Malawi's President Bingu wa Mutharika ordered parliament on Thursday to reconvene, raising the stakes in a political battle of wills with the opposition-controlled assembly over the budget.
The president instructed the speaker to reconvene parliament on Monday, his office said on national radio.
On Wednesday, Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe vowed to go ahead with spending without parliament's approval.
Parliament should have passed the budget for 2007-08 by June 30, but the vote was delayed by an official mourning period following the death of first lady Ethel wa Mutharika in May.
The opposition coalition of the United Democratic Front and the Malawi Congress Party have refused to debate the $1.2 billion budget until a dispute over the poaching of its members by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was resolved.
"The president has asked all parliamentarians to convene on Monday next week to discuss the budget and pass it because of its importance to the country," presidential spokesman Chikumbtso Mtumodzi told state radio.
Malawi's top court in June upheld a ruling which gave powers to the parliament speaker to expel legislators who defected to wa Mutharika's breakaway DPP party, a move which could leave the DPP with as few as five MPs in Malawi's 193-seat parliament.
But DPP legislators obtained an injunction to prevent the speaker from declaring their seats vacant, further infuriating the opposition.
The row dragged on as Malawians showed deep frustration that public spending was held up in the impoverished country.
Some Malawians long for the past as parliament remains suspended and their president and politicians dig in for what appears to be a protracted battle.
Scores of peasant farmers protested by holding a vigil at the burial site of late President Hastings Kamuzu Banda, founding father of the nation.
Glandson Nyirongo, a farmer from the north of the southern African country, travelled more than 300 km (185 miles) to join the protest.
"I depend on farming, I cannot survive without that and that's why I am here today because I need the fertiliser," said Nyirongo on his second night there.
Malawi has faced political upheaval since wa Mutharika fell out with the opposition and targeted officials in an anti-corruption campaign.
Friday, 3 August 2007
2000 teddies to cheer up Malawi kids
AN army of teddy bears is on its way to cheer up the children of Malawi.
Kind-hearted delegates at a conference in Glasgow handed in 2000 cuddly toys when the women's charity group arrived in the city.
Glasgow Lord Provost Bob Winter will arrange for them to be shipped to Aids orphanages and children's hospitals in Malawi' capital, Lilongwe, and Blantyre.
The teddies were donated by 1500 delegates attending the Soroptimist International convention at the SECC.
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President Lynn Dunning said: "We want to offer these teddy bears as a gift of peace to the children in the underdeveloped country of Malawi.
"They are a symbol of our thousands of projects worldwide where we are working with children of many nations."
Mr Winter thanked the delegates and said: "I am delighted to receive these teddy bears on behalf of the children of Malawi who have so very little by way of personal possessions and toys."
Soroptimist International is a worldwide organisation for professional women dedicated to helping advance human rights and the status of women.
Kind-hearted delegates at a conference in Glasgow handed in 2000 cuddly toys when the women's charity group arrived in the city.
Glasgow Lord Provost Bob Winter will arrange for them to be shipped to Aids orphanages and children's hospitals in Malawi' capital, Lilongwe, and Blantyre.
The teddies were donated by 1500 delegates attending the Soroptimist International convention at the SECC.
advertisement
President Lynn Dunning said: "We want to offer these teddy bears as a gift of peace to the children in the underdeveloped country of Malawi.
"They are a symbol of our thousands of projects worldwide where we are working with children of many nations."
Mr Winter thanked the delegates and said: "I am delighted to receive these teddy bears on behalf of the children of Malawi who have so very little by way of personal possessions and toys."
Soroptimist International is a worldwide organisation for professional women dedicated to helping advance human rights and the status of women.
Malawi sports body, South African university offer sports business course
Malawi’s National Council of Sports and South Africa’s University of Pretoria said Friday that they had introduced a management course to equip administrators with skills of running sports as a business.
NCS executive secretary George Jana said, as a starting point, the two organisations had introduced a certificate course to keep in tune with the movement of sports into the professional and business arena.
"Sports are fast becoming a big business and managers in the field have to be prepared to take the lead in this regard," Jana said.
He added that the certificate programme was deliberately tailored to Malawi’s needs, addressing the specifics of aspiring and existing sports managers here.
The programme is based on research and practical experience developed by the department of Bio-Kinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences and the Centre for Leisure Studies at the University of Pretoria, he said.
The three-month course will start from September and end in November, with decentralised distance learning and on-site learning.
NCS executive secretary George Jana said, as a starting point, the two organisations had introduced a certificate course to keep in tune with the movement of sports into the professional and business arena.
"Sports are fast becoming a big business and managers in the field have to be prepared to take the lead in this regard," Jana said.
He added that the certificate programme was deliberately tailored to Malawi’s needs, addressing the specifics of aspiring and existing sports managers here.
The programme is based on research and practical experience developed by the department of Bio-Kinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences and the Centre for Leisure Studies at the University of Pretoria, he said.
The three-month course will start from September and end in November, with decentralised distance learning and on-site learning.
Concert raises £15k to boost Malawi medics
A CONCERT at the Usher Hall raised more than £15,000 to help improve working conditions for midwives and doctors in Malawi.
More than 1250 people turned up for the Music for Mums concert, where they heard from Dr Tarek Meguid - a consultant from a hospital in the capital Lilongwe - who spoke about the needs of women and their babies.
Edinburgh midwife Linda McDonald set up her own charity to refurbish the hospital.
She has already raised more than £100,000 through a cookery book and a calendar.
More than 1250 people turned up for the Music for Mums concert, where they heard from Dr Tarek Meguid - a consultant from a hospital in the capital Lilongwe - who spoke about the needs of women and their babies.
Edinburgh midwife Linda McDonald set up her own charity to refurbish the hospital.
She has already raised more than £100,000 through a cookery book and a calendar.
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