By Blackson Mkupatira

Chiradzulu, September 11. Mana: Malawi Council of Disability Affairs (MACODA) has called on stakeholders in Chiradzulu District to familiarize themselves with the newly enacted Persons with Disability Act of 2024, to better safeguard rights and welfare of people with disabilities.

MACODA Senior Rehabilitation Officer, Frederick Mazoko, made the appeal on Tuesday during a day-long orientation on the Act with stakeholders from government departments, civil society organizations, and disability forums at district level.

He said the Persons with Disability Act of 2024 marks a significant legislative step towards improving the rights and welfare of persons with disabilities in the country, with local councils playing a crucial role in its successful implementation.

“We are popularizing the new Act to ensure district officials are aware of the new provisions. They have obligations to fulfill which will guarantee that people with disabilities are enjoying their rights,” Mazoko added.

He said people that were trained are expected to play a pivotal role in ensuring inclusion of persons with disabilities in district policies and programmes to foster disability-inclusive development.

“There are obligations outlined in the Act for the education sector to improve access to education among learners with disabilities in terms of accessibility of the facility, learning materials and provision of special needs teachers,” said Mazoko.

He, therefore, urged all stakeholders to promote and enforce the provisions of the new law to create an enabling environment where persons with disabilities could thrive and contribute effectively to Malawi’s development of the country.

Chairperson of the Chiradzulu District Disability Forum, Benard Maganga, commended MACODA for organizing the training, saying people with disabilities in the district often face discrimination in employment, education, healthcare, and in social protection programmes

“For instance, people who are non-verbal struggle to access health services due to lack of sign language interpreters. But now that we are familiar with the new Act, we will ensure offices uphold its provisions,” Maganga said.

Chiradzulu District Council Director of Planning and Development, Henderson Kaumi, assured MACODA that the council will mainstream disability-related issues in its programmes and raise awareness about the Act across all development structures.

The new Persons with Disabilities Act of 2024 consolidates and repeals both the Disability Act of 2012 and the Handicapped Persons Act of 1971. 

By Zenak Matekenya

Dedza, September 11, Mana: Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has announced September 13-14, 2024 as days for pilot voter registration in Dedza, Balaka, Blantyre and Mzuzu ahead of the 2025 Tripartite Election.

Speaking Wednesday, when he briefed the District Elections Supervisory Team, Multiparty Liaison Committee, Civil Society Organizations, and the Media, MEC commissioner Richard Chapweteka said the exercise aims to test the new machine the commission has acquired.

He said the pilot registration will try to identify and fix any challenges and evaluate the effectiveness of the process so that necessary adjustments are made before rolling it out widely. 

He said a team of experts that manufactured the machine will be part and parcel of the pilot registration exercise to help fix any technical hiccups that might arise.

He added that during the pilot phase, no one shall be given any document and that all the data collected shall be deleted.

Reacting to fears of data deletion proof, the commissioner said each centre has been allocated a machine specifically programmed for it.

“The machine cannot work at any other centre apart from the one which it was allocated to. Besides, before starting the registration, monitors shall verify the machine has no data,” he said.

He warned against the tendency of registering more than once during the actual registration saying the machine will detect any duplicate regardless of the place of registration and that legal action will be taken against any suspect.

District Commissioner for Dedza Thomas Chigwenembe urged the stakeholders to take the information to the communities without twisting it.

Malawi Congress Party secretary for Dedza Philomon Harrison  Ngozo hailed MEC for the awareness saying political parties will take an active role to sensitize their followers about the development.

He said as a party they see no problem with the machine.

Phase two of the pilot registration is expected to start next week and targets Chitipa, Neno and Nsanje districts and Lilongwe City. 

By Chisomo Kambandanga

Nkhata Bay, September 11, Mana: Elderly people in Nkhata Bay are praising the Social Cash Transfer Program (SCTP) for improving their lives, enabling them to meet their basic needs and providing financial security in their golden years.

In an interview on Tuesday during a media tour, Esther Kamanga, 68, from Makuzi cluster, Nabayoti Village in the area of Traditional Authority Malengamzoma, said her dream of having a house with a cement floor and electricity has become a reality through the program.

"At first, my house had no cement floor, and my grandchildren suffered from cough and respiratory issues. But thanks to SCTP, I have upgraded our home with a cement floor, iron sheets and currently targeting to finalize the windows.  My grandchildren are now healthy and thriving," said Kamanga.

Kamanga added that she has also secured a solar system for electrification at K120,000 through monthly installment payments from the K42,000 she receives.

Another beneficiary, Cecilia Nyasulu, 65, from Tayambapo cluster in the area of Senior Chief Timbiri said she saved enough money through Village Savings Loan groups and has started constructing a three-bedroom house.

"When I enrolled in the programme in 2022, I started selling fish and joined a village bank. I used the proceeds to mold 15,000 bricks and have started building a spacious house for myself and my eight grandchildren," she said.

Nyasulu commended the government for increasing the transfers and urged fellow beneficiaries to invest part of the money for sustainability beyond the programme.

In his remarks, Nkhata Bay Principal Social Welfare Officer responsible for SCTP, Wisdom Mwafulirwa, said he was impressed to see the elderly testifying to the program's benefits.

"The program targets households, not individuals. It is wonderful to hear the elderly testimonies about the program's benefits. The programme aims to alleviate poverty, and it is currently making tangible difference," he said.

According to Mwafulirwa there are currently 6,475 households in Nkhata Bay benefiting from the program, and the district will retarget beneficiaries in 2026.

SCTP is Malawi Government's program being implemented across the country through the National Local Government Finance Committee with financial support from the Multi-Donor Trust Fund and World Bank.

