MANAonline
Centre for innovators on cards
By Sellah Singini
Lilongwe, July 18, Mana: Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has disclosed its plan of establishing an acceleration centre for innovators in the country under the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Alliance for Digital Development.
MACRA’s Muuni Fund Team Lead, Wezi Salima disclosed this on Wednesday at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe when MACRA engaged innovators on the idea of establishing the acceleration centre.
She said the aim of the acceleration centre was to build a biggest centre for all Malawians innovators and entrepreneurs to be able to be incubating and accelerating their ideas through the collaboration of the different ecosystem players under innovation.
“The aim of what MACRA is trying to do through the Muuni fund is that we push for innovation and entrepreneurship not only from the MACRA fund by involving other stakeholders that have interest of building an acceleration centre,” Salima said.
“What we have noted is that the innovation ecosystem is quite space whereby people are doing things individually, so there is need for collaboration for each stakeholder to be able to understand what other stakeholders are doing and how we can partner with each other,” she added.
According to Salima Malawi under MACRA has been selected as one of the 17 countries to host and establish an acceleration centre by the International Telecommunication Unit (ITU).
One of the innovators, Sarah Khuze said the acceleration centre would give the innovators in the country an opportunity, resources and support to accelerate their ideas to enable them sell their products locally and globally.
“As innovators, we have been crying for funding to scale up our ideas and we believe that the acceleration centre will give us funding and the networking opportunities to accelerate our ideas,
What we want is to have products that can stand on the international market. And we believe that the centre will give us a platform where we can sell our products locally and globally,” she said.
Khuze called upon policy makers who would be part of the acceleration centre to implement policies that would help innovators to scale up their ideas and grow.
Cholera outbreak declared over
By Naomi Langisi
Lilongwe, 17 July, Mana: Ministry of Health has announced the end of Cholera outbreak in the country effective July 10, 2024,
This declaration comes after four weeks of no confirmed Cholera cases, indicating that the transmission chains of the disease have been fully interrupted.
These efforts significantly reduced the number of Cholera cases, and the outbreak was eventually declared no longer a National Public Health Emergency on August 5, 2023.
However, rare cases continued to be reported in high-risk districts, prompting continued surveillance and control measures.
Secretary for Health, Dr. Samson Mndolo, expressed gratitude to all stakeholders for their efforts in fighting the outbreak
“We acknowledge the role played by all stakeholders, including the public, in the response efforts. We will continue to be vigilant and support multi-sectoral Cholera prevention and control interventions to ensure that any upsurges of diarrhea diseases are timely identified and controlled," he said.
Community Health Ambassador, Maziko Matemba urged the government to ensure that all health services are available and to sensitize the public about the deadly disease to avoid future recurrence.
"The intensive surveillance and control measures implemented by the government have been instrumental in halting the outbreak. However, it is crucial that the public continues to observe prevention measures to prevent future outbreaks," he added.
Malawian citizen, Judith Kabuluzi, expressed relief that the outbreak has ended and thanked all stakeholders who have been working hand in hand with the government to end the outbreak.
"I'm so grateful that the cholera outbreak has been declared over. It's been a challenging time for our community, but we're thankful for the government's efforts in controlling the outbreak," she said.
The Ministry of Health urges the public to continue observing prevention measures, including drinking safe water, practicing food hygiene, regular hand washing with soap, consistent use of toilets, and reporting any suspected cholera cases to the nearest health facilities.
Since the outbreak was declared on March 3, 2022, the country has reported a total of 59,376 cases and 1,772 deaths, representing a case fatality rate of three percent.
The President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, declared a National Public Health Emergency on December 5, 2022, which led to intensified implementation of preventive and control interventions.
Catholic Bishops conference underway
By Golden Kang'oma
Salima, July 18, Mana: A Conference of Catholic Church leaders from Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe is currently taking place in Salima district, where, among other things, it will address the challenges facing the church and the countries in attendance.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on Wednesday, Pope's Envoy to Malawi and Zambia, Gian Luca Perici, advised the Catholic Church to promote unity among people.
Meanwhile, Archbishop, Ignatius Chama from Zambia has stated that the conference would help advance various works within the Catholic Church.
