MANAonline
Local musician inspires and entertains Karonga prison inmates
By Felix Katemula
Karonga, September 19, Mana: Youths in Karonga led by Matthews Munyangu Banda, a musician known by the stage name Mtemi Blue Nyt on Wednesday brought entertainment, joy, counselling and inspirational messages to inmates at Karonga Prison.
Mtemi Blue Nyt, who is one of the upcoming musicians based in the district said that inmates should not be deprived of entertainment and psychological counselling considering the place they live in.
“We have brought the message of togetherness, hope and inspiration to our brothers here in prison, they don’t have time to celebrate life the way people out there do. As a musician I am happy to have come here and be with them in this special way today,” said Nyt.
Counselling Psychologist at Karonga District Hospital, Joy Mkandawire who was part of the team that took part in the activity said most times inmates suffer from psychological disorders due to many factors that they go through while in prison.
“Most inmates think the world is collapsing on them and they become hopeless. Our coming here has brought an opportunity to our brothers who cannot access psychological counselling in most cases,” he said.
Station Public Relations Officer for Karonga Prison, Samson Chavunguma commended the youth saying most people just bring items to the prison.
“You have bought items for them and you have also brought the aspect of psychological counselling which we believe will go a long way in preparing our inmates emotionally as they prepare to integrate with the communities they were coming from,” he said.
The function was spiced up by musical performances by Mtemi Blue Nyt and other artists including motivation speeches.
SEC hails Dedza Police on crime prevention
By Zenak Matekenya
Dedza, September 19, Mana: Dedza Station Executive Committee (SEC) Chairperson Peter Msukwa has hailed Dedza Police for reducing crime rates by 12 percent in 2024 saying its sharing boundaries with Mozambique comes with complications of cross-border crimes.
He said this on Wednesday following a SEC meeting which brought together police officers, community policing members as well as traditional and faith leaders to intensify crime prevention measures in the district.
Msukwa observed attributes such as strategic planning, coordination and community engagement among those that have helped the police to counter theft, child trafficking and other crimes.
"A bigger portion of the district shares boundaries with Mozambique. Police deal with crimes that can be influenced and delicate because of these boundaries. News of reduced crime is therefore worth celebrating,” he said.
Officer-In-Charge for Dedza Police Station Dr. Gift Chiundira said effective crime prevention, trust and public safety are possible because of a good working relationship between police and communities.
He hailed Senior Chief Chilikumwedo who mobilized money through a football bonanza in consultation with the District Commissioner’s office to buy two motorbikes to assist mobility in crime prevention.
In his remarks, Senior Chief Chilikumwendo said leaders have a task to identify problems faced by communities and find solutions.
Meanwhile, people in the district have commended increased police visibility at the Boma and enforcement of the speed limit along the M1 Road using speed traps.
SEC is composed of district police station officer in charge, chiefs, faith leaders and local people to ensure quality provision of security in a district.
NPC launches MW2063 Comic book
By Andrew Mkonda
Dowa, September 19, Mana: Ministry of Education has hailed the National Planning Commission (NPC) for introducing MW2063 comic book in primary school which will assist in changing the mindset of learners at a tender age.
Secretary for Education Dr. Mangani Katundu made the remarks Wednesday at Mponela II primary school in Dowa during the launch of the MW2063 Comic book for primary school learners.
“As educators, we know that there are different ways you can reach out to different groups in a community. For children, the use of comic books is one of the best ways in which you can influence, attract interest and maintain the interest of the children.
“So as the country, we thought that this journey of MW2063 is not just for us, but also for the generation that is still in primary school,” he said.
Katundu then urged development partners to join hands with the government in reaching out to different groups of people so that the country attains its vision.
NPC Director General Dr Thomas Munthali said they thought of coming up with a comic book in different languages so that young ones can start understanding and embracing the MW2063 vision at a tender age.
Munthali then asked parents and teachers to take a leading role in making children understand the translation of MW2063 as illustrated in the comic book.
“Let me take this opportunity to request our development partners to assist us in producing more copies so that we reach out to all 6,000 primary schools across the country.
“We plan to give out 100 copies to each school, but we have only produced 10, 000 copies, which is not enough at all,” he said.
UNICEF Country Representative Shadreck Omol said UNICEF is committed to partner with government in making sure that learners in primary school understand and get involved in the development aspirations of the country.
“I am so happy to see young children citing some of the enablers in the MW2063 blueprint through their poems, songs and drama, that’s what we want,” he said.
