MANAonline
Three people arrested for stealing goods from motor vehicle in Balaka
By Albert Mulizakamba
Balaka, November 24, Mana: Police in Balaka District have apprehended three individuals identified as Mailosi Thole, 42, Francis Banda, 44 and John Akambwiri, 36 in connection with the theft of bags of maize, fertilizer and bales of sugar from a motor vehicle.
Confirming the development, Balaka Police Station Deputy Public Relations Officer, Sergeant Mphatso Munthali said the incident took place during the night of October 4 to 5, 2024 along the Chingeni-Liwonde Road.
"The arrests were made during a targeted operation in the district whereby a truck driver Patrick Awali was transporting fertilizer, maize and other assorted items and he noticed upon reaching Liwonde that his truck had been tampered with," he said.
"A subsequent check revealed that an unspecified number of bags of maize, fertilizer and other items were missing," he said.
Munthali added that the incident was later reported to Balaka Police Station and through diligent intelligence gathering; the three suspects were arrested on November 22, 2024.
Meanwhile, police have recovered nine bags of maize, 11 bags of fertilizer and six bales of sugar, all valued at K1,600,000.
All suspects hail from Khozi Village in the area of Traditional Authority Makwangwala in Ntcheu District and they are expected to appear in court soon to face charges related to the theft.
Balaka man arrested for vandalizing and stealing ESCOM property
By Milton Sukasuka
Balaka, November 24, Mana: Police in Balaka have arrested a 46-year-old man, Paul Lipenga, for allegedly vandalizing and stealing Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) property valued at K5.5 million.
Balaka Police Station Public Relations Officer, Gladson M'bumpha said the incident happened on Friday at Mbera Trading Centre where Lipenga is accused of stealing 300 meters of 50mm Hazzle wire valued at K5.5 million.
M'bumpha said the detectives received the information that the suspect was keeping stolen ESCOM wires at his home.
“When the police followed up on the issue, they conducted a search at the suspect’s house and recovered the stolen wires leading to his arrest,” said M’bumpha.
He added that during investigations, Lipenga led the police to the scene where vandalism and theft occurred.
The suspect hails from Mgwira Village in Traditional Authority Nsamala, Balaka District and is expected to appear in court soon to answer charges of vandalizing and theft of ESCOM property.
Earthquake hits Northern region
By Joel Phiri
Mzimba, November 24, Mana: A 5-magnitude earthquake was Sunday felt in some parts of the northern region causing panic to some people in Mzuzu City, Karonga, Mzimba, Karonga and Nkhata Bay districts.
According to some of the people whom Malawi News Agency spoke to in random interviews, the earthquake which hit at 9:58 am caught them off guard as most of them were attending prayer services in various churches.
Others experienced while at home as some had its feel at entertainment places, being a weekend.
Justice Nantchengwa of Saint Paul Primary School in Mzimba described the moment as terrifying.
“I was with my children preparing breakfast in the kitchen when the ground started shaking, making me think that it was the end of the world. I grabbed and took my children outside the kitchen for safety,” said Nantchengwa.
As news spread people panicked at different places and some abandoned business places and rushed home to check on their loved ones.
In Likoma, a fisher James Mwasesa who was on Lake Malawi when the earthquake hit said that he felt his boat rocking violently and he thought that it was due to waves.
“I then saw some people running at the shore screaming and I immediately paddled back for safety,” said Mwasesa.
Mercy Phiri with others were in the middle of singing in church when it started shaking and some of the congregants ran outside the church as others were screaming in fear of what would befall them.
A resident of Karonga, Sarrah Chirwa said that she was scared as he thought of her family and house and I quickly called my husband to check the house if it was not affected by the earthquake.
“We were all relieved when we found the house in its stable condition,” said Chirwa.
People attending a conference at one of the tourism units in Nkhata Bay resorted to scampering their dear lives following the earthquake.
“It is reported that one of the speakers holding a microphone jumped outside the conference room. It was pure comedy seeing people running,” said a source who opted for anonymity.
At Nkholongo in Mzuzu City, some people who were on a church’s veranda jumped out to save their lives as they said the shaking was heavy.
