By Martha Simchimba

Lilongwe, January 25, Mana: Minister of Local government, Unity and Culture Richard Chimwendo Banda has urged traditional leaders in the country to spearhead government development projects in their jurisdictions that are aimed at uplifting their subjects living conditions.

Chimwendo Banda was speaking on Wednesday at Malembo ground during the elevation ceremony of Sub-Traditional Authority Msinde to Traditional Authority(TA), Sub-Traditional Authority Chiwaula to Traditional Authority (TA) Chiwaula and Group Village headman Malembo to Sub-Traditional Authority.

He said government is committed to support all traditional leaders across the country who are determined to support the government in its developmental agendas by giving them the much required resources.

“President Chakwera acknowledges the critical role traditional leaders play in spearheading social and economic development in the country. It is therefore important for the traditional leaders to give the president the much needed support as he is developing this country.

Chiefs are the custodians of development, social cohesion and cultural heritage preservation,” he said.

He then condemned some traditional leaders who engage themselves in corruption that have potential to destroy the much needed development their subjects are in need of.

“Government will not tolerate leaders who engage themselves in corruption by denying their subjects development projects that may help them to be uplifted from poverty,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of other traditional leaders, Senior Chief Khongoni thanked government for elevating traditional leaders across the country regardless of the region or tribe they are coming from.

Khongoni further thanked the government for various development projects that are taking place in the district and promised to take a leading role in supporting government development agenda.

He then urged the newly elevated chiefs to be exemplary to their subjects in preserving Chewa cultural values.

Written by Elia Chibwe

Lilongwe January 24, 2024 MANA; The Unites states of America African Development Foundation and the Government of the Republic of Malawi have agreed to extend partnership with up to US7.5 million dollars’ commitment over next five years for Agricultural Development.

President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the US African Development Foundation (USADF), Travis Adkins said the renewal of the funding partnership aims at improving broad scale sustainable economic growth and enhance the living standards of people in this country.

Adkins said the renewal of this partnership has targeted Malawian small holder agricultural producers, cooperatives, farmer groups, Small Scale agribusiness and Small and Medium sized enterprise (SME’s) because they are cornerstones of Malawian economic growth.

Speaking during the meeting Akins further disclosed that this is a five year US co-funding partnership which commits up to US$1.5 million a year in quest to alleviate Malawi citizenry living standards through SMEs, Malawian Small holder agricultural producers, small scale Agribusiness among others.

“This Partnership will benefit Small Scale Malawian Agribusiness, farmer groups, cooperatives and SMEs,” he said.

In his reaction after signed on the partnership, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Simplex Chithyola Banda assured partnership by saying Tonse-led administration will use better this funding to expand Capital SMEs in order to increase export earnings, hence improving forex generation.

He however, urged recipients to use the funds with the intended purpose.

“Because we believe, with proper management we are going to make the difference and make Malawi better,” he said

Since 2008, this partnership has collectively awarded US$5 million in grant funding, supporting 35 small scale Malawian agribusiness, farmer groups, cooperatives, and small and medium-sized enterprises.

By Tawonga Moyo

Mzuzu, January 24, Mana: Houses belonging to about 35 people in Mzuzu City's Chibavi West Ward have been destroyed, following prolonged rainfall which the city has been experiencing for the past two weeks.

Chibavi West Ward’s councilor Gabriel Mwaungulu disclosed this on Wednesday and added that he is currently discussing with block leaders and members of the disaster ward protection committee, as the magnitude of the damage is being assessed.

“We are still assessing the situation on the ground to determine the exact number of the affected households, but, so far, I can confirm that close to seven houses have been destroyed,” said Mwaungulu.

Meanwhile, Mwaungulu has expressed worry on whether the affected households will receive help any time soon, claiming that the current system which Mzuzu City Council uses in responding disaster survivors is not favorable.  

“Each time there is a disaster, the disaster desk office at the council gives us conditions which are very questionable. For instance, they say that they can only come in when the affected households have reached a certain number.

“This is very unfortunate, because we expect assistance without attached conditions as such incidents affect lives of people,” said Mwaungulu.

He further said when last year’s floods occurred, those whose houses were built near riverbanks offered to relocate themselves if the council could provide them with land, a thing which he alleged was not fulfilled.

In his remarks, Disaster Desk Officer for the city's council, Precious Mandala, said his office has not yet received any disaster related report, and that if there will be any, the council won’t hesitate to offer assistance.

