Passport printing challenges persists as Malawi Govt clings to discredited Indian firm Madras

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By Draxon Maloya

MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-Questions continue to mount following President Peter Arthur Mutharika’s declaration during his State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Friday that his government will procure heavy-duty passport printing machines to ease the burden of producing travel documents locally.

Socioeconomic advocates have expressed concern that the government persists in relying on Madras Security Printers (MSP) of India—a company widely accused of corruption and failed projects—despite the enormous strain this continues placing the Department of Immigration in issuing passports to citizens.

Commentators argue that MSP secured its contract under the previous administration through the influence of then-Acting Director General of Immigration Ananchuma Kalindangoma and Principal Secretary for Homeland Security Steven Kayuni, allegedly sidelining other qualified competitors in favour of kickbacks.

Mervin Nxumayo, chairperson of the Young Human Rights Defenders Network (YHRDN), warned that procuring more machines will not resolve the crisis:

“Madras Security Printers pocketed about IS$12.8 million upfront before processing a single passport as part of the US$27 million deal. Yet today, the government is buying printers for them. What was that US$12.8 million for if not heavy-duty printers? Malawi is obsessed with procurement,” lamented Nxumayo.

It is reported elswhere, MSP faces serious allegations of corruption and failed projects across multiple countries, including Kenya, South Sudan, Mauritius, and India.

Bangladesh even banned the company over fraudulent practices involving tax stamps and stolen data.

In early 2025, then-Leader of Opposition Hon. George Chaponda urged the Malawi Congress Party-led government to cancel MSP’s contract after a severe passport printing crisis left thousands stranded.

“Reports indicate that MSP failed to roll out passport printing months after being paid over K8.7 billion. The company was alleged to have been awarded over K100 billion in contracts through secretive, non-transparent processes,” Chaponda told Parliament, pressing for a “reputable and scandal-free company.”

An informant within the Department of Immigration revealed that Malawi already possesses heavy-duty passport printers capable of producing 150,000 passports in two days—enough to clear the backlog.

He further alleged that despite objections, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) was pressured by senior MCP and State House officials to approve a US$35 million deal with MSP for blank national ID cards.

Homeland Security Minister Peter Mukhitho recently announced that three new heavy-duty machines destined for Mzuzu, Mangochi, and Blantyre are expected to arrive next week.

“The machines are part of a contract signed in February 2025 between the Malawi Government and MSP. By the time the current administration assumed office, only US$9 million had been paid out of the required US$17.9 million. This funding gap disrupted implementation and contributed to delays,” Mukhitho explained.

Critics argue that MSP continues to print passports in India despite receiving millions for “setup costs.” Local firm Technobrain, they note, managed to establish operations in two weeks at less than US$500,000, printing over 200,000 passports in under a year despite political hostility and limited capacity. MSP, by contrast, has printed fewer than 50,000.

Social media advocate Leonard Chimbanga criticized the government’s continued dealings with MSP:

“Here in Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera and Madame Colleen Zamba are happily handing them a aUS$29.9 million passport deal. What could go wrong? Maybe next, we shall let bank robbers handle our treasury,” he wrote.

Chimbanga further alleged that continuing to work with MSP amounts to direct government funding of the former ruling Malawi Congress Party, which initially offered the contract under undisclosed terms.

In 2024, Malawi transitioned to a secure e-passport system after a major system hack and the cancellation of the previous supplier left thousands stranded.

To stabilize the situation, the government engaged local firm E-Tech Systems under temporary contracts.

The upgraded system was capable of processing over 10,000 passports daily, offering express services within 1–2 days and ordinary processing within 10 days—a significant improvement compared to delays of up to 12 months.

Despite the availability of six heavy-duty printers, political interference prevented their integration into the system.

Instead, authorities pursued new procurement deals, reportedly 40 times costlier than local solutions and payable in USD, allegedly to secure campaign kickbacks.

Progress was further marred by corruption, poor contract management, and abrupt termination of agreements without proper transition.

This locked in over 200,000 processed applications, forcing citizens to reapply. Reports also suggested that senior officials demanded bribes from E-Tech Systems, undermining efforts to clear the backlog.

