MANAonline
Cooperative with dream
By Aliko Munde
Chitipa, October 31, Mana: Billions of Malawi Kwacha have been invested in Chitipa District in various developmental projects. However, when the projects phase out, oftentimes, issues of sustainability become a bottleneck in the district and country as a whole.
One such organization that has invested heavily in the district and Malawi at large since 1982 is World Vision Malawi (MVM).
The organization has made significant investment in infrastructure and made contributions in different sectors mainly; education, livelihood and resilience, maternal and child health, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).
Despite these investments, the organization still lacks a comprehensive database that shows the type, number, location and state of infrastructures constructed or initiated by WVM because of lack of ownership among community members.
But at Lufita Trading Centre in Senior Chief Mwabulambya in the district, the story is different.
In 2008 World Vision under Namatubi Kanyenjere Area Programme procured a sunflower processing machine, which was donated to Witimba Kaseye Cooperative. And the 114-member cooperative is still up and running.
“Governance structures we have in our cooperative have assisted us to reach where we are today,” explains Andrew Mtambo, Chairperson for the cooperative.
He said: “We have an executive committee, sub committees and board. These are the structures that this cooperative has been rooted in.”
The cooperative, which started as an association in 2003, is into agribusiness and has acquired many assets from the cooking oil processing business.
Mtambo says the cooperative has managed to build a business shop at Lufita Trading Centre, poultry house and bought a piece of land at Ilema Trading Centre which they plan to build a business shop in near future.
"We have a warehouse which we built and World Vision assisted us with iron sheets. We also built a structure which we turned into a sunflower cooking oil processing mini-factory," he explains.
Fiskani Bakali, Chairperson for procurement Sub Committee says apart from processing cooking oil from sunflowers, they also aim to reduce vending of farm produce in their area.
Bakali says most farmers in their area have been duped by vendors by buying from farmers at lower than the farm gate price.
“We are here to help reverse that and our vision is to add value to all the farm produce we collect from our members even from non-members,” Bakali narrates.
"We have plans to buy a bigger sunflower cooking oil pressing machine because the one we currently have produces 100 litres of cooking oil a day. So we have overwhelming demand for our product and also non-members who come to process their sunflower. That is why we need machines with higher volume," she adds.
Bakali further says they also plan to start adding value to maize into maize flour so that maize in Chitipa is not exported to other countries adding that they also plan to add value to soybeans and groundnuts.
“We need approximately K500 million to fulfil our dream of adding value to all our farm produce,” she says.
On funding grants, Bakali says twice they applied to AGCOM and they were not successful. She says reasons given from AGCOM are not satisfactory on their applications being rejected.
A 2013 study by Costa Hofisi and Martha Chizima titled; “The Sustainability of Donor Funded Projects in Malawi” states that if sustainability is to be achieved in donor funded projects it is important that the design of all development intervention in smallholder communities articulate how they would work with and/or build capacities of local governance and service structures that ensure effective delivery and sustainability of project benefits.
To achieve this, the report says, working in partnerships and/or collaboration with local authorities is not an option but a must in rural community development interventions.
Programmes Manager for World Vision Malawi (WVM) for Karonga and Chitipa Districts, Hendrix Kalanje says it remains a challenge to see projects being sustained after donor withdrawal.
Kalanje says seeing the cooperative still running, 14 years after World Vision transitioned, is not only very encouraging but also motivating to the organization.
“The ability of project recipients to continue operating their projects after World Vision transitioned gives us the confidence that the community and local partners were actively involved in the development of the programme vision and priorities leading to the ownership of the interventions that World Vision implemented in the area. It also implies that community partners value the cooperative,” Kalanje says.
He says as an organization, they see that the sustainability drivers that were integrated and mainstreamed in their programme interventions were effective.
Kalanje adds that the programme beneficiaries were actively involved in the decision-making processes of the programme design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation stages, leading to ownership of the interventions.
“It is clear that the community members understood their vision and aspirations and were steadfast in working with World Vision as a partner in addressing developmental challenges that impeded the realization of their vision. Asset based development is a good option because it improves what is already existing rather than introducing new ones,” he explains.
Kalanje discloses that in many of the area programmes World Vision has worked, sustaining project interventions has been a challenge saying that the organization sees pockets of communities that have been able to sustain interventions.
