Bring back Mudzi Transformation Trust, Beam
In 2013, almost 13 months after ascending to the high office of President of the Republic of Malawi following the death of our beloved president, kaNgwazi Bingu wa Mutharika, Joyce Banda, launched Mudzi Transformation Trust (MTT).
According to official information on its social media and website then, the MTT was created to alleviate accommodation, potable water, nutrition, and sanitation poverty rampant in rural and urban areas. The MTT development philosophy and story of change were simple.
People who have basic services, such as potable, water ample nutritious food, and sturdy homes that do not leak when it rains will automatically spend their time on more lucrative ventures. Instead of investing their energies into repairing their house roofs year after year, people will dedicate their financial resources to other productive ventures, including businesses.
MTT’s forecast was that in five years, 20 000 villages would be reached and 200 000-400 000 houses would be built. Some houses, painted in PP colours, still bear witness in Zomba, Kasungu and other places.
The MTT agenda was pro-poor and transformative. Even the DPP government of Peter Mutharika recognised the importance of this approach. MTT became a government programme. The name changed from Mudzi Transformation Trust to Malata-Cement Subsidy, but the concept remained the same.
In one stroke, through the MTT, Malawi would have made strides towards achieving UN SDGs 1-7 and 10. Malata subsidy also contributed somehow to improving rural and urban housing for the poor. When Joyce Banda lost the 2014 election and left the presidency, MTT died away. When Peter Mutharika lost the 2020 election and left the presidency, Malata-Cement Subsidy also died away.
The MTT philosophy may not have directly influenced charity organisations like Islamic Relief; but the houses Islamic Relief built for flood victims in the area of Traditional Authority Mulilima in Chikwawa District are reflective of and coincide with the targets of the MTT.
Let us seriously evaluate and promote projects that show potential of assisting the poor out of dire poverty. Mudzi Transformation, or Malata-Cement Subsidy should come back. Bring the project or concept back.
Beautify Malawi (Beam) Trust, too, had good intentions, resources, assists and public support from us, the right-thinking Malawians. But as soon as Peter Mutharika lost the 2020 presidential election, Beam Trust also disappeared with all the assets and resources, including website, blogs, and telephonic contacts.
The disappearance of Beam Trust assets is being felt in Blantyre where garbage these days lies by the roadsides for weeks without being collected. Previously Beam Trust assets were being used to collect the garbage every Tuesday. Today, Namiwawa looks like M’bwelera, Chilomoni and Zingwanga.
Bring back Beam Trust, in one form or another. Bring back Mudzi Transformation Trust. Bring back Malata-Cement Subsidy. Combine the best ideas from the three charities and make Malawian cities clean again; build or improve poor people’s homes, and provide rural and urban poor homes with potable water.
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We protest Israel’s crimes against journalists
Since the recent conflict between Israel and the Palestinian organisation, Hamas, erupted, Israel has targeted journalists working in the Gaza Strip. On May 12, Israel ordered occupants of the Al Sharouk Tower where Al Jazeera, the Associated Press, and other media organisations to evacuate within an hour. The building was reduced to rubble, damaging transmission and news production equipment. Israel claimed that the building was being used by Hamas, essentially because it also housed the Voice of Al-Aqsa, a Hamas affiliated radio station. The Associated Press has challenged Israel to provide proof about its claims. None has come forward so far. Not =even an apology.
On May 19, the Israel airforce bombed the residence of Abu Hussein, a reporter and news anchor for the Voice of Al-Aqsa and killed him.
This is clearly a war on the alternative truth to what Israel is telling the BBC and other organisation.
We, members of the Bottom Up Expedition, led by our Genuine Prof Dr Joyce Befu, MEGA-1, join the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in condemning and protesting the deliberate targeting and killing of journalists. Information, no matter how bitter to one side of the Israeli-Hamas belligerence, is a public good and its gatherers and conveyors must never be deliberately killed.
