LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)— As the world marked International Anti-Corruption Day, two of Malawi’s leading governance watchdogs urged national leaders to treat corruption not as a routine governance challenge but as a national emergency requiring urgent, decisive action.
In a joint statement, National Advocacy Platform (NAP) Executive Director Benedicto Kondowe and Civil Society Accountability Taskforce (CSAT) Executive Director Willy Kambwandira stressed that Malawi’s political leadership must convert anti-corruption commitments into tangible reforms that strengthen accountability across all sectors.
“Corruption must be confronted, not accommodated. Accountability must be enforced, not negotiated,” the statement reads, underscoring the urgency with which the two organizations believe Malawi must respond.
NAP and CSAT emphasized that a renewed culture of integrity is possible one anchored in institutions that operate independently and free from fear, political interference, or personal interests.
They also highlighted the critical role of young people, describing them as the “forefront generation capable of demanding and defending transparency,” and essential contributors to building a more accountable Malawi.
The two organizations reaffirmed their commitment to work collaboratively with government bodies, communities, and stakeholders to ensure that Malawi’s anti-corruption pledges become actionable realities.
“Only when commitments become lived realities will Malawi deliver a future where integrity is not aspirational but expected,” the statement adds.
This year’s commemoration is themed at “Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity”.
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LILONGWE-(MaraviPost-The National Advocacy Platform (NAP) has issued a powerful call for urgent accountability and decisive regulatory action as Malawi’s mobile and internet services continue to deteriorate at an alarming rate.
In a strongly worded statement released in Lilongwe on 15 November 2025 and signed by NAP Chairperson Benedicto Kondowe and National Coordinator Baxton Nkhoma,it expressed deep concern over the worsening collapse of network quality, a crisis that has persisted for nearly a year without meaningful intervention from authorities or service providers.
According to NAP, Malawians have endured erratic connectivity, dropped calls, slow and unreliable internet access and the premature expiry of data bundles often before customers fully utilise them.
Despite this prolonged decline in service delivery, data and voice tariffs have remained unchanged.
NAP describes this as “daylight robbery” and “an affront to consumer rights,” noting that calls for improvement from civil society, businesses and citizens have been repeatedly ignored.
The organisation warns that the crisis is doing severe damage to the country’s economy and digital development.
Businesses are experiencing reduced productivity, students are struggling to access online learning platforms and professionals who rely on digital communication are increasingly frustrated.
The unreliability of mobile networks is also disrupting access to essential services in health, education and finance, threatening Malawi’s progress toward a digitally driven economy.
One of the most alarming developments, NAP notes, is the chaos within digital financial transactions.
Bank-to Airtel Money transfers are frequently reversed within seconds, while other transactions fail with unexplained error messages indicating that a recipient’s account has exceeded the transfer limit even when the account has a zero balance.
In many cases, funds deducted during failed transactions are not refunded, leaving consumers stranded and without recourse.
NAP is calling on the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) to launch an urgent audit of mobile linked financial transactions and compel mobile operators to refund and compensate all affected customers.
The organisation stresses that such failures represent a serious violation of consumer trust and financial integrity.
Citing the Communications Act of 2017, NAP highlights several legal obligations placed on MACRA and mobile service providers.
These include providing affordable communication services, ensuring consumer protection, and complying with technical and performance standards.
The Act also empowers MACRA to suspend or revoke licences for failure to meet these obligations. NAP argues that the sustained breakdown in service quality constitutes a clear breach of these legal requirements and warrants immediate regulatory action.
To restore accountability and protect consumers, NAP is urging Government and MACRA to take several immediate steps.
These include reconstituting the MACRA Board to strengthen oversight, conducting an independent audit of service quality, publishing performance and compliance reports, enforcing penalties on operators that fail to meet minimum standards and ensuring refunds for unused or prematurely expired data bundles.
NAP stresses that reliable communication is not a luxury but a constitutional right grounded in Section 37 of Malawi’s Constitution, which guarantees access to information.
Persistent service failures, the organisation says, undermine this right and block citizens from meaningful participation in the country’s economic and social life.
