Joy Radio, owned by former Malawi president Bakili Muluzi, re-opened on Monday, two days after the authorities shut it down for breaching licence terms that bar politicians from owning radio stations. "An ex-parte injunction heard on Sunday at the High Court allowed us to switch back on," Mavuto Chapuma, head of technical services at Joy Radio, said Monday.
The station's lawyer, Ralph Kasambara, a former attorney general, obtained a court order that stopped the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) from closing the station.
He said the order was valid for two weeks before hearing is conducted, during which both parties will be heard by judge Healy Potani.
MACRA's Head of Broadcasting James Chimera said the authority Friday revoked the licence of Joy with "immediate effect because it flouted regulations."
He said Joy Radio had originally registered as a private independent radio station, but "handed over ownership of the station to politicians which is against the law".
Chimera said Malawi laws bar politicians or political parties from owning radio stations.
"But Joy Radio is wholly owned by the Muluzi family with the former president himself chairing its board of directors," he said.
Joy Radio was inaugrated by former Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa shortly before Muluzi retired as president in 2004, after serving his constitutional two five-year consecutive terms.
MACRA, which regulates broadcasting in Malawi, and the government of President Bingu wa Mutharika accuse Joy Radio of running inflammatory programmes against the administration.
Joy Radio has become Muluzi's main propaganda machine, often demonising President Mutharika and his government.
Muluzi ironically single-handedly anointed Mutharika as his successor, after he failed to amend the constitution to allow him to stand for a third consecutive term.
But Mutharika turned against his one-time mentor, ditching the ruling United Democratic Front to form his own Democratic Progressive Party after accusing his former party leaders of high level corruption.
Monday, 20 October 2008
Malawi food prices begin to bite
The Scottish Government has announced that about £2.26m is to be spent this year on 29 aid projects for Malawi.
Oxfam Scotland says money is urgently needed in the impoverished country to assist the families and communities who it says need help to survive. The charity's Malcolm Fleming, who is visiting Malawi, explains just how hard life is for many who live there.
Back in May I wrote an article for the BBC about the hope that Malawi was bucking the trend of global food prices rises.
That hope was based on bumper harvests some subsistence famers were achieving because the Malawian government had invested in helping them, mainly through a fertiliser subsidy scheme which meant millions of subsistence famers who could not normally afford fertiliser had been able to, and harvests had increased as a result.
I've just revisited Malawi, and although it is clear that the Malawian government absolutely did the correct thing in implementing the fertiliser subsidy (things could be much worse if they hadn't), rising food prices are cancelling out the benefits for some people, and the poorest households are already down to one meal a day, with estimates that prices will rise further still.
Take 56-year-old grandmother Lucy Maluwa for instance. She is clearly built of strong stuff. She smiles and chats and jokes, but it doesn't take many questions to ascertain the challenges and heartache she has faced, or the huge challenge she currently faces to feed her household.
The rains started erratically and then stopped again, it doesn't make for a good harvest
Lucy Maluwa
Lucy has had six children, but like many Malawian women, lost a child at birth, and she is far from unique to have lost another daughter to Aids. To compound these losses, her husband was killed in a car accident in 1992.
At an age when she might hope to be able to start taking things easier Lucy is instead the head of a household of 10 people, herself and nine orphans, many of whom are her grandchildren or extended family.
She clearly has a big heart, and speaks proudly of how her eldest grandson has got a place at secondary school, yet caring for nine children aged from five to 16 would strain most people.
However, the biggest challenge as food prices rise in countries around the world, and here in Malawi, is feeding everyone.
"I am really finding it tough to buy food," she says. "Prices have gone up. This year they are more than double last year. It is mostly because of changes in the climate. The rains started erratically and then stopped again. It doesn't make for a good harvest."
Lucy and her family are already down to one meal a day, and its not yet the traditional "lean season". They have their meal at 2pm or 3pm.
"You could call it a late lunch or an early supper," Lucy says with a wry smile. Lucy does piecework - helping farm other people's land, to earn income.
