MANAonline
Over 41,860 farmers to benefit from AIP in Blantyre
By Memory Chatonda
Blantyre, November 26, Mana: At least 41,860 farmers are expected to receive farm inputs in Blantyre through the Affordable Input Programmme (AIP) currently underway in the district, as 26 selling points would be operating to serve the beneficiary farmers.
Crops Officer for the Blantyre Agriculture Office, Linda Msiska has told Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Tuesday that the district has already established 26 selling points where beneficiary farmers should buy one bag of NPK weighing 50 kilogrammes, one 50 kilogrammes of Urea, and one packet of 5 kilogrammes of maize seed.
“So far, the programme has started on a positive note as the district has been allocated 26 established markets, unlike last season when there were only 20 established markets. This will help ease congestion at selling points. Our target is to ensure that about 41,860 farmers get the inputs,
“In terms of the costing, for one bag of either 50 kilogrammes of NPK or Urea, the beneficiary is contributing K15, 000 only, while the government is shouldering the market difference. For one pack of 5 kilogrammes of cereal seed, the government is contributing K4, 300, and the farmer pays the market difference," she said.
Msiska singled out the mismatch of beneficiary names and IDs as the only challenge faced the programme face, adding that that such case were being referred to the AIP secretariat for assistance.
One of the beneficiaries from Lunzu, Mary Soko, expressed gratitude to the government for supporting the farmers with the inputs and she pledged to use the inputs to increase crop production as opposed to selling.
The AIP in the country is meant to make agricultural inputs more affordable and accessible to farmers.
The programme's goals include increasing agricultural production, helping poor farming households, improve nutrition status, and to build a healthy population.
On October 14, 2024 President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera launched the 2024/2025 AIP at Dzundu Primary School ground in Neno.
Access to financial resources remains a corners stone
By Tione Andsen
Lilongwe, November 25, Mana: Government has admitted that access to financial resources remains a corners stone to transformation.
Minister of Trade and industry. Sosten Gwengwe said this during the launch of Grants programme under Southern Africa Trade and Connectivity Project (SATCP) ay Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe.
He said provision of tangible financial support particularly to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) would unlock the country’s economy.
Gwengwe said the grants would empower the SMEs to produce value added products that would be competitive at regional markets.
“We need to address the bottlenecks facing value adding process and provide alternatives that are long lasting” the Minister added.
He pointed out that the private sector involvement in the implementation of SATCP remains key and needs to play a vital role in helping in financing.
The Minister viewed that the key to the success of the loans would depend on the SMEs that would be reached out and saying there was need to reach out to new one so that they should benefit too.
He urged 15 participating councils to make use of the grants in order to consolidate the issue of promoting value chains.
Gwengwe thanked the World Banks for granting Malawi a 50 percent grant from the US$ 150 million loans to be implemented in the SATCP.
World Bank Senior Private Sector Specialist, Efrem Chilima said the World Bank was keen to ensure that value addition and commercialization in the agriculture sector was promoted.
He said there are number of projects the Bank was implementing in the country in order to commercialize the agriculture sector in order to achieve economic growth.
Malawi-EU Investment Forum to boost economic growth
By Charles Nkhoma & Martha Rukunya
Lilongwe, November 25, Mana: Minister of Trade and Industry, Sosten Gwengwe, has announced the inaugural Malawi-European Union (EU) Investment Forum, set to take place at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe from November 26 to 28, 2024.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lilongwe on Monday, Gwengwe highlighted that the forum aims to solidify investment partnerships with EU member states, paving the way for increased foreign investment and driving Malawi’s economic growth.
“This partnership will open up new opportunities for local Malawians, with a focus on three key pillars: Agriculture, Tourism, and Energy. This forum is also a call to action, encouraging stakeholders to work together to attract investment and unlock Malawi’s economic potential,” he stated.
EU Ambassador to Malawi, Rune Skinnebach, said the forum is part of on-going efforts of the EU in Malawi of Growing Malawi together (Kukuza Malawi Limodzi) campaign and the EU Global Gateway Strategy.
