By Manasse Nyirenda

Rumphi, May 22, Mana: New market shelters constructed with Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) funds at Phwezi and Katowo in Rumphi district have doubled revenue collected from the Centre’s barely two years after they were handed over to users in December, 2022.

Figures shared by the council show that during 2021/22 financial year, before the council finalized construction works, it collected K1, 601,000 and K1, 534,000 from Mphwezi and Katowo markets respectively.

However, following completion of the market shelters, the amount increased to K2, 206,100 million for Phwezi and K3, 813, 900 million at Katowo market shelter in the 2022/23 financial year.

In the 2023/24 financial year, revenue collected from the two shelters went up to K2, 844, 900 million for Phwezi and K4, 853,000 million for Katowo market shelters.

In an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Wednesday, Director of Planning and Development for Rumphi, Frank Mfune said market shelters have improved revenue collection and that GESD projects have improved service delivery in the sectors of education, health and agriculture, among others.

Chairperson for Phwezi Market, Elizabeth Gondwe said the market shelter has provided a favourable environment for traders such as tomato sellers and others who used to trade along the M1 Road posing a risk of road accidents.

She said other businesses have also started benefiting from having a market shelter in the area.

"We have different businesses here. For example, grocery shops. After selling their produce such as tomatoes, potatoes and many other items, the traders selling at the shelters also buy from other businesses.

"They buy soap, sugar and other assorted items. This means more money for every one since traders are now located at one place and once they sell their commodities they come to buy from people like us who own grocery shops. So, this structure is a positive addition to the market,” she said.

Each of the shelters costed at least K21 million.

Through GESD, the council has also built a pharmacy at Rumphi District Hospital, a teacher development Centre at Old Salawe, a girls’ hostel at Junju Community Day Secondary School (CDSS), a youth resource Centre at Rumphi Stadium and a police unit at Livingstonia, among others.

GESD is a Malawi Government performance based grant project, facilitated by National Local Government Finance Committee and funded by the World Bank.

By Beatrice Bangula

Blantyre, May 22, Mana: Newly constructed Matope Bridge at Traditional Authority (TA) Somba in Blantyre has brought excitement to many communities in the area and will   improve mobility in accessing health and other essential social services.

Blantyre District Council constructed Matope Bridge at a cost of K88 million with funding from Transforming Agriculture through Diversification and Entrepreneurship (TRADE)

A community member from Chadzunda at Mpemba, Janet Tadala Wednesday hailed the council for the construction of the 22-metre-stretch bridge saying this was a relief to communities, especially women that find challenges to cross over to access antenatal services at a health facility.

“Life was hard for expectant women; some even failed to attend antenatal clinics because of mobility. This was also a challenge when time to give birth came. The bridge has addressed mobility challenges because this is a story of the past,” she said.

A business person, John Thole said selling farm produce at Mpemba Trading Centre was a challenge, adding that the bridge has provided a greater opportunity for business community to cross over to other market places without difficulties as was the case before.

“This is the great opportunity. We are now able to transport our produce to market places without difficulties,” he added.

During a tour of Council officials to Matope Bridge, TA Somba commended the Council for constructing the bridge.

He observed that the bridge had been constructed at a convenient place, saying it was convenient as enables easy mobility of people to public facilities citing health centres, schools and market places to seek medical services and do various businesses

“This bridge connects villages including Mandevu, Chikunje and Bakili. Communities are now crossing on this bridge to go to clinics, markets and schools suffice to mention that many communities attempted to cross the river and most children stood chances of being swept away by running water on their way to and from school,” Somba said.

Blantyre District Council, Director of Public Works, Joseph Bodole said TRADE was a government project under the Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture.

By Chisomo Kambandanga

Nkhata Bay, May 21, Mana: The Zambia High Commissioner to Malawi, retired Lieutenant Colonel Panji Kaunda, has hailed Malawi Government for implementing irrigation scheme initiatives to enhance food security and economic growth for the country.

High Commissioner Kaunda was speaking Tuesday when he toured Linga Irrigation Scheme in the area of Senior Chief Fukamapiri in Nkhata Bay.

"We have heard so much about the successes of the irrigation schemes which Malawi Government has established across the country.

“Due to drought which has affected both our governments, we are emphasizing irrigation farming for small scale farmers, hence our coming to learn how you are doing it so that we replicate the same in Zambia,” said Kaunda.

He said that he was inspired by the fact that Linga Irrigation Scheme is community-led as it is being managed by local communities, a strategy which he said is key for sustainability of such interventions.

