![Dzuka Malawi]()
“To no on we will sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice.” – Magna Carta, 1215
All Malawians are albino hunters. Yes starting with you reading this entry. You can imagine what a foreigner thinks when he hears the name Malawi. Amnesty International has launched campaign to press Malawian authorities to address the growing attacks on albino hunters. What is the reaction of you and me, silent and business as usual.
![Dzuka Malawi]()
People across the world can visualise our political leaders dressed in suits, our Bishops, Prophets (the fake and real), Judges in wigs, soldiers and ordinary plebeians like you and me at a market, where some successful Albino hunters come and do an auction. We bid and compete and the biggest winners take these MWK1.1 billion worth of bones and sale wherever the market is.
If you don’t believe this visualisation then you have never been to Malawi, from that “official opening of
….ujeni” to our small markets right outside mosques, churches and temples, every Malawian is busy indulging in selling of albinos. I see you are about to type an “f” word. Hold on.
There are devils festivals in Europe, celebrating Satan. In Malawi we do it by killing albinos and all of us clap hands. The most superstitious nation is Haiti here voodoo priests are revered and even run for Parliament. They are late, in Malawi all our MPs are albino hunters.
Next time you see any leader, be a politician or a religious or traditional leader, tell them they look like albino hunters or buyers of bones.
Why? Silence is golden they say, but they also say it is consent. Our actions and reactions sometimes can be said to come from our silence. Our silence when our brothers, sisters and children with albinism are being hunted as
kalulu or
gwape, killed for their bones, abducted and even by own Uncles means we are all in support of the killings.
Without belittling impact of our social media campaign, a terror group bombs a foreign airport and 35 people die, Malawian Facebookers change their faces, mourn and are angry with terrorists. Over 50 albinos killed, they can’t write a single status to condemn the killings. They are the killers themselves.
All of us come from the areas where reports of killings are being reported. We come from Kasungu, we come from Machinga- interestingly two Presidents have come from these two albino killers. I have wondered why the silence from Kasungu, Mulanje and Machinga gurus. Is it guilt by association or we are the real albino hunters.
Imagine, non of the vocal Civil Society thinks it high time to hold demonstrations in all districts against killing of persons with albinism. Imagine our churches who can call for national prayers against homosexuality pretend nothing is going amiss in Malawi today.
To me, killing an albino is okey than having gay people. The media too is part of this. The way they cover gay peoples stories even staged attacks and the way they have covered the killings of fellow human beings.
I will not apologise to anyone for thinking everyone who has access to social media or is a leader either in politics, church, mosque or civil society, chief or even Rastafarians and all of us are albino killers.
Imagine Chiefs if it was something to do with PAC calling the President to resign, we could have had long broadcasts of condemnation against the poor organisation which looks confused to some of us.
As long as there is no national movement to stop albino killings, we are all complicit to their death and we should not blame gays, whom we condemn loudly when calamities befell us. The God-fearing tag is wearing thin and we are becoming a joke of the world, known as murderers.
The belief that money can come from witchcraft, superstition or some spiritual form is a joke for some foolish and gullible people. Tell your uncles, aunties and all village folks, money is printed at Reserve Bank and each bank note has a serial number.
There is no miracle money, just as there is not money from albino bones. You work hard and you earn your money. Each note serial note is traceable. Even prayers from any ‘Pastorprenuer’ cannot rain money. If they can, let us meet at a Stadium and let money rain from sky, I will worship them.
Tell your wards, albinism is a skin condition. The bones and body organs are the same. People with albinism have donated hearts, livers and kidneys to people with normal skins. None has turned. They have donated blood, none has changed the recipient into an albino. We are all human.
For our media, it should remind us that we have been on this path as before. We have had womens breasts cut off in Chiradzulo for riches, nobody got rich. We lost nine women. Then someone invented that male organs, especially big ones for those aged 18 to 40 could fetch you a car. Poor
gondolisi lovers had their penises and balls cut off, most of them got rotten before any buyer could be found.
We then had selling of children. This too ended in misery for perpetrators.
I am thinking that after we hunt and kill all albinos, killing people with bald heads could also make us rich. Imagine the biggest and brightest solar panels belong to Dr. Hetherwick Ntaba at Kamuzu Palace and Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda. I know many friends who are now in bald head hiding solar panels, but at the rate we get excited by all stupid suggestions of how to get quickly, solar panels could be the next gold mine.
If you are not an albino hunter, raise the awareness, speak to your village folks, organise prayers, rallied and demonstrations. Let there be a pastoral letter in all churches, music concerts and all the noise we do against gays or terrorist to guarantee that all those with such intentions know Malawians are angry with them. If I don’t see a post on your social media, you are an albino hunter period.
Dzuka my Malawi, money only comes from hard work. That’s why is distressing to hear that Boxing Association of Malawi and Basketball Association of Malawi have sent a collective request of MWK76 million to Prophet Bushiri. Which basketball or which boxing these thieves represent, I am yet to see if we have ashamed faces.
