Malawi gets financial boost from China

Malawi President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika and his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao just before the talks.

By Samuel Makaka in Shanghai, China

One of Malawi’s closest allies, the Peoples Republic of China has provided over MK3 billion as top up to the projects it is sponsoring in Malawi for any financial problems that may arise due to depreciation or any other problems requiring more expenditure.

This was disclosed when the visiting Malawian leader, Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika met his host, the Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday.

“The Peoples Republic of China has provided about US$22 to 25 million to meet any financial hiccups that may arise in the course of carrying out works on the projects they are financing,” said Kachale adding, this is just to make sure that the projects are finished on time.

Some of the main project the Chinese are financing in Malawi include the Chitipa/Karonga road, the new parliament building in Lilongwe, the five-star hotel project and international conference centre in Lilongwe and the sports complex in the same city, Lilongwe amongst many other projects.

The minister said that following this huge financial assistance from the Chinese, the Malawian President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika had proved his critics wrong when he decided switch ties from Taiwan to the Peoples Republic of China.

When Malawi changed ties about two years ago, there were a lot of skeptics and critics who blamed government for dumping long time ally Taiwan for Mainland China. However, the Mutharika administration put its foot down and justified its move.

Malawi is currently enjoying huge financial help from the Peoples Republic of China.

Kachale also commended President Hu Jintao for being keen in seeing that the Malawi-China relationship grows from strength to strength.

He said the relationship has only been in place for two years but within this short space, already, huge projects are being implemented in Malawi.

On her part, Malawi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Etta Banda said during the discussions, President Dr Mutharika began by condoling his counterpart for the loss of life and property during the earthquake which hit China about three two weeks ago.

She said Dr Mutharika asked the Chinese government to assist Malawi with specialists to do extensive exploration work in Malawi for minerals that exist in this southern African country not known and in unknown quantities.

The minister said Dr Mutharika took advantage of the talks to invite President Hu Jintao to visit Malawi on his next leg of tours to Africa.

The Foreign Affairs Minister has since disclosed that President Hu Jintao has accepted to visit Malawi.

Mugabe celebrates with the Mutharikas

Madame Callista smiling to her beloved husband, Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika.

By Our Reporter

President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Comrade Robert Gabriel Mugabe and applauded his Malawian counterpart and longtime friend, Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa for finding a wife and going through the entire marriage process in order to respect church norms and traditional customs.

President Mugabe accompanied by his wife Grace and other high ranking Zimbabwe government officials arrived in the country through Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) in Lilongwe on Friday and left the country on Saturday soon after the wedding’s church service.

Speaking before departure at KIA after inspecting guard of honour by the Malawi Defence Force (MDF), Mugabe told journalists he was in Malawi to deliver a simple but important message in congratulating President Dr Mutharika on his successful wedding ceremony.

“We came to congratulate the couple for this beautiful occasion which is precious and happens once in everyone’s life. It looks simple but is very deep and that is why we were here,” he said.

President Mugabe said Zimbabweans back home were also cerebrating with President Bingu wa Mutharika’s on his wedding day just as was the case in the Warm Heart of Africa.

He therefore, called on Malawians to support the new family in every activity that will help in uplifting the country.

“To Malawians I would say, well, this is time to celebrate but let’s support the president and the new family as he carries out his official duties,” he said.

Notable figures that welcomed President Mugabe and saw him off at the Airport included, Zimbabwe High Commissioner to Malawi who is also dean of diplomats Thandiwe Dumbushen, Minister of Transport and Public Infrastructure, Khumbo Kachali, Minister of Tourism Wild life and Culture, Anna Kachikho and Foreign Affairs Minister, Professor Etta Banda.

Malawi President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika wedded his beloved wife Callista Chapola in a colourful ceremony that took place at a make-shift church at Civo Stadium in the administrative capital, Lilongwe before a reception at the New State House in the same city-Malawi Digest.

Thousands mourn the late Aleke K.Banda

By Chifundo Gama

Thousands of Malawians, both dignitaries and common people, rich and the poor, Muslims and Christians led by Malawi State President Ngwazi Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika on Thursday mourned Dr. Aleke Kadonaphani Banda, AKB, who until his death was the Executive Chairman of one of Malawi’s leading publishing companies, the Nation Publications Limited, NPL, established in 1993.

Speaking on behalf of The President, Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development Khumbo Kachali lamented that the late Aleke Banda was a good man who always wished Malawi well.

“Dr. Aleke Banda will be remembered as a man who always Malawi and its people well because of the love he had for the nation regardless of his political status,”said Kachali.

He added that State President Ngwazi Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika declared the late Aleke Banda as a nation hero hence the full military honours at the late Aleke Banda’s funeral.

In addition, government under Dr Mutharika last year identified and recognised the Dr. Aleke as a Grand Achiever of National Holder Achievement and bestowed him with an honorary degree under the Mzuzu University.

Masankho Banda, Aleke’s son in his eulogy described his dad as a good and decent man who knew what he had on his heart and knew what he said.

Masankho added that he will remember his father as an honest, humble and hardworking.

“Ever since, my father told us (children) what he had on his heart and we will remember him as a humble, honest and hardworking man not only in Malawi but also in other countries in the world,” said Masankho with grief.

Kachali who is also the ruling DPP deputy president said since 1957 when Dr Mutharika knew the late Dr. Kadonaphani Banda, the two never had any conflicts till his death.

Furthermore, Kachali said President Dr. Mutharika and Malawi government under his leadership made all efforts to save the late Aleke Banda’s life by taking him to a hospital in South Africa that as of December last year, costed government more than MK180m.

Dr Mutharika through Kachali said Aleke will be recognised as one of the national heroes and will not be spared from Malawi’s history.

