all fairness, Your Excellency. We hope this Annual Congress will be guided by the Ministry of Agriculture on this matter to bring back sanity in the industry.

4.              INTEGRATED TOBACCO PRODUCTION SYSTEMS (IPS)

We are pleased to inform you, Your Excellency that since 2007, TAMA has been championing new structures within its member establishment, these are called Cooperatives. We have a total of 48 Cooperatives to-date and we are still in the process of coming up with more Cooperatives, dependent on demand from our grass roots. In a nut shell, Cooperatives are empowering structures where the farmers can access economic empowerment facilitation as they are imparted with skills to think and take farming as a business enterprise.

The other benefit with these structures is the opportunity to link-up with other stakeholders for integrated tobacco production systems and for crop diversification. This is diversification (Integrated Production System) in a true sense, or diversification alongside tobacco, not away from tobacco - the way we want to approach the future.

Whilst on the same subject, we would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to the Ministry of Agriculture for allowing the continuation of selling Burley under contract marketing this year. We are discussing this subject here because under contract marketing, farmers are enabled access to bank loans through the sponsored crops and the contract marketing arrangement crops, which in a way integrates the farmers to the trade requirements rather than the speculative production which leads to uncontrolled crop size. Could this be one model of managing crop size? In the ultimate direction, we will certainly be guided by the Ministry.

Finally under this topic, allow me, Your Excellency to thank you and Government for approving the IPS. We hope that the regulatory framework will soon be put in place whereby the roles of all stakeholders will be clearly spelt out in terms of the “do’s” and “don’t’s”.

5.              EXPORT MARKET

I would like to appraise you, Your Excellency, that TAMA’s long time quest to acquire Equity in a processing plant for value addition purposes has been achieved. This has been achieved in Kanengo Tobacco Processors Limited, a 100% subsidiary of Premium Tama Tobacco Limited. Now that we have made strides to secure the equity, it is our wish that we empower and uplift the primary producers to the next level of the tobacco value chain. We believe that it is in our best interests that we integrate our farmers to the international markets through value addition. In this vein, we look up to you, Your Excellency that the TAMA Concept Paper on Export Markets that was submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture on 31st March, 2010 is put into practice since Your Excellency’s Government policy is to ensure that the rural masses are integrated into the higher value chain where primary products are processed for value addition. This venture will definitely help retain the forex in the country since the direct exports will generate more forex and that forex earned directly by the locals will come back to Malawi for the benefit and use of all Malawians. This is one sure way of improving forex availability in Malawi.

6.              RURAL TOBACCO MARKETS

We thank Government for putting up a policy in pursuit of rural tobacco markets. We as TAMA are still looking forward to a day when we shall see many rural tobacco markets being opened across the length and breadth of the country even if it means bringing other players into the market as this will effectively reduce the growers’ logistical costs. If allowed, it will mean improved take home pay for the farmers which will improve their livelihood as a result of the economic empowerment.

7.              COST OF PRODUCTION

Tobacco growers have time immemorial complained of poor prices but thanks this year there is an improved trend in the prices being offered on the markets. However one reason why the growers complain is because of the high cost of production which is as a result of multifaceted variables which we request Your Excellency’s Government to consider working on them.

Some of the variables that contribute to high cost of production are the imposition of excise duty on imported Hessian meant for tobacco production which was not the case three seasons ago. The tobacco farmers were exempted from this tax which we request that it be considered for removal so that farmers can reduce the production cost. We also request for consideration in extending targeted fertilizer and seed subsidy to smallholder tobacco farmers. This will boost the quality and quantity of production resulting in high forex returns.

8.              DOLLAR/KWACHA VERSUS AUCTION/BANK RATE VARIATIONS

Tobacco farmers this season are very appreciative of Your Excellency’s decision to devalue the Malawi Kwacha whilst the selling season has just started as this will mean more kwachas in our pockets. However we would like to further request your consideration that growers are paid what is the day’s ruling exchange rate in the commercial banks as opposed to a predetermined rate offered at the auction floors of which basis we are not very clear of. The current practice is making growers lose a bit since the predetermined rate is always far below the day’s ruling rates displayed at the commercial banks and we are left with the question, who is benefiting from the variations in the exchange rates?

9.              NEW DRAFT TOBACCO INDUSTRY ACT

We applaud Government for initiating a consultative approach through the Ministry of Agriculture in coming up with an accommodating Act for the Tobacco Industry. It is our wish that the Ministry will soon call for a workshop to discuss the Act with all relevant stakeholders as the current Act is not in tune with the current complexities and developments in this dynamic Industry.

