MANAonline
Construction of Karonga District Council offices nears completion
By George Mponda
Karonga, June 11, Mana: Acting Director of Public Works for Karonga District Council, George Chanya, Wednesday said the construction of the council’s K98 million offices is at an advanced stage and will be completed soon.
In an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Tuesday, Chanya said the construction of new offices is a major step towards improving service delivery in the district.
He said the building is almost complete with some works remaining which include painting and electricity connection.
"Plumbing works have been completed and currently, Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) has advised us to change the electrical system from single to three phase," said Chanya.
A resident at Karonga Boma, Herbert Mkandawire commended the council for the project saying currently departments operate from scattered offices leading to communication gaps and compromised service delivery.
"It become hectic to access council officials due to the current arrangement of the offices and we hope that the structure will restore public trust in local governance besides being a catalyst to improved service delivery,” Mkandawire said.
He urged people in the district to refrain from vandalizing public property during demonstrations against issues that affect them, noting that the people themselves suffer in such situations.
The project which is funded by Malawi Government through the District Development Fund, will house the council’s key administrative departments such as planning, accounts and public works.
The construction of the offices followed the destruction of the council’s old offices by demonstrators in 2019 demonstrations.
Health structures challenged to be alert to emergencies
By Wanangwa Tembo
Kasungu, June 11, Mana: Principal Epidemiology Officer at the Public Health Institute of Malawi (PHIM), Austin Zgambo, has called for vigilance amongst health management structures so that they are able to quickly detect and effectively respond to health emergencies.
Zgambo, who is responsible for surveillance of public health activities, made the call on Tuesday during the opening of a two-day orientation of Kasungu District Public Health Emergency Management Committee (PHEMC) on health cluster coordination.
The session was planned to build capacity for the PHEMC to ably respond to public health emergencies such as Mpox, cholera and Marburg in the district.
“We are living in a period where we are facing a lot of health emergencies and disasters, and we noted that it has been a long time since we last oriented district-based health management structures on their terms of reference to respond to emergencies.
“So, this activity is meant to refresh their minds on how they can respond to emergencies and disasters that may occur in the districts, update the structures on the current situation of Cholera and Mpox and also to make them get prepared for Ebola and Marburg,” Zgambo said.
He said the management committees must be alert and always prepared, as it is not known when diseases will strike.
“We must have plans on how we will respond if the district is faced with a particular health emergency,” he said.
In his remarks, Senior Environmental Health Officer for Kasungu, Rumbani Mughogho, highlighted the importance of the training, as it has come at a time when the country is registering cases of Mpox disease.
“It’s a wake-up call for the district that we must always be prepared, despite though we have not registered any cases of those diseases this year.
“We have structures at all levels of health management, and my appeal is that we must be meeting regularly to plan and remind one another on our mandate despite the challenge of resources being limited,” Mughogho said.
Malawi has reported 27 cases of Mpox, a viral zoonotic disease that has killed 979 people across 19 African Union member states between January and May this year, posting at least 62,272 cases.
Flames axed into COSAFA Cup
By Santos Zefania
Lilongwe, June 11, Mana: The warm heart is now cold as, Malawi National football team, the Flames, faces an immediate exit, where Angola extinguished the flames of fire, having booted them out in the group stages of the Hollywood Bet COSAFA cup, Bloemfontein in South Africa, on Tuesday.
The development has come due to poor run as the Flames doused into cold ice where they collected a single point out of a possible 9 as they finished bottom in group B from 3 games, having drawn once and beaten twice.
In an interview, after the final whistle from Toyota stadium, in Bloemfotein, flames assistant coach Peter Mponda stressed over his teams early exist, saying: "despite teams poor performance, the tournament has helped us to assess players a head of the future campaign, where few more final touches would make this team geared to produce good results.
Commenting on the shambolic performance written on Esau Kanyenda's Website, Nelson Masauli said:
"We don't have quality players as a nation. We need to nurture our talent to compete at a higher level of the game. Most of our players are not physically fit enough to compete with their opponents on 50/50 balls and lack basic knowledge of football. It's not just for coaches alone, but for many stakeholders to improve our games.
