MANAonline
Govt pushes for local content on Chinese StarTimes satellite TV project
By Kondwani Magombo
Lilongwe, September 28, Mana: Malawi Government has asked Chinese company, StarTimes Media to consider inclusion of local channels for viewers in the country's rural areas to have access to local programs, in addition to foreign content provided under the project.
Principal Secretary (PS) for Ministry of Information and Digitalization, Baldwin Chiyamwaka, made the call in Lilongwe on Friday when he received equipment for Phase II of the ChinaAid's Access to Satellite TV for 10,000 African Villages, and officially opened the project.
Chiyamwaka hailed StarTimes Media for the project which will see 200 villages across the country access satellite TV and have their knowledge broadened regarding what is happening around the world.
However, the PS said much as the foreign content is necessary for the viewers to appreciate the broader picture of the world, local content on the service provider’s list of programs would allow Malawians have a wider spectrum of events happening across the globe.
“So, just like we now have some channels on DSTV, we would like, also, to have local channels like Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), Zodiac Broadcasting Services (ZBS), Times, and other channels on Start Times – and that's the agreement,” he said.
The PS described the Access to Satellite TV for 10,000 African Villages as an enabling tool for Access to Information, one of the legislative provision that government is advancing to ensure transparency and accountability between duty bearers and the citizenry.
“It's a very, very good source of information for people in the rural areas: We're expecting them to follow current affairs, apart from education and entertainment,” said Chiyamwaka.
He also asked the Chinese company to consider increasing the number of villages to benefit from the second phase of the project so that as many Malawians as possible should access the satellite TV services and be connected to the world.
StarTimes Media Chief Executive Officer (CEO), David Pan, said his company would consider the PS’s appeal and that the requested local TV channels will be included on the ‘free-to-air’ list.
On the need to increase the number of villages to benefit from the project, the CEO said the proposal “is under talks” and he hoped for the better.
“We’re in talks with officials from the Chinese government, through the Chinese Embassy, and for me, I believe that we might have some updates on this point,” said Pan.
The second phase is building on the first phase that saw successful installation of the satellite TV sets in 500 villages across the country in 2019.
By the end of this year, StarTimes Media is expected to have installed 4,000 digital decoders, 400 solar projection satellite TV systems, and 200 digital TVs for free in public institutions and households under the second phase of the project.
Access to Satellite TV for 10,000 African Villages project is a ChinaAid initiative that was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in 2015, and Malawi is among the countries benefiting from the project.
Social Media tinkles Namadingo
By Albert Mulizakamba
Balaka, September 28, Mana: Renowned Malawian musician Patience Namadingo has announced via social media that he will only perform at one final live show in 2025.
Recently, Namadingo posted that he would dedicate the entire year of 2025 to practice for this singular event and the poster for the performance would be released on October 25, 2024, saying: “This will be my last performance”
Following this development, many fans have stirred their emotions including those in the music industry fear the end of an era for the celebrated artist.
Evanz Musiq, a prominent Malawian artist, Evanz Musiq told Malawi News Agency (Mana) in Blantyre Friday of the importance of discerning the truth behind social media posts.
He noted that Namadingo made many promises in the past, some of which were not fulfilled, such as a planned performance in two Malawian cities that never happened.
Therefore, he advised not to take everything Namadingo says seriously and suggested waiting to see if his latest announcement is true.
Meanwhile, some of Namadingo’s fans have expressed their gratitude for the joy and inspiration his music brought into their lives.
One of his top fans, Fortune Singini from Blantyre said, “As a top fan, I am not happy with the announcement, and I hope that other fans are also not happy and Namadingo's post is just a stunt.”
Patience Namadingo, born on May 28, 1989, in Kapalamula Village, Traditional Authority (TA) Nsamala in Balaka District, begun his musical journey at a young age.
He released his debut album, Goseni in 2007, but it was his second album, Tili ndi Yesu, in 2010 that catapulted him to fame with the hit song, Mtendere.