“The Department of Disaster Management Affairs supports any council with relief items once a report of damages is made and so far, we are yet to receive formal report of cases of flooding within our jurisdiction,” said Mandala.

Mandala then disputed Mwaungulu’s allegations that the council never provides land in times of disasters for the evacuation of survivors.

He said the council provides temporary housing units and that there have always been mixed reactions on the relocation subject.

“When the council gives safe land to the survivors, many are adamant and argue that they are poor and cannot afford to buy land from the council. Some also say that they cannot leave their custom parcels of land,” he said.

By Wongani Mkandawire & Innocent Chunga.

Nkhotakota, January 24, Mana: Nkhotakota District Council on Tuesday launched the 2023/2024 tree planting season at Dzikonilonse Primary School in area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Kalimanjira.

The launch came with call for the people of the district and various stakeholders to take part in the exercise of taking care of these trees to increase their survival chances.

Speaking in an interview, Principal District Forestry Officer George Zibophe said the district plans to plant 1.3 million trees in various areas in the district in order to bring back the district's lost vegetation and fight land degradation.

Zibophe said about 70 percent of tree seedlings that were planted last year have survived, adding his office has since encouraged various stakeholders to join hands in the exercise of planting and caring for these trees.

"Stakeholders should take part in addressing some gaps in the exercise, but our office will continue providing technical expertise for increased survival rate of the trees in the district." Said Zibophe.

Chairperson for Nkhotakota District Council, Councilor Charles Chimzukuzuku, said the council is committed to ensure the tree planting exercise taken at community level is in line with environmental conservation activities in the district.

T/A Kalimanjira commended the exercise, observing that this will create natural assets in his jurisdiction which will benefit his community now and generations to come.

Various stakeholders, including government of Iceland, African Parks, Ripple Africa, Umunthu Plus, Bathu Premium Water and Wildlife Environmental Society of Malawi (WESM), supported the tree planting activity in the district.

The country is expected to plant 34 million trees this season under the theme “Forest Innovation in Action: Reforestation for Sustainable Tomorrow" and the exercise is expected to end in April this year.

Glory Msowoya

Blantyre, January 24, Mana: First Lady Monica Chakwera has called on private sector, both local and international, to rally behind transformative initiatives aimed at promoting equality in education.

She was speaking on Wednesday during the Shaping our Future Foundation (SOFF) 2023 Top Malawi School Certificate of Education Performers Award Ceremony that took place at Blantyre Secondary School.

The event was aimed at awarding outstanding students benefiting from SOFF scholarships in different schools across the country.

Chakwera said there is need for concerted effort from all stakeholders to empower both girls and boys as one way of fostering an environment where they can thrive academically.

She said the call for inclusivity resonates strongly with a commitment of ensuring that education reaches girls with disabilities, those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and those residing in remotest areas.

“As partners, we must create an enabling environment that equally encourages girls and boys to attend school, stay in school, and thrive academically. As First Lady of the Republic of Malawi, I pledge to lead and support efforts of advancing girls' education while supporting vulnerable boys.

“Equal chances for boys and girls will yield equal performance, as witnessed today, with two students achieving high points regardless of gender,” she said.

In her remarks, Minister of Education Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima commended SOFF scholarships, praising its alignment with government efforts of supporting underprivileged students across the country.

“We have witnessed vulnerable girls and boys benefitting from SOFF scholarships. This signifies significant positive outcomes for our country.

"As Malawi, we allocate a budget to assist needy students. However, on our own, we cannot reach out to a broader spectrum of students. We earnestly seek additional partners to collaborate with us and alleviate the number of students in need," she said.

Representing SOFF donors, Country Director for Plan International, Mwape Mulumbi, expressed her organization’s unwavering commitment to support the youth through SOFF.

Mulumbi emphasized that mere monetary support is insufficient to truly motivate a child. Instead, she stressed the importance of incorporating inspiring role and innovative models to ignite the flame of motivation within each student.

“I am urging you to see education as a journey that extends beyond the confines of secondary schooling. Go and continue working hard in tertiary education, persevere in your academic pursuits and would like to remind you that your efforts today lay the foundation for a better tomorrow, " she said.

Zainab Mustafa, speaking on behalf of the SOFF beneficiaries, expressed deep gratitude to the First Lady for the timely and impactful sponsorship that has significantly shaped their educational pursuits.