Flames and Lesotho were booted out of Group B COSAFA Hollywood Bet, where Namibia and Angola went through to the next round of the tournament.
28-Year-Old Man Sentenced to 19 Years for Defiling Minor
By Innocent Manda
Lilongwe, June 11, Mana: A28-year-old man, Raffick James, has been sentenced to 19 years in prison by the Lilongwe Magistrate Court for defiling and impregnating a 13-year-old girl.
According to Lilongwe Police Spokesperson, Inspector Hastings Chigalu, the offence occurred in December last year in Chinsapo area.
The court heard from Sub Inspector Florence Mlanje that the accused lured the victim and her peers to his home under the pretext of offering them temporary work.
He then locked the girl inside, threatened her with violence, and committed the offence.
Police say the victim remained silent due to fear for her life. However, the case came to light in March this year after it was discovered that she was pregnant.
James, also popularly known as Mdyomba, was arrested and charged.
Senior Resident Magistrate Bracious Kondowe sentenced him to 19 years in prison, dismissing his plea for lenience as a first-time offender.
Project donates supplies to beekeeping cooperative in Balaka
By Mary Makhiringa
Balaka, June 11, Mana: There was jubilation in the area of Sub Traditional Authority (STA) Makwinja in Balaka, Tuesday when the Transforming Landscape and Livelihoods Project (TLLP) donated various bee keeping materials to Nkasi cooperative worth K15 Million.
Speaking during the function, Director of Forestry for Balaka, Titus Zulu, said bee keeping has a number of importance that the world may not appreciate, as it centres at conserving the sustainable management of trees within the dry land area in which Balaka also falls.
Said Zulu: “Instead of extracting the trees into charcoal or other products, we want to go in non-extractive way of getting income to support their homes, in which apiculture or bee keeping fits in very well.
“They will get extra income from live trees because once they are cut; the future generation won’t be able to get the benefit from the same trees.”
He added: “Bee keeping contributes to the forest conservation by providing non extractive income opportunity. It also enhances bio diversity through the pollination that the bees enhance, and lastly it provides income to the families.”
Zulu therefore, called upon the cooperative to utilize the received materials, as they will help in uplifting their lives.
Chairperson for Nkasi Beekeeping Cooperative, Umali Jiya, was all smiles and said as a group, they have been longing for better materials, which on their own they could not afford.
“We only have seven beehives, and could realise just K200, 000. We added 12 more, which we are yet to start harvesting. With the additional 40 that the project has donated, we are optimistic that we will go up to K5 to K6 million which is a greater boost to our business.
“Right now, we are working towards having a group warehouse in which we would like to keep our materials and other things. We already have the land, and soon we will be moulding bricks,” he said.
STA Makwinja hailed the project for considering his area and pledged for a continued support to the cooperative so that they excel in their business.
“As a leader here, I will fail if these materials do not bear positive results to the lives of the people in the cooperative. I will work hand in hand with the cooperative, and give guidance so that the business continues to excel.
“As an exemplary leader, I also have my two beehives within my forest that surrounds my home and am able to harvest honey for my home use,” he said.
Nkasi Cooperative has a membership of 46 people and started in 2014.
Some of the donated materials included 40 beehives, eight bee suites, five smokers, seven honey sieve and pressers and one settling tank packaging bottles.
COSOMA engages stakeholders to address misinformation over it’s mandate
By Alice Ndunya
Machinga, June 11, Mana: Copyright Society of Malawi (COSOMA) has engaged muscians, the meadia and other stakeholders in the eastern region districts to raise awareness on its mandate on copyright proptection, licensing, registration, membership and distribution of loyalties in a bid to protect artistic creative works from unlawful copyrighters.
COSOMA Communication Officer, Catherine Mitungwi said the meeting at Liwonde in Machinga on Tuesday was meant to strengthen collaboration with music artists, raise public awareness on the societiy’s activities while addressing misconceptions surrounding COSOMA’s mandate.
“Engaging stakeholders to discuss our mandate is essential because it propvided us opportunity to furnish artists with imprtant information that helps in protecting artistic creative works from unlawful copyrighters while fostering innovative progress for the artists,” she said.
