New Twist to the Kuwait Labour Export

 Barely days when  the Korean government has distanced it self from importing  labour, the Kuwait government has a put conditions on ,people to be employed. It should be those that have a acquired a passport not less than a year.

Over 400 young people who are jobless have shown interest to go and work in south Korea,Dubai and Kuwait. But according to a source at ministry of labour, the government of Kuwait has written an official letter that among other conditions, it will only accept those that acquired a passport atleast a year ago.  Minister of labour Eunice Makanga confirmed to have recieved such  communication from   the Kuwait government.

Last week , the Ministry of labour had advertised in local news papers 30 names of successful young people who were expected to leave for Kuwait . But  the new developments has left young people stranded and frustrated.  The issue to export labour to other countries dates back in March when president Joyce Banda launched   a youth initiative job creation as one way to address the problem of poverty.

Kuwait Gets Tough On Malawi Government, No New Passports

The State of Kuwait has officially written the Malawi Government advising it to only send citizens that have been holding the Malawi travel document for over one year, this blogger can reveal.

The news may be a blow to some youths that had qualified to be on this Malawi-Kuwait labour exchange deal.

Last week, Malawi’s Ministry of Labour announced through the media a list of 30 names that had been shortlisted to start preparations for the first lot of

Malawians to work in this Arab country in Western Asia.

According to documents that this blogger has peeped through in the Ministry of Labour, no Malawian citizen would be allowed to embark on these Kuwait trips if their passports were obtained in less than a year.

The latest development means that all youths that applied for passports in the last one year and were announced to have qualified for preparations on trips to Kuwait may now be declared ineligible.

Earlier, Malawi and Kuwait agreed to have a labour exchange deal where the 30 people announced were going to be the first lot to travel to this Middle East country whose state oil industry saw the nation’s unprecedented economic growth.

Just like Malawi, Kuwait is a former British colony and got her independence in 1961. It is situated in the northeastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the tip of the Persian Gulf, it shares borders with Iraq to the north and Saudi Arabia to the south.

Trigger happy cop named, IMF meeting shifted from Capital Hill

Lewis Chigadula has been named as police officer who yesterday used a rubber bullet to one of the striking officer at Capitol Hill .  Yesterday police fired teargas and rubber bullets to the striking civil servants and injured one person who was rushed to the hospital Over 100 police officers are deployed at Capitol Hill.

Meanwhile CSTU president Elijah Kamphinda has disclosed of a mass demonstration to take place tomorrow in all the regions in the country.  The mass demonstrations  will involve all civil servants in various departments. According to Kamphinda,  preparation on the marching are almost throughs as his organization has already contacted the authorities. 

He said the mass marching will start at Kamuzu Central Hospital via city center to OPC where they will finally present their petition. According to Kamphinda, if government will not respond to their petition in time then more action is going to take place.

In the morning renowned human rights activists Jesse kabwira Kapasula stormed Capitol Hill for solidarity Speaking to civil servants, Kapasula said it was their right to a peaceful demonstration and no one has the right to stop them.  She said they should continue pestering government on their demands

The strike has forced the IMF meeting that was scheduled to take place at the Ministry of Finance at Capitol Hill to be shifted to IMF offices at the city center. At the press conference by International Monetary Fund (IMF), Mission Chief for Malawi Tsidi Tsikata has faulted the Malawi government for failing to meet agreed targets on social spending, saying the targets were missed during the second quarter ending December 31 under the country’s programme with IMF.

IMF Mission Chief for Malawi Tsidi Tsikata told a press conference in Lilongwe, this morning, that although Malawi’s performance under the programme was generally satisfactory during the quarter, the government missed targets on reserve money and social spending. He said  indicative targets on reserve money and on government social spending were missed by small margins

But Malawi authorities say social protection programs have been successfully scaled up. Tsikata has however said the mission has since reached staff-level understandings with the Malawi authorities on policies for completing the second ECF review. He said consideration by the IMF’s Executive Board is scheduled for March next year, and that completion of this review will enable Malawi to receive a disbursement of about US$20 million from the IMF.

Speaker to rule on Laptops

Speaker of the national assembly Henry Chimunthu Banda is expected to rule on the use of laptops by members when parliament meeting is in process.  His ruling comes against the background that Minister of Justice Ralph Kasambara was caught using a laptop when deliberations were taking place.
Member for Kasungu West stood on a point of order asking speaker if justice minister was supposed to use the gadget.  However the speaker reminded members that they are not allowed to read books and news papers while deliberations in the house are in progress.

But the issue  also attracted a point of order from member of parliament for Lilongwe Msozi,  Vitus Mwale, who reminded the house last years ruling on the use of, book and news papers in the house. “Mr speaker sir, I remember last year you made a ruling on the matter but probably the justice minister was not in the house “said mwale.

He further started making fun of the minister that he was using the laptop because he is not among honarable members.  “Mr speaker sir, just look to all honourable members in this house. Nobody is using   a computer,” he said adding that the minister was using the computer because he is not an elected member of parliament.

Last year the speaker   made a ruling that it is unparliamentaly  to read newspapers and books while the house is meeting.  However the speaker is expected to make a ruling on the use of computer in the house.

