Forgiveness is one of those concepts that most people have difficulty grasping. While we all have a mental image of what forgiveness "should" look like when others forgive us, knowing how to forgive ourselves or someone else isn't as easy to understand.
When someone else causes us emotional harm, whether unintentional or intentional, learning to let go of this pain can be one of the most difficult transitions we go through. Social workers in the prison system work with families on the process of forgiveness to help ease the transition between incarceration and life on the outside. Similar to restorative justice programs which involve the victim of a crime and the offender, these prison programs seek to develop an understanding of the offenders act(s) and come to terms with the eventual return to society.
The families involved tend to view forgiveness as an admission that the past is completely forgotten and life can return to normal as if nothing happened. As you can imagine, this effort at denying the behavior has a negative effect.
Carrying emotional pain, anger, anxiety, and other distressing thoughts about a situation or someone often is easier for us than beginning the forgiveness process. Cognitive-behavioral therapists often stress positive thoughts since it can be easier to invest more time in negative thoughts and redirect energy toward positive change. The more we concentrate our emotional energy on carrying a grudge and not forgiving someone, the more likely we are to become anxious, depressed and negative about the general situation.
Since it is often easy to think of forgiveness in terms of forgetting, we need to examine how we forget. Human memory does not work like computer memory. There is no way to reformat the past. Instead, we look at situations through different lenses. Psychologists often refer to these lenses as perspective. Reality of our situation is how we view it at the time that the impression or memory was formed.
Forgetting a past hurt refers to relearning the circumstances surround the situation, reprocess it through a fresh perspective, and move toward forgiveness. When we look at the outcome of what happened, we can either become bitter and angry or view the end result as an opportunity for personal growth and change.
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Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Lovemore Munro yet to decide on gays' application
Chief Justice Lovemore Munro is yet to make a decision on the issue of whether the arrest of gay suspects Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga should be reveiewed by the Constitutiona Court.
Monjeza and Chimbalanga's lawyers argue that the two's arrest infringes on their human rights and freedoms, and works against the Republican Constitution.
Two weeks down the line, the Chief Justice is yet to decide while Monjeza and Chimbalanga are still being held on remand against their will.
The two complained on Monday this week Police officers were tightening hand cuffs too hard on them, "as if we are hard-core criminals".
Whenever they appear at the Blantyre Magistrates Court, people boo them, a tale-tell sign of a nation still shackled by conservationism.
Monjeza and Chimbalanga's lawyers argue that the two's arrest infringes on their human rights and freedoms, and works against the Republican Constitution.
Two weeks down the line, the Chief Justice is yet to decide while Monjeza and Chimbalanga are still being held on remand against their will.
The two complained on Monday this week Police officers were tightening hand cuffs too hard on them, "as if we are hard-core criminals".
Whenever they appear at the Blantyre Magistrates Court, people boo them, a tale-tell sign of a nation still shackled by conservationism.
Peter Mponda talks on retirement from Flames
Flames captain, Peter Mponda, says he rushed into announcing that he may retire from the Malawi National Team, revealing he is now under intense pressure from family members and soccer lovers to delay his retirement.
Mponda said after Malawi's group stage exit in Angola he was 'seriously' considering the option of resigning from the Flames.
"I feel I have done my part," said Mponda.
Now, he may be on the verge of changing all that:
|I will consider views from all angles and make a decision. At the moment, I am ready to go for the Flames," he said.
Mponda said after Malawi's group stage exit in Angola he was 'seriously' considering the option of resigning from the Flames.
"I feel I have done my part," said Mponda.
Now, he may be on the verge of changing all that:
|I will consider views from all angles and make a decision. At the moment, I am ready to go for the Flames," he said.
INTERNET AND THE LIKE; IS SYRIA SAFE?
For six years, Syrian users have been affected by U.S. government trade sanctions that exclude certain goods from the Syrian market. Specifically, the Syria Accountability Act (SAA) of 2004 prohibits the export of most goods containing more than 10% U.S.-manufactured component parts to Syria, with the exceptions of food and medicine. Sudan, Cuba, North Korea, and Iran are all also affected by similar sanctions.
In the past year, the fact that the sanctions against Syria include software has garnered significant attention. Last year, in an attempt to comply with the sanctions, LinkedIn unintentionally cut off Syrian users entirely (the sanctions require that sites block software downloads, not general access), a decision that was quickly reversed. Web-hosting companies have also kicked off Syrian, Iranian, and other users, some of which were not actually prohibited from use.
The discussion recently reached a fever pitch when, a day after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for a free and open Internet, Syrian users noticed they could no longer access open-source software community SourceForge. Syrian Abdulrahman Idilbi, writing for ArabCrunch, broke the news:
As of January 2008, people from those countries can browse SourceForge projects and download from them, but access to the secure server was not allowed, so they would not be able to log in to SourceForge or contribute to projects. As of January 2010, blocking went further with not allowing people coming from “banned locations” to download anything from SourceForge.net, having a response similar to this one: http://sourceforge.net/t7.php.
SourceForge's blockpage for Syrian users
Hiconomics, who tweets here, started up a discussion on the subject on the Yalla! Startup community. He writes:
As some of you may already know… SourceForge.net has suddenly blocked Syrian & Sudanese users on the basis of being compliant to US law.
In the past year, the fact that the sanctions against Syria include software has garnered significant attention. Last year, in an attempt to comply with the sanctions, LinkedIn unintentionally cut off Syrian users entirely (the sanctions require that sites block software downloads, not general access), a decision that was quickly reversed. Web-hosting companies have also kicked off Syrian, Iranian, and other users, some of which were not actually prohibited from use.
The discussion recently reached a fever pitch when, a day after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for a free and open Internet, Syrian users noticed they could no longer access open-source software community SourceForge. Syrian Abdulrahman Idilbi, writing for ArabCrunch, broke the news:
As of January 2008, people from those countries can browse SourceForge projects and download from them, but access to the secure server was not allowed, so they would not be able to log in to SourceForge or contribute to projects. As of January 2010, blocking went further with not allowing people coming from “banned locations” to download anything from SourceForge.net, having a response similar to this one: http://sourceforge.net/t7.php.
SourceForge's blockpage for Syrian users
Hiconomics, who tweets here, started up a discussion on the subject on the Yalla! Startup community. He writes:
As some of you may already know… SourceForge.net has suddenly blocked Syrian & Sudanese users on the basis of being compliant to US law.
Four national teams for Kinnah's signature
Flames Coach Kinnah Phiri says he will take time to sign a new contract with the Football Association of Malawi as he tries to weigh over the options.
Kinnah revealed that he has received four "serious' inquiries from four respectable West African teams, and may be forced to quit ship if FAM does not improve on his perks.
"But I will not mention the teams right now; discussions are on-going," said Kinnah in Blantyre.
Kinnah revealed that he has received four "serious' inquiries from four respectable West African teams, and may be forced to quit ship if FAM does not improve on his perks.
"But I will not mention the teams right now; discussions are on-going," said Kinnah in Blantyre.
Malawi: Genocide suspect slips out to US
Rwandan officials have pursued their Malawian counterparts on the whereabouts of a 1994 Rwandese genocide suspect, Vincent Nzigiyimfura who was last freely conducting business in the country. Rwandan prosecutor General Martin Ngoga said the suspect was last reported in Malawi under the name Vincent Nzigiye.
rwanda genocide
He added that the Africa Rights, a non-governmental organisation and his country officials were convinced the man had sneaked out to the United States of America.
"We do not know under what circumstances he managed to sneak out of Malawi and end up in the US," he said.
Malawian authorities, however, said they were investigating the matter through the Malawi Police but that this issue was better handled by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Public Security.
Police chief, Inspector General Peter Mukhito said: "All refugee and asylum seekers movements are the responsibility of the ministry. That is beyond the police as we don't handle such matters," he told the Nation.
Mukhito however said he would act only when a red alert was issued.
Nzigiyimfura was in the country in the capital city Lilongwe running a business, Mzigiye Shopping Centre in Area 2, situated just a few kilometres to the country's Area 3 Central Region Police headquarters.
In April 2009, Africa Rights produced a report that the former Rwandeese businessman in Nyanza town, is suspected to be a key architect during the genocide against Ttusti Rwandans that led to the killing of more than 100,000 people.
Rakiya Omaar of Africa Rights also told the newspaper it was hard to understand how the suspect managed to fly to the US using a visa.
"The good news, however, is that US authorities are aware of the allegations against him, and we have sent them a copy of our report, in addition, justice officials in Rwanda are actively following his case and working with US authorities.
Ngoga visited Malawi where he met with the Director of Public Prosecutions to discuss the matter and said it was a shared responsibility of all other civilized nations to take some action.
rwanda genocide
He added that the Africa Rights, a non-governmental organisation and his country officials were convinced the man had sneaked out to the United States of America.
"We do not know under what circumstances he managed to sneak out of Malawi and end up in the US," he said.
Malawian authorities, however, said they were investigating the matter through the Malawi Police but that this issue was better handled by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Public Security.
Police chief, Inspector General Peter Mukhito said: "All refugee and asylum seekers movements are the responsibility of the ministry. That is beyond the police as we don't handle such matters," he told the Nation.
Mukhito however said he would act only when a red alert was issued.
Nzigiyimfura was in the country in the capital city Lilongwe running a business, Mzigiye Shopping Centre in Area 2, situated just a few kilometres to the country's Area 3 Central Region Police headquarters.
In April 2009, Africa Rights produced a report that the former Rwandeese businessman in Nyanza town, is suspected to be a key architect during the genocide against Ttusti Rwandans that led to the killing of more than 100,000 people.
Rakiya Omaar of Africa Rights also told the newspaper it was hard to understand how the suspect managed to fly to the US using a visa.
"The good news, however, is that US authorities are aware of the allegations against him, and we have sent them a copy of our report, in addition, justice officials in Rwanda are actively following his case and working with US authorities.
Ngoga visited Malawi where he met with the Director of Public Prosecutions to discuss the matter and said it was a shared responsibility of all other civilized nations to take some action.
Malawi: President finds new wife
Malawi's president Bingu Wa Mutharika has found a new wife and expected to marry on May 1 this year. The former Minister of Tourism and Wildlife Calista Chapola Chimombo would now become the first lady after the official marriage ceremony. They will have an engagement ceremony on February 14.
calista chimombo
Mutharika who is in his 70’s lost his wife Ethel in May 2007 after a long battle with cancer.
Chimombo is a high ranking official of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
The news of their engagement and wedding comes barely a month after speculations were rife that the two were planning to marry and the two have been seen together at recent functions.
The Malawi president, who retained the presidency in the May 19, 2009 elections, will marry.
calista chimombo
Mutharika who is in his 70’s lost his wife Ethel in May 2007 after a long battle with cancer.
Chimombo is a high ranking official of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
The news of their engagement and wedding comes barely a month after speculations were rife that the two were planning to marry and the two have been seen together at recent functions.
The Malawi president, who retained the presidency in the May 19, 2009 elections, will marry.
Some international reactions to story about Malawi Gay Rights Movement 15, 000 Euros injenction
As humans, we have strayed so far from our creator. We have decided that we will determine what is right and what is wrong. Seemingly, the laws of nature now have to take a back seat to the laws that men set. Homosexuality is an illness, it should not be embraced and forced upon people. The rich nations should not be trying to use money to spread their disease throughout the worlld. That is exactly what it is, it is a disease, a chemical imbalance. It should be treated as an illness. If a man goes out and kills someone, he is arrested and sent to prison. He is not considered a productive part of society. It is wrong for us to go against what the creator has put in place. Throughout nature, creatures are paired male to female. God gave us the gift of free will, he also laid out the law and put consequences in place. If you want to be gay, you will have to deal with the Almighty on that issue one day. But please do not try to corrupt the rest of humanity along with you.
Loyd, United Kingdom
Chancy Namadzunda, AfricaNews reporter in Blantyre, Malawi
A 15, 000 euros boost is to be made to the underground Malawi Gay Movement (MGM) from their Netherlands counterparts (name withheld) to help heighten the activities of the movement in the southen African country. MGM said the money would help create a reliable network among its members.
black gays
“We want to have a powerful movement which will enable us to get settled in the country. We want to be recognised just as any other social groups. Currently, it is threatening in the country to come out and say you are gay just like what happens to our friends.
“We are also going to use the same money to help this couple in legal fees. They are our friends and groundbreakers, they have done us proud and we cannot leave them,” an official who does not want to be named said.
The source said they are planning to launch a massive campaign to lobby the parliament to legalise gay marriages as human rights.
Recently, the Minister of Information Leckford Thotho warned that any attempt by anyone within or outside the country to bring gay relationships in the country will be punished.
“This is a cultured and religious country, so nobody should try to bring in this issue,” he said.
Reply
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Reactions
1.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 03:01
rebel
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* 1 messages
As humans, we have strayed so far from our creator. We have decided that we will determine what is right and what is wrong. Seemingly, the laws of nature now have to take a back seat to the laws that men set. Homosexuality is an illness, it should not be embraced and forced upon people. The rich nations should not be trying to use money to spread their disease throughout the worlld. That is exactly what it is, it is a disease, a chemical imbalance. It should be treated as an illness. If a man goes out and kills someone, he is arrested and sent to prison. He is not considered a productive part of society. It is wrong for us to go against what the creator has put in place. Throughout nature, creatures are paired male to female. God gave us the gift of free will, he also laid out the law and put consequences in place. If you want to be gay, you will have to deal with the Almighty on that issue one day. But please do not try to corrupt the rest of humanity along with you.
2.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 17:33
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
I think that the aritcal show the right of people to be they are. That peole should not be juged or kiled cause they like the same spices of there self. It was an all right artical.
3.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 17:37
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
I agree with you im not gay but people should have rigtht be free in not being judge by it. In that it is sometimes a cofuseing that some peploe are gay.
4.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:16
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
helo)i agree with you well i am not gay but the people that are gay they have the right to be wat they wanna be and the wourld is never ganna end so that is why i really agree with you and the people who disidet that okay and if some people are gay where you live then that is okay because there alot of gay people over hear in Austin and we dont tell them nuthing because i have a uncle that is gay and thats why i understand jajaja its kinde of funny that i am telling you dis but its okay any ways i like youre story you realli know how to right a story and really make someone emagen it bue any ways i have to go but dont worry if youre gay or not dat wont change youre life or other peoples life
5.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:20
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
hola
6.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:21
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
hola
7.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:22
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
k ases
8.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:22
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
nada y tu tita jajajaja
9.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:23
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
nada lil chivitita
10.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:23
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
oh okay pos deque ablamos
11.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:24
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
kien sabe to2 van a ver estos
12.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:25
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
jajajajajajajaajajajajajaj LOL:) ya se pero que inporta namas no pongas nuestros nombres
13.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:26
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
ok k mas osea nose de k
14.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:27
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
HOLA
MrWashington modified this message on 26-01-2010 00:50 with 100%
15.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:28
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
hey i like youre story okay bye
Loyd, United Kingdom
Chancy Namadzunda, AfricaNews reporter in Blantyre, Malawi
A 15, 000 euros boost is to be made to the underground Malawi Gay Movement (MGM) from their Netherlands counterparts (name withheld) to help heighten the activities of the movement in the southen African country. MGM said the money would help create a reliable network among its members.
black gays
“We want to have a powerful movement which will enable us to get settled in the country. We want to be recognised just as any other social groups. Currently, it is threatening in the country to come out and say you are gay just like what happens to our friends.
“We are also going to use the same money to help this couple in legal fees. They are our friends and groundbreakers, they have done us proud and we cannot leave them,” an official who does not want to be named said.
The source said they are planning to launch a massive campaign to lobby the parliament to legalise gay marriages as human rights.
Recently, the Minister of Information Leckford Thotho warned that any attempt by anyone within or outside the country to bring gay relationships in the country will be punished.
“This is a cultured and religious country, so nobody should try to bring in this issue,” he said.
Reply
Please login first to reply or create an account.
Reactions
1.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 03:01
rebel
Image of rebel
* Profile
* 1 messages
As humans, we have strayed so far from our creator. We have decided that we will determine what is right and what is wrong. Seemingly, the laws of nature now have to take a back seat to the laws that men set. Homosexuality is an illness, it should not be embraced and forced upon people. The rich nations should not be trying to use money to spread their disease throughout the worlld. That is exactly what it is, it is a disease, a chemical imbalance. It should be treated as an illness. If a man goes out and kills someone, he is arrested and sent to prison. He is not considered a productive part of society. It is wrong for us to go against what the creator has put in place. Throughout nature, creatures are paired male to female. God gave us the gift of free will, he also laid out the law and put consequences in place. If you want to be gay, you will have to deal with the Almighty on that issue one day. But please do not try to corrupt the rest of humanity along with you.
2.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 17:33
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
I think that the aritcal show the right of people to be they are. That peole should not be juged or kiled cause they like the same spices of there self. It was an all right artical.
3.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 17:37
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
I agree with you im not gay but people should have rigtht be free in not being judge by it. In that it is sometimes a cofuseing that some peploe are gay.
4.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:16
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
helo)i agree with you well i am not gay but the people that are gay they have the right to be wat they wanna be and the wourld is never ganna end so that is why i really agree with you and the people who disidet that okay and if some people are gay where you live then that is okay because there alot of gay people over hear in Austin and we dont tell them nuthing because i have a uncle that is gay and thats why i understand jajaja its kinde of funny that i am telling you dis but its okay any ways i like youre story you realli know how to right a story and really make someone emagen it bue any ways i have to go but dont worry if youre gay or not dat wont change youre life or other peoples life
5.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:20
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
hola
6.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:21
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
hola
7.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:22
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
k ases
8.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:22
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
nada y tu tita jajajaja
9.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:23
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
nada lil chivitita
10.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:23
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
oh okay pos deque ablamos
11.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:24
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
kien sabe to2 van a ver estos
12.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:25
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
jajajajajajajaajajajajajaj LOL:) ya se pero que inporta namas no pongas nuestros nombres
13.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:26
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
ok k mas osea nose de k
14.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:27
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
HOLA
MrWashington modified this message on 26-01-2010 00:50 with 100%
15.
