Launching on Sunday 26 May, Big Brother The Chase will combine electrifying twists and big surprises that will require housemates to use their charm to get ahead, possibly leaving room for cupid’s arrow to connect two hearts or more.

Setting the tone and in-line with theme, the new season’s logo showcases a glittering and slightly flirtatious feel with chic, edgy, gold-plated lines. The iconic Big Brother eye has an enchanting gold dust finish with a dazzling diamond centre, featuring a teasing hint of ruby red.

More good news is that the witty and entertaining IK Osakioduwa returns once again in 2013 to host The Chase.

He has won many fans across the continent for his ability to speak openly with Housemates and allow them to be at ease at their most vulnerable moments.

“Big Brother Africa is a pretty unique show. Every season has its own special moments and features. I’m super excited to be invited back to host the show. I have thoroughly enjoyed the past seasons and I look forward to bringing a fresh and energetic approach to The Chase,” says the popular TV and radio presenter.

Commenting on the new season, M-Net Africa Managing Director Biola Alabi says, “Without revealing too much, I can say that AfricaMagic always strives to deliver the best in entertainment and Big Brother Africa remains at the forefront of our plans. We want to give audiences and loyal fans of the show a truly unforgettable viewing experience once again. This season, audiences can expect a show encompassing suspense, emotions, drama, fun, excitement and quite possibly, as we have seen in previous seasons, a little romance.

Having produced Big Brother Africa from season one, Endemol promises a sterling edition of The Chase, “Endemol is excited to present another season of Big Brother in Africa. Another vintage season lies in store with fresh new twists and surprises and ultimately great reality entertainment” adds Managing Director of Endemol South Africa Sivan Pillay.

With less than four weeks remaining to the big launch night, audiences can get the latest Big Brother Africa updates on www.bigbrotherafrica.com as well as on Facebook and Twitter.

For 91 days, Africa biggest reality series will be screened live 24/7 on DStv channels 197 and 198 while GOtv audiences will be able to see highlights.

So stay tuned… Biggie has returned and the fun is about to begin!

President Joyce Banda on Al-Jazeera

President Banda became only the second woman to lead an African country in April 2012, following the example of Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Time Magazine recently named Banda one of the most influential people in the world, while Forbes called her the most powerful woman in Africa in 2012.

Ramphele, a former vice-chancellor at The University of Cape Town and past managing director of The World Bank, was a co-founder of the Black Consciousness Movement with Steve Biko. In February 2013, she launched Agang, a new party political platform intended to challenge The African National Congress in South Africa.

What gender-related challenges have Banda and Ramphele had to overcome? Are there more opportunities for women in the political arena in Africa today? Do women do politics differently? Is there space developing for opposition politics in Africa?

Watch Redi ask the important questions on this week’s episode of South 2 North, which premieres at 19:30 GMT on Friday, 17 May 2013 and also screens Saturday at 14h30, Sunday 04h30 and Monday 08h30.

For more information, visit http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/south2north/, where all episodes are available to watch online.

You can also tweet your questions, comments and opinions to @AJSouth2North or find South 2 North on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/South-2-North/255419671252120.

Catch up on last week’s episode of South 2 North, where Redi discussed re-imagining Africa,

She has attempted to right Malawi’s economy by devaluing its currency, giving herself a 30 percent pay cut and proposed to offload a fleet of Mercs for her 35 member cabinet.

But the economy has continued to sputter despite the reforms although central bank Governor Peter Chuka has remained optimistic that the economy will start to stabilize from mid 2013.

Commodity prices have gone up and pushed inflation to 36.5 percent in March; higher than the IMF forecast.

Since she took over, the cost of living in urban Malawi for a family of six now needs $200 per month to meet basic food needs, ten times more than the monthly minimum wage of $20 for many.

President Banda has, however, remained resolute and believes that she has laid the foundation for stronger exports and 200,000 new jobs by 2014—the same year she’s seeking re-election.

But the reality is that she has become a darling of the West and back home there is growing anger and disappointment as many families struggle to earn enough either because they lost their jobs or simply have become too poor as a result of soaring commodity prices.

Armed robberies have spiked in recent months because many people have lost jobs. Incidences of mob justice are also on the increase because communities feel that police are not doing much to help. All this is being blamed on Banda and the IMF.

Last week two suspected armed robbers in one of Lilongwe’s most populous townships were caught and set on fire (see picture on the left).

“This is the fourth incidence in just two weeks and it’s worrying us,” police spokeswoman Rhoda Manjolo said.

Police confirmed that crime is on the raise and that communities are now taking the law in their own hands.