The experience points to the fact that in many cases, projects only thrive during the presence of funder organisations and benefactors. Soon after the involved organisations leave, projects crumble.
Kalanje says community ownership through volunteerism and participation is a fundamental aspect that pushes donor-funded projects to achieve sustainability. He further says in many cases, there is lack of community ownership of project interventions, which compromises sustainability.
“At the onset, organisations should be able to engage community partners effectively throughout the programme life, provide asset-based capacity building to the community structures for sustainability. Organisations should also invest in mapping potential local partners and enhancing their capacities in readiness for the transition period,” Kalanje says.
Modern showers for a rural student
By Wanangwa Tembo
Kasungu, October 31, Mana: At Kawiya Community Day Secondary School in the area of Traditional Authority Mnyanja in Kasungu District, 16-year-old Form 2 student, Felistas Lungu used to be outside her hostels as early as 4am.
With a bucket in her hand, the destination would be a stream located at about a kilometre distance to fetch water for a bath in readiness for classes.
With a lowered water table, the stream is perennially dry and communities managed to dig an open well, which served both students and tobacco farmers who use it to water their nursery beds.
“You really had to work early enough to find the water. Any delays meant you would find the well dirty or with no water as the farmers also depend on the same for their tobacco nurseries,” Lungu says.
In this equation of waking up this early, Lungu and her friends did not have adequate sleep and the results could be seen in class where the students felt weary and sleepy – dozing off as lessons were in progress.
The teachers too were not spared in this predicament. Their errands to fetch water had negative trickledown effects on the delivery of lessons.
“You wake up and the first thing is to go somewhere far to fetch water. And you come back tired going to class to teach.
“Our work demands that we prepare thoroughly to make teaching and learning effective. So the absence of water was a big disturbance to both learners and teachers,” says Head Teacher for the school, Chikondi Kaundama.
The scramble for water from unprotected open wells amongst students, teachers and communities was not just a fight for survival, but also an open invitation for waterborne diseases like cholera.
“The water was itself not safe to use but also that its scarcity compromised every element in the hygiene equation. It’s not surprising that waterborne diseases were common,” Kaundama says.
Touched by the plight of the learners and the community at large, The Sonder Project, a humanitarian non-governmental organization (NGO) lobbied for support to reverse the sufferings.
With a K39 million investment, the organization has planted a solar reticulated water system at the school, which is also to benefit hundreds other households surrounding the school.
Speaking during the water system handover ceremony, Sonder Project Country Director Beria Mwaulambo said Kawiya CDSS was one example of how rural schools grapple with water challenges.
“Access to clean water is one of the biggest challenges affecting schools and communities in the rural areas. We came here at Kawiya School and the surrounding community to help eradicate the so many ills that come due to lack of access to clean water.
“For instance, this school was relying on an unprotected open shallow well and both learners and teachers used to travel long distances to collect water and the likelihood of suffering from water-borne illness, and missing classes was high,” Mwaulambo said.
The system at Kawiya is now supplying water to the students’ hostels where modern bathrooms fitted with showers have been constructed as part of the project package.
“So we have two taps and four showers at the girls’ hostel, one tap and three showers at the boys’ hostel, while some taps have been put at the main school campus, teachers’ houses and the surrounding communities.
“Our mission is to empower communities through high-impact, sustainable development. We envision a world where each individual and community has the resources and opportunities needed to improve their own lives, and to lift themselves and future generations from poverty,” she said.
Through the ‘Water is Our Right’ component, the Sonder Project is drilling boreholes, installing water systems and distributing water filters to communities like Kawiya in a bid to increase access to clean water.
“We are proud to say that the school and the surrounding communities are now drinking water that is free from diseases clean water and education are interrelated. At Kawiya School, for example, enrollment numbers were less than 200 when the project was first conceived, even though the school has a capacity for 400 students.
“Students were dropping out and not showing up because the conditions were not conducive for learning. Too much time was spent fetching water and causing students to miss school. Teachers faced similar challenges and turnover rates were high,” Mwaulambo said.
Now with a cool morning shower taken right in their hostels, learners like Lungu, and the teachers led by Kaundama, promise to repay back with hard work, saying the feeling that they are in a forgotten rural school is over.