Difficult times
She makes 250 Malawian Kwacha a day, about £1, and worries that maize prices will go up even further making putting food on the table even more difficult. Unfortunately the indications are that she will be right.
Oxfam has helped fund the local Community-based Childcare Centre, a sort of nursery school, where Lucy's youngest granddaughter, Lonjezo, who is five-years-old goes.
She gets fed at the centre, but despite that Lucy is worried that she is not growing properly because she is undernourished.
It is clear that Lucy and women like her are doing their utmost to help ends meet, and to give their children a future. In these difficult times we need to be doing more to help them cope.
So it is clear that for families like Lucy Maluwa's, rising prices are having a major effort, and you wonder how they will cope if the prices rise further still.
But what is causing the prices to rise, and what can be done? Well the picture is complex, but it is clear that a mix of factors are pushing up prices.
Malawi still has a food surplus, but an increasing number of Malawians are struggling to feed their families.
Increasing prices both globally and regionally are having an impact, and some traders are said to be holding back supplies in the belief that prices will rise further still.
Climate change
One other factor that came through very clear on my recent visit, was that of climate change.
It was the consistent message I heard from the different villages and families I visited. As every farmer knows, climate is key. Without the right conditions you cannot grow your crops and get a decent harvest.
But erratic rains, and spells of drought have reduced harvests in several areas this year, including parts of Chiradzulu district that I visited.
Even when the rains came sometimes they were too heavy - one woman I met talked about how her she paid for fertilizer only for it to be washed away.
How to respond? We need to assist the families and communities who need our help now to survive.
We also need to ensure food prices are not driven up higher still.
Among several measures that means not insisting that land is turned over from food to biofuels, mitigating our effect on climate change by reducing our carbon footprint (because if we don't it's families like Lucy's which suffer), and ensuring poor countries and poor communities have funds to help them adapt to changing climate conditions.
For the families I met in Malawi these changes can't come fast enough.
Oxfam Scotland says money is urgently needed in the impoverished country to assist the families and communities who it says need help to survive. The charity's Malcolm Fleming, who is visiting Malawi, explains just how hard life is for many who live there.
Back in May I wrote an article for the BBC about the hope that Malawi was bucking the trend of global food prices rises.
That hope was based on bumper harvests some subsistence famers were achieving because the Malawian government had invested in helping them, mainly through a fertiliser subsidy scheme which meant millions of subsistence famers who could not normally afford fertiliser had been able to, and harvests had increased as a result.
I've just revisited Malawi, and although it is clear that the Malawian government absolutely did the correct thing in implementing the fertiliser subsidy (things could be much worse if they hadn't), rising food prices are cancelling out the benefits for some people, and the poorest households are already down to one meal a day, with estimates that prices will rise further still.
Take 56-year-old grandmother Lucy Maluwa for instance. She is clearly built of strong stuff. She smiles and chats and jokes, but it doesn't take many questions to ascertain the challenges and heartache she has faced, or the huge challenge she currently faces to feed her household.
The rains started erratically and then stopped again, it doesn't make for a good harvest
Lucy Maluwa
Lucy has had six children, but like many Malawian women, lost a child at birth, and she is far from unique to have lost another daughter to Aids. To compound these losses, her husband was killed in a car accident in 1992.
At an age when she might hope to be able to start taking things easier Lucy is instead the head of a household of 10 people, herself and nine orphans, many of whom are her grandchildren or extended family.
She clearly has a big heart, and speaks proudly of how her eldest grandson has got a place at secondary school, yet caring for nine children aged from five to 16 would strain most people.
However, the biggest challenge as food prices rise in countries around the world, and here in Malawi, is feeding everyone.
"I am really finding it tough to buy food," she says. "Prices have gone up. This year they are more than double last year. It is mostly because of changes in the climate. The rains started erratically and then stopped again. It doesn't make for a good harvest."