“We always see these trends when times are hard and this is does not happen only in Malawi but many other countries,” Manjolo said.

The Malawi Economic Justice Network (Mejn), a think tank and economic watchdog, says IMF programmes have hurt the poor more in Malawi than helped to solve economic challenges the country faces.

“Despite the two programmes bringing some positive results, the overall assessment is that they both flopped in several areas and hurt the poor masses even more.

In all fairness, the effects seen in the economy are more of the ‘without’ IMF facility than the ‘with’ facility scenario,” said Francis Ng’ambi, one of the founders of Mejn.

“Devaluation is not an economic policy it is only a solution to a symptom of a problem and has to be implemented along other supporting policies. Malawi’s default was probably because that these agreements are pitched too high for us,” said Ng’ambi.

“The social sectors are the ones that have felt the most pitch of dwindling services, for instance delivery of medicines,teaching and learning materials in schools. This is a direct result of the shortages of both fuel and forex.”

ESF was a one year US$77.1 million financial assistance meant to help Malawi address external shocks following the rise of fuel and fertilizer prices due to the 2008 financial global crisis while the ECF is a three-year US$79.4 million facility meant to support the country in its medium term reforms, address balance of payments weaknesses and sustain growth and poverty reduction.

The ESF was abandoned mid-way due to lack of adherence to set targets while the ECF went off-track in 2010. On Tuesday this week the IMF and Malawi Government announced that they have agreed on a new three-year ECF programme.

Ng’ambi, however, said for an appropriate way forward on these programmes people of this country, through their MPs, should be involved in the negotiation process so that parliament should be able to monitor the implementation of the programmes and their impact.

He also told the Parliamentarians that it was high time that Malawi has to look at other alternatives to solve its long standing economic problems such as a review of its exports and imports to find a way of replacing all unnecessary imports with local products.

Action Aid’s Advocacy and Campaign Coordinator Chandiwira Chisi said the research was aimed at analysing the two IMF facilities and find out the impact on social service provision in the country.

“The IMF is now back in town and the question now is; will the agreements be done differently, what would be the level of input from the people through their MPs and to what extent can we engage to our benefit?” asked Chisi.

During her first ever visit to Malawi in January this year, IMF chief Christine Lagarde urged Malawi to stick to economic reforms that have stoked inflation and made President Banda unpopular.

“There has been huge efforts undertaken by Malawi government and the Malawi population and its really important to stay on course,” Lagarde said when she was in Malawi.

President Banda has admitted that because of the IMF reforms, people are hurting. “But we have to go through this for us to start doing better and move our people out of poverty.”

By Mabvuto Jobani

Minister Sidik Mia

CAIRO – Seeking to promote modern education among Muslims and reduce stampede for university places, Malawi is planning to open the country’s first Islamic university for students interested in studying Islam.

“We all have the common purpose of seeing Malawi as a country develop and through the right leadership this is possible,” Sidik Mia, Minister of Transports and Public Works, told Nyasa Times on Monday, April 29.

“Leaders need our support.”

Meeting with Muslim leaders at Mangochi Boma Sub mosque, Mia announced plans to open an Islamic university to promote modern education among Muslims in Malawi.

The new institution would welcome students with an interest in Islam, offering them a chance to earn a degree in Islamic studies.

The plans will be launched soon with support from Direct AID Society from Kuwait.

There are currently church-run universities which include the African Bible College, the Livingstonia University owned by Church of Central Africa Presbytery, Seventh Day Adventist University and Catholic University.

There are also three state universities in the country.

As the country is suffering from stampede for university students, the opening of the Islamic university will help ease the problem.

Helping Needy

Minister Mia urged Muslims to realize the importance of assisting towards the growth of Islam and providing help for the needy.

“I call upon the Muslim community to embrace the spirit of helping the needy,” Mia, who is the vice president of People’s Party (South), said.

Setting an example, the minister made donation amounting to over K2.5 million for building projects of additional school blocks at the primary school under the Sub Mosque.

The Minister, who is Vice President of the Muslim Association of Malawi Board, also donated money towards the building project at Mathanjesi Mosque within Mangochi Boma.

Islam is the second largest religion in the southern African country after Christianity.

Official statistics suggest Muslims constitute 12 percent of the country’s 12 million people, but the umbrella Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) puts the rate at 36.

onislam.net

The UN-backed Global Fund estimates it needs $87bn to bring these killer diseases under control.

