The Chief strategist in the opposition Malawi Congress Party Dr Ken Zikhale Ngoma has survived a second attempt on his life. It has been established that the state used two surrogates to put poison in his food at one of the up market hotels as he was busy fine dinning in Lilongwe.
Zikhale who is currently recovering has been a thorn in the flesh for the DPP led government after his strategic direction of the opposition MCP has left DPP under panic and on the brink of losing the forthcoming election. It has also been established that his role as chairperson of the security and defence portfolio committee in parliament has put him on the line. Zikhale is the one who will have the mandate to endorse and approve state of emergency. The ruling DPP was planning to use Coronavirus pandemic to declare state of emergency in order to delay the elections.
Poisoned Ken Zikhale receiving emergency treatment
It has been established that DPP operatives used a young woman to pour some poison in his soup before the main meal was packed with toxic products to end his life. However, a well wisher from the main kitchen tipped Dr Ngoma to avoid the main meal that comprised of prawns and boiled potatoes and oysters. He was to rushed to a clinic in Area three.
After some tests , the clinic doctor, a Dr Banda confirmed that his body had traces of poison. Some parts of his internal system was marred and affected. He has since been treated for bruises and contusions. His oesophagus and intestines have also been affected.
Speaking to 247Media, Zikhale Confirmed that he is indeed not feeling well ” I am really down and have been in hospital due to suspected poisoning”
This is not the first attempt on his life as he previously survived an attempt after nuts and bolts on his car at Mount Soche hotel in Blantyre
With barely a week to go before the Supreme Court hears the presidential elections appeal case, there is a dramatic twist of events as the Malawi Law Society (MLS) has filed in objection to the admission of the two South African lawyers who were contacted by Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to represent them in the case.
MLS Secretary, Martha Kaukonde confirmed the development “Yes, I confirm that we have filed our affidavits and skeleton arguments objecting to the admission of the South Africans in the appeal case. Both the sworn statements and the skeleton arguments documents have since been served on the applicants,” she said.
The society has presented four reasons for the objection, which include flaws in the procurement process, exorbitant fees and health security issues in line with the current corona virus global pandemic.
MLS Secretary, Martha Kaukonde
Though admitting that the lawyers- Elizabeth Makhanani Baloyi and Dumisani Buhle Ntsebeza of South African law firm Mboweni Maluleke Inc. satisfy the criteria as set out in the Legal Education and Legal Practitioners Act, the society says the two should not be allowed to practice in the case.
The reasons include; (i) failure to comply with Public Procurement Act by the procuring entity; (ii) failure to comply with the Public Finance Management Act by the procuring entity; (iii) Failure to satisfy rules on costs of legals services as set out in the LELP Act and (iv) Risk to public health and procedural mis-timing of the application.
On non-compliance with the Public Procurement Act, MLS claim that though the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority issued a No Objection to Single Sourcing for the Procurement of Legal Services in favour of the Electoral Commission, no reason was provided for the decision.
“The reason(s) for the use of such single sourcing method is not disclosed on all records of the matter as served on MLS. The entire record (also) does not provide proof of vetting by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB,” reads the skeleton argument.
On non-compliance with the Public Financial Management Act, MLS argues that MEC had not indicated to the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority availability of funding for the proposed procurement of the legal services, as is required by the Act.
MLS also argues that as a body mandated with regulating legal fees, MEC did not consult the society in arriving at the reasonableness of the US$ 788, 500 that is required to be paid to the South African firm. The society also argues that the fee is not commensurate with the work that is expected to be performed by the practitioners.
“On the face of it, the sum appears to the Law Society to be way on the higher side if the consideration for Solictor-Own Client regulations are applied,” reads part of the skeleton argument.
The Society also argues that admitting the lawyers would result in the adjournment of the case, as they will be required to observe a 14-day quarantine recommendation upon arrival, in line with the current corona virus pandemic.
Tamanda Chokhotho, who made the application for Churchill & Norris, though admitting having been served with the documents, said he could not comment on the matter. “We are not speaking to the press on this issue. We will deal with the issue (the objection) in court,” he said.
MEC and President Arthur Peter Mutharika, who were respondents in the 2019 Malawi Presidential elections case appealed to the Supreme Court the judgment of the Constitutional Court that nullified the 2019 presidential election.
MEC then moved to source the services of the South African lawyers after the Constitutional Court ruled that the Attorney General, who represented the electoral body in the elections case, cannot be allowed to represent the body in such cases as it is against the constitutional mandate of the office.
