Lulu confirmed to Nyasa Times that he has formed The Mathumela Band because he considers himself to be of age in the music industry.

“The idea to come up with a band stems from the fact that I have learnt a lot from Lucius Banda, having played with him for some time. I believe now it’s time to taste the waters and see what the future holds for me,” Lulu told Nyasa Times.

The singer said he has left the Zembani band on good terms with Lucius Banda.

“There are no disagreements with Lucius or that there is no bad blood between us. It’s purely a career move that I am taking to explore own abilities as an artist and see how far I can’ expand this envelope,” he said.

The singer said the Mathumela band comprises veteran musicians and some budding singers.

He said he will now record music under the brand – Lulu and The Mathumela Band.

“I have gone into a management agreement with Phingo Projects- which is a local management company. Phingo Projects is a well established professional management company that will help me to establish myself as a solid brand in Malawi.

“Apart from promoting me, Phingo Projects will manage the day to day activities of both Lulu and the Mathumela band,” he said

According to Lulu, his live  performances  will incorporate drama and dance into all songs and acts and involve audience.

He said Mathumela band will soon release an album and embark of a national tour. They are also planning to perform in England where he had shows with Zembani.

Our first emancipation is commemorated as we celebrate the attainment of our Republican status on July 6, every year.  On this day we also commemorate the arrival of Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda from Ghana on July 6, 1958.  In the same vein we would write correct history if we capture events as they unfolded.

This day and Holiday should be restored and dedicated to the advent of multiparty politics.  It also marked the unleashing of the various God given freedoms and rights.  This noble accomplishment has no chronological support for June 14.  We need to rethink this matter and urgently put issues into perspective.

This day, event and its observance would not express satisfactorily its deserved appropriateness, relevance, and significance without taking note of or reviewing the works of particular individuals and institutions that initiated and consummated this noble task and when.

We are all aware of when the Catholic Bishops in Malawi raised the initial alarm with their pastoral letter in which they high lighted what they deemed immoral in the process and system of governance in Malawi.  The contents of this letter were endorsed by the majority of Malawians as absolute truth and pertinent.  The University of Malawi also added their voice in support of the same; and to condemn the death threats that were issued against the clergy by the Malawi Congress Party cadres for authoring the candid scroll.

However, the context of the matter as it evolved became substantively political, and there was none at that material moment from the political fraternity who could brave to move the public opinion caused by the pastoral letter further, even though the masses were adequately sensitized and converted enough to act.

The nation was at cross roads.  To the governing elite and a majority of party cadres in the then “mighty” MCP, it was unimaginable that an individual would rise and raise a voice against the Ngwazi.  The general atmosphere was that of “shock and awe”, especially about what was to befall the Catholic clergy.

In this moment of unease and tension it was abundantly clear that the nation needed some one, who had had youthful years and mature accomplishments, one who had the courageous commitment to venture into uncharted career waters, with a commitment to intellectual excellence.  And as the events of April 6, 1992 made it clear, we had found one; none other than late Chakufwa Tom Chihana (pictured).

In the power of the Almighty God, Chakufwa spoke and we all heard him challenge the one party system of government and call for political pluralism and democracy in Malawi. That is the Freedom Day for Malawi- April 6.

He did not individualize the fight; it was he and the Alliance for Democracy AFORD that epitomized the process of democratization in Malawi.

It was AFORD and Chihana that drew the chronological agenda which the MCP government eventually implemented:  Namely, holding a national Referendum for Malawians to choose between the one party political system and the multi party political system, followed by the declaration of general amnesty to allow exiles to return to their homeland and participate in further events to follow – holding a general election for Malawians to elect a government of their choice.  This chronological agenda was duly adopted and implemented by the Ngwazi and the Malawi government.

It is therefore our considered view in the Alliance for Democracy (AFORD), that as a liberation movement in the 90s, we delivered the initial goal.  We further acknowledge and greatly appreciate the unprecedented and tremendous support the party enjoyed from Malawians of all walks of life, young and old, male and female.

