Liberian Sirleaf calls Joyce Banda a Dear Sister and Friend

President Johnson- Sirleaf has  congratulated Madam Joyce Banda for her ascendency to the position of President of the Republic of Malawi as Africa’s second female president, reports The Liberian Times

The Liberian leader who addressed her Southern African counterpart as Dear Sister and Friend stated: “I am exceedingly heartened that another illustrious female has assumed the highest political position in an African state. I pray that God will grant you wisdom to steer the affairs of the state and unite the people of Malawi as you join us in moving our continent to a nobler destiny.”

Meanwhile, President Ellen Johnson- Sirleaf has sent a message of condolence to the Government and People of the Republic of Malawi following the death of Former President Bingu wa Mutharika who died last Thursday as a result of a reported heart failure.

According to a Foreign Ministry release, President Johnson-Sirleaf, on behalf of the Liberian Government, extended heartfelt condolences to her new Malawian counterpart, Joyce Banda, and through her to the Government and people of Malawi, particularly the bereaved family for the irreparable loss sustained.

“The late President Bingu wa Mutharika will be remembered as an astute statesman and an ardent advocate for African unity and development”, the Liberian leader stated in a letter addressed to the new Malawian leader, Madame Joyce Banda.

President Johnson-Sirleaf prayed that as Liberians join the people of Malawi in mourning this sad national loss, the Almighty God will grant them fortitude as they go through the period of bereavement.

The new Malawian leader becomes the second female African Head of State after Liberia’s President Johnson-Sirleaf.

The White House Speaks Out on Malawi: Statement by NSC Spokesman Tommy Vietor

 White House has  Released this Statement just now, its the first time America is speaking out on Mutharika's passing, i think...i will not write a story, i have just yanked the whole statement...

 

"The United States extends its condolences to the people of Malawi and the family of President Bingu wa Mutharika following his recent passing, and we welcome today’s announcement that Vice President Joyce Banda was sworn in as President.  By following constitutional procedures for this transition, the government and people of Malawi have reaffirmed their commitment to democratic principles and demonstrated the critical importance of sound democratic institutions.  We stand with the people of Malawi during their time of mourning, and look forward to deepening the partnership between our nations."

Questions Mutharika Should Answer Even in Death

Found this document on: http://www.scribd.com/doc/88398005 

I have only reproduced it...

(A) What hugely profitable beneficial trusts does Mutharika have (as allowed him by Section 88(4)) that have allowed him to accumulate such immense wealth to afford him the following?

a)     Build a K14B Ndata house

b)     Acquire a $18m Presidential villa and yatch in Portugal

c)      A lavish expenditure of K200M on his 78^th birthday

d)     Acquisition of a $60m hotel in Portugal through the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM)

e)     Extending a K400M loan to Mulli Brothers Ltd to purchase Bestobell through Malawi Savings Bank (MSB) at Ginnery Corner in Blantyre

f)       Purchase of a K300M Lonhro house in Limbe

g)     To act as surety to Mulli Brothers Ltd’s overdraft facilities with MSB (K5B), NBM (K2.5B), NBS (K2B), First Merchant Bank (K1.2B) and Stanbic Bank (K0.8B)

h)     Money for building a K1.8B mausoleum for his late wife, Ethel

i)       Acquisition of K20B worth of shares in Zimbabwe Commercial Bank

j)       Purchase of a personal K65M Maybach Benz (sent to his farm in Zimbabwe)

k)     Purchase 150 Toyota pick-ups for his party DPP valued at K400M

l)       A lavish expenditure of K350M on his April 2010 first wedding anniversary to Callista

m)  A K7.8B IndeBank  joint account with President Robert Mugabe

n)     Purchase a K38M house in Nyambadwe on August 24, 2010 (from Shanil Muluzi)

o)     K100M February 2010 valentine celebrations

(B) Mutharika would be in a better position to Educate the Malawi Nation on how the below listed unlawful transactions have helped advance the requirements of Prudent Economic Management (as per Section 13(n) of the Constitution) and Sustained Public Trust and Good Governance (as per Section 13(o) of the Constitution):

