President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera will preside over the commissioning of the Bakhlesa Solvent Extraction Plant and Cooking Oil Refinery at Bakhlesa Malawi Limited in Limbe, Blantyre, today. According to a Presidential Public Programme released by Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Colleen Zamba, President Chakwera is scheduled to arrive at the venue at 9:00 AM. This event is part of President Chakwera’s southern region tour, where he will undertake key government duties in preparation for the September polls.

State Vice President Dr. Michael Usi has returned to Malawi after leading the country’s delegation at the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain. Upon his arrival at Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe, Dr. Usi was warmly welcomed by government officials. During his visit in Spain, Dr. Usi engaged in several key meetings, including bilateral talks with Iceland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Katrin Gunnarsdottir, and a meeting with the Commonwealth Secretariat. He also participated in a side event hosted by the Gates Foundation and DEVEX, focusing on the future of development cooperation. Representing President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, Dr. Usi effectively showcased Malawi’s commitment to global development initiatives.

The Malawi Chapter of the Media Institute of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA Malawi) and the Media Council of Malawi (MCM) on Thursday, July 3, 2025 met with the leadership of the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation ( MBC) aimed at ensuring the public broadcaster plays a critical and constructive role in the current election cycle. According to the press statement jointly released by the two media referees, the meeting was designed to make sure that MBC remains a non- partisan organization as a watchdog not as a propaganda machinery for the ruling party ahead of elections. “Under the Communication Act of 2016, MBC has a crucial obligation to inform the public on electoral matters in a fair, equitable and transparent manner. MISA Malawi and MCM implored the public broadcaster to ensure balance and fairness in its news and programming,” the statement reads which has been co- signed by the chairpersons of the two organisations, Golden Matonga and Dr Jolly Ntaba. The two media bodies have since urged MBC to ensure a level playing field in its coverage of political content and strive to attain public trust and confidence in its commitment to impartiality in particular to making sure that the opinion and commentary programmes reflects diverse political views and the leadership of MBC adheres to the Communication Act of 2016 that mandates the outlet to be balanced and objective in its coverage of news, including political discourse. The two bodies have also urged the Director General, George Kasakula to reconsider the position of commentary and opinion – based programming as a measure of safeguarding the neutrality of the broadcaster on the most contentious matters of the day, including elections. On its part, MBC leadership expressed its commitment to fair coverage of the elections as it seeks to launch new programmes so that all political parties get fair and equitable time to articulate their agendas. However, MBC decried the recent politically motivated attacks on its employees and urged the media bodies to step up efforts to defend MBC journalists. Recently, George Kasakula has been involved in bashing the former President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika of the DPP calling him all sorts of names in order to tarnish his name. Kasakula is a staunch MCP supporter. He comes from the Central Region of Malawi where MCP is its stronghold. He once attempted to stand as Member of Parliament in his home district of Kasungu but miserably lost in the primary elections.

State Vice President Dr Michael Usi has arrived in Seville, Spain where is leading the Malawi delegation on behalf of the State President Dr Lazarus Chakwera at the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development ( FfD4) to be held from 30th June to July 3rd, 2025. Usi was welcomed by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Patricia Nangozo – Kainga and the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Thomas Bisika. He is expected to deliver a National Statement outlining Malawi’s policy positions on financing for development and challenges and commitments towards advancing sustainable economic reforms in line with the FfD4 aspirations. Dr Usi will hold a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir to discuss extending the country’s support to Malawi and areas of further cooperation. Later, the Vice President will attend a side event at the invitation of the Gates Foundation and DEVEX on the future of development cooperation.

Vice President Dr. Michael Usi has arrived in Seville, Spain where he is leading the Malawi delegation at the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), to be held from 30th June to 3rd July, 2025. He was welcomed by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Patricia Nangozo-Kainga and the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Thomas Bisika. The Vice President will deliver a National Statement outlining Malawi’s policy positions on financing for development, challenges, and commitments towards advancing sustainable development financing, debt sustainability, and equitable economic reforms in line with the FfD4 objectives. Dr Usi will hold a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir to discuss extending the country’s support to Malawi and areas of further cooperation. Later, the Vice President will attend a side event at the invitation of the Gates Foundation and DEVEX on the future of development cooperation.  