Through Kachali, Dr Mutharika also thanked Zambia’s First Lady, Madam Thandiwe Banda for being in attendance during the funeral ceremony.

Dr. Aleke Banda who was buried in his own farm in Chirimba, Blantyre died two weeks ago at the Morningside Medi Clinic in South Africa after a four year battle with cancer-Malawi Digest.

Livingstonia Synod hail Mutharika on Aleke

By Lwitiko Wachimwa

The Church and Society Programme of the Livingstonia Synod of Malawi's second largest Christian church, the Church for Central African Presbyterian (CCAP) has applauded the Bingu wa Mutharika administration for giving full military honours to the late veteran politician Aleke Kadonaphani Banda.

This was disclosed by the Executive Director of the Church and Society Programme Moses Mkandawire in an exclusive interview in the northern region city of Mzuzu.

"Aleke Banda was not a mere person; he was one of the politicians who made Malawi what it is today and we should appreciate what the State President and his government have done in honouring him in this way,” he said.

Mkandawire said that the leadership of this country has made the right decision to give him full military honours.

The Church and Society boss described the late AKB as Aleke Banda was commonly known in Malawi as a great politician who played clean politics a behavior he said was admired by many old and upcoming politicians.

“There is no politician in the country who could match Aleke Banda as many people felt good in the manner he conducted himself in both political and social circles” he said.

The NGO chief appealed to Malawian politicians to borrow a leaf from the late Aleke Banda.

"He defeated the concept that politics is for the elderly as he started politics at a tender age of 14,"he said.

On economic development, Mkandawire said late Aleke Banda was very instrumental in establishment of the Press Corporation, the Malawi News and his family owned, the Nation Publications Limited.

Moses Mkandawire further reminded Malawians that Aleke Banda was one of the politicians who came up with the idea of changing the name of the country from Nyasaland to Malawi.

The late Aleke Banda died two weeks ago at a South African hospital after a four year battle with cancer.

His funeral on Thursday last week in the commercial city of Blantyre was attended by a cross-section of people led by the country’s State President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika.

During the funeral ceremony, Transport Minister Khumbo Kachali who spoke on behalf of the State President disclosed that as of December last year, the Malawi government had spent MK180 million in footing the late Aleke Banda’s medical expenses.

It was not yet known as we went to bed what government has spent from January this year up to the time when the late Banda departed from the world two weeks ago.

Government officials were still reported to be reconciling the latest figures spent on the veteran politician-Malawi Digest.

Malawi's First Lady in action

Malawi's in-coming First lady Madame Calista Chapola Chimombo (right) has taken into action as wife to Malawi State President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika. Madame Chimombo, herself a former cabinet minister and distinguished member of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party engaged President Mutharika on 14th February( the Valentines Day), 2010.

The couple is set to get married in the Roman Catholic church on 1st May, 2010.

Waiting for her official marriage day, has not stopped the in-coming Malawi First Lady from getting into action in her new role. Over the weekend, Madame Chimombo was in the tea growing district of Thyolo, southern Malawi where she presided over the launch of a government initiative on family support package for child headed households in Thyolo East.

In the picture, looking on is Women and Children Affairs Minister, Patricia Kaliati and Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister and Member of Parliament for the area, Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika-Malawi Digest.

Malawi's presidential marriage engagement

Malawi State President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika unveiling his beloved wife-to-be Calista Chimombo during their private traditional engagement (chinkhoswe) at the New State in the administrative capital, Lilongwe.

The just engaged couple Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika and Madame Calista Chimombo waving and smiling to the crowd that came to the afternoon feast after their tradition chinkhoswe (engagement) earlier in the day.

The First Lady to-be Madame Calista Chimombo looking and smiling at her husband to-be Malawi State President Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika during afternoon celebrations after the traditional engagement (chinkhoswe) in the morning.
The pick of the traditional engagement (chinkhoswe). Two marriage counsellors (ankhoswe) from the two engaging families exchanging a cock standing for a man (Bingu) and a hen representing the woman (Calista).
Traditional engagement at its best as ankhoswe (counsellors) from Bingu's home village district of Thyolo bringing utensils for Calista's home use.

Ngwazi the AU chair tours Addis office hqs

By William Malimero
In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Malawi State President and Chairperson of the African Union Ngwazi Dr Bingu wa Mutharika, has urged the African Union (AU) secretariat staff to be innovative to ensure that aspirations of Africans are realized.

He was speaking at AU Secretariat in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa on familiarization tour to acquaint himself with activities of the Secretariat on Wednesday.

Dr Mutharika said at the just ended AU summit, a bureau comprising Malawi, Uganda Gabon, Liberia and Libya set priorities and isolated agriculture and food security, transport infrastructure, communication and energy to be priorities among priorities for the AU.

“For the priorities to yield results there is need for the secretariat to work hard for the union to yield results within a short period of time,” he said.

President Mutharika observed that any meaningful development starts with food security and hoped that Africa will achieve that within the coming five years.

“I am optimistic that in five years time no child will die of hunger or go to bed without eating in Africa,” he said.

He also said that transport and infrastructure were important for Africa as food produced need to be transported to the market or other areas of need within Africa and beyond.

He noted that most African countries construct roads of no direction as most of them fail to link with their neighbours.

“It is time we make our transport network, be it roads, railway or airline have a purpose. It is sad to note that some countries in African can only be reached though Europe. For how long are we going to go through that,” wondered Dr Mutharika.

He, therefore, advised the Secretariat that as they are entrusted in running the affairs of the AU they should consider linking Africa so that mobility of people and commodities can be eased.

President Dr Mutharika also said that Africa need to improve its communication facilities to ensure that services are improved.

“I note with sadness that when one want to communicate with countries in Europe faces not problem but when it is countries within Africa there are a lot of intermissions,” he observed-Malawi News Agency.