The Razzmatazz Podcast

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.

30/11/2020

FARMERS ANGERED BY UNREALISTIC CANNABIS LICENSE FEES

Malawian farmers will have to pay $10 000 for them to be given a go ahead to grow cannabis. This communication was made public by the new Cannabis Regulatory Authority, following the legalization to produce the plant for medicinal and industrial use. However, the fee has not received the warm reception from farmers who have described it as prohibitive.

One of the farmers from Nkhotakota, Andrew Semu, who was looking forward to the legalization of the plant, said he is very disappointed with the Authority’s inconsideration. He believes this is a move by the regulatory body to have foreign farmers in control of the business. He went on to compare the license fee in to***co production to that of Cannabis.

“I am not happy with the license fee; it is very expensive. For to***co we pay MK 21,000 for every 200 kilograms but they want us to pay MK 250,000 per hectare in cannabis production; this is not fair,” said Semu. The license fees will see the farmers pay $10 000 if they are to grow and sell the plant for medicinal purposes; the ones that are going to earn the right to grow and sell industrial h**p will pay $2000.

Some farmers have questioned the Cannabis Regulatory body’s decision to introduce the fee before evaluating the markets. This is the first time Malawian farmers have the chance to grow cannabis and will pay a lot for a product they don’t even have a market for. They feel this is a rushed decision for this trial phase; they should have considered the average farmer from the village who is also interested in this plant.

Cannabis was tipped by many to be a replacement for to***co; considering the ever declining in value of the crop. To***co, which for many years has been preferred compared to other crops, is facing many campaigns against it. Many, people are cutting down on smoking, hence the fall in its pricing. On the other hand, demand for cannabis is growing.

Malawi joins Lesotho, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Zambia as the only countries to have legalized Cannabis in Africa.

25/11/2020

The World mourns the passing of a legend

The soccer fraternity is mourning the passing of the argentinian soccer legend, Diego Maradonna who has died at 60 years old due to a heart attack. Social media is now awash with sad reports and one individual who has expressed deep grief is Brazilian soccer legend, Pele. He says he is in deep sorrow for he has lost a very good friend and the world has lost a legend.

Rest in piece, Diego!!!

23/11/2020

It never rains but it pours for Prophet Shepherd Bushiri as fresh warrants of arrest have been served. This time around, r**e allegations. Bushiri’s spokesperson Ephraim Nyondo, has however squashed these allegations. He has described this as an attempt by the Hawks to damage Bushiri’s name in the media.

21/11/2020

Mutharika, Muhara Ordered to Pay

Former president peter Mutharika and former secretary to the Office of President and Cabinet Lloyd Muhara have been ordered to personally pay costs incurred in a case the two are accused of forcing Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda go on retirement.

Justice Charles Mkandawire delivered the ruling on Friday, to set a lesson for those in the executive arm of government to observe the separation of powers. The costs shall be settled to the claimants who are Human Rights Defenders Coalition, Women Lawyers Association, Magistrates Association and Malawi Law Society.

The ruling which Mpaliro has seen, reads in part; “…the respondents [Mutharika and Muhara] had acted defiantly, were unreasonable, were not prudent, acted outside their Constitutional mandate and very wanting… As it was already submitted by the applicants’ counsel, the two respondents are well seasoned lawyers. One professor of constitutional law, the other a Judge of High Court. They should have been very conversant with fundamentals of the constitution and in particular issues of separation of powers and judicial independence. This is a proper case where professor Arthur Peter Mutharika and Justice Lloyd Muhara should be personally liable to pay costs. I so order.”

Mkandawire has since ordered the registrar of the High Court to assess the costs.