There is hope that the conference will discuss ways to promote unity, leadership, spiritual growth, justice among people, and environmental change.
More than 25 Bishops from the three countries are participating in the conference.
PS satisfied with classroom block project
By Joseph Ligowe
Blantyre, 17 July, Mana: Principal Secretary responsible for Basic Education in the Ministry of Education, Dr. Racheal Chimbwete Phiri has expressed satisfaction with progress of the construction work of a classroom block at Sigelege Primary School in Blantyre under Malawi Education Reform Program (MERP), which runs from 2021 to 2025.
Speaking after the inspection tour on Tuesday, Phiri said the project which is being implemented in all districts with support from World Bank and Global Partnership for Education is going on well especially the one she visited at Sigelege.
“I am very satisfied with the steady progress and quality of the work being done by the contractor, I believe by the end of next month, roofing will be done as well.
“We believe that learners cannot concentrate in class if they learn under trees. All we want is to create a conducive learning environment for our children which will help to improve their performance in class,” she added.
Phiri therefore commended communities around Sigelege Primary School for providing labour, sand and water during the construction work, saying the gesture demonstrates their support to child education.
Head teacher of Sigelege School, Patricia Kamphamtengo hailed Ministry of Education for including her school in the implementation of MERP project saying the new classroom block will improve accommodation of learners and will help to create conducive learning environment.
“Initially, we had 12 classrooms and we could not manage to accommodate all learners at once hence some learners were learning in the afternoon while others in the morning. We will have additional two classrooms making it 14 and this will accommodate some learners,” added Kamphamtengo.
She also pledged to take good care of the newly constructed classroom block to benefit the current and future generation of the learners.
Malawi to commemorate International Albinism Awareness Day in Rumphi
By Memory Khutuliwa
Blantyre, July 17, Mana: Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare in collaboration with the Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi (APAM) joins the rest of the world to commemorate world albinism day in Rumphi on 31 July to raise awareness on the need to protect persons with albinism during the election period.
According to the press release signed by Dr. Nertha Semphere Mgala, states that this day was designated by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on December, 18, 2014 with the aim of creating awareness on albinism.
Malawi will commemorate the day under the theme ‘United to empower and protect persons with albinism during the period of elections’.
According to the press release, the global theme is; ‘10 years of International Albinism Awareness Day: a decade of collective progress’.
In the press release, Dr. Mgala stated that the local theme is aimed at advocating for national unity in safeguarding the right of the life of persons with albinism by creating a safe and secure period of elections.
“Statistics shows that most of the reported albinism related cases of attacks in Malawi have occurred during times of elections. The theme, therefore calls national unity and collaboration among stakeholders during 2025 tripartite elections,” read the press release.
According the press release, the local theme further calls for an inclusive electoral process that gives equal opportunity to persons with albinism to participate in the elections as voters and contest as candidates
APAM National Coordinator, Maynard Zakaria said every year Malawi holds Albinism Awareness Day on June 13 and this year the commemoration is set to take place on 31 July.
“We failed to commemorate it on June 13 because we were in the mourning period of the Vice President and eight others. We therefore shifted the date to July 31 at Rumphi stadium,” said Zakaria.
Zakaria explained that the First lady of the Republic of Malawi, Monica Chakwera is the proposed guest of honour at the commemoration in Rumphi.
“It is important to commemorate this day because it raises awareness on issues that affects persons with albinism so the nation should take right decisions and actions in responding positively on issues that affect persons with albinism,” he said.
He added that some of the activities on the commemoration day include media training on proper reporting on issues to do with albinism, which will be held in Mzuzu and speeches.
“The attacks on persons with albinism and other related crimes have dropped but as a country it is important to continue doing campaigns to make sure that we don’t go back to the situation we had,” Zakaria added.
Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare therefore urged individuals and organizations to continue promoting and protecting rights of persons with albinism in the country.
Deputy Minister regrets MSCE geography anomaly
By Maston Kaiya
Ntcheu, July 17, Mana: Deputy Minister of Education Nancy Chaola Mdooko says the technical anomaly that was discovered on Tuesday during the ongoing Malawi School Certificate of Education Examinations (MSCE) Geography paper 1 where a map meant for question 1 was missing is worrisome.
