THE Zimbabwe government, which has a huge maize deficit in the face of a massive hunger crisis, has failed to import 400 000 tonnes of maize from Malawi.
Well placed sources within the government confirmed that the country was struggling to raise the much needed foreign currency to pay for the consignment and seal the deal it had signed with Malawi .
The hunger problem will be further worsened with the expected low wheat production, the lowest in the past seven years.
Foreign currency shortages have hit the Zimbabwe government hard resulting in many of its projects going down the drain.
Grain Marketing Board acting chief executive officer Retired Colonel Samuel Muvuti confirmed in an interview with the Herald that Zimbabwe is negotiating with several countries in southern Africa to import maize to boost the national grain reserves as hunger continues to stalk in some regions.
He did not speak of the government's failure to pay for the Malawi consignment but said the government would intensify efforts to improve the reserves capacity. He did disclose the targetted countries targeted but said:
"We signed for a 400 000 tonnage supply of maize from Malawi but we are also targeting other countries within the region, especially those that are closer to us for a smooth delivery," Muvuti said.
He blamed logistical problems for the late delivery of the 400 000 tonnes of maize from Malawi but sources say the Malawians are still waiting for payments to be done.
"Negotiations for more contracts with other countries are critical as the country intensifies efforts to improve the reserves capacity,” said Muvuti.
Without disclosing the countries targeted, the GMB boss said negotiations were at an advanced stage.
Meanwhile aid agencies and some western governments are making frantic efforts to deliver the much-needed food aid, especially to the drought stricken Matabeland region which Zanu PF has allegedly been strongly trying to block as punishment for voting for the opposition MDC in past elections.
Muvuti on the other hand said Zimbabwe is currently relying on part of the maize it imported early this year.
Since 2000 when President Robert Mugabe launched his land reform exercise, viewed by many as a vote buying gimmick, the country has been facing year-on-year droughts.
An audit supplied by the Human Rights Forum has established that the land reform, which the government claimed was meant to benefit poor Zimbabweans, brought negative results as a reported 10 000 people are said to have died after they were removed from their form of livelihood.
Zimbabwe could again fail to produce enough food during the 2007/08 season unless adequate measures are put in place to address projected input shortages and clear the air over land tenure of newly resettled farmers.
Government ministers have recently expressed their concern over food shortages as the country was failing to improve the infrastructure needed in order to ensure required production levels.
The three ministries responsible for land reform, agriculture, and water and infrastructural development respectively, say the situation has to be brought to normalcy or else the current drought the country is facing might see more hardships for Zimbabwean population.
They were grilled by a parliamentary committee on the continued decline of Zimbabwe's agricultural production at a time when a lot of money was being pumped into the sector by the government.
Minister of Agriculture Joseph Made recently admitted that Zimbabwe could again face "serious fertilizer shortages" due to a breakdown at one of the country's major producers of the commodity.
Zimbabwe has over the years experienced shortages of fertilizer and other inputs due to a crippling foreign currency crisis.
The opposition MDC is, however, pessimistic that the current shortages the country is facing might once again see the ruling party Zanu PF enforcing its food for votes policy.
In some parts of the country ruling party youths are already reported to have started controlling food distribution outlets and at extreme points are confiscating food targeted for the sick giving it to Zanu PF supporters.
Wednesday, 8 August 2007
Celtel Malawi boosts customers after fire repairs
Celtel Malawi, a unit of Kuwaiti cell phone operator MTC, boosted its subscriber base to half a million at the start of August from 350,000 before a fire damaged its network in March, it said on Wednesday.
Managing Director Charles Zouzoua told Reuters Malawi's biggest operator had repaired its network since the fire and had about 68 percent of the mobile phone market compared with some 30 percent five years ago.
Malawi has two mobile network operators, Celtel, the leading mobile phone operator, and its rival Telekom Networks Malawi (TNM), which is partly owned by the Malawian government and the country's Press Corporation Ltd conglomerate.
Zouzoua also said Celtel Malawi would get about $30 million of a $320 million loan to Celtel from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank, to help it expand its network in rural areas.
Impoverished Malawi has one of the lowest telecoms penetrations in the world with less than 1 percent of the population having access to a telephone, according to government figures.
Managing Director Charles Zouzoua told Reuters Malawi's biggest operator had repaired its network since the fire and had about 68 percent of the mobile phone market compared with some 30 percent five years ago.
Malawi has two mobile network operators, Celtel, the leading mobile phone operator, and its rival Telekom Networks Malawi (TNM), which is partly owned by the Malawian government and the country's Press Corporation Ltd conglomerate.
Zouzoua also said Celtel Malawi would get about $30 million of a $320 million loan to Celtel from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank, to help it expand its network in rural areas.
Impoverished Malawi has one of the lowest telecoms penetrations in the world with less than 1 percent of the population having access to a telephone, according to government figures.