a)     Mutharika draws K50M from Malawi Savings Bank every two weeks for his personal use

b)     Mutharika got K200M from Reserve Bank of Malawi to buy maize for Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe

c)      Mutharika instructed the sale of the old presidential jet without the approval of the National Assembly

d)     Mutharika instructed MRA to surrender 10% of MRA’s revenue to DPP 2014 Campaign

e)     Mutharika instructed ESCOM to give Mulli Brothers Ltd K160M to buy Chitakale Estate

f)       Mutharika has allowed the Chinese nationals in the country to externalize forex without undue restrictions

g)     Mutharika instructed the transfer of K5B from Treasury to Masangwi’s shipping company

h)     Mutharika instructed Press Trust and National Bank of Malawi to deposit to his personal account K70M every month

i)       Mutharika instructed government to send 8 vehicles and 4 tractors (that Malawi government received fro the government of Libya) to his farm in Zimbabwe

j)       Mutharika instructed the Reserve Bank of Malawi  to lend the government of Zimbabwe $30m  at a time Malawi was experiencing an acute shortage of forex

k)     Mutharika instructed Treasury to deposit K60M to Malawi Savings Bank to be used towards wooing and silencing NGOs

l)       Mutharika fraudulently pocketed K1.6B through his FBM account from money meant for preparation for 2009 general elections

m)  Mutharika draws K20M allowance each time he makes an internal trip (or on ‘government project’ tours)

n)     Mutharika instructed the Reserve Bank of Malawi to extend to his wife Callista a loan of K160M

o)     Mutharika instructed  government to give his wife Callista a K2M allowance each time she travels away from station

p)     Mutharika instructed the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi to transfer $6m  to his Zimbabwe account

q)     Mutharika fraudulently benefited to the tune of K3.8B  from MTL Privatization proceeds

r)      Mutharika diverted $8m given to the government of Malawi by the government of Taiwan for the Army and Police Marine at Monkey-bay

s)      Mutharika diverted a $50m loan from Taiwan authorized by the National Assemblyfor the construction of the National Assembly

t)      Mutharika instructed government topping of K10M over every Safe Motherhood function

u)     Mutharika set the salary for his wife Callista at K1.3M per month for doing charity work which previously was not salaried work

Section 13(o) of the Constitution requires the President to put in place effective measures which will ‘guarantee accountability, transparency, personal integrity and financial probity’ to strengthen and ensure sustained Public Faith & Trust and Good Economic Governance.    There is ample evidence of financial malpractice by President where existing financial control instruments and systems were deliberately thwarted and frustrated.

(C)   Mutharika would, again, be in a better position to Educate the Malawi Nation on how the below listed corrupt decisions have helped  to subordinate his self-interests to the interests of the people of Malawi in the running of the affairs of the nation (as per Section 88(5) of the Constitution)

a)     Mutharika accepted the selling of Chikangawa Forest to Mulli Brothers Ltd

b)     Paladin Mining Company is depositing $5m every quarter to Mutharika’s Australia account

c)      Mota-Engil is giving Mutharika 50% of all contract proceeds through his Portugal account

d)     Mutharika accepted the award of a K6B government stationary supply contract to Mulli Brothers Ltd (without tender )

e)     Mutharika accepted the award of a K4B government fertilizer subsidy supply contract to Mulli Brothers Ltd (without tender)

f)       Mutharika accepted the award of an K11B government petrol & diesel supply-by-tanker contract to Mulli Brothers Ltd (without tender)

g)     Mutharika accepted the award of a K200M  supply of foods-to-prisons contract in Malawi to Mulli Brothers Ltd (without tender)

h)     Mutharika instructed the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi to offer Mulli Brothers Ltd a $8m loan on February 24, 2011

Section 88(5) of the Constitution forbids the President from using his office for personal gain or placing himself in situations where his material interests conflict with the responsibilities and duties of his office.   The onus is on the President to assure the nation his actions are above suspicion and innocent. 

