Malawi Update…
Malawi row over whether new law bans farting
4 February 2011
Two of Malawi’s most senior judicial officials are arguing over whether a new bill includes a provision that outlaws breaking wind in public.
Justice Minister George Chaponda says the new bill would criminalise flatulence to promote “public decency”.
“Just go to the toilet when you feel like farting,” he told local radio.
However, he was directly contradicted by Solicitor General Anthony Kamanga, who says the reference to “fouling the air” means pollution.
“How any reasonable or sensible person can construe the provision to criminalising farting in public is beyond me,” he said, adding that the prohibition contained in the new law has been in place since 1929.
The Local Courts Bill, to be introduced next week reads: “Any person who vitiates the atmosphere in any place so as to make it noxious to the public to the health of persons in general dwelling or carrying on business in the neighbourhood or passing along a public way shall be guilty of a misdemeanour.”
Mr Chaponda, a trained lawyer, insists that this includes farting.
“Would you be happy to see people farting anyhow?” he asked on the popular “Straight Talk” programme on Malawi’s Capital Radio.
He said that local chiefs would deal with any offenders.
When asked whether it could be enforced, he said it would be similar to laws banning urinating in public.
Tobacco grower Malawi says will not ratify WHO pact
February 12, 2005
By Mabvuto Banda
ZOMBA, Malawi (Reuters) – Malawi will not ratify the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) to protect its important tobacco industry, Agriculture Minister Gwanda Chakuamba said late on Tuesday.
“Tobacco is running the country’s economy and Malawi will not ratify the convention,” Chakuamba told delegates at the 33rd African regional meeting of Tobacco Growers Association in the southern African country’s former colonial capital of Zomba.
More than 50 countries have ratified the convention, which comes into force on Feb 27, and Malawi is under international pressure from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to follow suit.
The convention — the first global health treaty negotiated under WHO auspices — aims to limit both supply of and demand for tobacco worldwide.
But Chakuamba voiced concern for an estimated 2 million Malawians who depend on tobacco and related industries for their livelihood. The impoverished nation has a population of 12 million.
Chakuamba said that by curbing production elsewhere, the convention may offer a chance to revive Malawi’s tobacco industry as it contends with low prices and unpredictable weather patterns.
“We know and believe that the smoking population will not die overnight, and we know that the convention will reduce production of the crop in many countries in the West … we aim to take this as a chance because production will shift to the African region,” Chakuamba said.
Tobacco is Malawi’s biggest foreign exchange earner accounting for over 70 percent on the country’s exports and 15 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP).
Last season, farmers in sub-Saharan Africa grew 375,000 hectares of tobacco with Malawi leading the pack with 130,000 hectares followed by Zimbabwe with 60,000 hectares and Mozambique 50,000 hectares.
He advised member states to look at the future of the industry and find solutions to the intensifying anti-tobacco lobbies, low tobacco prices and high operational costs and unpredictable weather.
“We have to put measures in place in order to ensure a continued, if not improved, flourishing tobacco business that will uplift the development of our countries and assist increase employment, food security, health services and the general well being of our citizens,” Chakuamba said.
http://www.reuters.co.za/
http://www.reuters.co.za/
