By Tione Andsen

Dowa, July 11, Mana: Government has expressed its commitment to ensuring that developing of regulations for the establishment and operationalization of the national arts and heritage promotion fund should encompass the inspirations of the creative industry.

Deputy Director responsible for Arts and Crafts in the Department of Arts, Macdonald Maluwaya said this Thursday during a Technical Review Committee meeting on the establishment of National Arts and Heritage Fund at Chikho Hotel in Mponela, Dowa.

he said the development and establishment of the regulations would help the sector do their activities in a well-coordinated manner.

“We noted that the absence of the regulations was making the sector to fail to implement and coordinate their efforts in promotion of the inspirations of creative and heritage sector. We need to have the regulations in place to help the sector address some of the challenges they were facing in sourcing funding when they want to have projects in place,” Maluwaya explained.

He noted that progress for process was satisfactory and was in line with the time frame of the implementation period and the technical committee team was trying to consolidate and scrutinize what the consultants have produce as draft regulations.

Maluwaya added that the drafting of the regulations need to take into consideration the aspirations of the creative and heritage industry in order help make the sector move in the right direction.

The Deputy Director believes that once the regulations are in place this would enable Parliament to pass the Creative and Heritage Bill to make them operational.

Senior Assistant Executive Secretary responsible for Culture programme for National Commission for UNESCO-Malawi, Christopher Magomelo said the draft regulations have been produced and there was good progress in ensuring that come into force.

He said project was moving very well according to the time lines as per the contract with the Department of Arts.

“We are hoping that Technical committee members will use their knowledge to express their views in accordance to the sector there are representing in the committee,” Magomelo hoped.

A Member of Creative Sector, Ezais Mkandawire said it was pleasing to noted that the draft regulations have taken shape within short period of the time.

“We are looking at areas that have been missed and improve on certain areas which were not well presented in the draft regulations. We need to come up with a representative regulation for the creative sector,” he noted.  

By Ernest Mfunya

Mangochi, July 11, Mana: Southern Region Water Board (SRWB) has disclosed that construction of the K7. 5 billion Makanjira Water Supply Project at Senior Chief Makanjira is expected to start early August this year, 2024.

SRWB Project Manager, Engineer Andrew Kacheyo said this during a full council meeting on Wednesday at Mangochi Town Council.

Speaking after the approval of the project by the council members, Kacheyo said that about 68, 000 people of Makanjira and surrounding areas are expected to receive clean and portable water once the project is completed.

“Currently, we have already identified a contractor but the project is at bidding process. We are waiting to finish receiving comments and suggestions from the general public so that the contractor can start the construction.

“This project is significant to the people of Makanjira and surrounding areas as it will result into reduction of water borne diseases such as cholera, as such, we are calling the council to work hand in hand with the board to ensure successful implementation of the project,” he added.

Engineer Kacheyo said that the project will be funded by the government of Malawi and it is expected to be complete within a period of 12 months.

In his remarks, Chairperson for Mangochi district council, Councilor Hassan Chikuta expressed gratitude following the approval of the project, saying this was in line with Mangochi Council’s District Development Plan and Malawi 2063 Agenda of provision of essential services to citizens.

"Water is life. It is because of this fact that people of Mangochi are giving full support to Southern Region Water Board and government so that the project should finish in good time. Our local leaders will be on the ground ensuring that there is no theft of materials or any other malpractice surrounding the project,” said Chikuta.

Member of Parliament for Makanjira North Constituency, Benedicto Chambo said that he has been lobbying for portable water at Makanjira for the ten years he has been in parliament such that drinking from unsafe water sources has been his concern over the years.

Chambo therefore described the project as timely saying once the project completes, people especially women and girls will enjoy drawing clean water within short distances.

The Makanjira Water Supply Project comes barely months after government through the SRWB completed similar project at Nkhunzi bay in the district.

By Memory Kutengule Chatonda

Blantyre, July 11, Mana: Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda says government is expediting the process of entering into the Memorandum of Understanding with the International Blantyre Cancer Centre on the service level agreement to ensure that low-income cancer patients who have been on a long waiting list get assistance at the facility on government bill.

The minister said this on Wednesday in Blantyre when she inspected the cancer center to appreciate services currently being offered to cancer patients.

Although the International Blantyre Cancer Centre currently receives patients from Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and few Malawians who afford to access services on medical aid and cash payment, the authorities complained that most Malawian patients who are battling with cancer cannot afford to pay for treatment due to exorbitant fees.

Chiponda said: “The cancer burden in Malawi is quite huge, especially with breast cancer, cervical cancer, cancer of the esophagus, and Kaposi sarcoma. We have many Malawians who are really suffering from different types of cancer and lack essential services, especially radiotherapy.

“Blantyre Cancer Center is providing both chemotherapy and radiotherapy and as government, we will expedite the process of finalizing the agreement so that Malawians can start coming here to access the services.”

