NEWS IN BRIEF
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MANAonline

By Aliko Munde

 

Chitipa, September 16, Mana: Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has appealed to Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Political parties to sensitize youth and person with disabilities in Chitipa District to participate in pilot voter registration.

 

Commissioner for Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), Rev. Phillip Kambulire made the appeal on Monday during stakeholder meetings aimed at sensitizing CSOs, political party and faith leaders on the pilot voter registration, which starts on September 18 to 19, 2024 in the district.

 

He said that experience has shown that youths and persons with disabilities turn up to the exercise is very low.

 

“It's our plea to all stakeholders to make sure that youths and persons with disabilities are mobilized and they take part in this exercise because they are also very important. They are the citizens of Malawi and they need to participate in every electoral process and they know their responsibility,” Rev. Kambulire appealed.

 

Chairperson for Chitipa CSO Network, Patrick Ziba has assured MEC that they would go flat-out and sensitize the masses including the youths and persons with disabilities to participate in the pilot voter registration exercise.

 

He said that youth play pivotal role in the country hence the need for them to take a leading role in the exercise.

 

On his part, Sheik Mambo of Chitipa mosque, thanked MEC for considering faith leaders and other electoral stakeholders for the exercise.

 

“We are going to sensitize our members to participate in the pilot voter registration exercise. We will make sure that we also reach out to persons with disabilities and youths to take part in the exercise,” he said.

 

MEC has procured 6,500 Elections Management Devices in readiness for the forthcoming general elections which is slated for 26th September, 2025.

 

Voter registration for 2025 General Elections starts on October 21, 2024 and Chitipa District is one of the districts included in the first phase of the registration.

By Fostina Mkandawire

Salima, September 16, Mana: Vice President, Dr. Michael Usi has called for upon beneficiaries of the National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) loans to exercise discipline when utilizing funds accessed from the Fund.

He made the call on Monday, during a consultative meeting organized by NEEF held to solicit views from Senior Chiefs and Traditional Leaders from Salima.

Usi said loans accessed from NEEF are meant to impact the lives of beneficiaries economically through channeling the resources enterprises such as farming, establishing businesses and any other ventures that are profitable.

"The aim of NEEF loans is to give people their dignity, respect and sense of purpose, if one accesses a loan we expect that their lives should be transformed for the better, therefore I am urging proper utilization of these loans," the Vice President stated.

He said the loans are being disbursed with no consideration of one’s background or political affiliation because the aim is to reduce poverty every region across the country.

"What we want is to have hardworking and zealous Malawians to access these loans so that they can be able to employ others to break the chain of poverty in the country," Usi added.

The Vice President called on NEEF authorities to streamline the loan application process by removing barriers such as collateral and facilitating access for all individuals.

He encouraged NEEF beneficiaries to prioritize loan repayments and uphold discipline, emphasizing their contribution to the progress and development of the country.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for NEEF, Humphrey Mdyetseni highlighted that the Fund was committed to ensuring that the loans benefit the intended Beneficiaries, stating that the institution was expected to disburse K 70 billion this year.

Council Chairperson for Salima District Council, Ephraim Manthera recognized government’s unwavering dedication to improving the lives of Malawians.

He anticipated Salima's transformation through the NEEF programme, empowering its people to enhance their livelihoods effectively.

"It is our hope that through the farm input loans, many people from Salima will continue benefiting from the loans," Manthera noted.

Speaking on behalf of Traditional Leaders, Traditional Authority (TA) Maganga commended government for establishing NEEF, which has proven to be advantageous to many people in Salima District.

She urged NEEF to actively involve more women and youth in their loan programmes, asserting that such initiatives would mitigate poverty levels among communities in the district.

Monday, 16 September 2024 15:50

Government to enhance job creation

By Patience Longwe

Lilongwe, September 16, Mana: Minister of Labour, Agnes Nyalonje has underscored the importance of employment impact assessment saying it was the key for sustainable development and achieving the objectives of Malawi 2063.

