MANAonline
Government to reach more Malawians with MAREP
By Andrew Mkonda
Lilongwe, October 20, Mana: Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola says government will continue connecting electricity to many trading centres across the country through the Malawi Rural Electrification Program (MAREP), as one way of improving livelihoods.
Matola made the assurance on Saturday at Kacheta Trading Centre in the area of Traditional Authority Chadza in Lilongwe during the commissioning of MAREP phase 9 electricity at Kacheta Trading Centre,
“Energy is the driver of the economy. It is an enabler; hence bringing electricity to this area is a milestone in transforming the livelihood. As you have also seen here, there is a historical Ngala mountain which will now be attracting people to see it, hence boosting the tourism sector,” he said.
Matola said it is President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera’s vision to see the lives of the people more especially those living in rural areas to access amenities aimed at transforming their lives.
Member of Parliament for Msozi North who is also Minister of Trade and Industry Sosten Gwengwe thanked the government for bringing electricity in the area which he said will boost small-scale business.
“I am so happy with this development. I want to assure people of this area that the government will continue to provide developments such as the construction of bridges, classroom blocks, clinics and many more,” he said.
One of the business people, Jonathan Malembo thanked the government for the initiative saying it will boost business activities in the area.
It is anticipated that 360 houses will be connected to electricity in the area.
Ministry of Energy targets 460 sites in MAREP phase 9 across the country and in the meantime it has managed to complete and commission 237 centres countrywide, representing 67 percent.
President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera commissioned the Malawi Rural Electrification Programme (MAREP) phase 9 on 24th September, 2024 in the area of Group Village Nguluwe under Traditional Authority Mbenje in Nsanje district.
Government to reach more Malawians with MAREP
By Andrew Mkonda
Lilongwe, October 20, Mana: Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola says government will continue connecting electricity to many trading centres across the country through the Malawi Rural Electrification Program (MAREP), as one way of improving livelihoods.
Matola made the assurance on Saturday at Kacheta Trading Centre in the area of Traditional Authority Chadza in Lilongwe during the commissioning of MAREP phase 9 electricity at Kacheta Trading Centre,
“Energy is the driver of the economy. It is an enabler; hence bringing electricity to this area is a milestone in transforming the livelihood. As you have also seen here, there is a historical Ngala mountain which will now be attracting people to see it, hence boosting the tourism sector,” he said.
Matola said it is President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera’s vision to see the lives of the people more especially those living in rural areas to access amenities aimed at transforming their lives.
Member of Parliament for Msozi North who is also Minister of Trade and Industry Sosten Gwengwe thanked the government for bringing electricity in the area which he said will boost small-scale business.
“I am so happy with this development. I want to assure people of this area that the government will continue to provide developments such as the construction of bridges, classroom blocks, clinics and many more,” he said.
One of the business people, Jonathan Malembo thanked the government for the initiative saying it will boost business activities in the area.
It is anticipated that 360 houses will be connected to electricity in the area.
Ministry of Energy targets 460 sites in MAREP phase 9 across the country and in the meantime it has managed to complete and commission 237 centres countrywide, representing 67 percent.
President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera commissioned the Malawi Rural Electrification Programme (MAREP) phase 9 on 24th September, 2024 in the area of Group Village Nguluwe under Traditional Authority Mbenje in Nsanje district.
Thyolo District Agriculture Development Office launches agricultural trophy
By Ben Bamusi
Thyolo, October 20, Mana: Thyolo District Agriculture Development Office has launched a K12.6 million intra Extension Planning Area (EPA) Agricultural Trophy for Matapwata and Dwale EPAs.
The competition is meant to boost macadamia, fish and dairy farming as well as agroforestry among smallholder farmers in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Boyd.
Speaking at the launch on Friday at Naveya Ground, Thyolo North Member of Parliament, Ephraim Nayeja, commended the initiative saying it will enhance productivity by encouraging farmers to adopt modern farming methods while embracing soil and water conservation for sustainable agriculture.
“Farmers will work in their farms competing and at the same time increasing their yield,” said Nayeja.
He urged government to introduce additional value chains and create market opportunities for farmers.
Thyolo District Chief Agriculture Officer, Mphatso Kafuwa, said the competition will reward farmers with farm inputs and technology thereby promoting agricultural innovation.
She called on stakeholders for financial support to sustain community led initiatives.
