MANAonline
Unbeaten run on test
By Tione Andsen
Lilongwe, May 30, Mana: Week nine of TNM Super league will put to test unbeaten run for defending champions, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets and current league leaders, Silver Strikers on Sunday at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
The clash of the giants is a litmus test both teams which have not posted any defeat for the season.
Bullets are fourth on the log with 14 points while Silver are on top with 22 points from eight games, six points clear of second placed, Mzuzu City Hammers with 16 points.
The People’s team have only two wins and five draws while the Central Bankers have seven wins and a draw to their credit.
Crowd pulling encounter promises fireworks and a lot of expectations from both camps itching for a straight win.
Last season, both teams played out to two one all draws but the Sunday encounter fans are baying for a win for any of the two.
The Area 47 outfit has been on song for the first opening counters where they have been banging in goals to their advantage while the counterparts are struggling on front of a goal hence they have accumulated five draws.
Men to watch from both sides, Bullets. Patrick Mwaungulu has four goals to his credit, Hassan Kajoke, Lanjesi Nkhoma and Chawanangwa Gumbo while Silver have Uchizi Vunga, Charles Chipala, Chikondi Kamanga and Zebron Kalima.
However, the availability of their four goal scoring duo of Adiel Kaduya and Binwell Katinji remains doubtful as they are reportedly nursing some injuries.
Mighty Mukuru Wanderers coming from two defeats are geared to face Premier Bet Dedza Dynamos on Saturday at Kamuzu Stadium.
Wanderers have an interim coach, after their head coach Nsanzurwimo Ramadhan a had resigned from his posts and his assistant, Meke Mwase was made to replace him.
Mwase carries hope for Wanderers starved supporters who are looking for a win in order to revive their title chase ambitions after a Lilongwe and Mzuzu setbacks.
The away games for the Lali Lubani Boys have proved to be costly and they need to forgo the nasty experience and take their game head on.
Premier Bet Dedza have been strong playing at home and they managed to share points with Bullets and Silver while on their travel they have been found wanting at times.
Third placed, Kamuzu Barracks with 15 points are facing Karonga United at Civo stadium on Thursday.
Kamuzu Barracks will definitely push for a win in order to climb the ladder while Karonga United will be search for a win after they were beaten 4-2 by Silver Strikers last weekend.
On Friday, Civil Services United coming from a 2-0 win over Chitipa United in Karonga last Thursday will have to entertain another Karonga side, Baka City at home.
Baka City have moved from the basement of the log, now on position 15 will be looking for the first win over Civil Service United to give them hope of survival.
Chitipa United with new interim coach at the helm they need to find a winning formula if they are to pull out of the relegation zone as they be facing.
Their coaches, head coach, Mcnebert Kadzuwa and his assistant, Elvis Kafoteka throw a tower after the team’s dismissal performance.
Immediately, the team promoted second assistant coach, Gift Mkamanga to become an interim coach and will be assisted by Wakisa Mukhondiya.
It will be seen if the new coach will have the magic to make Chitipa United a force to reckon with.
They have a daunting fixture against log anchors, Bangwe All Stars at Mpira Stadium in Blantyre on Sunday.
Stubborn, Mzuzu City Hammers are on the road and they will face the debutantes, FOMO at Mulanje Park on Saturday.
Victory over Wanderers should not be used as a yard stick to undermine FOMO because they have very strong playing at home.
After pulling a 0-0 draw against Bullets on Monday, Moyale Barracks are lining up against Mighty Waka Tigers which has be unpredictable at times.
Both teams are seriously look for a win in order to narrow the gap with the two five teams.
The fixtures are as follows and kick off is 2:30 pm.
Thursday, May 30, 2024
Kamuzu Barracks vs Karonga United @Civo Stadium
Friday, May 31, 2024
Civil Services United vs Baka City @ Civo Stadium
Saturday, June 1, 2024
Mafco vs Creck Sporting @ Chitowe Stadium
Mighty Mukuru Wanderers vs Premier Bet Dedza Dynamos
Moyale Barracks vs Mighty Waka Tigers @ Mzuzu Stadium
FOMO vs Mzuzu City Hammers @ Mulanje Park
Sunday, June 2, 2024
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets vs Silver Strikers @ Kamuzu Stadium
Bangwe All Stars vs Chitipa United @ Mpira Stadium
Government commits to supporting architecture sector
By Lesnat Kenan
Lilongwe, May 29, mana: Vice President, Saulos Chilima, has assured Malawians that government is committed to supporting architecture sector in order to have good standards of infrastructures across Malawi.
Chilima made the remarks on Wednesday at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe during the official opening of a four-day Malawi Institute of Architect’s (MIA) Annual General Meeting.
"We have strategies that help to improve architectural standards in the country such as specification of appropriate materials and construction methods as well as training of local builders", He said.