Malawians take in Gadaffi‘s capture

There is jubilation amongst Malawians as news from Sirte has it that Gaddafi was captured a while ago, with many people seeing it as a good omen for a hopeful Malawi which is undeniably becoming a new Libya.

Aljazeera is in fact reporting that he has been killed but the US state Department cannot independently confirm both the capture and the death of the deposed military leader of the oil rich nation.

Malawians over  the cyber sphere are eager to see what this means for Malawi, already Zimbabweans are tweeting that Mugabe should be next and a few Malawians are saying that Malawi should be the next one since Bingu has become a Gadaffi of some reputation.

“It shows that the world is running out safe heavens for dictators. We have one in #Malawi,” said Jimmy Kainja, a passionate academician and blogger

Many University Students see it as a triumph for US greed with many saying that the capture means that America will easily swindle Libya’s oil; this view is also that of many of Gadaffi’s loyalists.

Steven Sharra, another blogger, when asked to comment on Gaddafi said: “They wanted him dead so top secrets would get buried with him. This is no justice”

All in all Malawians still see a bleak future ahead especially because many believe that the international community doesn’t care about countries with no oil a view shared by some Zimbabweans on twitter.

And as the picture of his capture gets clearer by the day, one wonders how Mutharika is swallowing the news as many people the latest and most vocal being the four arrested FDD activists, have been calling him dictator.

Police “interrogate” Poly registrar

Nyasa Times Investigations reveal that three Policemen in civilian wear on Tuesday stormed The Malawi Polytechnic to question college  administrators on the existence of a political pressure group, a move some students called illegal and contrary to the Kampala Declaration among other Laws granting academic freedom.

“They come to ask about the Youth for Freedom and Democracy (YFD) whose scathing publication The Weekly Political Update has already seen police arrest some of the YDF members,” said our source, “but this is exactly what caused the impasse at Chanco, universities are not police training grounds, they are a holy place.”

This comes a day after Police raided the home of 21 year old Black Moses, president of YDF whisking him away to an unknown location where he is apparently being question over the publication which is a one-paged numbered prose that uses critical language against Mutharika’s authoritarian rule.

The police came to the Poly because YDF has members at the campus and the move shows that the police are tracking owners of numbers that are on the publication.

In a separate incident, the college officials were also accused by Police of opening the college before September 21 so that the students should participate in the mass demonstrations. But one administrator shot down the allegation and called it “stupid,” pointing out that the opening date was selected and put on the academic calendar long before the Vigils were announced.

“Something is wrong with the police, they are suddenly interested in running universities now?” said the administrator.

This week’s 6^th edition of the ‘Political Update’ alleged that Mutharika has set aside K40 million to counter the September 21 slated mass acts against his administration.

The Monday paper also alleged that Mutharika has used the US$100 million he borrowed from PTA bank to buy fuel, that Kayerekera Uranium mine is depositing about  K14 million to Mutharika’s account, that RBM’s Perks Ligoya and business tycoon Mulli jointly own a fat account in Dubai, that the presidential jet was briefly impounded in the US and that two army pilot trainees were sent back from America and that the secretary to the treasury has so far extorted K16 million from investors on DPP’s behalf.

“The YFD are in touch with the DPP plan of action as how police will use torture people  to extract and coax some to give false evidence  to cover up the petrol bombings of Sembereka’s house and IPI offices,” reads part of the document continuing to allege that Mulli brothers are funding police to cover up the crimes.

Asked how the group gets its info, the unmoved vice president said that his group has links  going all the way to the inner sanctum of the DPP that smuggle information through another source [name withheld]

“We are the guys that revealed the names of the guys that burnt IPI offices, we are also the guys that broke the news that government had imported panga knifes for DPP youth ‘cadets,’ we are well connected,” said the source.

Police raid youth man’s home over revolutionary publication

Mutharika’s campaign against dissent is certainly at its crescendo with the latest midnight raid on the house of one Black Moses, president of the fast rising Youth for Freedom and Democracy (YFD) publishers of the whistle-blowing- one-A4-paged publication called “The Weekly Political Update.”