In a passionate plea, Mustafa emphasized the importance of sustaining these crucial programmes to ensure more individuals should benefit from the transformative power of education.

More than 20 students received laptops, school bags, and financial support as part of their awards.

Since its inception in August 2020, the foundation has awarded over 2,500 scholarships, and it is poised to extend scholarships to more than 1,000 students in the current year. 

By Leah Malimbasa

Chikwawa, January 24, Mana: National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) Senior Budget Analyst Patricia Banda has commended Chikwawa District Council for exceeding its local revenue collection target.

Banda made the remarks during a budget review hearing session at Amaryllis Hotel in Blantyre on Tuesday, where the council presented its 2023/2024 budget to the NLGFC.

“It is very rare for councils to meet and surpass their targets, so what the council has achieved is not easy,” said Banda after the council’s Director of Finance Steven Kanyerere’s presentation.

In his presentation, Kanyerere highlighted that the council collected K251,150,000, surpassing its set target of K172,000,000.

He stated that this locally generated revenue would significantly contribute to improving sanitation in the district.

“We will rehabilitate our market infrastructure, including toilets, to ensure a conducive environment for operating businesses,” Kanyerere explained and further disclosed that government has committed to supporting the Climate Smart-Enhanced Public Works Program (CS-EPWP) with about K4 billion in the next financial year.

“In addition, we will receive support through Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD); there is a tremendous improvement in the figure that the government is committing next financial year across all sectors, which I believe will greatly enhance service delivery to the people of Chikwawa,” he added.

Apart from the local revenue, the presented budget included funds from other sources, such as the District Development Fund, Constituency Development Fund, and Water Resources Fund from the central government.

It also included donor-funded programs like CS-EPWP and GESD, a performance-based grant incentivizing effectiveness and accountability for the performance of local authorities.

District Commissioner for Chikwawa, Nardin Kamba, expressed gratitude to NLGFC for its support and input during the hearing.

 “I would also like to thank our staff members for their dedication in coming up with this budget, and together we will ensure that all the comments from the experts here are incorporated into our final budget,” he said.

Commenting on the budget, NLGFC’s Scalable Mechanism Coordinator, Mulder Mkutumula, praised the district for including payment for CS-EPWP.

“Overall, we can rate the budget at 92 percent; once we collaborate on the new elements introduced, it will be perfect,” said Mkutumula.

Currently, the total budget for Chikwawa is K8,085,119,593, but it may change as the council incorporates NLGFC’s input, potentially adjusting the budget either upward or downward by the submission date.

By Wanangwa Tembo

Kasungu, January 24, Mana: Minister of Education Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima says government has planned to roll out the Primary School Feeding Programme in all schools by 2030 to further improve positive education indicators.

Wirima made the remarks at Chithiba Primary School in Kasungu on Tuesday when a delegation from Mary’s Meals International visited the school to appreciate the progress of the feeding programme.

She said: “School feeding is one of the priority programmes for contributing to attainment of educational outcomes, as well as improving health and nutrition status of our learners as indicated in the National Education Sector Plan.

“The Ministry of Education has placed the school meals programme as one of its priorities, as reflected through the five strands for foundational learning, which commit to increase school feeding coverage from 35 percent of all public primary schools, to 100 percent by 2030.”

Wirima said while the country continues to achieve good results in terms of learner enrolment, it still faces challenges in terms of other access indicators, such as learner attendance and dropout.

“However, in primary schools where school feeding programme is present, we have observed not only increased attendance of learners to classes but also reduced school dropout rates,” she said.

Chief Programmes Officer for Mary’s Meals International, Graeme Little, said it was exciting that the initiative which started with 200 pupils in Blantyre in 2002, has grown to feeding over a million pupils in Malawi alone.

He said: “Everything we have seen here is exciting. The programme is strong, and the community is supporting it. The sad reality is that we still have a gap in that we still have many pupils who go to schools that do not have the feeding programme.

“The other challenge recently has been the rising of food costs. However, we remain committed telling the story of what we have seen here which will also help us to raise resources. Our priority is to keep the promise to the children.”

In his remarks, Senior Chief Kaomba thanked Mary's Meals International for the meals programme, saying the initiative has helped to keep pupils in school.

With support from Mary’s Meals International, government is implementing the school feeding programme in at least 931 primary schools in 24 districts using a model that promotes procurement of locally produced corn and soy blend.