Omol further said UNICEF will continue working hand in hand with NPC and Ministry of Education in making sure that the books reach out to every school across the country.
Speaking in a separate interview, Head-girl for Mponela II primary school Evelyn Liyisoni thanked NPC for the initiative saying it will go a long way in changing the mindset of young ones after reading the book.
NPC and the Ministry of Education developed the MW2063 comic book for primary school learners in 2022.
PAM committed to revamp poetry
By Pempho Nkhoma
Blantyre, September 19, Mana: Poetry Association of Malawi (PAM) has reaffirmed its commitment to revamp the poetry industry in the country and help poets benefit from their art.
PAM President, Robert Chiwamba told Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Thursday that currently, the poetry industry is not in a stable state.
“Poetry is in bad shape, this is because of the economic environment as people are struggling to make ends meet and artists concentrate on earning a living through economic activities,” he said.
Chiwamba said PAM will continue promoting the art by connecting its members to opportunities and speaking on artists’ behalf in forums.
“The greatest work of the association is to network poets so that they should work jointly in improving their crafts, collaborate with organizations to run competitions, connect young poets with established ones and work with writer clubs in universities to improve poetry,” he said.
He admitted that it is hard for poets to make a living out of their art citing that technology has brought change on the market.
“Since Compact Disks (CD) phased out due to technology, poets have not found a way of packaging and selling their art. As a result, most of them have not seen the benefits of their skills,” he added.
He therefore urged government to intervene and come up with policies that would enable poets to capitalize on the high number of followers and subscribers that they have online to make money.
“This can partly be solved if and when the Malawi government discusses with platforms such as YouTube for monetization guidelines,” he said.
One of the renowned poets, Hardson Chamasowa said the poetry industry in Malawi is not where it is supposed to be due to lack of a platform to expose talent.
“To revive our industry we need popular poetry events such as Chitsinda Cha Ndakatulo and the Land of Poets Festival and ensure that they are held regularly and grow in scale,” he said.
However, Chamasowa expressed optimism that there is an opportunity for poets to make money from their art by utilizing the Internet.
“We can still make money through the internet. We need to develop an official PAM website, which can serve as a platform for poets to showcase and monetize their work. This should have secure payment systems like bank transfers and mobile wallets, ensuring poets are compensated whenever their poems are downloaded,” Chamasowa explained.
A fan who used to patronize poetry shows, Andrew Jonas from Machinjiri in Blantyre said in an interview that poetry has become unpopular since they do not organize shows regularly.
PAM brings together people or groups involved in promoting poetry in Malawi to preserve Malawian culture, educate, and entertain through poetry.
TRADE project lauded for improving livelihoods of rural farmers
By Dalitso Kampira
Thyolo, September 19, Mana: Agriculture officials and dairy farmers in Thyolo District have lauded the Transforming Agriculture Through Diversification and Entrepreneurship (TRADE)" project for significantly improving livelihoods.
In an interview on Wednesday after touring Dwale and Thyolo Centre Extension Planning Areas (EPAs), Thyolo TRADE Desk Officer Kingsley Masinga said the project focuses on empowering farmers to treat farming as a business through supporting Milk Bulking Groups (MBGs).
"It is encouraging to see farmers not only focusing on production but also on selling their produce," Masinga said.
He said the project has made good progress particularly in moving from community-level engagement and planning to a more personalized, family-level approach, this, he said, has resulted in better outcomes at the household level.
Masinga said on a larger scale, the TRADE project also includes infrastructure development, with renovations of MBGs, roads, and bridges currently underway.
An Extension Worker for Mtambanyama MBGs in Thyolo Centre EPA, Dyton Kafulama said dairy farming has greatly benefited farmers, enabling them to meet their basic needs, such as food, shelter, and school fees.
"The TRADE project is an eye-opener for farmers, helping them diversify their farming. They are now growing various crops such as soyabeans, tomatoes, cabbages, and maize, in addition to selling milk," said Kafulama.
A beneficiary from Mpeni MBG, Titani Banda, expressed gratitude to the TRADE project for promoting gender balance in her household.
The six-year project, implemented by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, is being carried out in 10 districts including Thyolo, Blantyre, Dedza, Lilongwe, Kasungu, Mchinji, Nkhata Bay, Chitipa, and Karonga.
It is funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Open Fund for International Development.