Councilor for Boma Ward in Nkhata Bay, Cyria Adamanda said that he was reclining on her couch but he felt his house shaking until after some time when he realized that it was an earthquake.
Adamanda then advised people in the district and the country as a whole to construct houses, which can withstand natural disasters such as earthquakes.
The earthquake occurred in Lake Malawi at about 10:58 am (East African Time) with its epicentre at about 2 kilometres (km) northwest of Bamba Bay in Tanzania at a depth of 10 km.
Light shaking was felt throughout much of Northern and Central Malawi, South-western Tanzania, North-western Mozambique and far eastern Zambia.
Veep encourages people in Mbayani to cultivate a hardworking spirit
By Hope Chimwala
Blantyre, November 24, Mana: Vice President, Dr. Michael Usi has encouraged the youth to indulge themselves in activities that will bring sustainable benefits to the future generation.
Speaking on Sunday at Mbayani Market, Usi emphasized on the need for the youth to be patriotic citizens who can also work hard to achieve their goals while maintaining peace and unity in the country.
"Let us do things in regard to the future generation that is coming and most of the youth here are not working, so let us do things that will benefit ourselves instead of just moving around in these streets, there is a need to work hard to be productive citizens," said Usi.
"In this country, we have life today and tomorrow we are dead, so let us do reasonable acts that will benefit us, how can someone early this morning drink alcohol?," asked Usi.
He also called on Mbayani Market Committee to elect the leadership at the market, with two women and men, respectively as chairperson and vice who are doing business at the market, to follow him to his Mudi Residence to discuss issues of NEEF loans in the quest of supporting small-scale businesses in the area.
"Some people say, they are just lying to us, so here we are telling you, go and knock so in the process of knocking, the door will be opened for you. So I need two women and two men who will follow me to Mudi and I will notify you what to do and where to go," said Usi.
"Poverty is not something to be happy about. I know what poverty is, people are suffering, as they don't even know what to eat, they are always sleeping on an empty stomach without knowing what tomorrow will hold. I saw some woman crying that she hadn't eaten anything and when I looked at her I knew she was telling the truth," Usi added.
He, however, advised the youth who always use foul language to be conscious and desist from doing so whenever the President's convoy is passing by in the streets, as it is not within Malawian culture, fearing that such acts have the potential to fuel violence, which disrupts economic activities and property.
The cost of silence: How Malawi’s restrictive abortion laws are endangering lives
By Rosalia Kapiri
Lilongwe, November 23, Mana: A few months after delivering her third child, Margaret Kawala of Traditional Authority Dzoole in Dowa District discovered she was pregnant again. The news filled her with despair. After discussing it with her husband, the couple sought an abortion at a nearby hospital. However, healthcare workers declined, citing fear of legal repercussions.
Desperate and without options, Kawala turned to a herbalist for an unsafe abortion.
“I had no choice but to seek help from a herbalist who gave me a concoction. It was a decision my husband and I made together,” Kawala recounts.
She continued to narrate that a few hours after taking the herbal mixture, she began experiencing excruciating pain.
"It felt like a grinder was cutting through my womb. I started bleeding heavily and eventually lost consciousness," she says.
Her relatives rushed her to a private hospital, where her condition was deemed so severe that she was referred to Kamuzu Central Hospital.
“I had lost so much blood, and the doctors told me my womb was damaged. The only solution was to remove my uterus. It was heartbreaking to learn I would never give birth again,” she recalls tearfully.
Her suffering didn’t end there. A year after her uterus removal, her husband left her, saying he wanted more children, a possibility she could no longer offer.
Kawala’s story mirrors the pain of many Malawians, including widower Humphrey Zembeni from Kamwana Village in Lilongwe. Zembeni lost his wife after an unsafe abortion. Despite being on contraceptives, she fell pregnant with their seventh child.
“We weren’t ready for another child, so we sought help from a traditional healer,” Zembeni explains.
“The concoction caused severe bleeding, which resulted in a punctured uterus and internal injuries. Tragically, these injuries led to her death.
“It is Malawi’s law on abortion that killed my wife. That law is a killer and should be repealed,” Zembeni laments.
According to a 2017 report on the Incidence of Induced Abortion in Malawi, unsafe abortions contribute to 18 percent of maternal deaths in the country.