As fans eagerly await the final performance, the music industry reflects on Namadingo’s contributions and the legacy he will leave behind.
Council elects’ new chairperson and vice
By Brian Wasili
Mwanza, September 28, Mana: Khudze Ward Councillor, Emmanuel Kapawe has been elected as Mwanza District Council Chairperson while Frazer Bandiele of Thambani Ward as his vice.
In his acceptance speech after the elections held in the Council Chamber on Friday, Kapawe pledged to work with all stakeholders to ensure that development activities in the district are distributed evenly regardless of distance and political ideologies.
“I will make follow up on projects that are underway to see to it that they are completed on time and operational,” he promised.
Kapawe called for coordination between the council secretariat and the elected members for improved service delivery for the benefit of people in the district.
Kapawe who defeated his vice (Bandiele) by four votes against two is replacing outgoing Mitseche Ward Councillor, Steve Bellon Kasambwe whose two consecutive terms of office have expired.
His vice Frazer Bandiele amassed three votes defeating Kasambwe who collected two votes while Mpandadzi Ward Councillor, Kayisi Chimbalanga had one vote.
According to Local Government Act, council chairperson is elected into the office to serve for 12 months’ subject to re-election for another term in contrast to City Mayor who serves for two and a half years’ term once elected.
Mwanza District has four wards and two constituencies stretching in three Traditional Authorities of Nthache, Kanduku and Govati.
Ministry of Lands engages Blantyre Council on Land Act
By Joseph Mtendere Ligowe
Blantyre, September 28, Mana: Ministry of Lands on Friday engaged members of Blantyre District Council, including chiefs, to sensitize them on the new Land Act that is encouraging land owners to register their land including customary land.
Speaking during the meeting, Director of Administration in the Ministry of Lands, Dr. Victor Chinyama Sandikonda, stressed the need to register customary land.
“When one registers his or her land, it shows ownership and there is proper care because he or she becomes responsible for the land they own. This also helps in reducing land conflicts as there will be certificate of ownership. So, we are encouraging communities to take advantage of this Act,” said Sandikonda.
Senior Chief Kunthembwe welcomed the development saying he will work with government so that people should register their land.
“We have a lot of land conflicts and if this initiative comes into existence it will ease and reduce conflicts in our areas,” said Senior Chief Kunthembwe.
National Beach Soccer team to start AFCON preparations
By Benedicto Maguda
Blantyre, September 28, Mana: Malawi National Beach Soccer team coach, Willie Kumilambe has disclosed that the team would start its preparations in the first week of October for 2024 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) which will be held in Egypt from October 19 to 26, 2024.
In an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Friday in Blantyre, he said as the team would start with international friendlies to expose young prayers before the main task in Egypt.
“We are stating our preparations next week to test our prayers so that they should tighten up and remove fear for the competition,” the Coach said.
Kumilambe added that this would be the second time the National Beach Soccer team competed in an international tournament and pledged to perform to the top.
The Coach said, “We qualified last time though people doubted our performance in the competition. We ended up on a good position.
“People doubted our capability in the competition, now we need to show Africa and everybody our seriousness.”
Sports analysists, Kimu Kamau said two weeks was enough for team to prepare for the continental level competition, saying the prayers were still active after competing in regional matches.
“Our players who will go for camp are still playing and they are active because they have been playing in region competitions, they are also the same that took part in COSAFA tournament,
“We have Senegal in our group but we are not supposed to look at the names, I believe that the form our team had in COSAFA will continue,” he said.
Kamau added that there was possibility that the team would do well in the tournament, observing that the team has experienced players.
“Malawians should expect that our team is going to do well in 2024 AFCON competition. Each competing beach soccer team is being sponsored by government, I therefore expect that government should be in forefront to help the team in time by providing good food and accommodation as this is the best time to motivate our team,” he said.
