TheNewsGuru

Tag: Malawi

  • Buhari condoles with governments of Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi over cyclone

    Buhari condoles with governments of Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi over cyclone

    President Muhammadu Buhari has sent condolences to families who have lost loved ones, homes and means of livelihood in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi as Tropical Cyclone Idai takes a toll on Southern Africa.

    In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Tuesday, the president said he deeply shared in the pain and struggle of the governments and people in the region.

    Buhari noted that the affected governments had been working hard to ensure safety of citizens and minimize the devastating effect of the cyclone.

    The president assured the governments and people of Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi of the prayers and support of Nigeria as they passed through the trying period.

    He also commended all the humanitarian organisations that intervened in the affected countries.

     

  • Melania Trump shuns Nigeria as she begins 4-day visit to Africa

    Melania Trump on Monday afternoon boarded Executive One, the government jet assigned for her travel, and left the United States for Africa on her first major solo journey as first lady.
    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Melania is billed to visit Ghana, Malawi, Kenya and Egypt, with Nigeria left out of her itineraries.
    While details of her visit widely remain imprecise, the first lady is expected to make stops at local schools and hospitals visiting with children and taking in regional cultural experiences.
    Also, Melania is expected to be promoting her “Be Best” platform of helping kids in a broad spectrum of categories, ranging from wellness to cyberbullying.
    “When I launched ‘Be Best,’ it was with the goal of combating some of the issues that children face today by shining a spotlight on successful programs and organizations that teach children the tools and skills needed for emotional, social and physical well-being.
    “Since the launch, I have had the opportunity to meet children all over the world, with the goal of talking to them about the importance of healthy living and responsible habits,” the first lady stated in New York City last week.
    In Ghana and Malawi, Trump said in her remarks that she will focus on health care and education, joining on the trip with USAID to see which programs are working to support each country.
    Similarly, in Kenya, early education and disease prevention and care are on her agenda, as is conservation.
    In Egypt, Trump will likely visit that country’s most popular tourism site, the Great Pyramids.
    “I know that through USAID, we have worked with the people of Egypt to promote an environment in which all groups of society — including women and religious minorities — can lead productive and healthy lives,” she said.
     

  • UN chief mourns Malawian Ambassador

    UN chief mourns Malawian Ambassador

    UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday paid tribute to the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Malawi to the UN, Necton Mhura.

    Guterres said he learned with sadness of the passing of the Malawian envoy.

    Deputy Ambassador at the Permanent Mission of Malawi to the UN, Mr Loti Dzonzi, said Mhura was admitted to a New Jersey hospital on Jan. 30, and died on Monday.

    Mhura, representated the Republic of Malawi at the UN since September 2016.

    The UN chief described the late envoy as a skilled diplomat and person of great learning.

    “Ambassador Mhura will be remembered for working tirelessly for the universal goals of peace, human rights and sustainable development.

    “He did so with inspiring dedication, as demonstrated by his active role as Vice Chair of the Group of Least Developed Countries.

    “His loss will be keenly felt by peers and colleagues in New York,” the UN chief said.

    Guterres paid tribute to his contributions to the UN and offer his deepest condolences to his family and loved ones, and to the Government and people of the Republic of Malawi.

    Mhura reportedly died following a long battle with cancer.

    Prior to his posting to the UN, Mhura was briefly Malawi’s Ambassador to the U.S. in Washington D.C.

     

  • Clara Lionel Foundation: Rihanna visits school children in Malawi

    Clara Lionel Foundation: Rihanna visits school children in Malawi

    American singer, actress, Robyn Rihanna Fenty popularly called Rihanna visited a school in Lilongwe, Malawi on Thursday, Jan. 26th. The 28-year-old pop star toured the classrooms and met with the students during her charity trip on behalf of her Clara Lionel Foundation.

    She was also in the African country working as the ambassador for charities Global Citizen and the Global Partnership for Education.

    The Barbadian singer and songwriter founded CLF in 2012 in honour of her grandparents, Clara and Lionel Braithwaite.
    According to her, ‘working together, I know we can amplify our efforts and ensure that millions of children gain access to education globally’.
    Through a multi-year partnership, Rihanna’s Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF), international advocacy group Global Citizen and GPE campaign work together to make sure the world’s poorest children have a chance to better themselves.

  • UK, Malawi renew historic ties

    New British High Commissioner to Malawi, Holly Tett, has said the deep and strong bilateral relations between the United Kingdom (UK) and Malawi will be more important during this time that the countries are experiencing major changes like Brexit and the pushing of a reform agenda respectively.

    Tett was speaking to local press at Kamuzu Palace in the capital Lilongwe shortly after presenting her letters of credence to President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika.

    Accompanied by her partner Mark Kalch and the deputy High Commissioner Stephen Phillips, Ms Tett said that as a long-standing development partner of Malawi, the UK will continue supporting Malawi in a range of priorities.

    “I talked to the President about a really true historic friendship that Malawi and UK have; we talked about deepening that friendship through what will be period of significant changes like Brexit in UK and as the President pushes through his reform agenda,” said Tett.

    Tett said she will support Malawi to deal with the current humanitarian crisis (where the UK has already provided £43 million, approximately K43 billion), to continue with the momentum of the reform agenda and a broad range of priorities like education, health and issues that affect women, girls and children, and to further boost the sporting links between the two countries.

    Holly Tett succeeds Michael Nevin whose tour of duty ended in September last year.

    Before her arrival into the country earlier this month, Simon Mustard served as the UK’s temporary High Commissioner. The UK currently runs a £150 million (approximately K150 billion) development programme in Malawi to help progress and lift her people out of poverty.

  • Rwanda genocide survivors urge Malawi deports suspect

    Rwanda genocide survivors urge Malawi deports suspect

    Survivors of the 1994 Rwanda genocide under their Umbrella association ‘Ibuka’ have called on the Malawian government to immediately deport genocide fugitive Vincent Murekezi to Rwanda to answer charges.

    Murekezi was arrested on Thursday in the southern African country by the Malawian authority following weeks of controversy surrounding his recent arrest and release under unclear circumstances.

    It was reported last month that Murekezi had managed to acquire a Malawian citizenship despite an outstanding indictment containing details of his role in the genocide, which killed close to 1 million Rwandans.

    Speaking to reporters on Friday, Jean-Pierre Dusingizemungu, president of Ibuka, called on the Malawian government to respect the genocide victims and survivors and deport Murekezi to Rwanda to face trial.

    “We have seen countries like Canada, Netherlands and the United States of America deporting genocide suspects and their cases have been fairly heard,” he emphasized.

    Dusingizemungu stated that survivors are urging the international community to compel countries harbouring genocide fugitives to send them to Rwanda to face trial, or at least try them in their countries of residence.

    According to Rwanda’s prosecution authority, Malawi has no extradition treaty with Rwanda but based on the gravity of the genocide charges in Rwanda and the use of fake documents presented while processing the citizenship, Murekezi stands a high chance of being deported to his country of origin.

    Some countries have taken this approach on other genocide fugitives, including Canada, the United States and Norway.

    Rwanda prosecution says about seven genocide fugitives who have been indicted are currently in hiding in Malawi.

    Murekezi, a naturalized citizen of Malawi, will also be charged with using forged documents including a fake Rwandan passport to acquire Malawian papers.

    Currently, 12 people accused of committing genocide have been extradited or deported from Uganda, DR Congo, Canada, United States, the Netherlands and ICTR to stand trial in Rwanda.

    Rwanda’s prosecution says Zimbabwe and DR Congo are among the countries still reluctant to surrender suspected genocide fugitives.