By Lekereni Chinkhota

Salima, February 3, Mana: Communities in Salima have hailed the maize distribution initiative in the district as a good solution to their food insufficiency as the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), through Salima District Council Disaster Risk Management Office, continues rescuing people from hunger.

Speaking at Mgwirizano Primary School, in the area of Senior Chief Pemba, Disaster Risk Management Officer for Salima, Gloria Chinangwa, said the distribution exercise is going well as there is neither duplication of beneficiaries nor corruption.

“The activity has been moving well. We have managed to distribute the maize we were allocated to various Centre’s in the district. However, we are still remaining with other Centre’s which we are yet to reach out to because we have been receiving one or two trucks a day which is delaying the exercise to sustain the number of people that are yet to receive.

“Sometimes, we are also receiving people that are not beneficiaries and this is affecting us as we have to handle their issues instead of focusing on the exercise. However, we have just received reports that many districts have completed the exercise which will put us at an advantage to start receiving more trucks that will cover many Centre’s,” Chinangwa said.

In his remarks, Group Village Headman Pemba said the relief items will benefit his people because most of them were experiencing acute hunger.

“The maize we have received will save my people from hunger that our area is experiencing. We are grateful for the initiative,” Pemba said.

A beneficiary from the area of Senior Chief Pemba, Charles Frank, said the maize will solve food insufficiency challenges his family was facing.

“We are grateful for the gesture. Now we will focus on finding other necessities more than we used to do to find only food,” he said.

Another beneficiary from Nungwana Village, Finess Mustafa, concurred with Frank that relief maize will help her family have enough food throughout the month of February.

“We used to sleep on empty stomachs if I didn’t find any casual work that would give us money to buy a cup of maize for the day. This had a negative impact on my children because they were not going to school,” she said.

So far, DoDMA has reached out to more than 7,000 households in Senior Chiefs Maganga, Kambwiri, Pemba and Salima.

By Shaffie Bakali

Mangochi, February 3, Mana: Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation Liana Chapota Kakhobwe has said tree planting exercise is vital in securing healthy rain cycle, which leads to sustainable water resources.

Kakhobwe made the remarks Thursday during the tree planting exercise at Lingamasa Catchment Area in the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Chowe in Mangochi District.

The tree planting ceremony was organized by National Water Resource Authority (NWRA), through the Malawi Watershed Services Improvement Project (MWASIP), with funding from the World Bank.

Kakhobwe urged communities across Mangochi to embrace the tree planting exercise, saying the exercise is not intended for catchment areas only.

“In order for the impact of this exercise to be seen, it needs sustainability efforts. As such, this should not be done at catchment areas only but I encourage you all to continue with it at individual level, thus planting trees in your respective homes so that we can have whole year vegetative cover,” she said.

She added that the exercise is in response to the plea that was made by President Lazarus Chakwera during the launch of tree planting exercise in Phalombe.

In his remarks, NWRA board chairperson Engineer James Mambulu said his organization is committed to conserve environment and water with the aim of ensuring access to clean water to the citizens.

Mambulu therefore expressed satisfaction with the progress of the project, saying with the support from the Ministry of Water and other stakeholders, the project is progressing well in 19 catchment areas across the country.

Senior Chief Chowe has since hailed government and NWRA for the provision of resources, such as funds and motorcycles.

Chowe then assured the stakeholders that his subordinates will work tirelessly to ensure the funds are used efficiently.

During the ceremony, NWRA distributed funds amounting to over K3 million for the implementation of reforestation exercise to Lingamasa of Mangochi as well as Lower Livilizi of Balaka catchment management committees.

The authority has also distributed 10,000 tree seedlings to the same catchment management committees, including donating four motorcycles as a way of easing transportation of catchment advisors.

By Leah Malimbasa

Chikwawa, February 3, Mana: Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) and African Development Bank (AfDB) have inaugurated an Emergency Operating Centre (EOC) in Chikwawa to enhance emergency and disaster response.

Speaking during the inauguration AfDB Country Programme Officer, Furaha Bishota, said the centre is funded by a US$23 million grant through Post-Cyclone Idai Emergency Recovery and Resilience Project.

“Through this project, another EOC will be constructed in Mulanje and Emergency Evacuation Centres (EECs) have already been constructed in Phalombe and Nsanje as a demonstration of the Bank’s continued commitment towards disaster management,” said Bishota.

