MALAWI: Passport System Hacked & more – 22nd Feb 2024

Muli bwanji from BA! This is the Rorshok Malawi Update from the 22nd of February twenty twenty-four. A quick summary of what's going down in Malawi.

The Immigration Department suspended passport production in January due to what they called a system failure. But on Wednesday the 21st, during the Questions to the President Session in Parliament, President Chakwera revealed that “digital mercenaries who infiltrated the system” hacked the passport issuing system and that the culprits are demanding a ransom from the government. He said the hacking is a serious national breach, but vowed that the executive would never pay ransom and that they are investigating the hackers.

Rumors have it that there is more to the passport hack than the President is letting on. At first, several individuals took to social media to reveal that the hack was a corruption deal gone wrong, and a local paper hinted at the same on Thursday the 22nd.

It said that a source from the Immigration Department had been trying to re-claim the system from a supplier using dubious means. This tallies with now-trending rumors that allege that the government was trying to hack the passport issuing system from its supplier and contractor, Techno Brain, to avoid paying them. Techno Brain allegedly caught them and locked them out of the system.

Unfortunately, the news about Malawi’s passport woes has hit international media, and it has already started having adverse effects on locals. For instance, a local paper said that some truck drivers were denied entry into Mozambique on Tuesday the 20th because the authorities there no longer recognize Malawi’s temporary travel documents due to its lack of foolproof security.

Locals are also getting increasingly worried about the opportunities that they will lose due to the lack of passports and alternative travel documents. Some locals told the media that they had lost scholarships and international jobs and had been denied access to medical care in other countries.

Charles Kalumo, the Director General for the Immigration Department, could not say when the situation would normalize. Meanwhile, President Chakwera has given the Department three weeks to find a solution or alternative.

Speaking of corruption, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (or ACB) announced the completion of a new manual that will affect the citizenry. The Lifestyle Audit Manual allows the ACB to extend their lifestyle audits to the private sector, instead of being limited to the public sphere only. Egrita Ndala, the Spokesperson for ACB, said they have submitted the manual to the Ministry of Justice, awaiting the Cabinet’s approval.

However, some anti-corruption groups feel the government is delaying the approval of the manual. For instance, Moses Mkandawire, the Chairperson for the National Anti-Corruption Alliance, said they were concerned about the delay. His counterpart, Willy Kambwandira, the Executive Director of the Center for Social Accountability and Transparency, said the delay “confirms assertions that some people are not comfortable with the manual.”

The place you live in will probably get to your pockets before the ACB does. The January twenty twenty-four Basic Needs Basket Report by the Center for Social Concern (or CfSC) says you need about five hundred and seventy thousand Kwacha, or about 340 dollars, per month, to live in Blantyre city. That is the average cost of living there, making it the most expensive city in Malawi. The second most expensive is Zomba city, which has an average cost of living of a little over five hundred and twenty thousand Kwacha, or roughly 310 dollars. If you’d like to live in the least expensive place, then your best bet is Karonga district, which has a cost of living of a little over four hundred thousand Kwacha, or about 240 dollars.

The CfSC report compares data from December twenty twenty-three to January twenty twenty-four. It said the cost of living rose by almost eight percent due to several factors like supply and demand dynamics, currency exchange rates, and global market trends.

Moving on to education, local artists can now get specialized art degrees, since the University of Malawi (or UNIMA) has introduced six new Bachelor of Arts degrees.

The School of Arts, Communication and Design at the University developed undergraduate degree programs in drama, fashion design, film production, fine arts, creative arts and music. UNIMA will be having its first intake this September and is currently receiving applications through the National Council for Higher Education.

While talking to the media on Wednesday the 21st, Mufunanji Magalasi, the Executive Dean of the School of Arts, said the specialized degrees are a first for Malawi, and that he thinks they will be a game-changer.

Did you apply for the 19th cohort of the Initial Teacher Primary Education (or IPTE) training program? The Ministry of Education said the results are out, and you can access them at the District Education Offices in all districts. You can also check with the principals of Public Teacher Training Colleges in Malawi. You need to do this quickly, as the Ministry said all selected candidates should report to their schools on Sunday the 25th, since classes start on Monday the 26th. If you do not report to your college by the 11th of March, the Ministry will declare your place vacant and offer it to someone else.

Their statement also outlined some items that you must carry when reporting for the two-year-long IPTE training. You can find them with the link in our show notes.

Unemployment might be pushing the citizenry to extremes. According to the National Registration Bureau (or NRB) there was a sharp increase of citizens requesting to change the dates of birth on their National Identity Cards. But why? And what does this have to do with unemployment? Well, people need jobs and there is an age limit to be part of the Malawi Defence Force, Police Service, and Prison Service, among others, which are offering job opportunities. So people are trying to change their date of birth to qualify for the positions.

The NRB said it is bound by law to protect all particulars in the National Registration and Identification System, and cannot change the date of birth as it is a restricted parameter.

They have since warned that they would turn down requests to change dates of birth.

In other news, Nacala Logistics hiked the prices of their passenger train fares, but this will only come into effect on the 1st of March. According to the statement published on their social media on Friday the 16th, the twenty twenty-three Kwacha devaluation, high inflation, and high fuel prices caused their price increase.

Their passengers will now have to pay 4,200 Kwacha or two dollars and fifty cents instead of 2,750 Kwacha or a dollar and sixty cents to travel from Blantyre to Liwonde.

They also announced their train schedule. The train will operate every weekday except on Tuesdays.

To know more, follow the link in our show notes.

Football lovers are mourning the loss of Charles Swini, a former goalkeeper for the men’s national football team, the Flames. Swini died on Tuesday the 20th in Lilongwe from kidney stones, which he battled for months.

Rodney Domingo, a close friend of Swini’s, revealed that Swini collapsed at his home on the morning of Tuesday and was rushed to Kamuzu Central Hospital, where he sadly passed on.

People mainly remembered the goalkeeper for his participation in the Flames’ twenty ten Africa Cup of Nations.

His burial arrangements are yet to be revealed.

The nation also lost Lawson Chitseko. He was the Assistant Clerk of Parliament responsible for committees.

Parliamentary proceedings were brought to a halt on Thursday the 22nd following Chitseko’s death. Catherine Gotani Hara, the Speaker of Parliament, deferred parliamentary business, a development that quickly attracted the attention of many locals who were tuned in to the proceedings. She said the parliament will be open for business on Friday the 23rd.

And to close this edition, a recent study shows that Phalombe district has the highest number of divorce cases in Malawi. It said there were nearly six hundred in the district in twenty twenty-three alone. Unfortunately, the divorces aren’t due to petty arguments.

Stanley Gundeni, the Acting District Social Welfare Officer for Phalombe district, revealed that most cases are due to gender-based violence..

Aaaand that’s it for this week!

Thank you so much to everyone who filled in the survey over the past few weeks, we really appreciate your comments and ideas. Many of you mentioned you would like to get some more in depth episodes and interviews, is that something you would like? Do you have any topics in mind? Something specific about Malawi that you want to know more about for us to do a special show on? We want to do some new things very soon! Please email us at info@rorshok.com. The survey is still linked in the show notes if you are interested in that as well.

Pitani bwino!