In the same vein, let me pay tribute to late Ulemu Teputepu who was a journalist and died on 30thApril in South Africa. I grew up with Ulemu in Zomba and later our careers made us meet again. He might have not gone to the highest levels of journalism but his passion was evident. He was the only journalist to be granted interview by Pastor Hastings Salanje of “embarrassed blessings riches.” Go well young man. Greet our departed leaders and tell them we are now hunting albinos for riches….
Mutharika with leader of APAM[/caption]
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In audience with President Mutharika[/caption]
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President Mutharika greets Massa[/caption]
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President Muthairka in group photo wth APAM members[/caption]
Albino people, who lack pigment in their skin, have faced attacks for their body parts, which witchdoctors believe bring good luck and wealth.
But speaking in an audience he held on Thursday with representatives from Association of People with Albinism in Malawi (APAM), the President strongly spoke against the tendency saying it is inhuman from whichever perspective one looks at it.
“My government remains committed to protect and promote the life and rights of people with albinism and we will not tolerate this malpractice, which has brought fear and sense of insecurity among persons with albinism, their relatives and friends,” said Mutharika.
“This is evil, and a threat to the most fundamental human rights in our constitution. And we will deal accordingly with those that are associated with this barbaric act,” said President Mutharika.
He added: “We have intensified surveillance and investigations, and also intensified our working relationship with the APAM; and the fruits are visible.”
The President expressed displeasure at rising cases of violence against albinism despite several public pronouncements by himself and other prominent persons and institutions.
The fight against the vice is also being undertaken in coordination with neighbouring countries and United Nations among others.
“Let me also inform you that I allowed the UN Special Envoy on Albinism to assist us with the best practices on how to deal with the atrocities using the countries she deals with. As you are aware, atrocities committed against persons with albinism are violations of human rights which the UN addresses.”
Mutharika also stated that he has set up a technical Committee which will monitor the implementation of the initiatives that Government has put in place to curb the malpractices.
Government has also included traditional healers in the fight because all this conduct comes as a result of ritual beliefs bring perpetrated by witchdoctors.
He said the government would continue its attempts to end the attacks as albinos should not live in fear.
Midwives in a procession[/caption]
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Dr Ann Phoya, President of Association of Malawian Midwives joins the procession, photo taken by Collins Mhango, Save the Children[/caption]
Speaking in Lilongwe during this year's international day of the midwifery, Dr Abdelrahim said well trained and supported midwives working in communities are uniquely and strategically positioned to provide the compassionate, respectful and culturally sensitive care that a woman needs during pregnancy and childbirth.
"Midwifery is therefore equally important for newborns during the critical first month of life and is significant contribution to sexual and reproductive health in general," said Dr Abdelrahim.
The UNFPA deputy commended Malawi for commemorating the day.
"This is a very important day as it reminds us all of the significant role midwives continue to play in promoting good health and making pregnancies and childbirths safe," said the UNFA official.
Midwifery Association of Malawi President, Dr Anne Phoya has since bemoaned problems which midwives are facing in the country.
Phoya said the midwives lacks essential tools in their course of the duty.
She has since applauded all committed midwives who work beyond the call of duty and most often in difficult circumstances.
Minister of ICT and Civic Education, Patricia Kaliati, presents a Certificate to SimbaNet Chief Executive Officer, Santiago Benedit at BICC in Lilongwe-(c) Abel Ikiloni, Mana[/caption]
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Minister of Information, Communication Technology and Civic Education, Patricia Kaliati, Officially Launches the Malawi Virtual Landing Point at Capital Hill in Lilongwe-(c) Abel Ikiloni, Mana[/caption]
Kaliati said it was a timely and much need communication infrastructure against the backdrop of increasing cross border trade and investment; a phenomenon known as globalization.
“Effective and affordable communication infrastructure, especially in the form of broadband plays a pivotal role in facilitating international trade and global investments flow.
She said the government embarked on the project upon recognizing that expensive broadband and internet connectivity constituted a serious barrier to Malawi’s doing business indicators.
Kaliati also said that prior to the commencement of the project; Malawi depended largely on expensive satellite connectivity for her internet needs.
The government spokesperson then said internet connectivity through satellite technology cost the country approximately US$3000 per megabyte per second, per month and apart from being very expensive the quality of connectivity was generally very poor.
“The high cost of connectivity meant that access to internet services was a privilege of the rich, this was an unacceptable situation and set the premise for Government’s decision to pursue the option of establishing a fiber optic connectivity through Tanzania and Zambia,” explained Kaliati
The Government of Malawi in collaboration with the World Bank established the Regional Infrastructure Communication Programme Malawi Project (RCIPMW) to support the necessary legal and regulatory reforms in the communication sector aimed at lowering the cost of broadband connectivity.
“Through an international competitive tender process and a carefully designed public private partnership arrangement, an experienced investor SimbaNet of East Africa was contracted to deliver internet capacity at the Virtual landing point at Capital Hill in Lilongwe at the cost of less than US$200 per megabyte per second a massive reduction from US$3000 prior to the project,” said Kaliati
She further said affordable capacity will promote access to internet by Government institutions, the private sector and Malawian in general.
