The Centre for Public Accountability has issued a statement demanding the immediate resignation of Mr. Leonard Chikadya and the entire Board of Directors of the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority in relation to their obtained injunction to gag, silence and act above the constitutional rights protector, The Ombudsman. This follows, the board action in obtaining an injunction to stop the Ombudsman from releasing a report that implicates the board for recruiting the unqualified Henry Kachaje as MERA chief executive officer.
In a statement seen by 247malawi news and signed by its acting Director Kondwani Bell Munthali , Centre for public accountability says “The act of gagging a constitutional office from executing its mandate is a gross violation of the constitution itself, the trust public officials have to maintain with the public under section 12 of the Malawi Constitution and is an affront to public accountability.”
“MERA is a public body under the Energy Regulatory Act (2004) therefore all its decisions are subject to public scrutiny, including the constitutional Office of the Ombudsman. An attempt to circumvent such constitutional body from discharging its mandate reflects the culture of arrogance y those holding public offices and lack of transparency that the MERA board wishes to perpetuate in Malawi.”
Centre for Public Accountability Acting Director Kondwani Bell Munthali
“The Ombudsman determinations can be subjected to a review by the High Court where one is aggrieved. MERA Board has decided to hide information from Malawians as the best remedy for their below standard, archaic and clearly biased recruitment process”
According to the group This act to gag a Constitutional body, is unprecedented in our short democratic history, as such we ask the appointing authority of the Board to immediately demand resignation of these undemocratic persons who do not believe in transparency and accountability.
The group say if the board does not resign within 48 hours, they are expect the appointing authorities, if they have any democratic credentials, to dissolve the MERA Board and a proper review by prosecution bodies be undertaken to determine if they did not breach the law, in their biased and discriminatory recruitment.
Henry Kachaje was appointed MERA CEO in August, a decision that was challenged as some sectors claimed , he is not fully qualified and doesnt have a masters degree which was one of the requirement. The ombudsman received a complaint and they were due to announce final details of the report today before an injunction stopped them.
The director of Youth in UTM Bon Kalindo , famously known as Winiko in drama circles has owned the facebook post that was being shared on social media where he is apologising to Malawians for leading them into voting for Tonse Alliance.
Kalindo who is scheduled to give a bombshell interview on Rainbow Tv on Wednesday evening expressed his dissatisfaction with the way Tonse government is performing “ We were promised Canaan but our journey hasn’t yet even reached Lingadzi “Kalindo is heard saying in a snippet from his scheduled interview
Bon Kalindo on Rainbow TV
In the Facebook post Kalindo wrote , “We thought things will be better, we though we will have 1 million jobs “He urged the youths to rise up and demand from the leaders a fulfilment of what they promised during the campaign time.
Kalindo however has surprised many by defending Saulos Chilima , who is UTM leader and vice President of the country. He said , while people voted Tonse Alliance because of Chilima, he cannot do much as he is only a vice President who has to be delegated by the President.
In making these remarks Kalindo challengeg MCP party, highlighting that he is not afraid to speak his mind , even though he has already been receiving threats from what he calls MCP People
The full interview will air on Wednesday on Rainbow TV
In the past few days, major and other small media houses and platforms were flooded with reports indicating that groups of students from different public universities have petitioned the Malawi government over higher education loans and grants board’ students upkeep allowances.
In preamble, a petition to the government and copied to the vice president, Saulos Chilima, dated 4th November, 2021, seems to have eloquently presented to the relevant authorities. In fact, Students from different colleges and universities right form Chitipa to Nsanje, smiled on the petition and hope to see the other positive end of a reply from the responsible officers at the loans and grants board offices.
Looking at the decorated faces on these public universities students, one may be tempted to conclude that the presentation of the petition to the government, in students’ minds on the other side, feel that the petition has already yielded a positive note, and that the board responsible for students’ loans has responded in favour of the demands: let’s wait and see first – anyway, that ought to, as usual, be normal within students when they hear news pointing to money and its affiliates.
In the sentiments above, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resource (LUANAR), agriculture student, harnessed his opportunism by hailing the public universities students’ leaders in taking a brave step on pushing the officials for a careful consideration to increase the upkeep allowances to a minimum of K280,000 from the initial amount of K100,000. Another Biomedical engineering student Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) concurred with LUANAR student on the same.