The initiative's pioneer TA Boyd explained that this begun in 2021 after observing low crop productivity due to poor farming methods and limited land.
“Since then, farmers have experienced improved yields and attained greater food security,” said Boyd.
Model farmer in banana, fish, and dairy farming, Charles Buledi, shared how farming has transformed his life, earning him about K400,000 per month from dairy farming thereby improving household income.
He encouraged other farmers to take farming as a business for improved livelihood profits.
Karonga business community wants to benefit from mining deals
By George Mponda
Karonga, October 20, Mana: Karonga based bussiness persons have asked the acting District Commissioner (DC) Frank Mkandawire to ensure that mining deals signed by the council should benefit those doing business around the district.
The business persons led by their Chairperson, Peter Ngwire Viyuyi said this, Saturday when they held an engagement meeting with the DC to air out their concerns over mining deals.
Addressing the meeting, Viyuyi said; "From previous experiences with companies which had mining deals in our district like Paladin, the business as well as the Karonga community in general did not benefit a lot.
"Now we have heard that Lotus Resources Limited will be reopening Kayelekera mine and we have seen coasters which have come from Lilongwe ferrying people to and from the mine so we are worried already because Karonga also has buses which can do this job."
He said they are also worried with the lack of Karonga based people who have so far been employed at Kayelekera Uranium Mine and demanded to know the contents of the Community Development Agreement (CDA).
In his response Mkandawire hailed the business people for choosing dialogue over conducting violent demonstrations.
"Indeed Lotus Resources Limited has taken over Kayelekera Uranium Mine and they will reopen it soon. The council held meetings with Lotus officials and we emphasised that the Karonga communities should benefit from this mine," he said.
"Currently, the company has signed a Mine Development Agreement with the Government of Malawi and the acting Director of Planning and Development at the council held meetings with their Community Engagement Officer who assured us that they will conduct separate meetings with various stakeholders like business people, journalists, Chiefs, Civil Society Organisations and Council Officials before signing the CDA."he added.
Mkandawire assured the business people and Karonga residents that all mining deals struck with the council will be transparent and beneficial to them.
Lotus currently holds an 85% interest in the project, with the Malawian government owning the remaining 15%. The mine’s majority ownership was previously held by Paladin Energy.
St Peter & Paul Parish to renovate church
By Benedicto Maguda
Blantyre, October 20, Mana: Members of Saints Peter and Paul, Chilobwe Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Blantyre took a 12 kilometre fundraising big walk on Saturday to raise K10 million for the church renovation.
Parish Priest, Fr. Symon Moffat has, therefore, urged congregants to continue participating in various fundraising activities meant for the church renovation project.
He told Malawi News Agency (MANA) after the big walk that the parish thought of the big walk to mobilize funds to renovate the church in preparation for 50 years anniversary.
“The church is in our hands and for this reason we need to do things on our own without relying on donors outside the country. This is why I am urging all Christians from Saints Peter & Paul Chilobwe Parish to work together for the project,” Fr, Moffat said.
He thanked those that took part in the big walk from Chilobwe Parish through Zingwangwa, Kudya, Catholic Institute, Stella Maris and back to Chilobwe Parish.
Chairperson for Saints Peter & Paul Church Council, Harris Kachale, appealed to organizations and individuals of good will to support the parish with funds or various materials to speed up the project.
“We need more resources such as cement, tiles and paint. We are, therefore, requesting people of good will to come and join us on this project with whatever they have,” he said.
Chairperson of the Project Committee, Matias Jowack, said the project is meant to chance the appearance of the church in and out, as it has taken many years without major renovations.
“We want to put new tiles, new comfortable chairs and new look for our church entrance. The whole project will cost K52 million. The first phase is to do modification of the church entrance and this will commence on October, 21 followed by fixing of tiles on November 4,” he said.
According to Jowack, the parish will organize other fundraising activities to mobilize extra financial resources for the project.
Agnes Phiri, from Saint Kizito Mphakati in the parish encouraged fellow Christians to take part in every fundraising activity.
Saints Peter & Paul Parish was established in 1975.
St Charles Lwanga Catholic Choir to launch album
By Benedicto Maguda
Blantyre, October 5, Mana: St. Charles Lwanga Catholic Choir under St Charles Lwanga Parish in Zomba Diocese will on Sunday launch an audio album titled Pitani Kalalikileni at Banja Loyera, Chilinde Parish in Lilongwe.