She made the remarks on Wednesday morning after monitoring the administration of the MSCE at Ntcheu Secondary School.
Mdooko however described the mistake as a technical issue saying the matter has now been resolved.
"As you are aware, the Malawi National Examination Board started the administration of the examinations in May with the Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) then in June it was the Junior Certificate Examinations and now it is the MSCE which is progressing well despite yesterday's challenge," she said.
During the tour, Mdooko also visited Nachitheme and Khola Community Day Secondary Schools in Ntcheu district.
MSCE examinations started on 2nd July, 2024 and are expected to end on 26th July, 2024 with Metalwork and Woodwork Papers 2 (Practical’s).
Committee lauds Ntchisi council on GESD projects
By James Mwale
Ntchisi, July 17, Mana: Parliamentary Committee on Local Authority and Rural Development has commended Ntchisi district council for effectively implementing projects under the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD).
The committee visited the district’s council on Tuesday to appreciate how GESD-funded projects were being implemented.
The committee's Chairperson, Horace Chipuwa, said after inspecting Masangano primary school block and Malomo market rural electrification project that the council is performing extremely well in the implementation of the country’s developments.
“It is common practice for project implementers to abuse development funds. But we admire your level of commitment and are impressed with what we have seen,” said Chipuwa.
The committee particularly appreciated the accountability in the expenditure of the project funds as presented by the council’s Director of Public Works (DPW), Dominic Dzinkambani.
Appreciating the recognition of the council’s outstanding work, the District’s Commissioner, Lusizi Nhlane said: “It feels great that our performance, which is a result of dedication and discipline by the council’s respective team, has been recognized.”
The K19.7 Million Market Rural Electrification project supplies power to over 40 shops at Malomo Trading Center market and the K40.2 million Masangano school block accommodates 120 learners and also received 120 desks.
The school block has helped to decongest the learner population, retain learners in school and reduce absenteeism and dropout rates according to the school’s head teacher, Andrew Kalikuni.
DC cautions Area Executive Committee members against partisan politics
By Memory Kutengule Chatonda
Blantyre, July 17, Mana: District Commissioner for Blantyre, Alex Mdooko has advised Area Executive Committee (AEC) members that are mostly tasked to provide technical guidance to communities when revamping Area Development Committees (ADCs) and Village Development Committees (VDCs), to desist from partisan politics in the course of their duties.
Mdooko said this on Tuesday in Blantyre during the orientation meeting of 60 AEC members on revamping of the community level development structurers.
Mdooko said AEC members as technocrats, are expected to put partisan politics aside and work with the communities at the community level to provide guidance on what constitutes ADCs and VDCs, including the roles of the development structures in promoting sustainable development in the district.
"Man is political by nature, and we know that in the villages, there is a lot of politics that takes place. We are strongly advising the AEC members to do their work as technocrats, not as politicians to politicize every task.
"They should not engage in party politics. They should rather be revamping development committee structures," he said.
The DC then expressed optimism that the AEC members, through their guidance to communities, will ensure that respective areas have development structures led by opinion leaders to oversee project planning, management and implementation on top of developing Village Level Action Plans.
He also commended the National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Trust, Foundation for Civic Education and Social Empowerment and other non-governmental organizations for supporting the council in orienting the EAC members.
Revamping of ADCs and VDCs is expected to start soon in the areas of Mudi, Kapeni Chisenjere, Machinjiri Mtenje, Chilaweni, and Kuntaja.
NICE Trust Pogrammes Officer for Blantyre rural and urban, Glory Ngosi Maulidi, said that NICE, Trust through its programmes of promoting democracy and governance, intends to work with the well-organized local structures that understand their roles in project implementation, monitoring, as well as service delivery tracking, hence offering support to the activity.
"Additionally, we want to see members of the local structures knowing their roles so that they build capacity among the grassroots for them to ably understand their roles and participate in development activities fully," she said.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, Patrick Kakande hailed the Blantyre district council for orienting the AEC members to understand their roles and responsibilities.