Coalition for the Prevention of Unsafe Abortion (COPUA) Vice Chairperson, Dr Amos Nyaka, explains that the problem has worsened over time.
“From 2009 to 2015, the abortion rate was 23.5 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 45. By 2022, this figure rose to 38 per 1,000 women,” says Dr. Nyaka.
A 2015 study by the Guttmacher Institute and Malawi’s College of Medicine revealed that over 140,000 women and girls induced abortions that year.
Dr. Nyaka further notes that most women seeking abortions in Malawi are married.
“Malawi’s abortion law permits termination only when the life of the pregnant woman is at risk. However, you cannot stop someone who has decided to terminate a pregnancy, leading them to unsafe methods,” he adds.
Data from government health facilities showed that in 2022 alone, over 36,000 women and girls sought post-abortion care from government hospitals due to complications from unsafe procedures.
Nyaka notes that this places a significant burden on healthcare resources that could be used for other priorities, underscoring the potential benefits of legalizing safe abortion in the country.
At the request of the Ministry of Health, a special Law Commission reviewed the Penal Code provisions related to abortion, and in 2015 proposed the Termination of Pregnancy (ToP) Bill .
The bill included other four permitted grounds for terminating pregnancy namely; pregnancy would be allowed to be terminated if it would endanger the life of the pregnant woman, prevent injury to the physical and mental health of the pregnant woman, there is severe malformation of the foetus so that it cannot survive after birth and finally if the pregnancy is a result of rape, incest or defilement.
However, despite these guidelines for the termination of pregnancy, there has been resistance from religious groups, as well as cultural, societal, and traditional communities.
Human Rights Lawyer, Chrispin Sibande, says people need to understand what the law says as not everyone has grasped the exact guidelines stipulated in the bill.
“There is need for mass awareness on this. The bill says termination of pregnancy shall not be provided because a woman demands the service but rather the health provider authorised by law to terminate pregnancy would determine whether the legal grounds for termination exist,” Sibande explains.
Sibande further explains that restrictive laws instil fear in women, discouraging them from seeking safe options for terminating a pregnancy and that this fear drives many to pursue secret and unsafe abortions, which significantly increase maternal mortality, rates.
He also highlights that such laws contribute to stigma surrounding abortion, subjecting women to societal judgment, social isolation, and emotional distress.
The law on abortion dates back in the 1930s hence the call for review to protect rights of women including allowing them to access safe abortions so that they can live in good health.
“Abortion is a challenging issue. Religious leaders should try to resolve the dilemma by letting the state do its work to protect the health of women,” Kaliya said.
Executive Director for the Centre for Solutions Journalism, Brian Ligomeka, commends the government for its efforts to reduce maternal mortality, including raising the legal marriage age to 18 and enacting the Gender Equality Act.
Ligomeka emphasizes the need to pass the ToP Bill, “When passed, this bill will significantly reduce unsafe abortions in Malawi,” he asserts.
At a media workshop in Lilongwe, Ligomeka urged journalists to cover sexual and reproductive health issues professionally, highlighting topics like fistula, abortions, and contraception to promote informed public discourse.
The stories of Margaret Kawala and Humphrey Zembeni underscore the urgent need for Malawi to reform its abortion laws.
Unsafe abortions continue to claim lives and devastate families. By legalizing safe abortion and increasing public awareness, Malawi can protect its women and reduce maternal deaths caused by unsafe procedures.
Beneficiaries describe AIP as a transformative opportunity
By Gift Chiponde and Paul Madise
Lilongwe, November 24, Mana: Beneficiaries of the Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) in Nathenje and Nanjiri, Lilongwe, have described the implementation of the 2024/205 AIP as a transformative opportunity for their community, particularly in terms of food security and improved livelihoods.
This development coincides with the government’s nationwide rollout of the AIP, which aims to support a large number of beneficiaries and enhance productivity among smallholder farmers across the country.
Stephano Kachelenga, a beneficiary from Makhwa Village in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Kalumba, expressed gratitude for being included in this year's AIP.
He stated that during previous growing seasons, he was relying on organic fertilizers, and that participation in the AIP will enable him to create a self-reliant home and increase his productivity.