"Youths are benefiting through value addition of agricultural products from the scheme, hence creating employment opportunities for young people. This is worth emulating," he added.

Kaunda then said it is a shame for the two countries to be experiencing hunger due to over-reliance on rain-fed agriculture despite availability of fertile soils and adequate water.

He therefore urged the two governments to promote modern and mechanized agriculture systems by, among others, investing in solar powered irrigation.

Project Coordinator for Agriculture Infrastructure and Youth in Agribusiness, Tikho Msimuko Mpezeni, said Kaunda’s visit to the scheme was encouraging, as it indicates significance of irrigation farming initiatives not only in the country but across the borders.

"Let me urge young people to be proactive and utilize the scheme through its youth empowerment component, which provides training in agribusiness.

“I also call for more farmers to join the scheme which has 1,000 hectares of irrigable land but only 450 hectares are utilized,” said Mpezeni.

Director of Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources for Nkhata Bay District Council, Raphael Mkisi, said the High Commissioner’s tour to the scheme is an indication that the initiative’s fruits are out to the world, thereby contributing to realization of increased agriculture productivity and commercialization which is in line with Malawi 2063.

One of the farmers, Kudzaye Chirwa, said the visit has encouraged them to invest in irrigation farming cooperatives to maximize profits.

Linga Irrigation Dam, which provides water to the scheme, was commissioned in September 2023 by President Lazarus Chakwera and has the capacity of 14 million cubic metres.

By Andrew Gondwe  

Chitipa, May 21, Mana: World Vision Malawi (WVM), with funding from World Vision UK, intends to   construct a K275 million health post at Kamilamphande in the area in Senior Chief Mwenewenya in Chitipa District.

Programmes Manager for WVM responsible for Karonga and Chitipa districts, Hendrix Kalanje, disclosed this on Monday when he briefed members of Chitipa District Executive Committee on the project.

He said WVM has decided to construct the health post after noting that people from Kamilamphande area cover long distance of an average of 15 kilometres to access health services at Wenya Health Centre.

"The health post will greatly serve children, expectant and lactating mothers at their doorsteps, thereby promoting good health service delivery for people’s well-being in the area," said Kalanje.

He then appealed to Chitipa District Council to provide technical support and help in monitoring construction works of the project.

“It is our expectation that the council will deploy health personnel to the facility upon completion,” added Kalanje.

The Acting Director of Health and Social Services (DHSS) for Chitipa District Council, Dr. George Kasondo, thanked WVM for the initiative which he said will serve a population of over 5,000 in one of the remotest areas in the district.

“According to Health Sector Strategic Plan, people are not supposed to travel long distances for them to access quality health services, hence we commend you for this," said Kasondo.

He then assured WVM that the council will deploy health workers as soon as the facility is completed, in addition to the disease control surveillance assistants who are already on the ground.

By Levison Lester

Lilongwe, May 21, Mana: Chief Executive Officer for Maximum Entertainment Company, Steven Chisale, says this year's Maximum Ghetto Festival will incorporate performances that will tackle issues of mental health which have been neglected for a number of years in the country.

In an interview with Malawi News Agency, Chisale said the festival has been organized at a time when the country is struggling to deal with suicide cases and drug abuse, adding that Maximum Ghetto Festival is a platform that can help young people value their lives.

“One of the things that we do during this show is that we identify a theme for each year, so depending on the theme which has been identified, we invite people who are specialized in different fields like mental health to talk to young people so that they should value their lives.

“In Malawi, we have neglected issues of mental health for so long; as such, we are experiencing rampant cases of suicide, drug and substance abuse, early marriages and teenage pregnancies. So when people get entertained, they become motivated and encouraged thereby minimizing issues of mental health,” Chisale said.

He further said the event will slot in performances like traditional dances and spoken word poetry, among others, that will help to discover abilities that young people have in the country.

“This festival is also organized to support young people who have talent but they are not yet exposed. We believe there so many young people who are talented but they don’t know that they are talented so the Maximum Ghetto Festival is a platform that will help to expose that hidden talent.

In his remarks, team leader for Mitchana Dancing Crew based in Lilongwe, Precious Joseph, said the festival is a platform that has potential to unearth talent among the youths.

“Apart from reducing stress through entertainment, ghetto festival has helped our dancing group to gain public acceptance. The last time we performed at maximum ghetto festival, we had few followers but right now a lot of people are following our group. The event has also improved our performances,” he said.

Maximum Ghetto Festival is an entertainment event which was founded in 2015 with an aim to expose talent among the youth, and this year's event is slated for August 25 at Glalle Gardens in Lilongwe.