President Chakwera to hold Malawi Partners Conference
By Arkangel Tembo, New York, USA
New York, September 18, Mana: President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera will engage several stakeholders and donors during the Malawi Partners Conference on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States of America to discuss issues to do with agriculture for sustainable food security.
The theme for the partner's conference will be: Securing Our Future, Enhancing Investment in Agriculture for Sustainable Food Security.
Ambassador Agnes Mary Chimbiri-Molande, who is also Permanent Representative of the Republic of Malawi to the United Nations told Malawi News Agency in an interview on Wednesday that during the Malawi Partners Conference, several investors and donors will come together to discuss what they can invest in Malawi to ensure sustainable food and nutritional security.
"With El Nino which led to so many disasters in terms of agricultural produce, Malawi has low produce particularly low food production where most households face food insecurity. The President declared a national disaster and many partners did respond including the UN which assisted us with millions of dollars," Molande said.
She said President Chakwera is scheduled to hold the Malawi Partners Conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
"In 2023 he also held one conference with all the partners that were available who committed to help on how Malawi can build economic and climate resilience following the shocks that we experienced with cyclones Freddy, Anna and Gombe and many disasters including drought " added Molande.
She said apart from the Malawi Partners Conference, the President will be joining all other heads of state in a high-level debate and meetings that the UN has planned for the 79th Assembly.
The ambassador described the 79th meeting as an important forum for the member states of the UN to discuss and reflect on lessons learnt and look into the world's future.
Before the UN General Assembly, Molande said the president would also be engaged in high-level discussion starting on September 24 with the member states.
She disclosed that the summit has five segments, namely; peace and security, sustainable development, governance, digital compact and future generation.
Mchinji One Stop Border Post to drive revenue growth, Trade Efficiency
By Sellah Chunda
Mchinji, August 18: Authorities have reported that Mchinji One Stop Border Post will significantly contribute to enhancement of the country’s revenue collection.
This was revealed during a media engagement tour in Mchinji on Wednesday.
Speaking during the tour, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Trade, Christina zakeyu, highlighted Malawi's progress in generating revenue compared to previous years.
“Since the implementation of the One Stop Border Post, we have seen considerable improvements in revenue collection. In the past, we collected around one billion kwacha a month through the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA), but this has now increased to over three billion kwacha monthly,” said Zakeyu.
Zakeyu said coordination among border agencies has also helped towards the improvement unlike previously, when they operated independently.
Zakeyu added to say more facilities are yet to come, as this is part of the COMESA project funded with 3.5 million euros.
"We have introduced new systems, including the operational Smart Gate. The processing time for travelers crossing the border has drastically reduced from eight days to just one or two days, which is a significant improvement.
"We are witnessing increased business activity from cross-border traders, and we view this project as a game changer," said Zakeyu.
Station Manager for MRA at the Mchinji One Stop Border Post, Tapiwa Mzunga, emphasized the role of the newly installed equipment in enhancing operational efficiency.
She said the equipment will help monitor how long goods take to clear through the One Stop Border Post and facilitate faster trade and movement of people.
However, Zakeyu noted that Malawi is still exporting fewer goods compared to imports from Zambia.
The Mchinji One Stop Border Post was launched to streamline and enhance cross-border trade between Malawi and Zambia.
Minister pushes for cultural preservation amidst technological growth
By: Golden Kang'oma
Salima, September 18, Mana: Minister of Tourism, Vera Kamtukule, has expressed concern over the dilution of Malawi's cultural identity due to technological advancements.
Speaking during a visit to Gwirize Cultural Village in Salima district on Wednesday, Kamtukule highlighted the importance of blending technology with cultural preservation as the country celebrates Tourism Month.
She said: "We are lamenting the loss of our authenticity as Malawians, technological progress is not the problem, but when culture is sacrificed at the altar of innovation, it becomes an issue."
Kamtukule emphasized the need to establish cultural villages in all 28 districts to preserve and promote Malawian heritage. She said the ministry aims to work closely with the Ministry of Local Government to integrate culture as a key tourism product.
"People visit Malawi to see our unique culture, so when we are doing our things, we should make sure that we do things as Malawians so that people from other countries can learn from us," she said.
Chairperson for Gwirize Cultural Village, Noah Chana, said they are in the pipeline of improving their facilities and plan to launch a website to attract international visitors.
"We aim at marketing the village globally and offer accommodation for tourists, this is to make sure that our culture is preserved and it's marketed globally," Chana said.