Speaking during the Employment Impact Assessment Workshop on Monday at Sunbird Capital Hotel in Lilongwe, she said the employment impact assessment aims at building a critical mass of knowledge and skills to allow the country adopt coordinated strategies to large scale job creation.

NyaLonje highlighted the workshop was a significant initial step towards building national employment impact assessment capacity and institutionalizing employment impact assessment process in bringing together players from across public sector, private sector, academia and civil society.

“We need to leverage employment impact assessment to promote the creation of more and better jobs in the country and through the same tool, be able to make quality decisions about big investments that are employment-intensive,” the Minister stated.

European Union (EU) Ambassador to the Republic of Malawi, Rune Skinnebach has reiterated its commitment to providing financial support for country to realize Malawi 2063.

“We are deeply committed to supporting efforts to reduce unemployment, our investment of over six million euros in the strengthen two projects demonstrate this commitment we are dedicated to ensuring that decisions made in meetings like this translate into tangible support for employment and job creative,” she said.

Chief Technical Advisor, Ralf   Kruger said United Nations (UN) and international Labour Organizations (ILO) are to support and the tools offers significant opportunities for informed decision making through evidence- based policy making.

“As a technician, I believe this tool is vital for everyday decision making related to employment, regarding the importance of job quality I think it is essential to consider that sometimes people might be employed without the necessary skills for the job,” he said.

Monday, 16 September 2024 14:49

Chitipa registers 27 Cholera cases

By Aliko Munde

 

Chitipa, September 16, Mana: Ifumbo Health Centre in Senior Chief Mwabulambya in Chitipa District has become the latest health facility to register two cases of Cholera with a district registering 27 cases so far.

 

Chitipa District Health Office’s Spokesperson Masida Nyirongo said that Ifumbo Health Centre needs a lot of support to prevent further spread of the disease.

 

In an interview on Monday, he said that Ifumbo Health Centre has five new suspected cases who have been admitted pending a rapid test.

 

“We have registered 27 cholera cases in the district with four health facilities affected, namely; Chitipa District Hospital, Kameme, Kapenda and Ifumbo Health Centres,” Nyirongo said.

 

Chitipa District Council, Director of Administration, Clement Gonthi, has disclosed that the District Council has prohibited preparation and serving of food during public gatherings like funerals, church and weddings.

 

He said that the district council has also prohibited sell of already prepared food.

 

Gonthi discouraged open defecation in the district.

 

“Every household must have its own latrine with drop hole cover and handwashing facilities. We are appealing to households to use treated water for all purposes including cooking and drinking. We are also appealing to public institutions like, offices, schools, markets to make available hand washing facilities,” he said.

 

Gonthi said that everyone has a role to play by practising and adhering to Cholera preventive and containment measures.

 

The district has registered one death so far.

By Blackson Mkupatira

Chiradzulu, September 16, Mana: Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Southern Malawi, Alinafe Kalemba has expressed concern over the increasing number of divorce and suicide cases in the country.

He was speaking on Sunday during a sermon at St. Michael’s Anglican Church in Chiradzulu, where he among others, offered the sacrament of confirmation to 13 boys and girls.

Kalemba, who is also a marriage counsellor, said due to lack of communication, a lot of married people are committing suicide and marriages are breaking, leaving children without proper care, a situation he said negatively affects the church and the nation in the future.

He called on married couples to resist the temptations of rushing into divorce and encouraged them to resolve their differences amicably, acknowledging that squabbles are inevitable in relationships.

“When children grow up in unstable families, it’s like planting a bomb that will explode in the future. But when couples stay together and prioritize their children's well-being, it leads to a stronger church and a healthier nation,” Kalemba said.

The Bishop cautioned married couples and those preparing for marriage to make sure they are mentally mature, saying marriage is not without challenges.

“Every day, I meet families grappling with numerous issues due to the economic hardships we are facing as a country and I tell them that the key to a stable family is to communicate openly.

“Don’t bottle up problems, address them right away. Unresolved issues build up and become almost impossible to resolve,” Kalemba said, adding that it was also important for both couples in marriage to engage in economic generating activities to support their families.