Statement expected on “Ndata” University

Leader of the house Henry Phoya has disclosed that the  Minister of Education is expected to present in the national assembly the current status of University of Science and Technology. On two occasions the Minister of Education has failed to present a statement on the matter.

A week has passed since the parliament order paper has been carrying the item indicating that the minister was supposed to deliver a statement on the status of MUST,CHANCO and POLY.

But according to announcement by leader of the house, delay by the minister to deliver the statement was a because she is not in the country. Phoya said  once the minister comes, she is expected to present only status of MUST and not as it was appearing on the order paper.

On the Polytechnic and Chanco, Phoya said since discussions are underway the minister will not talk about  the two colleges. The opening of MUST has been one of hottest issue that is being mentioned each and everyday. The state of art university, late Bingu’s brainchild, that has been idle for two years and now needs 25 billion  kwacha for completion

Parliament’s Security Officer Appears In Court Over Assault

Youngson Chilinda a security officer with the Malawi National Assembly is expected to appear in court in Malawi’s administrative capital, Lilongwe on Monday to face assault charges over the beating of journalist Thoko Chikondi.
Chikondi, an employee with Malawi’s leading daily The Nation was assaulted on Parliament premises on Thursday when the Consumer Association of Malawi (CAMA) presented a petition on its consumer grievances to the representatives of the legislature.
Chilinda was arrested on Saturday afternoon after a complaint was made to Lingadzi Police on Thursday.
Media rights bodies and human rights activities have condemned the actions by Chilinda for using heavy handiness in controlling the female journalist who was in the course of duty taking pictures of the event.

Orange Bus @ Malawi Cargo Centre, TZ Enroute To Malawi

About two weeks ago, Finance Minister Ken Lipenga announced a tax waiver on buses like this. Little did we know that the intended beneficiary had already imported some. This Blogger of The Year journalist recently travelled to Tanzania and captured this bus which is en-route to Malawi. We now have answers as to why those import duties were removed. We will keep you informed.

Malawi Parliament Staff Beats Photojournalist

This photojournalist working for Malawi’s leading daily, The Nation had a rude awakening on Thursday at the National Assembly in Lilongwe when she was roughed up by Parliament’s security officer, a Mr Chilinda.
Condemnations from press freedom rights bodies have started flowing in describing Mr Chilinda’s actions on the journalist as barbaric in modern Malawi. Some members of the civil society have also called on the Speaker of Parliament Henry Chimunthu Banda to discipline his secretariat staff.
Lawyers have advised the photo journalist to seek redress in the courts as the beating happened in the full view of the public.

CAMA Takes January 17th Petition To The Malawi National Assembly

Consumer Association of Malawi Executive Director John Kapito, seen at Parliament Buildings in the administrative capital, Lilongwe on Thursday. He is with opposition DPP spokesperson Nicholus Dausi. Kapito and some senior consumer officials were at Parliament to present a petition on outstanding issues from the January 17th demonstrations. The issues include; President Joyce Banda’s internal and external travels the lack of declaration of assets by the President and a bloated cabinet among many others. The opposition Malawi Congress Party’s Chief Whip Joseph Njobvuyalema has since received the petition.

Government Chickens Out On Kamange As New Auditor General

The appointment of a new Auditor General in Malawi remains in limbo as government unexpectedly withdrew the proposed name of Peter Kamange  to be considered by the high office.

The surprise withdraw comes against a background of reports suggesting Kamange’s name could have be rejected again by Members of Parliament.

According to Wednesday’s order paper in Parliament, the confirmation of Peter Kamange was  the first agenda item to that was to be discussed in the Chamber but to a surprise of the legislators, Leader of Government Business in the House, Henry  Duncan Phoya requested the  Speaker of the National Assembly Henry Chimunthu Banda to vary the relevant Standing Orders for the house to continue with the budget deliberations.

When he asked to clarify on why government jumped the confirmation of the new Auditor General, Phoya gave no reason but said the matter would be back in the House next week.
But according to this blogger’s sources among the Parliamentarians, it has been confirmed that  Mr Kamange’s name is very unpopular amongst the lawmakers and that the government side felt another rejection was on the way.

In Novermber last year, Members of Parliament dismissed the name of another of President Joyce Banda’s appointees to the post in Anderson Kulugomba.

According to some of the Parliamentarians, they feel that Kamange is not the right choice for the position of Auditor General as he is a practicing politician in the ruling Peoples Party (PP).

As part of the evidence confirming his political activities and loyalty to the ruling party, Kamange once served as  Secretary General for the PP.

Last year, during the PP’s Convention, Kamange also attempted the post of Treasurer General which he lost to Harry Mkandawire.
The Auditor General’s office though very critical in government finances accountability, remains without a controlling officer almost 10 months after the resignation of Leckford Kampanje.

The delay to confirm a substantive Auditor General has paralyzed activities in this paramount office as donors are withholding funding to some critical government departments and agencies

Sources from Capital Hill say that about K6.6 billion in Malawi’s budgetary support finances has been put on hold by some of Malawi’s bilateral partners until Auditor General’s vacancy is filled.