MANAonline
Two Die in Nkhotakota Plane Crash
By Wongani Mkandawire
Nkhotakota, August 21, Mana: Two people have died and one has survived in Nkhotakota after a plane they were travelling in crashed into Lake Malawi near Benga in the district on Tuesday afternoon.
Nkhotakota District Commissioner Ben Matengeni Tohno confirmed that the two bodies were recovered around 2 a.m. on Wednesday and were taken to Nkhotakota District Hospital.
The deceased have been identified as 50-year-old Fungay Jonathan, a Zimbabwean pilot and Frisco Westheim who is 29 years old and of Dutch origin while the survivor is Charlotte Lemstra who is 22 years old and also of Dutch origin.
Meanwhile, Minister of Tourism Vera Kantukule has applauded the rescue team and service providers at Nkhotakota district council for the swift operation and support rendered to the survivor.
She said this when she visited the survivor before heading to the crash site.
“I am very happy and impressed with the help given to the survivor here at Nkhotakota District Hospital. Let me express gratitude to our partners at African parks and the communities for the support given in one way or the other,” said Kantukule.
The plane has currently been recovered from the lake and brought to the beach.
In a statement, government spokesman Moses Kunkuyu said the aircraft a C210, registration 7QPFU departed Nkhotakota Tongole airfield at 2 p.m. of Tuesday and was traveling to Liwonde in Machinga with the three on board when the accident happened.
New classroom block to promote enrollment in Chiradzulu
By Blackson Mkupatira
Chiradzulu, August 21, Mana: People of Nyandule Village under Traditional Authority Sandareki in Chiradzulu District have expressed gratitude to Chiradzulu District Council for constructing a classroom block in the area, which will lead to the introduction of Nyandule Junior Primary School.
In an interview with the Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Wednesday, Village Head Nyandule said that many children have been unable to enroll in Standard 1, despite being of school age, because they are too young to walk the long distances to the nearest primary schools.
"The closest primary schools from the area are Masanjala and Donde Primary Schools. Masanjala is over 8 kilometers away and across the river; so during the rainy season, when the river overflows, it was impossible for the children to cross, which promoted absenteeism.
"Donde is about 5kms and on the other side of the main road, which is also not safe to cross. That why we wanted at least a junior primary school so that these children would not travel long, unsafe distances to access education, " explained the chief.
He, therefore, hailed the council for fulfilling the needs of the people of the area and asked authorities to expedite the handover process of the classroom block, saying children are eager to start benefiting from the development.
Primary Education Advisor for Nduze Education Zone Kingsley Chapola applauded local leaders and community members for their active involvement in advocating for the school block and overseeing the construction to ensure it was completed on time and met quality standards.
"Once the structure is fully complete and the school opens, many children will be able to enroll in Standard 1 and 2. Dropout rate and absenteeism will also be reduced as the long distances have been the main reason students lose interest in education here," Chapola explained.
Chiradzulu District Council Director of Planning and Development, Henderson Kaumi expressed satisfaction that the construction of the school block is almost complete and that it has been built to meet modern standards.
He said the structure will have two classrooms, Standard 1 and 2, and will accommodate a minimum of 120 learners and is scheduled to be handed over to the communities by September 2024 for utilization.
"This is the development they wanted, and as a council, we are pleased to deliver it to them. Meanwhile, we are looking for additional funds to construct teachers' houses," said Kaumi.
Nyandule classroom block has been constructed with funding from the World Bank through the Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) under the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) Project, at a cost of K62,094,782.10.
Learner mentors making a difference in Mchinji Schools
By Vincent Khonje
Mchinji, August 21, Mana: Deputy Minister of Education, Nancy Chaola Mdooko has commended Learner mentors in Mchinji for inspiring young girls to stay in school and pursue their dreams.
The mentors, who are young girl’s school leavers from the local communities, have taken strides to encourage schoolgirls to priorities education and avoid early marriages among others.
Mdooko, visited Benjamin and Mbachundu Primary Schools in the district to witness firsthand the impact of the mentors who are part of the Malawi Education Reform Programme (MERP) and expressed satisfaction with the work being done by the learner mentors.
“We are implementing the MERP project where we have learner mentors who have done very well in motivating girls to be in school. The mentors have even removed other girls from early marriages to be taken back to school. It is our wish to increase the number of these mentors so that this excellent work should continue,” said Mdooko.
The Deputy Minister added that they are not just motivating girls to stay in school, but also serving as role models in their communities where female teachers are few.