By Elia Chibwe

Lilongwe, September 10, Mana: U.S. Charge d’Affaires Amy Diaz on Tuesday underscored the significance of hosting the Africa Senior Enlisted Leader’s Conference (ASELC), saying it will assist in building strong relationships and collaboration and encourage Non-Commission Officers (NCO) to be the backbone of the militaries.

Speaking during the conference in Lilongwe, which was held under the theme, Diaz said the conference would enable addressing challenges across the African continent and wars that occur across the world.

“High global conflicts like terrorism issues in Mozambique, civil wars, conflicts across the African continent as well as wars like the invasion of Ukraine and conflicts between Israel and Gaza have put more pressure on militaries and security forces around the world which is why it is even more important that we forge strong relationships and promote security collaboration,” she said.

She said the theme of the conference encapsulates the essential qualities that define outstanding NCOs and highlights their shared commitment to leadership, excellence and collaboration.

“The NCOs we welcome today are the backbone of our military forces. They are the bridge between strategic vision and operational success. Their ability to lead, mentor and inspire is essential for maintaining the readiness and effectiveness of our forces.

“The capable NCO is a skilled practitioner who translates training into tangible results. The competent NCO brings a depth of knowledge and dedication that drives operational excellence and the credible NCO earns respect through unwavering integrity and reliability,” she said.

US African Command (US AFRICOM) Command Senior Enlisted Leader, Sergeant Major Michael Woods, said the conference plays a key role in resilience, reliability and trustworthiness among countries.

“This is where we come to collaborate, the goal is to come here and give as much as we should take, so we can go back to our countries, more reliable, more resilient, more trusted. So I would say that the level of importance we put on this is absolutely good,” Woods said.

Commander for Malawi Defense Force, General Dr Paul Valentino Phiri highlighted that the event is significant in venturing and forging an understanding of enlisted members from Malawi Defense Force and across the country.

“The conference is going to venture and forge an understanding of our enlisted members that are from MDF and across Africa on issues that obtain in the management of soldiers, specifically during peacetime and also during the conference over and above that to also understand the dynamics of conference and region and also beyond as continent,” Phiri said.

He said the conference would address issues to do with conflict management, the approach to the management of troops in terms of what they obtain in the battlefields and also standards that should be adhered to during peacetime.

In his speech, Phiri urged attendants to use the event as an opportunity to exchange insights, share best practices, and develop strategies that would enhance their collective security efforts.

The conference was organized by US AFRICOM under the theme “The Capable, Competent and Credible NCO”.

By Steve Chirombo

Dedza, September 11, Mana: Secretary for Education, Mangani Chilala Katundu on Tuesday called for support from various development to help some struggling institutions that are in hard-to-reach areas.

He made the call when Deputy Minister of Education, Nancy Chaola Mdooko, visited Lulwe Community Day Secondary School in Nsanje located in the mountainous area not less than 20 kilometres from Marka, under Traditional Authority Ndamera.

The school which is among many other struggling education facilities in the country has serious water challenges among others.

“We are working hard and giving our best effort to have such challenges like that of Lulwe dealt with. We call upon well-wishers, individuals and our partners to render their support wherever possible. We hope that our efforts at the ministry will bear some fruits,” Katundu said.

Chairperson for the Area Development Committee (ADC), Sumaili Mavutike, said several initiatives including to drill a borehole close to the school have failed by various borehole drilling companies.

“As a community together with the Parents Teacher Association (PTA), we resolved that all students must carry a five litre bucket of water as they come to school which they would use for drinking and other hygiene uses,” he said.

According to the school’s Deputy Headteacher, Samuel Luwisi, Lulwe CDSS was established in 2017 and has a current enrollment of 205.

Apart from issue of water, the school lacks enough classrooms, desks and needs a laboratory to allow students to study science subjects.

On her part, the Division Manager for the South West Education Division (SWED), Mary Mmangisa, thanked the deputy minister for her visit to the school describing such visits as rare dedications.

“We feel energized as a division that our seniors have heard our concerns,” she said.

By Andrew Mkonda

Lilongwe, September 11, Mana: Community members from Senior Chief Mazengela in Lilongwe have expressed excitement with the construction of Chigodi Out Patient Department (OPD) and water supply in the area.

The K85 million health facility has been constructed with funds from the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) project and is expected to serve a population of over 23,000 people.

Speaking Tuesday in an interview, Councilor for Mazengela ward Edward Simoko said the construction of the health facility is a dream come true for people in the community.

“We thank the government together with our Member of Parliament Eisenhower Mkaka for the initiative which will ease the long distances that people in the area were covering to access health services at Kamphata and Nkhoma health centres respectively,” he said.

Another community member Grace Kathumba said the facility will enable women to access the antenatal and under-five services.

“We are so happy with the coming in of this health facility because it will enable us to meet clinicians regularly and learn more on issues of family planning,” she said.

Member of Parliament for the area Eisenhower Mkaka said he is committed to bring health service delivery closer to the community.

“As you may be aware, the recommended distance from one health centre to the other, is five kilometres, but people from this area have been accessing health services very far from here,” he said.

Lilongwe District Commissioner Dr Lawford Palani said he was pleased to see the completion of the health facility in the area as it will improve people’s access to healthcare services, especially expectant mothers.

“This health post will cover a lot of health issues including nutritional value programmes and under-five clinics. So it is a big achievement to us as a council since this facility will reduce issues of malnutrition in the area,” he said.

Currently, the construction of maternity wing at the health post has also started and is expected to be completed in November this year.

GESD is World Bank funded project which is being implemented by the government through the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) in all districts across the country.