Alex Banda

DODMA Bails Out NkhataBay Destitutes

The Department of Disaster Management Affairs- DoDMA has bailed out about 52 families whose houses and property were torched in a fierce fight between two villages over land (fishing beach) which saw two people killed last Monday in NkhataBay.

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Published in News In Northern Region

MEC Sets November 10 for By-Elections

The Malawi Electoral Commission MEC has settled for November 10, 2020, as the day to conduct by-elections in some five constituencies and Makhuwira South Ward in Chikwawa district under strict Covid-19 prevention procedures.

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Published in News In Northern Region

Ex-JTI Employees Accuse Company of Labour Related Abuses

Some former employees of JTI Leaf Malawi Limited and JTI International are demanding that the major tobacco buyer be stripped off its accolade as Top Employer of the Year for violating labour laws and that government should intervene on human rights abuses of its employees in Malawi.

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Health Rights Activist Challenges Government on Recruitment of Front-line Health Personnel

Front-line health worker carrying out a Corona Virus test on a client

A renowned Public Health Expert and Rights Activist Dorothy Ngoma has challenged government to urgently iron out concerns in the recruitment of front-line health personnel charged to contain further spread of COVID-19.

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ECM Denounces Zimbabwe Crackdown, Joins Sister Assembly in "Solidarity" Prayer

Protesters in Zimbabwe Calling for the Worlds Attention

Heads of the Catholic Church in Malawi under the banner Episcopal Conference of Malawi ECM, have joined their sister Assembly the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference in solidarity to denounce the social-economic ills facing Zimbabweans amid the political tension and crisis in the country.

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HRDC Challenges Chakwera on SADC Regional Matters Approach

The Human Rights Defenders Coalition HRDC has cautioned President Lazarus Chakwera against skirting around on issues of Human Rights and Safeguarding the civic space among the Southern African Development Community SADC member states, once he assumes the leadership as chairperson of the regional block.

Before the SADC annual summit for heads of state and government was held virtually on Monday, Director for East and Southern Africa human rights body, Amnesty International Deprose Muchena, made a special appeal to the leaders.

Muchena said, “A number of countries in the SADC region are experiencing alarming human rights violations and abuses threatening peace and stability and hindering the response to COVID-19. In Zimbabwe, authorities have stepped up a crackdown on dissenting voices with state security forces unleashed on activists, human rights defenders, journalists and opposition supporters".

Ironically, the leaders skirted around the issues in the region only to celebrate the 40 years of SADC existence and paying special tribute to the founding fathers.

HRDC National Coordinator Luke Tembo expressed dissatisfaction with how the SADC heads of State avoided denouncing the Zimbabwe crackdown by security agencies.

“We don’t want SADC to be reduced to a talk show where we don’t see tangible results. Of what benefit will SADC be to its citizens if it does not take its rightful role is making sure that countries and leaders from the member states respect the rule of law and human rights” Tembo said.

However, President Lazarus Chakwera a rookie in SADC has chosen to play it safe on the foreign policy matters.

His press secretary Brian Banda told us, Chakwera will engage the Zimbabwean leader Emerson Mnangagwa through diplomatic channels.

“The president is treating the matter in Zimbabwe as an internal matter there, He is using diplomatic channels to engage the Zimbabwean president, it’s the presidents (Chakwera’s) intention not to add fuel to an already intense situation” said Banda.

Before being elected president, Chakwera was seemingly an ardent human rights defender as on several occasions he took part in street protests, over perceived poor governance and human rights abuses by his predecessor Peter Mutharika.

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Published in News In Northern Region

New Police IG Promises Better Services

The newly appointed Inspector General of Police Dr George Kainja has revealed deficiencies at the law enforcement agency which are hampering efforts to curb rising corruption among officers and effectively respond to crime in the country.

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Mzuzu Based Law Firm Demands Allocation of Judges to Mzuzu Registry

A law firm based in Mzuzu has written President Lazarus Chakwera and Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda demanding the appointment and allocation of judges to the Mzuzu Registry and also the establishment of a commercial court registry.

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MEC to Hold By-elections in Four Constituencies

The Malawi Electoral Commission MEC has disclosed it is strategizing for by-elections in some four constituencies including Lilongwe North-West where President Lazarus Chakwera was Member of Parliament.

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Nkhata Bay Head of Health Declares Covid-19 Positive Status

The Director of Health and Social Services (DHO) for Nkhata Bay Dr. Mwatikonda Mbendera has come out as the first senior public health official to declare his COVID-19 status after testing positive.

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