MANAonline
Chilobwe United to go on awareness and fundraising campaign
By Pempho Nkhoma
Blantyre, Aug 1, Mana: Blantyre based Chilobwe United Football Club (CUFC), will on Sunday go on an awareness and fundraising campaign to mobilize financial resources for the team at an event to be held at Naotcha Primary School ground.
CUFC is a community football team from Chilobwe Township, currently playing in the Southern Region Betika Division One League and is on position one with 25 points after playing 9 games.
In an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Thursday, CUFC Public Relations and Event Manager, Julio Chimbuzi said the team has organized the event to notify Chilobwe residents about the team’s vision and agenda.
“We noticed that many people in our community do not know that we have a football club that is representing us, hence organized this event to tell them how they can participate in the affairs of the team,” he said.
He added that during the awareness campaign they will conduct membership registration plus sell merchandise to raise funds for the club.
“On this day people will have a chance to subscribe to our membership by registering with K5,000 and above and we will sell other promotion items like t-shirts, caps and golf-shirts which are already on the market,” he added.
The team’s publicist also disclosed that they have invited special guests to grace the occasion.
“We have invited aspiring and current political leaders, business people and have extended our invitation to Football Association of Malawi and Southern Region Football Association,” he said.
Chimbuzi therefore called upon residents of Chilobwe and surrounding areas to attend the event and take part in supporting the team.
“The event will start at 10:00 AM with a parade and stop tour from Naotcha Primary School going around Chilobwe community.
“Then there will be a mass rally from 2:00 PM at Naotcha Primary School ground where there will be different activities like selling of club`s merchandize, music performances, talent show and raffle draws” he said.
One of the artists that will perform at the place, Jetu has urged people to patronize the ceremony and support CUFC while having fun.
“People should come in large numbers, as the queen is ready to entertain them and they should prepare to dance to my new song titled Simunatchene,” she said.
Other artists that will perform on the day include Zeze Kingston, Stich Fray, Pon G, among others.
MACRA contributes five million towards the Umthetho Cultural Festival
By Tiyanjane Mambucha
August 1, Mana: The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has officially handed over the five Million Kwacha cheque it donated towards this year’s Umthetho Cultural Festival.
Speaking at the handover ceremony at MACRAs office in Lilongwe, Area 13, MACRA’s Board Chairperson, Bridget Chibwana, said the Umthetho annual festival is a vital platform for preserving and promoting the rich culture and traditions of Malawi.
Chibwana said the festival will not only celebrate the Ngoni’s heritage but also explore how, as a nation can leverage this heritage to build a strong digital content industry and contribute to the development of the economy.
“This gesture and our involvement reflect our commitment to fostering a digital future that respects and celebrates our cultural diversity. As we aspire to build a digital nation and economy, we recognise the importance of cultural festivals like this one as a valuable opportunity for creating local digital content,” said Chibwana.
Chibwana also disclosed that apart from the five-million-kwacha donation, MACRA will also provide free internet services throughout the three-day event to create a digital ecosystem that accommodates the cultural landscape.
Umthetho Organising committee member, Harold Jere said the donation and support will help preserve the Ngoni culture, even long after the festival.
“The contribution that MACRA has given towards this year's Umthetho Festival will definitely go a long way, and will assist to the success of this festival,” Jere said.
He said the Umthetho Festival will be held at the Hora Heritage Centre in Mzimba, starting Thursday, with the main event taking place on Saturday.
MACRA made the donation on Saturday, July 28, during the Umthetho fundraising golf tournament that was held at Lilongwe Golf Club, an event that was graced by His royal majesty Inkosi ya Makhosi M’Mbelwa V and Inkosi ya Makhosi Gomani V.
Council hail communities for participating in CS-WPWP
By Beatrice Babgula
Blantyre, Aug 1, Mana: Blantyre District Council has expressed satisfaction over communities’ active participation in activities under Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programmes (CS EPWP) which are meant to restore land and other environmentally degraded features.
Land Resource Conservation Officer for Blantyre District Council, Charles Mthyoka expressed the satisfaction on Wednesday at Traditional Authority Kapeni during an assessment exercise to see how communities implemented various activities to restore degraded land in the district.
Mthyoka observed that dedication among CSEPWP participants also contributed to improved food production in most rural areas in Blantyre.
“Initiatives under CSEPWP have shown that there is a lot of dedication among participants. We have seen various activities such as construction of swales beside marker ridges, gully reclamation, afforestation and natural regeneration by participating communities.” he said.
Mthyoka further observed that some climate smart related agricultural activities have helped farmers to realize good crop harvest after adopting best agricultural practices that are also environmental friendly,
“We tried our best to empower communities, traditional leaders and catchment members so that they should continue with climate smart activities even when this project ends,” he said.
