In 2012, the Tony Blair Institute had six British & American “experts”helping Pres Joyce Banda “strengthen democratic systems”
The Malawian taxpayer was paying $10,000/month for each one of the six. When Joyce Banda lost, the experts packed up and left.
But they are coming back
On its website, the Blair Institute is recruiting for a new project in Malawi:
“Malawi elected a new President in June 2020, and the President is looking to strengthen the capacity of his government to implement his vision for development, as outlined in his party’s manifesto.”
Nov 18, 2020 • 15 tweets • 3 min read
#Bushiri has released a statement in which he reiterates the position that he believes that he won't get a fair trial in South Africa because system is rigged against him.
This is what he says in a message he titles: To SADC COMMUNITY, THE AFRICAN UNION AND THE WORLD:
Lilongwe: On Tuesday morning, 17 November 2020, the Minister of Home Affairs in South Africa, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, MP, addressed the Portfolio Committee in Parliament that oversees and holds the Minister to account on issues relating to his ministry, amongst others, immigration.
Aug 11, 2020 • 15 tweets • 3 min read
The President of Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera, has a weekly radio address in which he updates the citizens on progress made and sets down the tone and direction of his leadership. Last Saturday’s address was perhaps the most interesting yet
This, in part, is what he said;
Fellow Malawians,
I have noted with delight that there is much interest in my plans to trim the powers of the president. Because of that interest, I am confident that when this project is well underway, it will have your full support.
Apr 15, 2020 • 22 tweets • 4 min read
In February, Malawi's Constitutional Court held that Pres. Mutharika was not duly elected because of “systematic irregularities" during the May 2019 elections
The 500-page ruling had some interesting things to say about the conduct of the Malawi Electoral Commission
But first:
In the highly contested election, Peter Mutharika was declared the narrow winner with 38% of the vote, followed by opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera with 35% and Vice President Saulos Chilima in third with 20%.
Apr 13, 2020 • 10 tweets • 2 min read
In 2012, Joyce Banda became Malawi's first female president & Africa's second. Following the disastrous last years of Bingu wa Mutharika, she had enough goodwill to last her a lifetime.
But in just two years, she was out. Here are some of the mistakes that cost her presidency:
1: After Bingu died in office, the same old opportunistic and greedy politicians joined Mrs Banda’s party such that her new party was new in name only. With them they brought the cronyism, corruption, executive arrogance etc that people disliked with the previous administration
Apr 10, 2020 • 39 tweets • 7 min read
In April 2012 the president of Malawi collapsed and died.
Between the day he died and the official announcement of death, a LOT of things happened, including attempts to elbow Vice President Mrs. Joyce Banda out.
Here is a little of it:
Joyce Banda had fallen out with President Bingu wa Mutharika who had begun to position his own brother, Peter Mutharika, to succeed him. As vice president Joyce Banda opposed this arrangement so she was sidelined and eventually left the party to form her own opposition party.
Apr 7, 2020 • 30 tweets • 5 min read
The open and transparent manner in which the British are handling the matter of Boris Johnson's illness reminds me of the secretive and confusing way in which Malawi handled the illness and death of President Bingu wa Mutharika in April 2012.
Here is what happened:
Bingu wa Mutharika, was fine at the beginning of the day on Thursday, 5th April 2012. He had his breakfast with the First Lady as usual. While in the office, he attended to some few telephone calls and started meeting some of the people who had appointments with him that morning
Apr 5, 2020 • 36 tweets • 7 min read
10 Chinese nationals arrived in #Malawi on March 18. Six of them were deported following President Mutharika’s declaration of a State of Disaster in the face of #Covid_19. Four of them were granted a court order to enter the country by High Court Judge, Kenyatta Nyirenda.
Many were unhappy, including the government of Malawi, through the Information Minister, who said the order allowing the 4 Chinese to enter Malawi showed the Judge's lack of patriotism and undermined local and global efforts to protect people from #coronavirus