Posted on Monday 25 January 2010 22:28
MrWashington
Image of MrWashington
* Profile
* 190 messages
hey i like youre story okay bye
A lie about Malawian gays
Chancy Namadzunda, AfricaNews reporter in Blantyre, Malawi
A 15, 000 euros boost is to be made to the underground Malawi Gay Movement (MGM) from their Netherlands counterparts (name withheld) to help heighten the activities of the movement in the southen African country. MGM said the money would help create a reliable network among its members.
black gays
“We want to have a powerful movement which will enable us to get settled in the country. We want to be recognised just as any other social groups. Currently, it is threatening in the country to come out and say you are gay just like what happens to our friends.
“We are also going to use the same money to help this couple in legal fees. They are our friends and groundbreakers, they have done us proud and we cannot leave them,” an official who does not want to be named said.
The source said they are planning to launch a massive campaign to lobby the parliament to legalise gay marriages as human rights.
Recently, the Minister of Information Leckford Thotho warned that any attempt by anyone within or outside the country to bring gay relationships in the country will be punished.
“This is a cultured and religious country, so nobody should try to bring in this issue,” he said.
LINK TO FALSE STORY:http://www.africanews.com/site/Malawi_15_000_euros_boost_for_gays/list_messages/29588
A 15, 000 euros boost is to be made to the underground Malawi Gay Movement (MGM) from their Netherlands counterparts (name withheld) to help heighten the activities of the movement in the southen African country. MGM said the money would help create a reliable network among its members.
black gays
“We want to have a powerful movement which will enable us to get settled in the country. We want to be recognised just as any other social groups. Currently, it is threatening in the country to come out and say you are gay just like what happens to our friends.
“We are also going to use the same money to help this couple in legal fees. They are our friends and groundbreakers, they have done us proud and we cannot leave them,” an official who does not want to be named said.
The source said they are planning to launch a massive campaign to lobby the parliament to legalise gay marriages as human rights.
Recently, the Minister of Information Leckford Thotho warned that any attempt by anyone within or outside the country to bring gay relationships in the country will be punished.
“This is a cultured and religious country, so nobody should try to bring in this issue,” he said.
LINK TO FALSE STORY:http://www.africanews.com/site/Malawi_15_000_euros_boost_for_gays/list_messages/29588
Malawi: Gov’t set guidelines for HIV/AIDS fund
In a quest to combat corrupt practices in the administration of HIV/AIDS Workplace Programme in Malawi, the government of that country has come up with new guidelines intended to standardize the care package across the public sector to facilitate effective use of the resources.
HIV_AIDS
Government introduced HIV/AIDS Workplace Programme as a fund to benefit HIV/AIDS infected civil servants who had come in the open as an encouragement to mobilize more people to declare their status. Such workers were getting K5,000 (about $34) on top of their monthly salaries.
But the programme was temporarily suspended after it was discovered that some unscrupulous people in the civil service were conniving with hospital personnel to issue them (civil servants) with bogus medical reports indicating that one is an HIV patient and that their CD4 count had reached a point where they are supposed to start taking the life-prolonging drugs - ARVs.
After being issued with the bogus medical reports the civil servants would go to their employers asking to be included on the list of HIV infected servants benefiting from the fund meant for civil servants on anti-retroviral drugs so that they too, should be receiving a monthly K5000 (about $34) from government coffers.
“Through this practice, a lot of government money was lost,” said Dr. Mary Shawa, Principal Secretary (PS) for Nutrition, HIV/AIDS, in August 2008.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, Director of Nutrition, HIV and Aids in the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) Catherine Mkangama said the new guidelines provide a minimum package for nutrition care and support that should be given to the people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS using the two percent ORT [other recurrent transactions] resources.
Mkangama explained that the package has been developed through a process of wide consultations and lessons learnt from other Nutrition Care and Support programmes in the country.
“The guidelines are intended to standardize the care package across the public sector to facilitate effective use of the resources. In addition, the guidelines suggest activities that can be implemented to promote HIV prevention, control, mitigation, care, support and treatment in the work place programme,” Mkangama stated.
The new arrangement states that Public Servants Living with HIV/AIDS (PSLWHAs) will also be getting nutrition support complement the food security of their households.
While as support was restricted to the infected persons in the old programme, the new programme extends the support to their registered dependants (only those residing with the public servant) if infected by the pandemic.
“The new arrangement is very effective and will help in saving government money. Beneficiaries will need to go a number of processes to qualify for the support. This is done to avoid fraud and corruption in the administration of the programme,” said Mkangama.
Among others, public servants will have to produce their health passbook, ART number, health centre where they are collecting their drugs from, village where they come from and the type of assistance they would need.
Department of Nutrition, HIV and Aids is currently printing a document containing these guidelines on the use of the 2% of other recurrent transactions (ORT) budget commitment towards HIV and Aids at work place to all government departments and ministries.
HIV_AIDS
Government introduced HIV/AIDS Workplace Programme as a fund to benefit HIV/AIDS infected civil servants who had come in the open as an encouragement to mobilize more people to declare their status. Such workers were getting K5,000 (about $34) on top of their monthly salaries.
But the programme was temporarily suspended after it was discovered that some unscrupulous people in the civil service were conniving with hospital personnel to issue them (civil servants) with bogus medical reports indicating that one is an HIV patient and that their CD4 count had reached a point where they are supposed to start taking the life-prolonging drugs - ARVs.
After being issued with the bogus medical reports the civil servants would go to their employers asking to be included on the list of HIV infected servants benefiting from the fund meant for civil servants on anti-retroviral drugs so that they too, should be receiving a monthly K5000 (about $34) from government coffers.
“Through this practice, a lot of government money was lost,” said Dr. Mary Shawa, Principal Secretary (PS) for Nutrition, HIV/AIDS, in August 2008.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, Director of Nutrition, HIV and Aids in the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) Catherine Mkangama said the new guidelines provide a minimum package for nutrition care and support that should be given to the people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS using the two percent ORT [other recurrent transactions] resources.
Mkangama explained that the package has been developed through a process of wide consultations and lessons learnt from other Nutrition Care and Support programmes in the country.
“The guidelines are intended to standardize the care package across the public sector to facilitate effective use of the resources. In addition, the guidelines suggest activities that can be implemented to promote HIV prevention, control, mitigation, care, support and treatment in the work place programme,” Mkangama stated.
The new arrangement states that Public Servants Living with HIV/AIDS (PSLWHAs) will also be getting nutrition support complement the food security of their households.
While as support was restricted to the infected persons in the old programme, the new programme extends the support to their registered dependants (only those residing with the public servant) if infected by the pandemic.
“The new arrangement is very effective and will help in saving government money. Beneficiaries will need to go a number of processes to qualify for the support. This is done to avoid fraud and corruption in the administration of the programme,” said Mkangama.
Among others, public servants will have to produce their health passbook, ART number, health centre where they are collecting their drugs from, village where they come from and the type of assistance they would need.
Department of Nutrition, HIV and Aids is currently printing a document containing these guidelines on the use of the 2% of other recurrent transactions (ORT) budget commitment towards HIV and Aids at work place to all government departments and ministries.
Malawian gays plan demonstration
The Malawi Gay Rights Movement (Magrim), a representative body of Malawian gays, plans to hold demonstrations against the continued 'intimidation and harassment' of gay suspects Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza. Magrim made the resolution at a gays and lesbians meeting held in Blantyre Tuesday morning.
black gays
Magrim Spokesperson, Wongani James Phiri, said they were unhappy with the continued keeping of the two gays in custody, some 26 days after being arrested on December 28, 2009.
"We are demonstrating on Sunday and our march will start from Upper Kamuzu Stadium through to old Blantyre Town Hall. We demand the unconditional release of the two," said Phiri.
Monjeza and Chimbalanga have themselves complained the tightness of Police handcuffs, saying they were being treated as hardcore criminals when they were not.
black gays
Magrim Spokesperson, Wongani James Phiri, said they were unhappy with the continued keeping of the two gays in custody, some 26 days after being arrested on December 28, 2009.
"We are demonstrating on Sunday and our march will start from Upper Kamuzu Stadium through to old Blantyre Town Hall. We demand the unconditional release of the two," said Phiri.
Monjeza and Chimbalanga have themselves complained the tightness of Police handcuffs, saying they were being treated as hardcore criminals when they were not.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Let's pray for our friends in Haiti
Malawians, let's pray for our friends in Haiti.
Thank God, help has started arriving.
Too late for some.
Thank God, help has started arriving.
Too late for some.
Comments on stories about gays in Malawi
As humans, we have strayed so far from our creator. We have decided that we will determine what is right and what is wrong. Seemingly, the laws of nature now have to take a back seat to the laws that men set. Homosexuality is an illness, it should not be embraced and forced upon people. The rich nations should not be trying to use money to spread their disease throughout the worlld. That is exactly what it is, it is a disease, a chemical imbalance. It should be treated as an illness. If a man goes out and kills someone, he is arrested and sent to prison. He is not considered a productive part of society. It is wrong for us to go against what the creator has put in place. Throughout nature, creatures are paired male to female. God gave us the gift of free will, he also laid out the law and put consequences in place. If you want to be gay, you will have to deal with the Almighty on that issue one day. But please do not try to corrupt
What Chancy Namadzunda has written about Malawian gays on Africa News
Malawi: 15, 000 euros boost for gays
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Posted on Sunday 24 January 2010 - 13:10
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Chancy Namadzunda, AfricaNews reporter in Blantyre, Malawi
A 15, 000 euros boost is to be made to the underground Malawi Gay Movement (MGM) from their Netherlands counterparts (name withheld) to help heighten the activities of the movement in the southen African country. MGM said the money would help create a reliable network among its members.
black gays
“We want to have a powerful movement which will enable us to get settled in the country. We want to be recognised just as any other social groups. Currently, it is threatening in the country to come out and say you are gay just like what happens to our friends.
“We are also going to use the same money to help this couple in legal fees. They are our friends and groundbreakers, they have done us proud and we cannot leave them,” an official who does not want to be named said.
The source said they are planning to launch a massive campaign to lobby the parliament to legalise gay marriages as human rights.
Recently, the Minister of Information Leckford Thotho warned that any attempt by anyone within or outside the country to bring gay relationships in the country will be punished.
“This is a cultured and religious country, so nobody should try to bring in this issue,” he said.
Link to the story: http://www.africanews.com/site/Malawi_15_000_euros_boost_for_gays/list_messages/29588
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1.
Posted on Sunday 24 January 2010 - 13:10
* Quote
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Chancy Namadzunda
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Chancy Namadzunda, AfricaNews reporter in Blantyre, Malawi
A 15, 000 euros boost is to be made to the underground Malawi Gay Movement (MGM) from their Netherlands counterparts (name withheld) to help heighten the activities of the movement in the southen African country. MGM said the money would help create a reliable network among its members.
black gays
“We want to have a powerful movement which will enable us to get settled in the country. We want to be recognised just as any other social groups. Currently, it is threatening in the country to come out and say you are gay just like what happens to our friends.
“We are also going to use the same money to help this couple in legal fees. They are our friends and groundbreakers, they have done us proud and we cannot leave them,” an official who does not want to be named said.
The source said they are planning to launch a massive campaign to lobby the parliament to legalise gay marriages as human rights.
Recently, the Minister of Information Leckford Thotho warned that any attempt by anyone within or outside the country to bring gay relationships in the country will be punished.
“This is a cultured and religious country, so nobody should try to bring in this issue,” he said.
Link to the story: http://www.africanews.com/site/Malawi_15_000_euros_boost_for_gays/list_messages/29588
Haiti still needs help
Dear Richard
International Medical Corps is a global, humanitarian, nonprofit organization, founded by volunteer doctors and nurses and dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through relief and development programs. Our emergency response team is in Haiti responding in force and I would like to ask for your help to get the word out to the readers of Zachimalawi. There are still thousands of patients seeking treatment of which approximately 80% are in need of surgery and are running out of time - especially with the tremendous aftershocks still devastating this country. The team is treating crush injuries, trauma, substantial wound care, shock and other critical cases with the few available supplies - And they're in it for the long haul. I would love your help spreading the word by blogging or tweeting about IMC's rescue efforts. We've put up a blogger friendly widget here on our site:
http://www.imcworldwide.org/haiti
With the widget it's really easy to let your readers know that donating $10 to help the people of Haiti is as simple as sending a text message of the word "haiti" to 85944. If you have any questions just let me know and I will do my best to help you out. If you are able to post the widget or tweet, I would appreciate it if you could send me the link.
Thanks so much,
Ellie
International Medical Corps is a global, humanitarian, nonprofit organization, founded by volunteer doctors and nurses and dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through relief and development programs. Our emergency response team is in Haiti responding in force and I would like to ask for your help to get the word out to the readers of Zachimalawi. There are still thousands of patients seeking treatment of which approximately 80% are in need of surgery and are running out of time - especially with the tremendous aftershocks still devastating this country. The team is treating crush injuries, trauma, substantial wound care, shock and other critical cases with the few available supplies - And they're in it for the long haul. I would love your help spreading the word by blogging or tweeting about IMC's rescue efforts. We've put up a blogger friendly widget here on our site:
http://www.imcworldwide.org/haiti
With the widget it's really easy to let your readers know that donating $10 to help the people of Haiti is as simple as sending a text message of the word "haiti" to 85944. If you have any questions just let me know and I will do my best to help you out. If you are able to post the widget or tweet, I would appreciate it if you could send me the link.
Thanks so much,
Ellie
‘Anti-gay bill threatens HIV fight in Uganda’
The UN Special Rapporteur on health, Anand Grover, warned that the Anti-Homosexuality Bill being considered by the Ugandan Parliament is "not only a violation of the fundamental human rights of Ugandans, but will also undermine efforts to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support."
Uganda_map
“Lessons from the last 30 years of the HIV epidemic have shown us that recognition of the rights of people with different sexual identities is a necessary component for a successful HIV and health response,” stressed the UN expert.
“In many countries where sex between men is not criminalized and where stigma and discrimination have been reduced, men who have sex with men are more likely to take up HIV prevention, care and support and treatment services,” he added.
“I urge the Ugandan Parliament to build on its past successes in responding to HIV and to refrain from passing this Bill,” said Grover, while strongly supporting the President and other members of the Government in their attempts to prevent the initiative of some members of the Parliament that the bill becoming law.
He said: “Uganda is in the great danger of taking a step backwards – away from realizing human rights for its people and away from an effective, evidence and rights-based HIV response.”
The Special Rapporteur on health stressed that a number of UN human rights conventions ban discrimination on grounds of sexual identity or orientation, and laws that criminalize homosexual acts between consenting adults violate the right to privacy.
Homosexuality is already criminalized through Uganda’s existing penal code, but the proposed Bill will increase penalties for homosexual conduct and will criminalize many related activities, such as the ‘promotion of homosexuality.’
By including the publication and dissemination of materials, funding and sponsoring related activities, and any attempts to ‘promote or abet homosexuality,’ these provisions could affect the work of civil society actors and human rights defenders addressing issues of sexual orientation or gender identity, which are crucial to addressing vulnerability to HIV.
The Bill also criminalizes failure to report any relevant offences. It therefore compels citizens – including health workers and civil society organizations active in HIV prevention and human rights– to report to the authorities anyone whom they suspect of being homosexual. Furthermore, the Bill would result in the punishment of ’serial offenders’ and those who are living with HIV, with the death penalty.
Uganda_map
“Lessons from the last 30 years of the HIV epidemic have shown us that recognition of the rights of people with different sexual identities is a necessary component for a successful HIV and health response,” stressed the UN expert.
“In many countries where sex between men is not criminalized and where stigma and discrimination have been reduced, men who have sex with men are more likely to take up HIV prevention, care and support and treatment services,” he added.
“I urge the Ugandan Parliament to build on its past successes in responding to HIV and to refrain from passing this Bill,” said Grover, while strongly supporting the President and other members of the Government in their attempts to prevent the initiative of some members of the Parliament that the bill becoming law.
He said: “Uganda is in the great danger of taking a step backwards – away from realizing human rights for its people and away from an effective, evidence and rights-based HIV response.”
The Special Rapporteur on health stressed that a number of UN human rights conventions ban discrimination on grounds of sexual identity or orientation, and laws that criminalize homosexual acts between consenting adults violate the right to privacy.
Homosexuality is already criminalized through Uganda’s existing penal code, but the proposed Bill will increase penalties for homosexual conduct and will criminalize many related activities, such as the ‘promotion of homosexuality.’
By including the publication and dissemination of materials, funding and sponsoring related activities, and any attempts to ‘promote or abet homosexuality,’ these provisions could affect the work of civil society actors and human rights defenders addressing issues of sexual orientation or gender identity, which are crucial to addressing vulnerability to HIV.
The Bill also criminalizes failure to report any relevant offences. It therefore compels citizens – including health workers and civil society organizations active in HIV prevention and human rights– to report to the authorities anyone whom they suspect of being homosexual. Furthermore, the Bill would result in the punishment of ’serial offenders’ and those who are living with HIV, with the death penalty.
How to Set Boundaries With Your Boss
It's good to be the "go-to" guy on the job. You please the boss. You're respected, looked up to, admired. Yes, the "go-to" guy is what so many aspire to be.
John Harris used to be the "go-to" guy. Harris screened calls, ran interference and made things happen for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich -- at least until both men were charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and a count of soliciting bribes. Harris was caught in a web of deceit, bribery and poor ethics, operating as Blagojevich's chief of staff.
While the former governor continues to claim his innocence and exploits his notoriety with an appearance in the upcoming "Celebrity Apprentice," Harris seems to have recognized the severity of the charges.
What is Mr. Harris doing these days? Now he's the government's "go-to" guy. As part of his plea bargain agreement, Harris will be one of the key witnesses in the Blagojevich trial come June 2010. Yes, it's good to be the "go-to" guy.
Was Harris pressured by Blagojevich to act out this criminal behavior? Did Harris fear losing his job -- or worse, fear for his safety? His family's safety?