"I am very certain that if we experience favourable rainfall patterns, I will achieve a bumper harvest," Kachelenga said. "This is my first time being part of the AIP beneficiaries, and I am grateful that the government has considered me for this initiative."
Kachelenga encouraged AIP beneficiaries to use the inputs provided for their intended purpose, emphasizing the importance of improving food security, increasing production, and fostering self-reliant households, both at the family level and within the community.
In her remarks, Daleni Chiseka from Njole Village, T/A Kalumba, speaking at the Nanjiri depot, also expressed satisfaction with the AIP implementation.
She is optimistic that the distribution will yield positive results, as many people in the area are active farmers.
Mathews Laurent Phiri, a sales clerk at Nathenje depot, provided an overview of the AIP proceedings, stating that since the programme commenced, they have been able to sell inputs due to the discipline exhibited by community members.
He stressed that the sales team is committed to ensuring all AIP protocols are followed and that every beneficiary has access to the inputs during selling hours.
"This season, we are making sure that every AIP beneficiary has access to all farm inputs. Currently, we do assist over 100 beneficiaries daily through Village Development Committees (VDCs)," he added.
MACRA warns learners against cyberbullying
By Richard Kagunda
Kasungu, November 24, Mana: Consumer Affairs Officer for Malawi Communications and Regulatory Authority (MACRA), Patience Nkombezi has warned students against acts of cyberbullying, saying they are punishable under the laws of the country.
Nkombezi said this on Saturday at Kamuzu Academy in Kasungu District during an awareness and sensitization of teachers and learners on cybercrimes and the laws that the country enacted against cyber violence.
"Much as we know that cyberspace is beneficial to our modern life as it provides a vast amount of information, some people misuse it to commit crimes against others. As MACRA, we thought it wise to sensitize learners about the dangers of violating other people's human rights using the space.
"We commemorate cyber security in October but we are doing it in November and that is why we are here. Students like these and those in other high schools are exposed to the internet and they might be prone to cybercrimes if they do not have the right information to guide them," Nkombezi said.
She said besides enlightening the students about the dangers of cyberbullying, MACRA also wanted to notify them about the online child protection strategy that Malawi as a nation has put in place.
"We want the students to act responsibly whenever they are online. Most of them conduct their lessons online and we do not want them to indulge in sharing of content that contravenes the law," Nkombezi said, adding that despite sensitizations against cybercrimes through the media, there are still gaps because cybercrime is on the rise amongst the youth.
Senior House Master for Kamuzu Academy, Felix Limburo said the awareness that MACRA provided to the learners was timely in the sense that most of them use gadgets that use cyberspace.
"Most of our learners here use advanced gadgets and the awareness is paramount because it will enable them to stay away from cyberbullying. It might be that some of them have been ignorantly committing the crimes and the orientation will enable them to act more responsibly than before," Limburo said.
On his part, one of the learners, Wanga Chitete expressed gratitude to MACRA for the orientation saying it is a good guide for responsible conduct when online.
Malawi enacted the Electronic Transactions and Cyber Security Act in 2016 and the law criminalizes cyberbullying, and child pornography among other acts.
Caregivers drilled in child rights and protection
By Wanangwa Tembo
Kasungu, November 24, Mana: Child Protection Officer under Kasungu District Social Welfare Office, Sam Kamalonda has challenged foster parents to ensure that the orphaned children that they keep are properly protected from abuses and integrated into society.
Kamalonda said this in Kasungu on Saturday during a training for foster parents who are keeping orphaned children that were at the now-closed Anglican Community orphanage at Mtunthama in the district.
The orphanage was closed following the government’s campaign that the country move away from the institutional care model of supporting orphans to family or community-based care approaches where children grow in their home environment.
Said Kamalonda: “Many people are not aware of child rights. In this case, these parents are keeping children who were in an orphanage and they may look at them as a burden and end up abusing them.
“This is the right time to train them on relevant aspects of child rights and protection so that we help to guard against abuses towards the children and ensure a smooth integration of the children into the larger community.”
He said government is encouraging foster parenting hence, it is important that the parents are prepared to keep the orphaned children in a manner that does not expose them to harm.