Kaliati added that high quality and affordable broadband will certainly revolutionalize the mode of delivering services in Malawi especially in sectors such as education, health, industry, trade, tourism, transportation and energy.
In his remarks the Chief Executive Officer of Wananchi Group, Santiago Benedit said it has been a long journey that they embarked on since 2014. He said they have enjoyed tremendous support and encouragement from the Government and particularly from the Public Private Partnership Commission (PPPC).
“This is the outcome of a very successful Public Private Partnership and I appreciate the Government of Malawi progressive approach towards national development.
“And I thank President Mutharika for the opportunity to enter the Malawi market as an investor into the Fiber Optic backbone and as a provider of wholesale internet to local, regional as well as international bandwidth,” said Benedit.
He further said the purpose of the Public Private Partnership is to spur the private sector to invest in the long-haul fibre optic backbone in order to dramatically reduce cost of internet access and increase available routes where Malawi is connected to the rest of the region and world.
The coming in of Malawi virtual landing point will see the price of internet down to 75%.
SimbaNET is the company that is providing internet service to Malawi through fiber optic from Tanzania.
Kalekeni: Teachers call off strike[/caption]
TUM secretary general Denis Kalekeni said the government has agreed to pay all promoted teachers starting May and the last group in June.
In addition, he said the government has said it will offer transport to all teachers who sat for promotion interviews and upon successful were posted to rural areas.
Initially, the ministry of education threatened to withdraw the promotion letters to force the teachers go to the new work stations but the affected teachers said it was the responsibility of government to give them transport.
"They told us that they will meet our demands by June 30 so we have to wait. If they fail to honour their promise then we will go ahead with the sit in," he said.
Kalekeni also blamed some officials at the ministry of Education whom he accused of laziness, not doing their job and messing up these issues.
He said the matter would not have reached this far if the officials handled them with maturity.
TUM asked the government either to transfer them or sack them.
People across the world can visualise our political leaders dressed in suits, our Bishops, Prophets (the fake and real), Judges in wigs, soldiers and ordinary plebeians like you and me at a market, where some successful Albino hunters come and do an auction. We bid and compete and the biggest winners take these MWK1.1 billion worth of bones and sale wherever the market is.
If you don’t believe this visualisation then you have never been to Malawi, from that “official opening of ….ujeni” to our small markets right outside mosques, churches and temples, every Malawian is busy indulging in selling of albinos. I see you are about to type an “f” word. Hold on.
There are devils festivals in Europe, celebrating Satan. In Malawi we do it by killing albinos and all of us clap hands. The most superstitious nation is Haiti here voodoo priests are revered and even run for Parliament. They are late, in Malawi all our MPs are albino hunters.
Next time you see any leader, be a politician or a religious or traditional leader, tell them they look like albino hunters or buyers of bones.
Why? Silence is golden they say, but they also say it is consent. Our actions and reactions sometimes can be said to come from our silence. Our silence when our brothers, sisters and children with albinism are being hunted as kalulu or gwape, killed for their bones, abducted and even by own Uncles means we are all in support of the killings.
Without belittling impact of our social media campaign, a terror group bombs a foreign airport and 35 people die, Malawian Facebookers change their faces, mourn and are angry with terrorists. Over 50 albinos killed, they can’t write a single status to condemn the killings. They are the killers themselves.
All of us come from the areas where reports of killings are being reported. We come from Kasungu, we come from Machinga- interestingly two Presidents have come from these two albino killers. I have wondered why the silence from Kasungu, Mulanje and Machinga gurus. Is it guilt by association or we are the real albino hunters.
Imagine, non of the vocal Civil Society thinks it high time to hold demonstrations in all districts against killing of persons with albinism. Imagine our churches who can call for national prayers against homosexuality pretend nothing is going amiss in Malawi today.
To me, killing an albino is okey than having gay people. The media too is part of this. The way they cover gay peoples stories even staged attacks and the way they have covered the killings of fellow human beings.
I will not apologise to anyone for thinking everyone who has access to social media or is a leader either in politics, church, mosque or civil society, chief or even Rastafarians and all of us are albino killers.
Imagine Chiefs if it was something to do with PAC calling the President to resign, we could have had long broadcasts of condemnation against the poor organisation which looks confused to some of us.
As long as there is no national movement to stop albino killings, we are all complicit to their death and we should not blame gays, whom we condemn loudly when calamities befell us. The God-fearing tag is wearing thin and we are becoming a joke of the world, known as murderers.
The belief that money can come from witchcraft, superstition or some spiritual form is a joke for some foolish and gullible people. Tell your uncles, aunties and all village folks, money is printed at Reserve Bank and each bank note has a serial number.
There is no miracle money, just as there is not money from albino bones. You work hard and you earn your money. Each note serial note is traceable. Even prayers from any ‘Pastorprenuer’ cannot rain money. If they can, let us meet at a Stadium and let money rain from sky, I will worship them.