Establishing boundaries in the workplace can be tricky and sometimes difficult, although it's seldom as dramatic as the choices Harris faced. But if your organization's environment does not foster a comfortable climate for feedback, employee and corporate success suffers. Establishing realistic and appropriate boundaries in the employee-boss relationship and even key to the health of the organization.
John Harris used to be the "go-to" guy. Harris screened calls, ran interference and made things happen for Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich -- at least until both men were charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and a count of soliciting bribes. Harris was caught in a web of deceit, bribery and poor ethics, operating as Blagojevich's chief of staff.
While the former governor continues to claim his innocence and exploits his notoriety with an appearance in the upcoming "Celebrity Apprentice," Harris seems to have recognized the severity of the charges.
What is Mr. Harris doing these days? Now he's the government's "go-to" guy. As part of his plea bargain agreement, Harris will be one of the key witnesses in the Blagojevich trial come June 2010. Yes, it's good to be the "go-to" guy.
Was Harris pressured by Blagojevich to act out this criminal behavior? Did Harris fear losing his job -- or worse, fear for his safety? His family's safety?
Establishing boundaries in the workplace can be tricky and sometimes difficult, although it's seldom as dramatic as the choices Harris faced. But if your organization's environment does not foster a comfortable climate for feedback, employee and corporate success suffers. Establishing realistic and appropriate boundaries in the employee-boss relationship and even key to the health of the organization.
Tight handcuffs anger Malawian gays
Arrested Malawian gays, Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza, have complained bitterly over "too tight handcuffs', saying it seems Police officers want to punish them for 'doing nothing wrong' by pressing the handcuffs too hard on them.
The two complaining loudly on Monday, not for the first time though, telling a Police officer: "Why are you pressing the handcuffs too hard on us as if we are hardcore criminals? Have we stolen anybody's property?"
However, the Police officers merely promised that they would loosen the cuffs in court.
Monjeza and Chimbalanga's case continued on Monday, and three witnesses are expected to testify against them.
The two complaining loudly on Monday, not for the first time though, telling a Police officer: "Why are you pressing the handcuffs too hard on us as if we are hardcore criminals? Have we stolen anybody's property?"
However, the Police officers merely promised that they would loosen the cuffs in court.
Monjeza and Chimbalanga's case continued on Monday, and three witnesses are expected to testify against them.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Nkhayabay hospital construction starts March
The people of Nkhatabay will soon stop crying for a district hospital, following government plans to start construction of a new hospital March.
The hospital will have 600 beds and 60 staff houses, and is modelled on the design of Nkhotakota District Hospital.
The hospital will have 600 beds and 60 staff houses, and is modelled on the design of Nkhotakota District Hospital.
Waiting for the Malawi National Team
Malawians have come to terms with the exist of their national soccer team, the Flames, from the Orange Africa Cup of Nations and are now looking forward to welcoming their team at Chileka International Airport in Blantyre.
The team tumbled 3-1 against Mali in a game they should have easily won. Striker Russel Mwafulirwa fluffed a host of scoring opportunities while goal tender Swadick Sanudi seemed to have had a surgical operation that 'opened' his hands and made him too charitable, allowing the unimpressive Malians to score two goals within two minutes.
But Malawians now say the team should dwell on the positives from Angola, a country that has become synonymous with mismanagement and poor organisation.
But missing in Malawi's cities are the Red, Green and Black colours that surfaced after the Flames humbled Algeria 3-1.
The team tumbled 3-1 against Mali in a game they should have easily won. Striker Russel Mwafulirwa fluffed a host of scoring opportunities while goal tender Swadick Sanudi seemed to have had a surgical operation that 'opened' his hands and made him too charitable, allowing the unimpressive Malians to score two goals within two minutes.
But Malawians now say the team should dwell on the positives from Angola, a country that has become synonymous with mismanagement and poor organisation.
But missing in Malawi's cities are the Red, Green and Black colours that surfaced after the Flames humbled Algeria 3-1.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Malawi coach says ready to beat Mali
Kinnah Phiri, Malawi National Football Team coach, has promised nothing short of victory in tomorrow's game against Mali.
Kinnah said in an e-mail response his charges had come over Thiirsday's misery and were now in good mood.
"The Angolans made life difficult for us because we were playing them' now they are good again because we are not playing them on Monday," said Phiri.
The Flames faced intimidation and psychological torture in preparing for the game against Angola. Twice, they failed to train due to purported sabotage.
"The Angolans can be so cruel in deed," said Phiri.
He added:" They can also be good, at the same time."
Kinnah said in an e-mail response his charges had come over Thiirsday's misery and were now in good mood.
"The Angolans made life difficult for us because we were playing them' now they are good again because we are not playing them on Monday," said Phiri.
The Flames faced intimidation and psychological torture in preparing for the game against Angola. Twice, they failed to train due to purported sabotage.
"The Angolans can be so cruel in deed," said Phiri.
He added:" They can also be good, at the same time."
Khonsolo yaBlantyre ipereka ndalama zolimbana ndiEDZI
Khonsolo yamzinda waBlantyre yapereka ndalama zokwana K900, 000 kwamabungwe omwe akugwira ntchito zolimbana ndimatenda aEDZI m’madera osiyanasiyana mukhonsoloyi.
Mkulu wakhonsoloyi aLeycester Bandawe adati akuyembekezera kuti miyoyo yaanthu omwe akukhala ndichiyembekezo ndikachilombo kaHIV, komwe kamayambitsa matenda aEDZI, komanso ana amasiye apindula ndintchito zamabungwe am’midziwa.
ABandawe achenjeza mabungwewa kuti ayenera kugwiritsa ntchito ndalamazi moyenera, ndipo adati mabungwe omwe adzapezeke atasakaza thandizoli adzabweza ndalamazo.
“Ndalama zimenezi ndizaanthu omwe akuvutika m’madera osiyanasiyana chifukwa chosowa thandizo mwina chifukwa chokuti akukhala ndichiyembekezo ndiHIV, kapena ndiana amasiye. Pali mavuto osiyanasiyana omwe anthu oterewa amakumana nawo ndipo akuyembekezera umoyo wabwino kuchokera kwamabungwewa,” adatero aBandawe.
Mabungwe am’madera osiyanasiyana mukhonsolo yaBlantyre akhala akudandaula kuti kuchedwa kwandalama zogwirira ntchito kwapangitsa kuti ntchito zosamalira anthu omwe amadalira thandizo lochokera kubungwe loyendetsa ntchito zokhudzana ndiHIV ndiEDZI laNAC avutike kwambiri.
Ena mwamabungwewa adayambanso manong’onong’o pomanena kuti akuluakulu akhonsolo yaBlantyre adadya ndalama zomwe zimayenera kupita kwaanthu omwe akhudzidwa kwambiri ndimatenda aEDZI, chinthu chomwe chidakhumudwitsa akuluakulu amumzindawu popeza ndalama zidali zisadabwere.
Mkulu wakhonsoloyi aLeycester Bandawe adati akuyembekezera kuti miyoyo yaanthu omwe akukhala ndichiyembekezo ndikachilombo kaHIV, komwe kamayambitsa matenda aEDZI, komanso ana amasiye apindula ndintchito zamabungwe am’midziwa.
ABandawe achenjeza mabungwewa kuti ayenera kugwiritsa ntchito ndalamazi moyenera, ndipo adati mabungwe omwe adzapezeke atasakaza thandizoli adzabweza ndalamazo.
“Ndalama zimenezi ndizaanthu omwe akuvutika m’madera osiyanasiyana chifukwa chosowa thandizo mwina chifukwa chokuti akukhala ndichiyembekezo ndiHIV, kapena ndiana amasiye. Pali mavuto osiyanasiyana omwe anthu oterewa amakumana nawo ndipo akuyembekezera umoyo wabwino kuchokera kwamabungwewa,” adatero aBandawe.
Mabungwe am’madera osiyanasiyana mukhonsolo yaBlantyre akhala akudandaula kuti kuchedwa kwandalama zogwirira ntchito kwapangitsa kuti ntchito zosamalira anthu omwe amadalira thandizo lochokera kubungwe loyendetsa ntchito zokhudzana ndiHIV ndiEDZI laNAC avutike kwambiri.
Ena mwamabungwewa adayambanso manong’onong’o pomanena kuti akuluakulu akhonsolo yaBlantyre adadya ndalama zomwe zimayenera kupita kwaanthu omwe akhudzidwa kwambiri ndimatenda aEDZI, chinthu chomwe chidakhumudwitsa akuluakulu amumzindawu popeza ndalama zidali zisadabwere.
M’gwirizano wadzetsa mtendere kuChiradzulu
Mfumu Likoswe yam’boma laChiradzulu idati kutha kwam’chitidwe odula ziwalo amayi komanso kuchepa kwaumbanda m’bolalo kwadza chifukwa cham’gwirizano omwe ulipo pakati paApolisi ndianthu am’midzi.
Boma laChiradzulu lidavutika kwambiri ndim’chitidwe waumbanda kumayambiliro azaka zam’ma2000, chinthu chomwe chidadzetsa mantha pakati paanthu am’bomalo.
M’chitidwewu udakula kwambiri m’dera lamfumu Likoswe, ndipo zimenezi zidakhumudwitsa mfumuyi, yomwe idadabwitsidwa ndichifukwa chomwe anthu ambandawa amkachitira zamtopolazi mdera lake.
Koma mfumu Likoswe yam’bolalo idati zonsezi tsopano ndimbiri yakale, ndipo anthu akugona mosayang’ana kukhomo, chinthu chomwe idati chatheka kamba kam’gwirizano wabwino pakati paApolisi ndianthu am’madera akumidzi kumeneko.
“Zinthu zidasintha tsopano ndipo kuno kuli mtendere tsopano. Zimenezi zatheka chifukwa cham’gwirizano wabwino omwe ulipo pakati paogwira ntchito zachitetezo ndianthu am’midzi,” idatero mfumu Likoswe.
Mfumuyi yathokoza anthu omwe amayang’anira ntchito zoonetsetsa kuti akuluakulu ogwira ntchito zolimbikitsa chitetezo akugwira ntchito limodzi ndianthu m’madera osiyanasiyana kamba kothandiza ndizida zosiyanasiyana monga zobvala pantchito, miyuni younikira usiku komanso psilili (mawezulo).
Akuluakulu olimbikitsa ntchitozi m’chigawo chakumwera sabata latha adapereka zovala anthu omwe akuthandizana ndiApolisi pantchito yobweretsa chitetezo, zinthu zomwe adati zithandiza kusiyanitsa pakati paanthuwa ndiena ongodziyendera usiku, mwina kamba kofuna kuchita zinthu zaumbanda.
Boma laChiradzulu lidavutika kwambiri ndim’chitidwe waumbanda kumayambiliro azaka zam’ma2000, chinthu chomwe chidadzetsa mantha pakati paanthu am’bomalo.
M’chitidwewu udakula kwambiri m’dera lamfumu Likoswe, ndipo zimenezi zidakhumudwitsa mfumuyi, yomwe idadabwitsidwa ndichifukwa chomwe anthu ambandawa amkachitira zamtopolazi mdera lake.
Koma mfumu Likoswe yam’bolalo idati zonsezi tsopano ndimbiri yakale, ndipo anthu akugona mosayang’ana kukhomo, chinthu chomwe idati chatheka kamba kam’gwirizano wabwino pakati paApolisi ndianthu am’madera akumidzi kumeneko.
“Zinthu zidasintha tsopano ndipo kuno kuli mtendere tsopano. Zimenezi zatheka chifukwa cham’gwirizano wabwino omwe ulipo pakati paogwira ntchito zachitetezo ndianthu am’midzi,” idatero mfumu Likoswe.
Mfumuyi yathokoza anthu omwe amayang’anira ntchito zoonetsetsa kuti akuluakulu ogwira ntchito zolimbikitsa chitetezo akugwira ntchito limodzi ndianthu m’madera osiyanasiyana kamba kothandiza ndizida zosiyanasiyana monga zobvala pantchito, miyuni younikira usiku komanso psilili (mawezulo).
Akuluakulu olimbikitsa ntchitozi m’chigawo chakumwera sabata latha adapereka zovala anthu omwe akuthandizana ndiApolisi pantchito yobweretsa chitetezo, zinthu zomwe adati zithandiza kusiyanitsa pakati paanthuwa ndiena ongodziyendera usiku, mwina kamba kofuna kuchita zinthu zaumbanda.
Thandizo likufunikabe m’boma laSalima
Anthu omwe adakhudzidwa ndivuto lamphepo yamkuntho m’boma laSalima adadandaula kuti anthu ndimabungwe ambiri akuyika chidwi chawo chonse pangozi yazivomerezi zomwe zidakhudza anthu oposa 4,000 m’boma laKaronga, kuyiwala kuti nawonso akuvutika chifukwa chimphepo yamphavu yomwe idasasula nyumba ndikugwetsa mitengo mwezi watha.
Anthu okhala kuChitala m’boma laSalima adakhudzidwa ndivuto lamphepo yamkuntho paDisembala 19, chaka chatha, chinthu chomwe chidapangitsa kuti nyumba komanso mitengo yamalambe, mtenthanyerere ndiina igwe ndikutchinga njira.
Anthu omwe nyumba zawo zidagwa akusowa mtengo wogwira ndipo akugona muzisakasa.
Zimenezi zidadziwika pomwe bungwe laCentre for Sustainable Development and Alternative Rights (SUDAR) lidakayendera madera omwe akhudzidwa kwambiri ndivutoli litalandira pempho kuchokera kubungwe lina lakuNetherlands, lomwe lidapempha bungweli kuti likawunikew zamavuto omwe adza kamba kamphepoyo.
Malingana ndiaMichael Mtambalika, mkulu wabungweli, bungwe lakunjalo lidapempha SUDAR litamva zavutoli.
“Vutoli litagwa, ife tidafotokozera bungwe lotchedwa Universal Justice lakuNetherlands, ndipo bungweli layamba kale kusonkhetsa thandizo m’dzikolo. Tapeza kuti anthu ambiri akuvutika ndivutoli kuSalima, ena mwaiwo alibe ndichakudya chomwe,” adatero aMtambalika.
Anthu oposa 250 akufunika thandizo lamsanga kuChitala, Malingana ndimafumu ena akuChitala.
M’modzi mwaanthu omwe akhudzidwa ndivutoli, a Linda Kuzimva, adadandaula kuti anthu ambiri ayika chidwi chawo pangozi yakuKaronga, chonsecho kuSalima kunalinso vuto lina lalikulu.
“Tikupempha kuti anthu atikumbuke nafenso popeza tili pamavuto adzaoneni. Tikusowa zakudya monga Likuni phala ndizina,” adatero aKuzimva.
Malingana ndibwanankubwa waboma laSalima, a Gift Lapozo, zinthu monga mapepala apulasitiki komanso zakudya ndizomwe zimafunika m’bomalo.
Anthu okhala kuChitala m’boma laSalima adakhudzidwa ndivuto lamphepo yamkuntho paDisembala 19, chaka chatha, chinthu chomwe chidapangitsa kuti nyumba komanso mitengo yamalambe, mtenthanyerere ndiina igwe ndikutchinga njira.
Anthu omwe nyumba zawo zidagwa akusowa mtengo wogwira ndipo akugona muzisakasa.
Zimenezi zidadziwika pomwe bungwe laCentre for Sustainable Development and Alternative Rights (SUDAR) lidakayendera madera omwe akhudzidwa kwambiri ndivutoli litalandira pempho kuchokera kubungwe lina lakuNetherlands, lomwe lidapempha bungweli kuti likawunikew zamavuto omwe adza kamba kamphepoyo.
Malingana ndiaMichael Mtambalika, mkulu wabungweli, bungwe lakunjalo lidapempha SUDAR litamva zavutoli.
“Vutoli litagwa, ife tidafotokozera bungwe lotchedwa Universal Justice lakuNetherlands, ndipo bungweli layamba kale kusonkhetsa thandizo m’dzikolo. Tapeza kuti anthu ambiri akuvutika ndivutoli kuSalima, ena mwaiwo alibe ndichakudya chomwe,” adatero aMtambalika.
Anthu oposa 250 akufunika thandizo lamsanga kuChitala, Malingana ndimafumu ena akuChitala.
M’modzi mwaanthu omwe akhudzidwa ndivutoli, a Linda Kuzimva, adadandaula kuti anthu ambiri ayika chidwi chawo pangozi yakuKaronga, chonsecho kuSalima kunalinso vuto lina lalikulu.
“Tikupempha kuti anthu atikumbuke nafenso popeza tili pamavuto adzaoneni. Tikusowa zakudya monga Likuni phala ndizina,” adatero aKuzimva.
Malingana ndibwanankubwa waboma laSalima, a Gift Lapozo, zinthu monga mapepala apulasitiki komanso zakudya ndizomwe zimafunika m’bomalo.
Debate rages on 2010 secondary school selection
BY RICHARD CHIROMBO
Benedicto Kondowe, National Coordinator for Civil Society Coalition for Quality Basic Education (CSCQBE), is a man of high estimations; he sets his eyes on the future and never looks back, overtly sure that human beings will always learn from history’s toughest lessons.
Like so many who hope that tomorrow may be better than today, his optimism for the future of education in Malawi is pregnant almost to a fault. At least, that is the impression one gets from Kondowe since announcement of the 2009 Primary School Leaving Certificate Examinations (PSLCE) results, and list of candidates selected to various national secondary schools.
Dots of pessimism and discouragement now mark facial expressions once decorated with hope and optimism. Moreover, Kondowe cannot help but look back at life’s little lessons- something that brings him to the realization that, after all, childhood was a lesson, too.
The lesson he gets: When you are a small child, you know something is not right, and you do not like it. But you do not question it, and you never let that get you down; you, sought of, just continue to move on with life, to live.
This is the situation Malawian Civil Society Organisations (CSO) found themselves in when the country embraced multiparty democracy in 1994. They could see things go wrong with the new political leaders and merely move on with their lives.