Malawi National Beach Soccer team is in group B with teams like Senegal, Mozambique and Mauritania.
Malawi will play against Mozambique on October 21 2024.
Government calls for a multi-sectoral tourism participation
By Gif Chiponde
Lilongwe, September 28, Mana: Minister of Tourism, Vera Kamtukule has emphasized the pivotal role of various sectors and partners in fostering and enriching the development of tourism in the country.
The Minister made the remarks on Friday during the observance of World Tourism Day held at the Ministry's Headquarters in Lilongwe.
She underscored that the Ministry was actively promoting diverse forms of tourism, including religious tourism, sports tourism, mining tours, agricultural tourism, and a variety of other offerings within the tourism industry.
"Initially, people perceived tourism as merely visiting the lake, but as a ministry, we have adopted a resolute approach towards advancing tourism development in the country," Kamtukule noted.
She viewed the importance of promoting lesser-known destinations that wield a significant influence in the tourism industry, expressing the Ministry's commitment to collaborating with various individuals and councils nationwide to promote such locales for tourism.
The Minister added that, “I may not be familiar with all the places in Malawi, but the ministry is dedicated to collaborating with individuals in different regions and District Councils to ensure that lesser-known destinations receive the visibility they deserve."
Mayor of Lilongwe City Council, Esther Sagawa, noted that the decentralization of authority from the Ministry to City Councils in managing certain tourism sectors would greatly assist the city councils in fully capitalizing on tourism development.
Head of Compliance at Standard Bank, Chikondi Kapyepye mentioned that the bank sponsored photography and poetry competitions as a means of showcasing the bank's dedication to promoting Malawi's tourism potential.
She emphasized that Standard Bank acknowledges the significant role that the tourism sector plays in the country’s socio-economic advancement, as it holds the potential to generate foreign exchange for the country.
Police warns students against vandalism
By Mirrium Fumulani
Balaka, September 27, Mana: Officer In-charge for Balaka Police Station, Senior Superintendent, Dan Sauten Friday warned students at Balaka Secondary School to refrain from vandalizing school property saying would never condone violent scenes in schools.
The warning has come following the ugly scenes which occurred during the night of September 26 to 27, 2024 after form 4 students went on rampage to vandalize school property.
Over 18 students got injured in the course of the incident that ensued when the form 4 students were up against junior students over food.
Sauten said that, “As long as I am In-charge of Balaka Police, I will not tolerate any misconduct at this the institution.
“The conflict began when form four students, who traditionally have the privilege of being the first to receive meals, found themselves challenged by their junior students,”
There was in form of damaged windows, torn mattresses and desks were thrown all over in the course of the chaos.
Meanwhile, no student has been punished for their involvement in the vandalism of school property but the authorities warned them never to repeat the acts.
Balaka Secondary School Head teacher, Catherine Gunde, thanked the Balaka Police Officer In-charge and his team for addressing the students saying this was timely intervention.
NEEF appeals to MPs for K70 billion farm input loan fund
By Yamikani Yapuwa
Thyolo, September 27, Mana: National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) has urged Members of Parliament to lobby for the release of K70 billion to fund crucial farm input loans aimed at supporting medium-scale farmers across the country.
The appeal was made on Friday by NEEF Chief Executive Officer, Humphrey Mdyetseni, during a stakeholder consultative meeting with community leaders in Thyolo District, noting that there is increased demand for agricultural loans among farmers.
“The K70 billion is essential to meet the needs of approximately 400, 000 to 500, 000 farmers cultivating between five and more hectares of land,” he said.
“These farmers, according to government guidelines, do not qualify for the Affordable Input Programme which is reserved for smallholder farmers and have been directed towards NEEF for support.
“The K70 billion is based on our assessment of the demand for farm input loans,” Mdyetseni added.
He added that the legislators have a critical role in advocating for the fund recapitalization, which would provide farmers with the necessary inputs for the upcoming farming season.
