It is expected that the body of Malawian murder victim Rudo Mawere will be released this week for repatriation to her home country independent.ie reports.

Ms Mawere, a 26-year-old business student, whose lifeless body was stuffed into a sports bag measuring just 2ft by 4ft, and abandoned at 7pm last Saturday on the footpath, was found on Blackhorse Avenue in Dublin last Sunday morning.

It is thought that Rudo’s killer was on the way to the Phoenix Park, but became startled by passing sirens.

The body of Zimbabwean born Jasper Taruvinga, 36, who also used the alias Jasper Dube, with whom she was believed to be in a relationship, was discovered in a wooded area in North Kent in England on Wednesday.

It appears that he took his own life and there are claims that a note was found near his body admitting to Ms Mawere’s murder.

Ms Mawere had been living in a flat on Leinster Road in Rathmines and was studying business in the BCT Institute on Dublin’s Parnell Square.

A spokesperson for the college said this week: “We are very sorry about what happened with her, especially as she is an international student. She doesn’t know anyone in terms of relatives in Dublin.”

Ms Mawere had also worked in St Luke’s Hospital as a part-time cleaner, where a memorial mass was held for her on Friday afternoon.

Shaken colleagues and friends from both the Irish and African communities consoled each other during the service which was also attended by the Malawian Honourary Consul in Dublin, Fr Patrick O’Malley.

Patrick Banda, of the Malawi Association in Dublin, told the Sunday Independent this week of the grief and shock that has engulfed their small community and beyond.

“We are actually trying to organise mass on Sunday where we can gather together and pray for Rudo, and share the experience which we are reeling from. It’s a shock to everybody really, people, they cannot believe and understand that this has really happened,” he said.

“It is not only Malawians that are involved in the grief, there are other nationalities as well like South Africans and Zimbabweans and many other nationalities. We are all neighbours; so it’s a real shock to everybody. We have heard from so many Irish people and they are also offended by what has happened here.”

Ms Mawere had previously advertised her services as an au pair, stating on a website in 2010 that she had a “passion for children since I was young. I love being around kids.”

She told her friends that she had lent money to Mr Taravinga/Dube and was going to his flat in Aughrim Street in Stoneybatter last Saturday evening to confront him over the return of her money.

Gardai are now trying to establish the movements, before and after the killing, of Mr Taruvinga/Dube, who had previously been living in the Midlands in England.

It is believed Ms Mawere was in a relationship with Mr Taruvinga/Dube.

The amount of money she had lent him is not known but was apparently vital to Ms Mawere’s plans to return to Malawi.

It is believed he travelled north to Belfast on Sunday last and caught a ferry to Scotland then made his way south to Kent, possibly intent on travelling on to the Continent.

His body was found hanging from a tree in Higham in Kent by a man walking his dog last Wednesday.

A friend, Alindafe Malinda, from Malawi, who attends the same human resources diploma class at the Business and Computer Training Institute (BCT), described her as a “cheerful person”.

The killing comes seven years after the high-profile murder in Ireland of the daughter of Malawi’s chief justice.

No one has been brought to justice for the murder of Paiche Unyolo Onyemaechi, 25, whose decapitated body was found at Piltown, Co Kilkenny, on July 23, 2004.

The mother of two sons had been missing for three weeks before the discovery. Ms Unyolo Onyemaechi was the daughter of the Malawian chief justice, Leonard Unyolo. Gardai believe Ms Unyolo Onyemaechi was murdered after refusing to work as a prostitute in Waterford where she had been living with her children.

The main suspect fled the country and has not been heard of since. Paiche’s head was never recovered and gardai were unable to establish if it was dumped elsewhere or was used as part of a “ju-ju” witchcraft ritual.

The main suspect was from a region of Nigeria where ju-ju rituals using parts of dead bodies are still practised.

Friends and colleagues of Ms Mawere have set up a fund to assist her family in repatriating Rudo’s body to Malawi.

Account details for contributions to the fund: reference ‘Rudo’ at Permanent TSB 99-06-58 A/C No 17197136, O’Connell Street, Dublin.