“Now we have matured with age and are ready to question those in authority whenever we see that something has gone amiss. We have even gone a step further and are increasingly engaging the government in dialogue on various issues of national interest,” says Kondowe.
A good case in point is that of the 2009 PSLCE secondary school selection list. Kondowe, the Livingstonia Synod of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian and others feel shortchanged on the results, and are questioning the Ministry of Education.
The bone of contention, over an issue government officials say is far way straight forward, is the difference in regional percentage points. CSCQEBE and Livingstonia Synod are questioning the rationale behind drastic reductions in selected students from the Northern region, and suspect an invisible hand and system to be at play.
“Why, for example, is it that the number of students selected to national secondary schools for Northern region candidates has dwindled from 19 per cent in 2009 to 13 per cent (representing a decrease of 6 percentage points) in 2010? At the same time, the number of students from the Southern and Central region has increased from 36 per cent in 2009 to 42 percent in 2010, and 42 per cent in 2009 to 44 percent in 2010, respectively. We suspect foul play,” said Kondowe.
What sort of foul play?
“We believe that the quota system has been used indiscreetly,” he adds, his anger beginning to appear.
The issue of quota system has a deep surface. It existed during the one party regime and was, subsequently, abandoned. Then, in 2007, the University Council reignited debate over the issue following concerns presented in Parliament by one opposition Member of Parliament over the shortfalls of University Entrance Examinations (UEE).
The MP noted that UEE was creating selection disparity between urban and rural students but the Council identified regional disparity and not urban versus rural was what the Council identified as a core issue.
Facts established by the council indicated that about 3000 students qualify for entrance examinations every year, competing for about 900 spaces only. It then requested the Centre for Education Research and Training (CERT) to conduct a comprehensive study to confirm or disqualify this impression.
The University Council, however, noted the social-political implications of the trend to the future of Malawi’s education, and recommended to the University Senate in 2007 to consider re-introducing the quarter system, but the Senate pleaded for more time and consultations.
Now CSCQBE believes the Malawi National Examinations Board (Maneb), which is not related to the University Council or Senate, has borrowed a leaf from the University of Malawi and applied a quota system of selection.
“Otherwise, Maneb should come out in the open and explain its selection criteria. People may lose trust in it. It is also good for the government to be transparent because it will help the regions that have not done better to get back to successful, old ways,” said Kondowe.
However, Education Minister George Chaponda feels that CSOs suspecting foul play are seeing opium smoke where plantations never exist. The 2010 secondary selection process was normal, he says, and nothing sinister ever happened.
Chaponda assures Malawians that government would not behind their backs and implement a system that is far from matured, asking people to get regional politics out of the selection equation.
The issue of quota system is a contentious issue even within the file and ranks of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), following the firing of former Director of Political Affairs Harry Mkandawire.
This was after Mkandawire’s public criticism of government’s intention to employ the quota system. The party liked no bit of his criticism of President Bingu wa Mutharika, who has vowed to make development, including access to higher education, equitable to all Malawians.
Mutharika has often advocated for equality in sharing the national development cake, and says just such a development could help spur a new era of all-round development.
DPP has, thus, not taken lightly to CSCQBE and Livingstonia Synod accusations of under-hand tactics. Dr. Hetherwick Ntaba, DPP Publicity Secretary, feels that the sentiments are innuendos aimed at the ruling party- now driving the current administration.
“The Livingstonia Synod and others should know that the schools in question are national schools and not regional schools. These people are advocating regional lines, yet the number of Northern region students in the country’s education facilities is more than the 13% Livingstonia Synod is claiming. People must know that these students are scattered all over Malawi.”
Ntaba adds that, in fact, “Section 20, subsection 2 of the Republican Constitution requires that government acts to address any inequalities in the country. If I may ask, why are other regions not complaining; they are a silent majority.”
CSCQBE has since threatened to take stern action, among others by carrying out a more comprehensive study on the “evils” of the year’s secondary school selection criteria.
“Equitable distribution should not be retrospective,” says Kondowe.
It remains to be seen whether the coalition will take any real action. However, a 2009 study conducted in four SADC countries by Development Media Africa (Dema) revealed that CSOs rarely succeed in their advocacy roles.
The Dema study indicated, for instance, that only 3 per cent of advocacy efforts for Malawian CSOs worked for the past five years, with Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia reporting a 13 per cent effectiveness rate.
What is more? The study, which had 1780 respondents in all the four countries, revealed that CSOs rarely follow what they preach, often doing the very same things they scorn governments for.
A recent press conference on equal distribution of resources in the education sector, organized by the equality-conscious CSCQBE in Blantyre, could be a good case in point. While coalition officials vilified government for sidelining the Northern region in this year’s secondary school selection in the presence of 28 journalists, they handpicked only eight members of the pen for sitting allowances.
Equitable distribution the CSCQBE-way!
Benedicto Kondowe, National Coordinator for Civil Society Coalition for Quality Basic Education (CSCQBE), is a man of high estimations; he sets his eyes on the future and never looks back, overtly sure that human beings will always learn from history’s toughest lessons.
Like so many who hope that tomorrow may be better than today, his optimism for the future of education in Malawi is pregnant almost to a fault. At least, that is the impression one gets from Kondowe since announcement of the 2009 Primary School Leaving Certificate Examinations (PSLCE) results, and list of candidates selected to various national secondary schools.
Dots of pessimism and discouragement now mark facial expressions once decorated with hope and optimism. Moreover, Kondowe cannot help but look back at life’s little lessons- something that brings him to the realization that, after all, childhood was a lesson, too.
The lesson he gets: When you are a small child, you know something is not right, and you do not like it. But you do not question it, and you never let that get you down; you, sought of, just continue to move on with life, to live.
This is the situation Malawian Civil Society Organisations (CSO) found themselves in when the country embraced multiparty democracy in 1994. They could see things go wrong with the new political leaders and merely move on with their lives.
“Now we have matured with age and are ready to question those in authority whenever we see that something has gone amiss. We have even gone a step further and are increasingly engaging the government in dialogue on various issues of national interest,” says Kondowe.
A good case in point is that of the 2009 PSLCE secondary school selection list. Kondowe, the Livingstonia Synod of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian and others feel shortchanged on the results, and are questioning the Ministry of Education.
The bone of contention, over an issue government officials say is far way straight forward, is the difference in regional percentage points. CSCQEBE and Livingstonia Synod are questioning the rationale behind drastic reductions in selected students from the Northern region, and suspect an invisible hand and system to be at play.
“Why, for example, is it that the number of students selected to national secondary schools for Northern region candidates has dwindled from 19 per cent in 2009 to 13 per cent (representing a decrease of 6 percentage points) in 2010? At the same time, the number of students from the Southern and Central region has increased from 36 per cent in 2009 to 42 percent in 2010, and 42 per cent in 2009 to 44 percent in 2010, respectively. We suspect foul play,” said Kondowe.
What sort of foul play?
“We believe that the quota system has been used indiscreetly,” he adds, his anger beginning to appear.
The issue of quota system has a deep surface. It existed during the one party regime and was, subsequently, abandoned. Then, in 2007, the University Council reignited debate over the issue following concerns presented in Parliament by one opposition Member of Parliament over the shortfalls of University Entrance Examinations (UEE).
The MP noted that UEE was creating selection disparity between urban and rural students but the Council identified regional disparity and not urban versus rural was what the Council identified as a core issue.
Facts established by the council indicated that about 3000 students qualify for entrance examinations every year, competing for about 900 spaces only. It then requested the Centre for Education Research and Training (CERT) to conduct a comprehensive study to confirm or disqualify this impression.
The University Council, however, noted the social-political implications of the trend to the future of Malawi’s education, and recommended to the University Senate in 2007 to consider re-introducing the quarter system, but the Senate pleaded for more time and consultations.
Now CSCQBE believes the Malawi National Examinations Board (Maneb), which is not related to the University Council or Senate, has borrowed a leaf from the University of Malawi and applied a quota system of selection.
“Otherwise, Maneb should come out in the open and explain its selection criteria. People may lose trust in it. It is also good for the government to be transparent because it will help the regions that have not done better to get back to successful, old ways,” said Kondowe.
However, Education Minister George Chaponda feels that CSOs suspecting foul play are seeing opium smoke where plantations never exist. The 2010 secondary selection process was normal, he says, and nothing sinister ever happened.
Chaponda assures Malawians that government would not behind their backs and implement a system that is far from matured, asking people to get regional politics out of the selection equation.
The issue of quota system is a contentious issue even within the file and ranks of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), following the firing of former Director of Political Affairs Harry Mkandawire.
This was after Mkandawire’s public criticism of government’s intention to employ the quota system. The party liked no bit of his criticism of President Bingu wa Mutharika, who has vowed to make development, including access to higher education, equitable to all Malawians.
Mutharika has often advocated for equality in sharing the national development cake, and says just such a development could help spur a new era of all-round development.
DPP has, thus, not taken lightly to CSCQBE and Livingstonia Synod accusations of under-hand tactics. Dr. Hetherwick Ntaba, DPP Publicity Secretary, feels that the sentiments are innuendos aimed at the ruling party- now driving the current administration.
“The Livingstonia Synod and others should know that the schools in question are national schools and not regional schools. These people are advocating regional lines, yet the number of Northern region students in the country’s education facilities is more than the 13% Livingstonia Synod is claiming. People must know that these students are scattered all over Malawi.”
Ntaba adds that, in fact, “Section 20, subsection 2 of the Republican Constitution requires that government acts to address any inequalities in the country. If I may ask, why are other regions not complaining; they are a silent majority.”
CSCQBE has since threatened to take stern action, among others by carrying out a more comprehensive study on the “evils” of the year’s secondary school selection criteria.
“Equitable distribution should not be retrospective,” says Kondowe.
It remains to be seen whether the coalition will take any real action. However, a 2009 study conducted in four SADC countries by Development Media Africa (Dema) revealed that CSOs rarely succeed in their advocacy roles.
The Dema study indicated, for instance, that only 3 per cent of advocacy efforts for Malawian CSOs worked for the past five years, with Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia reporting a 13 per cent effectiveness rate.
What is more? The study, which had 1780 respondents in all the four countries, revealed that CSOs rarely follow what they preach, often doing the very same things they scorn governments for.
A recent press conference on equal distribution of resources in the education sector, organized by the equality-conscious CSCQBE in Blantyre, could be a good case in point. While coalition officials vilified government for sidelining the Northern region in this year’s secondary school selection in the presence of 28 journalists, they handpicked only eight members of the pen for sitting allowances.
Equitable distribution the CSCQBE-way!
Tiwonge Chimbalanga, Steven Monjeza Soko still sick
Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza Soko, the two Malawian gays arrested on December 28, 2009 and being denied the right to bail, are still not "feeling okay".
The two told Zachimalawi Saturday, when the blogger paid them a courtesy call, they were still feeling dizzy and in pain.
Monjeza complained of headache on Monday while Chimbalanga could not do otherwise but throw up in court, a development that led to the postponement of their case.
The two told Zachimalawi they were receiving a poor diet from well-wishers, apart from living in smelly cells at the station.
In addition, Chimbalanga said he is not being treated as a woman, something he felt was counterproductive to human rights freedoms in Malawi.
The two told Zachimalawi Saturday, when the blogger paid them a courtesy call, they were still feeling dizzy and in pain.
Monjeza complained of headache on Monday while Chimbalanga could not do otherwise but throw up in court, a development that led to the postponement of their case.
The two told Zachimalawi they were receiving a poor diet from well-wishers, apart from living in smelly cells at the station.
In addition, Chimbalanga said he is not being treated as a woman, something he felt was counterproductive to human rights freedoms in Malawi.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Tanzania: CPJ condemns government suspension of private weekly
New York, January 12, 2010—The Committee to Protect Journalists called today for the suspension of independent weekly Swahili newspaper Kulikoni to be lifted immediately. Information Minister George Mkuchika announced the suspension of the leading investigative weekly on Friday, citing a sales and distribution ban for a period of 90 days beginning January 11, according to local journalists and news reports.
The ruling was linked to a November 27, 2009, story that alleged cheating in the national exams for the Tanzania People’s Defense Forces, the managing editor of Dar-es-Salaam-based Kulikoni, Evarist Mwitumba, told CPJ. Presidential spokesman Salva Rweyemamu told CPJ that the minister had decided the newspaper had breached the security laws of the country. He suspended the newspaper under the 1976 Newspapers Act. The minister can make direct decisions for suspension without consulting the independent media monitoring body, the Media Council, the spokesman added. The information minister said the paper could not substantiate their claims in the story after a formal request to do so by the government-run registrar of newspapers, according to the state-owned Daily News.
“The information minister should not be able to censor a publication at will,” said CPJ’s Africa Program Coordinator Tom Rhodes. “We call on the minister to lift the ban immediately and to allow the Media Council to reach its own decision on the matter.”
According to local journalists, the decision was politicized because of upcoming election nominations. The paper is critical of the government and frequently investigates corruption issues. Tanzania is expected to hold its fourth multiparty general election October this year.
While the suspension announcement was made on Friday, Kulikoni’s staff were not invited to the press conference and only received official notification of their suspension Monday at 5 p.m., local journalists told CPJ. The newspaper published an edition on Sunday evening and distributed the newspaper Monday prior to receiving notice, Mwitumba told CPJ. The minister sent an additional letter demanding an explanation for publishing today despite the suspension order, he said.
The government suspended another leading investigative journal, MwanHalisi, under the same legal provision on October 13, 2008, for 90 days for “inciting public hatred against the president.”
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
The ruling was linked to a November 27, 2009, story that alleged cheating in the national exams for the Tanzania People’s Defense Forces, the managing editor of Dar-es-Salaam-based Kulikoni, Evarist Mwitumba, told CPJ. Presidential spokesman Salva Rweyemamu told CPJ that the minister had decided the newspaper had breached the security laws of the country. He suspended the newspaper under the 1976 Newspapers Act. The minister can make direct decisions for suspension without consulting the independent media monitoring body, the Media Council, the spokesman added. The information minister said the paper could not substantiate their claims in the story after a formal request to do so by the government-run registrar of newspapers, according to the state-owned Daily News.
“The information minister should not be able to censor a publication at will,” said CPJ’s Africa Program Coordinator Tom Rhodes. “We call on the minister to lift the ban immediately and to allow the Media Council to reach its own decision on the matter.”
According to local journalists, the decision was politicized because of upcoming election nominations. The paper is critical of the government and frequently investigates corruption issues. Tanzania is expected to hold its fourth multiparty general election October this year.
While the suspension announcement was made on Friday, Kulikoni’s staff were not invited to the press conference and only received official notification of their suspension Monday at 5 p.m., local journalists told CPJ. The newspaper published an edition on Sunday evening and distributed the newspaper Monday prior to receiving notice, Mwitumba told CPJ. The minister sent an additional letter demanding an explanation for publishing today despite the suspension order, he said.
The government suspended another leading investigative journal, MwanHalisi, under the same legal provision on October 13, 2008, for 90 days for “inciting public hatred against the president.”
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
Arrested gays very sick
Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza, the two gays arrested on December 28, 2009 for having a public gay engagement and still in police custody since then, are very sick.
This forced the Blantyre Magistrates Court to suspend court proceedings on Wednesday.
This happened when Chimbalanga started vomiting in court while Monjeza kept complaining of having a terrible headache.
The two are being subjected to intense public redicule that it seems the court cannot help on this, as witnessed by incidences where they are being booed in court while court officials watch helplessly.
On Monday, when the two appeared in court and state witnesses started giving first hand evidence, the two asked for permission to go to the loo. While in there, where they took four minutes, State Prosecutor Dickens Mwambazi told the crowd that gathered outside the toilet:
"These guys are taking long; they should not penetrate each other in there!"
The members of the public laughed.
This forced the Blantyre Magistrates Court to suspend court proceedings on Wednesday.
This happened when Chimbalanga started vomiting in court while Monjeza kept complaining of having a terrible headache.
The two are being subjected to intense public redicule that it seems the court cannot help on this, as witnessed by incidences where they are being booed in court while court officials watch helplessly.
On Monday, when the two appeared in court and state witnesses started giving first hand evidence, the two asked for permission to go to the loo. While in there, where they took four minutes, State Prosecutor Dickens Mwambazi told the crowd that gathered outside the toilet:
"These guys are taking long; they should not penetrate each other in there!"
The members of the public laughed.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Calista Chimombo denies dating President Bingu wa Mutharika
Former Tourism Minister, Calista Chapola-Chimombo, has refuted claims she is dating Malawi's president, Bingu wa Mutharika.
Chimombo has since mid-December 2009 been seen sitting next to Mutharika, a position reserved for high government officials and trusted pals.
Instead, Chimombo says it is the president who chooses who to sit next to him, and as such it was "just a previlege" that Mutharika has allowed her to sit next to her.
Chimombo also says she sits next to the president in her capacity as ruling Democratic Progressive Party's Director of Political Affairs.
"There is nothing more between us; as least as far as I am concerned," Chimombo told Zachimalawi.
Chimombo has since mid-December 2009 been seen sitting next to Mutharika, a position reserved for high government officials and trusted pals.
Instead, Chimombo says it is the president who chooses who to sit next to him, and as such it was "just a previlege" that Mutharika has allowed her to sit next to her.
Chimombo also says she sits next to the president in her capacity as ruling Democratic Progressive Party's Director of Political Affairs.
"There is nothing more between us; as least as far as I am concerned," Chimombo told Zachimalawi.
Discovered: A plot against Malawi's earthquakes
BY RICHARD CHIROMBO
Dancing buildings. Defaced landmarks and road infrastructure. General panic. Lost lives.
It did not take Karonga District residents and public officials long to find the suspect- an earthquake.
The signs were there, long before the devastating earthquake of December 19, 2009 showed to the world how serious the problem is for Karonga, a district the Geological Surveys Department indicates lies above an area prone to faulty rock movements arising from deep within the earth’s crust.
The price people and infrastructure pay for playing tenant to the Great East Africa Rift Valley System areas.
The first quake, almost prophetic, struck early during the month of December, forcing people to abandon their houses for the unpredictable open ground during the night, and back into their houses wearing the safety of day light.
