By Moses Nyirenda

Lilongwe, August 16, Mana: Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has expressed confidence in its newly introduced Electoral Management Devices (EMDs) which the commission is expected to use in conducting electoral processes including voter registration for the upcoming 2025 general election.

Speaking on Friday during an engagement meeting which MEC organized to interact with development partners, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the media on electoral processes, MEC Chairperson, Annabel Mtalimanja said the newly introduced EMDs are reliable and secure.

“The assurance is that the machines are secure and all the data will be secure because one of the issues that raise concern is the issue surrounding security and I can assure Malawians that the machines are secure and the system is secure,” Mtalimanja said.

She added that the machines would be used anywhere in the country including in the remotest areas regardless of power challenges saying the machines come with the power banks that run the devices in the areas where there is no electricity.

She also said MEC has introduced the machine to ensure that every eligible voter with national ID card or proof of National Registration Bureau is able to register and take part in voting during the upcoming general election.

She further said MEC will soon embark on voter registration exercise using the EMDs and appealed to the CSOs and the media to help in raising awareness to the public about the voter registration processes in order for eligible voters to be able to register and vote.

“Our encouragement to the CSOs and the media is to help us sensitize the public to ensure that every eligible voter has taken the time to register with NRB because every potential voter without a National ID will not be able to register,” she said.

In a separate interview after MEC's engagement with development partners, CSOs and the media, Women Legal Resources Centre (WOLREC) Executive Director, Maggie Kathewera hailed MEC for introducing the EMDs.

“We are living in a technologically advanced world and the adoption of EMDs by MEC is something that has to be commended,” Kathewera said.

MEC engagement meeting with the development partners, CSOs and the media among others attracted representatives from various CSOs including; WOLREC, Oxfam Malawi, Cise Malawi as well as representatives of media bodies such as Media Council of Malawi and Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Malawi.

By Robert Nayeja

Nsanje, August 16, Mana: Farmers in the area of Senior Chief Mlolo in Nsanje have expressed satisfaction after government provided them with loans through the National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) to improve on agricultural production.

Area Agriculture Stakeholders Panel Chairperson, James Khisimisi told Malawi News Agency on Thursday that for a long time farmers have been struggling to harvest enough due to a lack of agricultural inputs such as seed and farm equipment necessary for irrigation.

“We have bought water pumps for irrigation farming. We have also bought original seeds from well-known agro-dealers,” he added.

Khisimisi said most farmers used to buy poor-quality seeds at on market adding that the farmers were tempted by low seed prices.

He explained that farmers were delighted with the loan and looked forward to buy original seed that assures high yield.

Nsanje North legislator, Enock Chizuzu said NEEF loan will empower farmers in the area to produce more for consumption and for sale.

“We are a hard-working community but we fail to produce more due to lack of resources,” he added, and was hopeful that majority of farmers in the irrigation schemes within Nsanje North constituency received the loan.

Chizuzu further hailed President Lazurus Chakwera's administration for putting much effort into agricultural production, saying this was a crucial area within Malawi 2063 development agenda.

He therefore advised the farming community to use the loan for the intended purpose and encouraged them to pay back the loan.

NEEF Field Officer, Stevie Chavi said NEEF disbursed loans amounting to MK169 million to farmers in the area of Traditional Authority Mlolo only.

By Sellah Chunda

Lilongwe, August 16, Mana: In a bid to improve service delivery, the Malawian government, through the Ministry of Gender, Community Development, and Social Welfare, has launched the National Social Protection Call Centre (NSPCC) today.

During the launch at NGORA offices in Lilongwe, Minister Jean Sendeza emphasized that the new call centre aims to bolster support systems within social protection programs.

“We have established this call centre to strengthen our support systems and address the numerous grievances we have received. The NSPCC will ensure transparency in cash transfers through a free toll line,” Sendeza stated.

Michele Crimella, Team Leader for Social Sector and Infrastructure at the European Union, remarked, “Social protection is expanding, and this call centre will make it easier for beneficiaries to address their concerns through a single number. This initiative is a significant step in improving access to support.”

Crimella also highlighted the EU's commitment to Malawi's social protection programs, noting their success in aiding vulnerable populations and promoting self-reliance among the ultra-poor.

Gerge Chikondi Juwawo, Social Policy Specialist at UNICEF, praised the call centre as a solution to longstanding issues such as delays in social cash transfers.