Vice President Dr. Michael Biswick Usi has departed for Seville, Spain, where he is scheduled to represent President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera and Malawi as a whole during the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), from 30th June to 3rd July 2025. The Vice President was seen off at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) on Saturday, 28th June. According to a statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this year’s conference will be convened under the theme “Financing Our Future.” Among other things, the conference is expected to address newly emerging issues and the urgent need to fully implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), support reforms of the international financial architecture, and further assess progress made in the implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, the Doha Declaration, and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.

The main opposition party, the Democratic Progressive Party-DPP has filed a complaint to several bilateral donors including the United Nations, African Union alleging that the ruling Malawi Congress Party-MCP is using intimidation, violence and harassment through Police and Army to suppress dissent and manipulate elections. According to the letter signed by the Secretary General of the DPP, Peter Mukhito, the party is reporting to the donor community on heinous alleged crimes that the ruling MCP is using to interfere, restrict access to freedom of assembly and demonstrations and yet the state security agencies stand by watching people being hacked. “On the occasion of a peaceful demonstration organized by citizens exercising their democratic right to free expression, individuals believed to be state – sponsored assailants launched a brutal attack using dangerous weapons, including panga knives. One of the organizers of the demonstrations, Mr Silvester Namiwa, sustained grievous harm in the attack.” Mukhito lamented. Alarmingly, this act of violence unfolded in full view of personnel from both the Malawi Defence Force and Malawi Police Service, who failed to intervene despite their mandate to protect civilians and uphold public order. “The event, occurring merely two months before Malawi’s scheduled tripartite elections on September 16th, gravely undermines public confidence in the safety, transparency and fairness of the electoral process. The use of intimidation and violence against peaceful protesters is a blatant violation of democratic principles and poses a direct threat to national peace and stability,” indicates Mukhito who is also a former Inspector General of Police. Mukhito has since appealed to the international community for urgent intervention by deploying security observers or peacekeeping personnel to Malawi ahead of September polls with an aim of safeguarding peace and stability and electoral process. The letter has been reported to the following agencies and embassies, the British High Commission, Human Rights Watch, European External Action Service, Germany Embassy, African Union, US Embassy in Malawi, Amnesty International, EU offices in Malawi, Norwegian Embassy, SADC Headquarters, UN office on Human Rights in Switzerland and UN Resident Coordinator in Malawi. Two days ago, the Malawians went to the street across the country to protest against the MEC operations by demanding an independent audit on election data, a thing MEC has denied. Several independent watchdogs have accused the government of creating an environment of fear and intimidation, making it difficult for voters to express their will.

Vice President Dr. Michael Usi has departed Maputo, Mozambique, where he represented President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera during that country’s 50th independence anniversary celebrations. At Maputo International Airport, Dr. Usi was seen off by Mozambique’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maria Manuela dos Santos Lucas, Malawi’s High Commissioner to Mozambique, Wezi Moyo and other senior government officials.

Vice President Dr. Michael Bizwick Usi is today attending the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Mozambique’s independence at Machava Stadium in Maputo, where the country is commemorating 50 years of freedom and sovereignty. Dr. Usi is representing President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera at the invitation of President Daniel Chapo, who recently visited Malawi on a state visit that included a joint wreath-laying with Dr. Usi at the Kamuzu Mausoleum in Lilongwe. The commemorations began earlier in the morning with a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at Heroes’ Acre, honoring the men and women who fought for Mozambique’s liberation. The Vice President’s presence at this national moment is not just ceremonial — it is deeply symbolic of the enduring friendship and mutual respect between Malawi and Mozambique. Mozambique and Malawi are more than neighbors — they are historical allies, bound by shared struggles, cross-border cultural ties, and a vision for regional integration. Dr. Usi’s attendance reinforces Malawi’s commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation, especially in areas of energy, trade, transport, and security. This visit is also a strong signal of Malawi’s belief in regional solidarity, and a celebration of the principles of freedom, peace, and development that both nations uphold.