Quoting Mark 10: 10-11, Kalemba reminded the congregation that God disapproves of divorce and warned that remarrying after divorce was considered adultery.

In his sermon, Kalemba took time to advise those who received confirmation to stand up and start taking responsibilities that would help the life of the Church.

“Confirmation is a commissioning service where we receive those that have been with us from 12 years that they have come of age and can participate in the life of the Church,” he said.

In his remarks, Chiradzulu Parish Priest, Rev. Harry Daniels thanked the Bishop for his visit and for confirming 13 young boys and girls into the Church.

He expressed disappointment that more children were not confirmed due to lack of commitment to attending confirmation classes.

Monday, 16 September 2024 13:36

MEC holds pilot voter registration in Nsanje

By Robert Nayeja

Nsanje, September 16, Mana: Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) will hold pilot voter registration in Nsanje Lalanje and Nsanje Central constituencies from September 18 to 19,2024.

District Commissioner (DC) for Nsanje, Dominic Mwandira has asked electoral stakeholders in the district to work together to ensure success of the vote registration.

He was made the call on Monday at the opening of a day long electoral stakeholders meeting ahead of voter registration pilot exercise.

Mwandira asked political party representatives to understand the process so that they should ably explain to the process to party followers.

MEC, Director of Media and Public Relations, Sangwani Mwafulirwa said the exercise was critical in preparing for the 2025 general elections, adding that the exercise would help to test the electoral process and equipment to appreciate challenges and seek solutions.

“This registration is not elections registration; it is just a pilot exercise. We therefore urge all eligible voters to participate in this pilot voter registration exercise and come back to register during actual voter registration exercise in the near future,” he added.

Mwafulirwa said the pilot voter registration in the district will commerce from September 18 to 19, 2024, in Nsanje Lalanje and Nsanje Central, adding that registration centres in the two areas will open from 8 am to 4 pm.

He disclosed that the pilot voter registration takes place in eight districts in the country, adding that this will only allow those that are eligible to register.

“Will follow elections laws and those who are citizens of this country and those that have been in the country for five years are eligible to register. Those that have reached 18 years or those that will be 18 years old by September 16, 2025 will also be allowed to register,” the Director added.

He asked Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and party representatives to mobilize communities to take part in the exercise

Monday, 16 September 2024 12:31

MWASIP provides K557 million matching grants

By Bishop Witmos 

Mangochi, September 16, Mana: Malawi Watershed Services Improvement Project (MWASIP) has provided the grants to ensure that communities within Shire River Basin in Mangochi have other alternative means of income other than encroaching forest reserves to degrading the environment for a living.

The matching grants are amounting to K557 million to farmer groups and agri-enterprises in Lower Lingamasa catchment to improve people’s livelihood through participating in cash for work catchment management and other climate smart agricultural related activities.

MWASIP which is being implemented to restore environment within the Shire River Basin has also provided support towards extension services, including provision of five new motorcycles amounting to K 70 million to extension workers in the catchment.

Handing over the funds and the motorcycles over the week end, MWASIP Deputy Director, Joseph Kanyangalazi said that, ‘‘Shire River is one of the important water bodies in the country and this was where electricity was generated apart from pumping of water for irrigation and consumption. We want to help communities to conserve the basin.

‘During the initial implementation of the project, we however observed that some communities resorted to exploit natural resources to earn a living. This is why we thought of addressing the challenge by giving community members alternative source of livelihood, hence the grants.’’ 

MWASIP intends to restore over to 4,500 hectares of land in Mangochi through afforestation, construction of stone bands amongst other water and land conservation measures in several catchments.

Chairperson for Mangochi District Council, Councilor, Yusuf Abdullar commended government for introducing MWASIP in the district and acknowledged the positive impact of the project.

He said the project helped in mobilizing communities to restore the environment apart from transforming communities’ livelihood.

‘We are thankful to government for the grants because this will help communities in Mangochi to engage in farming and other lawful income generating activities.’’

 ‘‘I am sure the assistance will encourage communities to find alternative ways of generating income other than degradation the environment for survival,’’ Abdullar said.