Chana added that the initiative is seen as a way of boosting local revenue and contribute to community development, with proceeds supporting needy students in surrounding schools.
Salima District Council Chairperson, Ephraim Manthepa said the cultural village is putting the district on the map and it has the potential to improve people's livelihoods.
Rising concern over HIV/AIDS stigma on social media
By Agatha Kadzinje
Blantyre, September 18, Mana: National Aids Commission (NAC) has emphasized the need for social media to be used primarily for raising awareness for HIV and AIDS rather than as a tool to bully people living with HIV and AIDS by disclosing their status.
Acting Public Relations Officer for NAC, Franscis Mabedi said in an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) in Blantyre on Wednesday, that the topic of HIV and AIDS is sensitive and an issue of public importance.
“The spread and management of information about HIV and AIDS should adhere to the 2011 HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management Act where section 11 prohibits anyone from disclosing another person’s HIV status,” Mabedi said.
He stressed that although the topic of HIV and AIDS is openly discussed on social media, laws and regulations should still be upheld.
Mabedi also pointed out that social media itself has no power of misinformation rather it is the way people misuse it. However, he said social media has proven to be effective in educating people about HIV and AIDS.
“We do not blame social media itself but rather we blame how people manage it because of lack of control,” he said.
He added that the unlawful disclosure of person’s HIV status on social media not only violates the laws of this country but also infringe one’s human rights.
Executive Director of the Malawi Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (MANET+), Lawrence Khonyongwa told Mana in a separate interview that there is lack of awareness regarding Malawi’s legal framework on HIV/AIDS, citing the unlawful disclosure of another person’s HIV status to the public including on social media.
“Most people are unaware that it is illegal to disclose someone’s confidential health status like this to anyone without their consent. Victims should report violations to the relevant authorities such as the police and organizations such as MANET+ to receive appropriate help,” he said.
Khonyongwa added that there is need for more civic education and awareness about HIV and AIDS Prevention and Management Act which also applies to online platforms.
He, therefore, disclosed that MANET+ runs an online campaign called Stigma Fighter, a global initiative aimed at ending the misconceptions and stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS.
In addition, MANET+ works closely with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Gender and Social Welfare and other partners to raise awareness in the country, according to Khonyongwa.
Khonyongwa has since encouraged people living with HIV to always take matters further when faced with stigma related issues on online platforms and not suffer in silence.
FEDOMA applauds government over performance of students with special needs
By Prisca Mashushu
Lilongwe, September 18, Mana: Federation of Disability Organizations in Malawi (FEDOMA) says is satisfied with the increased number of students with disabilities who have passed the 2024 Malawi School Certificate Examinations (MSCE).
FEDOMA Project Coordinator, Lyson Mapanga highlighted that increase of the number of students with disabilities passing exams is an indication of FEDOMA's efforts in ensuring that the rights of disabled children are observed.
“As an organization, we are pleased with the number of disability students’ performance who sat for the MSCE this year and they should be appreciated in a special way as they face various challenges in order to access quality education.
“We would like to thank the Ministry of Education for providing all necessary resources and support and other basic needs to students with disabilities to ensure they access their education," he explained.
However, Mapanga appealed to different stakeholders including the government, Malawi National Examinations Board (Maneb), Malawi Union of the Blind and others to continue supporting students with different special needs to be given special consideration while accessing their education for the betterment of their performance.
He pointed out that students with disabilities face tremendous challenges including discrimination, lack of access to technology resources used for education purposes and proper care during learning hours.
Concurring with Mapanga, Education expert Douglas Nyirenda said the success observed highlights government’s commitment in the provision and promotion of education which implies that Malawi is on course towards achieving Malawi agenda 2063 that aims at promoting inclusion of people of all statuses.
“In the just released MSCE results students with special needs scored 55.59 percent pass rate which is a commendable figure compared to previous years as well as the history of special needs education.
“This also signifies that government is working tirelessly to provide adequate teaching, learning and assessment resources to help learners who have special needs," he said.
Nyirenda said government and other stakeholders should follow different strategies to provide more support to learners with special needs including increasing number of specialist teachers in all government schools to respond positively to such students.
“Government should also offer continuous professional development courses to help students with special needs and provide more material resources in schools for example construction of friendly usable schools as one way of promoting education among special need students,” he explained.
About 734 special needs students sat for the examination and 411 have passed the examinations representing 55.99 percent.
