By Vincent Khonje

Mchinji, December 14, Mana: Police in Mchinji have apprehended 32 students from Mphangala Private Boarding Secondary School, located at Kamwendo Trading Centre, on suspicion of being involved in a series of acts of vandalism at the school following a protest against the school management.

The incident unfolded on Monday, December 11, when students staged a protest against the school's administration because they were served food late.

The situation escalated when some enraged students began damaging and setting school property ablaze, prompting authorities to notify the Kamwendo Police Post.

Mchinji Police Public Relations Officer Limbani Mpinganjira stated that, upon receiving the report, the police promptly visited the scene, successfully dispersing the students who subsequently fled to neighboring villages.

"In the course of events, they damaged the windscreen of a Toyota Land Cruiser owned by Mchinji Police, registration number MP 2642. Additionally, school property, including electric cable wires, two mattresses, four chairs, four window frames, and one aluminum pot, were also damaged," explained Mpinganjira, saying the total value of the losses is yet to be determined as investigations are still ongoing.

Among the 32 arrested are Precious Steven, 22, from Kandaya Village, TA Simphasi, and Chikondi Nakaleti, 22, from Mlonyeni Village under TA Mlonyeni in the district.

The suspects are expected to face charges of malicious damage and arson in court.

By Winfrida Kamwana

Mchinji, December 8, Mana: Amidst high unemployment rate in Malawi, MHub has embarked on a Job and Opportunity Fair to provide a platform for youths to access information that will help them get job and business opportunities.

The Job and Opportunity Fair took place in Mchinji for two consecutive days, providing knowledge to different youths on how to access business grants and how to determine appropriate career paths.

In his remarks, MHub Technical Manager Daniel Mvalo explained that the fair is aimed at providing information to youths on how to access information on job opportunities, business grants and market linkages.

“Youths need a platform to access information, such as how to professionally present themselves at work or how they can write better business plans to attract buyers. That is why as MHub we saw it fit to provide such a wide platform so that the youths can access information and be able to choose what they want to do with their lives,” said Mvalo.

Mvalo also added that the fair was not designed just to equip youths with information but to also help them meet potential employers and investors with the different stakeholders that took part in the Job and Opportunity Fair.

John Chirwa, a youth who is doing agribusiness in aqua-culture, stated that the fair has equipped him and his group with vast knowledge on how to grow their business. He further said this was a great opportunity for him as a youth to understand the appropriate way of drawing business plans and executing them.

Another participant, Tamanda Mwale, hailed MHub for the fair, saying it has helped her business grow.

“I had the opportunity to showcase my products and I was able to secure some clients who are interested in my baking business; this shows how crucial and important this fair is to us who are conducting small scale businesses,” said Mwale.

MHub is working in partnership with GIZ under a project called ‘Empowering Youths in Agribusiness’ (EYA). The project is being conducted in five districts, which include Nkhotakota, Mchinji and Salima.

Apart from training sessions on drawing business plans, accessing business grants and crafting successful application letters and curriculum vitae, the event was also spiced up by performances from musician Zeze Kingston and other Mchinji local artists.

Different organizations at the fair offered some youth’s different job and internship opportunities.

By Aquino Munthewe,

Mwanza, December 8, Mana: People in Mwanza have launched commemoration of 16 days of activism against gender based violence (GBV) with District Commissioner (DC) Martha Sineta calling on people in the district to unite in the fight against all forms GBV.

Sineta made the call on Thursday at Group Village Head (GVH) Thambala in Inkosi Kanduku Maseko’s area and added that GBV can stop if people take undivided stand.

“It is possible to combat GBV if we could put all efforts together in sensitizing communities on the negative effects of the vice on one’s life. The problem is too huge to be left in the hands of one stakeholder,” said Sineta and further encouraged victims of GBV, whether male or female, to report any form of violence to police and other relevant authorities.

Mwanza District Council Chairperson Councilor Bellon Kasambwe said community leaders should play significant roles by raising awareness on forms of GBV and where to report them.

He also commended the 16 days of activism against GBV launch, saying it came at the right time when the district recorded a lot of GBV, especially with men abandoning their spouses without support in the disguise of celebrating Christmas and New Year festivities.

“Let me call upon stakeholders to intensify awareness on negative effects of GBV and its criminal aspect even after the 16 days’ commemoration to end GBV in the district,” said Kasambwe.

Mwanza District Gender Officer If Masango urged the community members, including those in work places, to be watchdogs of each other on GBV, saying this is the only way to stop GBV.

“The way you value yourself will also determine how you value other people. This is how we can end GBV,” added Masango.

GVH Kanduku pledged he would carry out series of sensitization meetings to encourage her subjects to report GBV to relevant authorities for proper action.

“I have already been working with relevant stakeholders to ensure that there are no cultural norms that promote GBV in my area,” said GVH Kanduku.

This year’s commemoration runs from November 25 to December 10 under the theme: 'Invest to prevent violence against women and girls’.

Mwanza commemoration of 16 days of activism against GBV has received support from Campaign for Female Education, Malawi Red Cross Society, Wolrec, Cadecom, CONCERN Worldwide, OBOL and the World Vision Malawi.

By Sylvester Kumwenda

Dowa, December 6, Mana: Police at Mponela in Dowa have arrested a 26-year-old man for illegally possessing a firearm.

According to Public Relations Officer for Mponela Police Station, Sergeant Macpatson Msadala, the man, Chikumbutso Chisowa, was arrested on December 3 at Nkhwema Trading Centre in Traditional Authority (TA) Dzoole in the district.