Then, on December 19, 2009, it happened. At four-years old, Agnes Sambo was in the morning of her life, and yet she died. Sambo was hit by falling walls of a house she, and other family members, were sleeping in, according to Karonga District Police Public Relations Officer, Enock Livason.
Sixty-year old Tereza Kilembe, 15-times Sambo’s age, had a long way to go before the sunset of her life. She, along with one more Karonga resident, became part of Sunday, December 20, 2009’s statistics: Quake kills Three.
United only by the fact they both hailed from the area of Paramount Chief Kyungu, they were later joined by one more productive citizen of the district, all because of a natural phenomenon originating from a distance of remote impossibility from Karonga’s bustling district life.
John Saiwa-Kilembe, one of the people hard hit by the earthquake disaster, lost a house to the unstable earth that Saturday night. He, like most of the people affected, wondered aloud why the quake chose to wear the mask of darkness and strike at night, when most people were peacefully asleep.
“That brought general confusion. Nobody understood it any more than anybody else. What pains me is that I spent over K600, 000 to construct my house. After the earthquake, its value went down to practically nothing- reduced to rubble,” said Saiwa-Kilembe.
Most of the net worth of Karonga people, even during these days of changing lifestyles and Western culture infiltrations, lies in their firm belief to uphold traditional values. Often, these values do not come in cash terms; they are measured in units of integrity and respect. However, the one factor affected people seem to have come to peaceful terms with is that, during disasters and panicking moments, even values go down regardless of worth. Even the most respected community members may find themselves crammed with commoners in donated tents.
Michael Chatsika, who now has to grapple with the fact that his Toyota Carina family car is damaged beyond repair as garage walls fell over it, acknowledges this fact better than many. He spent three days sleeping in tents.
“Just in November 2009, I could not imagine myself being in this situation. Once disaster befell us, there was no choosing where to sleep or what to eat. I would, however, love to thank all well-wishers for coming to our rescue. I have now come to understand the gift of giving better than before,” said Chatsika, who originally comes from the Central Region district of Dowa but settled in Karonga. He says he will never leave Karonga, his new, lovable district. Nothing, not even earthquakes, will separate him from it.
Now that the quakes are come and, God forbid, may continue to disrupt normal life during the rainy season- and relief items continue to trickle down for the quake victims: should public authorities and us just sit on our laurels and wait for the next disaster?
“No, that would be sheer recklessness. It is high time we started planning against the earthquakes big time. Malawians must now join hands and see how we may minimize property and life loss in future,” says Undule Mwakasungura, publicity secretary for Karonga Earthquake Victims Trust.
Sheer recklessness it would be, agrees Dr. Ignacio Ngoma- president of the Malawi Institution of Engineers (MIE). Why does he rush to comment, anyway; what do engineers have to do with earthquakes?
“Earthquake mitigation mechanisms wear a multidisciplinary face. Many disciplines are involved including engineers, seismologists, architects, public administrators, risk analyzers and managers, economists, building conservation technologists, as well as material testing and inspection experts,” argues Ngoma.
Ngoma says no future planning efforts could really work without incorporating engineers because this crop of people considers earthquakes a type of load that exerts forces on infrastructure they build and operate. They have also come to know, through experience, that the force created by quakes may be either static or dynamic, depending on the ground motion.
“By far, the most serious earthquake damage is structural. What engineers do is design and construct buildings that will withstand various degrees of earthquake exposure. In addition, we also have building codes that cover such areas as the largest earthquake magnitude ever recorded in any particular area and any such probability,” says Ngoma.
He is an angry man, though, at the lack of appreciation for engineers’ work and usefulness in reducing quake and winds damage, at least in Malawi. Just look at the general lack of public works engineers in most Town and District Assemblies, he says, not to mention government departments, and takes a shot at long-standing public engineers’ vacancies in most institutions.
It is like courting death, in real terms, he warns.
When disaster strikes, there is one face that shines above all faces; a voice above the noise. This is Lilian Ng’oma, Commissioner for Disaster Management Affairs.
Ng’oma does not cherish it when the Department of Disaster Management Affairs comes to drawn all faces and voices in the aftermath of disasters; she dies for a time when Malawi will establish comprehensive disaster alert systems, especially on earthquakes, so the Department may concentrate on the task of warning people in advance before disasters of the Karonga magnitude.
“It is better to warn people in advance than rush with relief items. That is why we would love the Geological Surveys Department, for instance, to map out earthquake-prone areas in, say, Karonga so we may have an effective earthquakes’ early warning system. That will make our work easy as we will be able to forewarn people, and possibly evacuate them, before disaster strikes,” says Ng’oma, who cited the Lower Shire as one of the areas this system really works.
Not that she wouldn’t like to help- soliciting maize floor here, Soya for children, salt, beans, tents, cooking oil, blankets, kitchen utensils, plastic sheets, poles for temporally houses and jerry cans there.
But the running around, it cannot last forever. When will it end?
“When we begin to plan properly. This includes routine checks on structures like bridges and buildings. We should also promote the construction of mad huts, which has shown strong resilience against earthquake damage,” says engineer Hutchson Mthinda. He has never seen the face of an earthquake, but has planned against more than a thousand in his lifetime.
As it is, Karonga will continue to experience earthquake occurrences because, geologists say, it lies at a point where two arms of the Rift Valley meet to form a Y-junction of two other rifts- one from the Red Sea and the other from Zambia.
This adds to Malawi’s continued susceptibility to earthquakes. The last great quake to have caused great damage came in 1989, and heavily affected Salima district. The Chitala Earthquakes, seismologists and geologists call them over a drink.
Earthquakes are measured on a scale christened Richter, after the name of the person who came up with the innovation, but human beings do not normally feel earthquakes with a magnitude of less than 2.0. There is no upper limit on the scale though earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 8.0 are described as ‘great’ and, on average, only one of these will occur in the world each year.
Most earthquakes occurring in Malawi are moderate, of less than 6.0 in magnitude on the Richter scale, though those above 6.0 and 7.0 occasionally occur.
A geologists’ map for Malawi is replete with dots of earthquake black spots all over, but the dots are much darker for Karonga and brother-in-disaster Salima.
And MIE president, Ngoma, offers little hope when he says: “It is important to note that all engineering solutions are limited by economic and political considerations.”
The only consideration politicians- including the incumbent President Bingu wa Mutharika, former Heads of State Bakili Muluzi and Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda- ever made was declare affected areas ‘Disaster Zones’ while the economists merely went to such zones and counted the losses and costs. Nothing like planning for the future.
Mutharika has declared Karonga district a disaster area already, but the question remains: what next?
Detecting earthquakes is, for now, a business of remote impossibility because they are creatures of short-notice mannerisms. They can only be detected within seconds- too late for any early warning system to be effective. Neither can they be blocked by placing a huge stone in their way.
Dancing buildings. Defaced landmarks and road infrastructure. General panic. Lost lives.
It did not take Karonga District residents and public officials long to find the suspect- an earthquake.
The signs were there, long before the devastating earthquake of December 19, 2009 showed to the world how serious the problem is for Karonga, a district the Geological Surveys Department indicates lies above an area prone to faulty rock movements arising from deep within the earth’s crust.
The price people and infrastructure pay for playing tenant to the Great East Africa Rift Valley System areas.
The first quake, almost prophetic, struck early during the month of December, forcing people to abandon their houses for the unpredictable open ground during the night, and back into their houses wearing the safety of day light.
Then, on December 19, 2009, it happened. At four-years old, Agnes Sambo was in the morning of her life, and yet she died. Sambo was hit by falling walls of a house she, and other family members, were sleeping in, according to Karonga District Police Public Relations Officer, Enock Livason.
Sixty-year old Tereza Kilembe, 15-times Sambo’s age, had a long way to go before the sunset of her life. She, along with one more Karonga resident, became part of Sunday, December 20, 2009’s statistics: Quake kills Three.
United only by the fact they both hailed from the area of Paramount Chief Kyungu, they were later joined by one more productive citizen of the district, all because of a natural phenomenon originating from a distance of remote impossibility from Karonga’s bustling district life.
John Saiwa-Kilembe, one of the people hard hit by the earthquake disaster, lost a house to the unstable earth that Saturday night. He, like most of the people affected, wondered aloud why the quake chose to wear the mask of darkness and strike at night, when most people were peacefully asleep.
“That brought general confusion. Nobody understood it any more than anybody else. What pains me is that I spent over K600, 000 to construct my house. After the earthquake, its value went down to practically nothing- reduced to rubble,” said Saiwa-Kilembe.
Most of the net worth of Karonga people, even during these days of changing lifestyles and Western culture infiltrations, lies in their firm belief to uphold traditional values. Often, these values do not come in cash terms; they are measured in units of integrity and respect. However, the one factor affected people seem to have come to peaceful terms with is that, during disasters and panicking moments, even values go down regardless of worth. Even the most respected community members may find themselves crammed with commoners in donated tents.
Michael Chatsika, who now has to grapple with the fact that his Toyota Carina family car is damaged beyond repair as garage walls fell over it, acknowledges this fact better than many. He spent three days sleeping in tents.
“Just in November 2009, I could not imagine myself being in this situation. Once disaster befell us, there was no choosing where to sleep or what to eat. I would, however, love to thank all well-wishers for coming to our rescue. I have now come to understand the gift of giving better than before,” said Chatsika, who originally comes from the Central Region district of Dowa but settled in Karonga. He says he will never leave Karonga, his new, lovable district. Nothing, not even earthquakes, will separate him from it.
Now that the quakes are come and, God forbid, may continue to disrupt normal life during the rainy season- and relief items continue to trickle down for the quake victims: should public authorities and us just sit on our laurels and wait for the next disaster?
“No, that would be sheer recklessness. It is high time we started planning against the earthquakes big time. Malawians must now join hands and see how we may minimize property and life loss in future,” says Undule Mwakasungura, publicity secretary for Karonga Earthquake Victims Trust.
Sheer recklessness it would be, agrees Dr. Ignacio Ngoma- president of the Malawi Institution of Engineers (MIE). Why does he rush to comment, anyway; what do engineers have to do with earthquakes?
“Earthquake mitigation mechanisms wear a multidisciplinary face. Many disciplines are involved including engineers, seismologists, architects, public administrators, risk analyzers and managers, economists, building conservation technologists, as well as material testing and inspection experts,” argues Ngoma.
Ngoma says no future planning efforts could really work without incorporating engineers because this crop of people considers earthquakes a type of load that exerts forces on infrastructure they build and operate. They have also come to know, through experience, that the force created by quakes may be either static or dynamic, depending on the ground motion.
“By far, the most serious earthquake damage is structural. What engineers do is design and construct buildings that will withstand various degrees of earthquake exposure. In addition, we also have building codes that cover such areas as the largest earthquake magnitude ever recorded in any particular area and any such probability,” says Ngoma.
He is an angry man, though, at the lack of appreciation for engineers’ work and usefulness in reducing quake and winds damage, at least in Malawi. Just look at the general lack of public works engineers in most Town and District Assemblies, he says, not to mention government departments, and takes a shot at long-standing public engineers’ vacancies in most institutions.
It is like courting death, in real terms, he warns.
When disaster strikes, there is one face that shines above all faces; a voice above the noise. This is Lilian Ng’oma, Commissioner for Disaster Management Affairs.
Ng’oma does not cherish it when the Department of Disaster Management Affairs comes to drawn all faces and voices in the aftermath of disasters; she dies for a time when Malawi will establish comprehensive disaster alert systems, especially on earthquakes, so the Department may concentrate on the task of warning people in advance before disasters of the Karonga magnitude.
“It is better to warn people in advance than rush with relief items. That is why we would love the Geological Surveys Department, for instance, to map out earthquake-prone areas in, say, Karonga so we may have an effective earthquakes’ early warning system. That will make our work easy as we will be able to forewarn people, and possibly evacuate them, before disaster strikes,” says Ng’oma, who cited the Lower Shire as one of the areas this system really works.
Not that she wouldn’t like to help- soliciting maize floor here, Soya for children, salt, beans, tents, cooking oil, blankets, kitchen utensils, plastic sheets, poles for temporally houses and jerry cans there.
But the running around, it cannot last forever. When will it end?
“When we begin to plan properly. This includes routine checks on structures like bridges and buildings. We should also promote the construction of mad huts, which has shown strong resilience against earthquake damage,” says engineer Hutchson Mthinda. He has never seen the face of an earthquake, but has planned against more than a thousand in his lifetime.
As it is, Karonga will continue to experience earthquake occurrences because, geologists say, it lies at a point where two arms of the Rift Valley meet to form a Y-junction of two other rifts- one from the Red Sea and the other from Zambia.
This adds to Malawi’s continued susceptibility to earthquakes. The last great quake to have caused great damage came in 1989, and heavily affected Salima district. The Chitala Earthquakes, seismologists and geologists call them over a drink.
Earthquakes are measured on a scale christened Richter, after the name of the person who came up with the innovation, but human beings do not normally feel earthquakes with a magnitude of less than 2.0. There is no upper limit on the scale though earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 8.0 are described as ‘great’ and, on average, only one of these will occur in the world each year.
Most earthquakes occurring in Malawi are moderate, of less than 6.0 in magnitude on the Richter scale, though those above 6.0 and 7.0 occasionally occur.
A geologists’ map for Malawi is replete with dots of earthquake black spots all over, but the dots are much darker for Karonga and brother-in-disaster Salima.
And MIE president, Ngoma, offers little hope when he says: “It is important to note that all engineering solutions are limited by economic and political considerations.”
The only consideration politicians- including the incumbent President Bingu wa Mutharika, former Heads of State Bakili Muluzi and Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda- ever made was declare affected areas ‘Disaster Zones’ while the economists merely went to such zones and counted the losses and costs. Nothing like planning for the future.
Mutharika has declared Karonga district a disaster area already, but the question remains: what next?
Detecting earthquakes is, for now, a business of remote impossibility because they are creatures of short-notice mannerisms. They can only be detected within seconds- too late for any early warning system to be effective. Neither can they be blocked by placing a huge stone in their way.
Police officers, journalists trying to separate us- arrested gay Tiwonge Chimbalanga says
Steven Monjeza’s groom, Tiwonge Chimbalanga, has expressed concern over what he terms journalists and police officers efforts to separate them, describing the two forces as ‘confusionists and separatists’.
Chimbalanga says ever since their issue came into the media limelight, most journalists- notably those from state-run Malawi Television (TVM)- have been pressing him and Monjeza with questions that expose their (journalists) prejudice.
“We are being judged in the media even before the Blantyre Magistrates Court starts hearing from us. Let people give us a chance,” said Chimbalanga.
TVM’s Mwansambo, for example, quizzed Chimbalanga and Monjeza about their sexuality the way a police interrogator would, raising questions over media impartiality.
Mwansambo, at one time, even told Chimbalanga to stop wearing his female clothes, since he may have realized how wrong it is to be gay.
However, Chimbalanga refused, saying it was the way he grew up.
That, apparently, angered Mwansambo who told Chimbalanga: “That means you are not changed your bad ways, eeh?”
Chimbalanga says ever since their issue came into the media limelight, most journalists- notably those from state-run Malawi Television (TVM)- have been pressing him and Monjeza with questions that expose their (journalists) prejudice.
“We are being judged in the media even before the Blantyre Magistrates Court starts hearing from us. Let people give us a chance,” said Chimbalanga.
TVM’s Mwansambo, for example, quizzed Chimbalanga and Monjeza about their sexuality the way a police interrogator would, raising questions over media impartiality.
Mwansambo, at one time, even told Chimbalanga to stop wearing his female clothes, since he may have realized how wrong it is to be gay.
However, Chimbalanga refused, saying it was the way he grew up.
That, apparently, angered Mwansambo who told Chimbalanga: “That means you are not changed your bad ways, eeh?”
Arresting us was grossly unfair, gays claim
Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga have rushed out at the Malawi Police Service officers for rushing out to arrest them, saying by engaging publicly the two were just exposing what for so long has been kept under raps in Malawian society.
Monjeza and Chimbalanga told Zachimalawi they were not remorseful with what they had done, pointing out that heterosexuals engage and marry publicly without much ado from members of the public.
“So what is wrong with us?” queried Chimbalanga, as Monjeza nodded.
“It is how we were born,” said Monjeza.
Monjeza and Chimbalanga told Zachimalawi they were not remorseful with what they had done, pointing out that heterosexuals engage and marry publicly without much ado from members of the public.
“So what is wrong with us?” queried Chimbalanga, as Monjeza nodded.
“It is how we were born,” said Monjeza.
Malawi gays complain of police torture, media, society prejudice
The bail application hearing of two Malawian gays Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza arrested on Monday of holding the first public engagement between members of the same sex ended into a mixture of drama and emotions on Wednesday.
Some single women that stormed the court premises after the bail ruling was shifted for Monday ridiculed the two of staging of such an engagement when there were many single women ‘desperately’ looking for men to no avail.
One emotionally charged woman who identified her self as Memory Chamawa almost went into fits with obscene ridicules to the two saying they needed mental attention.
The two that are awaiting bail ruling in what is expected to be a controversial human rights landmark case have since complained of police torture and prejudice by the media and the general Malawian society.
Tiwonge told the media police at Blantyre police were beating them as if they had done a criminal offence yet they were just trying to open up as gays.
Said Tiwonge; “The police severely beat us as if we had done a criminal offence, they have been ridiculing us as if we are social outcasts and we are now only leaving the challenge to our lawyers”.
Tiwonge, who has been providing for the family since the two started cohabiting six months ago, also blamed the media for the way they were negatively reporting on their affair.
He said some journalists had been coming to them with obvious questions that indicated that they had previously judged them to be in the wrong.
Tiwonge said she saw nothing wrong with the engagement and condemned the media for making her partner Steven to chicken out and announce that he was planning a separation.
“The media are coming to us with condemning questions just as the church is condemning us for coming in the open on our gay status while the truth was that a lot of peole male and female were engaging in same sex affairs in Malawi,” he said.
