Maputo — The President of Malawi, Bingo wa Mutarika, arrived in Maputo this Monday for a three-day official visit to Mozambique, to strengthen the existing ties of friendship and cooperation between both countries.
On his arrival at the Maputo International Airport, Mutharika was welcomed by his Mozambican counterpart, Armando Guebuza.
This afternoon, Mutharika will lay a wreath at the Mozambican Heroes' Square, and later in the afternoon, he will meet President Guebuza to discuss issues affecting both countries.
This is the first visit of Mutharika to Mozambique since his reelection during the last presidential elections held last May.
Mutharika has won a parliamentary majority that allows him to decide cooperation projects with Mozambique, a country that shares more than 1,500 kilometers border, on the provinces of Niassa, Zambezi and Tete.
Thousands of Mozambicans and Malawi daily cross the border to, among other activities, develop trade, especially informal trade, which is the exchange of agricultural products.
The main purpose of the visit of Mutharika is to revive and strengthen bilateral cooperation, especially on the economic front, based on complementarity of the economies of both countries.
Guebuza was one of the few Heads of State of Southern Africa region invited to attend the inauguration ceremony of Mutharika.
One of the projects of common interest is called Shire-Zambezi Waterway, vital for the economy of both countries, especially Malawi.
The project aims at reopening the Shire-Zambezi Waterway from an inland port of Nsanje in Southern Malawi to the Indian Ocean Port of Chinde in Mozambique, a distance of approximately 238 kilometers. This will enable barges and medium sea-going vessels to ply between Chinde and Nsanje, thereby providing direct waterway access to the Indian Ocean.
When the project is completed, Malawi will cease to be landlocked within the conventional definition.
The project will also benefit other landlocked countries such as, Burundi and Rwanda that are seeking to reduce costs of transport for both imported and exported goods.
Monday, 10 August 2009
Rob in Malawi: Things I Will Miss About Being a JF in Malawi August
I have just over one week left in the overseas portion of my Junior Fellowship with EWB, and my return to Canada has been on my mind a lot lately. One of the things I’ve been thinking about most is what my transition back to life in Canada will look like - will I go through culture shock, how will I respond to the “So man, how was Africa?” question, and what I’ll miss about life in Malawi. It’s tough to imagine how I’ll feel back in Canada, but there are a few things I can think of that will definitely be absent in my life when I return to Waterloo.
Malawian friends and family. Last night I went to a going away party held by the church my family belongs to. Sitting around with friends and family, listening to music and eating biscuits, I was blown away by the people with whom I have spent the last three months. When I first moved in with my family, I thought I was going to go insane - four hour church marathons, gospel music, church members constantly coming and going from the house. After three months, my family still drives me crazy, but I love them just the same.
Malawian babies. I’m not particularly fond of babies back in Canada, but I feel like a large portion of my time here in Malawi has been spent playing with babies. And, Malawian babies are definitely a cut above the rest. Once they realize I’m not a monster (really, that’s why people say they cry when they first see me) they tend to be pretty laid back. I’m not sure if it’s because of the way they’re raised, but Malawian babies seem content just about anywhere - on their mother’s back, crawling around in the sand, playing with a shoe in church. I’m definitely going to miss having a sleeping baby passed to me on a mini bus so that their mother can hold onto a cabbage. Which seems to happen quite a bit.
Talking to people. All the time. Comparing my life in Canada with my life in Malawi, one of the biggest differences seems to be the number of personal interactions I have in any given day. I can’t walk down the street without stopping half a dozen times to talk to with people - sometimes friends, sometimes strangers, usually people who know of me slightly through a mutual acquaintance (all of these people think I’m from Spain for some reason). After spending all day chatting with people at work and around town, I go home and spend hours talking with my family and friends. I know this won’t be the case back in Canada, and I know I will miss making new friends and building relationships on a daily basis.
Reggae. Everywhere I go in Malawi, somebody is playing reggae music. The first time I was on a bus from Salima to Lilongwe, everybody around me broke out into song and started dancing to a song by The Black Missionaries, a Malawian reggae group.. I remember thinking “THIS is what all bus trips should involve.” And, pretty consistently, they have. I keep thinking about riding the Greyhound from Waterloo to Toronto, and have been trying to picture what series of events could lead to a similar situation. My conclusion is, there is none. Pretty soon, it’ll be back to overhearing Canadian and American pop music wherever I go but, at least for the next two weeks, I can keep enjoying the sounds of Bob Marley, Buju Banton, and Lucius Banda from dawn till dusk (and usually after…I live next to a bottle store).