With support from the World Bank, MWASIP is working in Lower Lingamasa catchment, for integrated catchment conservation and management following serious degradation of land due to irresponsible cutting down of trees for charcoal production and timber, among other human activities that negatively impact on environment.

Monday, 16 September 2024 12:19

Centre engages men in suicide prevention

By Pempho Nkhoma

Blantyre, September, 16, Mana: Nditha Rehabilitation Center has expressed worry over rising cases of men committing suicide in the country and has since advised men to open up whenever they are in stressful situations.

The Rehabilitation Centre made the appeal Sunday in Blantyre at Men’s Legacy Conference organized by Apostle Joseph Ziba’s Fountain of Victory Church’s Men’s Ministry.

Making a presentation on mental health, a psychosocial counselor at Ndithja Rehabilitation Center, Vuyiswa Tonono, said that most men do not know their mental health status.

She advised men to go for regular mental health checks to establish their mental health status through routine checkups.

“Mental health check helps to know whether a person has a healthy mind. Checkups also help to establish if a person has a mental health problem,” Tonono added.

She said men need to have a positive attitude towards their life, adding that men should be careful of what they think about themselves.

“If a person has a strong mind then this can help to cope up with everyday stress, What a person think contributes to what that person will do in future. A person’s mind has to be full of what he is looking forward to,

“When a person wakes up and start having negative thoughts about failure, about what is going wrong in life, most of the times a person look for what is going wrong instead of focusing on what is going right,” Tonono added.

The Psychosocial Counsellor urged men to be accommodative to one another to give room to share problems to get solutions.

A Rehabilitation Technician from Nditha Rehabilitation Centre, Andrady Alumando noted with concern over lack of support spaces for men to open up, observing that mental health stigma pushes more men into suicide.

“We are living in society which says men should not cry and that emotions are for the weak. Most men believe they need be strong and this prevents men to realize their mental well-being” he said while recommending talk space that should allow men to open up to talk about mental health.

Alumando encouraged men in churches and other places to open to one another and create spaces where they should discuss issues that affect their life.

“Changing mental health stigma starts with providing a safe space for others to open up and seek for professional help. Every man needs to have adequate information about mental health,” the Rehabilitation Technician added while calling for men to open up other than suffering in silence.

Apostle Ziba encouraged men to seek spiritual guidance saying that every knowledge could shape a man.

“We are trying to make necessary requirements that should make a person live wiser at all times” he said and observed that men fail to patronize gatherings, saying that men often miss good knowledge that can prevent stress and expressed concern over low patronage of men in most church gatherings that offer spiritual support.

A resident from Bangwe Township, Blessings Moyo who attended the Men’s Legacy Conference, commended Fountain of Victory Church’s Men’s Ministry for organizing the gathering saying this was timely done considering rising cases of suicide among men in the country.

“This was something powerful as it tackled critical topics that will help most of us to live better,” he added.

Men’s Legacy Conference came at a time when suicide cases in the first half of 2024 indicated a rise in male suicide case such that out of 281 suicide cases, 246 are male while 35 are female, according to Malawi Police Service.

The Conference discussed topics such as; retirement and personal financial management presented by Chief Executive Officer for Malawi Stock Exchange, John Robson Kamanga and mining business opportunities by Group Chairperson of Akatswiri Holding Limited, Hilton E. Banda.

Men from other churches such as Living Waters, Roman Catholic, Church of Christ and Church of Central African Presbyterian (CCAP) attended the Men’s Legacy Conference.

Ministry of Health’s Suicide Prevention Implementation Framework, dated January 2023 stated that suicide is a serious global public health problem with multifaceted causes yet preventable with suicide prevention interventions

The 44-page document signed by former Secretary for Health Dr. Charles Mwansambo highlighted areas such as global suicide burden, Malawi situation analysis, challenges in addressing suicide in Malawi and government’s response to address the challenges.