Lucy and her family are already down to one meal a day, and its not yet the traditional "lean season". They have their meal at 2pm or 3pm.
"You could call it a late lunch or an early supper," Lucy says with a wry smile. Lucy does piecework - helping farm other people's land, to earn income.
Difficult times
She makes 250 Malawian Kwacha a day, about £1, and worries that maize prices will go up even further making putting food on the table even more difficult. Unfortunately the indications are that she will be right.
Oxfam has helped fund the local Community-based Childcare Centre, a sort of nursery school, where Lucy's youngest granddaughter, Lonjezo, who is five-years-old goes.
She gets fed at the centre, but despite that Lucy is worried that she is not growing properly because she is undernourished.
It is clear that Lucy and women like her are doing their utmost to help ends meet, and to give their children a future. In these difficult times we need to be doing more to help them cope.
So it is clear that for families like Lucy Maluwa's, rising prices are having a major effort, and you wonder how they will cope if the prices rise further still.
But what is causing the prices to rise, and what can be done? Well the picture is complex, but it is clear that a mix of factors are pushing up prices.
Malawi still has a food surplus, but an increasing number of Malawians are struggling to feed their families.
Increasing prices both globally and regionally are having an impact, and some traders are said to be holding back supplies in the belief that prices will rise further still.
Climate change
One other factor that came through very clear on my recent visit, was that of climate change.
It was the consistent message I heard from the different villages and families I visited. As every farmer knows, climate is key. Without the right conditions you cannot grow your crops and get a decent harvest.
But erratic rains, and spells of drought have reduced harvests in several areas this year, including parts of Chiradzulu district that I visited.
Even when the rains came sometimes they were too heavy - one woman I met talked about how her she paid for fertilizer only for it to be washed away.
How to respond? We need to assist the families and communities who need our help now to survive.
We also need to ensure food prices are not driven up higher still.
Among several measures that means not insisting that land is turned over from food to biofuels, mitigating our effect on climate change by reducing our carbon footprint (because if we don't it's families like Lucy's which suffer), and ensuring poor countries and poor communities have funds to help them adapt to changing climate conditions.
For the families I met in Malawi these changes can't come fast enough.
Malawi: How the Government Defied Donors On Subsidies
In a development that could lead poor countries to start questioning the wisdom of donor-imposed policies, funding partners are lining up to support Malawi's farmer subsidy programme after pulling out of the country three years ago when the government ignored their advice.
Speaking to The EastAfrican in Malawi, the country's controller of agricultural extension services, Jeff Luanga, said that the state -- one of the poorest in Africa -- took a rare position and told the donors they were wrong on agricultural subsidies.
"We told them they were wrong and we were right, and they pulled out when we went ahead with the programme."
A year after the subsidies started, the country had doubled its maize production, but the donors were not impressed.
"They told us the programme was not sustainable; we told them we would push ahead," Dr Luhanga said.
When the decision to introduce the subsidies was made in 2005, Malawi was grappling with its worst drought ever as harvests hit record low, forcing the country to import 400,000 tonnes of maize.
Dr Luhanga said the imports came in slowly because being a landlocked country, Malawi had to rely on South Africa's road network, which is also used by Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Malawians would queue for hours to get food rations, creating what Dr Luhanga described as a "pathetic" situation for people who had the potential to grow their own food.
"Our people are hardworking. They have plenty of land, but they lacked access to inputs such as seeds and fertilisers," he said.
The Minister for Agriculture, President Mbingu wa Mutharika, decided that nothing was more important than giving farmers the support they needed to grow their own food.
Village Development Committees were formed to determine who should be included in the initial programme targeting about 1.5 million poor farmers who would be supported to grow at least a quarter hectare of maize.
It cost the government some Malawi Kwacha 10 billion ($70 million) and the yield was 3.6 million tonnes of maize, double the country's requirement of 1.6 million tonnes.
The results, according to Dr Luhanga, "were shocking."