“The Investment Forum serves as a stepping stone for the roll out of the Global Gateway EU-Africa investment package which aims to foster strong, inclusive and sustainable growth across Africa by promoting green and digital transitions, infrastructure development, and human capital growth. The forum offers a vibrant platform for potential investors and project owners to engage and collaborate,” he said.
The Malawi-EU Investment Forum marks a significant milestone in strengthening economic ties and attracting transformative investments to Malawi.
It underscores government commitment to fostering sustainable growth and creating opportunities for its people through strategic international partnerships.
President Dr Lazarus Chakwera is expected to official open the forum on Tuesday.
Chakwera condemns vandalism of ESCOM resources
By Prisca Promise Mashushu
Lilongwe, November, 25 Mana: President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has condemned vandalism of ESCOM resources saying it is retrogressive to the company's efforts to make Malawi a free blackout country.
Chakwera made the sentiments on Monday during the official launch of the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Project in Kanengo sub-station in Lilongwe.
“I would like to appeal to Malawians to avoid vandalising ESCOM resources such as poles, cables and others in order to ensure that everyone has access to electricity hence the police should investigate all vandalism cases that are happening in the country.
“The launch of BESS has been designed to reduce blackouts and cost of electricity by having reliability in electricity distribution to all people of the nation, but it can only happen if people in the country protect ESCOM resources since electricity is for all,” said Chakwera.
Echoing with the presidents sentiments, Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola, said the launch of BESS is important to boost energy sector that has been facing many challenges including persistent blackouts and vandalism of electricity resources among others.
“A journey of thousands miles begins with a single step and the launch of BESS is just the beginning of many projects that government is planning to provide to the energy sector in order to ensure that all people have access to electricity without facing blackouts, while improving climate change,” he said.
Chairperson for ESCOM, Morgan Tembo, said the launch of BESS will help to improve stability and reliability of the national power grid as it will have the capacity to hold 20 megawatts of electricity.
“BESS will facilitate effective distribution of power, reduce outages and increase access to eelectricity. It will also provide frequency support in case of emergencies when electricity is shut down unaccepectebly,” said Tembo.
The project is expected to provide electricity to natives in different parts of the country by June 2025 and ESCOM has fueled US$ about 2.4 millionn to complete the project.
Tembo has, therefore, warned people who engage in vandalism of ESCOM resources to desist from such malpractice saying it is drawing back development in the country.
Vice President for Africa Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), Joseph Karanja Nganga, explained that the launch of BESS symbolises the spirit of ambition and innovation to ensure that Malawi has access to electricity.
“With energy present in the country, our farmers will be able to use technology equipment when farming and also they will be able to store crops easily. It will help in flourishing business activities; schools can work smoothly and the health sector can improve without having any draws back.
“Our ambition is to work alongside visionary leaders such as President Chakwera in order to fulfil a common goal of having access to energy globally,” Nganga explained.
Nganga said that the launch of BESS is also proof that Malawi can overcome tremendous challenges concerning energy.
The project has been funded by the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), the Malawi government and ESCOM.
AIP promotes self-reliance at household level
By Gift Chiponde and Paul Madise
Lilongwe, November 25, Mana: Residents of Dedza district have been encouraged to make effective use of the inputs they procured through the 2024/2025 Agricultural Input Program (AIP) to achieve self-reliance and create wealth at the household level.
The appeal was made by Village Headman Solowa at the Bembeke Fertilizer depot, who emphasized the importance of the AIP in enhancing crop yields and addressing hunger in rural communities.
"It is important to acknowledge the government’s efforts through the Ministry of Agriculture. As beneficiaries, we have to utilize these initiatives to maximize crop productivity rather than selling them to vendors," said Solowa.
Salowa further urged beneficiaries to adopt modern farming methods to increase yields and that farmers should embrace good agricultural methods for them to realize enough yields.
"As government distributes fertilizer to all Malawians nationwide this season, I appeal to responsible beneficiaries to collaborate with the government in tackling food shortages in our communities," Solowa stated.
In his remarks, Village Group Leader Kadammanja from Traditional Authority (TA) Kamenyagwaza noted that the commencement of the AIP demonstrates government's commitment to reach the intended beneficiaries on time.
