By Salome Gangire

Neno, June 13, Mana: Vice President Dr. Michael Usi applauded Neno District Council for its reform initiatives that include establishment of a High Dependency Unit (HDU), saying reforms should directly respond to people's interests.

The Vice President met officials from Neno District Council at Sunbird Mount Soche in Blantyre on Friday at a public sector reforms review meeting where he stated significance of accessible and improved healthcare services within the district.

“When people are sick, they should not have to travel to Blantyre to seek medical attention. They should receive care they need right there in the district,” he said, adding that reforms are meant to help institutions fulfill their mandates.

The Vice President therefore called for discipline, profession ethics on top of adherence to core values to ensure effective service delivery in line with the public sector reform.

On wheat production as outlined in Neno’s report, Usi advised the local authority to establish partnerships that can support and strengthen the wheat production to maximize profits.

The Vice President also advised the council to put in place robust monitoring and evaluation system that should track the reforms, saying Neno needs to be given special attention considering that the district has long been neglected particularly in terms of road infrastructure and development.

“I know road construction is underway, but we must expedite the process to ensure people of Neno benefit from better infrastructure,” he said, acknowledging that much of existing infrastructures in the district were constructed under Rural Growth Centers Programme, but still inadequate for effective service delivery.

Dr. Luckie Sikwese, Secretary in the Vice President’s Office responsible for Public Sector Reforms, described Neno’s reform areas as unique, noting that the district has significant potential to transform lives and advance key reform objectives.

Neno District Commissioner, Rosemary Nawasha, stated that the council is implementing three key reform areas: agricultural diversification and structured markets, irrigation development, and the establishment of a High Dependency Unit (HDU) at Neno District Hospital.

“We undertook these reforms to address the underutilized potential in wheat production, low crop yields caused by reliance on rain-fed agriculture, and the high cost of referring patients to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre for HDU services, an issue that has led to preventable deaths,” Nawasha explained.

She noted that the HDU is now operational, allowing 18 patients who would have otherwise been referred to Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital to receive care within the district.

The District Commissioner also disclosed that the council linked wheat farmers to Kasinthula Research Station to access certified seed.

By Prisca Promise Mashushu

Lilongwe, June 13, Mana: Malawi is making significant strides on the international stage as it participates in the 4^th China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE), currently underway in Changsha, China. The Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC) is leading the country’s delegation under the theme “China and Africa: Together Toward Modernization.”

The prestigious event, which runs through the week, has drawn over 300,000 participants, including delegates from 53 African countries, 27 Chinese provinces, and 11 international organizations. Over 4,700 companies, associations, and financial institutions are taking part, highlighting the expo’s role as a major platform for trade and investment.

This year’s CAETE features more than 30 high-level economic and trade activities covering sectors such as modern agricultural machinery, clean energy, smart mining, industrial supply chains, traditional medicine, and cultural industries.

In a statement, MITC expressed pride in Malawi’s growing investment appeal, especially as global demand rises for sustainably sourced agricultural and mineral products.

“Malawi’s presence at the expo has generated considerable attention. The MITC’s pavilion has become a major attraction, showcasing high-quality Malawian products including pigeon peas, groundnuts, and a variety of minerals and gemstones. These offerings have sparked interest among attendees from diverse backgrounds, with many drawn to the uniqueness and potential of Malawian exports.

“This platform is a valuable opportunity to showcase Malawi’s economic potential and build strategic partnerships beyond the African continent,” reads the statement.

The Centre underscored its commitment to fostering trade and investment links with China and other international markets, emphasizing that such events pave the way for long-term economic cooperation and shared prosperity.

As Malawi continues to promote its rich resources and investment opportunities, the MITC remains optimistic about building lasting partnerships that will drive the country’s development forward.

By Yankho Banda

Lilongwe, June 13, Mana:  Award-winning journalist Suzgo Chitete has emphasized the crucial and active role that journalists play in the news production cycle.

Speaking during a continuous training session for reporters from the Malawi News Agency, Chitete said that journalists are not merely observers but active participants in the stories they cover.

He introduced the "story circle" concept, which includes journalists, the audience, sources, and publications, noting that it just depends on who has the power in the story that is being written.

He stressed that while journalists’ decide what to write, who to interview, and how to gather information, their reporting must be based on evidence.

Chitete also highlighted that journalists often have personal connections to their stories and can offer ideas on dealing with problems that the sources are facing.

Regarding sources, Chitete cautioned against blind trust, reminding journalists that sources often share information with specific interests in mind.

"Journalists should not just believe sources easily; rather, do collaborative information gathering to be safe," he advised.

Chitete also emphasized the importance of understanding media house policies, both written and unwritten, as these help guiding how stories are approached.

He urged journalists to write stories and that resonate with the public, recognizing that they are part of the audience.