We also in a special way acknowledge the support of the international community without which the process of the second emancipation would have been slower and more painful than it was accomplished.  It should also be anticipated that our National Assembly will take interest in the matter and discern serendipity of it in the name of genuine democracy and nationhood

In the same breath, we humbly call upon all that subscribe to this reality, AFORD members and other support groups, friends of AFORD locally and abroad, our trusted friends in the Diplomatic circles, the Faith community, to relive and recall the events of 1992 to 1994, and revalidate the role AFORD played, in the hope that we may find cause not to abandon AFORD merely due to the flippant and frivolous misunderstandings that recently inhibited the party’s activities and progress.

Good news is, all that intra-party bickering was sheer delinquency which the party has competently resolved.  That makes it imperative for the lovers and defenders of democracy to engage and examine this party to encourage, reinvigorate and redirect it in the way of progress.

We call upon the Forum for New Direction (FOND), Public Affairs Committee (PAC), and GTZ Forum for Dialogue and Peace, Center for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and all those civil society organizations that feel concerned about the plight of this historically significant liberation movement to speedily harness a consortium to restore form in AFORD.

This should include, helping to plan, conduct and coordinate the party’s next convention where new and able leadership shall be selected and elected, tidy up its constitution to remove all manner of ambiguity and perfect its ideology as well as educate/train its cadres accordingly.

*The author is the National Elections Director of Alliance for Democracy (Aford)

The fertiliser subsidy programme has been heralded by the international community and organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) as a successful pro-poor strategy.

However, Richard Tambulasi, a senior lecturer at the University of Malawi in Department of Political and Administrative Studies, claims that corrupt local officials are working with organised gangs to take advantage of the fertiliser subsidy programme.

His article is featured in African Security Review published by the Institute of Security Studies, South Africa. He is now carrying out further research based on some of the preliminary findings in his article.

“The main finding is that the fertiliser subsidy programme has increased avenues for corruption in Malawi. Criminals take advantage of corruption in the country as a mode of operation to get subsidised fertilisers which they either sell locally at higher prices or smuggle to neighbouring countries,” Tambulasi  (pictured) told Panos.

Tambulasi who is pursuing a doctorate degree in public policy and management  at Univeristy of Manchester said details of the link have to be established in order to develop a comprehensive and effective mechanism for dealing with organised crime and addressing corruption.

“If the link is not well understood, attempts to deal with either of these two will be short-lived as they will only address symptoms of the problem rather than the complex root causes,” he said.

The fertiliser subsidy programme, which was launched in 2005 to help boost Malawi’s food self-reliance capacity, offers fertiliser to poor farmers at a considerably lower rate than market value.

Beneficiaries of the programme were given coupons to purchase the subsidised fertiliser. For example, the 2007 market price for fertiliser was K4, 000 but under the programme the subsidised fertiliser cost K950.

He said the research revealed to international dimension in the fertiliser theft syndicate.

“Globalisation has helped because these crimes have been internationalised. You find instances where the fake coupons are printed in South Africa, as it had advanced technologies that are likely to make the coupons very difficult to detect.

“You also have instances where the fertiliser is sold in neighbouring countries, where it fetches very high prices. Zambia, for example, has been a preferred destination, as well as Tanzania and Mozambique which have been reported destinations.”

Tambulasi said in his research he has made policy recommendations designed to help policy-makers in terms of strengthening the programme so that loopholes for corruption are minimised, hence cutting the involvement of organised criminals in the programmes.

State House officials have confirmed that a meeting in Lilongwe by the committee that has been set up, to organise the ceremony agreed on Sunday that News State House, the official residence of the President will host the “traditional engagement” ceremony.

But State House press office dribbled out other details.

However, Nyasa Times sources say the President has bought expensive diamond and gold rings to for the engagement and the wedding which will take place on May 1.

Sourced also said the in-coming First Lady has a wide range of choices for the engagement attire.

Mama Chimombo believed to be 50, has two children from her first husband, joined President Mutharika to Africa Union summit and has been publicly addressed in Malawi as ‘First Lady’.

President Mutharika’s first wife, Ethel, died from cancer 2007, and Chimombo is also widowed.

Picture: By Daily Times

The 51-year-old performer built the new £9million school at the expense of 200 villagers, who have been forced off their land.

It is claimed they are not happy with the amount that they are being paid, and one villager, Amos Mkuyu, said he was given just 200,000 Malawi Kwacha (£850) for three hectares of land, mango trees and three dwellings.