The platform further warns that continued inaction from regulators weakens the very safeguards designed to protect the public from exploitative business practices.
It calls on MACRA to firmly defend the interests of Malawians who have “long suffered under the weight of bullying practices from network providers.”
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BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The National Advocacy Platform (NAP) has hailed the Government of Malawi for what it has described as a bold, visionary and long overdue decision to reform the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), describing the move as a milestone in promoting decentralisation, accountability and equitable development across the country.
In a statement jointly signed by NAP Chairperson Benedicto Kondowe and National Coordinator Baxton Nkhoma, the organisation commended the Minister of Local Government for unveiling a comprehensive reform package in Parliament under the theme “Power to the People: Rebuilding Local Leadership and Revamping the CDF for True Community Empowerment.”
NAP said the reforms signal a decisive departure from the past, where weak oversight and political interference often undermined effective local governance.
Among the key measures announced, government has increased CDF allocations from K200 million to K5 billion per constituency, a development NAP described as historic and transformative.
“This is the clearest signal yet of government’s commitment to fiscal devolution and its determination to bring development closer to the people, in line with the National Decentralisation Policy,” reads part of the statement.
The organisation further welcomed the new governance and management framework for the fund, which places District Commissioners and Chief Executive Officers at the centre of project oversight to ensure compliance with procurement, financial and contract management standards.
NAP also applauded the decision to make Village and Area Development Committees (VDCs and ADCs) central in identifying projects, saying the move restores true community ownership and bottom-up planning in local development.
Equally significant, the introduction of trained Project Implementation Committees (PICs) is expected to strengthen transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
NAP said it is encouraged by government’s plan to craft robust new guidelines for the reformed CDF, which will outline clear institutional roles, enhance citizen participation and align implementation with public finance laws and oversight mechanisms.
“These reforms are a necessary corrective to years of politicisation, weak controls and elite capture of the CDF,” NAP observed.
“If fully implemented, they have the potential to transform the fund into a genuine driver of grassroots development, supporting schools, health facilities, water systems, roads, agriculture and youth and women empowerment initiatives,”NAP added.
The platform has since urged government to fast-track the finalisation and dissemination of the new CDF guidelines through inclusive consultations involving all stakeholders.
NAP also called for stronger audit and procurement systems, enhanced citizen oversight and full public disclosure of all CDF-funded projects and contracts to safeguard transparency and public trust.
NAP underscored the importance of merit-based recruitment and performance monitoring of VDCs and ADCs to ensure that they operate independently and effectively, free from political manipulation.
The organisation further urged adherence to the Public Finance Management Act, Public Audit Act, and the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets (PPDA) Act as key instruments in promoting accountability and prudent use of public resources.
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LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Civil society leader Benedicto Kondowe has dismissed as fake the circulating WhatsApp screenshots alleging that he received MK80 million from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) to discredit President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika and his administration.
The allegations, which spread widely on social media on Wednesday morning under the banner “#Exposed! Truth Finally Out!”, claim that Kondowe, who chairs the National Advocacy Platform (NAP) and the Civil Society Education Initiative Forum (CSEIF), had been secretly working with MCP strategists to undermine the DPP-led government.
According to the viral posts, the funds were allegedly delivered through Information Minister Moses Kunkuyu, with Kondowe accused of planning to “hit the Mutharika administration hard” by writing negative reports to the United Nations.
In his response, Kondowe described the screenshots as “malicious fabrications meant to damage my reputation and mislead the public.”
He clarified that the posts circulating online were doctored and that he has never received any money from the ruling party.
He further clarified that the UN briefing mentioned in the posts did occur, but in October, and that it was not related to President Mutharika’s leadership or linked to politician Kamlepo Kalua, as alleged in the circulating messages.
“The combination of two unrelated issues is a clear distortion. The intention is to confuse the public and discredit genuine civil society work,” Kondowe said in a brief statement on Wednesday morning.
Kondowe, a prominent human rights advocate, added that he remains committed to defending good governance and accountability without partisan influence.