"Suddenly, there was plenty of maize, the food queues disappeared, there were plenty of stocks, prices stabilised and the question now was, what do we do with the excess food?" he said.
These government mobilised the national Agriculture Development and Marketing Company (Admarc) to buy the maize from farmers and store it for future use and for the national strategic reserves.
The 12 Admarc depots spread around the country, which had not handled any stocks for 15 years, were full to capacity. This has been the case since the first government-supported harvest in 2005.
Malawi's economy has registered positive growth since 2006, which this year was at an impressive 7 per cent, a development attributed to the agricultural sector.
"Before 2005, we were on negative growth but after the first bumper harvest we have continued on a positive growth path," Dr Luhanga said.
After producing enough food, the government has now shifted to enhanced agricultural production by training farmers to apply modern growing techniques such as irrigation, using hybrid seeds, and basic business management courses.
Malawi is among the few countries in Africa that are giving priority to agriculture. It allocates 14 per cent of its budget to the sector and has placed it under the Office of the President, with the president as its minister.
Due to the success of its farmer subsidy programme, Malawi is grabbing the international limelight, with the governments of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Swaziland having sent delegations to the country within the past three months to assess its implementation with a view to introducing the same measures in their countries.
Dr Luhanga said that Malawi is ready to share its experience with the rest of the continent because it believes that the solution to Africa's food problems lies within the continent.
Although this year the government's subsidy budget has doubled, to Malawi Kwacha 20 billion, because of the global rise in fertliser prices, Dr Luhanga said it is saving substantially on the money it would have spent on imports. "It is cheaper to subsidize farmers than spend billions importing food," he said adding that it would cost about 40 billion to import.
Dr Luhanga urges Africa to move fast to grow its food because with the growing production of biofuels, there may not be enough grains in the world therefore, food shortages are set to get worse.
Speaking to The EastAfrican in Malawi, the country's controller of agricultural extension services, Jeff Luanga, said that the state -- one of the poorest in Africa -- took a rare position and told the donors they were wrong on agricultural subsidies.
"We told them they were wrong and we were right, and they pulled out when we went ahead with the programme."
A year after the subsidies started, the country had doubled its maize production, but the donors were not impressed.
"They told us the programme was not sustainable; we told them we would push ahead," Dr Luhanga said.
When the decision to introduce the subsidies was made in 2005, Malawi was grappling with its worst drought ever as harvests hit record low, forcing the country to import 400,000 tonnes of maize.
Dr Luhanga said the imports came in slowly because being a landlocked country, Malawi had to rely on South Africa's road network, which is also used by Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Malawians would queue for hours to get food rations, creating what Dr Luhanga described as a "pathetic" situation for people who had the potential to grow their own food.
"Our people are hardworking. They have plenty of land, but they lacked access to inputs such as seeds and fertilisers," he said.
The Minister for Agriculture, President Mbingu wa Mutharika, decided that nothing was more important than giving farmers the support they needed to grow their own food.
Village Development Committees were formed to determine who should be included in the initial programme targeting about 1.5 million poor farmers who would be supported to grow at least a quarter hectare of maize.
It cost the government some Malawi Kwacha 10 billion ($70 million) and the yield was 3.6 million tonnes of maize, double the country's requirement of 1.6 million tonnes.
The results, according to Dr Luhanga, "were shocking."
"Suddenly, there was plenty of maize, the food queues disappeared, there were plenty of stocks, prices stabilised and the question now was, what do we do with the excess food?" he said.
These government mobilised the national Agriculture Development and Marketing Company (Admarc) to buy the maize from farmers and store it for future use and for the national strategic reserves.
The 12 Admarc depots spread around the country, which had not handled any stocks for 15 years, were full to capacity. This has been the case since the first government-supported harvest in 2005.
Malawi's economy has registered positive growth since 2006, which this year was at an impressive 7 per cent, a development attributed to the agricultural sector.
"Before 2005, we were on negative growth but after the first bumper harvest we have continued on a positive growth path," Dr Luhanga said.