Speaking with Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Friday, Edward Lino Kalemba, who is the choirmaster, said preparation are underway for the worship day.
“As a choir, we are preparing for this very important day because we want to make it unforgettable. We are happy because the guest choir on this day will be St Johns Msamba Choir 1,” he said.
Kalemba said they have decided to name the new album Pitani Kalalikileni to inform other gospel singers and all people to go in different parts of the country to preach the gospel of the Lord.
“There may still be other areas where people have not heard the gospel, that is why we are telling our fellow choristers and other gospel singers to continue preaching the word of God,” Kalemba said.
The album, which has 12 songs, will be available in CDs and flash discs with Ndikupembedza inu, Mulungu wathu wopatsa, tiimbire lero, Mkulu wa Ansembe onse, and Miphakati as some of the songs.
“Some of the songs are from our Catholic hymn and prayers book. We are hoping that these songs will lift up the hearts of listeners,” he said.
He said the choir is launching the album in Lilongwe because they wanted to engage people from the district and to open up new relationship.
Supporting choirs that will be present on the day are Chanco Alumni, Bunda CSO, all choirs from Mtima Woyera Deanery and others from Lilongwe Archdiocese.
Irrigation farmers urged to take farming as business
By Salome Gangire
Neno, October 19, Mana: Farmers from Nkhate irrigation Scheme in Chikwawa have tipped their colleagues from Tsenjerani Irrigation Scheme in Neno to consider farming as a business.
Speaking on Friday in Chikwawa during a learning visit, Nkhate Irrigation Scheme’s Board of Trustees Secretary, Timothy Manyiwa told the visiting farmers that the era of farming solely for consumption was over,
He urged the farmers to start focusing on “farming for profit” to boost income for improved livelihood, saying there was need to utilize the water in the scheme which is mostly available throughout the year.
Board of Trustees member for Tsenjerani Irrigation Scheme, Montfort Bwanali described the visit to Chikwawa as fruitful, observing that farmers from Neno learnt from their colleagues’ ways of managing a scheme for sustainable livelihood.
“We learnt that irrigation schemes improve food security, guarantees economic empowerment besides helping farmers generate income if well managed,” he said,
Bwanali observed that irrigation farming has many advantages over rain fed agriculture which is unpredictable in the wake of climate change,
He said farmers from Tsenjerani will use the knowledge gained from the learning tour to manage their scheme once in full operation.
Nkhate Irrigation Scheme was built by the Taiwanese Agricultural Mission between 1979 and 1980 under former Malawi leader Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda’s influence for sustainable food supply.
Neno District Irrigation Officer, Austin Ndengu said the learning tour accorded Neno farmers an opportunity to gain knowledge from their colleagues on scheme management and issues to do with marketing.
“The aim was to share knowledge on irrigation scheme management, organization, marketing, and irrigation development among other important aspects,” Ndengu added.
Nkhate Irrigation Scheme lies on a 243 hectares of irrigable land under Livunzu Extension Planning Area (EPA) where over 1,112 tonnes of rice is harvested, generating over K1.1 billion in a single harvest.
He therefore thanked Malawi Watershed Services Improvement Project (MWASIP) for building capacity of farmers through Water Users Association (WUA) and for organizing the learning visit,
Neno District Council with financial support from MWASIP is constructing Tsenjerani Irrigation Scheme at Mkulumadzi EPA in Traditional Authority Dambe.
K35.7 billion Neno road construction starts
By Petro Mkandawire
Blantyre, October 19, Mana: Construction works for Neno tarmac road are geared to start soon with scheduled completion set in 18 months’ time.
Neno District Council hailed commencement of the road works that are set at K35.7 billion road saying it will improve mobility of people and trade activities of people in the district.
Neno Council’s District Disaster Risk Management Officer, Brighton Mphinga expressed the council’s gratitude, Friday, at Ligowe Village Traditional Authority Mlauli in Neno at a ceremony marking commencement of upgrading of 20 Kilometers of the road from Ligowe Village up to Neno Stadium.
The 20 kilometers road is being constructed by CR-20, a construction firm who took over after government terminated China Geo’s contract.