My partner, Macmillan. One of the most rewarding parts of my JF placement has been getting to know my partner, Macmillan Chikhoza. Macmillan is truly an exceptional individual, and I’m proud to have become close with him over the last few months. In addition to being an incredible development champion, he is also a great friend. I could try to list all of the things he has done for me - taking me to the hospital when I was sick with Malaria, introducing me to his friends and family, sharing his stories and experiences - but the list would be far too long for one blog post. I am not sure whether or not all of the friendships I have had during my time in Malawi will stand the test of time, but I hope that my relationship with Macmillan will.
This list could keep going, but I’ll cut it short here. I know folks back in Waterloo are in the thick of exams and that a lot of you are probably polishing off/starting to write work term reports, and probably don’t need the additional reading material! I’m finishing up work this week, and am heading to Lilongwe on Sunday to hand over my final deliverables to my Project Officer. If you have any thoughts, comments, or questions, let me know!
Malawian friends and family. Last night I went to a going away party held by the church my family belongs to. Sitting around with friends and family, listening to music and eating biscuits, I was blown away by the people with whom I have spent the last three months. When I first moved in with my family, I thought I was going to go insane - four hour church marathons, gospel music, church members constantly coming and going from the house. After three months, my family still drives me crazy, but I love them just the same.
Malawian babies. I’m not particularly fond of babies back in Canada, but I feel like a large portion of my time here in Malawi has been spent playing with babies. And, Malawian babies are definitely a cut above the rest. Once they realize I’m not a monster (really, that’s why people say they cry when they first see me) they tend to be pretty laid back. I’m not sure if it’s because of the way they’re raised, but Malawian babies seem content just about anywhere - on their mother’s back, crawling around in the sand, playing with a shoe in church. I’m definitely going to miss having a sleeping baby passed to me on a mini bus so that their mother can hold onto a cabbage. Which seems to happen quite a bit.
Talking to people. All the time. Comparing my life in Canada with my life in Malawi, one of the biggest differences seems to be the number of personal interactions I have in any given day. I can’t walk down the street without stopping half a dozen times to talk to with people - sometimes friends, sometimes strangers, usually people who know of me slightly through a mutual acquaintance (all of these people think I’m from Spain for some reason). After spending all day chatting with people at work and around town, I go home and spend hours talking with my family and friends. I know this won’t be the case back in Canada, and I know I will miss making new friends and building relationships on a daily basis.
Reggae. Everywhere I go in Malawi, somebody is playing reggae music. The first time I was on a bus from Salima to Lilongwe, everybody around me broke out into song and started dancing to a song by The Black Missionaries, a Malawian reggae group.. I remember thinking “THIS is what all bus trips should involve.” And, pretty consistently, they have. I keep thinking about riding the Greyhound from Waterloo to Toronto, and have been trying to picture what series of events could lead to a similar situation. My conclusion is, there is none. Pretty soon, it’ll be back to overhearing Canadian and American pop music wherever I go but, at least for the next two weeks, I can keep enjoying the sounds of Bob Marley, Buju Banton, and Lucius Banda from dawn till dusk (and usually after…I live next to a bottle store).
My partner, Macmillan. One of the most rewarding parts of my JF placement has been getting to know my partner, Macmillan Chikhoza. Macmillan is truly an exceptional individual, and I’m proud to have become close with him over the last few months. In addition to being an incredible development champion, he is also a great friend. I could try to list all of the things he has done for me - taking me to the hospital when I was sick with Malaria, introducing me to his friends and family, sharing his stories and experiences - but the list would be far too long for one blog post. I am not sure whether or not all of the friendships I have had during my time in Malawi will stand the test of time, but I hope that my relationship with Macmillan will.
This list could keep going, but I’ll cut it short here. I know folks back in Waterloo are in the thick of exams and that a lot of you are probably polishing off/starting to write work term reports, and probably don’t need the additional reading material! I’m finishing up work this week, and am heading to Lilongwe on Sunday to hand over my final deliverables to my Project Officer. If you have any thoughts, comments, or questions, let me know!