To the contrary, Mzuzu University (MZUNI) Theological studies student, goes parallel to the general hopeful song being sang by the university students since, if the battle succeeds, the financial pockets of these students shall get fatter with the proposed hiked loans and upkeep allowances from the higher education loans and grants board in our mother nation, Malawi.
The student theologian claims that the demands are myopic in nature since the students’ leaders are failing to fight for the common goodness of both rich and poor scholars from all over Malawi. He added that, for example, if one visits MZUNI and many other colleges, the very first features one will cross are the rivers of tears from cries of needy students who were not even selected to benefit from the public funds in form of loans and grants. To him, those enjoying are the ones who were picked up and accessed the students loans.
The bible studier, further suggested that it could have been much good if the public universities students’ leaders petitions the government for universal loans and grants to all students; as there are so many other tertiary students who are struggling to access the same loan facility hence vividly rumbling to survive during their studies, and of course, risking withdraws from colleges and universities on financial grounds.
In other views, Nalikule College of education student lined her thoughts to that of MZUNI student, saying the students’ leaders could have indeed opted to press over the authorities to consider dashing every student at colleges a loan rather than leaving out other needy students who come from malnourished financial statured families from Mzimba at Nthalire, Thyolo at Thamva, Kaboola in Dedza, and the list is endless.
Continuously, some passionate Malawians including the likes of Gerrald Chavez Kampanikiza of GCK cameras and Onjezani Kenani, embark on different initiatives of sourcing funds aimed at bailing out needy students in Malawian universities including UNIMA, LUANAR, who were at vent of withdrawing from their studies due to financial constraints on tuition fees and individual upkeep allowances. These separate initiatives from these well-wishers have benefitted, in their little capacities, a bunch of needy students in many schools and colleges.
To that contention, it is truly unmerited and, indeed, a missed target for the students to petition the government to increase upkeep allowances which will benefit only those that are already receiving the so called ‘little upkeep allowances’ instead of fighting and petitioning officials for universal loans and grants which would largely benefit a big chunk of students including those who were left on the beneficiaries list. From the onset, public universities students’ leaders, look broader and consider fighting even for those who are struggling to access the Tambala in that loan facility alone.
If, for example, the said upkeep allowances remain at K100,000 per semester, the remaining K180,000 from the proposed K280,000 from at least 1,000 students, it would be used to pay tution fees for a bunch of needy students. The students’ leaders should rather press for all students from higher learning institutions be granted loans to at least hundreds of needy students who are dancing the poverty tunes would benefit from the monitory facility thereon.
The author is a Mzuzu University finalist. He was propelled to write the article post-affective to the struggles needy students are facing after being left out from the loans and grants board selection of beneficiaries in the recent years.
Police in Karonga have arrested seven people for allegedly killing a 63-year-old Wickson Siliwonde on November 5, 2021 at Phaniso village in the district.
The Police have identified the seven as Julius Siliwonde, 38, Amon Siliwonde, 20, Wesipe Siliwonde, 38, Steven Siliwonde, 38, Silver Siliwonde, 37, Tinkhani Siliwonde, 35 and Penjani Siliwonde, 36. All from Phaniso Village in Traditional Authority Kilupula in Karonga District.
“During the night of November 5, 2021, Siliwonde went out of the house to answer a call of nature, whilst there, he was attacked by unknown criminals and killed him,” Enock Livasoni, Karonga Police public relations officer said.
He further added that postmortem conducted at Karonga District Hospital revealed that death was due to head injury secondary to trauma. Police instituted investigations which have led to the arrest of seven people and they will appear before the court of law soon to answer a murder charge.
The fate of Motivational Speaker Henry Kachaje appointment as chief executive officer for the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) will be known this Wednesday as the office of the Ombudsman is ready to announce its findings. This follows the complaints that the office received when Kachaje was appointed, with suggestions that the well known economist is not qualified and does not hold a masters degree as claimed.
The report which is titled “An Investigation in The Matter of The Alleged Unproccedural And Irregular Recruitment of The Chief Executive Officer of The Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA): Henry Kachaje.”is expected to reveal if Kachanje is indeed the right man for the job.
Chief Executive Officer of The Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA): Henry Kachaje
According to a statement from the Office of the Ombudsman, the report will be released at 10am and thereafter will be made available to all concerned parties
Henry Kachaje was appointed MERA chief in August this year
The vacancy for the post mentioned a Master’s Degree as one of the requirements and there are claims that Kachaje does not possess one hence was not qualified for the role.