Mphinga, who represented Neno District Commissioner at the ceremony, said the Council was looking forward to successful road upgrading, saying the commencement was a move in the right direction towards socio-economic development that shall benefit a number of sectors ranging from transport, agriculture, education, trade to health among others.
“In almost 50 years, Neno has been without a tarmac road. We are happy that a contractor has come to construct the road,” said Mphinga.
Patricia Kwada, who represented Senior Chief Mlauli, said the road project will help improve economic activities specifically highlighting the improved mobility of people and goods while at the same time expressing hope that it will be of high quality and calling on people to avoid vandalizing equipment and road signs.
“Commodities in Neno are more expensive to that end. This means commodities will be affordable once the road finishes.
“We have all the confidence that the road will be of high standard. The contractor assured us through consultants that government has already pumped in a lot of money to start the construction of this road,” Kwada added.
CR-20, Construction Manager, Towa Mzumala, assured the people of Neno that the company will construct a high quality road, disclosing that the road will be wide enough with extra space for motorcycles and pedestrians.
“We want to assure the community as well as all stakeholders involved in this construction that CR20 contractors will satisfy their needs by finishing the road within the specified period. We will put up a very top quality road,” he added.
Mzumala said CR20 was looking forward to continued good relations with Neno District Council and community members.
Indian President Murmu departs Malawi
By Sheminah Nkhoma
Lilongwe, October 19, Mana: President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu has departed Malawi through Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) on Saturday afternoon following her three-day working visit to the country.
Murmu was seen off at KIA by the Vice President Dr. Michael Usi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nancy Tembo, Minister of Water and Sanitation Abida Mia, Secretary in the Office of Vice President Lucky Sikwese and other government officials.
Following her three -day visit, Murmu has reiterated that her government will continue to render support to Malawi that will enhance diplomatic cooperation in developmental projects and programmes.
While in the country, Murmu held bilateral talks with President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera where they witnessed the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Youth and sports, pharmacy and local governance.
The Indian President had a business round table with the Minister of Trade to discuss how the Agriculture, Tourism and Mining (ATM) strategy can be implemented.
She also donated cancer equipment to be installed at Kamuzu Central Hospital and 1,000 metric tonnes of rice.
Murmu further also visited the War Memorial tower and Kamuzu Mausoleum in Lilongwe as well as the Lake Malawi in Salima on Saturday.
India–Malawi diplomatic ties have lasted 60 years, and this is the first time in history that Malawi has hosted an Indian President.
Over 33,800 Thyolo Farmers to benefit from 2024/2025 AIP
By Dalitso Kampira
Thyolo, October 19, Mana: Over 33,804 small-scale farmers in Thyolo are set to benefit from the 2024/2025 Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP), to improve food security at household level.
Speaking at a full Council meeting on Friday, Agriculture Service Committee, Chairperson, Councilor George Matiya, said the AIP will significantly boost productivity as small scale farmers will buy farm inputs at affordable prices.
“The programme will help farmers to buy fertilsers to increase yield. It is pleasing that the programme targets farmers with land capable of producing sufficient food crops,
“This was not the case in the past when even those without farm land received inputs only to sell them,” he said.
Matiya also assured farmers who are not included in the AIP beneficiary list that the government has alternative measures to assist them.
“National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) is offering loans to farmers to purchase farm inputs. Farmers that are not on AIP list should take advantage of this opportunity,” Matiya added.
The Agriculture Service Committee Chairperson observed that if the AIP in the district is properly implemented, it will benefit the intended recipients, saying this will address food and nutrition insecurity.
“If executed very well, it will reduce issues such as vendors dominating the market and manipulating the system by purchasing inputs meant for the beneficiaries,” he added.
Traditional Authority, Kapichi also expressed appreciation for the 2024/2025 AIP, noting that the programme will help reduce hunger at household level and entire district.
Chief Agricultural Officer for Thyolo District Council, Mphatso Mbulukwa Kafuwa, said there was need to adhere to the AIP implementation guidelines for best results.
“We were here to inform the full council about the importance of following AIP guidelines and procedures. We explained the number of beneficiaries per EPA, per Traditional Authority. Local leaders have a role to play to ensure success of this year’s AIP,” she said.
President Lazarus Chakwera launched 2024/2025 growing season AIP at Dzundu Primary School, at Zalewa in Neno District on October 14.
Registered small-scale farmers are expected to receive 50 kilogramme bags of UREA and CAN fertilidsers