“Modern technologies and the new call centre will help address these challenges by providing a platform for beneficiaries to voice their complaints and receive timely assistance,” Juwawo said.

The government of Malawi, supported by partners such as the World Bank, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UNICEF, and the European Union, continues to implement various social protection programs aimed at reducing poverty among the country’s most vulnerable populations.

By George Mponda

Karonga, August 16, Mana: Principal Animal Health and Livestock Development Officer for Karonga District Council, Michael Mapundi has called on stakeholders to assist with logistical support inorder to adminster rabies vaccine to pets in hard to reach areas.

Mapundi made the call on Friday while speaking in an interview with Malawi News Agency (MANA) amidst a free rabies vaccination campaign which was launched on July 24 in the district.

"The district launched a free rabies campaign from July to August after we got support from the Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development of rabies vaccine and a local non governmental organisation based in Mzuzu called Centre for Community Empowerment Initiative (CCEI) with logistics and vaccine," Mapundi said.

"The campaign was launched in order to control the dangerous disease which can be transmitted from animals to people. During this period, we expect to vaccinate more than 21,000 pets. However, some of them are located in far off areas and we do not have the resources to reach there," he explained.

Mapundi cited places like Fuliwa, Nthawilo, Chisi, Chikutu, Gidi, Mphinga, Kayelekera, Ngana, Katili, Mphuwu, Njalayamoto, Chazale and those around Nyika National Park as being where logistical and allowances for officers will be needed.

On her part, Fitinah Mhango a Karonga resident from Malema one village in the area of Paramount Chief Kyungu advised authorities to consider vaccinating stray dogs.

"There are alot of stray dogs running around and these are not vaccinated during the campaigns. There should be deliberate efforts made to vaccinate them because they are the ones who pose the most risk to people since they are rarely vaccinated," Mhango said

Rabies is a deadly virus spread to people from the saliva of infected animals usually through a bite. Animals most likely to spread rabies include dogs, bats and cats.

Meanwhile, Karonga district is currently vaccinating pets in all the Extension Planning Areas (EPAs) till August month end and all pet owners are being encouraged to go with their pets in all designated vaccination places.

By Robert Nayeja

Nsanje, August 16, Mana: Nsanje District Council Chairperson, Mike Kafalachi has appealed to community development structures to prioritize agriculture infrastructure in a bid to realize an increase in agricultural productivity and commercialization.

Kafalachi was speaking at the District Agriculture field day organized on Thursday at Gooke Irrigation Scheme in the area of Traditional Authority Mlolo.

The council chairperson observed that most developmental structures like the Area Development Committees dwell much on health and education structures, ignoring other equally important sector for the country’s economy.

“For our country to achieve Malawi 2063 Agenda pillar number 1, which is improved agricultural productivity and commercialization, there is need for governance structures to include agriculture infrastructures in our planning,” Kafalachi said.

He, therefore, disclosed that Nsanje District Council in its socio-economic has prioritized agricultural productivity as the district is either struck by dry spells or floods each year.

“We are promoting irrigation farming in all areas around Nsanje. I want to encourage the communities that were provided with irrigation schemes to put to good use the developmental structures,” he added.

Kafalachi, therefore, expressed disappointment with theft and vandalism of irrigation materials at the scheme in the district, saying it is undermining the vision of the district to achieve food security.

Director of Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources for Nsanje District Council, James Lichapa said the field day was organized to encourage farmers to follow modern ways of farming.

“We hope farmers have learnt a lot from this field day and we expect that they will implement it in their farming practice. We want farmers to take farming as a business so that we can achieve Malawi 2063 Agenda,” he added.

One of the farmers from Gooke village, Godwell Fella said the field day has been very informative as he has learnt modern ways of farming.

“I want to take farming as a business and I will follow whatever farming practices I have learnt today,” he added.

The field day was commemorated under the theme: “Enhanced integrated farming: A key to sustainable climate change resilience, food, nutrition and income security.”

By Lisa Lamya

Blantyre, August 16, Mana: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) practices have significantly improved in Mchacha Village in the area of Traditional Authority Malemia in Nsanje district.

This has been made possible under a project, which the Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) and The Hunger Project are implementing with support from United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to the government of Malawi funded by KFW.

Group Village Head Mchacha told Malawi News Agency (Mana) that for the past five years the area has not recorded any Cholera case, attributing the development to the introduction of the project.