In March 2024, passport fees were revised to MK100,000 for a 64-page (10-year) booklet and MK50,000 for a 32-page (5-year) booklet.

Citizens were also introduced to an online application system allowing renewals and real-time tracking—developed under the emergency solution but later publicized as MSP’s package.

Observers warn that the government is once again being misled into endless procurement.

The real problem, they argue, is not printing capacity but processing inefficiencies, politicization, poor contract management, and lack of system transitions.

The Maravi Post

England King Charles III’s brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested over office misconduct

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LONDON-(MaraviPost)-Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, brother of King Charles III of England, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

According to CNN, officers arrived at Mountbatten-Windsor’s home at Sandringham, King Charles’s estate in Norfolk, early Thursday morning.

Police said they were searching addresses in Norfolk and Berkshire, where the former prince lived until he left his home at Windsor this month.

Police had previously said the force was reviewing allegations that a woman was trafficked to the UK by Jeffrey Epstein to have a sexual encounter with Mountbatten-Windsor, and claims he shared sensitive information with the convicted sex offender while serving as the UK’s trade envoy.

Mountbatten-Windsor has denied all accusations against him and insisted that he never witnessed or suspected any of the behaviour of which Epstein was accused.

He has not commented on recent allegations of misconduct in public office.

The British loyal family is also yet to comment on the matter.

The Maravi Post

Collins Magalasi, Shonga Shonga’s corruption matter stalls a year after court found them a case to answer

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Dorothy in Yellow during previous court session on corruption charges

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-About eleven months have passed since High Court Judge Patrick Chirwa, sitting as Chief Resident Magistrate ruled that former Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) Chief Executive Officer Collins Magalasi, businesswoman Dorothy Shonga, and two other suspects have a case to answer in a high-profile corruption case.

The four were arrested in 2020 on allegations of abusing their positions to manipulate MERA’s Internal Procurement and Disposal Committee (IPDC) into awarding a lucrative MK186 million contract to Vink Enterprise, a company owned by Shonga. 

The deal, which sparked a major scandal, raised concerns about procurement irregularities within MERA.

Chase Referral

Delivering his ruling in March 2025, Judge Chirwa stated that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence to warrant the accused defending themselves in court. The ruling effectively dismisses any possibility of an immediate acquittal and sets the stage for the defence to present its arguments.

“This court has carefully examined the evidence submitted by the State, and it is clear that the accused have questions to answer regarding their involvement in the contract awarding process,” Chirwa said.

The case revolves around allegations that Magalasi, in collaboration with Shonga and the other accused, bypassed standard procurement procedures to unlawfully benefit Vink Enterprise.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), which led the investigation, has argued that the deal was tailored to favour Shonga’s company at the expense of transparency and fairness.

Following the ruling, legal experts say the accused had the opportunity to challenge the evidence and present their defence.

If found guilty, they could face severe penalties, including imprisonment and financial restitution.

The case attracted significant public attention, as it underscores ongoing efforts to combat corruption in Malawi.

Civil society organizations and governance watchdogs welcomed the court’s decision, urging authorities to ensure that justice is served without bias.

But now with eleven months after the ruling was made in March 2025, the case has never seen a day in the court.

Both ACB and Judiciary public relations office are yet to give reasons why the case has stalled for a year.

Why could such a high profile case stall like that after the suspects were found a case to answer? Who is sitting on the case

Capital One

The Maravi Post

Medics declare war on Mutharika’s private practice ban

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LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi’s medical professionals are up in arms over President Arthur Peter Mutharika’s executive order restricting their right to engage in private practice.

The order, which bans public sector healthcare workers from owning or holding interests in private clinics and pharmacies, has sparked outrage among medics who argue that it infringes on their economic rights.

The Human Resource for Health Coalition, which represents various medical professional bodies, has vowed to seek an injunction stopping the implementation of the order.

Chase Referral

“We feel the approach in the second directive banning private practice is wrong,” said coalition chairperson Solomon Chomba. “We have agreed to take legal action because the decision infringes on our economic rights.”

Chomba argued that the private sector provides about 40% of medical care services in the country, thereby reducing distances between health facilities to meet World Health Organization recommendations.