During the meeting COSOMA officials made presentations on; copyright protection and licensing, registration and membership, distribution of loyalties and ways of promoting innovation among artists.
“We organised this meeting to fill in the information gap that exists on COSOMA’s mandate, engaged stakeholders to create a well-informed public and to strengthen our relationship with artists,” said Miyungwi.
One of the participants, a Mangochi based musician, Asante Emment, populary known as Achakongwe said the meeting was ideal as it informed her on COSOMA`s role in protecting artists from unlawful copyrights and other bad trends in the music industyry that leave alot to be desired among established and upcoming music artists in Malawi.
“I now know that the society is vital in protecting artists, I did not register my music with the society because I was not aware that I needed to do so.
“With this information, I will take action, The meeting was an eye opener to me,” added Asante Emment who has been in the music career since 2013 but not yet registered with the COSOMA.
Musicians Union of Malawi (MUM) Secretary for Zomba chapter, Holice Kalembo hailed COSOMA for engaging music artists on its awareness programmes.
“We are looking forward to having these kinds of meetings with COSOMA to ensure brighter future for the music and art industry,” he said.
The meeting at Liwonde had participants from COSOMA’s eastern region stakeholders with musicians and the media from Machinga, Zomba, Mangochi and Balaka.
COSOMA has over 18,000 registered members across the country ranging from muscians to writers and visual artists.
In October 2024, the society distributed loyalties amounting to K1 billion in total, with approximately 50 members receiving not less than K1. Million each.
MLW engages media practitioners on climate change and health
By Mirriam Bwanali
Blantyre, June 11, Mana: Malawi Liverpool Welcome Trust (MLW) on Wednesday engaged media practitioners to build their capacity in reporting on impact of climate change on human health.
Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of the training, Communications and Media Engagement Coordinator for Malawi Liverpool Trust, Luke Manja said the training was part of a larger project being implemented in Chikwawa and Blantyre Districts.
“The Media being part of the community will be able to report around the impact of climate change on health. We are targeting community as well as media houses in Chikwawa and Blantyre.
"Climate change has a lot of impact on people in all aspects of their life especially on issues to do with human health. There are a lot of pandemics that come in due to climate change such as cholera and many others,” he said.
He expressed hope that the training will build media practitioners capacity to understand and report on the effects of climate change on human health which will trigger policy makers and stakeholder’s interventions.
In his remarks, Environmental Health practitioner, Enerst Takomana said in March 2023 Tropical Cyclone Freddy affected many people especially in the southern region districts, observing that some people in the region are still living with psychological effects of the impact.
"Climate change is becoming a public health problem and there are hazards like cholera, cyclones and many other disasters that started because of climate change," he said.
One of the participants, Eunice Kananji from Angaliba Radio and TV observed that the training was relevant to media practitioners.
“We usually focus on reporting actual disasters than on post disasters issues. The training will give us more knowledge on climate change and health related issues," she said.
reporters from various media houses such as Malawi News Agency (Mana) Angaliba, Times, Mzati, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and Blantyre Synod Radio attended the five days training workshop.
Water for People promoting WASH in Chiradzulu
By Blackson Mkupatira
Chiradzulu, June 10, Mana: The Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Water for People announced on Tuesday that it is making significant progress in providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene services through its ongoing Grant 600 Project in Chiradzulu District.
Speaking during a WASH District Coordination Team (DCT) meeting, the organization’s District Coordinator for Chiradzulu, Dorothy Bandawe, said their goal was to ensure that every person in the district has access to quality water, sanitation and hygiene services.
“So, among other initiatives this year, we are rehabilitating boreholes, upgrading solar-powered water systems, promoting hygiene in communities, revamping Water Point Committees, and constructing pit latrines in schools.
“And so far, 17 out of the 25 targeted boreholes have been tested, and two solar-powered water systems have been upgraded and handed over to communities,” she said.
Bandawe added that the organisation has also revamped four scheme management committees and 25 water point committees, and facilitated the signing of 1,200 service contracts with the committees to ensure timely repairs of boreholes.