Finally, Your Excellency let me take this opportunity in Congratulating you for the well articulated State of the Nation Address during the opening of 2012/13 Budget Session of Parliament which was very robust and encompassing such that some of the fruits of the same are already being enjoyed now.

Your Excellency, Guest Speaker, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is now my singular pleasure and privilege to request the Honorable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security to make a few remarks and thereafter request Your Excellency to address the TAMA Annual Congress and officially declare the 24th TAMA Annual Congress open.

I thank you.

Request the State President for her permission to present to her a gift that is depicting what we are as tobacco farmers.

African Court Delivers Judgment in the Matter of Femi Falana v ersus the African Union

AFRICAN COURT ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS

COUR AFRICAINE DES DROITS DE L’HOMME ET DES PEUPLES

P.O Box 6274 Arusha, Tanzania Telephone: +255 732 979 506 Fax. +255 732 979 503

Web site www.african-court.org Email. registrar@african-court.org

Office of the Registrar

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In his application Femi Falana asks the Court to find Article 34(6) of the Protocol

establishing the Court illegal, null and void as it is inconsistent with Articles 1, 2, 7, 13, 26

and 66 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. According to him, the

requirement for a State to make a declaration, in addition to the ratification of the Protocol

establishing the Court, to allow its citizens and Non-Governmental Organizations to

directly institute cases before the Court is a violation of human rights.

The Respondent, the African Union, disputes the allegations of the Applicant and

maintains that the African Union is neither a party to the African Charter on Human and

Peoples’ Rights, nor to the Protocol establishing the Court. The Respondent further

submits that the African Union is not the legal representative of its Members which are

sovereign States. For that reason, the Respondent submits, the Court has no

competence to decide the matter and argues that the application is inadmissible because

the Respondent is not a party to the African Charter and/or the Protocol establishing the

Court. The Respondent adds that the Applicant has not even exhausted local remedies

before bringing his case before the African Court. The Respondent also maintains that the

obligations of State Parties to the African Charter and the Protocol establishing the Court

cannot be inferred on the African Union and are only applicable to State Parties thereto.

The Application was lodged with the Court on 20 February 2011 and communicated to the

Respondent and to the AU Member States on 28 March 2011. The Court examined the

Application and both the Respondents’ response and the Applicant’s reply in September

2011 and decided that written submissions on the matter were closed. The parties were

called for a public hearing where they presented their oral arguments on 22nd and 23rd

March 2012.

In this case, the Applicant represented himself and the Respondent was represented by

Advocate Bahame T. Nyanduga assisted by officers from the Office of the Legal Counsel

of the African Union Commission. The judgment will be delivered in a public hearing on

26 June 2012, at 10:00 am (East-African Time) at the Court’s premises in Arusha, Tanzania.

New Film Reveals Masterpieces of Islamic Art

Documentary to Air on PBS July 6^th

Narrated by Susan Sarandon

                                      A taste of Islamic art: The cover page of the documentary

SILVER SPRING, MD – June 11, 2012 – Perceptions and ideas around Muslim identity and culture vary widely and too few are aware of the significant works of art and architecture that make up a large part of Islamic civilization’s legacy. Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World, is a new documentary from award-winning Unity Productions Foundation (UPF) that brings to life this legacy and will be broadcast nationally on PBS July 6^th at 9:00 p.m. EST. 

Narrated by actor, Susan Sarandon, this 90-minute film takes audiences on a global journey across nine countries and over 1,400 years ofhistory to present the stories behind the masterworks of Islamic art and architecture.

 Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World is the ninth film by Executive Producers Michael Wolfe and Alex Kronemer and UPF (Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet, Cities of Light: The Rise and Fall of Islamic Spain, Prince Among Slaves). The film was produced to nurture a greater appreciation for the exquisite works of art that Islamic culture has contributed to humanity. “I believe all viewers, Muslim and non-Muslims alike, will bepleasantly surprised with what our film uncovers,” states Alex Kronemer. “As a window into an often misunderstood culture, this film has the ability to be a real catalyst for understanding and perhaps offer a new perspective on Islam’s values, culture and lasting legacy,” continues Kronemer. 

The film will air on PBS as part of the new PBS Arts Summer Festival, a multi-part weekly series that will take viewers across the country and around the world. 