Noel Supedi of Edgar and David the law firm representing the two said it was unprofessional for the media to put their own emotions in the coverage of the case, as meanwhile his clients were still innocent until proven guilty.
He could however not disclose the defence grounds they have in the case that attracts a 14-year jail term.
Meanwhile the Malawi Gay Rights Movement (Magrim) has assured Malawian gays and lesbians that the match planned for Friday will start at the planned time.
Magrim publicist Wongani Phiri said in an interview the Malawian gay and lesbian community was encouraged by the generosity that Edgar and David law consulting firm had shown to represent the two.
He has since appealed to well-wishers to support the two both emotionally and financially.
Some single women that stormed the court premises after the bail ruling was shifted for Monday ridiculed the two of staging of such an engagement when there were many single women ‘desperately’ looking for men to no avail.
One emotionally charged woman who identified her self as Memory Chamawa almost went into fits with obscene ridicules to the two saying they needed mental attention.
The two that are awaiting bail ruling in what is expected to be a controversial human rights landmark case have since complained of police torture and prejudice by the media and the general Malawian society.
Tiwonge told the media police at Blantyre police were beating them as if they had done a criminal offence yet they were just trying to open up as gays.
Said Tiwonge; “The police severely beat us as if we had done a criminal offence, they have been ridiculing us as if we are social outcasts and we are now only leaving the challenge to our lawyers”.
Tiwonge, who has been providing for the family since the two started cohabiting six months ago, also blamed the media for the way they were negatively reporting on their affair.
He said some journalists had been coming to them with obvious questions that indicated that they had previously judged them to be in the wrong.
Tiwonge said she saw nothing wrong with the engagement and condemned the media for making her partner Steven to chicken out and announce that he was planning a separation.
“The media are coming to us with condemning questions just as the church is condemning us for coming in the open on our gay status while the truth was that a lot of peole male and female were engaging in same sex affairs in Malawi,” he said.
Noel Supedi of Edgar and David the law firm representing the two said it was unprofessional for the media to put their own emotions in the coverage of the case, as meanwhile his clients were still innocent until proven guilty.
He could however not disclose the defence grounds they have in the case that attracts a 14-year jail term.
Meanwhile the Malawi Gay Rights Movement (Magrim) has assured Malawian gays and lesbians that the match planned for Friday will start at the planned time.
Magrim publicist Wongani Phiri said in an interview the Malawian gay and lesbian community was encouraged by the generosity that Edgar and David law consulting firm had shown to represent the two.
He has since appealed to well-wishers to support the two both emotionally and financially.
Malawian parliamentarian says he is no gay
Ruling Democratic Progressive (DPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Phalombe South, Daveson Nyadani, has denied claims he is gay and was preparing to table a motion that would effectively legalize homosexuality in Malawi.
Nyadani has, however, rushed out at journalists for probing his ‘private life’, saying whatever he does in private is nobody’s concern.
The MP was linked to gay activities while a student at Chancellor College, a constituent college of the University of Malawi, where he later worked in the Publications Department.
Nyadani has presented various papers at international level, exposing the plight of Malawian gays and lesbians in his former capacity as Centre for Development of People (Cedep).
Meanwhile, the Malawi Gay Rights Movement (Magrim) has criticized religious leaders in the country for whipping public opinion against gays and lesbians, saying the phenomenon was natural and did not deserve the negative fuss it was getting.
“Even the negative attacks on Nyadani are uncalled for. We now live in a civilised world,” said Wongani Phiri, Magrim publicist.
Wongani said it was sad that people were now resorting to witch-hunting in a bid to show how anti-gay they were.
“You talk of pastors and other ignorant people ganging up against people who don’t bother them when they go about proposing ladies. This slavish behaviour must end,” he said.
Nyadani has, however, rushed out at journalists for probing his ‘private life’, saying whatever he does in private is nobody’s concern.
The MP was linked to gay activities while a student at Chancellor College, a constituent college of the University of Malawi, where he later worked in the Publications Department.
Nyadani has presented various papers at international level, exposing the plight of Malawian gays and lesbians in his former capacity as Centre for Development of People (Cedep).
Meanwhile, the Malawi Gay Rights Movement (Magrim) has criticized religious leaders in the country for whipping public opinion against gays and lesbians, saying the phenomenon was natural and did not deserve the negative fuss it was getting.
“Even the negative attacks on Nyadani are uncalled for. We now live in a civilised world,” said Wongani Phiri, Magrim publicist.
Wongani said it was sad that people were now resorting to witch-hunting in a bid to show how anti-gay they were.
“You talk of pastors and other ignorant people ganging up against people who don’t bother them when they go about proposing ladies. This slavish behaviour must end,” he said.
Is President Bingu wa Mutharika dating former minister Calista Chimombo?
The rumour mills are busy, speculating about President Bingu wa Mutharika’s next move on the love scene
And the spotlight is on former Tourism Minister, Calista Chimombo. Chimombo served as Minister during Mutharika’s first term, but lost the position after tumbling in the May 20, 2009 Parliamentary Elections.
Chimombo has recently been seen at public occasions sitting next to the president, or a least at some ear-some distance, prompting media analysts to speculating that love could be on the cards for the flamboyant Malawi leader.
Chimombo was last seen with Mutharika on New Year’s Day, when the President entertained children at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre.
She stood behind the President, a position reserved for security personnel or those worth the President’s trust.
And Chimombo seemed happy, very happy- smiling through and through as the President danced in the midst of jubilant children.
Mutharika has not made any public stand on the issue. But speculation is rife that the two are dating.
Dating?
And the spotlight is on former Tourism Minister, Calista Chimombo. Chimombo served as Minister during Mutharika’s first term, but lost the position after tumbling in the May 20, 2009 Parliamentary Elections.
Chimombo has recently been seen at public occasions sitting next to the president, or a least at some ear-some distance, prompting media analysts to speculating that love could be on the cards for the flamboyant Malawi leader.
Chimombo was last seen with Mutharika on New Year’s Day, when the President entertained children at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre.
She stood behind the President, a position reserved for security personnel or those worth the President’s trust.
And Chimombo seemed happy, very happy- smiling through and through as the President danced in the midst of jubilant children.
Mutharika has not made any public stand on the issue. But speculation is rife that the two are dating.
Dating?
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
No clothes change for suspected gay 'bride' Monjeza in eight days
Police officers at Blantyre Police, where two Malawian gays arrested on December 26, 2009 for staging a public gays' engagement for the first time in Malawi's history are being held, have not allowed the 'bride' Tiwonge Chimbalanga the right to change his clothes.
This has meant Chimbalanga's clothes have begun to smell badly, and this reporter can testify because he sat next to the two suspects, Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza, at the Blantyre Magistrates court when the court denied them bail yesterday.
In addition, the two are apparently loosing weight, and are being tormented by members of the general public every time they appear at the court.
Women, especially, have taken it personally and have been heard to shout, even in court, at Monjeza and Chimbalanga for falling for each other when there were a lot of Malawian women walking single on the streets.
Chimbalanga said he is not happy that he has not been allowed to change his own clothes, saying that showed that Malawi did not respect human rights.
This has meant Chimbalanga's clothes have begun to smell badly, and this reporter can testify because he sat next to the two suspects, Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza, at the Blantyre Magistrates court when the court denied them bail yesterday.
In addition, the two are apparently loosing weight, and are being tormented by members of the general public every time they appear at the court.
Women, especially, have taken it personally and have been heard to shout, even in court, at Monjeza and Chimbalanga for falling for each other when there were a lot of Malawian women walking single on the streets.
Chimbalanga said he is not happy that he has not been allowed to change his own clothes, saying that showed that Malawi did not respect human rights.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Malawian gays denied bail, ridiculed in court, outside
The Blantyre Magistrates Court on Monday refused to grant Malawian gays arrested after staging the country’s first public same-sex engagement bail, bowing to prosecutors demands to give the state more powers to carry out medical examinations, among other factors.
First Grade Magistrate Nyakwawa Usiwausiwa told crammed court the court wanted to give the state the benefit of the doubt by allowing it 10 more days of investigations, as opposed to the requested 14, allowing prosecutors to carry out a medical examination on Steven Monjeza Soko and Tiwonge Chimbalanga.
State prosecutors say the medical examination is crucial to their circumstantial evidence, but human rights activists have questioned the decision, saying it was tantamount to forcing people to join research initiatives or medical programmes.
Throngs of people sang songs of redicule to Monjeza Soko and Chimbalanga in the court, and the two seemed less at ease. The court was supposed to be their place of refuse and shelter from a highly homophobic society.
Both Malawi Gay Rights Movement (Magrim) Publicity Secretary, Wongani Phiri, and Centre for Development of People (Cedep) executive director Gift Trapeace have expressed concern over the way Malawians are treating the two.
Women poked fun and ridiculed the two when they were boarding a police vehicle, calling them all sorts of names, including ‘mentally-disturbed devils”.
Phiri says Magrim fears that, with people openly opposing the two including within court premises, they may not be subjected to a fair trial.
However, Malawi’s judiciary has a reputation for fairness and good-dealing with suspects, a development that has at times put it at loggerheads with ruling officials.
Monjeza Soko and Chimbalanga’s case has attracted a lot of attention, with people differing in opinions over the prospects of legalizing homosexuality.
Others feel there is no problem with that while the church community has ganged up against such a decision, openly calling for officials to punish the two sternly.
First Grade Magistrate Nyakwawa Usiwausiwa told crammed court the court wanted to give the state the benefit of the doubt by allowing it 10 more days of investigations, as opposed to the requested 14, allowing prosecutors to carry out a medical examination on Steven Monjeza Soko and Tiwonge Chimbalanga.
State prosecutors say the medical examination is crucial to their circumstantial evidence, but human rights activists have questioned the decision, saying it was tantamount to forcing people to join research initiatives or medical programmes.
Throngs of people sang songs of redicule to Monjeza Soko and Chimbalanga in the court, and the two seemed less at ease. The court was supposed to be their place of refuse and shelter from a highly homophobic society.
Both Malawi Gay Rights Movement (Magrim) Publicity Secretary, Wongani Phiri, and Centre for Development of People (Cedep) executive director Gift Trapeace have expressed concern over the way Malawians are treating the two.
Women poked fun and ridiculed the two when they were boarding a police vehicle, calling them all sorts of names, including ‘mentally-disturbed devils”.
Phiri says Magrim fears that, with people openly opposing the two including within court premises, they may not be subjected to a fair trial.
However, Malawi’s judiciary has a reputation for fairness and good-dealing with suspects, a development that has at times put it at loggerheads with ruling officials.
Monjeza Soko and Chimbalanga’s case has attracted a lot of attention, with people differing in opinions over the prospects of legalizing homosexuality.
Others feel there is no problem with that while the church community has ganged up against such a decision, openly calling for officials to punish the two sternly.
Zambia’s inflation hits single digit
Zambia's inflation has reverted to a single digit bracket, from 11.5% in November to 9.9% in December 2009, latest data from the Central Statistical Office (CSO) has revealed.
The rebound to single digits is the first time in over a year for Africa’s largest copper producer. Industry analysts had anticipated a further decline in Zambia’s inflation but attaining single digits by the fall of 2009 was unexpected. Analysts had banked their projections on unstable micro and macro fundamentals.
According CSO, annual inflation recoiled back into single digits as result of various factors. It said inflation has declined to 9.9% year-on-year in December from 11.5% in November, the first time it has been below 10 percent since March 2008.
"The decline of 1.6 percentage points in annual inflation rate in December 2009 was as a result of the decrease in some food prices," said CSO in its monthly bulletin issued in Lusaka on New Year’s Eve.
Zambia has also recorded a trade surplus of 322.9 billion kwacha in November after a surplus of 299.5 billion kwacha in October.
The country’s major export products in November were from intermediate goods, mainly copper products.
Last November, central bank Governor, Caleb Fundanga, said the country had revised its end-December 2009 annual inflation forecast to 10 percent from the previous figure of 12 percent due mainly to falling food prices.
The rebound to single digits is the first time in over a year for Africa’s largest copper producer. Industry analysts had anticipated a further decline in Zambia’s inflation but attaining single digits by the fall of 2009 was unexpected. Analysts had banked their projections on unstable micro and macro fundamentals.
According CSO, annual inflation recoiled back into single digits as result of various factors. It said inflation has declined to 9.9% year-on-year in December from 11.5% in November, the first time it has been below 10 percent since March 2008.
"The decline of 1.6 percentage points in annual inflation rate in December 2009 was as a result of the decrease in some food prices," said CSO in its monthly bulletin issued in Lusaka on New Year’s Eve.
Zambia has also recorded a trade surplus of 322.9 billion kwacha in November after a surplus of 299.5 billion kwacha in October.
The country’s major export products in November were from intermediate goods, mainly copper products.
Last November, central bank Governor, Caleb Fundanga, said the country had revised its end-December 2009 annual inflation forecast to 10 percent from the previous figure of 12 percent due mainly to falling food prices.
South Africa: Jacob Zuma ties knot
A day long Zulu traditional wedding ceremony is currently underway in South Africa where President Jacob Zuma is to marry Thobeka Madiba. She will be his third wife. Zuma is a Zulu traditionalist who practices polygamy and has married five times. The 68-year-old has 19 children.
The Zulu traditional ceremony will run the whole day in Zuma’s home village and the media have been asked to stay at bay by the office of the president, as the wedding is a private event.
Zuma was previously married to Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, whom he divorced in 1998 and Kate Zuma, who committed suicide in 2000.
The Zulu traditional ceremony will run the whole day in Zuma’s home village and the media have been asked to stay at bay by the office of the president, as the wedding is a private event.
Zuma was previously married to Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, whom he divorced in 1998 and Kate Zuma, who committed suicide in 2000.
2009: Nine journalists killed in Somalia
The number of journalists killed around the world rose to a record 70 in 2009, largely in part due to a slaughter in the Philippines and Somalia, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said. Somalia was the second most deadly country for journalists with nine media deaths in 2009.
According to the press group, those fighting in Somalia have carried attacks against the Somali press, murdering journalists and seizing news outlets.
On 3rd December, three Somali journalists were killed in same place after suicide bomb hit at a university graduation ceremony in the Somali capital Mogadishu.
Al Arabia camera journalist Hassan Zubeyr Haji and Mohamed Amin Adan shabelle reporter were among those killed in suicide bomb in Mogadishu including a freelancer. More than five other journalists were wounded in the event. The CPJ lists Somalia in 2009 as the seventh most deadly nation in the world for journalists.
A journalist Mohamud Mohamed Yusuf who was working for a local FM called IQK in Mogadishu was killed on 4th July, and in June unknown gunmen shot dead Muktar Mohamed Hirabe, director of Shabelle Media Network, one of the largest media houses in Somalia, while he was walking in the main market Bakara area, insurgent stronghold area. In that event, another Shabelle journalist Ahmed Omar Hashi-Ahmed Tajir was also wounded.
More deaths
The correspondent of Mogadishu based Radio IQK Nur Muse Hussein died in the centre town of Beledweyn, some 300 kilometres (180 miles) north of the capital of war-torn nation in the Horn of Africa as he was reporting the fight between government forces and the insurgents in town in May 26, 2009.
Abdirisak Mohamed Warsame of Radio Shabelle was also shot dead on May 22 during fierce fighting in Mogadishu. On February 2nd, Said Tahlil Ahmed, the director of Horn Afrik Radio, was assassinated in Mogadishu after the killing of another Radio Shabelle journalist Hassan Mayow Hassan on 1st January.
According to the report, the “most shocking statistics” of 2009 was in the Philippines, where around 38 journalists and media staff were killed in cold blood, mostly in a massacre in Maguindanao province on November 23.
In the last three years, most of old Somali journalists fled the country because of attacks and harassment but young journalists have taken over their works.
The young journalists are risking theirs lives and working under dangerous conditions.
Most of the exiled journalists are now living in Kenya, our correspondent said.
Abdirahman Sharif Mohamed, an exiled journalist in Nairobi told Africa News that they need a lot of assistance to survive in Kenya. "Two years in here, Nairobi, we got no aid except refugee status" said Mohamed.
According to the press group, those fighting in Somalia have carried attacks against the Somali press, murdering journalists and seizing news outlets.
On 3rd December, three Somali journalists were killed in same place after suicide bomb hit at a university graduation ceremony in the Somali capital Mogadishu.
Al Arabia camera journalist Hassan Zubeyr Haji and Mohamed Amin Adan shabelle reporter were among those killed in suicide bomb in Mogadishu including a freelancer. More than five other journalists were wounded in the event. The CPJ lists Somalia in 2009 as the seventh most deadly nation in the world for journalists.
A journalist Mohamud Mohamed Yusuf who was working for a local FM called IQK in Mogadishu was killed on 4th July, and in June unknown gunmen shot dead Muktar Mohamed Hirabe, director of Shabelle Media Network, one of the largest media houses in Somalia, while he was walking in the main market Bakara area, insurgent stronghold area. In that event, another Shabelle journalist Ahmed Omar Hashi-Ahmed Tajir was also wounded.
More deaths
The correspondent of Mogadishu based Radio IQK Nur Muse Hussein died in the centre town of Beledweyn, some 300 kilometres (180 miles) north of the capital of war-torn nation in the Horn of Africa as he was reporting the fight between government forces and the insurgents in town in May 26, 2009.
Abdirisak Mohamed Warsame of Radio Shabelle was also shot dead on May 22 during fierce fighting in Mogadishu. On February 2nd, Said Tahlil Ahmed, the director of Horn Afrik Radio, was assassinated in Mogadishu after the killing of another Radio Shabelle journalist Hassan Mayow Hassan on 1st January.
According to the report, the “most shocking statistics” of 2009 was in the Philippines, where around 38 journalists and media staff were killed in cold blood, mostly in a massacre in Maguindanao province on November 23.
In the last three years, most of old Somali journalists fled the country because of attacks and harassment but young journalists have taken over their works.
The young journalists are risking theirs lives and working under dangerous conditions.
Most of the exiled journalists are now living in Kenya, our correspondent said.