Mchinji’s Director of Education, Youth and Sports Joyce Hamsini, said the learner mentors have brought positive changes in the district.
“We are seeing the fruits of the learner mentors in the district, and we need to continue holding hands. Several factors force parents not to send their children to school like poverty and mere lack of interest, but with these mentors, they can be influenced to send the children to school,” said Hamsini.
Hamsini said out of 221 primary schools in the district, 110 have these mentors.
A mentor for Mbachundu Primary School, Emma Kapinga, shared her experiences and revealed the impact she has brought to the girls she mentors.
“Being a mentor, I have seen girls who were on the verge of dropping out or getting married early are now focused on their studies. Over 75 learners are now back to school here at Mbachundu Primary School.
“Other results include improved performance of the learners, low absenteeism, learners’ confidence and environmental protection.,” said Kapinga.
Kapinga owed the success to the collaboration with all the stakeholders like teachers, mother groups, and the school management committee.
Minister urges Mchinji communities to embrace self-help Initiatives
By Vincent Khonje
Mchinji, August 21, Mana: Minister of Gender, Community Development, and Social Welfare, Jean Sendeza, has encouraged communities in Mchinji to cultivate a self-help spirit that can drive development in their areas.
Sendeza made the remarks on Tuesday after touring several community-led initiatives as part of the Community Development Month (CDM) Initiative aimed at improving local infrastructure.
She said the self-help spirit should be instilled in the people so that they can initiate development projects on their own.
"It has to be the people starting the development projects since they are the ones who know what they want. I am happy that the self-help spirit is spreading in most Area Development Committees (ADCs) and that everyone is now involved in initiating development projects," said Sendeza.
She urged the council to ensure that all ADCs are trained to embrace the self-help spirit.
The Minister visited Traditional Authority (TA) Mavwere and toured Mankhwala Junior Primary School where community members are constructing a school block, and Kapanga Health Centre where the community is building a nurse's house.
Her next stop was TA Simphasi where she visited Chiwoko School, and appreciated the newly built house for the Primary Education Advisor (PEA) constructed by the community and Chimteka School where there is a complete classroom block.
Chairperson for Mavwere ADC Dereson Bisai said they thought to start themselves before asking for help somewhere else.
"We have schools that are very far from here so we thought we could build classes for a junior primary school to help young children to attend school. We also thought of making sure the health personnel at Kapanga Health Centre should have a proper dwelling house, that is why we decided to start these projects as a community," said Bisai.
Present at Simphasi was a member of parliament for Mchinji Central Jephthar Mwale, who said the people of the constituency are doing well in self-help development projects.
"This initiative is aimed at asking people to start projects on their own so that they own the projects. I am happy that people have also welcomed the initiative and it is pleasing to see that there are many community-initiated projects," said Mwale.
The CDM Initiative was established in 2023 by the government to spearhead a self-help spirit by engaging people to initiate development projects.
Mulanje Peaks and Rhythms Festival balances tourism and conservation
By Mtisunge Gwedeza
Blantyre, August 21, Mana: Youths in Mulanje have organized a festival called Mulanje Peaks and Rhythms, a platform for young people to showcase their efforts in the tourism industry and to interact with established tourism stakeholders from August 30 to September 1 in Mulanje.
The Director and Founder of the festival, Michael Kwapata told Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Tuesday that the festival will feature an environmental parade with key messages on reducing plastic use, promoting recycling, and supporting sustainable practices.
“The festival will take place in various places like Chitakale, Gateway Lodge, Mulanje Sports Club, Dziwe la Nkhalamba, and Cork and Bottle; whereby, discussions, demonstrations, and activities such as tourism practices, guided hikes and opportunities for the youth to showcase entrepreneurial activities will be conducted.
“This engagement will not only provide exposure but also encourage young people to explore careers in tourism and environmental conservation,” Kwapata said.
“In addition, we have formed partnerships with local environmental NGOs, community groups and businesses committed to sustainability. These collaborations are helping us to provide resources, expertise and outreach necessary to achieve our festival goals and continue to seek additional partnerships to broaden our impact and strengthen initiatives,” he said.
Some of the collaborations and partnerships the festival organizers have formed include We Forest, Cork and Bottle, Conservation Arts, Mulanje Youth Organization, Malawi Travel, Nalipiri Lodge and many more.