After producing enough food, the government has now shifted to enhanced agricultural production by training farmers to apply modern growing techniques such as irrigation, using hybrid seeds, and basic business management courses.
Malawi is among the few countries in Africa that are giving priority to agriculture. It allocates 14 per cent of its budget to the sector and has placed it under the Office of the President, with the president as its minister.
Due to the success of its farmer subsidy programme, Malawi is grabbing the international limelight, with the governments of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Swaziland having sent delegations to the country within the past three months to assess its implementation with a view to introducing the same measures in their countries.
Dr Luhanga said that Malawi is ready to share its experience with the rest of the continent because it believes that the solution to Africa's food problems lies within the continent.
Although this year the government's subsidy budget has doubled, to Malawi Kwacha 20 billion, because of the global rise in fertliser prices, Dr Luhanga said it is saving substantially on the money it would have spent on imports. "It is cheaper to subsidize farmers than spend billions importing food," he said adding that it would cost about 40 billion to import.
Dr Luhanga urges Africa to move fast to grow its food because with the growing production of biofuels, there may not be enough grains in the world therefore, food shortages are set to get worse.
Nyala Rubies from Malawi
We have recently bought in some really beautiful new rubies. They have extra, ethical lustre as unlike many of the gemstones available we can trace them back to the original mine, Chimwadzulu in Malawi. This is great because we know that both the environmental conditions and the labour practices are good there, they have a Fair Trade guarantee, and we know that buying rubies from them puts money into the desperately poor Malawian economy.
Rubies are lovely in an engagement ring - take a look at some we've done for other people here in our gallery.
This kind of win-win situation makes me happy as a jewellery designer, and pairing a lovely Fair Trade ruby with some Fair Trade gold would make a really feelgood ethical engagement ring. You could even add extra sparkle with a recycled diamond or two.
It's also a perfect excuse to plan to visit Lake Malawi, the 300 mile long freshwater lake that takes up much of this landlocked country. It's a really idyllic place - perfect for honeymoons...
Malawi: ADRA assistance reaches HIV/AIDS-affected communities
In Malawi, where HIV/AIDS prevalence ranks eighth in the world, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is assisting 4,200 low-income families through a three-year community-based health and food security project in the southern districts of Mwanza and Mulanje.
Targeting communities in rural areas, ADRA is helping HIV/AIDS-affected families access high quality and nutritious foods through initiatives that teach beneficiaries better ways to produce food using more effective farming methods. As part of this project, beneficiaries are also learning to grow drought resistant crops, and protect stored food from pests, spoilage, and other hazards. Additionally, ADRA is promoting the planting of community gardens as a tool to increase food accessibility among villagers.
"One of the most important parts of achieving long-term success in the project is to strengthen the capacities of the communities, as well as the capacities of individual people," said Michael Usi, director for programs at ADRA Malawi.
Included in the nutrition component of this project, participants attend classes to learn to improve the overall health of their families through appropriate food selection, nutritional diversification, and meal preparation. This approach has had a lasting effect on beneficiaries, as they are better able to retain crucial food nutrients, ultimately improving their health and immunity to disease.
"This section of the project has been very beneficial," said Usi. "Before, the elders of the community would say, 'all that matters is that your stomach is full.'"
As part of this three-year project, supported by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and ADRA Denmark, ADRA is also training community volunteer health workers to provide health, child-care, and nutrition counseling, and teach improved personal hygiene and sanitation. In addition, participants learn about sanitation and essential life skills to promote disease prevention.
In Nseula Village, located in Neno District, one of the most remote areas of Malawi, ADRA built a gravity-fed water supply system that is providing drinking water to approximately 1,085 people for the first time. This addition has made a significant difference in this village. ADRA is also constructing 130 wells, boreholes, and protected springs to improve water access in other communities.
"The value of access to safe water is immeasurable," said Usi. "Instead of spending time walking to get water, a chore which, for some, takes up to an hour, women are able to spend more time taking care of their children. In addition, if the water that you are bringing home is not clean, there is a much higher risk of spreading diseases. That is why ADRA makes it a priority to provide clean water in the communities in which we work."