Vice President of YDF, a University of Malawi student alerted Nyasa Times of the arrest which comes a day after a scathing 6^th edition of the publication which among other issues  alleged that Mutharika has set aside K40 million to counter the September 21 slated mass acts against his administration.

The Monday paper also alleged that Mutharika has used the US$100 million he borrowed from PTA bank to buy fuel, that Kayerekera Uranium mine is depositing about  K14 million to Mutharika’s account, that RBM’s Perks Ligoya and business tycoon Mulli jointly own a fat account in Dubai, that the presidential jet was briefly impounded in the US and that two army pilot trainees were sent back from America and that the secretary to the treasury has so far extorted K16 million from investors on DPP’s behalf.

“The YFD are in touch with the DPP plan of action as how police will use torture people  to extract and coax some to give false evidence  to cover up the petrol bombings of Sembereka’s house and IPI offices,” reads part of the document continuing to allege that Mulli brothers are funding police to cover up the crimes.

Asked how the group gets its info, the unmoved vice president said that his group has links  going all the way to the inner sanctum of the DPP that smuggle information through another source [name withheld]

“We are the guys that revealed the names of the guys that burnt IPI offices, we are also the guys that broke the news that government had imported panga knifes for DPP youth ‘cadets,’ we are well connected,” said the source.

The publication which employs all approaches one would expect from Kamplepo Kaluwa does not hide the authors, with the owners openly listing their numbers on it. This is what is raising fears that police have started smoking out the youths by tracking the phone numbers.

Black Moses, 21, was arrested at his home at Chikapa in Chirimba at around midnight and is being kept at Blantyre police; it is not known what charges he has been slapped with.

“We want the nation to know this, Moses is a political prisoner, all we do is write what we investigate and we write what we know is true.”

NGO's And Civil Society Call For ICC Investigations and Prosecution On July 20 Killings

HUMAN RIGHTS CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE (HRCC),  MALAWI  CONGRESS OF TRADE UNIONS (MCTU ) , PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (PAC),  CHURCH AND SOCIETY OF LIVINGSTONIA SYNOD, CHURCH AND SOCIETY NKHOMA OF  SYNOD,  CIVIC AND POLITICAL SPACE PLATFORM, THE CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF PEOPLE (CEDEP) AND CENTRE FOR HUMAN  RIGHTS AND REHABILITATION (CHRR)

CALL FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC) FOR INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTE 20^TH JULY KILLINGS.

1^st  August,  2011/Lilongwe Malawi

Press Statement

The Civil Society Organizations in Malawi which organized the 20^th July 2011 national demonstration would like to make a special call to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague to investigate and possibly prosecute His Excellency Professor Bingu wa Mutharika, Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security Hon Aaron Sangala and Inspector General Of Police, Peter Mukhitho for crimes against humanity in respect to the death of 18 people and serious wounding hundreds of unarmed innocent people during the nationwide demonstration. This request is in line with the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court Article 5 (1) (b).  

We strongly submit that the arbitrary killing of the 18 unarmed demonstrators at the hands of the police is an indication of the unacceptable failure and negligence in our Police System in their duty to safeguarding the lives Malawians as enshrined in the Malawi constitution.

The Malawi Constitution in section 16 guarantees that “….every person has the right to life and no person shall be arbitrary deprived of his or her life….”

The same constitution of Malawi squarely puts the responsibility to safeguard and protect the lives and property of Malawians on the police.

Besides, section 153(1) of the Malawi constitution provides for “…….the protection of public safety and the rights of persons in Malawi according to the prescriptions …” of the same.

The organizing committee therefore fails to comprehend as to where the Police got the mandate to shoot and maim unarmed demonstrators, the very same people it is mandated to protect at all cost.

It is even more disturbing to note that even when the High Court in Lilongwe had lifted the court injunction restraining the demonstrations, some overzealous police officer went ahead to use force and live bullets to shoot at unarmed and peaceful demonstrators. This in direct contrast with the provision of the Malawi constitution which provides in Section 153(3)  that “….in the exercise of their functions, members of the Malawi Police Service shall be subject to the direction of the courts and shall be bound by such orders of the courts….’

