wfn.org | All Africa News Agency April 21, 2003 (b)

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

ALL AFRICA NEWS AGENCY

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AANA BULLETIN No. 15/03 April 21, 2003 (b)

Christian Council Pays Tribute To Late Clergyman, Statesman

NAIROBI (AANA) April 21- The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) 
has dedicated one of its properties in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, to the 
late Right Reverend Dr. John Henry Okullu (Anglican), a Kenyan statesman 
who died at 70, in March, 1999.

On April 15, the NCCK named one of its residential buildings in one of 
Nairobi's plush estates as Bishop Okullu Gardens, in honour of the late 
Kenyan primate, who served the council as its chairman as well as editor of 
its then  ecumenical newspaper, The Target.

Addressing the congregation, which included the clergy, laity and family of 
the late Bishop Okullu, General Secretary of NCCK, Rev. Mutava-Musyimi said 
the naming of the building after Rev Okullu was part and parcel of 
celebrations of the council's 90th anniversary, to be marked this year.

The late Dr. Okullu is fondly remembered by Kenyans, as one of the most 
outspoken chairman of the NCCK, Provost of the All Saints Cathedral, and 
bishop of Maseno South Diocese, in the Kenya's western region.

In such encounters, he rubbed rough  with the government of the day on 
issues pertaining to the social, economic and political needs of the country.

As he stood firm on criticising the State on various issues, politicians, 
equally fought him hard, sometimes, calling on him to quit the church and 
join them, instead of him using the pulpit to launch attacks.

He is thus remembered by Kenyans for his contribution in the 
democratisation process in the country.

The late Okullu also served on both the executive and central committees of 
the World Council of Churches (WCC).

He authored several books, chief among them: Church and Politics in East 
Africa, Church and Marriage in East Africa, Church and State in Nation 
Building, and Quest for Justice (an autobiography).

Reported by Osman Njuguna

  Minister Challenges NEPAD, Govt Over Food Security

LILONGWE (AANA) April 21 - Malawi's minister for agriculture has, in a rare 
open attack on government, warned stakeholders of the New Partnerships for 
Africa's Development (NEPAD), that they will not render any meaning towards 
poverty alleviation, unless they utilised the country's idle resources.

The minister, Aleke Banda, has blamed his own government for Malawi's food 
insecurity, saying available resources were not being used.

"To develop Malawi, we need to have the drive and initiative which we don't 
because we are not changing our attitude towards implementing the goals," 
charged Banda recently.

He said the country, despite having received substantial donor aid, was 
facing acute food shortages  due to lack of focused policies, as well as 
non-adherence to laid down strategies.

"NEPAD is empty unless we are serious about the concept. I know I have 
always been unpopular among my government colleagues because of my 
openess," said Banda, who donors have described as the most hard-working 
and strategic minister in the current government.

Malawi is among southern African countries hardest hit by hunger due to 
erratic weather conditions over the past two harvest seasons.

The country has had to import maize from South Africa and other countries, 
to supplement food relief aid from international humanitarian agencies.

The country's agro-based economy relies heavily on tobacco, which injects 
75 percent of foreign exchange earnings into national coffers.

In a related development, the country's Economic Planning and Development 
Minister, Dr Bingu wa Mutharika, has condemned the government for 
insatiable appetite, neglecting the plight of the poor.

Mutharika is former secretary general of the Lusaka-based Common Market for 
Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) with 20 member states.  He also served 
at the World Bank, United Nations and as a deputy governor of Reserve Bank 
of Malawi, before assuming the ministerial post.

Muluzi has since anointed Mutharika to be his successor to the presidency, 
a highly controversial issue which has torn the ruling party, United 
Democratic Front (UDF) apart , as power struggle rears its head ahead of 
the 2004 general elections.

"I expect that the government will shift its focus from managing 
consumption and expenditure towards managing production and income 
generation," said Mutharika, adding that priorities in planning will have 
to specifically take into account, the needs of the rural majority poor.

Over 65 percent of Malawi's population of 10 million live below the poverty 
line of one US dollar per day, while life expectancy is at 43 percent.

Donors including the IMF, Britain, the US, EU and Denmark have so far 
withheld up to US$87 million in aid over issues of careless spending, 
rampant official corruption, delayed privatisation and absence of 
accountability, among others.

Reported by Hobbs Gama