ADRA is also providing livelihood training to child-headed households, enabling them to make a living and provide for their families. This initiative has been particularly important in Malawi where the AIDS pandemic has left thousands of orphans, resulting in an increasing number of children having to become the primary breadwinners. To date, more than 120 children and young adults between the ages of 12 to 24 have received vocational and life skills training, such as tailoring, tinsmithing, baking, brick laying, welding and carpentry. ADRA has also partnered with Malawi's Department of Social Welfare to encourage younger children to return to school, a plan that will allow them to only work for part of the day, and still support their families.
To ensure project sustainability, ADRA is increasing the capacity of the targeted communities through initiatives that establish village support groups, which can manage the resources once the project ends. ADRA is also training community leaders on issues such as organization, management, leadership, and planning, and educating communities on the importance of the rights of women, children, and other vulnerable groups.
"Beneficiaries have told us that they appreciate the impact of the project, due to the knowledge and skills that they have acquired," said Usi. "The project has definitely been a success. No doubt about it."
The three-year project is scheduled to close at the end of October. However, a second phase will begin in February of 2009.
ADRA has been active in Malawi since 1982, working primarily in the areas of disaster relief, water and sanitation, HIV and AIDS, family planning, agriculture, primary health, basic education, and empowerment of vulnerable groups, such as women and children.
ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race or ethnicity.
Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.
Targeting communities in rural areas, ADRA is helping HIV/AIDS-affected families access high quality and nutritious foods through initiatives that teach beneficiaries better ways to produce food using more effective farming methods. As part of this project, beneficiaries are also learning to grow drought resistant crops, and protect stored food from pests, spoilage, and other hazards. Additionally, ADRA is promoting the planting of community gardens as a tool to increase food accessibility among villagers.
"One of the most important parts of achieving long-term success in the project is to strengthen the capacities of the communities, as well as the capacities of individual people," said Michael Usi, director for programs at ADRA Malawi.
Included in the nutrition component of this project, participants attend classes to learn to improve the overall health of their families through appropriate food selection, nutritional diversification, and meal preparation. This approach has had a lasting effect on beneficiaries, as they are better able to retain crucial food nutrients, ultimately improving their health and immunity to disease.
"This section of the project has been very beneficial," said Usi. "Before, the elders of the community would say, 'all that matters is that your stomach is full.'"
As part of this three-year project, supported by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and ADRA Denmark, ADRA is also training community volunteer health workers to provide health, child-care, and nutrition counseling, and teach improved personal hygiene and sanitation. In addition, participants learn about sanitation and essential life skills to promote disease prevention.
In Nseula Village, located in Neno District, one of the most remote areas of Malawi, ADRA built a gravity-fed water supply system that is providing drinking water to approximately 1,085 people for the first time. This addition has made a significant difference in this village. ADRA is also constructing 130 wells, boreholes, and protected springs to improve water access in other communities.
"The value of access to safe water is immeasurable," said Usi. "Instead of spending time walking to get water, a chore which, for some, takes up to an hour, women are able to spend more time taking care of their children. In addition, if the water that you are bringing home is not clean, there is a much higher risk of spreading diseases. That is why ADRA makes it a priority to provide clean water in the communities in which we work."
ADRA is also providing livelihood training to child-headed households, enabling them to make a living and provide for their families. This initiative has been particularly important in Malawi where the AIDS pandemic has left thousands of orphans, resulting in an increasing number of children having to become the primary breadwinners. To date, more than 120 children and young adults between the ages of 12 to 24 have received vocational and life skills training, such as tailoring, tinsmithing, baking, brick laying, welding and carpentry. ADRA has also partnered with Malawi's Department of Social Welfare to encourage younger children to return to school, a plan that will allow them to only work for part of the day, and still support their families.