Viewers of Islamic Art are presented with a kaleidoscope of exquisite works of art – from the opulent Taj Mahal of Agra, India, to the written word in the form of Arabic calligraphy with master calligraphers such as MohamedZakariya. A common theme linking each of the showcased works is the way each piece of art is so different from the next – exemplifying not only the beauty, but the diversity within Islamic cultures. Each masterpiece is a contribution to the larger narrative of just how much Muslims have contributed and still contribute to society. 

Michael Wolfe says, “Never before have viewers had the opportunity to explore such richness of Islamic art and history with commentary from some of the world’s most renowned experts who have the ability to explain just why these works are so important.”  “We hope watching the film will result in Muslims feeling a source of pride, aswell as celebration in their heritage,” continues Kronemer. 

After its national television debut July 6^th, Islamic Art will be available on DVD for $19.95 through www.upf.tv.  

Islamic Art has already caught the attention of thought leaders who are calling the film an important contribution to documentary filmmaking about Islamic cultures.

"UPF's Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World is a stunning achievement in documentary filmmaking. Itopens a window onto a sight of Islam so often neglected in the west. The aesthetic, beauty, and culture offer an opening for us all to start a dialogue on the values that we share and hold in common."  - Karen Armstrong, Award-Winning author of religion

 

"This film will open the eyes and the imagination of American Muslims, reminding us all of our rich artistic heritage. I highly recommend that all American Muslims watch this documentary and share it with their neighbors!" - Imam Mohamed Magid, President, Islamic Society of North America  

Join us on Twitter at @islamicartfilm the evening of the premiere, July 6^th, for a tweet chat using the hashtag #IslamicArt.

  

About Unity Productions Foundation

The mission of Unity Productions Foundation (UPF) is to create peace through the media. A nonprofit organization founded in 1999, UPF produces documentary films for both television broadcast, online viewing, and theatrical release, and implements long-term educational campaigns aimed at increasing understanding between people of different faiths and cultures, especially between Muslims and other faiths. For more information, visit www.upf.tv.

Capital City Baptist Church to install new Senior Pastor, Sandress Msiska, Sunday 24 June

Capital City Baptist Church (CCBC) a diverse congregation in Area 14, Lilongwe, will install Sandress Elias Mung’ondi Msiska as its new Senior Pastor on Sunday 24th June 2012 at 2pm. This is the milestone in the life of CCBC as it installs its first Malawian Senior Pastor.

Capital City Baptist Church is a body of believers committed to the biblical pattern of a Christ-centered, all member ministry. Its purpose is to worship God in spirit and in truth, to bring people to Jesus and into the fellowship of His family, developing them to be Christ-like through discipleship, equipping them for their ministry in the church and world, by the empowering of the Holy Spirit in order to glorify God.

Brief Profile for Sandress Msiska

Sandress was born to Elias and Dailess Msiska on 20th September 1956 in a remote village of Khoroti in Rumphi District, 17km south of Livingstonia Mission station.  He is a third born in a family of nine children and he had a difficult beginning in life.

He started primary school at the age of nine and he had to drop out of school for a number of years due to school fees problem. At the age of 21, he entered Form One at Livingstonia Secondary School from where he proceeded to go to Chancellor College where he graduated with a Bachelor of Education in 1986.

The Holy Spirit started working in him in December 1979 and for four months he resisted the Holy Spirit who kept on confronting him with his sins. The conviction grew stronger by the day and on one evening in April 1980, Sandress broke down and wept profusely before God asking Him for forgiveness and cleansing. That was the beginning of new life in Christ Jesus for which he is truly thankful to God.

He married to Tomaida on 1st September 1990 and the Lord has since blessed them with three children: Samuel, Uchindami and Talumba.

His Ministry Journey

Sandress taught at St John’s and Livingstonia Secondary Schools for a total of five years before moving to join the Student Christian Organization of Malawi (SCOM) in April 1991 as General Secretary.

In 1997 he took leave to study theology at Nairobi Graduate school of Theology in Nairobi, Kenya for two years where he obtained an MA in Christian Education in 1999.

In 2001 Sandress stepped down from SCOM and then between 2001 and 2004, he served the Lord through Baptist Convention of Malawi (BACOMA) in two different capacities: as Deputy General Secretary and later as head of the Baptist Publications.

On 4th January 2004 he joined World Relief as Deputy Country Director and in January 2006 he was appointed Country Director for World Relief in Malawi, a position he held till end of May 2012.