On his part, Paul Mgunda who represented the Education Division Manager for Central East Education Division said education authorities expect the project to attract more teachers to the school and improve the school outcomes especially in national examinations.
“Now the students and the teachers can focus on what is most important, getting an education and improving performance,” Mgunda said.
Kasungu District Council Water Officer, Charles Mwenda, expressed gratitude to Sonder Project saying the water facility will help many households in the area to access clean water and prevent diseases.
“We mostly rely on ground which also expensive to extract. That is why we applaud partners like Sonder Project for complementing government’s efforts to ensure that there is clean water for everyone.
“My appeal is that we should all own the facility by taking care of it so that it is sustained for the benefit of others in the future. Parents must ensure the project is well cared for,” Mwenda said.
Since 2020, Sonder Project has drilled 23 boreholes and installed two solar-powered water supply systems to two secondary schools in Kasungu District impacting over 10,500 people, while at the same time distributing about 168 water filters to dispersed communities and those without boreholes.
A 2022 Voluntary National Review on the progress of implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Malawi shows that the country is on track to meet its target of universal access to water and sanitation for all by 2030.
Currently, at least 67 per cent of the population has access to improved sources of safe water but experts say distribution of water facilities among districts and between urban and rural areas remains uneven.
These indicators are likely to improve further if efforts like this at Kawiya, are replicated in many rural schools and communities.
Bearing the burden of disability in the face of climate change
By Leonard Masauli
Lilongwe, October 31, Mana: To a country like Malawi, impacts of climate change are not new. From the Cyclone Gombe to Idai, Ana and Freddy among others have been catastrophic in the country for the past years.
In Mid March of 2019, the cyclone Idai destroyed countries like Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique, left over three million people affected with over one thousand dead across the southern African region.
Four years on, in March 2023, Cyclone Freddy led to over 676 deaths with 538 people reportedly still missing up to date.
The disaster further rendered homeless to over 650,000 people and destroyed 202,095 agricultural lands across the country, according to Department of Disaster and Management Affairs in Malawi.
However, in all this, to persons with disabilities, the pain that goes with such atrocities are a huge burden and often overlooked.
The Persons with Disabilities suffers disproportionately and have remained most vulnerable in the face of climate change related responses in the times of a disaster.
According to Malawi Council for Disability Affairs (MACODA), the Cyclone Freddy affected over 50,000 Persons with Disability were affected during the disaster in March 2023.
Many of the persons with disabilities, failed to grasp important information regarding the impending disaster due to glaring lack of mainstreaming in communication channels and as a result, the Persons with disability were completely left out in the dark.
The World Bank Climate Change report on disability highlights reports of December 2023, says persons with disabilities are more likely to suffer from climate change emergencies and disasters than people without disabilities and hence there is need to for inclusion and take their needs into an account.
The World Bank report says across the globe, there is high mortality rate between persons with disabilities and they face up to four times higher in natural disasters than people without disabilities.
It says even though 15% of the population across the globe has a disability, the climate change adaptation and resilience efforts does not effectively take their needs into account.
In March 2023, Magret Makawa, from Mtauchila Village in Chiladzulu district, lost 23 relatives during the time of Freddy which included her nine-year-old daughter.
The heavy rains due to the impact of the cyclone Freddy, pulled a mudslide from a nearby mountain swept the whole village of Mtauchila in the night.
The tragedy left many villagers injured including persons with disabilities while some are reportedly still missing up now.
“We had a persistent heavy rain for five days. It kept us indoor, and we could not do anything. However, in the middle of night on 14th March 2023, I heard a huge blast in the nearby mountain. We didn’t know it was a mudslide and it swept our village, burying houses and injuring many people. I lost 23 relatives including my child,” said Makawa.
Makawa, kept shedding tears when narrating her ordeal, saying she can still can no longer afford some peaceful sleep for the past year.
“I still feel mentally unstable, and I am always haunted by the nightmares of what happened on the day. This goes the same with persons with disabilities. The lack of information as regards to early warning information to impending disasters due to climate change is a problem.
“There are the visually impaired and cannot read information in ink and paper and even those who cannot hear. The Cyclone made the persons with disability to lose their hearing aids and several valuables which were assisting them in daily lives.
“I feel government need to do bring up deliberate efforts to ensure persons with disabilities, just like anybody else, gets climate change information to better prepare ourselves,” added Makawa.
