Mary Kaphwereza Banda RIP (1954-2008)

I last met the Late Mary Kaphwereza Banda, my teacher for years on November 23 at Johannesburg's O.R Tambo. She was coming from graduation of one of her daughters. She proudly told me "aliyonse akumalizga masters mwana wane." She was very proud of her daugthers, her achievements and as Bakili Muluzi put it rightly at her role in the history of Malawi.
In September before primaries for Lilongwe City Central, she told me she was yet to make a decision to contest though there was pressure for her return. I dismissed her jokingly that that was a politicians white lie. She invited to me to a tour of her properties.
I had attended Walani brefiely in the 90's and my niece is at Peter Pan. I have some distant cousins at Mount Sinai. We ended our tour at her office at Mount Sinai it was lunch hour. She had a meal prepared at the school, an ordinary nsima with some green vegetables and meat. She refused me to have it and offered to buy me lunch at a "proper resturant". I asked her what was the problem. "I eat here with my staff, but for you did not contribute today so you will be imposing on our lunch" I laughed, she was not.
Then we went again political, she repeated the same, that since getting out of Government in 2004 she has concentrated on her three major businesses and they have grown. She reminded me of her trip to China which again we met on the plane. I am not sure where I was flying from, but we spoke a lot about the potential of Malawian businesses getting deals in China.
The last meeting on November 23, was a very remarkable, the plane had PS for Labour, Commissioner for Labour, MCP Beston Majoni, Prof Mathews Chikaonda and Hon Nancy Tembo.
As we approached Lilongwe I was talking to her about how many state funeral would be there if the plane crushed, she told me "I dont wish any. I want my family and real freinds to mourn properly not some sort of a show Kondwani."
Very ironic, that the first woman Secretary General of a political party in Parliament, the first woman to own three thriving businesses, the first Minister for HIV and Aids, my Minister of Youth who listened to the will of youth had to be buried at a simple ceremony in Area 18, sorrounded by freinds and family.
Any Journalist who spoke to her when she was appointed will testify that she clearly stated that she will never insult anybody but only state facts. She lived to her word.
At all her three schools she insisted on hard workd and discipline- she lived up to it.
When my mother won Business Woman of the Year accolade in 1996 from NABW she was the Chairperson, she almost cancelled the award presentation stating that people might think she had influence in it as they knew each other, it had to take others to convince her.
Though it is part of our culture to praise even thugs when they are dead, but Mary Kaphwereza Banda who recieved us in audience as a Minister of Youth in 1998 and implemented all our resolutions. Who built three schools that have and continue to offer education to over 2,000 students in Lilongwe and a politician who fitted well as MP for Capital Hill, she deserves special mention. He roles and service to the Nation were great.
As a teacher, politician and mother she did her best to serve and listen to everyone.
On Christmas day, I was silently looking for her former cabinet colleague Alice Sumani, who together with late Kaphwereza whilst in Alexandria in Egypt in 2002 learnt that as a youth delegation we were not funded, they took their personal allowances for us to go shopping to never forget Egypt.
I will never forget that amazing smile, those discussions at Mount Sinai, Kanengo, Area 43 and even at a bank in city centre telling me "my son I have worked hard for what I have. I dont want politics to mess it up."
Some people decided she was not worthy their mention, but Kaphwereza Banda stood for all what a successful model a young Malawian girl would want to emulate. She died an achiever and she remains part of the national hall of fame!!!

Malawi sacrifices 7,000 to save tobacco

First published in Nation on Sunday 21 Dec. 2008
Malawi sacrifices
7,000 to save tobacco
..DDT can eradicate Malaria-WHO

by Kondwani Munthali

Top civil servant in the Ministry of Health Chris Kang’ombe on Wednesday admitted that the country’s reliance on tobacco has affected the fights against malaria as there are resistance to the adoption of use of Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane (DDT) spraying which is proven to eradicate the fatal disease.

DDT was banned due to environmental and toxic effects, but the World Health Organisation has recognised that spraying the insecticide can eradicate malaria, as since the ban there has been increase in the incidents of malaria in South America and Africa.

“I would say yes it is a difficult choice, either we forgo all the foreign exchange that the country depends on tobacco or we accept to continue sacrificing 7,000 lives that we lose due to malaria,” Kang’ombe said.

He said the Ministry had started the process of consultations and it was still optimistic that the officials in the Ministry of Agriculture which are concerned that the country’s green gold could not be bought if traces of DDT are found in the leaf are convinced.

Malawi according to Kang’ombe experiences at least six million incidents of malaria, resulting in 40 percent of the country’s health budget being taken up by the fight against the disease which can easily be eradicated.