Chiradzulu District Hospital Environmental Health Officer, Veronica Nkukumira appealed to the organization for further support, saying persistent water shortages are affecting service delivery at the hospital.
“We have four water sources but they are often dry, putting a strain on health workers, patients, and guardians,” she said.
Chiradzulu District Council Water Development Officer, Mcpheson Kuseli hailed Water for People for the efforts saying their interventions are crucial in addressing water related issues in communities.
On the water situation at the district hospital, the DWDO said a project by Southern Region Water Board was in the pipeline that will supply water to the facility but lamented that theft and vandalism of vital components were affecting it's completion.
"Recently we had an interface meeting with communities surrounding the hospital because of theft cases,” said Kuseli.
The grant, totalling $2,150,000, is being implemented from January 2025 to December 2025 across the districts of Chiradzulu, Chikwawa, Ntchisi, and Neno.
Project intensifies labour related rights for employees and employers
By Memory Kutengule Chatonda
Blantyre, June 10, Mana: A situation analysis conducted by the European Union Funded Project-Zantchito revealed a serious knowledge gap among employees and employers in understanding various provisions of labour laws in Malawi.
Zantchito Project Occupational Safety and Health Expert, Johanes Mandowa said this in Blantyre on Tuesday during a Decent Work Awareness Campaign with workers at Bakhresa Malawi Limited.
"When we are talking about the promotion of decent work, one of the important pillars of decent work is social dialogue.
"So we expect employers and employees to be able to sit down. For them to be able to effectively sit down and iron out the differences that could be there, they need to be able to do that from a point of understanding and a point of knowledge as far as what is provided for in the various labour laws," he said.
The campaign saw Ministry of Labour officials equipping the employees at Bakhresa with knowledge on Employment Act, Industrial Relations as well as Occupation Safety and Welfare Act.
Director of Legal Services in the Ministry of Labour, Ofwa Alide, said the month of June is designated as 'Labour Awareness Month' to raise awareness on labour related laws in the workforce.
"Through this initiative, we hope to bridge the knowledge gap that is there, as far as the promotion of decent work is concerned. Knowledge is power and knowledge really induces self-compliance.
"So even after this exercise is done at the end of June, people can still walk in and out of our offices to find out about labour rights and will be able to assist them," she said.
Head of Human Resource and Compliance at Bakhresa, Richard Tchereko said the awareness campaign has ensured that employees are aware of their rights and responsibilities.
"This will make the work of the human resource practitioners easy and also the company will enhance its production because there will not be misunderstanding and unnecessary complaints," said Tchereko.
The awareness campaign was held under the theme: 'promoting decent work: safeguarding workers freedom, equity, security and dignity' and similar activities were done in Mzuzu and Lilongwe.
Elderly people smile after graduating from SCTP in Rumphi
By Manasse Nyirenda
Rumphi, June 10, Mana: Elderly residents of Rumphi who recently graduated from the Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP), funded by the World Bank and the Multi-Donor Trust Fund, have praised the initiative for improving their quality of life in old age.
One of the beneficiaries of the programme, Dekapose Mkandawire, 83, of Magawa Village in the area of Paramount Chief Chikulamayembe, said on Monday that he now has an iron sheet thatched house.
He said that he was living in a grass thatched house before he was enrolled into the programme.
“I was in the programme for five years. To fully utilize the opportunity, I joined a village savings and loans group to save some money.
“Five years later, I have nine pigs, an iron sheet thatched house, piped water at my door step among other things which I have acquired through the programme,” said Mkandawire.
He added that he will maintain his membership in the village savings group to help grow the income his family earns from their local beer-selling business.
Another graduate of the program, Trytis Chirwa, 86, said she used part of the money to support her orphaned grandchildren with school necessities
She also built a house and brought running water to her home with the support her daughter who was managing her receipts before she graduated from the programme in the first quarter of 2025.
Desk Officer for the SCTP in Rumphi, Abel Ndlovu said that most beneficiaries of the initiative who have since graduated from the programme have built decent homes, established small scale businesses to sustain their livelihoods.
There are currently 5,062 SCTP beneficiaries in Rumphi.
