The Razzmatazz Podcast

25/03/2023

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2hhZ21B0gTK8nI4622cekI?si=i1lrxye8SieWdYZiymC08g

Listen to this episode from Razzmatazz Podcast on Spotify. A look into Malawi as a "tribal country" and how this affects development.

24/03/2023

Top drawer content as usual! Available on Spotify tomorrow... 25 March 2023.

20/03/2023

https://open.spotify.com/show/4UU9HUDziFxCcaRxzLkOS9

Listen to Razzmatazz Podcast on Spotify.

17/03/2023

New episode alert! To be available on Spotify from Saturday 18 March 2023.

28/01/2022

Final list of cabinet ministers appointed by H.E Lazarus Chakwera.

17/12/2020

Covid19 update.

09/12/2020

MANEB READY TO RE-ADMINISTER MSCE EXAMINATIONS

Finally, secondary school students can breathe a sigh of relief following the announcement by the Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB) that it will re-administer the 2020 Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations from 5th to 29th January 2021.

On 4th November, MANEB cancelled the 2020 MSCE examinations due to the leakage of some of the exam papers; whose loophole still remains unknown or at least not disclosed. President Chakwera then directed the MANEB to re-administer the examinations not later than January 2021.

A letter that Mpaliro has seen signed by the Acting Director of the Board, says that all is set for the exams to be administered on the stated dates, and it’s assuring the public that all necessary security measures have been put in place to ensure a credible examination process.

04/12/2020

COSAFA U20 YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP

Malawi 1 - 0 Comoros

02/12/2020

01/12/2020

Are Foreign Advisors Beneficial?

Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair, established the Tony Blair Institute that offers governance and technical expertise to third-world countries. The Institute offers services to various countries in a bid to enhance their standing in the world.

To carry out their duties, members of the Tony Blair Institute embed themselves in various government departments for months or years offering expertise on a daily basis. Their services come at a fee, according to the Africa Report, Tony Blair's funding model is that one third of it's expenses is funded by third-world countries seeking their services.

In 2012, the Joyce Banda led government sought the services of the Tony Blair Institute; they worked with her government from 1 July, 2012 to January, 2014. The Institute brought with them eight people that were to enhance service delivery. Among the eight, two were at State House, six at Capital Hill. Each person's salary was 6000 pounds which is about K6, 102, 000 at current rate; this was all paid by the Malawi government then.

Surprisingly, there was little to show for the whooping K586 million per year spent on them for two years. One would argue that this was an unnecessary expense on the part of government, for the members of the Institute left the country unceremoniously when the Cashgate scandal emerged. They left for fear of being associated with the scandal. Little is known of what they actually brought to the table, let alone justify the money they were paid. They left the country in the state they found it in with no improvement whatsoever.

Just when Malawians thought they had put this sorry episode behind them; we hear members of the Tony Blair Institute are back in the country to help the Chakwera led government in communication and service delivery at State House.

Presidential Executive Assistant, Sean Kampondeni confirmed earlier on that the team is indeed in the country but was quick to quell fears that taxpayers will foot the bill. This assertion is not only untrue but also incorrect for the Institute does not work for free. One would wonder if this is worth it let alone beneficial to Malawians. We have been here before, they came, they were paid handsomely but in the end their impact cannot be seen to date.