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Cannabis could become Malawi’s main Source of Foreign Exchange

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On Thursday the 27th of February 2020, the Malawian parliament passed a bill into law that legalised the cultivation of cannabis in the country for medical and industrial use. This means that cannabis, also called Marijuana, would be legally cultivated for the production of medicines and hemp fibres in the industry. 

Responding to an interview,  Chauncy Jere, Director of Ikaros Africa and spokesman for Hemp Association of Malawi said: “there’s no denying that cannabis would be a lucrative industry and its demand is huge.” He further stated that the event  forms “right steps to move the country’s economy forward.” 

The bill was sponsored in the parliament by Kondwani Nankhumwa, the Minister of Agriculture. With this new passage, the Southern African country joins a league of other African countries that have taken conscious steps to tap into the economic potentials of the plant. Some of these countries have either relaxed the laws that criminalise the use of the plant or have completely legalised the cultivation of the plant. They include Lesotho, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Morocco.

This decision is also important because it will help the Malawian economy to bounce back from the contraction experienced in tobacco export – its main foreign earner – between 2017 to 2019. The tobacco industry had experienced a decline in demands as major players like British Tobacco and Altria gave up about 20 percent of their market value. This new law would be placing the plant as a key foreign earner for Malawi.

Cannabis plants have been grown since at least the 3rd millennium BCE. It is mostly used for recreation or as a medicinal drug. In 2013, it was estimated that about 2.7 percent to 4.9 percent of the global population  (128 and 232 million people between the ages of 15 and 60) consumed. 

Recognised by its consumers and tourists as the Malawian Gold, Cannabis grows more often on its own. It also serves as a source of employment for a large percentage of women and children who cultivate in rural areas, in addition to the men who handle the marketing of the crop.

Malawi is one of the largest producers of cannabis in Southern Africa. The Country has some of the best species of cannabis in the world which makes it out-play marijuana grown in other countries in terms of sales and relevance. Malawian cannabis has now flooded the marijuana markets in Kenya, Tanzania, and many other locales.

Cannabis is also used for spiritual purposes in Malawi. For years now, Malawi’s large Rastafarian community has been calling for the legalisation of the cultivation, supply and possession of marijuana. This is because smoking the plant is seen as a key tenet of the Rastafari movement. However, this new law does not state whether it can accommodate their demands.

Everything set for Tambala Night in Derby as MCP diaspora UK wing gears up for the elections 

By Durell Namasani

After the success of the Tambala Night that was held in the city of Birmingham last year, The Opposition Malawi congress Party  (MCP) Diaspora Wing UK chapter are back and this time they have announced that another Tambala Night is in the offing and will be held in the British city of Derby.

Speaking to our reporter , the Spokesperson  for MCP diaspora Wing Chalo Mvula confirmed the news  and highlighted that this will probably be the biggest Tambala Night ever , the wing has done in the UK “ We are leaving no stone unturned , the constitutional court has given us opportunity to have fresh presidential elections  and our focus is to have Dr Lazarus Chakwera be the next president. To make that possible we have to mobilise enough resources and Tamabal Nights are usually one of the resource mobilisation events for our party” said Mvula

MCP president Dr Lazarus Chakwera with Diaspora Spokesman Chalo Mvula

The Tambala Night has been scheduled to take place on Saturday April 25 at Polish Centre in the city of Derby. Tickets for the event which are going at £20 a ticket are already on sale “ the event is in April , we want to give people enough time to prepare. The tickets are already on sale and the response has been overwhelming  and i would encourage people to secure their tickets now so that they don’t miss out” added Mvula

It is expected that the event will feature some well known Malawian Singers,DJs and other performers , of which the list will be unveiled soon. MCP diaspora Wing has been at the forefront of engaging Malawians who are living  in diaspora to be active politically. It works hand in hand with the party in Malawi. The Wing has several chapters in USA, Canada, Ireland and South Africa and operates under the name Malawi Congress Party Diaspora network. 