"We must recognize government's effort, as they have embarked on mass distribution of AIP resources across the country. This development is very encouraging. However, it is concerning that, some may misuse this initiative. Such malpractices are not tolerated in our communities because they lead to food insecurity," said Kadammanja.
Evijenia Maliteni, a beneficiary from T/A Kamenyagwaza, expressed her excitement after successfully purchasing two bags of fertilizer.
“I hope to harvest enough for my family and even have a surplus that can transform our lives through increased yields compared to last year," she stated.
Maliteni further said she has committed herself to effectively use AIP opportunity as a tool for achieving food security.
Three people arrested for stealing goods from motor vehicle in Balaka
By Albert Mulizakamba
Balaka, November 24, Mana: Police in Balaka District have apprehended three individuals identified as Mailosi Thole, 42, Francis Banda, 44 and John Akambwiri, 36 in connection with the theft of bags of maize, fertilizer and bales of sugar from a motor vehicle.
Confirming the development, Balaka Police Station Deputy Public Relations Officer, Sergeant Mphatso Munthali said the incident took place during the night of October 4 to 5, 2024 along the Chingeni-Liwonde Road.
"The arrests were made during a targeted operation in the district whereby a truck driver Patrick Awali was transporting fertilizer, maize and other assorted items and he noticed upon reaching Liwonde that his truck had been tampered with," he said.
"A subsequent check revealed that an unspecified number of bags of maize, fertilizer and other items were missing," he said.
Munthali added that the incident was later reported to Balaka Police Station and through diligent intelligence gathering; the three suspects were arrested on November 22, 2024.
Meanwhile, police have recovered nine bags of maize, 11 bags of fertilizer and six bales of sugar, all valued at K1,600,000.
All suspects hail from Khozi Village in the area of Traditional Authority Makwangwala in Ntcheu District and they are expected to appear in court soon to face charges related to the theft.
Balaka man arrested for vandalizing and stealing ESCOM property
By Milton Sukasuka
Balaka, November 24, Mana: Police in Balaka have arrested a 46-year-old man, Paul Lipenga, for allegedly vandalizing and stealing Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) property valued at K5.5 million.
Balaka Police Station Public Relations Officer, Gladson M'bumpha said the incident happened on Friday at Mbera Trading Centre where Lipenga is accused of stealing 300 meters of 50mm Hazzle wire valued at K5.5 million.
M'bumpha said the detectives received the information that the suspect was keeping stolen ESCOM wires at his home.
“When the police followed up on the issue, they conducted a search at the suspect’s house and recovered the stolen wires leading to his arrest,” said M’bumpha.
He added that during investigations, Lipenga led the police to the scene where vandalism and theft occurred.
The suspect hails from Mgwira Village in Traditional Authority Nsamala, Balaka District and is expected to appear in court soon to answer charges of vandalizing and theft of ESCOM property.
Earthquake hits Northern region
By Joel Phiri
Mzimba, November 24, Mana: A 5-magnitude earthquake was Sunday felt in some parts of the northern region causing panic to some people in Mzuzu City, Karonga, Mzimba, Karonga and Nkhata Bay districts.
According to some of the people whom Malawi News Agency spoke to in random interviews, the earthquake which hit at 9:58 am caught them off guard as most of them were attending prayer services in various churches.
Others experienced while at home as some had its feel at entertainment places, being a weekend.
Justice Nantchengwa of Saint Paul Primary School in Mzimba described the moment as terrifying.
“I was with my children preparing breakfast in the kitchen when the ground started shaking, making me think that it was the end of the world. I grabbed and took my children outside the kitchen for safety,” said Nantchengwa.
As news spread people panicked at different places and some abandoned business places and rushed home to check on their loved ones.
In Likoma, a fisher James Mwasesa who was on Lake Malawi when the earthquake hit said that he felt his boat rocking violently and he thought that it was due to waves.
“I then saw some people running at the shore screaming and I immediately paddled back for safety,” said Mwasesa.
Mercy Phiri with others were in the middle of singing in church when it started shaking and some of the congregants ran outside the church as others were screaming in fear of what would befall them.