Malawian Police Raid Mozambican Police Station
Maputo — An unspecified number of border guards from the neighbouring Malawi have raided last Monday a position of their counterpart in the northern Mozambican province of Niassa, where they set fire the local police station, reports Monday's issue of the independent daily 'O País'.
The provincial police command, José Mahunguele, said that Malawian border guards have also used tear gas and firearms during the attack but fortunately without any casualty on the Mozambican side.
According to Mahunguele, the skirmishes started at about four o'clock on the afternoon when Malawian officers raided a police station to demand the return of a bicycle allegedly apprehended by the Mozambican authorities from a Malawian national who had crossed illegally the Mozambican border to buy maize.
The Malawian nationals were told to return the next day by the Mozambican police authorities to pick up the bicycle, a decision that was vehemently refused by the foreigners who wanted an immediate explanation.
The lack of goodwill of the Mozambican side led the Malawian to resort into threats as they left the place, although they did not specify exactly what would do afterwards.
On that same day, the Mozambican police guards were surprised at night by tear gas and gunfire attack that ended with an assault to the local police station, two kilometres away from the borderline separating the two countries.
Still, there are no comments from the Mozambican authorities on the incident.
The provincial police command, José Mahunguele, said that Malawian border guards have also used tear gas and firearms during the attack but fortunately without any casualty on the Mozambican side.
According to Mahunguele, the skirmishes started at about four o'clock on the afternoon when Malawian officers raided a police station to demand the return of a bicycle allegedly apprehended by the Mozambican authorities from a Malawian national who had crossed illegally the Mozambican border to buy maize.
The Malawian nationals were told to return the next day by the Mozambican police authorities to pick up the bicycle, a decision that was vehemently refused by the foreigners who wanted an immediate explanation.
The lack of goodwill of the Mozambican side led the Malawian to resort into threats as they left the place, although they did not specify exactly what would do afterwards.
On that same day, the Mozambican police guards were surprised at night by tear gas and gunfire attack that ended with an assault to the local police station, two kilometres away from the borderline separating the two countries.
Still, there are no comments from the Mozambican authorities on the incident.
Malawi seeks viable transportation route to Indian Ocean
Malawi president Bingu Wa Mutharika left on Monday for Mozambique for a three-day visit where he will engage his Mozambican Armando Guebuza in intense discussion over the 6 billion U.S. dollar Shire-Zambezi water way, which landlocked Malawi is championing as a viable transportation route to the Indian Ocean.
Malawi has come up with an ambitious initiative to transport its goods from the Indian Ocean through the Mozambican port of Chinde located about 238 kilometers from Malawi's inland port of Nsanje in Southern Malawi.
Malawi has already started construction work of the waterway canal in Nsanje, which connects the Indian Ocean through the Shire and Zambezi rivers.
Once completed the Shire-Zambezi Waterway would enable medium sea-going vessels to ply along the waterway and therefore provide Malawi a direct and short waterway access to the Indian Ocean.
Malawi's current traditional ports are Beira and Nacala in Mozambique located about 800 kilometers and 900 kilometers away respectively, and the Tanzanian port of Dares Salaam which is about 1, 200 kilometers away.
"The major issue that I will discuss with President Guebuza is the Shire-Zambezi waterway project which is very dear to us because it will significantly reduce Malawi's transportation costs," Mutharika told local journalists before his departure at Chileka International Airport in the commercial capital, Blantyre.
The Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) estimated that Malawi's transportation costs of its goods alone eat up about 60 percent of the value of the country's exports.
COMESA further stated Malawi spends a total of 250 million U.S. dollars annually on transport costs for imports and exports as indicated in the 2005 Malawi Transport Costs Study.
The 21-member economic bloc, which has already allocated 500,000 U.S. dollars towards the project's hydrographic study, also revealed that the Shire-Zambezi waterway route would enable Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and other countries that would use it to make a direct annual cumulative saving of about 250 million U.S. dollars.
Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia in April 2007 signed an agreement, committing the three governments to jointly work towards development of the Shire-Zambezi waterway.
Mutharika said the two leaders would also discuss how best the two countries could develop the other transport corridors such as the Nacala and Beira corridors.
"We will also discuss other bilateral issues in the sectors of transport and communications, energy, trade and industry, human resources and culture," he said.
