In 1994, the Malawi Electoral Commission was feted for its fair and efficient organisation of a poll that ousted autocratic ruler Hastings Kamuzu Banda. A decade on, however, the lustre has been rubbed off of the organisation. It now finds itself at the centre of a row about alleged irregularities in the run-up to general elections on May 18.
As Malawi’s general elections draw closer, deepening national poverty is haunting efforts by the ruling United Democratic Front to remain in power. In March, a United Nations Development Programme study on governance in Malawi revealed that poverty in the country had worsened during the past decade of multi-party politics compared to the situation under former dictator Hastings Kamuzu Banda.
Malawi joined other countries on Wednesday in commemorating World Tuberculosis Day. However, the efforts of Malawian officials to curb tuberculosis (TB) are being dogged by the theft of TB drugs from state hospitals — a problem that is leading to the development of a multi-drug-resistant strain of TB.
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/ 20 February 2004
Vera Chirwa is a prominent human rights activist in Malawi, a prison rapporteur for the African Union -– and someone who was imprisoned for speaking out against authoritarian rule under former head of state Hastings Kamuzu Banda. But, this pedigree wasn’t enough to earn her a shot at Malawi’s presidency during the May elections.
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/ 23 January 2004
With just under four months remaining before Malawi’s general elections, local activists and international observers have expressed concern at the lacklustre response to voter registration efforts. The registration exercise has also prompted opposition parties to cry foul.
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/ 13 January 2004
Corrupt fat cats in Malawi continue to walk around with their heads held high, even though they have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. The consequences of their acts are set to remain a burden on this poor Southern African country of more than 11-million people as it prepares to go to the polls in May.
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/ 20 December 2003
The global campaign against smoking has served as a wake up call for Malawi, which has an economy that is heavily dependent on the tobacco industry. The poverty-stricken southern African country is now seeking substitutes for tobacco — as yet, without much success.
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/ 28 November 2003
When the Commonwealth heads of government gather in Nigeria next month for their bi-annual meeting, the agenda will probably be dominated by politics. But, if activist Julita Msanjama had her way, the leaders would spend most of their time discussing education.
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/ 31 October 2003
The gambling industry is making inroads on the African continent. If not closely monitored, it could bring with it a host of evils such as prostitution, money laundering and fraud — not to mention gambling addiction. These problems were discussed in Malawi recently at a meeting of industry regulators from around the continent.