People can also contact the Honourary Consul for Malawi, Fr Patrick O’Malley, 21 Leeson Park, Dublin 6, at 01 4960888.

For some reason last week I decided to write this article having had the ideas just before the Christmas period. I am happy and surprised at the same time that I share perhaps this week only the same thoughts as Ndirande Love who has in the week written something on the subject of Malawi being a Christian nation.

I agree with Ndirande Love that as a God fearing nation Malawi is at an advantage, we are more than blessed and this is supported with the fact that we have never had military wars, civil, national or international since our independence.

This does not mean we have not had disagreements amongst ourselves; where there are people there are bond to be conflicts. Most often disagreements stem from attitudes, personal backgrounds, cultural orientation, education and gender basis just to mention some. It is a relief our country has remained peaceful despite various challenges that show up now and then.

Therefore reading most of the comments in our Malawian newspapers especially online ones, I was becoming worried with most of the combative language that people are mostly using especially when talking about the current leadership. It is only when I stopped and looked at it positively and I realized that these are signs of a maturing democracy. Just think of it, when a baby begins speaking, she starts with any sounds that easily come out of the mouth, then proper words, followed by sentences and finally as one matures you start to present things sensibly in a logical manner. As usual I become easily carried away, this is not the subject of this piece, the subject for my article is religious so let me go back to that.

Recently I was amazed with some practice of people in developed countries. Many people think people in these countries are not religious but historically countries like the UK (United Kingdom) are Christian nations. This was spelt out recently by the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron who reminded people that the nation is a Christian country therefore most of its practices are Christian.

What amazed me about Christian commitment in the UK came from a TV program I recently watched where a Roman Catholic Priest conducted an annual prayer service by the sea to thank God for providing fish and other seafood as well as asking for more supplies. This was my second encounter for just before Christmas, I watched another program where again a Christian priest conducted a prayer / thanks giving ritual by the sea to thank God for oysters and ask Him for abundant supplies. For those who want to check and watch these programs they can do so on the internet using their computers.

For the fish blessing go to BBC 4 IPlayer on a program entitled, ‘An Island Parish’ and for the oyster prayers go to ITV IPlayer on a program with the caption, ‘The Whitstable Oyster Festival.’ A more amazing thing is that to catch the fish or Oysters in these areas, they do not go far from the shores. The fishermen there even catch plenty fish / oysters on the very shallow waters near the beach. God can do wonders. And on the festival days local business people around these areas make a lot of money.

Why did the above move me? It did because apart from these festivals in the UK for example there are several monasteries where devote Christians spend their lives praying for the Queen and the nation as a whole throughout the day, throughout the years and decades. Then one asks how these nations keep on prospering and being blessed, there you have your answer. I wonder if we have some Christian people in Malawi devoted daily on praying for our nation. Having watched the two British TV programs I mentioned, I wondered about the dwindling numbers of fish species in our Lake Malawi. Would it be because we never annually go there to thank God in prayers for this delicacy and ask for more supplies? This is food for thought to our Malawian religious leaders. I have never heard of any prayers conducted by the lake side in Malawi to thank God for His blessings except maybe celebrations such as the musical one, Lake of Stars. Some of these are basic things but as a Christian nation we tend to take these rituals for granted.

When our local men of God speak on behalf of the common people, by whose authority do they do so? I have never heard most of them declaring with grace that they are speaking by virtue of their ordination as men of God thereby putting God above everything before they speak. Most people though Christians or people of faith (thus including other religions) have lost their faith and are looking at men or man, a fellow mortal to redeem them and in some cases whole communities in whatever situations they are in. Our country Malawi has abundant resources. Perhaps we just need to ask from God to open our eyes and not wait for a messiah from amongst our own fellow beings. Let us be part of the solution. Let us put God first for if we put our faith in man then we will always be disappointed. Thus a resultant situation of putting too much faith in living mortals (man) transcend in such statements as others would say that they never knew when they were voting someone in office how they were going to turn up afterwards.