These companies told Mana that partnering with Mulanje Cultural Festival aligns with their core values of community engagement and cultural preservation.
To spice up the event, organizers have also invited local and big artists like Tay Grin also known as the Nyau King and Lulu and the Mathumela Band have confirmed their presence at the festival.
In a separate interview, Tay Grin expressed his excitement to headline at the festival.
“Mulanje has such a special vibe with its stunning landscapes, the energy at these festivals is always next level and being part of that, seeing people come alive to the music, dance and traditions is what I look forward to the most,” the Nyau King said.
“I want to convey messages of unity, pride and celebration of Malawian identity. Through my performance, I want to remind everyone that our culture is powerful, beautiful and deserves to be showcased on every stage. Let’s celebrate who we are and look forward to a future where our culture continues to shine brightly,” Tay Grin added.
On his part, Lulu also confirmed his performance at the festival, saying he is excited to share his music and energy with the crowd.
“I am so excited to be part of these great minds, people see things we don’t see in ourselves. So, we are going to give them what they deserve but mostly we are looking forward to enjoy the environment,” he said.
Attendees can support the Mulanje Peaks and Rhythms Festival goals by staying connected with partner organizations, participating in ongoing conservation and practicing sustainability in their daily lives.
Three Men Arrested for Theft of K22 Million Worth of Soybeans
By Sellah Chunda
Lilongwe, August 21, Mana: Police at Chitipi in Lilongwe have arrested three men suspected of stealing 300 bags of soybeans valued at K22 million from the Sunseed Oil Company warehouse at Airwing on August 19, 2024.
Police have successfully recovered 37 bags of the stolen soybeans.
The suspects have been identified as Lazarus Watson (31), Nickson Yekweliya (39), and Sungeni Mlangeni (21).
According to General Inspector Hastings Chigalu, the suspects, who were all casual workers at the company, allegedly conspired with the warehouse supervisor and six security guards to siphon the bags over less than a month this August.
When the property owners reported the missing soybeans to Chitipi Police, detectives launched an investigation that led to the arrest of the suspects. They were apprehended while offloading the recovered 37 bags at a warehouse in Mpingu on Monday.
Meanwhile, police are still searching for the warehouse supervisor and the six security guards, who are currently on the run. Efforts are ongoing to recover the remaining 270 bags of soybeans.
The suspects will soon appear in court to face theft charges.
Lazarus Watson hails from Nkhwazi Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Mabvere in Mchinji, Nickson Yekweliya is from Kamphinda Village, T/A Chitukula, and Sungeni Mlangeni is from Mphande Village, T/A Kabudula, both in Lilongwe District.
Ministry of Gender drills reporters and editors on Social Protection Programmes
By Eunice Disi Lole
Lilongwe, August 20, Mana: Chief Social Welfare Officer for Ministry of Gender Chifundo Nanchukwa has stressed on the critical need for media practitioners to be furnished with the right information as they play a very crucial role in disseminating information to the public.
Nanchukwa made the remarks on Tuesday during a one day orientation session on Social Protection Gender Empowerment and Resilience Project (SP-GEAR).
“We called editors and reporters from various media institutions so that we could sit down with them and orient them on the Social Cash Transfer Programmes that are being implemented in Malawi by the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare in all 28 districts.
Editors play a key role in editing stories that reporters bring on their desks and if they have an understanding on Social Protection (SP) programmes they will be able to provide the necessary support in publishing stories that contain the right information that will contribute to reducing poverty in the country.
Speaking during the orientation economist from the Ministry of Finance, Elisha Limbe, reviewed that approximately 10% of the population in the country falls under ultra-poor and incapacitated category thereby highlighting the need for support to improve their living standards.
Currently, there are a number of social protection programmes that the government is implementing through various ministries and these include, social cash transfer, school feeding programmes, older person’s act among others as a way of reducing poverty, hunger and starvation in the country.
“There is need for the media and government to work together in implementing social protection programmes effectively,” he said.
The orientation which targeted editors and reporters from different media institutions was organized by the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare with support from UNICEF.
Campaign scales up adoption of digital financial services
By Wanangwa Tembo
Kasungu, August 19, Mana: It is month end and salaries are in. Like many others, Jimmy Yosofati, a primary school teacher residing in the populous Chitete Township of Kasungu Municipality rushes to the bank to make withdrawals.
The banking hall is full and there is an equally long and snaking queue at the auto-teller machine (ATM). Yosophati joins the queue on which he stands for about an hour before his turn comes.
