Agricultural Policy Research in Africa (APRA) says it is currently conducting a research on groundnuts to appreciate the dynamics of agricultural commercialisation as the crop is not among the leading farm commodities which Malawi exports. University of Malawi’s Professor Blessings Chinsinga said Saturday during a media workshop in Lilongwe that the study solely focuses on […]
The recent post-election demonstrations have been described as a manifestation of a broken system which needs to be redressed for the country to retain trust of some Malawians who feel let down in the democratic project. A multitude of Malawians have been marching on the streets in different parts of the country against what they […]
University of Malawi’s (Unima) Chancellor College political scientist BlessingsChinsinga has said there is no need for opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president Lazarous Chakwera to apologise or resign for saying President Peter Mutharika has “completely failed to run the nation”. Chakwera said the southern African country’s socio-economic ills were as a result of Mutharika’s failure and […]
Malawi government spokesperson Jappie Mhango has said the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government will accommodate views of political analysts and citizens in general even if the views are critical to the current leadership of President Peter Mutharika and his party. Mhango, who is also Minister of Information, gave the assurances after Chancellor College political analyst […]
Freedom of expression is guaranteed in Malawi constitution but there are concerns of ‘freedom after expression’ especially for human rights defenders, public intellectuals, opposition politicians and critics of the regime including media practitioners. Two of the country’s vocal human rights’ bodies have observed that Malawi is “swiftly retrogressing” or taking the wrong direction in as […]
University of Malawi’s Chancellor College political scientist Blessings Chinsinga has said he has stopped commenting on political issues in the country after receiving several death threats from regime operatives. Chinsinga said there is a hit-squad that is plotting to assassinate him for being critical to the Peter Mutharika government. According to Chinsinga, he started to live […]
Malawians ‘movers and shakers’ have expressed mixed feelings over the statement by University of Malawi political scientist, Blessing Chinsinga, who suggested that the country is in deep political, economic and social problems because of “accidental presidents” that have ruled Malawi since the dawn of multiparty politics in 1994. Chinsinga made the opinion in his presentation at […]
A political expert has attributed the current political, economic and social problems due to what he described as accidental presidents since the dawn of multiparty system of government in 1994. Blessings Chinsinga, a political science professor at the University of Malawi, told the high level all inclusive Public Affairs Committee (PAC) indaba on Wednesday in […]
Just a few days after Malawi’s leading donors of direct budget support – European Union (EU), Britain, Norway and Germany – have ruled out any hopes of budget support in the 2016/17 fiscal year, Malawi’s renowned development expert and University of Malawi Chancellor College Professor in Development Studies Dr. Blessings Chinsinga has warned that Malawi […]
A University of Malawi political expert is calling for the trimming of presidential powers so that the head of state should not appoint a chief executive officer of parliament, saying this is a great threat to democracy. Political scientist Blessings Chinsinga said it was an anomaly in our Constitution that allowed the head of the […]
University of Malawi’s Chancellor College Political Professor Blessings Chinsinga has hailed the Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s) for holding peaceful demonstrations which he says symbolizes the maturity of Malawi’s democracy. He has also applauded the Malawi government for letting the people exercise their constitutional right. Chinsinga said it is good that the demonstrations took place though […]
“The genius of our ruling class is that it has kept a majority of people from ever questioning the inequity of a system where most people drudge along paying heavy taxes for which they get nothing in return.” ~ Gore Vidal A 2013 International Monitory Fund (IMF) working paper prepared by Christian Ebeke and Dilan […]
Political science professor at University of Malawi’s Chancellor College, Blessing Chinsinga has faulted ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for removing its elected secretary general Jean Kalilani and some changes it has made to its National Governing Council without a convention. Chinsinga said the changes of elected office holders replacing them with those appointedd were undemocratic […]
The new government of Malawi that was ushered into power following the 20 May 2014 elections started its tenure facing an ultimatum from donors: restore fiscal integrity or forget about the resumption of budgetary support that makes up as much as 40% of the total budget. Donors suspended budgetary support to the tune of US$ 150 million following the revelation […]
Civil society activists and a political analyst from University of Malawi, have welcomed President Peter Mutharika’s decision to restructure the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) by relocating some of its current functions to their relevant sectoral ministries. According to Vice President, Saulos Chilima, who is the chairperson of the Malawi Civil Service and […]
If the Alliance for Democracy (Aford) had won Malawi’s first multiparty elections in 1994, Dr. Dennis Nkhwazi, the party’s founding member, would have led a big push to introduce a federal system of government. In the run-up to the elections, this correspondent was assigned by two journalists who were behind one of Malawi’s first pro-democracy […]
Malawi celebrated 50 years of freedom from colonial rule on Sunday with an event in the capital Lilongwe marking independence from Britain. Malawi remains one of the poorest countries in the world with more than half its population living below the poverty line. RFI spoke to Blessings Chinsinga, a political analyst from the University of […]
Dr Blessings Chinsinga, a political analyst based at the University of Malawi’s Chancellor College, has disputed President Peter Mutharika’s claims on Sunday that Malawi’s democracy is fast-maturing and a good example to countries in the region. Mutharika made the remarks in Lilongwe as Malawi marked 50 years of freedom from colonial rule and the 20-year […]