Kondwani Munthali -Malawi

First it was Press Agriculture Limited where 25,000 people will directly lose employment, now the tide has reached the media fratenity with 44 fired at Blantyre Print and Publshing Group and many more at Malawi Broadcasting Corporation. I shed tear for my colleagues in the profession, just like I do over the thousands that are facing the prospect of being jobless in a country where opportunities are limited. It is at such times, I always recall the sigh of relief in our newsroom after Government decided to stop advertising in Nation Publications Limited. I feared that within a short time, many will be retrenched as some of the support services sub contracted, my Chief Executive, my own version of Rupert Murdoch of Malawi in media business told us nobody will loose his job due to the loss of revenue. The critics of NPL and schemers should have been wondering why people were not accepting the job offers from them. Every Journalist resolved also to stay on and produce the best as an a...

I am now beginning to understand why it is very difficult to work with my President. Actually if I was given a position to defend my President or in Cabinet, surely one would have to think alot before accepting it. Consistency is a very big asset for a Leader. My President is a different man everyday. Here is part of his speech today: "If government has not done anything it doesn't meant it can't do anything. All those who are doing nonsense things I can arrest them all if I want to. I want you to know that. Government is government but I'm remaining quite because I believe in democracy. So when some people are drunk talk nonsense...it doesn't mean I can't arrest you. I want you to know, don't think that just because somebody outside said so I cannot arrest you, I can arrest you, let this country go on fire if you want to. But what I want you to know, ladies and gentlemen of Malawi, I want to let you know that enough is enough, enough is enough, I can...

Most of the Cabinet members in the last Cabinet should not expect re-appointments, accoridng to sources close to the process. There will be a slashing in deputies and perhaps even full Ministries. But most of the occupants will be new and experienced hands in politics. The officials reason: the last Cabinet many were not working, enjoying privilages without political or any other sacrifices. Most members of the Cabinet were not even in touch with issues on the ground as President Bingu wa Mutharika realised, they told him lies even up to the 20th where they told him it was vendors and a few people demonstrating. After meeting with Security Chiefs on July 20, the President issued a sober statement that calmed Malawians but after Juy 21 after convening an emergency cabinet Meeting that ended at 10pm, he was back in combative mood due to the competition in telling lies to the Head of State from the former Ministers. Malawians are expecting a lean Cabinet- though this cannot be confirmed...

Well the President has dissolved the Cabinet, there are 41 worried people who serve at his pleasure now not certain about their future. But to majority Malawians it is something we had been asking for many were just excess baggage mostly praise singers who did not really help the President. Most of them ended up becoming professional gossipers not fit for the title Honourable. A certain Minister, though he is likely going to be maintained even told President Mutharika that a media house in UK had bribed some of local journalists with 8 THOUSAND british pounds to stage a documentary child labour. Such blantant lies against people outside the cabinet for sure should have scared the President to fire some of them long time ago. Another Minister told a lie about Lonjezo Sithole flying to Geneva with the Human Rights NGO's. Sithole is a former President of the Students Union at Chancellor College. The shocking aspect was that while the Minister lied in the Presidents face as Lonjezo d...

It is a welcome development. Let those who have capacity to embrance the spirit of giving in shown by Civil Society to that. I appeal to all young people especially in Blantyre to avoid taking the streets and demonstrate. Let us be orderly tommorrow belongs to the organised. Politicians in Blantyre desist from hijacking what was a noble agenda and confuse Malawians. Viva the spirit of Malawians, we will overcome dictatorship just like we overcome one party state. Stay calm and collected! Victory remains with the people not an individual!

For starters, it is time President Bingu wa Mutharika realise that not all voices pleading with him to change are against his administration. Honestly arrogance has cost him a lot of freinds and he is now sorrounded by many who only want to milk him off. Take the comical example of someone paying for a full page advert on riots in the United Kingdom. I do not see any sense by anybody thinking that he would equate the riots in England and try to make fun of it. By amplifying the United Kingdom riots, someone is telling Malawians that it is okey to go and riot and burn things. Human mind intepretation of any events is mostl personal and in Malawi the views are amplified by those that sorround you. His Excellecny the Ngwazi, is sorrounded by a National Governing Council and a Cabinet that leaks all his meetings much faster than they sit down. Many are already on their way out to other parties or waiting to jump ship at an opportune time. The President should have maintained the public ...

Hourly updates from Monday 15th August, 2011 on the preparations, the mood and what is going on. Where you can go and where you cannot go in the streets of Lilongwe, Blantyre, Zomba and Mzuzu. Get ready for real on time coverage of the demonstraions. Women Prayers start at Lilongwe CCAP Church on August 15 to pray for the Nation.