Chitete also warned journalists that audiences can sometimes manipulate journalists or exaggerate stories just to gain attention.

"Journalists should not write stories just to tick a box because what they write has the power to affect other people," Chitete stated, underscoring that stories are for the audience, who should not be overlooked, nor should reporting constantly focus on the same individuals.

He encouraged journalists to conduct thorough research and formulate well-crafted questions for conferences and press briefings.

"Even the smallest question would matter rather than leaving it to one person," he said, advocating for the development of the art of questioning while maintaining a healthy skepticism, as "every little piece of information holds value."

"Journalism is purposive; it has a basis and must be subjected to verification," Chitete explained.

He suggested seeking information from experts, community members, and those likely to know, ensuring that "the audience and the sources are not cheated because the research will help journalists take their time for the verification process."

Chitete advised using directive, non open ended questions, achieved by providing context, examples, and background information to guide the interviewee. However, he cautioned against closed questions that only elicit yes or no answers.

To encourage sources to speak, journalists should employ greetings, visits, and simple questions before moving to more challenging ones.

Throughout this process, he stressed the importance of remaining grounded in reality and ensuring that the tone reflects the mood of the questions, whether sorrowful or joyful.

“Journalists should also pretend and guard their opinion if they want to get information from people,” he added.

Despite tough interviews, journalists were advised to remain composed and express gratitude to sources, as future collaborations might be necessary.

Secret recording, he noted, is only advisable in critical investigative journalism situations where sources are unresponsive.

During an interview, Sugzo said that journalists should inform sources that the story will be published with a note that they declined to provide information, which can often motivate them to speak.

Regarding story ownership, he advised against writing stories that conflict with an employer's interests, suggesting that if a story is important but problematic for their publication, it could be given to another journalist.

Paul Madise, one of the attendees, commended the organizers of the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) sessions for the "refresher in-house training," which he believes helps MANA reporters improve their daily news writing and safeguards the journalism profession.

Madise highlighted: "the need for a proper choice of interviewees and that the tone of the story can significantly impact the story's outcome."

Chitete concluded with an example: “Reporters from different media outlets, such as international media like the BBC and local media like MANA, may cover the same event, but what matters is how each journalist reports it differently. Therefore, the influence of journalists on storytelling is comparable to the effect of different angles on a single picture.”

By Santos Zefania

Lilongwe June 13, Mana: Police at Gateway Mall in Lilongwe have arrested four men for allegedly terrorizing and committing a series of motorcycle robberies in the city.

Lilongwe Police Public Relations Officer, Hastings Chigalu said the law enforcers have since recovered from the suspects, three stolen motorcycles.

The suspects have been identified as Maliko Ngaika, 43, Chisomo Njeulira, 19, Hassan Kalisto, 41, and Patrick Banda, 24.

"In one of the robbery incidents, on 28 May this year, at around 19:00 hours, the first suspect (Ngaika), approached a certain motorcycle taxi operator who was refueling his bike at Kafoteka Filling Station, asking for a ride to Area 9.

"Upon reaching Area 9, Ngaika told the motorcyclist to stop close to a certain unfinished house," explained Chigalu.

“However, immediately after making such a stop, Ngaika strangled the motorcyclist on the neck before two other criminals emerged from where they were hiding and joined in the assaulting of the motorcyclist,” he added.

Chigalu said the criminals later disappeared with the motorcycle while leaving the victim bleeding at the scene.

Law enforcers first arrested Ngaika, who later revealed the identities of his three accomplices and led the police to the location where the stolen motorcycles had been sold, resulting in their recovery.

Marko Ngaika comes from Emba Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Masumbankhunda, Lilongwe, Hassan Kalisto is from Ntonda Village, T/A Kalembo, and Chisomo Njeulira hails from Muwoja Village, T/A Kachenga, both in Balaka, while Patrick Banda comes from Gabriel Village, T/A Mulumbe in Zomba District.

The suspects will be taken to court soon to answer robbery charges.

By Alice Ndunya

Machinga, June 13, Mana:  Following public sector reform perfomance review meeting with the Vice President, Dr. Michael Usi in Blantyre on Friday, Machinga District Council says it will put more efforts to accelerate performance in implementing activities under the public sector reform guidelines.

The council made its commitment while presenting its progress report to the Vice President at Sunbird Mount Soche Hotel, where the report received constructive feedback highlighting areas of underperformance.

While presenting the report, Machinga Council’s Director of Planning and Development, Noel Dakamau, highlighted several successes, including the organization of farmer clubs to promote the use of tractors for agricultural mechanisation aimed at ensuring sustainable food security and advancing agri-business. He also noted the introduction of paying wards at Machinga District Hospital to enhance access to health services and boost revenue generation.