“My sisters and I inherited this land from our parents, whose parents have been here for over a hundred years. How can I get only K200, 000? (850 pounds)” the Daily Express quoted one Mkuyu, as saying.

However, the District  Commissioner, Charles Kalemba, reportedly told the villagers  in Chinkhota where the school would be built: “: “The government allowed you to occupy this land because there was no project yet, but now that Madonna wants to build you a school you have to give way. This school is the future of our children”

Village head man Binson Chinkhota said: “We have been compensated and this school is a pride for us as it is the future of our children.”

Anjimile Mtila-Oponyo, the school’s principal-designate, added: “We stalled for some months because of the land dispute. We are now in full swing and set to meet the 2011 deadline.”

The school consists of 46 hectares and will have a library and administration building, dining hall, gymnasium, wellness center, sports field, 30 classrooms, 12 dormitories and 18 staff houses.

The design was centered around optimizing natural daylighting and ventilation to minimize energy use and take advantage of the natural site conditions.

Mostly constructed out of locally sourced Hydraform bricks, which are made from on-site soil, the builders can avoid using “burned bricks which have been largely responsible for wide spread deforestation in Malawi.”

The entire gymnasium roof will be covered in photovoltaic panels to help supply the school with power.

Meanwhile two constructed wetlands will process the black and grey water from the campus for reuse as irrigation water for the playing field. An educational agricultural area will then help teach the students .

The school construction is expected to be completed in 2012.

Madonna is giving back to the country that gave her David, her son and Mercy, her daughter.–AGENCIES

The extra budget has increased the 2009/10 national budget to 269.5 billion kwacha from the initial 258 billion kwacha which was approved in July last year.

Finance minister Ken Kandodo said in an interview  outside parliament that the upward adjustment is necessary to enable government to effectively carry out its programs for the remaining six months.

“This extra budget will help us mitigate the effects of the dry spell that has destroyed crop in nine districts, help us support new commitments for AU chairmanship, and help us repay domestic debt among other demands,” Finance Minister said.

He said in the additional budget, K350 million will be used to assist survivors of last year’s earthquake  in Karonga district.

Kandodo also said k950 million from the budget will be used to fund President Bingu wa Mutharika’s activities as the chairman of the African Union-AU.

Mutharika rose to the high post of the African organisation, last week, after taking over from Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

Meanwhile, the Parliament will from Tuesday start tabling government bills, which include the electoral commission and local government amendments and financial bills.

Fond was reacting to the police conduct in Mzuzu city recently for barring the clergy of the Livingstonia Synod in their attempt to present a petition to the City Executive Officer on issues bordering: education and quota system in secondary schools, colleges and universities; issues on the rule of law; the flouting of the constitution on local election issues and increasing intolerance of other communities instigated by highest political leaderships.

The pressure group’s spokesman, Msenga Mulungu said Malawi Police is not a “Service” that government touts it to be, but rather still a government tool of “Mass Destruction, a Force”.

“Therefore, the obstruction of the CCAP Synod of Livingstonia to demonstrate against the issues deemed of national interest and nation building was unconstitutional.

“The clergy have a right to express disaffection with policies that are discriminatory in nature. FOND commends the CCAP’s Livingstonia Synod initiative in speaking out on behalf of the people on diverse issues that have come out into the public domain. It has become a voice of reason in the same manner as the prophetic action of the Chilembwes and others.”

Fond says the role of the church on issues political is “proverbial and only those that have an evil agenda have the audacity to derail this effort by the synod”.

The group reiterate that any functional official opposition in the country is now the Malawian people, who “through established democratic avenues of media and civil society must be vigilant and stand up against the violation of trust bestowed on our leaders”.

Mulungu said citizens must continue to agitate and demand “true democracy” to take roots.

The pressure group said its position on quota system policy is that while the President Mutharika’s arguments might have merits, the intentions to introduce this system are malicious and made in bad faith to discriminate the north.

“The pieces of evidence are many including here the secretive nature and total lack of transparency in the comportment in which this policy issue was made available to the public, coupled with the president’s hateful and conflict-ridden remarks over the same – where the worst fears of the residents of northern Malawi as to the skimmer of this scandalous policy (Bingu Mutharika) were confirmed.