By Martin Chiwanda

Machinga, September 16, Mana: Area and Village Level Development Committees at Nsanama in Machinga have acknowledged significance of women and young people and people with disabilities holding key decision making positions as the country expects to go for General Elections in 2025.

Members of Nsanama Area Development Committee (ADC) told Malawi News Agency Sunday after a two days training on Promoting Gender Transformative and Youth Inclusive Democracy in Malawi organized by Women Legal Resource Centre (WOLREC) and Oxfam with support from European Union (EU).

A participant, Bertha Kaunda, acknowledged that most of the vulnerable groups in their area have not been given decision making positions, saying the society believe that women and youths were not capable to make right decision when elected in key position in the society.

She said the training had been informative such that the ADC and Village Development Committees (VDCs) have realized the need to champion mind set change in the society to allow more women and youth to take up key positions of influence.

“Let’s accept that these people were being left out as most of the people have had a feeling that women, youths and people with disabilities have nothing to offer and this is the reason they have not been considered for decision making positions,” Kaunda added.

She pointed out that, “As leaders, we have even failed to understand that people women, youths and people with disability are capable to leading in our society. The training was relevant and has prepared us well to sensitize communities so that they should start appreciating the potential in women, youths and people with disabilities.”

Makumba VDC Chairperson, Annie Adam observed that electing women, young people and people with disabilities in leadership positions was a reflection of inclusivity.

“Women, young people and people living with disabilities’ participation in decision making positions is e not just a right, but also key to sustainable development. We need to do more to ensure that they attain decision making positions as we are preparing for the 2025 general elections,” she added.

Machinga District Council, Principal Gender Officer Rita Sukasuka commended WORLEC for providing the ADC and VDCs capacity to raise awareness on the need to elect women, young people and people with disability in decision making positions ahead of the 2025 general elections.

She expressed optimism that Nsanama ADC would reach out to wider area with the right message that shall improve women, young people and people with disability representation in the full council and national assembly.

“WORLEC has taken a good decision to train the committees. We are very optimistic that these committees will assist in disseminating necessary information to the masses so that the marginalized should actively participate decision making processes,” Sukasuka said.

The training was meant to prepare ADC and VDCs for intensified community awareness on the need to elect women, young people and people with disability in decision-making democratic structures as Malawi prepares for 2025 general elections.

WOLREC in partnership with Oxfam is implementing a project called; Promoting Gender Transformative and Youth Inclusive Democracy in Malawi within a period, November 1, 2023 to March 31, 2027.

The Project seeks to enhance meaningful participation of women, youth and marginalized groups in political processes and decision-making in the country.  

The Project is being implemented in seven districts; Rumphi, Mzimba, Salima, Dedza, Machinga, Mulanje and Nsanje with focus on 42,768 women, 15,724 young people aged between 18 to 35 years and 4,403 marginalized people mainly concentrating on persons with disabilities.

By Ireen Mseteka

Likoma, September 16, Mana: Community members have been hailed for actively participating in Climate-Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-EPWP) community contribution exercise which is underway in Likoma District.

Speaking in an interview Monday, Group Village Headman (GVH), Chiunda from Chizumulu Island said community members have shown ownership by taking part in the exercise saying that through the programme, roads have been maintained and preparation of tree seedlings gardens is underway.

“I am glad that everyone is taking part in the 10 days’ programme because it is for the benefit of everyone. For example, the roads which are being maintained they are accessed by everyone and the trees being grown will help combat climate change,” he said.

GVH Chalunda of Mbamba in Likoma asked government to continue with the CS-EPWP so that the island district should completely transform.

“People are now convinced about the importance of the programme. Previously, we used to face some challenges because most people never showed interest. We then started to engage them in awareness meetings on the importance of the programme,” he added.

Land Resource Officer for Likoma, Arthur Machila said community participation was vital because it creates sense of ownership among community members and it would sustain assets created.

“I am encouraging them to be taking part in any development activities in their respective areas. Community members are primary beneficiaries of any development projects in the district,” he said.

CS-EPWP is a component under the Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project (SSRLP) funded by the Multi Donor Trust Fund and the World Bank.

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