He, therefore, appealed to construction industries to collaborate with government saying this is crucial for good standards of architectures and this will help the Country to achieve vision 2063 in terms of urbanization.
In his remarks President for MIA, Khumbo Chirwa, added that architects are taking steps to ensure that all buildings are of good standards in both designs and constructions in the country.
"We have architectural education at Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) and we are working hand in hand with the National Construction Industry Council (NCIC) and local authorities such as Blantyre and Lilongwe city assemblies to approve only quality standards buildings in their cities and across Malawi", he added.
Director of Buildings, in the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, Same Ngoma, therefore appealed to government to review the architects and quantity surveyors act which passed in 1992 to have few things changed in order to improve the development of urbanization.
This year's event is held under the theme, “The architect: Re_imagining Malawi's future" and aligns with the Malawi 2063 vision on urbanization.
Commission calls for a peaceful and a unified Nation
By Gift Chiponde
Lilongwe, May 29 Mana: Chairperson for the Malawi Peace and Unity Commission (MPUC), Commissioner Mary Nkosi, has emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to foster peace among Malawians ahead of the 2025 General Elections.
She made the remarks in Lilongwe on Wednesday during a press briefing aimed at updating the public on the progress that the Commission has made since its operationalization.
Nkosi urged political parties, officials, and the citizenry to conduct a clean campaign by avoiding violence and disputes.
She said the Commission will continue to strengthen local peace-building structures across the country as a way of preventing electoral violence towards the 2025 elections, as electoral violence thrives on unresolved community-level conflicts.
Nkosi disclosed that plans are underway to ensure that the commission secretariat is effective and operational as a way of improving the operations of the commission.
She stated that the MPUC held its first quarterly meeting of the 2024/2025 financial year on Tuesday to assess the progress made in the implementation of priority interventions, which were agreed upon in previous meetings to make the Commission fully operational.
Nkosi commended the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for lending support for the establishment of the commission and running its operations.
In an interview with the Malawi News Agency (MANA), a renowned Political and Socio-Economic expert Humphreys Mvula said the initiative undertaken by the commission signifies the commitment to ensuring that peace and unity exist in the country.
He said the commission should fully develop a good strategy for addressing issues through complete research when addressing issues about peace and unity.
Mining investors geared for energy access projects
By Sellah Chunda
Lilongwe, May 29, Mana: Head of Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU), who is also Deputy Secretary to the Office of President and Cabinet, Janet Banda has revealed that some investors in the mining sector are committed to carry out projects that will enhance the growth of the mining industry in the country.
Speaking during the closing ceremony of a two -day Pre-lab meeting at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) on Wednesday in Lilongwe, Banda said the intensive meetings which were held, have revealed that collaborative efforts are needed to unlock the benefits hidden in the mining industry.
She said political will necessities the transformation, as such the government together with stakeholders are committed to solve challenges surrounding the mining sector.
"There is clear political will to propel the mining sector to the level that will bear economic fruits for our nation. As government we are glad to learn that there are some investors ready to take on some projects. This is a good development," Banda said.
She said other investors are committed to pay electricity bills to Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) in foreign currency once Malawi-Mozambique inter-connector is finalized.
"It is intriguing, to note that some mining investors are willing to pay ESCOM in foreign currency where Malawi-Mozambique inter-connector will have been signed. This will relieve pressure on electricity foreign currency payments," Banda added.
In his remarks, Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Mining, Joseph Mkandawire said the operationalization of Mining Regulatory Authority will help the mining sector to grow.
He said the government has allocated funding to help the establishment of the regulatory body.
"In terms of mines and minerals Act, we had it in 2019 but it was replaced by an Act of 2023. This was done to create the regulatory body.
"We took so long to gazette the Act because we had funding issues. But we are pleased to report to you that government has allocated funds to help operationalize the Act," He said.
Local authorities challenged to enforce amended land laws
By George Bulombola
Mzuzu, May 29, Mana: Director of Administration in the Ministry of Lands, Dr. Victor Sandikonda has appealed to local authorities to enforce amended land laws in order for them to be observed and implemented smoothly come June 2024.
The call was made, Wednesday in Mzuzu when the ministry engaged councilors and management for Mzuzu City Council on the provisions of the amended land related laws which were effected in 2022.
Sandikonda said putting the laws in place is one thing and enforcing them in another initiative which he said requires multi stakeholder coordination for the laws to be of value to the country.
“What we see in our cities today is a result of decisions which were made in the past by institutions charged with specific responsibilities and some of the decisions have led to unpleasant developments within our cities,” said Sandikonda.
He said to deal with such challenges holistically, government through the ministry is implementing the Land Reform Programme in the country and the development necessitates proper implementation mechanisms by relevant stakeholders.