As he cashes out a bundle of MK5000 notes, he knows he has to spend another good time on another queue, now to pay water bills at the nearby water board payment point domiciled at the Malawi Post Office building.
“In Malawi, you have to queue for everything. You have to queue to deposit money. You have to queue to get the same.
“At the bank, at the filling station, at water board and everywhere you have to stand long hours on the queue,” he laments as he wipes some beads of sweat off his face.
Yosophati has a long day because after paying water bills, he has to join another queue to purchase electricity units.
The circus will repeat the other month.
Malawi is one of the countries where there is low adoption of digital financial services with the majority stuck with the traditional cash payment system which the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) says is not only costly but also that it drains the scarce forex.
For example, RBM spent over MK23 billion last year to reprint damaged currency notes, according to Deputy Governor Macdonald Mafuta Mwale.
“These printers and suppliers are paid in dollars which means the country is losing a lot of forex just to replace damaged notes.
“If more Malawians adopt digital financial services, our projections show this figure will go down as there will be no demand to print more notes,” Mwale said.
He was speaking in Kasungu during the launch of a national awareness campaign on using digital financial services.
The campaign, which seeks to achieve a cashless economy where individuals can make financial transactions without using cash for an extended period, is being implemented by the Ministry of Finance through the RBM with financial support from the African Development Bank.
Funded to the tune of $14.3 million, the campaign which started in July will cover all the country’s 28 districts to scale up use of digital payment methods amongst communities.
“The world is going digital; why should Malawi be left behind? It is important now that we should encourage the population to go digital.
“One is for safety, efficiency and effectiveness when it comes to transferring of money, payments of bills and payments for any other goods or services.
“If we use more of the digital methods, then our demand to produce the actual Kwacha will go down and the bill to produce will also go down and we save the already scarce forex,” Mwale said.
He said it is high time Malawians adopted the modern ways of transacting which are convenient, reliable and secure.
“Keeping money in houses is not safe. Consider incidences of fire, for example. With digital platforms, safety is guaranteed and transacting is also simplified as you can pay while in the comfort of your house and the supplier with bring the goods for you,” he said.
Adding: “As we go digital, there are some people trying hard to manipulate the system so that they scam others. So there are those risks and we have to teach people on how they can be protected from such scams.
“There are also issues of unreliable networks. These are the issues we need to address as we run the campaign. People adopting digital methods should have minimal encounters with such challenges.”
Mwale said government will work hand in hand with the service providers to improve network signals to ensure that there are reduced challenges that discourage people from adopting these technologies, which include phones, internet, ATMs, banks, points of sale and digital village banking, among others.
The campaign has identified women, persons with disabilities, youths, small to medium enterprises, internally displaced people, the illiterate and the rural population as the targeted marginalised audiences.
“We want to get to every corner of the country raising awareness about the opportunities available in the digital financial services.
“For example, people think we need to withdraw cash on ATMs or Mpamba and Airtel Money agents and go somewhere to pay bills yet you can do that without necessarily withdrawing the money,” said Joshua Kunkumbira, the campaign lead person for Kasungu and Dowa.
He added: “Rural communities, including those in village banks and recipients of social cash transfers, need to be educated on the benefits of digital financial services, such as using Airtel Money, Mpamba, and bank accounts for transactions.
“Village banks must go digital. The youths that are engaged in businesses must be encouraged to transact digitally and not forgetting persons with disabilities whom we must identify and ask them about the challenges they encounter so that they are addressed.”
Kunkumbira also said the campaign will tackle issues of fraud and phishing schemes, over indebtedness, social engineering scams, data and identity theft and emerging innovations so that digital service users are protected from evil schemes.
“So in specific terms, we want to create awareness of digital financial services among the general public in order to increase usage and adoption.
“We also want to reinforce consumers trust in digital finance services opportunities and help local populations to better deal with the associated challenges, and also change perceptions and build awareness of risks, available consumer guidelines, costs and benefits in order to gain acceptance and utilisation among users.”
African Development Bank representative, Albert Mafusile said the Pan-African development and financial institution believes that digital financial services are safe, efficient and cost-effective.
“It is our hope that through the use of digital financial services, the Malawian public will enjoy the safety associated with the transactions which give you freedom to do anywhere as long as you have network.
“It is in our interest to see that these services are provided efficiently to those that use them,” Mafusile said.
He said while access to digital financial services in the country is growing, the services have not yet reached everyone hence the need for awareness raising activities.
