Malawi designated home of democracy in Africa

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Malawi’s election results are being delayed after vote forgery claims

Written By Angella Semu

Various people on social media from various parts of Africa have applauded Malawians for the courageous fight for their freedom amid the ongoing election process.

This comes after Malawians took it to the streets following the 21st May 2019 election results that was declared not credible following several irregularities by the courts.

Among several things, Malawians have been praised for uprooting all rotting institutions and claim their much awaited freedom through the unending match of freedom for the past year.

“Malawians were cheated of Victory by Munthalika, they went into the streets fought with his police force.

“They went to court and the judiciary was not corrupt like Luke Malaba’s atrocious courts. Today they vanquished the dictatorship!,” Said one of the social media users.

In the past election, the outgoing president was declared the winner. This did not resonate well with many people who dragged the then election body led by Justice Jane Ansah to court together with the then incumbent president professor Arthur Peter Munthalika who was wrongly declared the winner of the election.

“Despite being one of the poorest country in the world, Malawi can be the next home of democracy in Africa,” said another social media user.

In the just ended elections, the unofficial results have pointed towards the opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera becoming the next president of Malawi.

Several people including Zimbabweans, Kenyans and Zambians have called upon their countries to emulate what Malawians have done and study Malawi’s institutions before engaging in the next elections.

First Posted on www.maravipost.com

IBAHRI denounces death sentence delivered against three in Malawi

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The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) is deeply concerned about the recent decision in Malawi to sentence three individuals to death for killing and dismembering a person with albinism in August 2015. The IBAHRI fully supports the enjoyment of all rights by persons with albinism and recognises the challenges Malawi is facing in curbing the heinous attacks against persons with albinism. Despite this, the IBAHRI maintains that the death penalty is not the solution to preventing such odious crimes and goes against the international trend towards its abolition.

IBAHRI Co-Chair, the Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG, commented: ‘To stop the commission of crimes against human rights, penalties that violate the same fundamental rights cannot be imposed. Attacks against persons with albinism must end, but the punishment that the perpetrators should face must respect international human rights law. We exhort the Malawi government to revise this judgement.’

On Tuesday 14 August 2019, at the High Court in the Mchinji district, Central Malawi, Judge Esmey Chombo passed death sentences on three individuals: Douglas Mwale, Sophie Jere and Fontino Folosani – who were found guilty of murdering and mutilating Priscott Pepuzani, who had albinism, in August 2015. In her ruling, Judge Chombo said the death sentences would send a strong message to other would-be offenders and put an end to such malpractices.

Since 1992, Malawi has had a moratorium on the death penalty, and the mandatory death penalty for murder was eliminated in 2007. African regional standards established by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, including General Comment No.3 on the right to life, Resolutions 42 and 136, as well as the Cotonou Declaration on the Abolition of the Death Penalty in Africa , call on State Parties to move towards the abolition of the death penalty. Nevertheless, this is not the first time in recent years that the death penalty has been imposed for this kind of crime. In May 2019, Willard Mikaele was sentenced to death for the murder of Mphatso Pensulo, another person with albinism.

In the denunciation of this recent judgement, the IBAHRI reiterates its recognition of the difficult situation for people with albinism, which is particularly worrying in Malawi and other countries of the region due to frequent ritual killings and trading of body parts. In its 2018 report ‘Waiting to disappear’ International and Regional Standards for the Protection of the Human Rights of Persons with Albinism , the IBAHRI suggests that the legal protection of the rights of persons with albinism needs to be dramatically improved.

The IBAHRI condemns all attacks against persons with albinism and the violation of their rights, but believes that the imposition of the death penalty infringes the universally guaranteed right to life and amounts to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, contrary to both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

IBAHRI Co-Chair, Anne Ramberg Dr jur hc, stated: ‘The death penalty is amongst the worst of human rights violations, where the right to life and the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment are completely ignored. The decision to resort to the death penalty is incompatible with a country that supports the rule of law and good governance.’

In 2008, the IBAHRI Council passed a resolution stating: ‘the Human Rights Institute shall in the future actively promote the abolition of the death penalty’.

Lack of Meaningful tourism in Malawi despite Majesty of Lake Malawi

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Despite a majestic lake stretching through its eastern border that gives way to beautiful beaches, Malawi is the African country less-traveled.

But it’s the place to be if you want to enjoy a natural paradise without everybody else. Though it hasn’t become a booming destination such as Tanzania, Kenya or South Africa, Malawi has numerous attractions.

Named one of the top 10 places to go in 2014 by Lonely Planet, Malawi is one of the lesser known destinations on the travel guide’s annual list, which includes Brazil, Sweden and the Seychelles. The country is touted for its wildlife and beaches.

But there’s more to Malawi than animal parks, warm sands and its endless poverty

Malawians are very friendly people, called the “Warm Heart of Africa,” in the native language, Malawi locals exude friendliness. It’s common for strangers to wave and greet visitors as if they know them.And it’s easy to make them smile with a “moni” (pronounced mo-nee, not money), which means hello in Chichewa, the local language, and “Zikomo” (thank you).

Curious kids often come by to say hi and see what you’re up to. The refrain I heard repeatedly was, “Welcome. You are welcome.”

Although overt friendliness often arouses suspicion in the world traveler, especially when someone’s trying to sell you tchotckes, there’s hardly any hawking or selling of tacky souvenirs in Malawi — the people are genuinely friendly.

Heavy Rains cause Embarrassing roof leakage at Malawi’s International Airport

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LILONGWE-(MD)-The Rainwater gushed through the ceiling inside the Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) building in the capital Lilongwe on Friday following torrential rainfall. But despite causing havoc among passengers, the embarrassment no flight operations were affected.

Passengers claimed they were drenched by the rain water and many of them had to move away with their luggage.

An eye witness, a passenger who was departing from the airport told The Maravi Post that the development occurred at about 1:20pm after heavy rain, accompanied by an hour-long windstorm, saw the roof of the airport building to leak like sieve.

The airport was being flooded at the time passengers headed for South African were boarding, while others travelling to Kenya and Ethiopia were checking in.

Photos of flooding in the airport circulated on social media platforms which showed passengers going through a flooded walkway to their flights.

It took airport staff nearly an hour to take out the rainwater and mop the affected areas in the building