Our Malawian fore fathers used to celebrate the festival of the first harvest. This is also the case as depicted in the bible as it talks of communities. I remember we used to do the same at St Michaels and All Angels CCAP church in Blantyre, I am not sure whether the practice is still there but it is an important occasion. The congregation used to bring in their first harvest produce including livestock for those with farms and monetary values for those without any agricultural farms. The results of these rituals could always be seen year on year, a wealth and growing congregation. Someone please shout if this is still practiced at HHI CCAP.

Let me go back to my campaign for the reintroduction of the Kamuzu era Youth Week. One of the good things that used to happen in the week was a celebration of the first harvest and thanks giving for it also agricultural shows in rural areas which were presided over by local MPs. On the Youth Week as I said in my previous article talking of my primary school Chichiri in Blantyre was a week of abundance evident through massive sales of sugarcanes grown near the edges of Ndirande forest and Blantyre Polytechnic staff residential flats. The sugarcane field owners used to make a monetary kill during this period.

Apart from sugarcane there were high sales of aother food crops as well such as cassava, potatoes (cooked and raw) and most fruits. On the opening day of Youth Week usually held at the Kamuzu Stadium, I remember it was a day on which the various Malawi Young Pioneer Bases/camps (MYP) would showcase their largest harvested farm produce. Most notable were bigger than life pumpkins, cabbage heads and cobs of maize which used to be shown for the appreciation of the Ngwazi, Dr Kamuzu Banda then the Malawi President.

What I have tried to say here is that Malawi as a Christian nation, we need earnest national prayers. We need to so often thank God for the good things in our nation of Malawi and not pretend that we are doomed entirely which is unchristian. What is needed is honesty, there are some issues that we have to unite on no matter the case. Leaders of various churches must be in the forefront teaching people to put their trust in God and thanking Him for the peace we have, the abundance in some natural resources that we enjoy and ask for more continuous provisions. Perhaps we need to admit that we have been looking elsewhere for alleviation of our national problems when the answer is Prayer to God.

Malawi’s President Bingu wa Mutharika parliamentary speech was received with same old castigation and critics without really paying attention to what the president had said.

Most of the usual suspects immediately condemned the speech saying that the speech lacked substance while others said it was the same old story by the old man.

But if one could read the speech with a sober mind without considering his or her hatred on Bingu, people will find that he could be right.

One would always expect the civil society to condemn the president as they have a cat and mouse relationship. And  as for the opposition we all know that our opposition in the country opposes everything.

Human Rights Conservative Committee (HRCC) Reverend MacDonald Sembereka said Mutharika should just relinquish his position. while opposition political parties, namely the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) United Democratic Front (UDF) and Alliance for Democracy (Aford) have described the address as empty.

For instance the president pointed out that, there is little that Malawians have benefited from huge resources donors channel to NGOs “to ferment chaos in the country.”

“I want to bring to the attention of the House and the nation the machinations by some external forces that are encouraging our detractors to bring about chaos, lawlessness, disobedience so as to foster regime change in our country.

“These external forces are working through civil society organizations which number over 550 in our country of only 13 million people. Such a proliferation of CSOs has never brought drugs to our hospitals, nor has it alleviated the fuel and forex shortages among us,” said Mutharika.

These things have only made the country economically unstable and of course tarnish the image while some of the civil society leaders are reaping the benefits by living luxurious life.

There is no way someone from United Kingdom or USA could have Malawi’s interest at heart, only Malawians should and as the president suggested that Parliament must find effective means of providing legislative oversight on the CSOs utilization of resources they receive from donors. ”In other words, legislation must be passed to make CSOs accountable,” said the President.

Devaluation

On devaluation the president could be right on saying that it is difficult for government to devalue the kwacha unless there is guarantee to protect the poor from high commodity prices, resulting from devaluation. However it is also not a right solution to tell people to wait three more years.

But should we say the IMF has Malawians interest at heart?

If we devalue the currency, is there a guarantee that the problem will be solved or we are looking at possibilities only? The IMF technical support team, which visited Malawi in December last year, urged for a devaluation of the kwacha to about K250 per dollar to solve the prevailing acute shortage of forex, but I doubt if that will solve the problem 100 percent.