To discuss the challenges of drug-resistant diseases, how we can finance treatment, and the millennium development goals, this week Redi Tlhabi speaks to Dr Lucica Ditiu, the executive secretary of the Stop TB Partnership based at the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva; and Dr Mphu Ramatlapeng, the executive vice president at the Clinton Health Access Initiative and Lesotho’s former health minister.

Tlhabi also speaks to music legend Yvonne Chaka Chaka, the “Princess of Africa”, about her work in creating awareness around malaria, as the world marks Malaria Day on 25 April.

With the family at Logan Airport before leaving for Malawi in March 2012. From left, my sister Anne, her husand Steve, me, my daughter Jamie and my niece Jill. (Charlie Fiske)

Some of us were asked to meet with the new group to give some thoughts, experiences and insights that we’ve gained living here for the past year.

All the skills and training during their eight week period are no substitute for the ordinary  lessons that will be quietly learned through the day to day routine ahead.  Being able to remain here for more than a year and still be enthusiastic about all things Malawi counts for a lot.

Even the list of most annoying items pales in comparison to the simple statement,  “I like Malawi and am glad I came.”

Meeting with the new group offered a look back to where many of us were a year ago.  Just standing there in front of the group gathered outside a church building in a northern village was a different experience because I was no longer an outsider.

Just over their heads I could see the neighboring village and knew without hesitation I could walk over to those villagers and within a few minutes start a conversation with total strangers and feel comfortable.

It was hard in many ways a year ago being faced with so much information and the uncertainty and the strangeness of this new world.  The question many of us asked is whether we could ever feel comfortable.  Could we fit in?

Would we ever feel relaxed enough to be ourselves?  There was always the thought as to whether we could figure out the complexities of Malawi.  Perhaps the real question is whether we could feel settled and happy here.

Peace Corps workers Kristi and Brooke chat with local bike commuter along M1 in Ntcheu, Malawi

What the new group brings is a freshness of enthusiasm having survived the long Peace Corps application process and are now concluding the eight week routine of endless cultural, skill training and language sessions.  It  is difficult to offer new information because most of the group was like a full glass of water.  Anything more just gets spilled.

Our role that day was to discuss some of the diversity issues each of them might face.  Some issues could include difference of cultures, religion, age, gender as well as sexual choices.  Certainly in Malawi there are a variety of held customs and beliefs that need to be understood and appreciated.  Of course we are the guests and not here to change the course of history.

The real lesson to be learned is how each of us relates to each other.  What all the new group will have to discover is how each one is able to be themselves and feel comfortable meeting and working with others who may not have the same language, beliefs or view of life.

One of the questions that I found myself asking rhetorically of some of the group members was why they came to Malawi and what they wanted to get out of coming.  The standard answer of helping the people of Malawi who live in one of the poorest countries is too easy.

Why come to Malawi to help the poor?  There are certainly enough poor communities in America who would welcome the attention of someone willing to donate two years of service to improve the health care systems or the environment.  When each member of this new group becomes aware of what each individually hopes to gain from coming to Malawi, each one will have a more realistic assessment of what contributions they can make to this great country.

Probably no one from this new group will save Malawi in the two years they are here.  Perhaps each having a personal understanding as to why they came and what they hope to gain for themselves will offer a more realistic view of what goals are possible.

What makes the most sense for all in this new group is to understand that we are thrilled they  came.   What they learn about themselves and their co-workers will be carried with them long after they have left Malawi.  Hopefully all will learn that Malawi has a strange way of giving far more than what any of us think we can offer.

The simple fact that this new group has left another life in America to be here for an extended time speaks volumes.  That is so important especially on those days when the annoyances of language differences or miserable transportation conditions or being alone seem to overshadow everything else.

For many of us there are the day to day struggles when we feel we are accomplishing little.  When there is so much to be done sometimes making a dent to bring change seems an endless task.

This new group of Peace Corps workers are as ready as we were a year ago to learn firsthand about their new assignments and responsibilities.  In a year’s time it will be their turn wishing us farewell as they will  become the “experienced” ones looking at the next group to follow.

I do believe that if each of them enjoys Malawi half as much as many of us do, their time in this country will be time well spent.  Their stay here will not be easy.  But the bonds of friendship they establish with the members of their group and others they meet will carry them far beyond the borders of Malawi.

It was easy to see that as we had done, this new group has developed as a family.  That will be so important for each of them as they will be scattered to locations across this country.

The bonds that they’ve already developed will get deeper as they begin their first year.  I do suspect that training together allows all of them to experience the full range of emotions that are characteristic of most family situations.

For some of us the arrival of this group bring to Malawi some new faces that now better represents a few whose homeland states are in New England.   They only way this new group can truly prepare for Malawi is to live here.  All the trainings in the world cannot   prepare anyone for the lessons that living here will teach.