“I remember back in the years we had a Cholera case, luckily the patient recovered, as a community leader, I encourage my subjects to have a toilet, ensure proper hygiene in their homes so that we curb such diseases,” Mchacha said.

One of the beneficiaries for the project, Mary Kandiado said diarrhoeal diseases have no place in her home because she has all the necessary WASH facilities.

“I have three children and one is under five, I always ensure that I keep my surroundings clean and use clean water when preparing food and wash my hands thoroughly,” Kandiado said.

A health promoter in Mchacha village, Jennifer Kaliati said she has seen noticeable improvements in the area in terms of sanitation and hygiene.

Kaliati said that through care groups which were set up in the village, issues of WASH have spread across the village.

“Our message is clear, we let the communities decide whether they want to be hygienic and disease free or if they want to break sanitation rules and stay in hospital,” Kaliati added.

Kaliati said that men in the area are taking a leading role in spreading WASH messages.

“Issues of hygiene are mostly associated with women but we have seen that male champions have been vibrant in disseminating messages on WASH as well as nutrition,” she said.

Data from UNICEF shows that hundreds of children under the age of five die every day from diarrhoeal diseases that could have been prevented by basic WASH practices at home, health centre and school level.

By Chisomo Kambandanga

Nkhata Bay, August 16, Mana: Nkhata Bay District Council and Ripple Africa through the department fisheries have burned over 200 illegal fishing gears that were confiscated in the beaches of Lake Malawi worth MK40 million.

In an interview on Thursday during the burning exercise at Nkhafu dumping site in the area of Senior Chief Mkumbira, Nkhata Bay District Commissioner, Rodgers Newa said this is a sign that the council together with partners are committed to preserving fish in the district.

“We have a lot of illegal fishing gears on the lake Malawi that are not acceptable within the framework of Fisheries Act. This affects our efforts in fish management. As a control measure, we intensified patrols, identified illegal fishers and confiscated the gears and the law provides that we need to burn them so that they are not found on the lake,” Newa said.

According to Newa, these illegal fishing gears harvest immature fish which is making the district to lose a lot of fish which affects revenue collection for the council among others things.

“In our continued efforts of patrols, we have a committee that checks in shops to make sure that only multifilament gears that are recommended by government are sold unlike the monofilaments which endangers aquatic life,” he added.

Newa therefore commended Ripple Africa and all stakeholders working hand in hand with the council to sensitize the masses about legal fishing gears as the council cannot do it all due to resource constraints.

He warned fishers who are still resisting to change that the law shall keep taking it's course.

In his remarks, Country Director for Ripple Africa, Force Ngwira expressed commitment to continue supporting the council with resources through their fish conservation program.

‘Our role is to support Nkhata Bay District Council financially because for fisheries department to go for patrols and confiscate these illegal fishing gears they need resources and we remain committed to support,” Ngwira said.

According to Ngwira, most of illegal fishing gears were confiscated by Beach Village Committees and Fisheries Associations.

Chairperson for Mkumbira Sub-Fisheries Association, Andrew Kamanga said they will keep on sensitizing the masses in the district on responsible fishing and appealed for continued support from government and developmental partners.

By Chisomo Kambandanga

Nkhata Bay, August 16, Mana: Executive Secretary for Mdauku wa a Tonga (MWATO) Levi Zeleza Manda says all is set for this year's Tonga cultural heritage populary known as Mdauku wa a Tonga celebrations.

The event will take place Saturday, August 17, 2024 at Msani in the area of Group Village Head Chilerawana under Senior Chief Mkumbira in NKhata Bay with the aim of uniting and preserving the culture of Tongas from across and outside the country.

In an interview, Manda said this year they will inaugurate their own cultural heritage site for the Tongas called Mwato Village at GVH Chilerawana in the area of Senior Chief Mkumbira.

"This will be our Tonga cultural ground which we will develop ourself. We will construct a school, museum and other structures to preserve the Tonga culture," Manda said.

According to Manda the event will be spiced up by several dances like Honala and Malipenga and there will be a display of food like batter fish locally known as batala, rice chigwada, nkhungu and Kondoole.

The theme for this year's MWATO celebration is ‘Our environment, our future’.

Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Honorable Richard Chimwendo Banda is expected to be the guest of honor at the event.