Beautify Malawi (BEAM) Trust on Wednesday donated hand washing materials to Mangochi district and town councils, Mangochi District Hospital and four constituencies to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus.
The items included 250 buckets of various sizes, two sets of four-tap-each facilities and 40 cartons of Azam soap, among others.
BEAM Trust Chairperson for Mangochi, Muhammad Ajusa said the donation followed the appeal that the two councils made to stakeholders working in the district for them to support the fight against the spread of Coronavirus.
“When the District Commissioner made the appeal, we reported to our seniors at BEAM Trust and today we are witnessing this [donation] being handed over to serve the purpose,” Ajusa said.
BEAM Trust donates hand washing materials to Mangochi DHO
Ajusa said the Trust would remain committed to supporting Mangochi district and town councils on issues of hygiene and clean environment.
Special Advisor to the First Lady, Professor Gertrude Mutharika under BEAM Trust, Emma Mabvumbe said the Trust felt compelled to take the fight against the spread of the Coronavirus head-on.
Mabvumbe said the Trust has already made donations to other councils and various institutions and that the exercise would continue nation-wide.
“The task that we have at hand is already within what we do as BEAM Trust; so, it’s like we are just continuing with our day to day work. We are also very grateful for the innovations that some Malawians are coming up with such as this multi-tap hand washing facility that we are procuring,” she said.
Mangochi District Medical Officer, Dr. Chimwemwe Thambo, who received the donation on behalf of the Director of Health and Social Services, hailed BEAM Trust for the hand washing materials, saying they would enhance hygiene at the facility in the wake of Covid-19.
Mangochi District Commissioner, Reverend Moses Chimphepo said the hand washing materials were timely as the councils needed them to be distributed to traditional authorities, markets and other busy places.
Four Members of Parliament namely; Francesca Masamba for Mangochi East; Lillian Patel for Mangochi South; Victoria Kingston for Mangochi Central and Ishmael Grant for Mangochi Masongola also received some buckets and soap from BEAM Trust.
Speaking on behalf of the legislators, Kingston said they would distribute the hand washing materials across their constituencies in key and busy points including borders
There has been a wave of tributes for Copyright Association of Malawi (Cosoma) licensing manager, 53-year-old Rosario Kamanga, who died in a road accident in Lilongwe .
Lilongwe Police Deputy Public Relations Officer Foster Benjamin has confirmed saying the accident occurred on Thursday night. Benjamin said the crash occurred at 10:30PM along Bunda-Mitundu road.
According to Benjamin, Kamanga was driving a Toyota Axio registration number 46 SC 22 and was heading towards Bunda.When he got to Chiseka Trading Centre, he failed to keep his lane and collided with an Isuzu 2-tonner heading towards 6 Miles direction.
The late Rosario Kamanga
Following the impact, Kamanga sustained serious injuries and died on arrival at the hospital while the other driver, 38-year-old Daniel Misomali, escaped unhurt.
Kamanga came from Unyolo Village, Traditional Authority Mtwalo in Mzimba District.
People have been paying tribute to Rosario his social media page. One Pierre-Oliver described the him as “a wonderful man, with great sense of humour and total dedication to the causes that he cherished”
Commercial banks in Malawi have suspended loan repayments for three months due to the coronavirus pandemic. The banks revealed the arrangement in a statement signed by President of Bankers Association of Malawi (BAM) Kwanele Ngwenya and Registrar of Financial Institutions Dalitso Kabambe who is also Reserve Bank of Malawi Governor.
The suspension, which is with effect from April 9, 2020 has been effected to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 on the economy.
“[The commercial banks] immediately provide a three-month moratorium on interest and principal repayments for loans by borrowers,” reads part of the statement.
Registrar of Financial Institutions Dalitso Kabambe
It adds that banks will restructure and refinance or renegotiate loans for small and medium scale enterprises, corporate insitutions and other borrowers affected by Covid-19 on a case by case basis.
They will also reduce by 50 percent fees and charges related to internet banking, mobile payments and other related services in order to encourage usage of electronic payment transactions
Moreover, until the risk of Covid-19 is under control, banks will suspend all payments of bonuses and dividends.
On its part, the Reserve Bank of Malawi will activate the Emergency Liquidity Assistance Facility and make it available to Banks on a case by case basis.
The Central Bank will also approve the recapitalisation plan under the Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) Directive beyond 90 days in the unlikely event of a Bank breaching the Prudential Capital Requirement Directive as a result of COVID-19
Malawi has registered nine cases of the coronavirus and one death. Across the globe, more than 1.6 million cases and over 96,000 deaths have been recorded.