For instance the same IMF advised the Nigerian government to remove the fuel subsidy which will eventually make the fuel price go up and subsequently increase inflation and prices of commodities. That suggestion will obviously make the ordinary Nigerian suffer, but the foreign countries will benefit by buying their crude oil at a cheap price. Now who benefits is it  the IMF and its partners  or Nigeria?

In developed countries they subsidies their products, farmers and many more but when a developing country tries to do the same they say it’s bad for the economy, for forex etc.

Similarly in Malawi’s situation why should we accept any suggestion put across by the IMF without taking in consideration the impact on poor Malawians.

Nsanje Port

Booo!!!!! from me too, how can Nsanje World Inland Port project be one of the achievements of the current  administration when then is no progress at all. However I applaud the president for defeating hunger, and reducing HIV and Aids related deaths and other developments.

Home Grown Policies

One quality President Bingu wa Mutharika’s administration has  is that, they have policies that have vision and many Malawians fail to understand  this because we are used to lip service politics of UDF and MCP.

Malawi has its own customs, cultures, religions and laws, which are not subservient or inferior to any systems prevailing elsewhere.

Here in Malawi we should implement policies that work in Malawi and we should support them. Issues of forex and fuel shortages can be solved amicably with proper planning and good policies not devaluation alone. Those are temporary remedies we should address these issues once and for all. And in reality that would take some time but are we willing to wait for future success or we will continue to listen to the foreign powers and have no future.

All the developed countries have policies and continue to change them to protect their nations interest why then  cant we do the same.

Malawi is a blessed country we need to start producing again.

Bad laws

Parliament is the only legitimate institution to champion the process of making laws for Malawi, but if the parliamentarians are not principled people who are willing to pass bad laws then the organs in the country under democratic constitution can contest them in the court of law and it is good for the country.

For example media ban law, injunction bill  were unnecessary and the parliamentarians passed the bill yet  it was against the views of many Malawians, that leaves the civil society and law commission with no choice but to protect freedom and people’s rights.

Outside influence

I agree with the president that Malawi must stand up for what is right for us and not give legitimacy to strange and unwelcome practices from other lands simply for a few dollars as we have seen in other countries like homosexuality and other.

CSO’s and even some religious leaders do not have the mandate to change the powers of the President in the governance of our country like give deadlines and threaten  the President to submit reports to them on how the country is governed, Indeed Parliament should pass law to check NGOs to limit their powers as they have shown that they are drunk with influence.

Conclusion

The president speech had valued points that need to be considered and take serious if we want to grow and move forward rather than condemning without even taking time to even listen to what the president had said.

However he should also provide answers to people’s questions or at least outline how he is going to solve the problems that the country is facing at the moment and  he did not answer the questions people were hoping him to do so.

Malawi golden boy and Light heavyweight contender Isaac Chilemba took a big step in establishing himself at light heavyweight with a convincing 10-round decision win over Edison Miranda in Las Vegas on ESPN2′s Friday Night Fights series

An early battle of boxer versus puncher ,Chilemba was using his jab and finding openings. Miranda was his usual self - coming forward, applying a lot of pressure and swinging hard with both hands.

Miranda work rate and pressure was the early difference, but the real feather in Miranda’s cap was his ability to cut off the ring.

In the third round, an accidental clash of heads opened up a bad cut above the left eye of Miranda. The cut opened up further in the fourth and the blood was flowing down hard on Miranda’s face. Miranda was already displaying some desperate to end it early. In the fifth round, referee Robert Byrd broke the fighters apart and took away a point from both of them. Chilemba lost a point for holding and hitting and Miranda lost a point for hitting behind the head. The cut was really bothering Miranda, who often used his glove to wipe away the flow of blood.

Chilemba hurt Miranda early in the seventh, but couldn’t follow-up. Miranda was starting to slow down and Chilemba was started to land his punches without much resistance. The tide of the fight completely turned in in the eight. Miranda was a beaten fighter. He continued to come forward and threw punches, but he missed most of his shots and ate counters in return.

Chilemba, who has 19 wins including this one and  1 loss, 1 tie with  9 knockouts to his name, sais  he couldn’t wait to have his hands on his opponent, since he wants to make a statement in the USA and now he has as a contender is said to have been born after last nights fight.