Contrary to this the Malawi Police service went ahead to detain, beat up severely leaders of the Civil Society Organizations, Political Party Leaders and journalists injuring Isaac Kambwiri and Amos Gumulira journalists working for the Capital Radio and The Nation Newspaper respectively.

Besides, just to vindicate our fears that the police is being used to perpetrate crimes against humanity, the Commander-in-Chief of the Malawi Police who is also the Sate President said-just two days after the killing of the 18 civilians during the pass out parade of police officer cadets-that he will ‘smoke out’ and deal with all those that organized the 20 July demonstrations.

Malawians especially those that have a contrary view to the ideas being advanced by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led government have become a target of either the police of the DPP youth militias.

Innocent lives have been lost, people continue to live in constant fear of their lives and there is no any assuring words whatsoever from those that we have entrusted with protecting us to protection. The organizers of the 20 July have gone into hiding in fear of their lives.

Notwithstanding the above, we are of the view that the above account clearly constitutes crimes against humanity as provided in article 7 (1) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court proscribing the following:

 (a) Murder; (18 have so far been confirmed dead)

(e)  Imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty in violation of fundamental rules of international law;

(f)  Torture;

(k)  Other inhumane acts of a similar character intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to 

body or to mental or physical health.

Government through the Presidency or Ministry of Home affairs and Internal security have either come in the open to either accept responsibility nor  apologize nor offer some sort of compensation to the lives they arbitrary took from innocent people. Regrettably the Malawi Police Services themselves have issued a statement indicating that they only shot “looters” and they will not be investigating their own officers when they were duly carrying out their protective mandate.

Five days after the killings, wounding, there is neither any talk of instituting an independent investigation to “smoke out” whoever was directly or indirectly involved in shooting innocent people and possibly bring them to book. This only underlines that fact that, in the face of government, the innocent lives lost during the 20 July demonstrations is nothing but just a another statistic. It is also clear that there is unwillingness to investigate and prosecute the police officers who killed the innocent civilians which in accordance with article 17 of the Rome Statute clearly shows satisfaction of the admissibility issues and merits the intervention of the ICC.

Finally, we are also concerned of more violence as reprisals by the government through arbitrary arrests and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) youth cadets who the president called upon to protect him against those who criticize him. In line with all this, the Cadets have been issuing threats to people including riding a four-vehicle-convoy on the eve of the demonstration in the city of Blantyre brandishing machetes whilst singing that they will deal with anyone who criticize the president and government. The President and his ministers have also spoken of the need to “punish” the organizers of the demonstration and President Muthalika warned that NGO leaders will be “smoked out” of their hiding places including from their houses or caves. This shows a regime which is hatching plans to crack down on those who prepared the demonstration as well as those who participated.

In view of this the undersigned, therefore would like to call upon the ICC to come in and institute and investigation, prosecute and bring to book all relevant authorities who failed in their duties to safeguard the lives of the 18 people who died at the hand of the Police Service as well as 41 people who remained admitted in hospital.   We have also attached various photos showing the events of July 20 as well as clearly showing the brutality of the Malawi Police Services.

Endorsed by:-

The Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC)

The Malawi Congress of Trade Union (MCTU)

The Public Affairs Committee (PAC)

Church and Society, Livingstonia Synod

Church and Society – Nkhoma Synod

Civic and Political Space Platform

Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR)

Centre for Development of People (CEDEP)

Britain Warns Mutharika On Violence

Of course Britain might be angry at the loss of domain (and trade?) after Malawi sent its top diplomat packing but this statement from the Foreign Office Minister, Henry Billingham, is well intended, me thinks...

Mutharika delivered his shambles earlier today and only managed to call protesters “satanic” and he also threatened that he “knew those who were behind the demos”...typical of the likes of Assad, Mubarak and Libya’s embattled colonel

Henry Billingham said:

“The ongoing violence and reprisals by elements connected to President Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party underline the concern that the UK has expressed about the state of democratic governance and human rights in Malawi.  This situation is extremely worrying and I offer my sincere condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives. I urge all parties to show restraint.