Malawi parliament ban overturned
Malawi's parliament is free to meet again after the Supreme Court of Appeal overturned an earlier injunction.
On Sunday, opposition MPs were granted the injunction, apparently seeking to stall debate on the national budget.
The order was overturned after the attorney general argued in court that parliament should be allowed to meet and approve the already-delayed budget.
The budget has been caught up in a political row over the defection of opposition MPs to the government side.
Earlier this week, police raided the home of Judge Joseph Mwanyungwe, who issued the injunction barring the speaker of parliament from reconvening the house.
United Democratic Front (UDF) MP Leonard Mangulama and independent MP Gerald Mponda obtained the injunction on Sunday.
Opposition MPs have been refusing to discuss the budget unless MPs who switched to President Bingu wa Mutharika's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) are expelled.
Demonstrations
News of the injunction prompted demonstrations in which people threw stones at the parliament building and barricaded the MPs inside for more than five hours.
The current political impasse began in June, when the Supreme Court ruled that the speaker of parliament can expel MPs who switch parties.
Most members of Mr Mutharika's party were elected on the ticket of the UDF, the former ruling party.
Mr Mutharika also won elections for the UDF, but left to set up the DPP, accusing UDF officials of blocking his anti-corruption drive.
Analysts say should the speaker expel the floor-crossing MPs, it could take six months to organise all the by-elections which would ensue.
On Sunday, opposition MPs were granted the injunction, apparently seeking to stall debate on the national budget.
The order was overturned after the attorney general argued in court that parliament should be allowed to meet and approve the already-delayed budget.
The budget has been caught up in a political row over the defection of opposition MPs to the government side.
Earlier this week, police raided the home of Judge Joseph Mwanyungwe, who issued the injunction barring the speaker of parliament from reconvening the house.
United Democratic Front (UDF) MP Leonard Mangulama and independent MP Gerald Mponda obtained the injunction on Sunday.
Opposition MPs have been refusing to discuss the budget unless MPs who switched to President Bingu wa Mutharika's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) are expelled.
Demonstrations
News of the injunction prompted demonstrations in which people threw stones at the parliament building and barricaded the MPs inside for more than five hours.
The current political impasse began in June, when the Supreme Court ruled that the speaker of parliament can expel MPs who switch parties.
Most members of Mr Mutharika's party were elected on the ticket of the UDF, the former ruling party.
Mr Mutharika also won elections for the UDF, but left to set up the DPP, accusing UDF officials of blocking his anti-corruption drive.
Analysts say should the speaker expel the floor-crossing MPs, it could take six months to organise all the by-elections which would ensue.
Zimbabwe: Country in Negotiations to Import More Maize
Harare
ZIMBABWE is negotiating with several countries in Southern Africa to import more maize to boost the national grain reserves.
In an interview yesterday, the Grain Marketing Board acting chief executive officer Retired Colonel Samuel Muvuti said negotiations for more contracts with other countries were critical as the country intensifies efforts to improve the reserves capacity.
Without disclosing the countries targeted, the GMB boss said negotiations were at an advanced stage.
Col Muvuti said the country had contracts to import maize from Malawi, but had not been receiving any over the past few weeks due to logistical problems in that country.
"We signed for a 400 000 tonnage supply of maize from Malawi but we are also targeting other countries within the region, especially those that are closer to us for a smooth delivery," Rtd Col Muvuti said.
He said the 400 000 tonnes of maize expected from Malawi will be kept in reserve silos but can always be distributed when need arises.
Rtd Col Muvuti said the country is currently relying on part of the maize imported early this year but added that this did not mean the country had no locally produced maize.
"When the country is empty we need about 1,8 million tonnes to feed the country for a year. We are not empty.
"We have not yet received all the grain quantities which the Agriculture Research and Extension Services officers projected the country will harvest."
He said GMB had also conducted its own survey which showed some farmers had maize ready for delivery but were facing transport problems.
"We are working out ways to assist farmers to bring their grain to our depots. It is a cumbersome process but efforts are being made."
The GMB boss dismissed speculation that the country only had in storage maize that could last the country two weeks, explaining that the current mealie meal shortage was being caused by other factors.
"Yes, we are aware there is no mealie meal in most retail outlets but this is sorely not because we have no maize."
He said there were various factors affecting mealie meal production, which also included the pricing of the product.
"We have met with some millers in a bid to try and identify what the problem was and concerns that cropped up included the unsustainable pricing of packaging.
"Millers indicated they were paying more for packaging alone than what was expected for them to charge for the whole packaged product," Rtd Col Muvuti said.
Some millers yesterday confirmed the high costs of packaging were affecting their sales.
ZIMBABWE is negotiating with several countries in Southern Africa to import more maize to boost the national grain reserves.