Tell your wards, albinism is a skin condition. The bones and body organs are the same. People with albinism have donated hearts, livers and kidneys to people with normal skins. None has turned. They have donated blood, none has changed the recipient into an albino. We are all human.
For our media, it should remind us that we have been on this path as before. We have had womens breasts cut off in Chiradzulo for riches, nobody got rich. We lost nine women. Then someone invented that male organs, especially big ones for those aged 18 to 40 could fetch you a car. Poor gondolisi lovers had their penises and balls cut off, most of them got rotten before any buyer could be found.
We then had selling of children. This too ended in misery for perpetrators.
I am thinking that after we hunt and kill all albinos, killing people with bald heads could also make us rich. Imagine the biggest and brightest solar panels belong to Dr. Hetherwick Ntaba at Kamuzu Palace and Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda. I know many friends who are now in bald head hiding solar panels, but at the rate we get excited by all stupid suggestions of how to get quickly, solar panels could be the next gold mine.
If you are not an albino hunter, raise the awareness, speak to your village folks, organise prayers, rallied and demonstrations. Let there be a pastoral letter in all churches, music concerts and all the noise we do against gays or terrorist to guarantee that all those with such intentions know Malawians are angry with them. If I don’t see a post on your social media, you are an albino hunter period.
Dzuka my Malawi, money only comes from hard work. That’s why is distressing to hear that Boxing Association of Malawi and Basketball Association of Malawi have sent a collective request of MWK76 million to Prophet Bushiri. Which basketball or which boxing these thieves represent, I am yet to see if we have ashamed faces.
In the same vein, let me pay tribute to late Ulemu Teputepu who was a journalist and died on 30thApril in South Africa. I grew up with Ulemu in Zomba and later our careers made us meet again. He might have not gone to the highest levels of journalism but his passion was evident. He was the only journalist to be granted interview by Pastor Hastings Salanje of “embarrassed blessings riches.” Go well young man. Greet our departed leaders and tell them we are now hunting albinos for riches….
President Mutharika welocmes members of Red Cross[/caption]
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President Peter Mutharika meets Malawi Red Cross Society officials during the inauguration of 2016 Flag week at Kamuzu Palace on Friday (C)Stanley Makuti[/caption]
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President Peter Mutharika makes his donation to the Malawi Red Cross after the inauguration of the flag week at Kamuzu Palace on Friday (C) Stanley Makuti[/caption]
He was speaking on Friday at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe when he officially launched the 2016 Red Cross Flag Week.
Mutharika said Malawi and the world at large are in a better place today because of some of the work that humanitarian organizations like the Red Cross movement carried out among the communities.
The President said he was greatly pleased with the role that Malawi Red Cross Society was doing in improving lives of vulnerable people in the country despite its numerous challenges.
“Last year we experienced extensive flooding in a number of districts and Red Cross successfully supported the victims. However, I am informed that the Society is facing many financial challenges in carrying out its humanitarian work in the country.
“This is attributed mainly to two things: the world financial crisis that has affected most donors, and the withdrawal of government funding to the Malawi Red Cross Society in 1994.
“Let me therefore appeal to all Malawians, to please begin to volunteer your time, resources, or talents for charitable, educational, or other worthwhile activities, for the sake of others, for our umunthu,” the President said.
In his speech the President described volunteering as one sure way of serving humanity.
“ Volunteering is at the heart of governance and good citizenship. I therefore appeal to all Malawians, to please begin to volunteer your time, resources, or talents for charitable, educational, or other worthwhile activities, for the sake of others, for our umunthu. If we have many volunteers in our villages and towns, we will be responding better when there is need for intervention,” said President Mutharika who is Malawi Red Cross Society Patron.
He hailed Red Cross for its unceasing contribution to humanitarian endeavors since the year 1863.
The Red Cross, the world’s largest and oldest humanitarian organization, was founded in 1863 by a Geneva businessman, Henri Dunant, in response to the suffering of injured soldiers abandoned on the battlefield of Solferino in northern Italy.
Since then, it has grown to become the largest humanitarian organization in the world with millions of volunteers and employing thousands of workers across the world.
In Malawi Red Cross was formed as a national humanitarian society by Act of Parliament number 51 of 1966 and has over the years helped vulnerable societies mainly during natural disasters such as floods.
The theme for this year’s flag week is “Humanity everywhere for everyone”
Levison Changole, President of the Malawi Red Cross Society said the organization has been able to reach to over 1 million people where it has managed to build stronger communities through community based health care, water sanitation and hygiene, first aid as well as disaster risk management.
Changole said, if well supported, the organisation could go beyond the numbers and reach out to every needy Malawian.
“We are financially constrained but if we could be given enough resources am sure that we can go far and beyond,” he said.
The Red Cross President then appealed to the Malawi leader to direct government to resume annual subvention so that it can amicably responds to the national calamities and reach out to the needy.
Mutharika then assured that government will look into the matter.
President Mutharika - a long serving member of Red Cross himself-noted the challenges the organization is facing and called upon stakeholders to offer a helping hand.