“The rights of free assembly and expression guaranteed under the Malawian Constitution must be respected.  The UK utterly condemns the threatening behaviour of machete wielding DPP activists and the violent attacks on demonstrators and the media.  I call on President Mutharika to rein in the security forces and elements of his party, and to allow the media to report freely on the situation in the country.  Any attacks or reprisals against demonstrators, opposition leaders or the media are absolutely unacceptable.”

Meanwhile all eyes will be on Benghazi, I mean Mzuzu, the capital city of Northern Malawi as the 7 or so, who died in the protests will be buried...we might not have Imams to instigate us but with the Livingstonia Synod (Mutharika’s clear cut enemy) ripe in that city, am expecting fireworks...God have mercy.

Meanwhile today was a good day for most of the cities...I can’t speak for others but the part of Blantyre that I live was very calm and nowhere near tense...I even went out shopping!

Change Of Demo Route For BT, Plus Demos Now To Cover Whole Malawi

"Dear Readers, Note That Blantyre Route Has Changed"

On The 20^th July, 2011 National Peaceful Demonstrations 

This is to inform all Malawians and various stakeholders that we members of the  Civil Society and concerned citizens have organised peaceful demonstrations to take place on 20^th July 2011 in all the four regions namely: Southern, Eastern, Central and Northern Regions and all Districts from Nsanje to Chitipa.

The peaceful demonstrations have been organized as part of our constitutional right to express alarm regarding the current economic and democratic crises facing Malawi, with the aim of calling for an end to the current poor economic and democratic governance being advanced by the current administration.

The Theme of the Demonstrations is:  Uniting For Peaceful Resistance Against Bad Economic and Democratic Governance – “A Better Malawi Is Possible”

Outline of the Demonstrations is as Follows:-

Southern Region

Starting point: - Start from the Clock Tower in Blantyre thence to the Blantyre District Commissioner's Office to deliver a petition to the DC and ending at the gates of Sanjika Palace where another petition would be delivered for the attention of the State President.

We are calling all Malawians from Ndirande, Chilomoni, Chilobwe, Bangwe, Zingwangwa,Machinjiri, Mbayani, Chileka, Ludzu, all areas and locations to join the demonstration on 20^th July.

Central Region

Starting Point: - From Community Centre Ground through Old Town then Kasungu Highway then to City Centre where speeches will be made.

We are calling all Malawians from Area 25, Kawale, Biwi, Mchesi, Chinsapo, Area 23, 33, 49, 39, Bunda, Likuni,Mugona ,all  Areas and Locations to join the demonstration on 20^th July.

Northern Region

Starting Point: - From Katoto Ground through Town to City Assembly Office where a Petition will be presented.

We are also calling on all Malawians from Zolo Zolo, Katawa, Chiwanja, Mzilawayingwe, Chasefu , all Areas and Locations  to join the demonstration on 20^th July.

District Demonstrations: - Malawians demonstrating in districts we appeal to you to convene at one place and March to the Office of the District Commisioner to present a Petition.

Colour: - We are appealing to all Malawians to put on anything RED on 20^th July wherever they are for this peaceful demonstration. 

If you cannot join and you are a Chief Executive,  Managing Director,  or any other Officer , or working in the Police, Army, and if you are a Civil Servant please release your house servant/gardener on this day of 20^th July.

Note:  This is a peaceful demonstration and we would appeal to all Malawians to be DISCIPLINED during these national wide demonstrations.   Lets us show the authorities that much as they are oppressing and victimizing us we are peaceful and responsible Citizens.

This is your chance to make the difference by being heard and be counted on 20^th July. 

Lastly we sincerely thank the Business Community, Government Officials, Democratic Peoples Party Officials, the Police, Army, City, Local and District Assemblies for the support and understanding   and we look forward to successful and peaceful demonstrations.

COME ONE!  COME ALL! 

“A BETTER MALAWI IS POSSIBLE:”

VIVA DEMOCRACY! 

VIVA STRUGGLE AGAINST OPPRESSION AND DICTATORSHIP  !