After a year of being here we are still learning the Malawi lesson and are passing the course.  Hopefully they will do the same.

More photos on Facebook

By Charlie Fiske

yesterday, Dr Banda said her country would “blow the trumpet”.
“My visit to Zimbabwe has provided me with a rare opportunity to see what is emerging in Zimbabwe.
“It gives hope to see that the destiny of Zimbabwe remains in the hands of Zimbabweans.

“We will march with you and the rest of us shall blow the trumpet: ‘lift sanctions, they are hurting the ordinary people’,” she said.
Zimbabwe has been under an illegal sanctions regime since the turn of the millennium as punishment for embarking on land reforms.
Dr Banda bemoaned the low level of trade between Zimbabwe and Malawi.

“Trade flows between Zimbabwe and Malawi continue to be very low. For instance, total trade between the two countries has averaged US$80 million over the past three years, which is a small percentage of the combined trade flow of the two countries.

“This trade pattern shows that there is a need for our countries to work diligently in order to enhance trade flows between ourselves.”
Dr Banda said the two countries recently signed a bilateral trade agreement and discussed trade and economic issues within the framework of the Joint Permanent Commission and Co-operation.

She urged Zimbabwe and Malawi to ensure that the trade agreement works to the advantage of entrepreneurs from both countries.
“I have been informed that there are several outstanding issues which need to be resolved between the two sides and I want to urge our technocrats to fast-track the resolution of the issues.”

Dr Banda challenged businesses to ensure that the recently negotiated Simplified Trade Regime, negotiated by the two countries under the auspices of Comesa to facilitate cross border trade for small and medium enterprises, worked to their benefit.

Dr Banda said the role of Government was to create an enabling environment to facilitate trade and investment.
She said Africa was set to be the world’s next economic giant.

“In 2010, McKinsey, a renowned management consultant firm described African countries as ‘lions on the move.’ McKinsey’s view of Africa was validated by the World Bank when they commented that Africa could be on the verge of economic take-off much like China and India were 20 years ago,” she said.
Dr Banda said Africa had made strides in many areas important for foreign direct investment.

“Trade liberalisation, the strengthening of the rule of law, political stability, improvements in legal and other instruments as well as the telecommunications and transport infrastructures are some of the key positive changes aiding Africa’s business climate,” said Dr Banda.

She said experts predicted that the continent’s combined consumer spending would grow to about US$1,4 trillion in 2020.
Dr Banda said the key driver to Africa’s economic success was its natural wealth, as the continent prided itself in contributing about 30 percent of world’s mineral reserves, including about 40 percent of the world’s gold.

“The exciting news is that the natural resource wealth explains just a part of the story,” she said.
“What I have observed is that Africa’s economy is becoming diversified in the following key sectors, financial services, health and pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, energy, construction, information and communication technology.”

Dr Banda said the returns on investment in Africa were among the highest in the world as evidenced by the increase in Foreign Direct Investment from US$10 billion in 2000 to almost US$60 billion in 2009.

The First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe toured various stands at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair yesterday in the company of Dr Banda’s husband Mr Richard Banda.
They visited the First Family-run Alpha Omega Dairy, Turnall Fibre Holdings Limited, Botswana Investment and Trade Centre, National University of Science and Technology and Zimbabwe Republic Police’s Kuyedza Women’s Club stands.

The Herald Online

This is after it was given the Fifth Freedom Traffic Rights which allows an airline to carry revenue traffic between foreign countries as a part of services connecting the airline’s own country.

Kenya Airways at Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe

That means KQ will now have the unique role to pick up passengers in Lilongwe and drop them in Lusaka and vice versa.

Currently, Malawi has no national carrier so Kenya Airways will be the sole operator for the country in the meantime.

The approval of the 5th Freedom Traffic Rights follows an MoU signed between the Kenya and Malawi governments in 2008 which allows collaborative arrangements between designated carriers of both countries for their mutual benefit.

The fresh approval was through a letter from Malawi’s Secretary for Transport and Public Works Moffat Chitimbe on Friday.

KQ has also been given the greenlight to begin flying into Chileka Airport in Blantyre, a commercial city in Malawi.

Receiving the good news, Kenya Airways Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Titus Naikuni, thanked both the Kenya and Malawi governments for facilitating the approvals.

“We are delighted to get these approvals which will enable us to enhance our presence in the Southern African country while also supporting the development of the region through provision of efficient air transport services,” Naikuni said.

KQ flies 10 times every week to Lilongwe and will soon announce its schedule into Blantyre.