To ensure project sustainability, ADRA is increasing the capacity of the targeted communities through initiatives that establish village support groups, which can manage the resources once the project ends. ADRA is also training community leaders on issues such as organization, management, leadership, and planning, and educating communities on the importance of the rights of women, children, and other vulnerable groups.
"Beneficiaries have told us that they appreciate the impact of the project, due to the knowledge and skills that they have acquired," said Usi. "The project has definitely been a success. No doubt about it."
The three-year project is scheduled to close at the end of October. However, a second phase will begin in February of 2009.
ADRA has been active in Malawi since 1982, working primarily in the areas of disaster relief, water and sanitation, HIV and AIDS, family planning, agriculture, primary health, basic education, and empowerment of vulnerable groups, such as women and children.
ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race or ethnicity.
Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.
Malawi’s Joy Radio back on the air
The High Court in Blantyre on Sunday granted Private broadcaster Joy Radio an injunction stopping the revocation of its license by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA). The court order means that Joy radio can go back on air pending further court processes where both sides will be heard.
According to MACRA, three things resulted to the closure of Joy radio station: transfer of ownership without informing MACRA, political ownership and broadcasting material that did not comply with the provisions of the broadcast licence. “We shall now go to the second stage where court will examine and hear both sides,” said lawyer Ralph Kasambara . On Friday Kasambara accused MACRA of making a decision without hearing the side of Joy but the regulatory body argues that Joy Radio has been refusing to talk to them insisting to speak only through their lawyer.
The date for the next court stage is yet to be set.
According to MACRA, three things resulted to the closure of Joy radio station: transfer of ownership without informing MACRA, political ownership and broadcasting material that did not comply with the provisions of the broadcast licence. “We shall now go to the second stage where court will examine and hear both sides,” said lawyer Ralph Kasambara . On Friday Kasambara accused MACRA of making a decision without hearing the side of Joy but the regulatory body argues that Joy Radio has been refusing to talk to them insisting to speak only through their lawyer.
The date for the next court stage is yet to be set.
Malawi aid project cash reaches £3m
About £2.26 million is to be spent this year on 29 aid projects for Malawi, the Scottish Government said.
The announcement takes the annual aid commitment to the poverty-stricken African country to above the £3 million mark.
The cash was announced by external affairs minister Linda Fabiani who said the projects focused on economic growth and helping Malawi grow and prosper.
The announcement takes the annual aid commitment to the poverty-stricken African country to above the £3 million mark.
The cash was announced by external affairs minister Linda Fabiani who said the projects focused on economic growth and helping Malawi grow and prosper.
Malawi embarks on 4th leg voter registration exercise
Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Chairperson Anastazia Msosa announced on Monday that the country’s fourth phase of the voter registration exercise has started this week and will end on 2 November in selected areas nationwide.
She told journalists in Blantyre that the exercise follows several days of extension in some areas after early closures due to breakdowns of cameras and other equipment.
"This phase has been opened to provide opportunity to those that have failed to register because of the reasons mentioned," she said.
She added that MEC is well prepared in the fourth phase because they now have enough equipment to take them through the end and she was optimistic that there would not be complaints from the voters.
MEC wants to register seven million voters for the 2009 presidential and parliamentary polls.
She told journalists in Blantyre that the exercise follows several days of extension in some areas after early closures due to breakdowns of cameras and other equipment.
"This phase has been opened to provide opportunity to those that have failed to register because of the reasons mentioned," she said.
She added that MEC is well prepared in the fourth phase because they now have enough equipment to take them through the end and she was optimistic that there would not be complaints from the voters.
MEC wants to register seven million voters for the 2009 presidential and parliamentary polls.
20Swiss Re were behind Malawi weather risk deal
Weather Risk Management Add comments Swiss Re have come out as the company behind the Malawi-World Bank weather derivatives deal which I wrote about last week. In a press release on the Swiss Re website they say:
Swiss Re announced that it has entered into a weather derivative contract with the International Development Association (IDA), the arm of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest countries. Under the terms of the contract, Swiss Re will pay out up to USD 5 million in the event that Malawi’s farmers suffer from a drought-related shortfall in maize production. With this transaction, the IDA backs its first-ever weather derivative contract with the Government of Malawi.