Prior to the fight Miranda chanllenged Chilemba saying I’ve been hearing what he’s been saying on the Internet. I want him to know this is not Africa with lions and tigers. This is ESPN. This fight won’t last five rounds.”

I’ve fought so many great fighters. Give me one name of who you have fought. He hasn’t fought anybody. I’m going to destroy him. I feel sorry for all the other light heavyweights in the world.

But chilemba had this to say  I’m looking forward to the fight. ” I was supposed to fight next week on the Berto/Ortiz undercard when my manager told me about the opportunity to take on Edison Miranda on ESPN. I was very excited. We have the game plan to beat Edison and I can’t wait to start exchanging punches with him ” . And indeed he did.

Congratulations To Mr Chilemba

According to World Health Organisation (WHO), cancer is the uncontrolled growth and spread of cells. It can affect almost any part of the body. The growths often invade surrounding tissue and can metastasize to distant sites. Many cancers can be prevented by avoiding exposure to common risk factors, such as tobacco smoke. In addition, a significant proportion of cancers can be cured, by

surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, especially if they are detected early. As we commemorate this year’s World Cancer Day, on the part of the Child Rights Information and Documentation Centre (CRIDOC), we have been grief-stricken to receive news of death of one of the Malawi’s seasoned journalists who succumbed to cancer in the wee hours of Friday, 3 February 2012. Mayeso Chirwa, who until his death was Information Specialist at the American Embassy, died at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe.

We wish we could find words in which to express our sorrow at the loss of Mayeso. May his family have the strength to bear this great affliction. In the death of Mayeso, we have lost one whom it was our privilege to call our friend and colleague.

CRIDOC enjoyed good working relationship with both Mayeso and the US Embassy, through the USAID’s Self-Help Projects, which funded CRIDOC towards the construction of a library and teachers office at Chimvite Primary School in Lilongwe Rural South West. We view the project, scheduled to be officially unveiled by the US Ambassador later this month, as an epitome of hard work, diligence and commitment of the staff at USAID and the Embassy towards the fulfilment of the broader development agenda for Malawi. It is for this reason that we dedicate this year World Cancer Day to the fallen dedicated staff of the

Embassy, Mayeso, who was among the over 600,000 people that died of cancer worldwide since January this year alone, according to WHO estimates. Ironically, many of these deaths can be avoided with increased governmental support and funding for prevention, detection and treatmentprogrammes. Unless urgent action is taken to raise awareness and develop practical strategies to address the disease, millions of people globally will continue to die prematurely from the disease.

It is when every person, organisation, and government, individually play their respective roles, that the world will be able to reduce the global cancer burden. Because together it is possible!

In Solidarity!

Signed:

George Mwika Kayange

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Malawi should not host the African Union (AU) summit in June as the country has a many problems to solve according Joyce Banda who said this while addressing a rally at Kasiya in Lilongwe North East this week.

The presidential hopeful told her supporters that government should instead use the money meant for hosting the summit to solve some of the problems the country is facing.

“We are being told that the country is holding AU summit in June. I humbly request the president, to ask the African Union to consider having the meeting elsewhere. We don’t have money to play with. We are sailing in problems here. Government should use the money to buy fuel and ambulances in hospitals. It should address other problems we are facing,” Banda said.

I find it hard to believe that the presidential hopeful really doesn’t know the importance of hosting the African union summit.

Honestly, I was surprised that even ‘’akweni’’ kaliati seems to appreciate and understand the importance of Malawi hosting the summit than the vice president.

“Those delegates will come here with forex. That’s what we have been talking about all along. Local businesses will also benefit,” Kaliati said.

Everyone  knows that having the foreign delegates in the country will help local business and to some extent bring in the forex we all have been talking about.

Of all the people Joyce Banda should know this, rather than lying to her supporters of the importance and benefit of Malawi hosting the summit.

Does she have Malawi’s interest at heart or she is just vying to become the president of the country? With this attitude, what if she becomes the president, will she have any ambitions for the country  if she doesn’t have any now?

There is a famous saying which says ‘’first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye’’

If at all if she really thinks  that government is doing a wrong thing in hosting the summit  and wasting money, why can’t she do the right thing first  to set an example and resign as vice president . Because she is not working for government but building her party and using tax payers money which logically and in principle is not right.

