By Chisomo Masaiti Chiusiwa

Ntchisi, March 16, Mana:  Police in Ntchisi have arrested 15 people on three counts of being found in possession of charcoal without license, entering into a protected area without permission and conveying weapons.

Spokesperson for Ntchisi police, Sub Inspector Salome Zgambo, confirmed the incident, saying it occurred on Saturday at Fumbati Forest Reserve in the area of Senior Chief Nthondo.

"In a joint operation between police, forestry officials and African Parks, the team raided the forest and arrested the 15 suspects who are aged between 13 and 49," she said.

Zgambo said out of the 15, five are women, aged between 29 and 49.

She said the suspects were found with over 100 bags of charcoal in their temporary shelters and were immediately arrested and had their axes and panga knives seized.

All suspects were taken to Ntchisi police station and will appear before court soon to answer their respective charges.

By Jeremiah Mphande

Mzimba, March 16, Mana: The Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) has reiterated its commitment to ensuring fair pricing for all consumers in Malawi.

The commitment was reaffirmed on Saturday when Malawi joined the rest of the world in commemorating the World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) celebrations.

The celebrations, held under the theme ‘Fairness in Pricing for a Sustainable Future’, focused on the need for transparent and justifiable pricing in the market.

In an interview, CFTC Public Relations Officer Innocent Helema emphasized that the commission is working tirelessly to protect consumers from unfair trading practices.

Helema said: “We have been conducting inspections and market surveillance to identify and address unfair pricing. Investigations have been launched, and interim orders have been issued against businesses suspected of excessive pricing.”

He said the commission’s goal is to create a fair and sustainable marketplace where both consumers and businesses thrive.

According to Helema, CFTC has received a growing number of complaints regarding excessive pricing, particularly for essential goods such as food items, building materials, fertilizers, and poultry feed.

“The commission is actively engaging businesses to ensure compliance with fair trading laws while imposing penalties of up to 10% of a company’s annual turnover for those found guilty of exploitative pricing,” he said.

In his remarks, Executive Director for the Consumers Association of Malawi (CAMA), John Kapito, commended the ongoing efforts by CFTC but called for more consumer participation in economic decision making.

“Our role as a watchdog is to advocate for policies that protect consumers, however, real change comes when consumers themselves speak out.

“We have seen vendors organizing themselves to demand price reductions, which ultimately benefits all consumers, unfortunately many Malawians remain reluctant to take part in such initiatives,” observed Kapito.

Kapito further noted that market regulation remains a challenge due to weak enforcement systems and corruption within regulatory bodies.

He highlighted the commendable efforts of the Minister of Trade Engineer Vitumbiko Mumba, who has been personally engaging in market inspections to expose unfair pricing practices.

Kapito noted that government through Ministry of Trade has been proactive in addressing market irregularities through policy interventions and stronger consumer protection mechanisms.

“While the government and consumer rights organizations play a critical role, consumers themselves must also take an active stance in safeguarding their rights.”

He finally urged Malawians to demand transparency in pricing and stand united against unfair business practices.

“Solidarity is key and we must challenge price manipulation, misleading advertisements, and demand transparency in the distribution of goods and services,” Kapito added.

As Malawi moves forward, the call for fairness in pricing remains crucial in fostering a sustainable and inclusive economy where all consumers can access goods and services at reasonable prices.

World Consumer Rights Day celebrations come just days after vendors in some regions in the country protested against the rising prices of certain essential goods on the market, prompting renewed calls for stronger consumer protection measures and fair pricing regulations.

By Sylvester Kumwenda

Dowa, March 16, Mana: Police in Dowa on Saturday arrested a 34-year-old man for possession of suspected stolen items worth K900,000.

Dowa police station public relations officer Alice Sitima identified the suspect as Luciano Nickson from Chamveka Village, Traditional Authority Mponela in Dowa, who was arrested during a routine search on a minibus at Chibvala Police roadblock along the Lilongwe-Kasungu road.

"During a routine search on a minibus heading to Lilongwe, officers discovered various stolen items like a 32-inch plasma TV, a Redmi cellphone, a bag containing 7 kilogrammes of beef, cooking oil, five pairs of shoes, and dried fish suspected to have been stolen.

“The minibus conductor identified Nickson as the owner of the items. When confronted, the suspect attempted to flee but was swiftly apprehended by the officers. And during interrogation, Nickson admitted to having stolen the items from a residence at Mponela trading centre," said Sitima.

Following this, she said Nickson was taken into police custody.

Sitima said the rightful owner of the items has already positively identified the items as hers and has since collected them.

Nickson is expected to appear in court to face theft-related charges.

By Steve Chirombo

Dedza, March 16, Mana: Director of Finance for Dedza district council, Idah Mphangwe, has said the ongoing smooth pay parade for the participants under the Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-EPWP) clearly indicates that communities now understand the project’s requirements.

Mphangwe said this on Friday during the supervision of some sites where the pay parade was being conducted in the area of Senior Chief Kachindamoto in the district.

She expressed satisfaction with the progress of the pay parade, saying, unlike the previous phases, no grievances were being reported.

“In our previous pay parades, we could have serious issues being reported which could choke the processes but that is not the case now,” said Mphangwe.

She said issues like missing names and IDs marred the previous pay parades, which could affect other participants' access to their money up until such grievances were sorted out after some days of waiting.

Mphangwe said it has always been the message from the council for the participants to ensure that the money is used for the intended purposes so that their livelihoods are transformed.

“We are glad to hear testimonies from most participants that the money is helping them in one way or the other. For example, others have told us that they used the funds for the previous phase to buy fertilizer while others bought food,” she stated.