Malawi has come up with an ambitious initiative to transport its goods from the Indian Ocean through the Mozambican port of Chinde located about 238 kilometers from Malawi's inland port of Nsanje in Southern Malawi.
Malawi has already started construction work of the waterway canal in Nsanje, which connects the Indian Ocean through the Shire and Zambezi rivers.
Once completed the Shire-Zambezi Waterway would enable medium sea-going vessels to ply along the waterway and therefore provide Malawi a direct and short waterway access to the Indian Ocean.
Malawi's current traditional ports are Beira and Nacala in Mozambique located about 800 kilometers and 900 kilometers away respectively, and the Tanzanian port of Dares Salaam which is about 1, 200 kilometers away.
"The major issue that I will discuss with President Guebuza is the Shire-Zambezi waterway project which is very dear to us because it will significantly reduce Malawi's transportation costs," Mutharika told local journalists before his departure at Chileka International Airport in the commercial capital, Blantyre.
The Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) estimated that Malawi's transportation costs of its goods alone eat up about 60 percent of the value of the country's exports.
COMESA further stated Malawi spends a total of 250 million U.S. dollars annually on transport costs for imports and exports as indicated in the 2005 Malawi Transport Costs Study.
The 21-member economic bloc, which has already allocated 500,000 U.S. dollars towards the project's hydrographic study, also revealed that the Shire-Zambezi waterway route would enable Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and other countries that would use it to make a direct annual cumulative saving of about 250 million U.S. dollars.
Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia in April 2007 signed an agreement, committing the three governments to jointly work towards development of the Shire-Zambezi waterway.
Mutharika said the two leaders would also discuss how best the two countries could develop the other transport corridors such as the Nacala and Beira corridors.
"We will also discuss other bilateral issues in the sectors of transport and communications, energy, trade and industry, human resources and culture," he said.
Namibia, Kenya artistes rock Malawi
Kenya's hip hop star Nameless, female musician Wahu and Namibia's Gal Level on Friday performed in Malawi spicing up the launch of an album for the country's hip hop musician Tay-grin.
music malawi
It was a big album launch which also saw Nigeria’s DJ Waxy perform as well as Zambia’s Peterson Mukubesa and Zimbabwe’s Buffalo Soldier. People came in large numbers in Malawi’s commercial city of Blantyre at Comesa Hall to see the African musicians rub shoulders on stage.
Kenya’s Nameless said the album launch had brought Africa together to enjoy music of different types. “It’s good that musicians from West and Central Africa came together and played music as well as share experiences. This is what happened today,” he said.
Kenya’s female musician Kagwi who was performing for the first time in Malawi said she was impressed with the support she received from Malawians adding that it revealed that Africans support each other.
“I was new on stage but Malawians welcomed me as their fellow African and I enjoyed performing though my songs were new to them,” she said.
Tay Grin said he decided to invite several musicians to the launch of his album and label Black Ryno because he wanted Malawians to experience the difference.
“Africa is rich in music and so I decided to bring musicians from Kenya, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Nigeria just for them to experience the difference,” he said.
Tay grin whose real name is Limbani Kalilani has also been nominated for the Channel O music awards this year.
music malawi
It was a big album launch which also saw Nigeria’s DJ Waxy perform as well as Zambia’s Peterson Mukubesa and Zimbabwe’s Buffalo Soldier. People came in large numbers in Malawi’s commercial city of Blantyre at Comesa Hall to see the African musicians rub shoulders on stage.
Kenya’s Nameless said the album launch had brought Africa together to enjoy music of different types. “It’s good that musicians from West and Central Africa came together and played music as well as share experiences. This is what happened today,” he said.
Kenya’s female musician Kagwi who was performing for the first time in Malawi said she was impressed with the support she received from Malawians adding that it revealed that Africans support each other.
“I was new on stage but Malawians welcomed me as their fellow African and I enjoyed performing though my songs were new to them,” she said.
Tay Grin said he decided to invite several musicians to the launch of his album and label Black Ryno because he wanted Malawians to experience the difference.
“Africa is rich in music and so I decided to bring musicians from Kenya, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Nigeria just for them to experience the difference,” he said.
Tay grin whose real name is Limbani Kalilani has also been nominated for the Channel O music awards this year.