Mvula also reiterated that the aime of the event is to fundraise enough money  so that the party should be able to provide enough election monitors , an area which  created a loophole for DPP to rig the last election. He urged people in the UK or in Diaspora to buy the tickets even if they will not attend the event as part of fundraising for the party.  Those interested to get the tickets can contact the Wing through its facebook page

Malaicha unveiled as new Malawi Insurance Institute president

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 By  Duncan Mlanjira

Chartered insurer, Masautso Malaicha, who has 25 years working experience in general insurance and currently working as underwriting manager at General Alliance Insurance Company, was voted in as the new Institute of Insurance in Malawi (IIM) and was unveiled on Saturday during the Institute’s annual Charter Dinner at Mount Soche Hotel in Blantyre.

Outgoing president Mwase (left) introduces new leader Masautso Malaicha

Malaicha served as vice-president to outgoing president Maclonex Mwase, who works for Britam insurance company as Country Sales Manager, and will be deputized by Mphatso Kamzingeni Zulu — also for General Alliance Insurance Company.

The new president pledged that he shall endeavor to volunteer his hours of service in line with IIM’s goal of supporting a range of professional noble causes the Institute has provided to the industry in particular and to the economy of Malawi in general.

In cognizance of the fact that the world undergoes constant evolution and change in many aspects, the Charter Dinner was held under the theme ‘Leading at the Edge, the Future Ready Insurer’.

“Best organizations embrace risk management concepts as an integral part of the culture,” Malaicha said.

“Today’s organizations continually face new challenges; legislation; regulations; required data for decision making will be missing or unobtainable; people will be uncooperative and resources unavailable.

“There is a lot of regulation now than before hence organizations should not fail to identify, access and manage important risks.”

He said the insurance industry, just like the rest of the economic organizations, are eroded with solvency issues, Cyber risks, high costs of third party liability and litigation claims costs and other pandemics.

“We need to understand risks our businesses are going through and avoid major losses,” he continued.

He pointed out that   members should be  continuously aware of risks organizations might face and take steps to mitigate of deal with their potential impact and save organizations from extinction should serious risks materialize.

Malaicha called on the members that they need to underwrite risks properly as well as proper risk categorization of fire and engineering risks to avoid unpleasant surprises for their treaty reinsurers.

He also impressed on the members that there is need to innovate and control business lines which are not profitable, such as the continued rise in litigation claims in motor third party liability — especially the pain and suffering.

“On the other side we need to handle claims professionally and beat our service level standards.”

IIM also awarded successuful candidates who had undergone insurance diplomas at their education centre situated at Malawi Posts Corporation campus at Chichiri in Blantyre.

He said the IIM will continue its dialogue with the Chartered Insurance Institute, which had stopped their education centre from administration of examinations, to resume in view of its vast membership and performance.

So Malaicha implored on IIM patron, Eric Chapola of NICO Life and NICO Pension and his executive who are pursuing the path to resume administration of examinations not to be weary but to get renewed with more strength to resolve the issue.

“We will continue to organize training packages both to be facilitated by our local technic and international expertise and we will increase visibility of insurance courses to the public through awareness programmes in schools and the media.

On his part, the outgoing president highlighted that in 2019 the Institute organized successful projects such as the hosting of the he Annual Lake Conference; the annual sports gala held in June and Educational Trainings.

The institute also held a quiz competition, won by Kingfisher Insurance Brokers, that was sponsored by Old Mutual Malawi for the 9th consecutive year and has pledged to continue supporting.

IIM sought partnership with willing insurance organizations in 2013 to provide 2 to 3 months internship for IIM College students who have at least completed their diploma so that they are prepared for employment once they complete their studies.

“I am pleased to note that more students have been employed through this initiative and the incoming president has assured me that this initiative will continue.”

During his tenure of office, Mwase said his committee promote education and intensified training for members facilitated by local and international experts.

The committee also disseminated information to the public through various channels to increase insurance penetration in Malawi which was around 1.4% in 2018, which current rate is around 2.01%.