A farmer, John Chide from Cedrick Village Traditional Authority Kapeni in Blantyre said farmers in his catchment were harvesting much than before the CSEPWP was introduced in the area.
“The initiative has completely changed the lives of farmers for the better in terms of harvests, when we compare the present and the past, it is very clear that CSEPWP has positive impact on the communities” he said.
Chilambalale Catchment Conservation Committee member, Alinete James said CS-EPWP has improved livelihood of the communities after adopting best climate smart agricultural activities in the gardens.
“We construct swales beside marker ridges, we gather stones and place them in several lines inside the gully to prevent the speed of running water and this assists in addressing issues of land degradation,” she said.
James recalled that communities planted trees along rivers in the catchment and other forest related activities.
“We get paid at the end of the day to improve household income,” she said, adding that activities in the CSEPWP have proven to be the best environmental practices that every community should adopt for sustainable livelihood.
Chairperson for Chilambalale Catchment, Harrison Tsonga said members of the community embraced CSEPWP.
“We no longer worry about runoff water which was causing destruction to our gardens. We are able to control the water and we also harvest the water in one way or another,” he said.
In Blantyre CSEPWP has about 17,000 participants in 15 catchments including Chilambalale, which has 1,010.
CSEPWP is funded by the World Bank, facilitated by the National Local Government Finance Committee and being implemented by local councils across Malawi.
HR3D US government program succeed in mapping Malawi
By Elia Chibwe
Lilongwe, July 31, Mana: Army Geospatial Center (AGC) High Resolution Three Dimensional (HR3D) program also known as BuckEye in Malawi which deployed a Beech King Air B350 to Lilongwe, Malawi in May this year has successfully mapped the country with 90 percent.
U.S government Lead for the HR3D program Jason Steers disclosed this on Wednesday in Lilongwe during a press briefing where Steers said the program has successfully mapped the country by providing detailed information instrumental for disaster risk management, infrastructure modernization and Agricultural development among other strategic initiatives.
“This advanced aircraft, equipped with state of the art geospatial surveying technology, marks a significant step forward in our collaborative efforts to enhance disaster management capabilities in Malawi.
“The high level of detail provided by the mapping significantly enhances shared understanding of the terrain through digital imaging which enables improved decision making for time sensitive response and large scale projects,” Steers said.
He said this collective approach underscores their dedication in supporting sustainable development and improving well-being of communities throughout Africa.
United States (U.S) Embassy in Malawi Charge D’Affairs, Amy Diaz said advanced geospatial mapping has a transformative role in enhancing disaster preparedness and supporting Malawi’s Vision 2063 development goals.
“The imagery, the BuckEye program compiles during their time in Malawi will be passed on in its entirety to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs for use in areas such as hazard assessment, improving early warning systems, optimizing resource management and informing recovery planning,” Diaz said.
She also said the data for disaster preparedness management will be a lifeline that will enable Government, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and communities to anticipate, mitigate and respond effectively to disasters.
In his comment, Department of Disaster Management Affairs Commissioner, Charles Kalemba said the department was previously lacking data to assist them in mapping the country’s topography and this prompted them to request this initiative from US government.
“We operationalised the new law and it requires that we do hazard map which helps in mapping the country in terms of risk areas, so we know how to locate places of high risk or not, regarding people living there.
“Now you cannot make these decisions without data. So we had requested the U.S Embassy to assist us and be able to map the country so that we are able to know the topography and geophysical setup of the country,” Kalemba said.
He said U.S government donated US$1 million to implement the initiative.
Chakwera asks Mzuni graduates to show relevance in the industry
By Rose Cross Mahorya
Mzuzu, August 1, Mana: President Lazarus Chakwera has asked graduating students at Mzuzu University to live a life worth of their papers once they go to join the employment sector if they are to be of value.
Addressing the congregation of 6000 plus students, Chakwera said there are a lot of graduates out there who have papers but are of no worth because they did not translate their respective knowledge and skills to be useful.
“When you go out there you need to prove to the world how different you are after spending years at the university.
“The world needs intellects who know how to apply their knowledge, skills and capabilities not just making noise that you have a paper,” he said.
Chakwera further noted that what the country needs is people who can help boost the country’s industrialization and mechanization to help raise the country’s economic stance.
“It is a tragedy for a country to have graduates who have knowledge and skills but do not know how to use them with excellence and translate them into something worth appreciating,” he said.
Mzuzu University Vice Chancellor, Wales Singini said as an institution, they are aware of challenges of accessing employment out there, hence they have trained them to be self-reliant.