Women MPs coerced to vote
Some female members of parliament of Malawi have disclosed that their political parties influenced them to speedily approve the controversial minimum age for marriage for women at 16 years.
The women legislators made the admission at a women’s forum in Lilongwe organized by Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) last week which drew some female parliamentarians from various political parties in the country to interact with members of the press.
“In Parliament we are free to make decisions on issues but we do it with our political parties in mind to avoid some embarrassments,” said Otilia Jere, a Democratic Progressive Party MP.
“We thought the bill will include 18 years as a minimum age for marriage for women in the country,” added Jere also Deputy Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology.
Another DPP legislator Dilia Kankhwani said most female parliamentarians voted for 16 years minimum marriage limit because they were coaxed by other contents in the said bill. “The 16 years age limit was just part of the bill because it contained several issues in it,” said Kankhwani.
Asked why the female legislators did not fight for the amendment of the marriage age limit for women in the country, the parliamentarians were silent at the forum. The female legislators’ admission that they approved for the marriage limit without seriously considering its implications on the girl child in the country comes after Health Minister Moses Chirambo and his deputy Theresa Mwale expressed concern on the matter.
The two cabinet members who were part of the approval of the marriage age, said it would have a negative impact on government’s efforts to reduce the country’s high maternal mortality rate to save lives of women dying from child birth complications.
The women legislators made the admission at a women’s forum in Lilongwe organized by Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) last week which drew some female parliamentarians from various political parties in the country to interact with members of the press.
“In Parliament we are free to make decisions on issues but we do it with our political parties in mind to avoid some embarrassments,” said Otilia Jere, a Democratic Progressive Party MP.
“We thought the bill will include 18 years as a minimum age for marriage for women in the country,” added Jere also Deputy Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology.
Another DPP legislator Dilia Kankhwani said most female parliamentarians voted for 16 years minimum marriage limit because they were coaxed by other contents in the said bill. “The 16 years age limit was just part of the bill because it contained several issues in it,” said Kankhwani.
Asked why the female legislators did not fight for the amendment of the marriage age limit for women in the country, the parliamentarians were silent at the forum. The female legislators’ admission that they approved for the marriage limit without seriously considering its implications on the girl child in the country comes after Health Minister Moses Chirambo and his deputy Theresa Mwale expressed concern on the matter.
The two cabinet members who were part of the approval of the marriage age, said it would have a negative impact on government’s efforts to reduce the country’s high maternal mortality rate to save lives of women dying from child birth complications.
Growing tobacco without puffing benefits
Malawi’s economic dependence on tobacco dates to 1800s according to a Guide to Blantyre published by Malawi ’s Department of Tourism in the 1980s.
No wonder that since attaining independence from Britain in 1964, Malawi’s economy still depends on the leaf.
However, while Malawian estate owners and international multinational tobacco firms have been reaping from tobacco, ordinary Malawian estate workers have not been benefiting, Frazer Potani reports from Malawi.
Ganizani Benjala cannot remember his age, however, recalls that for 48 years has been doubling as a tobacco tenant and watchman at Zanzi Estate in Mitundu, Lilongwe.
But despite working in the two jobs for this long period what Benjala has is a rusty bicycle bought 12 years ago.
“I have been growing tobacco and working as a watchman at this estate [Zanzi] but people don’t believe me that the only thing I have after working for such a long time is that bicycle,” he said while posing with the 87 cattle he guards around the clock and other property on the estate daily.
Benjala, married with seven children and four grandchildren said the estate was in the hands of a foreigner before a Malawian bought it few years ago.
“It has never been an easy road for me and my family for we have been sailing through hardships,” he said while wiping sweat on his forehead.
“While other tobacco growers were smiling following the historic good tobacco prices that were offered on the markets last year, I just got about K30,000 [over $200] after selling my tobacco to the estate I work for. My tobacco was bought at K80 per Kg,” said Benjala.
He disclosed that he gets K3,000[$20] per month for his watchman job and the money is too little because from the amount he has to buy food his family of 11 people.
“I left my home of Jailosi Village, T/A Kasumbu in Dedza and l had a dream of, after working as a tenant owning my own house and opening my own tobacco farm,” Benjala said adding, “I have however, now lost any hope of ever reaping fruits from growing tobacco because no matter how much tobacco I produce and no matter how outstanding its quality what I have been getting are peanuts. I can’t even manage to buy better clothes for myself and my family.”