Exclusion or oversight?
Executive Director of the Federation of Disability Organizations in Malawi (FEDOMA), Simon Munde, said there are no appropriate and effective strategies put in place to ensure persons with disabilities are included in disaster preparedness, resilience building, or recovery measures.
The Executive Director said this exclusion is not just an oversight—but it is a humanitarian crisis in the making.
Munde said the lack of affirmative action on policies to ensure accessible information communication, infrastructure and aid targeting the persons with disabilities reveals a stark reality, saying the Malawi’s climate adaptation strategies are failing most of the vulnerable population.
“The challenges and risks that persons with disabilities are exposed to during climate disasters are often not recognized by the government, NGOs, or international agencies. This lack of prioritization has increased outcries from the disabled communities leading to some be missed in the distribution of relief aid.
“We feel there is also need to build the capacity of persons with disabilities about issues of climate change so that they are well informed and make decisions from an informed perspective but so far nothing is happening apart from what FEDOMA is doing on our affiliates and yet the impacts of climate change are more felt on the ground within the communities,” said Munde.
Munde urged government and non-governmental organizations to ensure persons with disabilities are participating in decision making as regards to issues of climate change.
The Director General for the Malawi Council for Disability Affairs (MACODA), George Chiusiwa, said regarding disability mainstreaming in disaster risk management, there is still much work to be done in the country.
Chiusiwa said while there have been some progressive efforts to include persons with disabilities in disaster risk management strategies and implementation of the policy governing this, these initiatives are often insufficient and not fully incorporated into mainstream disaster risk reduction frameworks as there are no deliberate efforts.
“There is a need for more comprehensive policies that explicitly address the needs of persons with disabilities, ensuring their voices are heard and their rights are upheld in disaster planning and response strategies. This includes aspects of ensuring disability inclusive disaster risk management budgeting and financing.
“About 50,000 persons with disabilities were displaced by the disaster with many more were affected by Cyclone Freddy; this is a stark reminder of the gaps in our current programming around managing situations of emergency.
Chiusiwa added that MACODA is working full throttle with organisations implementing inclusive disaster risk management initiatives.
Initiatives on Inclusion
He said for instance, MACODA is part of the consortium of the Enhancing Disability-Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction Capacity project along with the Federation of Disability Organisations in Malawi (FEDOMA) and Churches Action and Relief and Development (CARD).
“We have implemented several initiatives aimed at promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities in disaster preparedness strategies.
“Under his initiative, among other things, MACODA has conducted training sessions for local disaster management authorities and community leaders to raise awareness about the specific needs of persons with disabilities during disaster planning and response,” said Chiusiwa.
However, In his response, through a phone interview on Thursday, the Public Relations officer for the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DODMA) in Malawi, Chipiliro Raymond Khamula said the department has made strides to prioritize most vulnerable communities in the country.
Khamula said this includes people with disabilities, the elderly and child-headed families etc) in its disaster risk management (DRM) planning and programming to ensure that we reduce risks, vulnerability and build resilience to disasters.
“Recently, the department has been engaging organisations of people with disabilities (OPDs) in developing disability inclusive DRM and early warning (EW) messages in line with challenges they face.
“The OPDs have also been engaged in developing and validating tailor-made messages from the DRM Act; and the department is committed to ensuring continued engagement, partnership and coordination to ensure that no one is left behind at all stages of the DRM cycle and building resilience to disasters due to climate change,” said Khamula.
According to International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), projected that by 2050, about 18 million persons with disabilities are expected to be displaced by climatic events.
CEWAG donates sewing machines to GBV survivors
By Mwai Kumanda
Lilongwe, November 1, Mana: Coalition for the Empowerment of Women and Girls (CEWAG) has handed over six sewing machines to gender-based violence (GBV) survivors in the area of Traditional Authority Kalumbu in Lilongwe district.
Speaking after the handover ceremony on Thursday, CEWAG Executive Director Beatrice Mateyo said there is a need for different Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to complement government efforts in supporting and empowering GBV survivors to make their future bright again.
“We have trained 30 women in tailoring this area. These are not just ordinary women; they are survivors of GBV. We decided to train them so that they can have something to rely on.
“Sometimes women stay in an abusive relationship because they don’t have an alternative it terms of taking care of themselves. So we trained them in tailoring hoping that they will be able to take care of themselves,” she said.