The other members of the new committee are education secretary Wongani Banda (Britam), his deputy Lawrence Mtambalika (Reunion), honorary secretary Hastings Kapesa (Reunion), his deputy Herbert Chimombo (General Alliance), treasurer Chifundo Mtali, deputy Linda Chanda (UGI), events officer Dennis Masasa (Britam), his deputy Peter Phiri (UGI) and legal officer Gloria Mbendera.

Another cashgate?K35 billion of government money plundered

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Malawi government has been asked to take “drastic action” against errant controlling officers at Capital Hill, for fear that public funds will continue going down the  drain following  revelations that K35 billion has not been accounted for and was probably stolen in ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in the 2018/19 fiscal year alone.

The National Audit Office (NAO) has produced an audit report of the Malawi Government accounts for the Year Ended 30th June 2019 submitted to the Office of the Speaker with a covering letter from Acting Auditor General Thomas Makiwa dated January 21 2020.

The K35 billion represents a whopping 1 066 percent increase from the unaccounted for K3 billion in the previous financial year.

In its extended coverage of the report which Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Joseph Mwanamvekha, who formally presented the report in Parliament on February 19 202, Malawi’s leading daily newspaper, The Nation, used the editorial comment to  state that “finance prudence  demands action.”

The paper pointed out that the audit of the public finance management at Capital Hill “does not inspire an iota of confidence.”

Reads the comment in part:” Impunity and disregard for accountability in public finance management emanate from the laxity by authorities to bring to book controlling officers and their staff who give taxpayers a raw deal.”

The Public Finance Management Act and Public Audit Act impose punishments for errant controlling officers, but the paper noted that, since their enactment back in 2003, no controlling officer has been brought to book for overspending or non-accountability.

Mutharika:Another government plunder at his watch

“Time to act is now,” the editorial comment said.

In an executive summary of the report, acting Auditor General Makiwa observes that the main findings from the audit, which account for 98 percent of the irregularities by value, include non-maintenance of non-current assets register, misallocations of public funds, fuel not recorded/not signed for in register/logbook, revenue spent at source, payment vouchers not provided for audit inspection, revenue not acknowledged by receipts and stores items paid for but not delivered.

Makiwa also reports suspicious long-outstanding pensioners, failure to maintain proper revenue accounting records, funds transfer for referral medical cases abroad not liquidated, stores items not traced to the ledger, under collection of revenue, unfinished construction works, lack of sustainable special budget for PhD scholarships, interbank transfers without supporting documentation, unsettled claims, payments made without adequate supporting documents, and delay in paying contractors.

The report has categorised the valued irregularities into three, notably major findings by value at K35 148 879 433.80, other significant irregularities by value at K652 649 865.85 and other isolated irregularities by value K148 347 622.47.

The document also notes that there are other areas of non-compliance, but not valued. These include works not done according to contract specifications, non-preparation of bank reconciliation statements, failure to implement construction projects, failure to prepare and maintain fixed asset register, failure to insure assets, failure to produce integrated financial management information system (Ifmis) cashbook and other reports as well as failure to prepare procurement plan.

In terms of value, the K35 billion it is enough to fund the forthcoming fresh presidential election the High Court of Malawi sitting as the Constitutional Court ordered within 150 days from February 3. In the Mid-Year Budget Review, Parliament approved a K29 billion funding for the fresh poll.

The missing funds are also enough to fund the entire Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare (Vote 320) whose revised budget is pegged at K34.7 billion in the 2019/20 National Budget.

DRC refugee murdered in Dowa

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Unknown people have killed a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo who was staying at Dzaleka refugee camp in the district.

Three other refugees were rushed to Dowa district hospital where they are battling for their lives amid reports that one of them has since died.

Daniel Mtaganda from the DRC who was killed this morning at the camp and the three others are alleged to have been castle rustlers who have been terrorizing the district.

Murdered DRC refugee

Mtaganda was hacked in the head with one eye severely damaged and has been rushed to Dowa District Hospital.

Dowa Police Publicist Sub-inspector Gladson M’bumpha has confirmed about the incident adding they are still investigating the matter.