”The weather derivative contract with the World Bank is a prime example of an ex-ante disaster risk management strategy designed to mitigate the financial impact of drought for a country such as Malawi that is heavily dependant upon the income from its agricultural production,” said Juerg Trueb, Swiss Re’s Head of Environmental and Commodity Markets.
The World Bank, working together with the Government of Malawi, structured the contract as an option on a rainfall index. The index links rainfall and maize production, so that if precipitation falls below a certain level the index will reflect the value of the projected loss in maize production. The maximum payout is reached if maize production drops to 10% below the historical average.
“This weather derivative contract is just one instrument as part of a World Bank effort to deliver customized financial solutions and help members plan efficient responses to catastrophic events. The use of weather derivatives are most effective as part of a broader risk management strategy,” said Gloria Grandolini, Director of the World Bank Treasury’s Banking and Debt Management Department.
Juerg Trueb concluded: “The execution of the contract between the World Bank and Swiss Re demonstrates the ability and the interest of the international risk transfer markets to absorb such risks.”
Swiss Re announced that it has entered into a weather derivative contract with the International Development Association (IDA), the arm of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest countries. Under the terms of the contract, Swiss Re will pay out up to USD 5 million in the event that Malawi’s farmers suffer from a drought-related shortfall in maize production. With this transaction, the IDA backs its first-ever weather derivative contract with the Government of Malawi.
”The weather derivative contract with the World Bank is a prime example of an ex-ante disaster risk management strategy designed to mitigate the financial impact of drought for a country such as Malawi that is heavily dependant upon the income from its agricultural production,” said Juerg Trueb, Swiss Re’s Head of Environmental and Commodity Markets.
The World Bank, working together with the Government of Malawi, structured the contract as an option on a rainfall index. The index links rainfall and maize production, so that if precipitation falls below a certain level the index will reflect the value of the projected loss in maize production. The maximum payout is reached if maize production drops to 10% below the historical average.
“This weather derivative contract is just one instrument as part of a World Bank effort to deliver customized financial solutions and help members plan efficient responses to catastrophic events. The use of weather derivatives are most effective as part of a broader risk management strategy,” said Gloria Grandolini, Director of the World Bank Treasury’s Banking and Debt Management Department.
Juerg Trueb concluded: “The execution of the contract between the World Bank and Swiss Re demonstrates the ability and the interest of the international risk transfer markets to absorb such risks.”
Malawi: National team flexes muscles
The Malawi National Football Team is daring continental heavyweights such as Cameroon and Ivory Coast for an encounter. The Flames are `praying` for such a possibility during the FIFA draw to be conducted at its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, this week.
Flames' coach, Kinnah Phiri, said on Saturday in an exclusive interview time was near for the Indomitable Lions and the Ivory Coast to realize that their days are numbered. “Gone are the days when Africa had permanent soccer giants and full-time also-runs; now each team is like a mystery that needs to be studied and uncovered, especially on their home soil.”
He added: “We are not afraid of any team, and how we look forward to meeting either Cameroon or Ivory Coast so that we may teach them the 'Egypt lesson'. Let me say, here, that no team, not even the current World Champions Italy, can beat us on home soil (Kamuzu Stadium).”
“But, not only that, the current African champions Egypt and the Democratic Republic of Congo (whom Malawi humbled 2-1 at the giant Kamuzu Stadium on October 11) struggled to beat us on their own home soil and had to be saved by 'pocket' goals. It shows that we are getting there,” said Phiri.
“These teams will always come (to Malawi) happily, because we are the warmest people on the continent, and go back home in shame. But we will not stop to smile at them, as they do to us when we visit their countries; that is the national team we have always worked hard to build, and is now showing signs of maturity.”
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