He warned that if the order is enforced, some medical workers would prefer to resign rather than close their private clinics or pharmacies.

“We are working on it so that we obtain an injunction as soon as possible,” Chomba said. “It is an emergency.”

The Malawi Medical Council has also expressed concerns about the order, arguing that it could lead to a brain drain in the public health sector.

“Stopping them from having private clinics is subjecting them to abandon public facilities for private reasons,” said Dr. Victor Mithi, president of the Society of Medical Doctors.

Mithi pointed out that Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe may have only two neurosurgeons who operate on tumors free of charge, and that stopping them from having private clinics could lead to a loss of expertise in the public sector.

The Non-Medical Personnel Association has also criticized the order, saying that it is unfair to single out healthcare workers while other public officials with private business interests are not subject to similar restrictions.

The executive order was issued in response to a joint investigative journalism report that exposed malpractice in public hospitals, including soliciting payments for free services.

However, many are questioning the timing and motivation behind the order, with some accusing the president’s advisors of having ulterior motives.

The Health Rights and Education Program has argued that the country’s current healthcare system challenges stem from the 2003 human resources for health emergency, and that the temporary measure allowing public health workers to operate private clinics and pharmacies was introduced to tackle the brain drain affecting the country.

As the standoff continues, it remains to be seen how the government will respond to the medics’ demands. One thing is certain, however: the healthcare sector in Malawi will be watching closely to see how this drama unfolds.

Capital One

The Maravi Post

Why AG Frank Mbeta allegedly approves to buy a sinking Amaryllis Hotel with public pension funds?

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By Falles Kamanga

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The Public Service Pension Trust Fund (PSPTF), under the oversight of the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government, has acquired Amaryllis Hotel for a staggering K147 billion, nearly three times its original valuation of K47 billion, raising serious concerns about the prudence of the transaction with MK90 billion already paid towards the purchase.

The hotel, already struggling and failing to make profits, now sits at the center of controversy over the management of public servants’ retirement savings.

Chase Referral

The acquisition received legal approval from Attorney General Frank Farouk Mbeta, who also represents Amaryllis Hotel a glaring conflict of interest critics describe as part of his long history of controversial legal interventions.

In a letter dated 28 December 2025 to the Malawi Law Society, Mbeta presented the findings of investigations into allegations surrounding the sale, stating that independent due diligence by FDH Bank Plc, Continental Asset Management Limited, and EMJ Advisory Public Accountants confirmed the transaction was viable.

He concluded that there was no evidence of corruption, abuse of office, or undue pressure on the Board, though he advised careful risk management.

Earlier, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) had issued a restriction notice in November 2025, temporarily halting the sale pending investigations.

By 18 December 2025, the ACB issued a letter clearing the transaction, stating that no fraudulent activities were found, effectively lifting the restriction quietly before the end of the year.

However, the Registrar of Financial Institutions at the Reserve Bank of Malawi sent a stern letter on 6 January 2026, warning that the transaction could expose pension fund members to undue financial risk.

The letter cautioned that the purchase could breach investment limits under the Financial Services Directive, cause liquidity mismatches, and increase concentration risk, putting systemically important pension assets in jeopardy.

The Registrar recommended that the Board reconsider the decision or provide clear safeguards for members’ funds.

Adding to the controversy is Frank Mbeta’s legal track record. While he has never been convicted, he has faced multiple allegations, arrests, and injunctions.

In 2015, the ACB sought to arrest him over bribery involving K2 million to an MRA employee, but a court injunction blocked the arrest.

He was also implicated in “judge-shopping” and judicial manipulation (2016–2017), and was mentioned in the Thomson Mpinganjira bribery trial (2019–2020), where testimony suggested he may have been involved in attempts to influence judges.

In February 2026, he further attracted criticism for approving a K51 million payout and a Toyota Fortuner to a politically aligned former Malawi Housing Corporation (MHC) lawyer, fueling accusations of favoritism and misuse of public funds.

Civil society organizations, including the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), have called for Mbeta’s resignation, citing the long-standing “shadow of allegations” undermining public trust.