“We have deliberately linked all our programs with entrepreneurship so that when they go out there, they can be able to employ themselves,” he said.
He however appealed to them to desist from being corrupt and unprofessional.
“At Mzuni, we did not train you to use that knowledge and skills to steal public funds and property. Rather we expect you to be good ambassadors of this institution,” he said.
Earlier, Mzuzu University Council Chairperson, Hawa Ndilowe said the university has embarked on an initiative to increase linkages with organisations and companies so that together they introduce programs tailored to address professional gaps in the respective industries.
“In the next 3 years, we are working at establishing linkages with the industry so that we offer demand driven programs,” she said.
The Theme for this year’s graduation ceremony was, “Increasing greatness, honour, relevance and impact of Mzuni”
2652 students have graduated in various fields; the highest number since the university opened its doors in 2001, with 11 graduating with PHDs for the first time.
Chakwera gave K350,000 each to students graduating with PHDs and K200,000 each to students graduating with distinctions.
Athletics Malawi gears up for regional championships
By Patience Kapinda
Lilongwe August 1 Mana: Athletics Malawi will on Saturday host the senior and junior track and field regional championships across three venues: Chirunga Stadium in Zomba, Dedza Stadium in Dedza, and Thumbi ground in Mzimba.
According to General Secretary of the Athletics Association of Malawi, Nicholas Kanyenda, the championships aim to identify talent for the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 games scheduled for May 2025 in Namibia and the Olympics 2027.
"Our main objective is to identify athletes who will be competing in AUSC Region 5 games and Olympics 2027.
"We have put in place committees in each region to supervise the events and partnered with the Malawi National Council of Sports to ensure the success of the championships." He said.
Athletics Malawi coach, Limbikani Chiukia, expressed confidence in the team's preparations, citing targeted interval training and strength conditioning.
"We have focused on building our athletes' endurance and speed, and I'm confident that our team will be competitive, especially in the sprint events." He said.
However, Chiukia acknowledged the challenges facing athletics development in Malawi, including lack of resources, inadequate infrastructure, and limited access to coaching education.
The championships will also serve as a platform for exposure, allowing athletes to compete against top-level opponents and gain valuable experience.
With a long-term goal of identifying and developing young athletes, Athletics Malawi is committed to helping them reach their full potential and increasing participation in the sport.
The regional championships mark a crucial step towards achieving these goals and putting Malawi on the map in international athletics competitions.
First Lady challenges women on hunger
By Wanangwa Tembo
Kasungu, August 1, Mana: First Lady Madame Monica Chakwera has challenged women in the country to take advantage of the available water bodies and land to make their homes food secure.
Chakwera said it is unacceptable to have perennial food insecurity when the country has abundant fresh water in lakes and rivers and plenty of fertile land.
She was speaking Wednesday during the opening of the 2024 National Women's Ministries Convention for Assemblies of God at Kamuzu Academy in Kasungu.
"As women, we must be the backbone of our country, leading it with light.
"No woman must be hungry in this country. We must not lack anything. We are blessed with fresh water and good soils but we always face hunger. We must ask God to open our eyes," Chakwera said.
The First Lady also asked the women to use the convention to learn new things that would help change their lives and families for the better.
"This convention should teach us new things which we can practice when we go back home and improve our living.
"You must also take time to read the Malawi 2063 so that you can identify something you can concentrate on as a family to move forward," Chakwera said.
Madame Chakwera, who also donated K10 million towards the convention which runs from Wednesday to Friday, said the Assemblies of God Church values women and prides to be the first church in the country to ordain women pastors.
Deputy Director for the Women's Ministry of Assemblies of God, Queen Nkhata, said the convention is a good opportunity for the women to learn life changing lessons.
She said the church is committed to ensuring that lives of women change for the better.
The church's president, Andrew Dube, is expected to minister at the event that has attracted women members from all the church's five divisions in the country, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
The event has been organized under the theme 'Trailblazers, finishing strong'.
Airtel Malawi commits to support adressing blood shortage in hospitals
By Moses Nyirenda
Lilongwe, July 31, Mana: Airtel Malawi says it is committed to supporting Malawi Blood Transfusion Services (MBTS) in addressing critical blood shortage affecting hospitals across the country.
This comes after the telecommunications company successfully conducted its annual blood donation exercise, which it organized in conjunction with MBTS on Wednesday in Lilongwe.
Speaking through a press statement, which Airtel Malawi released on Wednesday, Airtel Malawi’s Managing Director, Charles Kamoto, said his company is after the well-being of people hence its commitment to support in addressing the blood shortage in hospitals.
“We are deeply committed to the health and well-being of Malawians,” said Kamoto.
