The geographical location of Malawi has threatened the country’s peace and stability as evidenced by the proliferation of small firearms from its troubled neighbouring countries. And according to Malawian deputy Home Affairs of Malawi, Symon Vuwa Kaunda, this is the reason why the country has become a target route for small firearms trafficking and small firearms related crimes.
Mr Kaunda delivered the speech during the commemoration of the global week against gun violence in the Malawian capital, Lilongwe on Friday.
He said asylum seekers and illegal immigrants from the war torn countries of the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa enter Malawi with guns and ammunition. The deputy Minister said the illegal possession of firearms was the major cause of recent gun violence and gun related crimes in the country.
"The proliferation of small arms and ammunition fuelled both civil and regional conflicts," he said, explaining how violence and organised crimes have undermine on social and economic development as well as breed insecurity and fear.
Besides, the trend was responsible for the gross violations of human rights and the international humanitarian law.
"A country that is free from gun violence and crime is a prerequisite to social and economic development,” he said, urging the Malawian police to devise workable programmes and activities geared towards ensuring small arms and light weapons issues are adequately dealt with.
The Commissioner of Malawian Police, Lotti Dzonzi, assured his department’s readiness to promote awareness and involvement in programmes in a bid to removing weapons from the society. He said his office will also do all it can to win the fight against culture of violence which has already showed its ugly face in some Malawian societies.
"As a police force, we will come up with public education and awareness programmes to enhance public involvement and support for efforts to tackle firearms proliferation and illicit trafficking before they take root," he said.
Saturday, 28 July 2007
Malawi budget vote suspended, political row deepens
Debate on Malawi's 2007/08 budget has been indefinitely suspended in a deepening political standoff between the southern African nation's president and the opposition-controlled parliament.
The United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Malawi Congress Party on Tuesday refused to debate the government's $1.2 billion budget until a dispute over the poaching of its members by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was resolved.
The boycott forced the speaker of Malawi's National Assembly to suspend the session and prompted a sharp rebuke from the government of President Bingu wa Mutharika, who bolted from the UDF and formed the DPP after winning the 2004 election.
More than three dozen members of parliament have crossed the floor to the DPP. Some are now ministers in wa Mutharika's cabinet and could be forced to resign if the opposition wins its battle to strip them of their seats.
The government is currently being funded through a monthly skeleton budget.
"Their demands are ridiculous. How can they say that they are going to allow us to spend on the month-to-month basis until the speaker removes the ministers? I need a cash flow and a budget to borrow from donors," Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe said.
"We only have a week in which to spend the 11 billion kwacha which the same parliament approved. I need to buy fertilizer, but all this is not working now," said Gondwe, who is expected to request another temporary budget authorisation for August.
The deadline for passage of the budget was originally set for June 30, but the vote was delayed by the death of first lady Ethel wa Mutharika in May.
The impoverished African country has faced political upheaval since Bingu wa Mutharika fell out with his UDF colleagues after targeting officials in an anti-corruption campaign.
His establishment of the DPP in 2005 and successful attempts to lure UDF and MCP members to the new party prompted calls for his impeachment from the opposition, which has accused him of disenfranchising Malawians who voted for the UDF and MCP.
Malawi's top court upheld a ruling last month preventing the breakaway DPP members from taking their seats, but a court injunction prohibited the speaker of parliament from taking action against those who had crossed the floor.
Should its members lose their seats, wa Mutharika's party could be left with as few as five MPs in Malawi's 193-seat parliament.
The United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Malawi Congress Party on Tuesday refused to debate the government's $1.2 billion budget until a dispute over the poaching of its members by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was resolved.
The boycott forced the speaker of Malawi's National Assembly to suspend the session and prompted a sharp rebuke from the government of President Bingu wa Mutharika, who bolted from the UDF and formed the DPP after winning the 2004 election.
More than three dozen members of parliament have crossed the floor to the DPP. Some are now ministers in wa Mutharika's cabinet and could be forced to resign if the opposition wins its battle to strip them of their seats.
The government is currently being funded through a monthly skeleton budget.
"Their demands are ridiculous. How can they say that they are going to allow us to spend on the month-to-month basis until the speaker removes the ministers? I need a cash flow and a budget to borrow from donors," Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe said.
"We only have a week in which to spend the 11 billion kwacha which the same parliament approved. I need to buy fertilizer, but all this is not working now," said Gondwe, who is expected to request another temporary budget authorisation for August.
The deadline for passage of the budget was originally set for June 30, but the vote was delayed by the death of first lady Ethel wa Mutharika in May.
The impoverished African country has faced political upheaval since Bingu wa Mutharika fell out with his UDF colleagues after targeting officials in an anti-corruption campaign.
His establishment of the DPP in 2005 and successful attempts to lure UDF and MCP members to the new party prompted calls for his impeachment from the opposition, which has accused him of disenfranchising Malawians who voted for the UDF and MCP.
Malawi's top court upheld a ruling last month preventing the breakaway DPP members from taking their seats, but a court injunction prohibited the speaker of parliament from taking action against those who had crossed the floor.
Should its members lose their seats, wa Mutharika's party could be left with as few as five MPs in Malawi's 193-seat parliament.
Catholic Group Okays HIV Initiative, But Rejects Condoms
A Catholic organisation has commended a government drive to boost voluntary counseling and testing for HIV/AIDS, but questioned the promotion of condom use.
Reports say about 14 percent of Malawi's 12 million people are HIV-positive, making AIDS one of the biggest challenges to the nation.
The director of Human Life International Malawi, Brother Harris Kachaso MJ, noted that for the second year, the ministry of health had dedicated a week (July 16 to 22) to urge Malawians to be aware of their HIV status.
Last year the government had a targeted 90,000 people in the drive, and this year the number expected is 130,000.
"The idea is good, but HIV/AIDS can not decrease if the authorities concerned and other groups continue to promote condoms," Br. Kachaso told CISA. "The concerned authorities should stop promoting condoms because this is no different from promoting genocide in a country."
He said not even discordant couples should be advised to use condoms. They instead "should learn to live a sacrificial love where they think of caring for the sick partner and of raising children, if any."
In May, the World Health Organization issued new guidance, saying that anyone seeking medical treatment in countries where HIV was rife should be tested, unless they "opted out". However, no test should be done against a person's wishes or without their knowledge, the guidelines stress.
The WHO said that 80 percent of people with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa did not know they had the virus.
Reports say about 14 percent of Malawi's 12 million people are HIV-positive, making AIDS one of the biggest challenges to the nation.
The director of Human Life International Malawi, Brother Harris Kachaso MJ, noted that for the second year, the ministry of health had dedicated a week (July 16 to 22) to urge Malawians to be aware of their HIV status.
Last year the government had a targeted 90,000 people in the drive, and this year the number expected is 130,000.
"The idea is good, but HIV/AIDS can not decrease if the authorities concerned and other groups continue to promote condoms," Br. Kachaso told CISA. "The concerned authorities should stop promoting condoms because this is no different from promoting genocide in a country."
He said not even discordant couples should be advised to use condoms. They instead "should learn to live a sacrificial love where they think of caring for the sick partner and of raising children, if any."
In May, the World Health Organization issued new guidance, saying that anyone seeking medical treatment in countries where HIV was rife should be tested, unless they "opted out". However, no test should be done against a person's wishes or without their knowledge, the guidelines stress.
The WHO said that 80 percent of people with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa did not know they had the virus.
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