He said every tobacco sales season his benefits are eaten away by inflated hefty monetary deductions including food and medical costs by the estate’s management.
However, Zanzi Estate Manager Naphtali Samson Banda said management gives food accessibility to tenants a priority.
“Our estate 226 hectares and we have 6 tenants, 60 direct laborers who are on monthly pay roll and 12 indirect labour working as temporary workers. To make sure that our tenants are food secure, apart from providing them with food, each tenant was allocated a piece of land for growing tobacco and maize,” said Banda.
He further disclosed that his estate allocates a bigger area for growing maize for food than the land for growing tobacco to its tenants.
“We can not produce more high quality tobacco when our tenants and workers in general have no food,” he said.
He added that his estate also values all its workers’ lives including tenants as precious.
“Whenever our workers fall sick, using the estate’s resources we take them to the hospital for treatment for free. We also buy tobacco from our tenants at good prices set by Tobacco Association of Malawi (Tama) to make sure that they reap from their sweat. For example, last year we bought tobacco from our tenants at K87 per Kg,” he said adding that it was also not true that his estate inflate figures of money to be deducted from tenants.
Sailing in the same boat is Elizabeth Phiri, 22 mother of three children from Phalombe at Dulu Estate in Kasungu.
Phiri said her brother took her to the estate while very young after their father and mother died.
“We came here in search of a better life. We have been working hard in the tobacco field so that we could raise capital to start a business to rely on our own. Nevertheless, we have been sweating for nothing,” Phiri, a primary school-drop out who went as far as standard seven, said as she inserted her breast’s nipple to let her third suck.
“What we got last years was just a mere K20,000 which was too little to meet our needs to the extent that we have been incurring debts to survive in our everyday life,” Phiri whose dream was to become a teacher said adding that her two school going children go to school on empty stomach.
She said the worst thing is that when they get the already little income from tobacco it is equally shared with her husband.
“While my husband uses his share on beer I have to use mine for necessities in our household and it’s never enough,” Phiri said.
“As I am talking to you there is no food in my house and we have to go to the manager to get a pail of maize whose value will be deducted from the already minimal benefits we are to get after this year’s tobacco sales season,” said Phiri adding that they also struggle to get water for consumption.
“We have to walk a very long distance from the estate to the river where water is found and it is unsafe,” she said, however adding that they are sometimes lucky because they treat the water before consumption.
“We treat the water using free chlorinate from government through Health Surveillance Assistants otherwise, we are at risk of drinking contaminated water and suffer from waterborne diseases such as cholera,” she said.
Tobacco Tenants and Allied Workers Union of Malawi (TOTAWUM) Secretary General for the central region of Malawi, Edson Gideon said his organization was receiving many complaints from tobacco tenants.
“Many tenants are complaining that they are facing a lot of hardships in tobacco estates at the hands of their managements,” said Gideon.
He added that one major complaint is that tobacco tenants are not benefiting from growing tobacco because they get very low income.
“Most of their benefits are eroded by hefty deductions by estate owners. These people [tenants] are not just very poor, but illiterate, ignorant of their rights at work, and even afraid to speak out of the hardships they are going through,” said Gideon.
He said most tenants choose to suffer in silence than to openly speak about the hardships they are going through because are afraid of losing jobs if estate owners discover that they were talking out their problems.
Henry Ntaba a veteran tobacco grower also Tama councilor from central Malawi said some tobacco buyers at auction floors were fuelling dehumanizing treatment in estates through offering poor tobacco prices to tobacco growers.
“Malawian tobacco growers at all levels are hardworking and produce high quality leaf. But tobacco buyers are exploiting them [growers] through offering very low prices even less than the cost of producing the leaf and these low prices on the market against higher costs of producing the leaf are discouraging growers from producing more tobacco,” said Ntaba.
President Bingu wa Mutharika threatened to revoke licenses of tobacco buyers if they would continue offering low prices on the market.
The Centre For Social Concern (CFSC) in Lilongwe however, said its research reveals that despite that tobacco production is associated with economic development, employment provision, and contributes over 70 per cent of Malawi’s foreign exchange growers are becoming poorer.
It says the powerful forces behind Malawi’s tobacco dependent economy are US subsidiaries Limbe Leaf, Stancom and Dimon which together purchase over 95 percent of the tobacco crop and sell it to global cigarettes firms like Phillip Morris and British American Tobacco.