“Mponela Police female officers were on a Basadi operation when they received information from well-wishers that there is a suspicious man within Nkhwema Trading Centre who is lodging at one of the rooms at a certain bottle store.

“Upon receipt of the information, the officers followed up the issue and found the suspect in the room with a plastic gab. Upon being searched, he was found with a greener firearm concealed in a black plastic jumbo and also a military top without a license,” said Msadala.

Msadala said the suspect claimed that he had acquired the gun at Nthesa Village where it was dumped in the garden by unknown people.

According to Msadala the suspect who hails from Biwi Village, TA Kalumo in Ntchisi District will soon appear before court to answer charges of illegal possession of a firearm.

By Steve Chirombo

Dedza, December 6, Mana: Malawi Education Writers Association (MEWA), a body comprising of journalists focusing on education reporting, has called upon authorities in the education sector to discipline those involved in bringing desks to a tavern at Luwinga in Mzuzu.

A press release issued by the association on Tuesday signed by its interim Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Malunga, expressed shock with a picture which was circulating on social media depicting individuals quenching their thirsts with some local brewed Chibuku at one tavern around Luwinga in Mzuzu while sitting on class desks.

According to an eye witness there, the desks were said to be from a nearby school.

“At first, we thought it was just some ill-minded individuals playing around with Photoshop because one would wonder in which manner and why in the 23^rd century any duty bearer would allow such to happen under their watch,” said Malunga.

He said later they learnt that the picture was true and that the Ministry of Education had already intervened on the matter.

Malunga further stated that as a professional organization, their duty is not only to write but also play some checks and balances.

“We would like to express our concern on the development. This news is not only a shock but also disturbing realizing the efforts government, organizations and other well-wishers put in to have such materials in place.

“This is pathetic as it is coming at a time when primary school learners are in dire need of learning materials such as desks. It is our sincere hope that efforts will go towards disciplining those involved in the malpractice,” he stated.

Ministry of Education Public Relations Officer, Mphatso Nkuonera, said the ministry got wind of the issue last week Wednesday.

“Senior officials from the ministry followed it through and found the desks at the mentioned place. The desks have since been recovered. We are on it to bring sanity,” said Nkuonera.

Last month MEWA condemned rampant student demonstrations, mainly in government boarding secondary schools, which has left school property worth billions of Kwachas destroyed.

By Monica Tambala

Lilongwe, December 6, Mana: Malawi Government has received over 3,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser from the Government of Japan with another 2,000 metric tonnes expected to arrive later this week.

The fertiliser, which will benefit over 104,000 households has been donated through the Affordable Inputs Program (AIP) under which farmers are required to pay a K15,000 contribution to access the fertiliser.

Speaking during the handover ceremony held at Smallholder Farmers Fertiliser Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM) head office in Lilongwe on Wednesday, Minister of Agriculture, Sam Kawale hailed the donation saying it is timely and will help reach more farmers with the support at a time the country is experiencing financial difficulties.

“We experienced Cyclone Freddy which devastated the agriculture sector in so many ways. We are spending so much money to invest back into the rehabilitation of the damaged infrastructure in the agriculture sector, crops, livestock and property. It is going to be very difficult for us, as a government, to recover,” he said.

The Minister said aside the donation, the Japanese government provides assistance in other programs and ministries hence the relationship between the two countries should never be taken for granted.

He said the ministry is implementing a couple of programs to ensure stability in food security and economic stability through investing in irrigation, agricultural commercialisation and Mega farms, among others.

Japanese Ambassador to Malawi, Yoichi Oya said the donation is aimed at enhancing Malawi’s food security, improving households, promoting sustainable growth and helping the country overcome some of the complex crises it is facing.

“We have decided to provide this assistance for the people of Malawi to support their lives at this difficult moment caused by escalating prices of commodities including food and to address forex shortage which is compounding the country’s economic challenges.

“Stable access to food forms the basis for people to live with dignity. With human dignity as one of the pillars of its diplomacy, Japan will spare no effort to defend human dignity through international cooperation,” he said.

The ambassador implored Ministry of Agriculture and SFFRFM to ensure proper management and distribution of the fertiliser so that it reaches the intended beneficiaries and is properly used to promote food security and economic stabilisation of the country.

The Government of Japan committed a grant of 650 million JPY (approximately K7 billion) to facilitate procurement of 5,200 metric tonnes of fertiliser. 

By Asimenye Sibale

Chitipa, December 6, Mana: Chitipa District Project Coordinator for Promoting Equal Access to Education in Malawi (PEATEMA), Osman Gondwe, has called upon journalists in the district to collaborate with the organization in promoting equal access to education for children with disabilities.

Gondwe made the call on Tuesday at Kawale Teacher Development Centre during an interface meeting with Chitipa based media personnel on PEATEMA project.

The K2 billion worth of project, with support from the British Government, is being implemented by the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Synod of Livingstonia.

Gondwe said the six-year project, which was introduced in the district in 2018, has made strides as 48 learners with disabilities have gone back to school representing 94 percent of the project’s target.

“The project focuses on teachers’ capacity building on how they can teach learners with disabilities and enrollment of learners with disabilities in schools,” said Gondwe.

Special needs teacher at Kawale Primary School, Dexter Muyila said the project has contributed to inclusive education in the district.

Tuntufye Radio journalist, Patricia Kayuni, thanked PEATEMA for organizing the interface meeting which, he said, has enhanced their understanding of the project.

"Despite the project coming to an end in March next year, as media practitioners, we will continue disseminating information on the same to sustain the gains of the project," Kayuni said.

The project is also being implemented in Karonga and Nkhata Bay districts.