Medicom Foundation, a Kasungu-based non-governmental organization organized the training, which also touched on modern agricultural practices for sustainable livelihood.
The organization’s management consultant, Kingsley Lupande, said children are well taken care of when they are in their homes, families and communities, which ensures a good psychological bond between the children, the family and the community.
“We believe that’s the way to go, moving away from the institutional care model of supporting orphans to family or community-based care model. Our focus is to help communities to succeed with limited resources available.
“Here we have also trained the caregivers on sustainable farming practices including manure making, so that they stand on their own and we hope that gradually we will reduce their dependence on artificial fertilizers,” Lupande said.
To further support them, Medicom Foundation donated maize seeds and will provide fertilizer and cash transfers so that families can meet immediate food needs.
Levison Phiri, a parent from Traditional Authority Kapelula expressed gratitude for the training and the support.
“I keep 12 children, some my own, others orphans. I thought I had a huge burden but with this training, I see it differently,” he said.
With financial support from Medic Malawi, a United Kingdom-based charity, Medicom Foundation works in health, education and sustainable community development.
Red Cross office opening in Mchinji excites youths
By Vincent Khonje
Mchinji, November 24, Mana: Youth in Mchinji have received a significant boost in their efforts to organize and coordinate activities following the opening of Mchinji Division Youth office by the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) on Saturday.
The development comes as a relief for the Red Cross district’s youths, who have long struggled to find a permanent space for meetings and operational coordination.
Speaking during the official opening ceremony, Danny Nihongo, Chairperson for Malawi Red Cross Society Mchinji Youth Division, expressed gratitude for the new facility, highlighting its importance in empowering young people and fostering community development.
“This office space is not just a building but a platform for the youth to connect, share ideas, and build a better future for Mchinji. We used to struggle to find a place where we could meet as youths, but now we have this space," said Nihongo.
The ceremony was attended by Mchinji District Commissioner Lucia Chidalengwa, Traditional Authority Zulu’s representative, and IFRC National Society Development Coordinator Shereen Francis, among other dignitaries.
In her remarks, Francis emphasized the importance of empowering young people to maximize their impact on the community.
“The youth are not only the future but also the leaders of today. It is crucial to invest in them because if we do not plant good seeds today, we will not reap a good harvest tomorrow,” she said.
District Commissioner Chidalengwa described the office as a milestone for Mchinji, saying it provides a much-needed facility for youth operations.
“The youth have many activities in their work plan, and there was a need for them to have this office. They are a crucial part of our community, often supporting us in various activities,” said Chidalengwa.
The new office will serve as a hub for coordinating youth-led initiatives while also providing an opportunity for income generation through renting out office spaces and the hall.
Water Mission commissions MK170 million reticulated solar powered piped water project in Ntcheu
By Maston Kaiya
Ntcheu, November 23, Mana: Water Mission on Thursday commissioned a MK 170 million reticulated solar powered piped water project in the area of Traditional Authority Chakhumbira in Ntcheu district.
Water Mission Country Director Nixon Sinyiza said his organization sole purpose is to provide sustainable access to safe and portable water to communities in need by installing water treatment systems and basic distribution networks.
"With funding from McKinnon family of the United States of America, Water Mission has installed a reticulated solar powered safe water system at Chugodi health facility which is anticipated to serve a population of 2000 people," said Sinyiza.
He disclosed that his organisation has installed 85 water systems across Malawi in the last ten years benefiting around 600,000 Malawians.
Sinyiza advised all stakeholders to take ownership of the systems and to take good care of the systems.
Traditional Authority Chakhumbira admitted that water is one of the major challenges in his area and hailed the development which he described as timely.
"Since this is rainy season, we expect this development to reduce water related diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea in my area," said Chakhumbira and assured all stakeholders that the systems will be properly looked after.
Chigodi Health facility-in-Charge Kondwani Chitungu said the development is a sigh of relief for the facility which has over 18,000 people.
"Water is very crucial in our operations, this is a very commendable development which will reduce cases of water related diseases that are reported at Chigodi health center," said Chitungu and urged Water Mission to extend the system to other areas.
Chigodi health center, Chigodi primary school and Kalaka Day Secondary School are among the beneficiaries of the McKinnon initiative in the district.