“This campaign gives the opportunity to financial services to showcase what they offer and as the public get educated, it will be easier for them to start using them.
“For us, we want an inclusive financial services sector that does not leave anybody behind. And it is our hope that the partnership that African Development Bank has with Malawi will continue to grow,” he said.
Lack of information, fear of fraud and poor network feature highly as factors discouraging people like Yosophati to adopt and use digital financial services in the country.
As of March 2024, fraud on mobile money had decreased by 53 percent from MK28 million to MK13 million and 15 percent from MK2.7 million to MK2.3 million on Airtel Money and TNM Mpamba, respectively.
Parliamentary Committee on Media, Information and Communication described the decrease as a positive step towards promoting digital financial services.
Malawi and India discuss high tariffs on exports
By Gift Chiponde
Lilongwe, August 20, Mana: Minister of Trade and Industry, Sosten Gwengwe, has underscored the necessity for Malawi and India to address pivotal trade issues, specifically the exorbitant tariffs impacting Malawi's exports of mangoes and macadamia nuts to India.
Gwengwe made the remarks during a meeting with India's Minister of State, Shir Kirti Vardan Singh, at the 19th CII India Africa Business Conclave, currently being held at the esteemed Hotel Taj Palace in New Delhi, India from August 20th to 22nd, an event to which the minister was invited by the Indian government.
During the meeting, Gwengwe highlighted the obstacles posed by the prevailing high tariffs that have substantially impeded the competitiveness of Malawi's agricultural exports in the Indian market.
He emphasised the importance of mango and macadamia exports for Malawi's economy, particularly for smallholders who rely on mango and macadamia nut cultivation for their sustenance.
The deliberations were aimed at reaching a consensus and negotiating reduced tariffs or other trade facilitation measures that would empower Malawian exporters to penetrate the Indian market more effectively.
Both parties conveyed a strong commitment to bolstering trade relations and exploring avenues to fortify economic bonds between the two nations.
The Indian Minister of State acknowledged the raised concerns and exhibited readiness to collaboratively address the issues for the mutual benefit of both countries, underscoring India's keen interest in nurturing closer economic partnerships with Malawi and other African nations.
The meeting signifies progress in dismantling trade barriers and potentially unlocking new opportunities for Malawian agricultural products in the Indian market.
Dowa District Council has new chairperson
By Sylvester Kumwenda
Dowa, August 20, Mana: Dowa district council has elected Councillor Gift Nkhono Songeya of Kayembe ward as its new chairperson in elections held on Tuesday during a full council meeting.
Songeya got eight votes, beating closest contender Eliza Chulu who got five votes while Richard Kasanje got four votes and Billy Mtika came last with two votes.
In an interview after being sworn in, Songeya who went into the votes with a call for youth empowerment, said he was excited to be elected council chairperson.
"Being a chairperson comes with a lot of responsibilities emanating from the trust of my fellow elected members.
"Going forward, there are several areas I would like to focus on, for example, water. Dowa has water challenges due to its geographical composition, so I would like to see efforts in provision of potable water to the rural masses intensified.
"Also as an agro based district, we would like to see how best we can help our farmers, not only to ensure food security, but also that farmers benefit a lot from their produces and improve their livelihoods," said Songeya.
He then called for unity amongst all the elected council members and secretariat saying that whatever they may be doing, the guiding spirit must be the development of the people especially in rural areas.
Songeya has replaced Councillor Mayamiko Kambewa of Mponela ward who served from August 2023 to August 2024.
Kambewa in his remarks wished the new chairperson success during his new tenure and also thanked the council for what he described as an opportunity to serve the people of Dowa.
"I have served for the maximum of two years which was filled with tremendous success including scooping number one in the Local Assembly Performance Assessment which is no mean achievement.
"But I wish my successor all the best as he assumes office. My advice for him is to work closely with the District Commissioner who is always eager and available to work on issues about the development of the district. Also for him to be dedicated, hardworking, selfless, and prioritize the needs of the district above anything else, " he said.
Holesi Madeya of Chiwere Eastward got six votes and has been elected council vice chairperson after defeating other contestants like Alfred Vinthenga who got five votes, Richard Kasanje with four votes and George Wailesi who received two votes.
Dowa First Grade Magistrate Yohane Nkhata administered the oath of office to the new chairperson and vice chairperson, in the elections which were presided over by Malawi Electoral Commission officials.