The Msiska family moved from Falls Baptist Church to Capital City Baptist Church in 1999 and in 2001 Sandress was invited to serve as one of the elders of the church. On February 24th, 2008 Capital City Baptist Church and BACOMA ordained him as pastor at large and on October 11, 2009 CCBC voted to have Sandress serve as its associate pastor under the leadership of Pastor Henry Joseph the Third.

Historical Background of CCBC

Capital City Baptist Church was born out of the will of God through four couples from different parts of the world who began a home Bible study in 1983. On the last Sunday of September 1983, the first service was held with the four couples and three visitors in attendance. The church met in two classrooms of the Malawi College of Accountancy, which the College offered rent-free.

By November 1986 a beautiful church building was dedicated to the glory of God. Over the years CCBC gave birth to a couple of daughter churches in addition to introducing services for youths, the Chichewa and KiSwahili speakers on Sundays. 

A children’s Sunday school is provided during the preaching period. There are currently several Cell Groups (Care cells) and small Bible study groups. On any given Sunday morning the church ministers to over 600 adults and children. In the English service, those in attendance come from different parts of the world, including Malawians. 

Signed

Elder Hestern Banda                           

Chair, Pastors Search Committee                              

The Africa Day

What:              Celebration of Africa Day

Theme:           Accelerating Progress towards Sustainable Development in Africa

When:             June 19, 2012

Where:            Rio-Centro

Who:               Organized by the Republic of Congo jointly with the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nation Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP). 

Objectives:    The Africa Day is to provide a high level plat form to deliberate on Africa’s progress towards sustainable development, and identify strategies and measures necessary to accelerate progress; and to mobilize strategic partnerships around Africa’s key priorities and concerns, with a view to facilitating Africa’s negotiations at the conference, and ensure that they are adequately reflected in the outcomes of Rio+20.

Background: The General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a resolution to organize the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development(UNCSD), otherwise referred to as Rio+20, at the highest possible level, including Heads of State and Government.

To ensure Africa’s effective participation at Rio+20, the United Nation Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), African Union commission (AUC) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) in partnership with Regional Economic Communities (REC’s), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) have established a regional preparatory process.

The highlight of the Africa regional preparatory process was the convening of the Africa Preparatory Conference for RIO+20 in 2011.The conference adopted the African Consensus Statement to Rio+20 as Africa’s common position on the objectives and themes of Rio+20. The Statement constituted Africa’s collective input to the zero draft of the Rio+20 outcome document and was subsequently approved by the 18^th Summit of the African Heads of State and Government held in January 2012 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 

The endorsement of the Africa Consensus Statement to Rio+20 by the AU Summit while significant, is only a first step towards ensuring that Africa’s priorities and interests feature prominently in the Rio+20 outcomes. The attainment of this objective calls for, among other things, an in-depth reflection on Africa’s sustainable development priorities, and strengthening strategic alliances and partnerships. Towards this end, an Africa Day will be held under the theme Accelerating Progress towards Sustainable Development in Africa.

Participants:  The Africa Day will be attended by Africa’s political leaderships and partners, including at the level of Heads of States and Government, Heads of Delegations from other regions of the world, Heads of UN Agencies, bilateral and multilateral development partners and major Groups.  

More information on:

http://www.uneca.org/eca_programmes/sdd/events/Rio20

www.au.int/rio20

http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/
 

UN human rights high-level visit to Malawi, 18 – 21 June

LILONGWE – The United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Kyung-wha Kang, on Monday begins a four-day mission to Malawi to discuss a wide range of human rights issues with the Government and other stakeholders in the country.

This will be the first visit to Malawi by a senior UN human rights official. During her visit, Ms. Kang will meet a number of senior Government officials, including several ministers, as well as the parliamentary leadership, the Malawi Human Rights Commission, civil society organizations and UN agencies.

"This is a pivotal moment towards a great transition for Malawi," Ms. Kang said ahead of the visit. "The UN Human Rights office is looking forward to engaging with the Government and civil society in the country and we stand ready to support them in improving the enjoyment of human rights for all."

At the end of her visit, on Thursday 21 June at 10am, the Deputy High Commissioner will hold a press conference in the conference room of the UN Development Programme office in Block A of the UN premises.