“New pieces of legislation replacing the old laws were drafted and passed in Parliament in 2016, however their enactment into laws attracted a number of petitions which were also referred to Parliament by relevant actors in the land sector,” said Sandikonda.
He added that in an attempt to address the concerns which were raised by the majority of Malawians, the ministry embarked on the review process of the laws in 2020.
“The review among other issues focused on ownership of land by foreigners, status of freehold land and payment of application fees for registration and customary estates,” he said.
Mayor for Mzuzu City Council, Gift Desire Nyirenda commended the ministry for organizing the engagement meeting as it will provide a desired platform for information and knowledge sharing between the ministry and council officials.
Nyirenda said the council faced a lot of chaos and the engagement will provide good direction in land management and administration.
“This chaos emanates from diversified land owners within the cities julidicstions. There are three owners of land in the city and the these are the city council itself, Ministry of Land and Malawi Housing Cooperation but everyone operate without consulting the other,” said Nyirenda.
He therefore called for coordination amongst the stakeholders to ensure that land within the city is utilized according to urban development plans.
NICE Trust employs male champions to promote women's participation in politics
By: Golden Kang'oma
Salima, May 28, Mana: The National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Trust, under its Nthawi Yawo project funded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), has employed male champions to encourage women’s participation in the upcoming elections.
This initiative aims to foster inclusive participation of women in Malawi's political landscape.
"The role of the male champions is to try to change the minds of the people in different areas, in Salima. We have about 12 Traditional Authorities (TAs), and each TA has two male champions. Their aim is to garner community support for women in politics," she said.
Mataya emphasized the project’s goal of widespread public sensitization. "Our expectation is that they will reach out to as many people as possible, encouraging support for women in politics. We want to empower women to take part in various positions in the 2025 elections," she said.
Mataya added that the male champions will undergo various training sessions to effectively carry out their roles.
Gender Officer for Salima District Council, Friness Samaliya stressed the importance of male advocacy in this patriarchal society.
"We are calling on these male champions to spread the message. The campaign period is not yet in, but we want to prepare women to show their interest in politics."
She said: "In a patriarchal setup where men make most family decisions, it's crucial for these champions to penetrate male-dominated communities and encourage fellow men to support women candidates."
"If men support women, we will see more women surviving in the political arena in Salima," she said.
Bisalomu Gowa, one of the male champions, expressed his commitment to the cause.
"We are going to work tirelessly to ensure that women's participation in politics increases," Gowa said.
The initiative marks a significant step towards enhancing women's political representation in Malawi, aiming to bring about a more inclusive and balanced political environment.
First Lady Meets IFRCRC boss
By Gift Chiponde
Lilongwe, 29 May, Mana: First Lady, Madame Monica Chakwera has expressed gratitude for the good work that the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRCRC), through the Malawi Red Cross Society, is doing in Malawi, especially after Cyclone Freddy and the recent floods in the country.
She made these remarks on Tuesday, after paying a courtesy call to the Secretary General of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRCRC), Jagan Chapagan, at the IFRC Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland.
Madame Chakwera reiterated her passion towards the work done by the Red Cross, particularly in ensuring that the education of the girl child is not interrupted during times of crisis, considering that girls normally have a limited number of years they can adequately attend school.
She further assured the Secretary General of her commitment to collaborate with IFRCRC in humanitarian programs, considering that the world is still facing many crises.
“The crises Malawi is experiencing are beyond what the country is prepared for,” she said.
During the meeting, Chapagan and his team from the Health and Education departments highlighted different programs being implemented in Malawi through the Malawi Red Cross Society.
He indicated that among priority areas which IFRCRC is focusing on, include support for crisis-related challenges, strengthening the capacity of the Red Cross in Malawi, collaboration with the Ministry of Health on disaster preparedness and planning for re-position preparedness on disaster with the Global Fund.
“Plans to scale up community-based crisis-related response, mitigation, and preparedness are underway”. he said
On education, the IFRCRC through the Danish Red Cross with funding from the European Union provides support to schools to be better and safer places with continued education provision during crises to avoid the disruption of education services as most times, education facilities become temporary places of accommodation.
He stated that plans in education include climate change-related activities – greening schools to be more climate change resilient, assisting in ensuring agriculture practices that are climate resilient, and first aid awareness for teachers and pupils, young people and students, including behavioral change programs and family support, among others.
SCTP transforming the Lupachi community in Nkhotakota
By Wongani Mkandawire
Nkhotakota, May 29, Mana: Some Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) beneficiaries at Lupachi in the area of Sub Traditional Authority Katumbi in Nkhotakota says the program has made a notable impact on their livelihoods, transforming the entire community.
Speaking in an interview on Monday in Josiya Village, 43-year-old Joseph Nyirenda said he has benefited from the program as he has managed to build a decent house and ventured into livestock production to offer economic support to his family.