While pleading for the continuation of the programme, she further said that there is a great impact on the communities, adding that aside the monetary aspect, the environment is being cared for and that more assets are being created.

The council’s CS-EPWP District Project Facilitator, Jocaster Mnemba Khoriyo, echoed Mphangwe’s sentiments, saying the pay parade in all the 24 catchments was progressing well.

“There is order in all sites, systems are stable and people are getting their money properly, which clearly shows that they can understand the processes,” she said.

One of the participants, Ethel Size, from Group Village Head Mkwaila in the area, who was receiving her money at Mganja Primary School, said just like in the previous phases, the money came at the right time as the beneficiaries were able to sort out some problems at household level like buying food, clothes and also providing for their school going children.

“Through the programme, most trees have survived which is a plus for us. We were greatly hit by deforestation. I call upon fellow communities to utilize this opportunity for their betterment and the future generation,” she said.

Another participant, Davite Zakaria of Kabulika Village, hailed CS-EPWP, saying apart from receiving cash, their livelihoods have improved through the construction of swales, planting of vetiver grass, among others, describing them as assets that have prevented wash aways which used to affect their crops.

“Let me thank government and other partners for this programme. I also appeal to my fellow community members to keep on with the program as it is also equipping us with certain skills,” he said.

There are 21,411 participants in all the 24 catchments with each receiving K48,000 in the fourth phase of the pay parade in Dedza district.

CS-EPWP is one of the components of the Social Support for Resilience Livelihoods Project (SSRLP) being implemented by the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) with funding from the World Bank Multi-Donor Trust Fund.

By Mtisunge Gwedeza

Blantyre, March 16, Mana: University of Malawi (UNIMA) Child Rights Clinic, in collaboration with the Student Law Society, on Friday held a seminar to discuss child rights and protection and challenges in the justice system that compromise rights and protection in the best interest of the child.

During discussions at UNIMA campus in Zomba, students and staff presented their research findings and possible solutions for child protection against wider range of abuse, violation and neglect.

The Child Rights and Justice System Seminar also focused on awareness programmes on child rights and protection, enforcing laws that protect children from becoming parents, apart from discussing the urgent need to revise laws that protect children from cyberbullying.

Ruth Mchidzi from the Faculty of Law presented her findings on: Rethinking Child Maintenance Laws, a pathway to population control and sustainable economic growth in Malawi.

“We should shift from obligor-centric to child centric and child maintenance approach. This approach focuses on the best interests of the child and encourages responsible family planning which will help with child protection,” she said.

Speaking to Malawi News Agency, Students Law Society executive member Sungeni Mkwanda said there was need for collective action to ensure that every child is protected in the best possible way.

“Apart from presenting our findings, our goal was also to engage the broader community beyond just law enthusiasts in order to bridge the gap that is there so that we work together to deal with these issues. This is why we invited all the UNIMA societies,” she said.

Public Administration Society president John Peter said the seminar, organised by Private and Public Law Department, was relevant as, among other issues, it highlighted wide range child rights, including the plight of street connected children.

“The seminar inspired me to advocate for children’s rights,” he said and expressed optimism that the UNIMA Child Rights Clinic will contribute positively to policies and laws that protect children in Malawi.    

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is an important agreement by countries, including Malawi, that promised to protect children’s rights as the convention explains who children are, all their rights, and responsibilities of governments in protecting children’s rights. 

By Eranivey Temani

Lilongwe, March 15^, Mana: Y-Africa, a locally based Christian faith-based organization, is set to empower 800 pastors and church elders in Lilongwe through a project called Community Transformation being implemented in Traditional Authority (T/A) Chimutu.

Speaking during a Technical Working Group meeting on Friday, Operations Manager Richard Kapanda said the project aims to reduce high vulnerability levels in communities.

"By equipping these pastors in theology, they will be able to change the mindset of community members and provide moral support when needed," Kapanda said.

The project, which will run until 2033, will not only target pastors and church elders but also chiefs, children, and youths.

"We believe that by targeting these groups of people, we will be able to achieve our goals of reducing school dropouts, increasing economic activity, and decreasing gender-based violence," Kapanda added.

As part of the project, Y-Africa will also equip 200 members from different churches, establish 30 Bible centers, 30 village savings loans, and conduct child protection interventions.

"By providing economic empowerment, moral support, and education, we believe that we can create a brighter future for the people," he said.

Lilongwe District Social Welfare Officer, Derrick Mwenda thanked Y-Africa for the initiative, saying it will go a long way in providing moral support to community members.

"The project will help reduce vulnerability levels in communities, as people will have access to economic activities and moral support," Mwenda said.

The project is expected to have a lasting impact on the lives of community members, promoting sustainable development and positive change.

By Patience Longwe

Lilongwe, March 14, Mana: Minister of Lands, Deus Gumba, has announced the completion of over 10,000 houses for vulnerable people across the country.

This ambitious project initiated by President Dr Lazarus Chakwera administration aims to provide secure and decent housing for those in need.

Speaking during  a press briefing on Friday at Golden Peacock in Lilongwe, Gumba said the ministry had previously constructed around 4,000 houses in all districts nationwide.

“The new additions bring the total number of houses built to over 14,000, a testament to the government’s commitment to addressing the country's housing challenges,” he said.

Gumba emphasized government’s dedication to building more houses in various districts across the country.

He highlighted construction of 67 houses specifically designed for people with disabilities and 65 houses in refugee camps, demonstrating government’s focus on inclusivity and support for marginalized communities.

Government's efforts to provide affordable housing is part of a broader strategy to promote economic growth, reduce poverty and improve living standards.

With the Ministry of Lands at the forefront of this initiative, Malawi is making steady progress in addressing its housing needs and creating a better future for its citizens.