Learn more about the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Kyung-wha Kang: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/DeputyHighCommissioner.aspx

OHCHR Country Page for Malawi:http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Countries/AfricaRegion/Pages/MWIndex.aspx

For further information and media requests, please contact:

In Lilongwe:
Ravina Shamdasani (from 18 June - 21 June): +41 79 618 3430 or rshamdasani@ohchr.org
Shorai Nyambalo, UN Communication Officer: +2651770770 Cell: +265999563407 or email: snyambalo@unicef.org

In Geneva:
Rupert Colville, +41 22 917 9767 or rcolville@ohchr.org

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Project Malawi

Fuel shortages continue. It has, particularly, been worse the past three weeks.
Foreign exchange shortage is another remarkable feature, both in the last two years of the forgotten regime of the Democratic Progressive Party, and the April 5, 2012-born regime of Joyce Banda.
Essential drugs still cannot be found in Malawi's public hospitals.
The only thing that runs in abundance is hope.
There seems to be renewed faith in Banda's regime, a regime that tames lie-peddlers such as Finance Minister Ken Lipenga.
It remains to be seen whether, when the verbal diarrhea gets to Banda's mouth, this new-found enthusiasm will endure the tempestuous beating of time's wings.
Malawi remains an exercise in progress.  

Flashback: Speaker H.F. Chimunthu Banda,MP Tuesday, 17th November, 2009

COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR

Honourable Members,

1.               Honourable Members, I wish to inform you that, during its meeting held on Friday, 13^th November, 2009 the Business Committee made resolutions regarding Malawi’s representation and membership to various inter-parliamentary organisations such as the SADC PF and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

The Leader of the House will, at an appropriate time, move a resolution on  Membership to the SADC- PF.

2.               The Business Committee also resolved that Hon. Henry Mussa, MP and Hon. Mwalone Jangiya, MP should represent Malawi at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).  Malawi’s membership to the IPU is however subject to completion of outstanding formalities.

3.               Members may also wish to note that, as a matter of practice, all branches of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) are required to set up Branch Executive Committees which are responsible for overseeing the activities of the CPA at Branch level.  The Speaker’s office has therefore designated the following Members of Parliament as members of the Branch Executive Committee:-

Rt. Hon. H.F. Chimunthu Banda, MP – Chairperson

Hon. V. F. Chilewani, MP(DPP)

Hon. A. G. M. Thindwa, MP(DPP)

Hon E. Napolo, MP (DPP)

Hon. S. Gwengwe, MP (MCP)

Hon. I. Matola, MP (UDF)

Hon. G. Nnesa, MP (MAFUNDE)

As I announced yesterday, Malawi will host the CPA Africa Region Conference in 2010.   The Executive Committee will be actively involved in the preparations for the Conference.

The office of the Clerk of Parliament will make appropriate arrangements to provide information  to concerned Honourable Members regarding membership to inter-parliamentary organisations and other details.

4.               Membership to Committees by New Members of Parliament

I wish to inform you that the Speaker’s office has allocated New Members of Parliament to Committees as follows:-

Hon. E. Makangala, MP

Social and Community Affairs

Commerce, Industry and Tourism

Hon. A. Undani, MP

Media and Communications

Public Appointments

House and Committee records will be updated accordingly.  The two members are requested to get in touch with Clerks to their Committees for more details.

5.     Committee and delegation Reports

Due to time limitations most Committees were unable to adopt their reports during recess.  I would therefore like to urge all committees to meet as soon as possible to adopt the reports.  Similarly, all delegations should arrange to meet in order to adopt their reports.

Thank you for your attention.

Speaker H.F. Chimunthu Banda,MP

Tuesday, 17^th November, 2009

Joseph Kamwendo has scored Malawi's goal!

Malawi Leads Chad 2-0

Malawi have just scored another goal at the giant Kamuzu Stadium.

People's Party's Secretary General Thanks God for Bingu's Death

People's Party (PP) secretary general, Henry Chibwana, has thanked God for "taking away" the life of former president, the late Bingu wa Mutharika.
Speaking five minutes ago, Chibwana said: "Malawians were living under scorching-sun conditions. Luckily, God made someone fall and, then, took him away 'completely'. Malawians now find themselves living under the shed and sheltered, shielded from the scorching sun. We must thank God for this."
Nobody, not even the hand-clapping PP women or PP  president Joyce Banda  raised a finger in protest.
Mutharika's death gratifies them now!
This confirms what one of Mutharika's relatives, Charles Namondwe, said during the burial ceremony of the former president.
Namondwe bemoaned at the time: "We understand that some people were celebrating the death of our relatives. Thank you very much. But just know that we loved him."
Namondwe said, sobbing.
His pains will be greater now.