“FOND is concerned that this policy has brought disunity and will continuing to bring disunity among the peace loving Malawians as long as the government does not heed the concerns of those that feel disaffected.”

In a media statement signed by its founding chairman Rev. Malani Mtonga, the religious group expressed its confidence in the Malawi leader saying, “he (Mutharika) has on several occasions demonstrated high acumen of quality leadership skills underpinned by highest level of integrity.”

According to the statement made available to Nyasa Times, CFID also urged Mutharika to use his new role as head of AU to advance his vision of greenbelt revolution and invest more in the agricultural sector so that the country continues to have surplus maize.

“Under the leadership of president Mutharika Malawi has never gone hungry and we hope he will use the same wisdom God has given him to make Africa hunger free continent,” reads the statement in part.

Meanwhile, when called Mtonga stressed that by issuing such a positive statement it does not necessarily mean they are bound to please the government but rather the organization was established to address issues and not to take part in partisan politics.

“Yes people would be thinking we’re a mouth piece of the DPP led government just because of the congratulatory statement but I want to assure my fellow Malawians and religious leaders that’s not the case; we’ll support the president’s development agenda yes but that would not stop us from raising up our voice when democracy is under threat.

“As I said during our launch a fortnight ago as CFID we’ll not allow our voice of reason to be swallowed by politicians whether in government or opposition,” added Mtonga.

The grouping further called on President Mutharika to rise up and champion the resurgence of Christian ethics in Africa and make sure that the continent is free from preventable diseases, tribalism, civil wars, nepotism, jealousy, corruption, poverty, laziness theft, hunger and evil.

Mutharika was endorsed by his counterparts from around the continent that had gathered in Addis Ababa Ethiopia to lead them for a period of one year after Libyan leader Muamar Gaddafi’s bid to extend his term hit a blank wall.

And in a press conference upon arrival at the Kamuzu International Airport,  Mutharika scorned Gaddafi’s bid to extend his term and accused the controversial North African leader of aspiring to lead the entire continent courtesy of his proposed United States of Africa which has already sparked heated debate among AU member states.

CFID is a grouping made up of religious leaders from various denominations who have shown an unimpeached desire to improve the quality of democracy and bring moral integrity to the society.

The study shows that financial help is urgently needed now so developing countries can prepare for potential climate change disasters.

With enough aid now, developing countries are expected to become wealthier and need less support after 2030.

Scholars from the University of Edinburgh have contributed to the research which is lead by the Institute for Applied Systems Analysis.

The study, titled “Estimating least-developed countries’ vulnerability to climate-related extreme events over the next 50 years”, is the first analysis to look at both economic development and climate change in assessing how vulnerable developing countries will be over the coming years.

According to the study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, if enough aid is given over the next two decades, then economic development may begin to offset rising climate exposure in developing countries from 2030.

Dr Marc Metzger, a Senior Research Fellow in Environmental Change and Modelling at the University of Edinburgh, who contributed to the paper, said: “The recent earthquake in Haiti has shown how vulnerable developing countries are to natural disasters. However, this paper indicates that if developing countries receive assistance now they will likely be able to cope on their own in the future.”

By analysing the effects of climate change and the pace of economic development over the next 50 years, the study developed a detailed set of scenarios for the future of Mozambique, as well as more general predictions for 23 other countries.

The other countries analysed were: Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde Islands, Central African Republic, Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gambia, Haiti, Laos, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Senegal, the Solomon Islands, Tanzania, Vanuatu, and Zambia.

If Silver had won on Saturday, they would have been crowned champions.

“We will have to win our last game against Wanderers and be crowned champions in style,” said Silver coach, Daniel Dzinkambani.

“We are certainly defending the title. We could have started the celebration party earlier but people will still have to wait until February 27,” said Dzinkambani.

Silver have 58 points and will play their last game with Wanderers. On the other hand, Escom United with 51 points on second position have left with three games against Tigers FC, Big Bullets FC and Moyale Barracks.

Silver are favourites to defend the title as Escom need to win all their remaining games to snatch the title from the bankers/.

Wanderers were knocked out of the title race by Blackpool after a 2-2 draw on Saturday.

The Nomads are on third position with 51 points.

In Mzuzu, Big Bullets and Moyale drew two-all.