The President kick-started the fundraising by donating to Red Cross K1 million. –Additional reporting by Solister Mogha, Mana
Chakwera: No convention in 90 days, court rules[/caption]
Lawyer for the disgruntled members, Wesley Namasala said his clients were not happy with leadership style of party president Lazarus Chakwera whom they accuse of disregarding elected positions in the party and opted to appoint people into positions.
Prior to the court matter, the regional chairpersons wrote the party, alleging that Chakwera was nepotistic as he had appointed into the national executive committee (NEC) people mostly from his native Lilongwe District and removed others when he had no mandate to do so.
The leaders further charged that members of Parliament (MPs) were more powerful than NEC members.
However, soon after the judgement ordering MCP to fill all its positions through elections, the party appealed after it was known that the lawyer Wesley Namasala had no licence.
Delivering the judgement on Friday, Judge Justice Chifundo Kachale ruled that his earlier determination is quashed and MCP will not hold any convention.
Deputy Secretary General in the MCP,Elsenhower Mkaka, said he was very excited that at last justice has taken its course.
Mkaka said the position on the matter is that MCP appealed the judgement on grounds that the lawyer, Namasala of Lincon, Edwards & Co which took the case to court, has no license.
"Let me assure Malawians that the said judgement is no longer valid following the judgement and a party we are very happy," said Mkaka.
According to the Malawi Law Society, it is an offense for someone to practice without Licence.
MCP was being represented by the party director of legal affairs Peter Lewis Chakhwantha of Armstrong Law and company.
Minister Kaliati speaking at the event[/caption]
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Prof Mwanza: In PCL board[/caption]
Press Trust Overseas Limited, a subsidiary of Press Trust Corporation, is amongst the 214 000 offshore companies that were registered by discredited Panama based law firm Mossack Fonseca, documents seen by INK Centre for Investigative Journalism reveal.
Early this month, the International Consortium for Investigative Journalists and its international partners began reporting stories on the leaked 11.5 million documents that shows that the law firm Mossack Fonseca systematically assisted the rich and powerful to hide money and avoid taxes.
The new revelation that a statutory organization, Press Trust Corporation, has used the discredited law firm since 2008 to handle its offshore services is stunning. As a public organization, its financial report and annual reports does not indicate that the company is registered in Tax havens such as British Virgin Islands.
Press Trust Corporation Limited has footprints in companies both listed and unlisted at the Malawi Stock Exchange ranging from banks, telecommunication, beverages and fuel service stations.
The main object of the Trust is to provide funding by way of grants, donations or contributions to any person or institution for charitable purposes which are in the interest and for the benefit of the people of Malawi including for the advancement of their education, health, social welfare and housing, it says on its website.
In the 2015 financial year, the Trust raked in almost US$3 million in revenue but doled out almost US$700,000 in charitable expenditure.
The evidence
Evidence unearthed by INK Centre for Investigative Journalism, Centre for Investigative Journalism Malawi through ICIJ shows that the company was registered in the British Virgin Islands in May 26, 1999. The organization then appointed Switzerland and France based businessperson, Roger Ronald Matthews, to be its first director.
For more than a year Matthews ran the affairs of Press Trust Overseas Limited before seven other Malawians with political connections were appointed in September 14, 2000. Matthews was subsequently appointed the company secretary in July 2014.
The company (PTOL) got off the ground with US$50,000 worth of shares, according to the documents. But, as of March 31st 2014, had net assets of US$5.2 million after it had written off intergroup loans of US$8.7 million.
According to the documents the investments in the global capital and money markets are managed by IMARA Asset Management (Zimbabwe) Limited. IMARA also manages other 300 unnamed entities, mostly from Africa
The directors of the PTOL are persons of considerable influence in Malawi. They include former Members of Parliament and cabinet ministers. According to records provided by ICIJ, on July 17, 2014, the directorship of the organization significantly changed for the first time with former cabinet minister and well-known Malawian politician Prof. Peter Mwanza taking the leadership of the organization as chairperson.
Other directors were, Ben Chidyaonga, George Kayambo, John DS Gray, Esther Chioko and Nancy G Tembo.
Both Mwanza and Ben Chidyaonga ceased to be Press Trustees after serving their maximum two terms of six years each. But they were shifted to Press Corporation Limited board to start other new terms as board members.
The current Press Trust Board has Dr. George Kayambo as Chairperson, Tony Kandiero, Esther Chioko, Nancy G Tembo, Mayer Chisanga, Wilson Chirwa and Jim Nsomba.
While the organization has never mentioned in its official documents that the organization was registered and domiciled in Tax heavens, this week the organization maintained that it was above board and that it has nothing to hide.
“PTOL was never formed secretly neither is it a shell company. PTOL was registered in the British Virgin Islands in 1999 under the International Business Companies Act (CAP 291),” said Chief Executive Officer Patrick Mhango in an emailed response.
Mhango further claimed the Reserve Bank of Malawi approved the foreign subsidiary’s incorporation and basis of operation in 2000. Mhango could not explain why the organization chose to invest in tax havens and not in other jurisdictions.