Nyirenda who started receiving the money in 2018, said the program has indeed improved his family through a group livestock business they ventured into as a community.
“I am now paying school fees for two of my children to a total tune of MK70,000.00 for Helshima Private School here in Lupachi and another at Ehehleni Community Day Secondary School in Mzimba district and it all started with the little money from Mtukula Pakhomo.
"Let me advise my fellow beneficiaries to invest the money they are receiving in small-scale businesses to become self-reliant for their economic well-being, while preparing themselves to graduate from the program, it is not too late," said Nyirenda.
Another beneficiary in the same community, Juvita Nkhata, a 53-year-old widow said that before enrolling in the programme in 2018, she was struggling to feed her family. Nkhata said she has the responsibility to feed her seven dependants and pay school fees for one of her children.
"I joined a village savings and loans (VSL) group in our community. I have managed to buy pigs and iron sheets for my house using proceeds from the group. Now, I am relying on livestock and VSL operations to feed my family and pay school fees for my child who is in Form 3 at St. Bosco Private School," said Nkhata.
Principal Social Welfare Officer for Nkhotakota district, Oswald Mwale says they continually advise beneficiaries to join VLS groups to develop a saving culture, maximize benefits, and become self-reliant once they exit the program.
Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) was introduced in the Nkhotakota district in 2018, to support the ultra-poor community with financial support through the Social Support for Resilient Livelihood Program (SSRLP) implemented by the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) with funds from the World Bank through the Malawian Government.
Boat marking and registration exercise launched in the country
By Innocent Chunga
Nkhotakota, May 29, Mana: Pact Malawi, through Restoring Fisheries for Sustainable Livelihoods in Lake Malawi (REFRESH) project on Tuesday launched the boat-marking and registration exercise at Ngala Fish Landing Site in the area of Senior Chief Kanyenda in Nkhotakota district.
Speaking at the event, Director of Fisheries Dr. Hastings Zidana said the boats that operate on the water bodies across the country, will be registered and marked for easy identification a development which he said is expected to help in dealing with barbaric behaviors including illegal fishing activities.
Zidana said the development will go a long way in conserving unique fish species in sanctuaries on Lake Malawi and rivers, as boats will be easily identified using the colors representing their district of origin.
"We have targeted to register 60,000 boats across the country and the exercise will assist us in giving penalties to those breaching Acts,” said Zidana.
He said the Marine Department is also part of the exercise and therefore expects that this will assist with the control of illegal importation of goods on the lake as well.
Pact Malawi-REFRESH Chief of Party, Daniel Jamu said the exercise will assist in ownership of the boats in terms of licensing, observing that by-laws for both marine through inland shipping and Waters, as well as Fisheries Management and Conservation Acts, provides that boats must be registered and licensed.
"We hope the exercise will address the challenges on the lake because this has never been done before. Our local structures as Beach Village Committees are involved to ensure the exercise's successful implementation," said Jamu.
Hassan Phiri, who represented Chairperson for Nkhotakota District Fisheries Association (FA) said they have committed to assist both parties in addressing challenges in water bodies in the district and across the country.
With financial support from Pact Malawi, officials from the fisheries department, marine, Pact, Rumphi, Karonga, Likoma, Nkhotakota, Salima, Dedza, and Mangochi district councils, Chiefs, Beach Village Committees and partners for Pact Malawi attended the event.
The boat marking exercise will be undertaken in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change through the Department of Fisheries and Marine, according to Zidana.
Thyolo MPLC for a violence free general election campaign.
By Beni Bamusi
Thyolo, May 29, Mana: In an unprecedented display of unity, political party leaders and the Thyolo Multiparty Liaison Committee (MPLC) put aside their differences and joined forces to work towards peaceful 2025 general election.
On Tuesday, the leaders toured Thunga, Bvumbwe, and Goliati trading centers, sending message to the electorate to coexist peacefully and refrain from violence during election campaign period.
Thyolo District Election Officer who is also MPLC Secretary, Daniel Majamanda said this tour will help to have peaceful elections in 2025.
“Touring the trading centers has sent a strong message that even political parties can live together and promote peace in the district. This will be emulated by the party followers in trading centers and will proliferate to the whole district,” he added.
United Democratic Front (UDF) District Governor, Steven Kazombe said the tour was necessary and expressed hope that the message of peace and coexistence was loud and clear enough to reduce political violence and promote coexistence among party followers.
“This move will allow people to walk freely, wearing their party colors without fear of intimidation,” he added.
District Governors of People’s Party (PP), Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) concurred with Kazombe, emphasizing that unity and tolerance among parties will minimize election-related violence and will make the 2025 general elections credible.
The tour was organized by NICE in collaboration with Thyolo MPLC under Boma Lathu Project.