Ever since she formed her party she no longer  works for government and yet she is being paid as the country’s vice president with all the benefits . She constantly opposes the  government which she claims to be part of,  which makes me think  she is a confused person or greedy.

Fine, some may say she was pushed as president Bingu wants his brother to be president, right. But does that also  give her a right to use tax payers money and government resources to build her party ?

We should always remember we are all Malawians and this is our country and we all want  it to do well.  Joyce Banda’s remarks have reminded me of our humorous former president Dr Muluzi, who queried  the opposition during his tenure in the country of having a tendency of opposing everything just because there are called   the ”opposition parties.”

Muluzi said ‘’even if we want to build a bridge the opposition says no! Ok, let us build a school the opposition says No’’

Some of these things we need to understand that they are of national importance and in fact Joyce Banda who is receiving  taxpayers money,  should at least show some ambition for the country rather than wasting tax payers money building her political ambitions by opposing everything even though we sincerely know some can be  and are good for the country.

This makes me wonder if indeed our leaders really understand democratic politics.

Despite our political differences we should put the interest of the country first and show some love to mother Malawi, we are all Malawians and our children will live in Malawi so why not work together for the better of the country.

The Portuguese group Mota-Engil has been awarded the contract to build  138.5 kilometres of  railway  in southern Malawi that will take 27 months to finish  for the Brazilian group Vale for  US$703 according to the groups statement field.

Currently Vale-Mozambique is building the US$2 billion railway line from Moatize, in the western province of Tete, to the northern Mozambican port of Nacala that will go  through southern Malawi.

 The railway line  is aimed at transporting  coal and other products mined by Vale at its concession in Moatize and the shortest way of reaching Nacala is through Malawi.

The agreement will allow Vale to manage the line for an initial period of 30 years, with possible renewal for a further 20 years.

Mota-Engil is already involved in several construction works in Malawi including the construction of the delayed M1 Lilongwe-Nsipe Road, the Nsanje port among other.

Mota-Engil also said that, following its efforts to increase its activities in emerging markets its portfolio of orders in Africa had grown to a total of US$1.2 billion including the project for the Brazilian mining group Vale.

The project is expected to employ about 4 500 people, of whom 70% will be Malawians.

The 45-year-old woman from Port Elizabeth raped the 13-year-old mentally disabled and physically handicapped teenager in Motherwell in 2009 .

She will now be listed in the National Sex Offenders Register. She cannot be named because of a successful application she brought after being sentenced in the Eastern Cape High Court in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday preventing her name from being published. The boy cannot be named either.

Port Elizabeth National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Tsepo Ndwalaza said: “It is the first conviction of its kind. She is the first woman to be successfully convicted of rape in South Africa.”
She was prosecuted under the Sexual Offences and Related Matters Amendment Act of 2007, which has an expanded statutory offence of rape, applicable to all forms of sexual penetration without consent, irrespective of gender.

The woman was previously convicted on a charge of sexual assault before the new act came into effect.

“The incident happened in 2009 when the lady, the perpetrator was a caregiver to the boy,” Ndwalaza said.

This act also addresses the archaic common law on sexual offences that existed previously. Among other critical things, it repeals the common law offence of rape and replaces it with an expanded definition. It simply means that a woman, a man or a child can now be raped by another woman or man.

Another development with the act is the enactment of new, expanded or amended sexual offences against children and people who are mentally disabled, including offences relating to sexual exploitation or grooming, exposure to or display of child pornography and the creation of child pornography.

According to the report President Mutharika arrived around 11am and went straight  to the state house where held talks with President Mugabe.

Speaking after the three-hour meeting, the Malawian leader said he was visiting Zimbabwe to exchange ideas with his counterpart.

“President Mugabe is my elder brother and it is well that I visit to share ideas with my elder brother on various issues,” he said.

President wa Mutharika encouraged African leaders to constantly consult each other and improve their relations.

He dismissed reports that Malawi was facing challenges because of a diplomatic stand off with Britain.

