#HappeningNow: Bon Kalindo-led demonstrations are on in Blantyre.
They are protesting against rising cost living, corruption and are saying no to the 60-day amnesty which Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda announced.
Reported by Jameson Chauluka
The protesters are passing the Independence Arch along the Masauko Chipembere Highway.
Addressing the protesters, Kalindo says he is 'not afraid of anyone' but calls on the protesters to remain peaceful.
Kalindo says all Tonse Alliance campaign promises such as cheap water and passport and drivers licence fees, 1 million jobs and ending corruption, have not been fufilled, describing the Tonse administration as the 'most corrupt in the country's history'.
Kalindo and colleagues sitting right on the road at Kristwick along the Masauko Chipembere Highway. The protesters are now in Blantyre's Central Business District.
Nearly all shops are closed in Blantyre Central Business District.
The money street, Victoria Avenue, is temporarily impassable.
The protesters have arrived at the Blantyre District Commissioner's office to deliver their petition.
Kalindo is reading the petition.
Among key points in Kalindo's petition are:
-Selective justice in the move to grant amnesty to some individuals, arguing if that happens, all corruption convicts should be released from prison.
- Subsidise essential commodities like sugar, cooking oil, candles, matches etc.
- Unavailability of fertiliser and at the promised price of K4,495.
- Further reduction of toll fees and that one payment must be valid for 24 hours.
- Water prices must be reduced.
- One million jobs materialise now.
- Demands Neef loans.
- Fulfillment of campaign process of cheap passport and driver's licence.
-If this does not happen, President Lazarus Chakwera and Vice President Saulos Chilima must resign.
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#FuelDealsCase: Chief Resident Magistrate Patrick Chirwa has ruled that the second witness, Deputy CEO of Nocma Helen Buluma, may tender any document at any point as long as she is still testifying.
Reported by Audrey Kapalamula.
Chirwa said the objection on the matter is based on technicalities in tendering the evidence hence they must not pay much regard to such matters at the expense of justice.
He also said the witness shall go document by document in tendering the evidence.
Meanwhile, Buluma continues testifying before the court.
#NewsUpdate: Minister of Transport and Public Works, Jacob Hara, has warned contractors and consultants in the road construction industry that they will face consequences if found doing substandard works. #TimesNews
Reported by Thomas Kachere.
The Minister was speaking when he appreciated progress on the upgrading of Ntcheu - Tsangano - Neno - Mwanza road.
Hara said consultants found colluding with contractors to defraud government will be prosecuted.
He said government will be using Deflectometre machine to determine the quality of a road before it is handed over to government.
The project also involves upgrading a 20 Kilometre section from Neno Boma to Ligowe.
#NewsUpdate: The Chief Resident Magistrate Court in Lilongwe has resumed hearing of a case in which former minister of Energy, Newton Kambala, president of Aford Enoch Chihana, and former presidential adviser Chris Chaima Banda are being accused of interfering in fuel ...
... importation contracts by Nocma.
Currently, the court is debating on the tendering of a document to be used as evidence as Nocma deputy Chief Executive Officer Hellen Buluma continues testifying before the court today.
Reported by Audrey Kapalamula
Chief Resident Magistrate Patrick Chirwa has adjourned the Nocma fuel importation case to the afternoon when he will rule on the technicalities surrounding tendering of documents.
#NewsUpdate: Natural Resources and Climate Change Committee of the Parliament is meeting the Treasury and Khato Civils on the progress of Salima-Lilongwe water project.
Reported by Wezzie Gausi
Treasury representative says the process has taken long because they were taking long to find a financier that was compatible with government standards.
He says currently, the financier has been found and negotiations are at an advanced stage.
He says the Minister of Finance will be telling the nation on the progress in the budget statement in February.
Khato Chief Executive Officer Mongezi Mnyani says government has signed the term sheet.
#NewsUpdate: Former Energy Minister Newton Kambala, Aford President Enoch Chihana and Former Chief Advisor to President on Strategy Chris Chaima Banda have arrived at the Lilongwe Chief Resident Magistrate Court to continue hearing of their case of political interference ...
... in the awarding of fuel supply contracts.
Nocma acting Chief Executive Officer Hellen Buluma is today expected to continue testifying against the three.
Reported by Taonga Sabola
The defence is being represented by lawyers Wapona Kita, Bright Theu, Khumbo Soko, Gilbert Khonyongwa, George Mtchuka Mwale, among others.
The State is being represented by ACB Director General Martha Chizuma and lawyers from ACB.
#NewsUpdate: Former Energy Minister Newton Kambala, Aford president Enoch Chihana and President Lazarus Chakwera's former chief advisor on strategy, Chris Chaima Banda, have pleaded not guilty to the amended chargesheet brought by the State in the case of political ...
interference in the awarding of fuel importation contracts.
The State has now brought its first witness, an official from PPDA.
Reported by Taonga Sabola
Nocma Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Hellen Buluma, 48, is giving her testimony in the case as second witness.