One of the beneficiaries Violet Chambalo thanked CEWAG for giving them the sewing machines and for the training provided, saying she will now be able to take care of her family.
“Today I am a very happy person, first I want to thank CEWAG for giving us sewing training, and sewing machines. Their guidance has truly transformed my life into a skilled entrepreneur.
“Before this development, I used to struggle financially because I had nothing to do, but now I can feed my family and pay my school fees,” she said.
In her remarks, Lilongwe District Council Assistant Gender Officer Jessie Mwanza hailed the organization for the initiative saying it will go a long way in improving the lives of the women in the area.
“This initiative is very important as we are aiming at empowering women economically, so this will lead to the reduction of GBV cases because often women stay in marriages where they are being abused but they keep on staying because they don’t have anything to do on their own,” she said.
Senior Chief Kalumbu urged the women to continue working hard and support each other in order to be successful in whatever they do.
“Today I want to appreciate what CEWAG has done to us by empowering our women through the provision of the sewing machine, this is the way to transform our girls and women in this area.
Kalumbu then called on the girls and women to use the sewing machines for the intended purpose so that they could become independent.
Apart from handing over the sewing machine to women, the organization also donated reusable sanitary pads to girls from Kalumbu Primary School to help the learners attend classes during their menstruation period.
Associate Professor Ngeyi Ruth Kanyongolo laid to rest
By Evance Chisiano
Blantyre, October, 31, Mana: Catholic bishops, the legal fraternity, the academia, government officials were among thousands of people that bade Associate Professor Ngeyi Ruth Kangonyolo farewell at Che Chamba Village, Sub Traditional Authority Kwanjana in Thyolo district where eulogies testified her strong and undivided catholic faith, dedication and devotion to academic duties and full activism on women rights.
Sombre mood and mixture of celebration of her life marked the day as Archbishop, Desmond Tambala of the Lilongwe Archdiocese, Justice Jean Kayira, Women Layers Association (WLA) President, Chisomo Nyemba and late Kanyongolo’s daughter Ulemu all stood to say what sort of woman Ngeyi Ruth Kanyongolo was.
Archbishop George Desmond Tambala of the Lilongwe Archdiocese, Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa of the Blantyre Archdiocese, Bishop Alfred Mateyu Chaima of Zomba Diocese, Bishop Msikuwa of Chikwawa Diocese, Bishop Montfort Sitima of Mangochi Diocese led the Requiem Mass in honour of the departed Kanyongolo who until her death was Catholic University of Malawi, Vice Chancellor apart from holding various positions in the Catholic Church, Zomba Diocese, legal fraternity and in the corporate world.
Archbishop Tambala thanked God for giving Malawi, Ngeyi Ruthu Kanyongolo to save in various positions, saying she was a precious gift to the academia, the church and other bodies as capabilities and abilities were exceptionally excellent to be forgotten.
“Associate Professor Kanyongolo was a dedicated servant of God who was called to serve. She was a philanthropist,” he added, acknowledging that despite her demanding official duties late Kanyongolo served numerous catholic committees with the passion to serve but with humility despise her highly demanding official duties
Archbishop Tambala who is Chancellor of the Catholic University of Malawi also described the deceased as dedicated Vice Chancellor who was ready to take the university to greater height out of her long experience in the academic institution.
Kanyongolo who died at 58, retired from the University of Malawi in 2023 after working for 23 years.
She obtained Master Degree and PhD in law in the course of serving as lecturer and University of Malawi’s Faculty of Law
Justice Jean Kayira who represented, Chief Justice Rizine Mzikamanda said Kanyongolo served as scholar and legal practitioner with dedication.
She added that the deceased contributed a lot to the legal fraternity, saying she taught at the University of Malawi for a long time to mentor men and women that became reputable legal practitioner in the public sector and private legal firms.
Women Lawyers Association (WLA) President Chisomo Nyemba said Kanyongolo started the WLA in 1994 as a legal group that represented women in various legal cases on pro bono basis.
She added that WLA will miss Kanyongolo for playing an active role whenever she was consulted to offer advice on legal matters.
Taking her turn, Kanyongolo’s daughter, Ulemu said will remember her mother for raising her well, giving her best education, adding that she will live to adore her mother’s life of putting God first in all her engagements.