The project has also supported drilling of 50 boreholes, rehabilitated 35 fish ponds and is in the process of constructing a solar powered water supply system and 4 public sanitary facilities to further enhance the district’s accessibility to potable water and improved sanitary facilities as well as enhance the communities’ livelihood activities.

Bishota said the Bank expects that the facility will help in improving stakeholders’ coordination in disaster management in the district.

She, therefore, urged the District Council to sustainably utilise the facility.

“With the El Nino, seasonal forecast for the 2023/2024, which will require greater stakeholder coordination to reduce effects, the Bank believes that the centre will play a fundamental role,” she said.

In his remarks, District Commissioner for Chikwawa, Nardin Kamba, commended the Bank and DoDMA for the infrastructure.

She concurred with Bishota that the infrastructure will go a long way in helping the Council and stakeholders to coordinate disaster management affairs better.

“The EOC has given Chikwawa a face-lift and has solved office space problems,” he said.

Kamba said, apart from office space and conference room, the EOC also has a spacious storeroom which will be used to store relief items for the district when hit by disasters.

He promised that the Council will take good care of the structure through proper operation and putting in place maintenance mechanisms.

According to DoDMA Director of Preparedness and Response, Rev. Moses Chimphepo, the EOC can also be used by experts on official matters.

“Chikwawa did not have such a facility; now they can easily communicate with us faster using video conferencing at national level and transmit reports,” said Chimphepo.

By Golden Kang’oma

Salima, February 3, Mana: Vendors at Kaphatenga Market in Salima have resolved their grievances with Salima District Council and have agreed to resume paying market fees as the Council has constructed a toilet at the facility.

For some time, vendors at the market have boycotted paying market fees saying the Council was failing to construct a toilet and other sanitary services.

Speaking to Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Friday, Salima District Council Chairperson, Chifungo Katoweka, said the Council has now constructed the toilet at the market to ensure that there is hygiene.

“We are not only looking at the fees that we collect at the market but also the well-being of the people doing business at the premises. So, after receiving concerns from the vendors, we discussed with them on how we could address the challenges,” said Katoweka.

He hailed the vendors for being patient for a long period and for resuming paying market fees saying that is the only way the market can grow.

Kaphatenga Market Vendors Chairperson, Kingsley Kachitsa, said the facility has come at a right time when vendors and customers were helpless.

“We are glad that the Council has heard our concerns. We were at risk of waterborne diseases, especially during rainy season, but with this facility such diseases will be prevented,” he said.

Kachitsa promised the Council that they will no longer boycott paying market fees and has, therefore, appealed to the Council to ensure that all necessary services are provided at the market.

He said the vendors are expecting more development projects from the Council.

By Margret Praise Kalua

Nkhata Bay, February 2, Mana: Officer in Charge for Nkhata Bay Police, Isaac Norman, has urged traditional leaders in the district to promote cordial relationships between community members and police in order to maintain peace and stability.

Norman was speaking on Friday during an interface meeting with over 150 chiefs in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Kabunduli in the district.

He said traditional leaders need to work hand in hand with law enforcers for security interventions to bear positive fruits.

“We are very certain that you know your people and understand that they have different characters.

“Others are good while others are criminals. A good leader must not harbour criminals in their area," he said.

Norman further urged chiefs to follow proper procedures when handling issues in their areas like land wrangles.

On his part, TA Kabunduli assured the police that he will do everything possible to make sure that there is always peace in his area.

The chief also asked his subordinates to abide by the law and to always be supportive and collaborative with police to tackle crime in the area.  

By Abubakar Kanjoka

Kasungu, February 2, Mana: Chiefs surrounding Kasungu National Park say government’s move of transferring 265 elephants from Liwonde National Park to Kasungu National Park in 2021 has restored the park’s glory which was at a record low a few years ago.

Speaking at a press conference in Kasungu on Thursday, the nine chiefs, led by Senior Chief Lukwa said contrary to some international media reports that the translocated animals have caused more harm to the villages than good, they are benefiting more from the park.

The press conference was organised in the wake of an article which appeared on a German online media outlet claiming that government, through the Department of Parks and Wildlife, is doing nothing to protect communities along the eastern park boundary.

Lukwa, who is also patron for Kasungu National Park, said the translocation exercise has greatly improved animal sightings in the park hence attracting more tourists to the district.

He said: “With support from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (Ifaw), government is constructing a perimeter fence which will cover the eastern park border to prevent animals from crossing their boundaries to disturb the communities.