“Given that this amount was not included in the approved national budget, we are appealing to parliamentarians to push for the approval of this request during the upcoming mid-year budget review meeting.
“We are calling on MPs, as part of the District Council, to champion this cause in Parliament and support the fund’s expansion to meet the needs of these farmers,” said Mdyetseni.
Member of Parliament for Thyolo North, Ephraim Nayeja echoed Mdyetseni’s sentiments, emphasizing the importance of supporting agriculture, which is the backbone of Malawi’s economy.
Nayeja affirmed the legislature’s commitment to lobbying for the release of the K70 billion during budget deliberations.
“We are ready and willing to advocate for the funds. Enhancing productivity among these farmers is key to alleviating hunger and poverty in our communities,” Nayeja said.
He also stressed the need for lawmakers to raise awareness among their constituents about the importance of repaying their loans.
“This is a revolving fund. If loans are not repaid, others will miss out on the same support. Promoting a culture of repayment is essential for sustaining the programme,” added Nayeja.
Chiwale Secondary School sounds SOS for 20 students over K6.6 million unpaid fees
By Trinity Kamwani
Neno, September 27, Mana: The future of 20 students at Chiwale Secondary School in Neno hangs in the balance due to unpaid school fees amounting to K6.6 million.
According to the school’s head teacher, Moses Chapo, the students were promised a bursary by a well-wisher, but no payments have been made for the past three terms.
Chapo said the school had allowed the students to attend classes as the benefactor had been in communication with the District Education Office.
“Unfortunately, the well-wisher did not pay any fees, leading to arrears for three terms in the 2023/24 school year,” Chapo said.
He revealed that nine students, with balances of K400, 000 each, have already been sent home to raise the money. Some students’ parents have been paying whatever little they can afford after realizing the promised support was not forthcoming.
“It’s heartbreaking as some of these students are very bright but now their future is uncertain,” Chapo added.
Chiwale Secondary School bursar, Annes Chimtengo, said the unpaid fees are affecting the school operations which owes K8 million to suppliers of food and firewood.
She expressed doubts about whether the students would be able to settle their balances as they come from poor families, adding that the situation has worsened since the tuition fees were raised from K100, 000 to K150, 000 per term.
“Most of the parents in this community live on hand-to-mouth, relying on subsistence farming. Raising school fees in these conditions is nearly impossible,” Chimtengo observed.
Director of Education, Youth and Sports for Neno District Council, Foster Magombo, said he was unaware of the situation, saying he was new in office suggesting that the school should have followed up with the well-wisher earlier.
Magombo, therefore, appealed to other well-wishers to assist the students to protect them from being withdrawn from school.
Chakwera urges global leaders to urgently address climate change
By Arkangel Tembo, New York, United States of America
New York, September 27, Mana: President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has urged global leaders to urgently address climate change which is currently impacting every corner of the world.
He made the remarks during the leaders dialogue on climate adaptation action in Africa on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, USA.
President Chakwera staid that Malawi acknowledges the struggle of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in Africa, that are grappling with the severe aftermath of extreme weather events like floods which have disrupted agricultural cycles, jeopardising food and water security.
The President then called for increased support, commitments, and strengthened collaboration saying adaptation and resilience are urgent imperatives for Africa.
He expressed the significance of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) to achieving climate resilience stating that through the NAPs, Malawi has executed small scale projects addressing immediate adaptation needs and yielding promising results.
However, president Chakwera said NAPs provide a long-term framework for fostering comprehensive resilience across critical sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, and water.
“Malawi has been fortunate to receive support from the Green Climate Fund for advancing NAP formulation.
We have completed our climate risk assessments and are now integrating adaptation strategies into vital sectors” said Chakwera.
He said Malawi remains steadfast in its commitment to global climate action which has prompted the country to integrate climate goals into the Malawi 2063 (MW2063) and revised the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), aiming for a 51 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.