Minister of Education, Madalitso Kambauwa Wilima, Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda, former Attorney General, Dr. Chikosa Silungwe, Deputy Chief Justice, Lovemore Chikopa were some of the notable figures that attended the funeral.
Associate Professor Kanyongolo is survived by her husband, a renowned scholar and legal; practitioner, Fidelis Edge Kanyongolo and a daughter.
Episcopal Conference of Malawi appointed Ngeyi Ruth Kanyongolo as Vice Chancellor of Catholic University of Malawi with effect from March 5, 2024.
She died on October 28, at Mwayi wathu Private Hospital in Blantyre after a short illness and received a lot of condolences from academia, the church and the corporate world where she served in various top positions.
Kanyongolo was accorded special prayers at Sacred Heart, Zomba Cathedral, at her residence, Mulunguzi in Zomba, St Charles Lwanga Parish, Catholic University of Malawi and the last mass at her home village, Che Chamba Village in Thyolo.
Women and Youth must have equal access to loans- Chakwera
By Sheminah Nkhoma
Nkhotakota, October 31, Mana: President Lazarus Chakwera has called on National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) to provide loans to women and youth without collateral to support them in businesses.
Speaking on Thursday, when he addressed people at Nkhotakota Boma, President Chakwera said youth and women should be encouraged to get loans so that they can boost up their small businesses.
“I want to see all women and youth in this area doing better in their lives it’s not everyone who has the opportunity to be employed so with small businesses they will be able to help their families,” said Chakwera.
The president further urged farmers to take farming as a business so that the country could generate its income without depending on donors
Member of Parliament for Nkhotakota Central Peter Mazizi appreciated the support that the government is providing to the constituency saying there are many development projects in the area, funded through Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
“We appreciate the developments in this area, we have 5 secondary schools and health centers built through your government and 100 students are under bursaries through CDF,” he said.
Mangochi Youths to Launch Farmers Market Day
By Ernest Mfunya
Mangochi, October 31, Mana. In a bid to boost local agribusiness, youths in Mangochi have united to launch the district's first-ever Farmers Market Day, slated for Saturday, November 2, 2024 at Villa Tafika Lodge within Mangochi town.
Speaking in an interview with Malawi News Agency, an agribusiness person and Executive Director of Jeyie Foods, Jacqueline Banda said the launch is meant to create a platform for local agricultural products on top of allowing youth in agribusiness to interact with potential customers and partners.
Banda observed that youths in the district were trained in various incubation programmes but they lack platforms where they can showcase and sell their products and skills hence the Farmers Market Day.
She said that the initiative was in line with the government's development agenda of the Malawi Vision 2063 and the Agriculture, Tourism and Mining strategy which encourages Malawians to explore opportunities in agriculture, tourism and mining sectors.
“This is a hub for businesses in Mangochi. We want people especially the youth and women to sell their skills or products to connect with partners and share ideas on how they can scale up their businesses,
“It's not about food or agriculture businesses only but also those in arts, fashion and design plus those in craft. Service providers and many others are encouraged to come and showcase their businesses,” added Banda.
She said that Farmers Market Day will be a monthly event and expressed hope that it will help people in Mangochi to have a picture of what happens at the country's trade fair which takes place every year in Blantyre.
She, therefore, appealed to young people in the district, organisations as well as government sectors to patronize the day in large numbers to make it eventful, adding that the Farmers Market Day entry will be free.
In his remarks, a poultry farmer in the district, Bright Chilumpha welcomed the initiative saying that it will give small-scale entrepreneurs a chance to increase visibility, market research and trend identification.
“This is a very good opportunity for us to sell our products and expose our businesses. As young entrepreneurs, we lack opportunities like these to meet potential buyers and partners. We also expect to learn from other people's experiences who are making good strides in agribusiness,” he added.
Some of the day’s activities include exhibiting artwork including visual art, kids’ corner, music and sale of local food prepared by Mangochi-based food outlets.
Gotani Hara urges Chitipa residents to go for voter registration
By Andrew Gondwe
Chitipa, October 31, Mana: Vice president for Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and Speaker of Parliament, Catherine Gotani Hara has called on all eligible people in the district to go for voter registration exercise, which is taking place in the district.