“We are trying to make the economic argument of matter. You reduce or eradicate malaria, you have a healthy person, reduced morbidity and mortality which have both huge costs on the public resources,” said Kang’ombe.

Director of Preventive Health Storns Kabuluzi said he believes the use of DDT is a matter of time as there is enough evidence from the current indoor residue spraying using ICON10CN in Nkhotakota has shown effectiveness in preventing malaria.

“We are trying to find way of accommodating the economic and agricultural needs. The problem that the agriculture people are expressing is that some people use their own homes to cure tobacco and we will be spraying the same homes. May be we can try to advocate for methods that are differentiate the two,” said Dr. Kabuluzi.

WHO Malawi officer-in-charge Richard Banda said the quantities that could be used for spraying DDT are very small as compared with the use of the same chemical in agriculture.

“I believe there will be a time that we should be able to use it as the quantities cannot have any major impact on the agricultural sector as feared,” said Banda.

Malawi joined the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) commemoration of malaria this week as part of efforts to raise awareness on the diseases which has claimed 20 million children since the banning of DDT.

Statistics indicate that an average 350,000 people reported at the country’s health facilitates with malaria while 21 million were recorded sick in the SADC region resulting in 300,000 deaths.

“Malaria illness causes death, inhibits tourism and affects external investment. Malaria prevents children from attending school. Women are four times likely to suffer from malaria during pregnancy resulting in low birth weight, miscarriages and still briths,” said Kang’ombe pleading with Malawians to use free nets government has been distributing to prevent malaria.

Tobacco has been a major challenge to implementing public health programmes in the country including the smoking controls and now malaria as Government has argued over its economic importance.

However public health specialists argue that the benefits of public health programmes will reduce health bills, poverty induced by diseases and deaths and also have economically productive citizenry.

Ends.

Of Somali pirates, Mumbai and Zimbabwe cholera

Somali pirates are fast becoming what Captain Jack Sparrow of Pirates of the Carribean would admire. Instead of chasing a deadmans chest for a heart of someone, they are real in chasing money. And its hard currency. Earnings from the pirates business are said to be heading towards US$35 million and it is becoming more attractive. The capture of the Saudi sirus with US$100 million worth of crude oil is just the beginning of things.

At one point I wrote a proposal to all G7 Governments and celebrities who have shown interest in Africa, it was about inspiring young Africans to do more for themselves. I still enjoy reading the no so but we regret letters from Tony Blairs office, Angel Markel and even George Bush.

The African 2000 Generation could not have solved many of the challenges African youth face, but it could have touched where young people get shaped and have their ideals born.

But it was not of strategic importance to the European and Western nations to develop a vibrant youth society. Today those young people we could have touched from 2000 to present have become pirates and the World is condeming them.

Who is guilty of the Somalia's woes?

All of us. The post elections violence in Kenya saw the World act with speed to resolve the situation including US Secretary for State and Britian leading the pack of noise making and pushing for an all inclusive Government. Thank God is saved Kenya from catastrophe.

The same would happen if South Africa degenerates into some kind of chaos. I was privilaged to be in Washington DC in 2007 where I learnt the art of global policy making. The English word I was well schooled of is called STRATEGIC INTEREST.

I learnt that South Africa and Kenya are of security strategic interest to the West and Eastern Governments and they are not allowed to degenerate into an inch of any disorder. That is why the Aids billions started rolling into Africa.

HIV and Aids money in Africa, thanks should go to Kenya and South African militaries for after a report indicated that they were being weakened by the pandemic, the US suddenly had interest in investing in Aids.

The deaths in Malawi, Botswana, Zambia and Tanzania were not much of strategic interest to the G7 countries.

The same with Zimbabwe it has no strategic interest. While a gunmen in Mumbai have all the interest and as I write Condi Rice is still flying to India and later Pakistani because of the neuclear and strategic interest of the West and Eastern super powers in the two countries.

Where does this blantant discrimination leave Somalia, Darfur and other poor and unimportant countries? They are a source of disgruntled citizenry affected by globalisation.

I do not support terrorism in whatever form, but I believe the World, the United States, Britain, the UN, German, Russia, China, Japan should stop using strategic interest areas and assist young Africans to develop equally.

Pirates of Somalia are all young people and they can be salvaged if we can develop programmes targeting them. Bring peace to Somalia and other conflict zones, do more for the poor and World peace will return.

Otherwise chasing shadows and disrcimination will make Somali pirates role model of the neglected future. Very soon kidnappings I can predict will be fashionable in other poor African countries. After all its hardcash!!!