The PCL oss further piggybacked on PTOL saying it has a clean slate and its accounts are audited by Deloitte Zimbabwe. He however did not back this claim with documentary proof.
Mhango even tried to gag the journalists for use of the documents on PTOL found in the Panama Papers saying they were confidential.
“Indeed, I have never heard of a company sharing its documents such as minutes with the public. Therefore, these will remain confidential to PTOL” he said.
Asked about the rationale behind investing in a tax haven, Mhango said that as far as they are concerned BVI is a credible jurisdiction in which to do business.
He added, “By the way, Press Trust being a public trust does not pay taxes either here in Malawi or indeed anywhere else. Therefore, the objective of PTOL was never to take advantage of the ‘tax heavens’. It was a purely commercial business decision to expand the investments of Press Trust globally in the well-established global capital and money markets”.
Asked about the organization’s association with Mossack Fonseca Mhango claimed ignorance adding that their legal counsels are Obelisk Secretaries Limited.
Press Trust Mauritius operation
Press Trust Overseas Limited, which is 100 percent owned by Press Trust Corporation, is domiciled in Jersey, Channel Island and British Isles but conducts its activities in Mauritius as an investment holding company, according to a copy of the declaration form from Mossack and Fonseca signed by Roger Mathews, Company secretary on 20th May 2015.
Alongside Bermuda and Luxembourg, Mauritius is a recognized tax haven where major Banks stash illicit cash according to non-profits U.S. Public Interest Research Group 
Kalista: Runner up[/caption]
“I can’t wait to get to the next level, the Airtel TRACE Music Star Pan-African competition,” said Ruth.
Judges in the competition; top singers Theo Thomson, Rina and Patience Namadingo all praised the sensation singer and TV personality.
Theo said in a telephone interview with Nyasa Times that in Ruth Chikoleka, “new music star is born in Malawi.”
Namadingo added that Ruth performance was “absolutely star quality”.
Rina also praised Ruth for her “incredible” vocal performance.
The 26 year old TV persoanlity started singing when she was five and first musical experience was with Ron Kenoly.
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Faziri came third[/caption]
She said Airtel Trace Music Star competition has offered her “an opportunity of a lifetime” saying her feeling winning is “ indescribable.”
“I am over the moon with joy,” she said.” It doesn't get any better than this.”
Runner up Kalista Kalaisi, 23, was gracious in defeat, calling her rival " brilliant".
Huge Success
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Red-carpet queen: Fashion guru and pageant organiser Mrs Mable Khoje was clearly feeling confident as she posed for photo at Airtel Trace event[/caption]
Airtel Malawi’s Brands and Communications Manager Isabel Kachinjika said the second edition has been a “keenly competitive” contest and “a huge success. “
Kachinjika said Airtel, will continue to empower Malawians to fully realise their potential.
Airtel Trace Music Star is a breakthrough music competition which has simplified the otherwise tedious auditioning processes that typifies most music competitions.
All participants did was to simply call the short code, recorded a song and one of these five stands the chance of winning a life changing contract with a record label, a mentorship programme with American singer-songwriter Keri Hilson in Atlanta and worldwide media exposure through various TRACE’s platforms.
Airtel is Malawi’s telecommunication network offering unparalleled telecom and lifestyle solutions to its customers.
Equal day as Jabu Linje is in the middle of Civo players...Photo Jeromy Kadewere[/caption]
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Pep talk from Francis Mlimbika to Linje...Photo jeromy Kadewere[/caption]
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Sulom Treasure Tiya Somba Banda presenting man of the match award to Peter Wadabwa of Wanderers-.Photo Jeromy Kadewere[/caption]
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Pofera Jegwe happy with creditable point....Photo Jeromy Kadewere[/caption]
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Jack Chamangwana not pleased with draw -Photo Jeromy Kadewere[/caption]
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Nomads fans frustrated...Photo Jeromy Kadewere[/caption]
Wanderers who are without a win now in three league matches are yet to get maximum points at home as the only victory they registered so far was a 2-1 away win over Silver Strikers on the league opening day.
Coach Jack Chamangwana made four changes to his starting eleven against Cobbe Barracks during the mid-week game with Jaffalie Chande, Alfred Manyozo, Jabulani Linje and Wongani Kaipa coming in for Rafiq Mussa, Amos Bello, Ted Sumani and the suspended Stanley Sanudi.
Despite making tactical changes to the team, the nomads could not live up to their supporter’s expectation and were frustrated by the Jeresi Lufeyo and Nelson Kangunje inspired CIVO.
Lufeyo and Kangunje dominated the mid-field battle in the first 45-minutes and no wonder, Linje and Kaliati were substituted midway into the second half for Amos Bello and Bruno Milanzi respectively.
Wanderer’s players, supporters and technical panel were then left frustrated as CIVO players spent more time on the ground than on the ball during the last quarter of the match.
CIVO lost four players namely Innocent Phiri, Dan Msimuko, Jeres Lufeyo , and Fletcher Bandawe due to injuries which Wanderers Coach Jack Chamangwana called “plastic” and were done deliberately to kill the tempo of the game.