It further says results reveal that the prices of tobacco prevailing on the auction floors have been generally declining over the last few years.
“The study revealed that tobacco workers live in extreme poverty and are subjected to high exploitation,” said CFSC Executive Director Jos Kuppens adding that it was also reported that the situation has become more serious since the advent of market liberalization.
He further said the majority of the tobacco workers (tenants and contract workers) work without contracts written or oral. It was revealed that their produce is under-priced due to deliberate under-grading done by the estate owners.
“This practice leaves most of the estates workers with huge debt,” said Kuppens.
He further claimed that many land lords on tobacco estates deny workers basic necessities such as medication; food when they run out of their monthly allocation, safe drinking water and housing.
“Some respondents reported to have gone without food for two or more days during the time of the survey. More over, estate workers are not entitled to annual or maternity leave, transport facilities, medical scheme, death gratuity,” said Kuppens.
He said his organization recommended that the draft Tenancy Labour Bill that was prepared by Malawi Government through Ministry of Labour be tabled in the next sitting of Parliament.
“This Bill emphasizes written contracts between tenants and landlords covering things like transportation of tenants, food provisions and accommodation, and fair repayments schemes,” said Kuppens.
No wonder that since attaining independence from Britain in 1964, Malawi’s economy still depends on the leaf.
However, while Malawian estate owners and international multinational tobacco firms have been reaping from tobacco, ordinary Malawian estate workers have not been benefiting, Frazer Potani reports from Malawi.
Ganizani Benjala cannot remember his age, however, recalls that for 48 years has been doubling as a tobacco tenant and watchman at Zanzi Estate in Mitundu, Lilongwe.
But despite working in the two jobs for this long period what Benjala has is a rusty bicycle bought 12 years ago.
“I have been growing tobacco and working as a watchman at this estate [Zanzi] but people don’t believe me that the only thing I have after working for such a long time is that bicycle,” he said while posing with the 87 cattle he guards around the clock and other property on the estate daily.
Benjala, married with seven children and four grandchildren said the estate was in the hands of a foreigner before a Malawian bought it few years ago.
“It has never been an easy road for me and my family for we have been sailing through hardships,” he said while wiping sweat on his forehead.
“While other tobacco growers were smiling following the historic good tobacco prices that were offered on the markets last year, I just got about K30,000 [over $200] after selling my tobacco to the estate I work for. My tobacco was bought at K80 per Kg,” said Benjala.
He disclosed that he gets K3,000[$20] per month for his watchman job and the money is too little because from the amount he has to buy food his family of 11 people.
“I left my home of Jailosi Village, T/A Kasumbu in Dedza and l had a dream of, after working as a tenant owning my own house and opening my own tobacco farm,” Benjala said adding, “I have however, now lost any hope of ever reaping fruits from growing tobacco because no matter how much tobacco I produce and no matter how outstanding its quality what I have been getting are peanuts. I can’t even manage to buy better clothes for myself and my family.”
He said every tobacco sales season his benefits are eaten away by inflated hefty monetary deductions including food and medical costs by the estate’s management.
However, Zanzi Estate Manager Naphtali Samson Banda said management gives food accessibility to tenants a priority.
“Our estate 226 hectares and we have 6 tenants, 60 direct laborers who are on monthly pay roll and 12 indirect labour working as temporary workers. To make sure that our tenants are food secure, apart from providing them with food, each tenant was allocated a piece of land for growing tobacco and maize,” said Banda.
He further disclosed that his estate allocates a bigger area for growing maize for food than the land for growing tobacco to its tenants.
“We can not produce more high quality tobacco when our tenants and workers in general have no food,” he said.
He added that his estate also values all its workers’ lives including tenants as precious.
“Whenever our workers fall sick, using the estate’s resources we take them to the hospital for treatment for free. We also buy tobacco from our tenants at good prices set by Tobacco Association of Malawi (Tama) to make sure that they reap from their sweat. For example, last year we bought tobacco from our tenants at K87 per Kg,” he said adding that it was also not true that his estate inflate figures of money to be deducted from tenants.
Sailing in the same boat is Elizabeth Phiri, 22 mother of three children from Phalombe at Dulu Estate in Kasungu.