“There are also other interventions including community sensitisation meetings, climate smart agriculture initiatives and many more – all meant to ensure that there is coexistence between animals and the surrounding communities by ensuring that both parties stay in their designated areas.”

He said there is a cordial relationship between park authorities and the surrounding communities as they work together in the management of the park.

Public Relations Officer for the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, Joseph Nkosi, commended partners such as Ifaw for the role they are playing in sustaining the park.

He said there are many interventions that have been put in place to economically empower the communities so that they reduce their reliance on the park as a source of their livelihood.

“The introduction of bee keeping as well as the goat pass on project by our partners will surely restrain people from invading the park,” said Nkosi.

Apart from constructing the perimeter fence and coming up with livelihood projects, the Department of Parks and Wildlife has also trained more rangers to be deployed in the park as one way of reducing the human conflict in which elephants have been eating crops and destroying houses at Chulu area.

By Maston Kaiya

Ntcheu, February 2, Mana: Ntcheu District Council on Thursday approved a budget of K27 billion for the 2024/2025 financial year.

The Council’s Finance Service Committee Chairperson, Jumbe Mambo, commended the house for approving the budget saying the development will fast track various development projects in the district. 

"I am happy that the 2024/2025 budget has been approved. We can now forge ahead with development projects lined up for the year," said Mambo.

He disclosed that a new system of payment to contractors has been put in place whereby contractors are requested to do the work first and get paid in phases.

Previously, contractors would ask for part payment before the works commenced a system, Mambo said, posed challenges including non-completion of projects.

The Council has three major sources of revenue namely; locally generated, central government transfers and development partners.

The Council has, in the 2025/2025 financial year, pegged local revenue at K421 million.

Mphate businessperson, Peter Chalira, commended the Council for approving the budget.

"We want to see Ntcheu develop as much as possible," said Chalira.

By Bishop Witmos

Mangochi, February 2, Mana: Malawi and Mozambique have agreed to strengthen their bilateral relationship up to the grassroots level.

The agreement was made on Friday during the joint technical meeting which attracted technocrats from departments of International Affairs, Defense, Police, as well as local government from both Malawi and Mozambique.

Speaking during the opening of the border re-affirmation and other trans-border issues meeting, which took place at Nkopola Lodge in Mangochi, Secretary for Foreign Affairs in Malawi, Benard Sande, said while the bilateral relationship between governments of Malawi and Mozambique is currently strong, that is not the case at the grassroots.

‘‘As you know the relationship between Malawi and Mozambique has greatly improved since His Excellency President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera ascended into office, that cordial relationship has trickled down throughout the high rank government in both countries.

“Unfortunately, on the grassroots, there is a problem. And our idea is that such a good bilateral relationship should go down to the grassroots so that people should interact freely and go about their livelihoods without any difficulties,’’ he said.  

The meeting in Nkopola follows incidences in Mangochi where it was recently reported that some farmers in Makanjira were prevented from farming on their land.

But Sande said the agreements between the two nations in 2018 resolved that livelihood as well as settlements in the area of border reaffirmation should not be disturbed by both nations until the exercise was completed.

‘‘The problem in Makanjira arose because of border reaffirmation which found some Malawians to be in the Mozambican territory. As a result, people in the area were in December last year prevented from accessing the land on the Mozambican side.

‘‘However, after the border reaffirmation exercise previously, there were some agreements that were agreed that livelihood, as well as settlements in the area of border reaffirmation area cannot be disturbed, until the whole exercise of the border reaffirmation is completed. Unfortunately, people in Makanjira who have been farming in what now is known to be the territory of Mozambique were being prevented,’’ said Sande.

In his remarks, Director of National Institute for Sea and Land Boundaries for Mozambique, Armando Chavana, said his government is ready to cooperate in resolving challenges that communities in Makanjira are facing concerning the boundary territory.

‘‘We are aware about the reports where some communities in Makanjira have concerns regarding farming issues between territories of the two nations, and we are here to sort out such problems,’’ he said.

Apart from the issue of border reaffirmation, the meeting also centered on the problems that Malawians face when they move on some Mozambican route, particularly the Tete and Nyasa provinces.

This was triggered recently by the incident that happened in Zobwe where a Malawian truck driver was assaulted, and this is just one among many problems that Malawians face when using Mozambican routes.

Added Chavana: “On the issue of truck drivers who face challenges on some of our routes, we will go back to sensitize the police of the Republic of Mozambique to act peacefully with their brothers from the side of Malawi.’’