“Am really disappointed if that was their game plan. How can they spend most of the time on the ground faking injuries? That’s not football and I don’t think they deserve to get away with a point. The referee was lean on them and should have punished them severely,” lamented Chamangwana.
In his remarks, CIVO Coach Millias Pofera Jegwe said he was happy with the away point and the performance of his players despite admitting his players had fitness problems.
“Yes my players spent much time on the ground but that wasn’t our game plan. Thank you for making that observation and hope to rectify it. However, am happy with my boys performance and getting away with a point against a strong team like Wanderers is not a mini-achievement,” said the well dressed Jegwe.
The result left Wanderers on 6 points from four games while CIVO are on 5 points from the same number of games.
A student receives his award from TA Chapananga and a certificate from Hay-Pic by Steve Chirombo[/caption]
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Chief Chapananga speaking during the ceremony at Majete-Pic by Steve Chirombo[/caption]
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Learners pose for a group photo with Majete officials-Pic by Steve Chirombo[/caption]
The Manager, Craig Hay made the remarks on Saturday at Majete Schools Essay Competition Award Ceremony which took place at the park’s premises.
Hay said it was high time children understood and valued importance of education and the environment.
“I would like to urge every one of you here to work extra hard in class and study hard for a good education is something you must gain and once gained it stays with you for a life time,” Hay said.
He also commended the learners for having taken part in the essay competition through which he believed learners gained knowledge.
“As children, I hope you will be future leaders in your areas and that you should be able to talk to your family and friends on the best impacts that come as a result of taking care of the environment. I would like also to thank the good structures, the mutual relationship that has existed between Majete and the surrounding communities for the betterment of the park,” said Hay.
On his part, Traditional Authority Chapananga who is Chairperson for the Joint Liaison Committee for Majete who was also guest of honour during the ceremony called on people’s participation to restore the environment.
He said it was necessary that everyone took the message about taking care of the environment and safeguarding the park.
Primary Education Advisor (PEA) for Chikonde Zone, Tobias Tembo said his office was happy with the competition Majete organizes yearly.
“As education office we thank Majete for coming up with this competition because it adds value to what teachers do in class. This helps learners participate in activities both in class and outside classes. This is so because the titles given to learners help them to study more and they do vast research and are able to unveil a lot of issues even outside their areas,” said Tembo
He added that Majete Park has assisted the surrounding areas in the provision of school infrastructures among others.
On environment, Tembo said that the interventions made by Majete help kids to grow with a spirit of taking care of the environment.
Majete Schools Essay Competition Award Ceremony is annual program where learners in the surrounding schools are provided with tittles on restoring environment to develop poems, essays, compositions among others.
Winners, both girls and boys from secondary schools and primary schools usually go home with various prizes such as Majete branded golf shirts, school bags, 10 A4 hard covers, mathematical instruments and a certificate of recognition among many other prizes.
Uladi: DPP is just offering lip service over crackdown on albino killings[/caption]
According to the PP acting President Uladi Mussa the government is merely doing lip service on long string of murders.
“The DPP government has failed to provide security for people with albinism in the country, this is because of lacking strong strategic plan rather than just making noise,” said Mussa.
He said: “What government should do is to start registering the number of albinos as well as knowing their locations at district level and deployed security personnel temporarily to their nearby areas.”
Mussa argued that unless government knows the number of people with albinism and their respective homes such evil malpractice shall not end.
He further asked President Peter Muthalika to assign the vibrant person to run the Ministry of Internal Affairs rather than the current one – Jappie Mhango.
Mutharika announced a plan to protect the albinos in the country which includes a directive to all the security agencies in Malawi to be on high alert, with the goal of arresting and punishing the perpetuators.
However, Mussa argued that the said security agencies are not found in the rural areas where the people continue murdering albinos for their body parts.
Ikponwosa Ero, a UN expert on albinism, who visited Malawi recently said it is ‘an emergency, a crisis disturbing in its proportions’ for people with the condition, who face being killed to be used in witchcraft.
She explained that some people believe their body parts ‘can increase wealth, make businesses prosper or facilitate employment’.
‘Even in death, thy do not rest in peace as their remains are robbed from graveyards,’ she added.
Because of these beliefs, Ero said, there are disturbing financial incentives for people to murder people with albinism. ‘Malawi is one of the world’s poorest countries and the sale of body parts of persons with albinism is believed to be very lucrative.’
The problem extends beyond Malawi’s borders, however. Albino people are also killed for their body parts in several other African countries.
Kondowe: Muluzi case will continue to its logicl conclusion[/caption]
Kondowe said no decision has been made to drop the corruption charges despite that the lead prosecutor Reyneck Matemba recused himself from the case and it has been draining money close to K1.7billion yet the state simply has no objective material evidence that Muluzi was siphoning from state coffers during his decade as leader of the nation.
Muluzi, who ruled the southern African country between 1994 and 2004, and his co-accused, his former personal assistant Lyness Violet Whisky,stand acc used of diverting at least US$ 13 million of what the State had claimed was donor money meant for various government development projects to his personal accounts.