A resident of Karonga, Sarrah Chirwa said that she was scared as he thought of her family and house and I quickly called my husband to check the house if it was not affected by the earthquake.
“We were all relieved when we found the house in its stable condition,” said Chirwa.
People attending a conference at one of the tourism units in Nkhata Bay resorted to scampering their dear lives following the earthquake.
“It is reported that one of the speakers holding a microphone jumped outside the conference room. It was pure comedy seeing people running,” said a source who opted for anonymity.
At Nkholongo in Mzuzu City, some people who were on a church’s veranda jumped out to save their lives as they said the shaking was heavy.
Councilor for Boma Ward in Nkhata Bay, Cyria Adamanda said that he was reclining on her couch but he felt his house shaking until after some time when he realized that it was an earthquake.
Adamanda then advised people in the district and the country as a whole to construct houses, which can withstand natural disasters such as earthquakes.
The earthquake occurred in Lake Malawi at about 10:58 am (East African Time) with its epicentre at about 2 kilometres (km) northwest of Bamba Bay in Tanzania at a depth of 10 km.
Light shaking was felt throughout much of Northern and Central Malawi, South-western Tanzania, North-western Mozambique and far eastern Zambia.
Veep encourages people in Mbayani to cultivate a hardworking spirit
By Hope Chimwala
Blantyre, November 24, Mana: Vice President, Dr. Michael Usi has encouraged the youth to indulge themselves in activities that will bring sustainable benefits to the future generation.
Speaking on Sunday at Mbayani Market, Usi emphasized on the need for the youth to be patriotic citizens who can also work hard to achieve their goals while maintaining peace and unity in the country.
"Let us do things in regard to the future generation that is coming and most of the youth here are not working, so let us do things that will benefit ourselves instead of just moving around in these streets, there is a need to work hard to be productive citizens," said Usi.
"In this country, we have life today and tomorrow we are dead, so let us do reasonable acts that will benefit us, how can someone early this morning drink alcohol?," asked Usi.
He also called on Mbayani Market Committee to elect the leadership at the market, with two women and men, respectively as chairperson and vice who are doing business at the market, to follow him to his Mudi Residence to discuss issues of NEEF loans in the quest of supporting small-scale businesses in the area.
"Some people say, they are just lying to us, so here we are telling you, go and knock so in the process of knocking, the door will be opened for you. So I need two women and two men who will follow me to Mudi and I will notify you what to do and where to go," said Usi.
"Poverty is not something to be happy about. I know what poverty is, people are suffering, as they don't even know what to eat, they are always sleeping on an empty stomach without knowing what tomorrow will hold. I saw some woman crying that she hadn't eaten anything and when I looked at her I knew she was telling the truth," Usi added.
He, however, advised the youth who always use foul language to be conscious and desist from doing so whenever the President's convoy is passing by in the streets, as it is not within Malawian culture, fearing that such acts have the potential to fuel violence, which disrupts economic activities and property.
The cost of silence: How Malawi’s restrictive abortion laws are endangering lives
By Rosalia Kapiri
Lilongwe, November 23, Mana: A few months after delivering her third child, Margaret Kawala of Traditional Authority Dzoole in Dowa District discovered she was pregnant again. The news filled her with despair. After discussing it with her husband, the couple sought an abortion at a nearby hospital. However, healthcare workers declined, citing fear of legal repercussions.
Desperate and without options, Kawala turned to a herbalist for an unsafe abortion.
“I had no choice but to seek help from a herbalist who gave me a concoction. It was a decision my husband and I made together,” Kawala recounts.
She continued to narrate that a few hours after taking the herbal mixture, she began experiencing excruciating pain.
"It felt like a grinder was cutting through my womb. I started bleeding heavily and eventually lost consciousness," she says.
Her relatives rushed her to a private hospital, where her condition was deemed so severe that she was referred to Kamuzu Central Hospital.
“I had lost so much blood, and the doctors told me my womb was damaged. The only solution was to remove my uterus. It was heartbreaking to learn I would never give birth again,” she recalls tearfully.
Her suffering didn’t end there. A year after her uterus removal, her husband left her, saying he wanted more children, a possibility she could no longer offer.