Phiri said her brother took her to the estate while very young after their father and mother died.
“We came here in search of a better life. We have been working hard in the tobacco field so that we could raise capital to start a business to rely on our own. Nevertheless, we have been sweating for nothing,” Phiri, a primary school-drop out who went as far as standard seven, said as she inserted her breast’s nipple to let her third suck.
“What we got last years was just a mere K20,000 which was too little to meet our needs to the extent that we have been incurring debts to survive in our everyday life,” Phiri whose dream was to become a teacher said adding that her two school going children go to school on empty stomach.
She said the worst thing is that when they get the already little income from tobacco it is equally shared with her husband.
“While my husband uses his share on beer I have to use mine for necessities in our household and it’s never enough,” Phiri said.
“As I am talking to you there is no food in my house and we have to go to the manager to get a pail of maize whose value will be deducted from the already minimal benefits we are to get after this year’s tobacco sales season,” said Phiri adding that they also struggle to get water for consumption.
“We have to walk a very long distance from the estate to the river where water is found and it is unsafe,” she said, however adding that they are sometimes lucky because they treat the water before consumption.
“We treat the water using free chlorinate from government through Health Surveillance Assistants otherwise, we are at risk of drinking contaminated water and suffer from waterborne diseases such as cholera,” she said.
Tobacco Tenants and Allied Workers Union of Malawi (TOTAWUM) Secretary General for the central region of Malawi, Edson Gideon said his organization was receiving many complaints from tobacco tenants.
“Many tenants are complaining that they are facing a lot of hardships in tobacco estates at the hands of their managements,” said Gideon.
He added that one major complaint is that tobacco tenants are not benefiting from growing tobacco because they get very low income.
“Most of their benefits are eroded by hefty deductions by estate owners. These people [tenants] are not just very poor, but illiterate, ignorant of their rights at work, and even afraid to speak out of the hardships they are going through,” said Gideon.
He said most tenants choose to suffer in silence than to openly speak about the hardships they are going through because are afraid of losing jobs if estate owners discover that they were talking out their problems.
Henry Ntaba a veteran tobacco grower also Tama councilor from central Malawi said some tobacco buyers at auction floors were fuelling dehumanizing treatment in estates through offering poor tobacco prices to tobacco growers.
“Malawian tobacco growers at all levels are hardworking and produce high quality leaf. But tobacco buyers are exploiting them [growers] through offering very low prices even less than the cost of producing the leaf and these low prices on the market against higher costs of producing the leaf are discouraging growers from producing more tobacco,” said Ntaba.
President Bingu wa Mutharika threatened to revoke licenses of tobacco buyers if they would continue offering low prices on the market.
The Centre For Social Concern (CFSC) in Lilongwe however, said its research reveals that despite that tobacco production is associated with economic development, employment provision, and contributes over 70 per cent of Malawi’s foreign exchange growers are becoming poorer.
It says the powerful forces behind Malawi’s tobacco dependent economy are US subsidiaries Limbe Leaf, Stancom and Dimon which together purchase over 95 percent of the tobacco crop and sell it to global cigarettes firms like Phillip Morris and British American Tobacco.
It further says results reveal that the prices of tobacco prevailing on the auction floors have been generally declining over the last few years.
“The study revealed that tobacco workers live in extreme poverty and are subjected to high exploitation,” said CFSC Executive Director Jos Kuppens adding that it was also reported that the situation has become more serious since the advent of market liberalization.
He further said the majority of the tobacco workers (tenants and contract workers) work without contracts written or oral. It was revealed that their produce is under-priced due to deliberate under-grading done by the estate owners.
“This practice leaves most of the estates workers with huge debt,” said Kuppens.
He further claimed that many land lords on tobacco estates deny workers basic necessities such as medication; food when they run out of their monthly allocation, safe drinking water and housing.
“Some respondents reported to have gone without food for two or more days during the time of the survey. More over, estate workers are not entitled to annual or maternity leave, transport facilities, medical scheme, death gratuity,” said Kuppens.
He said his organization recommended that the draft Tenancy Labour Bill that was prepared by Malawi Government through Ministry of Labour be tabled in the next sitting of Parliament.
“This Bill emphasizes written contracts between tenants and landlords covering things like transportation of tenants, food provisions and accommodation, and fair repayments schemes,” said Kuppens.
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