He added that the blood donation they conducted with MBTS recently portrays Airtel Malawi's dedication in improving people's welfare in the country.
In her comment MBTS Public Relations Officer, Upile Kaimvi hailed Airtel Malawi for its support towards addressing the blood shortage in the country's hospitals with annual blood donation drives.
“Airtel’s consistent support has been instrumental in addressing the blood shortage crisis in Malawi, their commitment to organizing this annual event for blood donation is an inspiration to other corporations,” said Kaimvi.
She also said that the country faces a persistent blood crisis, with many lives at risk due to insufficient blood supply and she said this year's Airtel Malawi blood donation drive was a crucial step towards mitigating this challenge.
According to her the blood units donated by Airtel Malawi will significantly bolster the nation's blood bank, ensuring timely and adequate supply of blood to patients in need.
Mzimba Secondary School’s alumni lobby for support
By Edson Levison
Mzimba, July 25, Mana: A group of former students of Mzimba Secondary School calling themselves the “Mzimba Secondary School of 1970s” has urged people of good will and organizations to help the school with financial and material support.
A representative of the group led by its President, Joe Mtika, now based in American, expressed the concern on Wednesday during a handover ceremony of assorted learning and teaching materials worthy K8.6 million.
Mtika an alumnus of the school from 1977 to 1981 said over the years he and fellow alumni, have resorted to making contributions to the secondary school to make sure the current students are attaining quality education.
“I came to visit Mzimba Secondary School and saw the dilapidated buildings and lack of desks. It triggered our team to take action and start mobilizing resources to address such challenges.
“I thought seeing students writing their exams under a tree is history until I came to see it in this era. It is even heartbreaking to have students sleeping on the floor yet we can join hands with people of good will to make such a history,” said Mtika.
He therefore urged the school’s leadership, former students, stakeholders and other well-wishers to intervene in bringing back the beautiful image of the school in terms of infrastructure, saying such duties should never be left to government alone.
Parents Teachers Association chairperson, Pastor Thomson Chigomile Majawa praised the team for the materials offered.
“The materials that we have received are a great milestone in the development and implementation of a number of projects that the school’s management outlined. These materials will help our children to achieve their goals in a better way thereby uplifting the flag of Mzimba Secondary School,” he said.
Majawa said the school has been struggling with lack of desks, chairs, books, mattresses, beds and other learning materials.
Chief Quality Assurance Officer in the Northern Education Division, Vincent Kaunda applauded the Mzimba Secondary School alumni saying their donation has responded to the real challenges the school is facing.
Council hails housing project
By Wanangwa Tembo
Kasungu, July 24, Mana: Chairperson for Kasungu District Council Heath Service Committee, Christopher Kamtambo has said the completion of six modern staff houses at Kasungu District Hospital should be a motivation for health workers to deliver quality services.
He said this on Tuesday when he led the Council’s Health Service Committee members inspecting various development initiatives in the district.
Kamtambo acknowledged that there was a shortage of staff houses in the Council’s health facilities saying the problem leads to shortage of staff especially in rural facilities.
“We know the need that is there regarding proper housing for health workers. It is this shortage of houses that is also largely contributing to shortage of staff in rural areas.
“Let me assure everyone that government, through the Council, is committed to building as many houses but it cannot be at once. We have started and we have to keep the momentum,” the Chairperson said.
District Medical Officer for Kasungu, Ulemu Zulu hailed the Council for the project which would ease the challenges being faced by health workers.
He said that, “The housing challenges are not only here at the main facility but also across the district. It is one of the hindrances to quality service delivery.
“When sending our staff to various facilities, we know they will need good security and accommodation but this lack of houses prevents us to send adequate numbers.”
Zulu said for quality service delivery, more health workers must be housed within the facility premises so that even if one is off duty, they could be called to fill gaps that may arise in the course of service delivery especially at night.
Apart from the houses, there is construction of a maternal and child health block, maintenance of existing offices and construction of a pharmacy, all being done by Tabitha Development Construction Limited.
Operations Director for the Firm, Julius Kamanga, said it was pleasing that the project has been delivered within the prescribed contractual period.
The Houses are part of the K3 billion Health Infrastructure Rehabilitation Fund which has helped to complete a total of 18 health staff houses that were abandoned under the Umoyo Housing Project in 2012 at Kasungu District Hospital, Lodjwa, Kaluluma, Wimbe, Bua and Chamwavi Health Centres.
In the 2023/24 financial year, Kasungu District was allocated K3 billion to pilot the health infrastructure rehabilitation project which was being piloted in Mzimba, Dowa, Balaka, Chitipa and Likoma.