Kawala’s story mirrors the pain of many Malawians, including widower Humphrey Zembeni from Kamwana Village in Lilongwe. Zembeni lost his wife after an unsafe abortion. Despite being on contraceptives, she fell pregnant with their seventh child.
“We weren’t ready for another child, so we sought help from a traditional healer,” Zembeni explains.
“The concoction caused severe bleeding, which resulted in a punctured uterus and internal injuries. Tragically, these injuries led to her death.
“It is Malawi’s law on abortion that killed my wife. That law is a killer and should be repealed,” Zembeni laments.
According to a 2017 report on the Incidence of Induced Abortion in Malawi, unsafe abortions contribute to 18 percent of maternal deaths in the country.
Coalition for the Prevention of Unsafe Abortion (COPUA) Vice Chairperson, Dr Amos Nyaka, explains that the problem has worsened over time.
“From 2009 to 2015, the abortion rate was 23.5 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 45. By 2022, this figure rose to 38 per 1,000 women,” says Dr. Nyaka.
A 2015 study by the Guttmacher Institute and Malawi’s College of Medicine revealed that over 140,000 women and girls induced abortions that year.
Dr. Nyaka further notes that most women seeking abortions in Malawi are married.
“Malawi’s abortion law permits termination only when the life of the pregnant woman is at risk. However, you cannot stop someone who has decided to terminate a pregnancy, leading them to unsafe methods,” he adds.
Data from government health facilities showed that in 2022 alone, over 36,000 women and girls sought post-abortion care from government hospitals due to complications from unsafe procedures.
Nyaka notes that this places a significant burden on healthcare resources that could be used for other priorities, underscoring the potential benefits of legalizing safe abortion in the country.
At the request of the Ministry of Health, a special Law Commission reviewed the Penal Code provisions related to abortion, and in 2015 proposed the Termination of Pregnancy (ToP) Bill .
The bill included other four permitted grounds for terminating pregnancy namely; pregnancy would be allowed to be terminated if it would endanger the life of the pregnant woman, prevent injury to the physical and mental health of the pregnant woman, there is severe malformation of the foetus so that it cannot survive after birth and finally if the pregnancy is a result of rape, incest or defilement.
However, despite these guidelines for the termination of pregnancy, there has been resistance from religious groups, as well as cultural, societal, and traditional communities.
Human Rights Lawyer, Chrispin Sibande, says people need to understand what the law says as not everyone has grasped the exact guidelines stipulated in the bill.
“There is need for mass awareness on this. The bill says termination of pregnancy shall not be provided because a woman demands the service but rather the health provider authorised by law to terminate pregnancy would determine whether the legal grounds for termination exist,” Sibande explains.
Sibande further explains that restrictive laws instil fear in women, discouraging them from seeking safe options for terminating a pregnancy and that this fear drives many to pursue secret and unsafe abortions, which significantly increase maternal mortality, rates.
He also highlights that such laws contribute to stigma surrounding abortion, subjecting women to societal judgment, social isolation, and emotional distress.
The law on abortion dates back in the 1930s hence the call for review to protect rights of women including allowing them to access safe abortions so that they can live in good health.
“Abortion is a challenging issue. Religious leaders should try to resolve the dilemma by letting the state do its work to protect the health of women,” Kaliya said.
Executive Director for the Centre for Solutions Journalism, Brian Ligomeka, commends the government for its efforts to reduce maternal mortality, including raising the legal marriage age to 18 and enacting the Gender Equality Act.
Ligomeka emphasizes the need to pass the ToP Bill, “When passed, this bill will significantly reduce unsafe abortions in Malawi,” he asserts.
At a media workshop in Lilongwe, Ligomeka urged journalists to cover sexual and reproductive health issues professionally, highlighting topics like fistula, abortions, and contraception to promote informed public discourse.
The stories of Margaret Kawala and Humphrey Zembeni underscore the urgent need for Malawi to reform its abortion laws.
Unsafe abortions continue to claim lives and devastate families. By legalizing safe abortion and increasing public awareness, Malawi can protect its women and reduce maternal deaths caused by unsafe procedures.