As the PSPTF moves forward with the hotel acquisition, the clash between Mbeta’s clearance, the ACB’s quiet approval, and the Reserve Bank’s caution leaves Malawians asking whether pension funds are being safeguarded or gambled away for political and personal interests.

Capital One

The Maravi Post

Jesse Jackson: A torchbearer of justice, legacy that transcends time

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Jesse Jackson’s life is a testament to the enduring power of courage, conviction, and unwavering dedication to justice.

Born on October 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most influential figures in the American civil rights movement and an emblem of hope and activism worldwide.

His journey, deeply intertwined with the fight for equality and human dignity, has left a profound legacy that continues to inspire generations across the globe.

Jackson’s early life was marked by the harsh realities of segregation and racial discrimination in the American South. Yet, these challenges only seemed to fuel his determination to advocate for change.

Jackson (from left) with Janet Karim ( The Maravi Post Associate Editor)

As a young undergraduate, he became actively involved in civil rights activism, positioning himself as a passionate voice for the oppressed.

His involvement with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) under the mentorship of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a defining chapter in his life. Jackson was not only present during some of the movement’s most pivotal moments but was also on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, when Dr. King was tragically assassinated in 1968.

This proximity to such a monumental event deeply influenced Jackson’s path, strengthening his resolve to carry forward the mission of justice and equality.

Jackson’s contributions extend far beyond his association with Dr. King and the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

He founded Operation PUSH (People United to Serve Humanity) and the Rainbow Coalition, organizations aimed at uniting disparate groups to fight against systemic injustice and economic inequality.

These platforms allowed Jackson to address a broad spectrum of social issues, from economic empowerment and educational opportunities to political representation and human rights.

His advocacy was not confined to racial justice; it embodied a holistic vision of social progress, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all struggles for dignity and fairness.

His commitment to political engagement was equally notable.

Jackson’s two presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988, though ultimately unsuccessful, broke new ground for African American political participation and representation.

He brought issues of race, poverty, and social justice to the forefront of national discourse, challenging the status quo and expanding the possibilities for future leaders of color.

Moreover, his role as a shadow senator for the District of Columbia highlighted his dedication to ensuring that marginalized communities have a voice in government decision-making processes.

Jesse Jackson’s powerful oratory skills were central to his effectiveness as a leader. His speeches carried the echoes of Dr. King’s dream, infused with his own passionate calls for justice and unity.

Jackson’s ability to inspire and mobilize people was evident not only in the United States but also on the international stage. His work at the United Nations and interactions with global figures underscored his status as a global human rights advocate.

Janet Karim, a renown Malawi journalist and former diplomat at Malawi mission to the UN once described him as champion of civil rights and human rights a characterization that reflects the broad impact of his work beyond American borders.

The legacy Jesse Jackson leaves behind is rich with lessons and examples for people everywhere. First and foremost, his life demonstrates the power of resilience and persistence in the face of adversity.

Jackson’s journey was not without setbacks, but his unwavering commitment to justice never faltered. He showed that meaningful change requires enduring effort and the courage to confront entrenched systems of power.

Jackson’s emphasis on coalition-building is another critical takeaway. By founding organizations that united people across racial, economic, and political lines, he demonstrated that solidarity is essential for achieving social progress.

His Rainbow Coalition embodied the principle that diverse communities could come together to amplify their collective voice and demand justice.

Furthermore, Jackson exemplified the importance of political participation and representation.

His presidential campaigns and work as a shadow senator highlighted that change is also about who holds power and how that power is wielded.

His example encourages individuals to engage in democratic processes, advocate for their communities, and strive for inclusive leadership.

Perhaps most importantly, Jackson’s legacy is a reminder of the enduring human spirit’s capacity for hope and transformation.

His life’s work encourages people to believe that a more just and equitable world is possible, and that each person has a role to play in making that vision a reality.

In reflecting on Jesse Jackson’s extraordinary life, we see a man who was much more than a civil rights leader.

He was a tireless advocate, a bridge-builder, and a symbol of hope for people worldwide.

His contributions have shaped the course of history and continue to inspire movements for justice and equality today.

The world inherits a legacy not only of struggle but of triumph, and the call to emulate his example is clear: to stand boldly for justice, to unite across differences, and to never cease striving for a better tomorrow.

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