Abdirahman Sharif Mohamed, an exiled journalist in Nairobi told Africa News that they need a lot of assistance to survive in Kenya. "Two years in here, Nairobi, we got no aid except refugee status" said Mohamed.
Moroccan Blogger and Internet Cafe Owner jailed
When El Bachir Hazzam circulated information about the heavy handed crackdown on student protests in the village of Taghjijt (200 km south of Agadir) in Morocco he did so with the the intention of letting the Moroccan society know what was going on, this it seems was not the view of the Moroccan autorities who promptly arrested him and the owner of the cyber cafe he used to get online.
Hazzam was arrested on 7th December in relation to the protest but question revealed that the authorities also were interested in a September 2007 article he had written about the legislative process in Morocco. He was given a four month sentence while the cyber cafe owner, Abdullah Boukfou was given a 12 month jail term. Hazzam was charged with ‘?????spreading false information about human rights that undermined the kingdom’s image’ while Boukfou was charged with ‘being in possession of publications that incite racial hatred’.
To say that the charged are superfluous would be an understatement, these are just the cleverest of the what the Moroccan authorities could think of to get a conviction. At CPB we recognize this as a pattern of lies that governments manufacture to silence online dissidents.
Hazzam has indicated that he will be appealing against the sentence and we wish him the best of luck.
Hazzam was arrested on 7th December in relation to the protest but question revealed that the authorities also were interested in a September 2007 article he had written about the legislative process in Morocco. He was given a four month sentence while the cyber cafe owner, Abdullah Boukfou was given a 12 month jail term. Hazzam was charged with ‘?????spreading false information about human rights that undermined the kingdom’s image’ while Boukfou was charged with ‘being in possession of publications that incite racial hatred’.
To say that the charged are superfluous would be an understatement, these are just the cleverest of the what the Moroccan authorities could think of to get a conviction. At CPB we recognize this as a pattern of lies that governments manufacture to silence online dissidents.
Hazzam has indicated that he will be appealing against the sentence and we wish him the best of luck.
Senegal president, Wade, is most traveled worldwide
Senegalese President, Abdoulaye Wade, has been named "the greatest traveler since Alexander the Great." According to a study by Dakar-based Aid Transparency the West African president beats great leaders of today's generation even when their travel times are combined together.
The report published in a Dakar-based daily - The Kotch - said the time traveled by presidents Carter, Bush - father and son - Clinton, Obama, Sarkozy and Chirac, Helmut Kohl and Angela Merkel, all put together, will not account for half the time that President Wade has spent traveling outside his country, after only nine years as head of state of Senegal.
According to the report, on average the Senegalese president embarked on 37 trips per year representing at least three trips per month. This also translates that he travels outside Senegal every 10 days.
The study which also pointed to France, the United States of America, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia as among countries frequented by the Senegalese president, made a striking contrast with an almost non-existent internal travels by the president.
The authors of the study pointed at the cost involved in such frequency of traveling, citing hiring or maintenance of the aircraft involved, accommodation, catering for the normally larger presidential entourage that is characteristic of African leaders, not to mention the "gifts" that goes with such high profile visits overseas. These, the authors argued, could mean a lot for many lives and families in a poor African country like Senegal.
Aid Transparency is an agency that seeks to protect aid recipients from donors. It also publicizes violations of people's rights to a fair delivery of international development.
The report published in a Dakar-based daily - The Kotch - said the time traveled by presidents Carter, Bush - father and son - Clinton, Obama, Sarkozy and Chirac, Helmut Kohl and Angela Merkel, all put together, will not account for half the time that President Wade has spent traveling outside his country, after only nine years as head of state of Senegal.
According to the report, on average the Senegalese president embarked on 37 trips per year representing at least three trips per month. This also translates that he travels outside Senegal every 10 days.
The study which also pointed to France, the United States of America, Switzerland and Saudi Arabia as among countries frequented by the Senegalese president, made a striking contrast with an almost non-existent internal travels by the president.
The authors of the study pointed at the cost involved in such frequency of traveling, citing hiring or maintenance of the aircraft involved, accommodation, catering for the normally larger presidential entourage that is characteristic of African leaders, not to mention the "gifts" that goes with such high profile visits overseas. These, the authors argued, could mean a lot for many lives and families in a poor African country like Senegal.
Aid Transparency is an agency that seeks to protect aid recipients from donors. It also publicizes violations of people's rights to a fair delivery of international development.
Blantyre Magistrates Court denies gays bail
The Blantyre Magistrates Court on Monday refused to grant Malawian gays arrested after staging the country’s first public same-sex engagement bail, bowing to prosecutors demands to give the state more powers to carry out medical examinations, among other factors.
First Grade Magistrate Nyakwawa Usiwausiwa told crammed court the court wanted to give the state the benefit of the doubt by allowing it 10 more days of investigations, as opposed to the requested 14, allowing prosecutors to carry out a medical examination on Steven Monjeza Soko and Tiwonge Chimbalanga.
State prosecutors say the medical examination is crucial to their circumstantial evidence, but human rights activists have questioned the decision, saying it was tantamount to forcing people to join research initiatives or medical programmes.
Throngs of people sang songs of redicule to Monjeza Soko and Chimbalanga in the court, and the two seemed less at ease. The court was supposed to be their place of refuse and shelter from a highly homophobic society.
Both Malawi Gay Rights Movement (Magrim) Publicity Secretary, Wongani Phiri, and Centre for Development of People (Cedep) executive director Gift Trapeace have expressed concern over the way Malawians are treating the two.
Women poked fun and ridiculed the two when they were boarding a police vehicle, calling them all sorts of names, including ‘mentally-disturbed devils”.
Phiri says Magrim fears that, with people openly opposing the two including within court premises, they may not be subjected to a fair trial.
However, Malawi’s judiciary has a reputation for fairness and good-dealing with suspects, a development that has at times put it at loggerheads with ruling officials.
Monjeza Soko and Chimbalanga’s case has attracted a lot of attention, with people differing in opinions over the prospects of legalizing homosexuality.
Others feel there is no problem with that while the church community has ganged up against such a decision, openly calling for officials to punish the two sternly.
First Grade Magistrate Nyakwawa Usiwausiwa told crammed court the court wanted to give the state the benefit of the doubt by allowing it 10 more days of investigations, as opposed to the requested 14, allowing prosecutors to carry out a medical examination on Steven Monjeza Soko and Tiwonge Chimbalanga.
State prosecutors say the medical examination is crucial to their circumstantial evidence, but human rights activists have questioned the decision, saying it was tantamount to forcing people to join research initiatives or medical programmes.
Throngs of people sang songs of redicule to Monjeza Soko and Chimbalanga in the court, and the two seemed less at ease. The court was supposed to be their place of refuse and shelter from a highly homophobic society.
Both Malawi Gay Rights Movement (Magrim) Publicity Secretary, Wongani Phiri, and Centre for Development of People (Cedep) executive director Gift Trapeace have expressed concern over the way Malawians are treating the two.
Women poked fun and ridiculed the two when they were boarding a police vehicle, calling them all sorts of names, including ‘mentally-disturbed devils”.
Phiri says Magrim fears that, with people openly opposing the two including within court premises, they may not be subjected to a fair trial.
However, Malawi’s judiciary has a reputation for fairness and good-dealing with suspects, a development that has at times put it at loggerheads with ruling officials.
Monjeza Soko and Chimbalanga’s case has attracted a lot of attention, with people differing in opinions over the prospects of legalizing homosexuality.
Others feel there is no problem with that while the church community has ganged up against such a decision, openly calling for officials to punish the two sternly.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
2009: My experiences as a blogger
Just 10 years ago, online journalism was a secret package alien to Malawi- so secret that not many within the country knew its contents.
Some dark age must surely have been reigning: what with the absence of Malawi’s big media house establishments online! Online media seemed something of impossible remoteness very few- and these were those who had ever been outside the country to such countries as the United Kingdom, USA, Germany, where the online culture was something embedded in their media culture as in stone- could be sure the waves would strike beach anytime soon..
Blogging was thus out of question for a people who had scant information about online media technologies, more so when what those in know valued about modern media was scarcely encouraging.
It was like knowing an art by report, other than experience; by theory other than deeds- a situation tantamount to knowing a man by speech and company, instead of the daily trail of his life.
Then, Malawians living abroad, notably United Kingdom, learnt the art that side of the oceans. These were mostly people with dissenting views and human rights advocates. That was to become part of the beginning of such online publications as Nyasa Times. Others have since joined the bandwagon, one of which being malawionline.net (established as late as March 2009!).
However, some of the country’s founding media establishments were yet to join the bandwagon. A good case in point in Blantyre Newspapers Limited (BNL). BNL is Malawi’s oldest publishing house, and started publishing as early as 1895. Yet, the company still found online publishing more luxurious than habit-forming.
Same with Nation Publications Limited (NPL), the country’s next big print media institution. NPL could, however, be excused for entertaining some vain delays: it only came onto the Malawi media scene in the early 1990s.
This was a time when the winds of democracy were blowing across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) member state, and the new entrant- founded by political activist Aleke Kadonaphani Banda – influenced, in a way, the outcome of the elections.
Malawians overwhelmingly voted for multiparty democracy, ending a 31-year iron fist rule of former dictator, Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda.. When people Okayed multiparty democracy in a June 1993 National Referendum, the black curtain hanging over freedom of expression guarantees made by United Nations member states was half-open.
In the country’s 1994 elections, won by former president Bakili Muluzi, the work was complete. 1994 can thus be described as the Genesis of respect for freedom of expression and other human rights freedoms.
Many newspaper publications were to follow; the likes of The Democrat, UDF News, The Democratus, The Enquirer, The Mirror, The Country Register, Pan-African Press Service, Discover Magazine, Fairlane Magazine, Pride Magazine and a host of private radio stations. Whereas Malawi Broadcasting Corporation remained the sole broadcaster since Malawi’s independence from Britain in 1964, the advent of multiparty democracy provided new opportunities for the country’s broadcasting media, with Power 101 FM becoming the first privately registered radio station in 1998.
Now, Malawi has 13 other radio stations including Radio Maria, Radio Islam, Calvary Family Church Radio, Capital FM, Joy FM, MIJ FM, MBC Radio 2 FM, Dzimwe Community Radio, Nkhota-kota Community Radio, ABC Radio, Radio Alinafe, Mzuzu Community Radio among others, and three TV stations in Malawi Television (state-owned), Luntha and AFJ. It must be noted that most radio stations and two TV stations are owned by religious institutions, so the aim is not mainly to disseminate (hard) news related materials but evangelism.
Community radio stations are also becoming part of the norm, as communities realize that they can influence positive change in their areas.
All these media developments would have been achieved as early as 1964 to 1980, had it been that the country’s democracy was not botched. The country first had multiparty (read, democratic) elections in 1964 when about four parties contested for the presidency and members of parliament in the elections. However, as was to happen elsewhere in Africa, where Africa’s first generation clung on to power as the West fought the battle against communism, Malawi fell into that age-old trap of power. Too much of it corrupts!
Therefore, Malawi went to the first multiparty polls again in 1994, after the long, lonely journey from 1964, and many print publications and radio stations came onto the scene. The beginning was nowhere insight for online media, what with the first privately owned radio station being registered in 1998!
Things were, however, changing after the country’s second elections in 1999. People begun to talk about vote rigging and other issues too sensitive for the nascent radio stations and newspapers. 31 years on one party regime and no real freedoms had meant that people who were working for state-run media were not journalists. Most of them were party zealots and secondary school teachers.
The in-thing then was to have their news articles pre-written, whereas they would only be required to fill in pre-designed gaps. There was nothing like being enterprising; you were doing what the boss had sketched for you.
There surely was need for new forms of media to accommodate the non-conventional dissenting views. Online publications like Nyasa Times provided the sure answer. It must be noted that most Malawians based abroad frequent Nyasa Times, though some have misforgivings about its values.
People can use any sort of language on Nyasa Times, and most people who comment on various issues use raw, foul language many Malawians loathe. They say Malawi is a God-fearing nation.
This has led many people to be suspicious of online publications, wondering whether the people who run them have any values at all. But for Malawian journalists, the online publications have provided a means of getting their work published in a country where the media industry is still small. This has led to poor perks and very few complain. Why? The long queue waiting for same employment opportunities!
People have come to accept online publications now, and know, more than ever before, that these publications are there to stay. And the country has just now also begun to witness the spiraling on Blogs.
The reasons for the escalation of number of Blogs, and thus Bloggers, are too fold. They either worked for Nyasa Times and Malawionline.net (for those just joining the growing online industry) and never received their promised pay. While employment contracts are signed between the two parties, the two biggest online publications are published by people who live abroad. In addition, online publications such as Nyasa Times are not registered in Malawi, as the law requires, because the owners are afraid of lawsuits due to the unsubstantiative nature of the work they publish and the defamatory nature of their stories.
In the end, the disgruntled contributors consider it better to establish Blogs for the satisfaction aspect of it. They know they will get no, or little money, for their sweat. But they will, at least, be happy and satisfied.
The second reason for the increased number of Blogs is the reason to have an outlet, and this applies to people already working for other media houses- especially state media such as Malawi Television and Malawi Broadcasting Corporation. They will be flaunting contractual obligations if they write for other publications, including those online, so they write for themselves.
However, there is still room for improvement. The country still has few numbers of Bloggers. A March 2009 Development Media Africa (Dema) report on online media in Malawi revealed that the country has less than 7000 Bloggers.
In addition, the Dema report also added, almost embarrassingly, that there are only six (6) people with Flip Video camcorders in Malawi. What is more? Two (2) of these Flip Videos are now out of use (breakdowns) and only four (4) are working!
It further said Malawians have started reading other people’s Blogs the past three years, reading habitually that is. It seems people want to know what is in the mind of others now than ever before.
Talking about by experience as a Blogger, well, I find the work rewarding. At least on the satisfactory level of it. It’s only last month that I monetized my Blog, to get a little something out of it because internet costs in Malawi are exorbitant. That is scarcely strange in a country where only 6 per cent is connected to the National Electricity Grid.
Also, Malawi has less than four internet service providers rendering end-user costs a little out of rich for many people in Malawi. Internet café owners pay something between 500 Euros and 600 Euros for quick internet services- and the ‘quick’ stands for something like two-minutes for you to finally sign in into your email or Blog account when checking mail, surfing or posting materials!
But I am satisfied with the responses I get from people who e-mail me (mtolankhani@gmail.com) from all over the world. I often wonder how they come across my Blog, www.zachimalawi.blogspot.com. Here, I tackle issues I feel are Malawian in nature, or have implications for Malawi.
But I have also landed into trouble for doing just this. I once posted an article about The State House. I posted something about my feelings on the Communication Strategy that was being employed at The State House, the residence of incumbent President, Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika.
The then State House Press Officer (who got the sack, I suspect for adding no value to the State House, a couple of months ago) Mr. Chikumbutso Mtumodzi was victimizing online journalists, me inclusive. In the first place, he engaged media spies who were spying on fellow members of the media. Their task was tom report to State House the names of online journalists, most of them were using pen names, who were writing for online publications including Nyasa Times.
The main target was those writing for Nyasa Times and Blogs perceived pro-opposition. As I am writing, there is a Black Book of journalists perceived anti-government something at The State House, and I am sad that I happen to be there. For what reason I don’t know; I am a humble citizen. But one who will stand for the Constitution of Malawi when times come to choose between individuals and the Constitution. And such times were many in the past six years!
These journalists or Bloggers were then being victimized. The process went like this: The State House Press Officer would invite you to the House whenever the President wanted to have an audience with the country’s journalists. You would have an Invitation Letter like the rest, of course, but Mr. Mtumodzi would be personally there at the gate waiting for you.
He would then single out the Black-Booked journals, all of them unsuspecting, and tell you that you were invited by mistake. The Invitation Letters would then be snatched from you, though they had your names inscribed on them, and given to State media reporters. You would always have seven to 10 state-run media reporters at such functions, with one (or two for the very lucky ones) representative from the other private media houses.
The other strategy would be like this: State House officials would give you Pass IDs during the President’s functions, enabling you to take pictures of the President at close range. The State House Press Officer would then come and snatch them from you, sometimes telling you bluntly: “you don’t write good things about this government. We know you have been sent”!
It is always embarrassing to have your ID or Pass snatched in public. It was one of the government’s strategies to make you mind what you write, and you always had that feeling that if you want to attend a Presidential function and take his photos at close range, you really need to become the ‘good boy’ you deserve!
I can say without fear of contradiction that I have experienced these things, along side ‘open’ Nyasa Times journalist Madalitso Kateta. As a result, Kateta’s Blog (christened willsmadyk) is the epitaph of a ‘good boy’ the world wants him to be.
It is one day, however, I shall live to remember. As Malawians prepared to go the polls on May19, 2009 (to elect a Head of State and Government and 193 members of parliament), I bumped into the State House Press Officer himself in Blantyre City Business District and greeted him. He did not answer.
I did it the second time and he answered. But the answer was clearly a way of brushing you off. He said “I am fine, thank you”! Mr. Mtumodzi was in the company of three City Vehicle Parking Fees collectors I knew. The City collectors work for the City Assembly but also ask for cash if it so happens that a big government official parks by. In that case, they will not even charge any parking fees, but will ask for ‘consideration’ (in terms of cash) from the big government or political gurus.
In Mr. Mtumodzi, they thought they got one such guru. Cash delivered at the fingertips! I am big enough to know that I was not wanted at that place, let alone my greeting, so I went on, on my way.
I met two of the parking fee collectors twenty minutes later, and was puzzled by the question they put across me.
“How do you two co-relate? Mr. Mtumodzi told us that he never wants to come anywhere closer you; let alone being seen with you”!
I told them he thought I wrote badly about government, his government.
That is as far as it can go in Malawi, 15 years down the road, in our second try at multiparty democracy.
It may not be over for me, I think. Mr. Mtumodzi was sacked as State House Press Officer a couple of months ago. Now the State House has no Press Officer, two months down the line.
Now he (Mtumodzi) is the Director of Information in Malawi. He is my Director, and he would surely not be proud to be such. Only that I am yet to meet him in his new appointment.