“We came up with these initiatives to mobilise revenue from farmer clubs for purchase of tractors for agricultural mechanisation so that communities should fully utilise the tractors with true sense of ownership,” he added.

Dakamau however, expressed concern over lack of commitment and cooperation from some local leaders and communities in the district in advancing reform agenda.

“As a council, we at times face resistance from other communities and chiefs, which is worriesome considering that our interest is to serve them altogether,” he added.

In his remarks, Usi acknowledged the council’s commitment in utilising available resources to attain sustainable food production, saying Machinga’s commitment was a move in the right direction, towards successful execution of reform areas that were also in line with Malawi’s development aspirations outlined in Malawi Vision 2063.

He therefore bemoaned tendency of some local leaders that are reluctant to lead in line with government development agenda, saying this is retrogressive and unfortnunate.

“I appeal to leaders that they should learn to act in the best interest of the people they serve, other than doing things for personal interests,” added.

Taking his turn, Machinga District Commissioner, Rodrick Mateauma, attributed the council’s good performance to sector collaboration and team spirit among members of staff.

“We are highly committed to put efforts that should make us achieve our goals in line with public sector reforms,” the District Commissioner added and also pledged to address issues that contribute to low perfomance in achieving best results in public sector reform.

Overall performance of Machinga District Council in 2024/25 financial year, according to Local Authority Performance Assessment (LAPA) saw an outstanding improvement from position 28 previously to position five in the year under review.

Apart from Machinga District Council, Neno and Mangochi Municipal Council also presented progress reports.

Tewo parastatals, Malawi Posts Corporation and Malawi Broadcasting Corporation also presented their reform progress reports.

By Lesnat Kenan

Lilongwe, June 13, mana: The Malawi Blood Transfusion Service's (MBTS) Blood Donor Manager, Mervis Chirwa, has stated that the organization is experiencing low blood stocks due to a decline in blood donations across the country.

She made the remarks during a World Blood Donor Day public dialogue held at Lilongwe Teacher's Training College on Friday.

"Currently, the blood stocks in our blood banks are unstable because many people are not donating. That is why we are appealing to all Malawians to donate blood so we can improve our supply,” she said.

According to Chirwa, fear and cultural beliefs are some of the factors contributing to low turn out of blood donors.

She further explained that mostly men have high turn out in terms of blood donation as compared to women.

She therefore appealed to women between ages 16-25  to take a lead in donating blood saying in most cases women need blood in various health services.

She also added that 70 percent of blood donors are students between 16-25 years old.

In his remarks, Dan Kapombosola Banda, Head of Health and Social Services at the Malawi Red Cross Society, said the organization, in collaboration with MBTS and volunteers, is encouraging blood donation in various communities by providing training and essential information to help people understand the blood donation process. This initiative aims to ensure that the country has an adequate blood supply.

Meanwhile, Malawi will commemorate the World Blood Donor day on June 14^th, 2025, which will be held under the theme ‘Give blood, give hope: together we can save lives’.

By Austine Kananji
Lilongwe, June 13, Mana: Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Jean Sendeza has said Malawi will join the rest of the world in observing this year's Albinism Awareness Day as one of way of addressing the plight of people with albinism.

Sendeza made the disclosure on Friday during the press briefing that was held at Capital Hill in Lilongwe in respect of the 20125 International Albinism Awareness Day considering that June 13 is the International Albinism awareness day designated by the United Nations General Assembly on December 18, 2014 as an annual event aimed at promoting awareness about issues of albinism.

“I would like to announce that this year’s function to commemorate the International Albinism Awareness Day in Malawi will be held on Tuesday, the 17th of June 2025 in Machinga District at Michongwe Primary School ground in Ntaja,” she said.

The minister, therefore, commended the Association of People with Albinism in Malawi (APAM) for their advocacy work in the country, particularly in fighting for the rights of all people with albinism, whose voices are usually not heard.

“You have always remained vigilant and continuously worked closely with my Ministry so that we promote the well-being of all persons with albinism,” she added.

APAM President, Young Muhamba said the Malawi political landscape and political parties need the inclusion of people with albinism, noting that that political parties should not spread messages of violence as the September 16 general elections campaign period approaches.

“We would like to see people with albinism being protected, being secure and they should be allowed to participate in the election as voters as well as candidates,” Muhamba said.

Muhamba also commended the Malawi Government for putting different strategies to make people with albinism enjoy their human rights and have sustainable livelihoods.

However, he urged government to put more effort in putting strategies that will help people with albinism be protected, saying the National Action Plan should be well funded and well implemented, as the allocated K300 million is still negligible considering the activities lined up to be implemented in the action plan.

The localised theme for this year’s Albinism Awareness Day is: ‘United for peace and inclusion: strengthening the protection of persons with albinism during all times, including elections.”