Hara was speaking on Wednesday during a whistle-stop tour, which she organized in order to encourage people in various villages and trading centres in Chitipa district to participate in voter registration in readiness for the forthcoming 2025 general elections.
She said those who fail to register will be denied a chance to exercise their right to vote in the elections.
"As Vice President of MCP, I decided to take part in encouraging our party supporters to register and be ready to vote for the right candidates they want in various political positions, such as president, Members of Parliament and ward councilors," said Hara.
A Chitipa resident, Mphatso Kabaghe from Robert village in Senior Chief Mwabulambya, supported the move of sensitizing people in the district to go and register so that they can vote for the candidates of their choice.
Kabaghe said that if people get registered and vote for the right candidates, it will help the district to develop different areas, adding that failure to participate in electoral processes promotes poor governance.
Senior Chief Mwabulambya asked his fellow local leaders to encourage their subjects to register and vote next year in large numbers.
“Voting is a right of every citizen. As local leaders, we will continue to play a great role of sensitizing people to take part in all electoral processes. I have noted however that most opposition parties are not much interested in telling people to get registered yet they need to vote,” Senior Chief Mwabulambya said.
Karonga Chief bemoans lack of local mineral analysis laboratory
By George Mponda
Karonga, October 31, Mana: Senior Chief Kilipula of Karonga has said the lack of a mineral analysis laboratory in Malawi is leading to a loss of revenue and creating room for shady deals in the mining industry.
Speaking during a Karonga Council Meeting on Wednesday where the Ministry of Mining together with Lotus Africa Limited the operators of Kayelekera Uranium Mine were making a presentation on the Community Development Agreement, Kilipula said taking samples for testing outside the country is not ideal.
"In the past, we have seen truckloads of samples being taken outside the country saying they are going to run tests on them. However, this makes us question how come such large amounts of samples are being taken for testing and who accompanies the samples. Do they even return home after the tests?" Kilipula wondered.
Kilipula said most residents are not aware of the operations of an exploration license granted to companies because they still see samples being taken away the same as in a fully operational mine which is puzzling to them.
"Government needs to build our mineral analysis laboratory which will reduce the costs incurred by mining companies and this will also increase our trust in the mining industry which at the moment is very low," he added.
In her remarks, Principal Mining Engineer in the Ministry of Mining Regina Kakwela said large-scale mining companies that have been granted exploration licences conduct their work over a large area hence large amounts of samples.
"Indeed at the moment, Malawi does not have a mineral analysis laboratory which is why the samples are taken mostly to South Africa where they run tests. If we had this laboratory here in Malawi, a lot of costs could be cut," Kakwela said.
Council urges stakeholders to follow SLGs guidelines
By Joel Phiri
Mzimba, October 31, Mana: Principal Community Development officer for M’mbelwa District Council Topsy Kachere has underscored the need for various stakeholders working in promoting Savings Loans Groups (SLGs) in the district to follow guidelines and work together to strengthen coordination, collaboration and service delivery.
Kachere made the remarks on Thursday in Mzimba during a meeting with various stakeholders organised with funding from the Financial Access for Rural Markets, Smallholders and Enterprises (FARMSE).
He said for a long-time stakeholders that promote savings and loans groups have been working without guidelines which made it haphazard on service delivery as every organisation was executing its work in isolation and without following established guidelines.
‘‘It’s like in reaching out to members of various savings and loans groups (SLGs) there were no guidelines among various stakeholders. So, with funding from FARMSE we organised this meeting for Mzimba based organisations to orient them on Savings and Loans groups terms of reference (TORs). The objective is to ensure harmony in how we work’’, he said.
African Fertiliser and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP) regional coordinator for the North Hopkins Mwanza said the training was very important as it will enhance their knowledge in working in communities and promoting savings and loans groups.
Mwanza said most community members who join village savings groups such as bank Mkhonde lack knowledge in financial literacy, organisation management, good governance and agribusiness management to run the organisations they belong to successfully.
‘‘So this orientation will help members know which areas are in need of support among savings loans groups. By honing such skills through this training we will be able to impart the same and transform community savings and loans groups’’, said Mwanza.
A member of the Tikolelaneko community-based organization from Jenda, Maness Nkhoma hailed the training saying it equipped them with the prerequisite knowledge and skills needed for the successful operation of financial groups.