Meanwhile, the MCP has not officially commented on the alleged MK80 million payment, while government spokespersons have described the matter as “a test of integrity for civil society leadership.”
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BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-The National Advocacy Platform (NAP) has congratulated Sameer Suleman, Member of Parliament, on his election as Speaker of the National Assembly, describing his victory as a “defining moment in Malawi’s democratic evolution.”
The statement was jointly signed by NAP Chairperson Benedicto Kondowe and National Coordinator Baxton Nkhoma, who both hailed the development as a milestone for Malawi’s parliamentary democracy.
In the statement released on Thursday, October 30, 2025, NAP said Suleman’s election on October 29 signifies the strength of parliamentary autonomy and the power of the secret ballot in shaping the leadership of Malawi’s legislative arm.
The platform emphasized that his triumph represents both political maturity and the collective will of the House to reassert Parliament’s central role in governance, accountability and nation-building.
“His victory marks a defining moment in Malawi’s democratic evolution a testament to the autonomy of Parliament and the enduring power of the secret ballot,” the statement reads.
“While his election was the product of keen political strategy and shifting alliances, it ultimately reflects the free will of the House,” Kondowe added in the statement added.
NAP highlighted Suleman’s long-standing courage and commitment to public service, recalling his tenure as Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Food Security.
During that time, Suleman became known for speaking out on behalf of farmers and the hungry, even when it meant confronting the establishment.
“He stood firmly with Malawians in times of hunger, championed farmers whose livelihoods were under threat, and raised his voice when many chose silence,” NAP said.
According to NAP, Suleman’s leadership qualities characterized by firmness, fairness and humility will now be tested as he transitions from being a vocal legislator to a unifying Speaker.
The platform urged him to uphold Parliament’s dignity and independence, guiding the House with integrity and restraint.
The organization further called upon all Members of Parliament to put aside political differences and rally behind the new Speaker.
“The time for campaigning is over.Now is the time to govern, to serve, and to deliver. Malawi has only one Parliament and one nation we all call home.”NAP said
NAP emphasized that Suleman’s success as Speaker will not be judged by how well he serves the ruling party, but by how faithfully he upholds the authority and credibility of Parliament as a national institution.
The platform urged lawmakers to embrace unity, integrity and purpose, saying that by doing so, the current Parliament could become “a platform of renewal where oversight is strong, debate is principled and legislation reflects the will and welfare of the people.”
NAP expressed optimism that Suleman’s leadership could usher in a new era of democratic accountability and public trust.
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LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s civil rights group under the banner, National Advocacy Platform (NAP) has advised newly elected Malawi Parliament Speaker Sameer Suleiman to serve Malawian with integrity, dignity.
An appeal comes barely hours after Suleiman was as the head of National Assembly.
Suleiman who is governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) beat Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Peter Dimba.
Victor Musowa and Esther Jolobala occupy First and Second Deputy Speaker slots respectively.
NAP Chairperson Benedicto Kondowe told The Maravi Post on Thursday morning that Suleiman must exercise his power to put the nation at heart in Parliament.
“Suleman’s victory, as the DPP-sponsored candidate, underscores the ruling party’s strong organizational grip and its ability to consolidate a parliamentary majority early in the new term.
“It is a decisive political statement of control and cohesion within the governing ranks—one that sets the tone for the new Parliament. That said, the debate has been settled through a secret ballot, and nothing can overturn the free will of the House,” says NAP Chairperson.
Kondowe appeals, “What now remains is to offer counsel to the new Speaker: to uphold the dignity and honour that the August House embodies. He has the nation to serve—millions who stand behind his strategic role—and the chance to prove the doubters wrong by leading the House with humility, fairness, and a genuine spirit of service”.
NAP urges further, “Suleiman leadership will be judged not by how well he serves the ruling party, but by how strongly he upholds the authority and credibility of Parliament as a national institution above partisan lines.
“His new role is both a test and an opportunity—to learn, adapt, and refine the leadership skills necessary for the full and impartial discharge of his duties. Wishing him every success in this noble responsibility”.
Meanwhile, President Peter Mutharika has appointed Jappie Mhango as Leader of The House.
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