In an interview yesterday, the Grain Marketing Board acting chief executive officer Retired Colonel Samuel Muvuti said negotiations for more contracts with other countries were critical as the country intensifies efforts to improve the reserves capacity.
Without disclosing the countries targeted, the GMB boss said negotiations were at an advanced stage.
Col Muvuti said the country had contracts to import maize from Malawi, but had not been receiving any over the past few weeks due to logistical problems in that country.
"We signed for a 400 000 tonnage supply of maize from Malawi but we are also targeting other countries within the region, especially those that are closer to us for a smooth delivery," Rtd Col Muvuti said.
He said the 400 000 tonnes of maize expected from Malawi will be kept in reserve silos but can always be distributed when need arises.
Rtd Col Muvuti said the country is currently relying on part of the maize imported early this year but added that this did not mean the country had no locally produced maize.
"When the country is empty we need about 1,8 million tonnes to feed the country for a year. We are not empty.
"We have not yet received all the grain quantities which the Agriculture Research and Extension Services officers projected the country will harvest."
He said GMB had also conducted its own survey which showed some farmers had maize ready for delivery but were facing transport problems.
"We are working out ways to assist farmers to bring their grain to our depots. It is a cumbersome process but efforts are being made."
The GMB boss dismissed speculation that the country only had in storage maize that could last the country two weeks, explaining that the current mealie meal shortage was being caused by other factors.
"Yes, we are aware there is no mealie meal in most retail outlets but this is sorely not because we have no maize."
He said there were various factors affecting mealie meal production, which also included the pricing of the product.
"We have met with some millers in a bid to try and identify what the problem was and concerns that cropped up included the unsustainable pricing of packaging.
"Millers indicated they were paying more for packaging alone than what was expected for them to charge for the whole packaged product," Rtd Col Muvuti said.
Some millers yesterday confirmed the high costs of packaging were affecting their sales.
Malawi Lawyer Says Government Is Intimidating the Judiciary
The Malawi Law Society will today (Wednesday) hold a news conference to formally protest a raid on a judge’s home by the country’s anti-corruption agency. The raid came hours after High Court Judge Joseph Mwanyungwe ruled against President Bingu Wa Mutharika’s order for parliament to debate and pass the national budget. Mutharika has accused the judiciary of working with the opposition against his government. But the judiciary has dismissed the president’s allegation.
Viva Nyimba is a practicing Malawi attorney. From the commercial capital, Blantyre, he tells reporter Peter Clottey that the government, by its action, is intimidating the judiciary.
“Personally, I’m very disappointed in what the government is doing. It’s trying to create threats against anybody who makes a decision against it, and this is very disappointing indeed. It is creating fear in everybody, and I think the intention is that the government wants this country to slide back into one party state again,” Nyimba noted.
He said the Malawi Law Society would hold a news conference Wednesday to announce its displeasure with the government’s ill treatment of High Court judge Joseph Mwanyungwe.
“I think the Law society will be making an official statement today, and they have just met, and we are just waiting for an official statement… I’m quite sure that all the members of the law society are totally against what the government is doing because it is trying to create fear in everybody’s mind,” he said.
Nyimba condemned what he describes as the one-party state mentality of the Mutharika administration.
“I have always thought that this government has got an agenda, to make this country a one party state again… because this government doesn’t want any opposition. And it wants everybody to tow its line,” Nyimba pointed out.
He denied President Mutharika has invited opposition parties for a dialogue to resolve the brewing political tension in the country.
“I have been in this country, the president has never invited members of the opposition for dialogue. It appears the word dialogue doesn’t exist in the mind of the president,” he said.
Viva Nyimba is a practicing Malawi attorney. From the commercial capital, Blantyre, he tells reporter Peter Clottey that the government, by its action, is intimidating the judiciary.
“Personally, I’m very disappointed in what the government is doing. It’s trying to create threats against anybody who makes a decision against it, and this is very disappointing indeed. It is creating fear in everybody, and I think the intention is that the government wants this country to slide back into one party state again,” Nyimba noted.
He said the Malawi Law Society would hold a news conference Wednesday to announce its displeasure with the government’s ill treatment of High Court judge Joseph Mwanyungwe.
“I think the Law society will be making an official statement today, and they have just met, and we are just waiting for an official statement… I’m quite sure that all the members of the law society are totally against what the government is doing because it is trying to create fear in everybody’s mind,” he said.
Nyimba condemned what he describes as the one-party state mentality of the Mutharika administration.
“I have always thought that this government has got an agenda, to make this country a one party state again… because this government doesn’t want any opposition. And it wants everybody to tow its line,” Nyimba pointed out.
He denied President Mutharika has invited opposition parties for a dialogue to resolve the brewing political tension in the country.
“I have been in this country, the president has never invited members of the opposition for dialogue. It appears the word dialogue doesn’t exist in the mind of the president,” he said.
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