Relations between Malawi and Britain soured after the Malawi government expelled the latter’s High Commissioner Fergus Cochrane-Dyet after  an email which contained  undipolmatic words against the countrys president was leaked to the media. The higher commisioner wrote that the president was  ” combative” , ” iratic” among other things which angered the government and expelled the diplomat.  malawi governmnet however said they did not want to end ties with britain but that the particular gentelman should be removed from the equations as he had shown to lack respect.

But this did not go well with Britain who  reciprocated and refused to acknowledge the in-coming Malawian envoy while withdrawing an invitation sent to the acting High Commissioner to the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

The British government announced a “review” of diplomatic relations between the two countries covering such areas as migration, defence, educational and cultural relations.

Malawi, which was receiving a reported one-third of its budget from London, had the aid withdrawn.

While formal diplomatic ties continued, British authorities declared that they will not recognise any envoy from the country until Malawi apologises.

Malawi has since withdrawn an order declaring Cochrane-Dyet a persona non grata, but Britain remains adamant.

President wa Mutharika said co-operation between African countries will help them overcome challenges.

“Bilateral relations between African countries would benefit their peoples. There are things found in Zimbabwe, which has a superior manufacturing sector and are not found in Malawi.

“It is these relations that are beneficial to our citizens that should be strengthened,” he said.

Malawian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Professor Richard Phoya had earlier said President Wa-Mutharika was in Zimbabwe to share notes with President Mugabe.

“This is a very private visit by our Head of State to confer with his brother Robert Mugabe. There are quite a number of issues they need to compare notes” he said.

Ambassador Phoya said there was “nothing unusual” about the visit adding that Zimbabwe and Malawi were very close friends sharing a common history.

“We need to meet often and look at things on both sides,” he said.

Ambassador Phoya said there was need for Zimbabwe and Malawi to enhance trade saying President Mugabe and President Wa-Mutharika would discuss ways to boost business between the two countries.

Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, his Media, Information and Publicity counterpart Webster Shamhu and other senior Government officials welcomed President Wa Mutharika at the Harare International Airport.

The visit by President WaMutharika comes on the heels of the African Union summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Malawi is finalising a review of the concession of the country’s rail operator, Central East African Railways (CEAR), to ensure the company, which has incorporated Brazilian mining giant Vale Emirates as a major shareholder, is entirely responsible for the operation, maintenance and development of the railway network in the country.

Malawi Privatisation Commission CEO Jimmy Lipunga says the review process is being undertaken in line with the recommendations of Indian consulting firm Crisil Infrastructural Advisory Consultants, which carried out a due diligence review of the concession with funding from the Southern African Development Community Banking Association. Crisil’s study identified weaknesses that needed to be dealt with, taking into account international best practice in the rail sector.

The Malawi government awarded CEAR a 20-year concession to operate and manage the country’s rail network in 1999, when CEAR had the US’s Railroad Development Corporation as a majority shareholder. However, CEAR was later acquired by Insitec, which has now sold its majority shareholding to Vale Emirates.

Vale wants to use the Malawi rail network to transport coal from its Moatize coal mine, in neighbouring Mozambique, to Indian Ocean ports.

Malawi Ministry of Transport and Public Infrastructure planning director Victor Lungu says the review process, which started in 2007, will be completed this year.

“The purpose of the exercise is to improve service delivery by Malawi Railways and to bring it in line with the Public Private Partnership Act.”

The review process, besides other things, gives Vale Emirates the freedom to inject capital for the rehabilitation of Malawi’s dilapidated railway network and the acquisition of locomotives.

Meanwhile, the Malawi government has signed a new agreement with Vale for the construction of a new railway line that will link the Moatize mine with the Nacala railway line at Nkaya – a distance of 138.5 km.

The agreement will allow Vale to manage the line for an initial period of 30 years, with possible renewal for a further 20 years.

Vale has committed to spending about $1-billion in Malawi over three years on the construction of the railway network, and it is expected to employ about 4 500 people, of whom 70% will be Malawians.

“The detailed feasibility study on the project has already been undertaken and proved viable. The environmental-impact assessment report has already been approved by the Department of Environmental Affairs,” says Lungu.

Source: Engineering news