He denies the charges, and vehemently alleged they were pressed on him for political persecution by his successor Bingu wa Mutharika.
Court documents seen by Nyasa Times shows there is no evidence of donor aid money going into Muluzi account or siphoning of public funds.
Director for the state corruption-busting body, Kondowe said despite lead prosecutor Matemba has opted out of the case on “personal grounds”, the bureau will pursue further the matter.
He said they will put whatever material they have before court to decide, if it is not suffici ent enough they will acquit him and it's sufficient enough they will c onvict him.
‘‘The bureau will map the way forward after reviewing the case with the legal team,’’ Kondowe said, as quoted in the press.
He insisted the case will continue.
However, Judge Mclean Kamwambe, will hear the State on how they want to proceed on May 12 before ruling on whether to discharge the case as applied by defence team led by Tamando Chokotho.
Chokhotho asked the court to discharge the Muluzi arguing the State had no prosecutorand that in criminal proceedings, there is a requirement that matters must have specific dates and that they must be heard within those specific dates.
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Lipenga: Rumoured to be behind Talking Blues[/caption]
Talking Blues column under the pseudo name, Mapwiya Muulupale was first published the column in the Daily Times of 29th April, 2016 and repeated it on Friday 6th May, 2016.
According to sources, Lipenga, a former literature lecturer at Chancellor College in the University of Malawi is the brains behind the column.
Lipenga reportedly approached the Times Group with the column proposal which has gotten the nod of management to appear in the Daily Times every Friday.
The former minister, currently jobless after losing his Phalombe East Constituency in 2014 to an independent candidate Amos Mailosi was first said tipped to take up the post as Managing Editor of Times Group which is now headed by versatile George Kasakula.
In his inaugural column and the second one last Friday, ‘Mapwiya Muulupale’, took to town
attacking the personality of Malawi President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika and his administration.
The author apparently uses another pseudo email 
Albert Chigoga[/caption]
The award, which is one of the biggest international recognitions for organisational quality in the world, was made by Business Initiative Directions (BID).
Mitra, the marketing research firm based in Blantyre, specialises in helping client companies come to some of the most important decisions in business by providing high quality, relevant and properly weighted information, which is gathered according to the highest industry standards.
BID said Mitra was considered because the company utilises a number of techniques to gather raw information, including sending interviewers out in the field to interact with people face to face.
"Door-to-door questionnaires and interviews provide insights that only boots-on-the-ground can accomplish in Malawi, and Mitra has the gumption and expertise to ask the right questions and determine a representative sample," BID said.
"Many of the biggest international firms doing business in Malawi rely on Mitra for performing research in the country. Mammoth global firms such as Carlsberg, Airtel, Unilever and Coca-Cola are counted alongside some of the biggest domestic organisations such as Malswitch, National Bank of Malawi and First Merchant Bank as clients of Mitra.
"Mitra has a reputation for delighting clients and performing excellent work, and much of this is due to the firm’s dedication to developing and adhering to its quality management policies.
"The company’s quality techniques derive from its core belief that 'highly satisfied clients are key stakeholders in the growth of the firm', and this principle is apparent in everything that it does.
"Research teams are thoroughly trained, all information gathering is done according to the highest standards, and new research tools are thoroughly pretested by the teams, incorporating input and insights from both senior and junior researchers," BID said in its explanation for recognising Mitra.
Mitra was formed in 2005 by Albert Lawrence Chigoga who had been working as a market researcher for more than 10 years, doing consultancy work with organisations from Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Kenya and the USA.
"As opportunities continued to grow, local corporate organisations did not want to continue dealing with an individual to manage their research projects," Chigoga said. "I, therefore, decided the need to register a company.
"Organisations lacked market research supplier with serious focus on quality and robust services. I, therefore, felt the drive to rise to the ocassion in order to make a difference by providing our clients with robust, high quality and satisfactory market research services.
"This has been our mainstay in the business. Presently, our company has a full board of directors chaired by Mercus Chigoga, an international marketer and brand strategist with vast experience in working with FMCGs, Telekom and banking sectors," said Chigoga.
Chigoga said he was very humbled to be recognised by such a reputable international organisation, whose primary activity is business communication orientated towards quality, excellence and innovation in management.
Spain-based BID is a private and independent organisation founded in 1984. It is a leader in the broadcasting of quality culture, BID recognises those companies and organisations which lead the most important activities in the business world, and is considered the founding organisation in the broadcasting of the Culture of Quality, Excellence and Innovation in 179 countries.
"The trophy symbolises a pledge to the principles of Quality Culture. The QC100 Total Quality Management Model, together with the Quality Mix program, media coverage of the convention and its impact on the community and business sector, create an unmatched platform for continuous improvement within the organisation and awareness of the achievements of the company at an international level.
"Awards are given only to those who are committed to improving their Quality Culture based on the principles of the QC100 Total Quality Management Model. Candidates are proposed by the leaders of previously awarded companies who they consider worthy of the award," BID said.