Of course, there are times I like him. I will never forget the time he told Mr. Sam Mpasu, an opposition politician from the United Democratic Front (UDF) that he was not eligible to comment on any issues in Malawi because his (Mpasu’s) son, Joseph, was in prison!
The fact still remains that I get more satisfaction writing what I do on my Blog, and receiving encouraging feedback from all over the world. I have even turned my Blog into a public forum: readers ask me to investigate an issue and report to them through the Blog, or ask many interesting questions they want me to answer.
My Blog is a humanitarian effort; I serve myself, and more over, others.
Some dark age must surely have been reigning: what with the absence of Malawi’s big media house establishments online! Online media seemed something of impossible remoteness very few- and these were those who had ever been outside the country to such countries as the United Kingdom, USA, Germany, where the online culture was something embedded in their media culture as in stone- could be sure the waves would strike beach anytime soon..
Blogging was thus out of question for a people who had scant information about online media technologies, more so when what those in know valued about modern media was scarcely encouraging.
It was like knowing an art by report, other than experience; by theory other than deeds- a situation tantamount to knowing a man by speech and company, instead of the daily trail of his life.
Then, Malawians living abroad, notably United Kingdom, learnt the art that side of the oceans. These were mostly people with dissenting views and human rights advocates. That was to become part of the beginning of such online publications as Nyasa Times. Others have since joined the bandwagon, one of which being malawionline.net (established as late as March 2009!).
However, some of the country’s founding media establishments were yet to join the bandwagon. A good case in point in Blantyre Newspapers Limited (BNL). BNL is Malawi’s oldest publishing house, and started publishing as early as 1895. Yet, the company still found online publishing more luxurious than habit-forming.
Same with Nation Publications Limited (NPL), the country’s next big print media institution. NPL could, however, be excused for entertaining some vain delays: it only came onto the Malawi media scene in the early 1990s.
This was a time when the winds of democracy were blowing across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) member state, and the new entrant- founded by political activist Aleke Kadonaphani Banda – influenced, in a way, the outcome of the elections.
Malawians overwhelmingly voted for multiparty democracy, ending a 31-year iron fist rule of former dictator, Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda.. When people Okayed multiparty democracy in a June 1993 National Referendum, the black curtain hanging over freedom of expression guarantees made by United Nations member states was half-open.
In the country’s 1994 elections, won by former president Bakili Muluzi, the work was complete. 1994 can thus be described as the Genesis of respect for freedom of expression and other human rights freedoms.
Many newspaper publications were to follow; the likes of The Democrat, UDF News, The Democratus, The Enquirer, The Mirror, The Country Register, Pan-African Press Service, Discover Magazine, Fairlane Magazine, Pride Magazine and a host of private radio stations. Whereas Malawi Broadcasting Corporation remained the sole broadcaster since Malawi’s independence from Britain in 1964, the advent of multiparty democracy provided new opportunities for the country’s broadcasting media, with Power 101 FM becoming the first privately registered radio station in 1998.
Now, Malawi has 13 other radio stations including Radio Maria, Radio Islam, Calvary Family Church Radio, Capital FM, Joy FM, MIJ FM, MBC Radio 2 FM, Dzimwe Community Radio, Nkhota-kota Community Radio, ABC Radio, Radio Alinafe, Mzuzu Community Radio among others, and three TV stations in Malawi Television (state-owned), Luntha and AFJ. It must be noted that most radio stations and two TV stations are owned by religious institutions, so the aim is not mainly to disseminate (hard) news related materials but evangelism.
Community radio stations are also becoming part of the norm, as communities realize that they can influence positive change in their areas.
All these media developments would have been achieved as early as 1964 to 1980, had it been that the country’s democracy was not botched. The country first had multiparty (read, democratic) elections in 1964 when about four parties contested for the presidency and members of parliament in the elections. However, as was to happen elsewhere in Africa, where Africa’s first generation clung on to power as the West fought the battle against communism, Malawi fell into that age-old trap of power. Too much of it corrupts!
Therefore, Malawi went to the first multiparty polls again in 1994, after the long, lonely journey from 1964, and many print publications and radio stations came onto the scene. The beginning was nowhere insight for online media, what with the first privately owned radio station being registered in 1998!
Things were, however, changing after the country’s second elections in 1999. People begun to talk about vote rigging and other issues too sensitive for the nascent radio stations and newspapers. 31 years on one party regime and no real freedoms had meant that people who were working for state-run media were not journalists. Most of them were party zealots and secondary school teachers.
The in-thing then was to have their news articles pre-written, whereas they would only be required to fill in pre-designed gaps. There was nothing like being enterprising; you were doing what the boss had sketched for you.
There surely was need for new forms of media to accommodate the non-conventional dissenting views. Online publications like Nyasa Times provided the sure answer. It must be noted that most Malawians based abroad frequent Nyasa Times, though some have misforgivings about its values.
People can use any sort of language on Nyasa Times, and most people who comment on various issues use raw, foul language many Malawians loathe. They say Malawi is a God-fearing nation.
This has led many people to be suspicious of online publications, wondering whether the people who run them have any values at all. But for Malawian journalists, the online publications have provided a means of getting their work published in a country where the media industry is still small. This has led to poor perks and very few complain. Why? The long queue waiting for same employment opportunities!
People have come to accept online publications now, and know, more than ever before, that these publications are there to stay. And the country has just now also begun to witness the spiraling on Blogs.
The reasons for the escalation of number of Blogs, and thus Bloggers, are too fold. They either worked for Nyasa Times and Malawionline.net (for those just joining the growing online industry) and never received their promised pay. While employment contracts are signed between the two parties, the two biggest online publications are published by people who live abroad. In addition, online publications such as Nyasa Times are not registered in Malawi, as the law requires, because the owners are afraid of lawsuits due to the unsubstantiative nature of the work they publish and the defamatory nature of their stories.
In the end, the disgruntled contributors consider it better to establish Blogs for the satisfaction aspect of it. They know they will get no, or little money, for their sweat. But they will, at least, be happy and satisfied.
The second reason for the increased number of Blogs is the reason to have an outlet, and this applies to people already working for other media houses- especially state media such as Malawi Television and Malawi Broadcasting Corporation. They will be flaunting contractual obligations if they write for other publications, including those online, so they write for themselves.
However, there is still room for improvement. The country still has few numbers of Bloggers. A March 2009 Development Media Africa (Dema) report on online media in Malawi revealed that the country has less than 7000 Bloggers.
In addition, the Dema report also added, almost embarrassingly, that there are only six (6) people with Flip Video camcorders in Malawi. What is more? Two (2) of these Flip Videos are now out of use (breakdowns) and only four (4) are working!
It further said Malawians have started reading other people’s Blogs the past three years, reading habitually that is. It seems people want to know what is in the mind of others now than ever before.
Talking about by experience as a Blogger, well, I find the work rewarding. At least on the satisfactory level of it. It’s only last month that I monetized my Blog, to get a little something out of it because internet costs in Malawi are exorbitant. That is scarcely strange in a country where only 6 per cent is connected to the National Electricity Grid.
Also, Malawi has less than four internet service providers rendering end-user costs a little out of rich for many people in Malawi. Internet café owners pay something between 500 Euros and 600 Euros for quick internet services- and the ‘quick’ stands for something like two-minutes for you to finally sign in into your email or Blog account when checking mail, surfing or posting materials!
But I am satisfied with the responses I get from people who e-mail me (mtolankhani@gmail.com) from all over the world. I often wonder how they come across my Blog, www.zachimalawi.blogspot.com. Here, I tackle issues I feel are Malawian in nature, or have implications for Malawi.
But I have also landed into trouble for doing just this. I once posted an article about The State House. I posted something about my feelings on the Communication Strategy that was being employed at The State House, the residence of incumbent President, Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika.
The then State House Press Officer (who got the sack, I suspect for adding no value to the State House, a couple of months ago) Mr. Chikumbutso Mtumodzi was victimizing online journalists, me inclusive. In the first place, he engaged media spies who were spying on fellow members of the media. Their task was tom report to State House the names of online journalists, most of them were using pen names, who were writing for online publications including Nyasa Times.
The main target was those writing for Nyasa Times and Blogs perceived pro-opposition. As I am writing, there is a Black Book of journalists perceived anti-government something at The State House, and I am sad that I happen to be there. For what reason I don’t know; I am a humble citizen. But one who will stand for the Constitution of Malawi when times come to choose between individuals and the Constitution. And such times were many in the past six years!
These journalists or Bloggers were then being victimized. The process went like this: The State House Press Officer would invite you to the House whenever the President wanted to have an audience with the country’s journalists. You would have an Invitation Letter like the rest, of course, but Mr. Mtumodzi would be personally there at the gate waiting for you.
He would then single out the Black-Booked journals, all of them unsuspecting, and tell you that you were invited by mistake. The Invitation Letters would then be snatched from you, though they had your names inscribed on them, and given to State media reporters. You would always have seven to 10 state-run media reporters at such functions, with one (or two for the very lucky ones) representative from the other private media houses.
The other strategy would be like this: State House officials would give you Pass IDs during the President’s functions, enabling you to take pictures of the President at close range. The State House Press Officer would then come and snatch them from you, sometimes telling you bluntly: “you don’t write good things about this government. We know you have been sent”!
It is always embarrassing to have your ID or Pass snatched in public. It was one of the government’s strategies to make you mind what you write, and you always had that feeling that if you want to attend a Presidential function and take his photos at close range, you really need to become the ‘good boy’ you deserve!
I can say without fear of contradiction that I have experienced these things, along side ‘open’ Nyasa Times journalist Madalitso Kateta. As a result, Kateta’s Blog (christened willsmadyk) is the epitaph of a ‘good boy’ the world wants him to be.
It is one day, however, I shall live to remember. As Malawians prepared to go the polls on May19, 2009 (to elect a Head of State and Government and 193 members of parliament), I bumped into the State House Press Officer himself in Blantyre City Business District and greeted him. He did not answer.
I did it the second time and he answered. But the answer was clearly a way of brushing you off. He said “I am fine, thank you”! Mr. Mtumodzi was in the company of three City Vehicle Parking Fees collectors I knew. The City collectors work for the City Assembly but also ask for cash if it so happens that a big government official parks by. In that case, they will not even charge any parking fees, but will ask for ‘consideration’ (in terms of cash) from the big government or political gurus.
In Mr. Mtumodzi, they thought they got one such guru. Cash delivered at the fingertips! I am big enough to know that I was not wanted at that place, let alone my greeting, so I went on, on my way.
I met two of the parking fee collectors twenty minutes later, and was puzzled by the question they put across me.
“How do you two co-relate? Mr. Mtumodzi told us that he never wants to come anywhere closer you; let alone being seen with you”!
I told them he thought I wrote badly about government, his government.
That is as far as it can go in Malawi, 15 years down the road, in our second try at multiparty democracy.
It may not be over for me, I think. Mr. Mtumodzi was sacked as State House Press Officer a couple of months ago. Now the State House has no Press Officer, two months down the line.
Now he (Mtumodzi) is the Director of Information in Malawi. He is my Director, and he would surely not be proud to be such. Only that I am yet to meet him in his new appointment.
Of course, there are times I like him. I will never forget the time he told Mr. Sam Mpasu, an opposition politician from the United Democratic Front (UDF) that he was not eligible to comment on any issues in Malawi because his (Mpasu’s) son, Joseph, was in prison!
The fact still remains that I get more satisfaction writing what I do on my Blog, and receiving encouraging feedback from all over the world. I have even turned my Blog into a public forum: readers ask me to investigate an issue and report to them through the Blog, or ask many interesting questions they want me to answer.
My Blog is a humanitarian effort; I serve myself, and more over, others.
Hw to manage blood sugar while drinking
From the start of December to the first week of the New Year, we often reflect upon what we've endured throughout the course of the previous 11 months - and endure the assault of numerous holiday parties, friendly get-togethers and family gatherings.
Holiday parties are just as big a part of the season as ole' Tannenbaum and partridges in pear trees. And the one thing that makes these seasonal parties such a hit? Alcohol, and lots of it.
Alcohol has long been a staple at holiday parties, from hearty eggnog and spiced cider to neon-colored mixed concoctions and the traditional brewskie. But, with so many alcoholic drinks available and being enjoyed, it can be easy to forget about the effects the drinks are having on your body.
Besides causing the well-known effect of drunkenness, alcohol wreaks havoc upon the body's blood sugar, which can pose serious health problems for someone who lives with diabetes or who takes certain prescription medications.
Alcohol not only lowers blood glucose levels over the long term, but mixed drinks with their high sugar content can cause a sharp spike in blood glucose levels, which can be just as dangerous to a person with diabetes.
Research shows that shortly after drinking (and up to 12 hours later) the body can enter a state of hypoglycemia. For diabetics, the symptoms of hypoglycemia can be nearly identical to that of being drunk - disorientation, sleepiness and dizziness. One of the biggest concerns is that friends and family often are unable to discern the difference between someone who had a little too much to drink and someone who is in a medically dangerous situation. The amount of alcohol a diabetic drinks is important to monitor because, according to the American Diabetes Association, the body needs about one hour to break down a single ounce of alcohol.
Therefore, it's up to the individual to learn how to manage their own blood sugar while drinking.
Contrary to common belief, most diabetics don't need to strictly avoid alcoholic beverages. Today's research indicates that many diabetics can drink a moderate amount of alcohol without risk of compromising their health. That said, there are certain things they need to keep in mind when drinking to keep their blood sugar level in a safe area. Of course, anyone who has diabetes should always consult their doctor before drinking alcohol as they may have specific reasons for avoiding it.
Holiday parties are just as big a part of the season as ole' Tannenbaum and partridges in pear trees. And the one thing that makes these seasonal parties such a hit? Alcohol, and lots of it.
Alcohol has long been a staple at holiday parties, from hearty eggnog and spiced cider to neon-colored mixed concoctions and the traditional brewskie. But, with so many alcoholic drinks available and being enjoyed, it can be easy to forget about the effects the drinks are having on your body.
Besides causing the well-known effect of drunkenness, alcohol wreaks havoc upon the body's blood sugar, which can pose serious health problems for someone who lives with diabetes or who takes certain prescription medications.
Alcohol not only lowers blood glucose levels over the long term, but mixed drinks with their high sugar content can cause a sharp spike in blood glucose levels, which can be just as dangerous to a person with diabetes.
Research shows that shortly after drinking (and up to 12 hours later) the body can enter a state of hypoglycemia. For diabetics, the symptoms of hypoglycemia can be nearly identical to that of being drunk - disorientation, sleepiness and dizziness. One of the biggest concerns is that friends and family often are unable to discern the difference between someone who had a little too much to drink and someone who is in a medically dangerous situation. The amount of alcohol a diabetic drinks is important to monitor because, according to the American Diabetes Association, the body needs about one hour to break down a single ounce of alcohol.
Therefore, it's up to the individual to learn how to manage their own blood sugar while drinking.
Contrary to common belief, most diabetics don't need to strictly avoid alcoholic beverages. Today's research indicates that many diabetics can drink a moderate amount of alcohol without risk of compromising their health. That said, there are certain things they need to keep in mind when drinking to keep their blood sugar level in a safe area. Of course, anyone who has diabetes should always consult their doctor before drinking alcohol as they may have specific reasons for avoiding it.
Arrested gays in court Monday
Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga will appear in court Monday, where the Blantyre Magistrates Courts is expected to make a ruling on their bail application.
The two are at Blantyre Police Station, after being arrested monday for what state prosecutors call 'gross indecency".
There have been mixed reactions following their arrest, with people arguing for and against thir conduct on December 26, when the engaged in public along the Chileka Road in Blantyre.
Meanwhile, the two have decried police torture a the hand of Blantyre officers, saying they were being victimised.
The two are at Blantyre Police Station, after being arrested monday for what state prosecutors call 'gross indecency".
There have been mixed reactions following their arrest, with people arguing for and against thir conduct on December 26, when the engaged in public along the Chileka Road in Blantyre.
Meanwhile, the two have decried police torture a the hand of Blantyre officers, saying they were being victimised.
How to Cure a Hangover With Asparagus
The latest hangover remedy is asparagus, researchers say. According to "HealthDay News," asparagus may help protect the liver and ease hangover symptoms.
A "Journal of Food Science" study also revealed that asparagus, a widely consumed vegetable eaten worldwide, has been used for its anti-cancer, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and diuretic effects.
Asparagus is not only a cure for hangovers, but it's also a beneficial source of folic acid, potassium, fiber, Vitamin B6, Vitamins A and C and thiamin, according to the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board.
Thankfully, there's a cure for those nauseous, head-pounding mornings. You know, those nights when your stomach is in knots-when you just want to go back to sleep.
The next time you have a hangover, try one (or all, depending on how bad you feel) of these suggestions to help alleviate your hangover.
A "Journal of Food Science" study also revealed that asparagus, a widely consumed vegetable eaten worldwide, has been used for its anti-cancer, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and diuretic effects.
Asparagus is not only a cure for hangovers, but it's also a beneficial source of folic acid, potassium, fiber, Vitamin B6, Vitamins A and C and thiamin, according to the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board.
Thankfully, there's a cure for those nauseous, head-pounding mornings. You know, those nights when your stomach is in knots-when you just want to go back to sleep.
The next time you have a hangover, try one (or all, depending on how bad you feel) of these suggestions to help alleviate your hangover.
Arrested gays tortured at Blantyre Police
Blantyre Police officers have been torturing Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, the two Malawian gays arrested for staging a public engagement- the first ever in Malawi's history.
The torture started Monday night for the two, and continued on Tuesday, Zachimalawi can reveal.
"Why torture us instead of just throwing us into a cell? What wrong have we done," queried Chimbalanga.
Police torture is common in Malawian cells, prompting suspects to acknowledge crimes they never committed.
The torture started Monday night for the two, and continued on Tuesday, Zachimalawi can reveal.
"Why torture us instead of just throwing us into a cell? What wrong have we done," queried Chimbalanga.
Police torture is common in Malawian cells, prompting suspects to acknowledge crimes they never committed.
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