Lilongwe, Malawi | AFP | Malawi has rolled out the world’s first licensed malaria vaccine in a landmark campaign against a disease that each year kills hundreds of thousands of people, especially African children. After more than three decades in development and almost $1 billion (890 million euros) in investment, …
Read More »Malawi vice president turns opposition candidate in election race
Lilongwe, Malawi | AFP | Malawi Vice President Saulos Chilima has launched a bitter attack on his own government ahead of elections in May, when he hopes to win power as head of a new opposition party. Chilima told AFP in an interview that he no longer speaks to President …
Read More »Malawi vice president takes leadership of opposition party
Lilongwe, Malawi | AFP | Malawi Vice President Saulos Chilima was elected head of the United Transformation Movement (UTM) party on Monday, paving way for him to challenge President Peter Mutharika in May elections. Chilima was handpicked by Mutharika to run alongside him in the 2014 elections on the Democratic …
Read More »Malawi MPs back bid to draft bill on medical marijuana use
Blantyre, Malawi | AFP | Malawi’s parliament has approved steps to draft a bill for the legalisation of marijuana for medical use, which could be ready for scrutiny as early as next week. Deputies agreed to let independent deputy Boniface Kadzamira draw up the bill. It would propose licensing farmers …
Read More »Malawi court blocks contested NGO regulation law
Lilongwe, Malawi | AFP | A Malawi court has blocked parliament debating a contested bill critics say would hamper charities and NGOs while giving government control over their work in the aid-reliant country. Judge Charles Mkandawire ruled on Monday in favour of activists who had sought the injunction of the …
Read More »New Malawi law aims to end political handouts
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | Malawi has passed a law that will ban politicians using cash payments and other incentives to buy support ahead of key polls due in May next year. The Political Parties Act, which came into force on Saturday, will see candidates convicted of improperly swaying …
Read More »Malawi’s Banda dismisses ‘political’ corruption allegations
Zomba, Malawi | AFP | Malawi’s newly-returned former president Joyce Banda said Monday she had evidence that corruption allegations against her were politically motivated as she left the door open to another presidential run. Banda, 68, flew home on Saturday after four years of self-imposed exile during which she faced the …
Read More »Malawi ex-president Banda says ‘no fear’ of arrest after return
Domasi, Malawi | AFP | Malawi’s former president Joyce Banda said Sunday she was not afraid of being arrested despite an outstanding warrant over corruption allegations, a day after she returned home from four years in self-imposed exile. “I am not afraid. If they want they can come and arrest me …
Read More »MAMA BACK: Malawi’s ex-president Banda returns after four-year exile
Blantyre, Malawi | AFP | Malawi’s former president, Joyce Banda, returned home on Saturday after four years of self-imposed exile, despite facing the threat of arrest over corruption allegations. Banda, 68, fled the country in 2014 when she lost power after being embroiled in the so-called Cashgate scandal, in which …
Read More »Malawi’s ex-president Banda to return after four-year exile
Blantyre, Malawi | AFP | Malawi’s former president, Joyce Banda, is expected to fly home on Saturday after four years of self-imposed exile, despite facing the threat of arrest over corruption allegations. Banda fled the country in 2014 when she lost power after being embroiled in the so-called Cashgate scandal, …
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