The minister disclosed that government made service charge agreement with Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM) such that low income earners access medical services in CHAM facilities.

“We already made a similar agreement with CHAM hospitals, whereby they provide services to the people and government pays for them.  We want the same to be done with the cancer center,” she added.

She said it was not worth for the International Blantyre Cancer Center to only utilize 20 percent of its capacity when its investment is so much.

International Blantyre Cancer Centre, Chief Medical Officer, Wanangwa Namelo encouraged government to fast-track the service level agreement to ensure that cancer patients receive treatment at the facility regardless of their economic status.

“A good move would be for us to offer cancer treatment to patients who cannot afford to pay for themselves. The cancer center has the capacity to treat more patients.

“We also encourage organizations to engage with us and see how best we can treat as many people as possible because we know that there are a lot of cancer patients out there whose conditions are getting worse while they are waiting and sadly, some are even dying when this facility is now here,” said Namelo.

Early this year, President Lazarus Chakwera inaugurated the multi-million-dollar state-of the art International Blantyre Cancer Center.

By George Mponda

Karonga, July 11, Mana: Controller of Agriculture Extension and Technical Services in the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Alfred Mwenifumbo has advised farmers to adopt farm mechanization to increase yield and ease their work.

Mwenifumbo said this recently at Hara Irrigation Scheme in Karonga where Mahindra, a company that deals in farm equipment, through Delta Automobiles and Equipment LTD had organized a demonstration of rice planting using Mahindra rice transplanters.

“Malawian rice farmers produce 146,000 metric tonnes annually but there is demand for 12 million tonnes of rice in Africa. Adopting mechanized farming will not only help farmers increase their yield but will also reduce manual work.

“Under mega farms’ initiative, all farmland parcels exceeding 20 hectres qualify to be a mega farm.  I therefore would like to advise farmers who hold such land to register it and form a cooperative registered with Ministry of Industry and Trade for them to access loans from Agriculture Commercialization (AGCOM) Project and purchase these machines,” said Mwenifumbo.

General Manager for Delta Automobiles and Equipment LTD Goldy Nair said they conducted eight- month research among farmers in Malawi and most of them complained of hard manual work in agricultural activities.

"Rice is always planted manually in all districts and this affects quality and quantity of yield, hence our involvement in contributing to the achievement of Malawi 2063 of becoming a self-reliant nation through agricultural commercialization.

“This is why today we displayed walk-behind and ride-on rice transplanters which are capable of planting rice on four hectares in a day,” said Nair.

Manager for Hara Irrigation Scheme, Derlings Mwalungira said the intervention will lead to modernized agriculture with reduced expenditure in rice production.

By Wallace Chipeta

Lilongwe, July 11, Mana: Minister of Tourism, Vera Kamtukule has said private sector and government need to work together to ensuring tourism industry building and growth in the country.

She made the remarks Wednesday at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe when she appreciated a three-day Tourism Delivery Lab in session.

"Come up with practical solutions to address challenges affecting the growth of tourism and enhance those things that we are doing well in the industry.

Government identified agriculture, tourism and mining (ATM) strategy as the recovery plan for the economy.

To ensure the holistic approach to resolving the bottlenecks chocking the tourism industry, the lab is focusing on three streams of product development and marketing; infrastructure development for the tourism sector and lastly policy and legal framework.

The Tourism Delivery lab has been organized by Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU).

By Maston Kaiya

Ntcheu, July 11, Mana: Maseko Ngoni Paramount Chief INkosi ya Makhosi Gomani V has cancelled 2024 Umhlangano annual cultural event which was slated for September 5-7, 2024 saying this is one way of honouring late Impi, Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima and Musician late Lucius Banda.

Gomani V announced this during a Press briefing on Wednesday at his Lizulu headquarters in Ntcheu district.

He described the death of Impi Chilima who was State Vice President and Banda who was one of the country's greatest musician as a huge blow to the Maseko Ngoni' and the nation at large.

"Impi Biyeni Chilima was very patriotic and highly committed to Ngoni culture. He was actively participating in all Ngoni cultural and traditional functions," Gomani said adding the sudden departure of Impi Chilima has left a big gap which is difficult to be filled in the Maseko Ngoni culture.

In the midst of mourning Impi Biyeni Chilima, the Maseko Ngonis lost the vital pillar and a music icon Soldier, Lucius Banda who greatly contributed to Ngoni culture through his cultural Music.

"The death of Soldier, Lucius Banda is a sad news to Maseko Ngoni as he greatly assisted in promoting culture through his instrumentals, and was a profound pillar to the Maseko Ngoni Heritage Trust," he said.

"Given these sad developments, I have declared three-month mourning period among Maseko Ngoni's hence cancelling this year's Umhlangano annual festival," Gomani V said.

Impi late Chilima died in a plane crash in Chikangawa forest on June 10, 2024 while Soldier, Lucius Banda died on June 30, 2024 in South Africa due to kidney failure.