He therefore, pledged to work with a high sense of professionalism when carrying out assigned task in their respective duty stations. adding that the AEC members were ready to provide necessary guidance to the local citizenry when revamping the ADCs and VDCs and also make them understand their roles in development.
AEC is composed of extension workers from various sectors such as agriculture, community development, health, forestry among others that work in various tradition authorities.
Last year in August, government through the Ministry of Local Government, Unity, and Culture, ordered the reconstitution of all VDCs and ADCs due to allegedly rampant corruption among the members.
MACRA creates an interactive forum with operators and consumers
By Sheminah Nkhoma
Lilongwe, July 17, Mana: In line with Malawi 2063, the government through the Ministry of Information and Digitalisation is investing in crucial ICT, infrastructure, promoting digital literacy and skills development and fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors.
Secretary for Information and Digitalisation Baldwin Chiyamwaka disclosed this on Wednesday at Bingu international Convention Center (BICC) in Lilongwe where the Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority (MACRA) is holding an ‘Open week’ which is aimed at providing interactive forum with operators and consumers.
Chiyamwaka said the Open Week offers an opportunity for all stakeholders to collectively work together to foster a vibrant and inclusive Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in Malawi.
“Government is committed in promoting ICT and has different initiatives in motion like the installation of free public Wi-Fi at various sites, such as markets and airports, and the development of the Malawi Interoperability and Data Exchange Platform (Enterprise Service Bus).
“A number of ICT labs are being constructed in community day secondary schools to promote use of ICT services and the provision of Wi-Fi internet services and the provision of Wi-Fi internet connectivity,” he said.
MACRA Board Chairperson, Bridget Chibwana said MACRA will continue with the open days to enhance interaction with players in the digital and telecommunications sector.
She said through this Open week, MACRA is committed to ensuring that its actions and decisions are open to scrutiny and that stakeholders have a clear understanding of regulatory requirements and processes.
“During this week, we will highlight key projects, innovations, and initiatives that are shaping the future of the ICT sector in Malawi. These include advancements in digital infrastructure, efforts to enhance connectivity, and initiatives aimed at bridging the digital divide,” explained Chibwana.
At the Open Day the regulatory authority interacted with directors, current licensees, prospective licensees, consumers and other players in the digital and telecommunication industry to highlight MACRA's mandate and key development projects.
Malawians urged to promote SMEs
By Salome Gangire
Neno, July 17, Mana: Minister of Trade and Industry, Sosten Gwengwe has urged Malawians to promote Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and cooperatives by buying their products.
He was speaking on Tuesday at Nthena Cooperative in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Symon where he visited three cooperatives under UMODZI Consulting Limited.
The Minister said primary market for business people is the local market, adding that there was need to provide good market for locally produced goods other than buying imported goods.
“Our moral responsibility as Malawians is to promote our own SMEs and cooperatives and this should start by buying their products. When we buy imported goods, we are promoting oversees SMEs and at the same time we are creating jobs for people outside Malawi at the expense of our fellow Malawians,” Gwengwe added.
The Minister said in countries like Kenya, the cooperative movement is huge because they support one another by buying locally produced goods.
Gwengwe said government would make sure that Malawians buy locally produced and manufactured goods through the Buy Malawi campaign.
The Minister urged farmers to form cooperatives and adopt integrated farming systems and to venture into value additional for easy markets and profit making.
He said his Ministry under Department of Cooperatives is training farmers, putting them in cooperatives so that they should produce quality goods in large quantities.
“I am impressed with the quality and variety of crops grown by the farmers at the cooperatives and am glad that the cooperative movement is not only transforming the nutrition status of the people but also their livelihood,” Gwengwe said.
The Minister disclosed that government would table a Control of Goods Act in the September, 2024 Parliament sitting so as to amend it and make regulations on the list of products that could be put under licence to promote industries that should in turn create more jobs.
Country Programmes Coordinator for USADF, Linda Ndovi said USADF work with SMEs and cooperatives that are doing value additional in the agri-business sector and the youth among others.
She emphasized the importance of employing environmentally friendly farming techniques.
Chairperson of Matembe Cooperative Producers Ltd, Mighty Feremu said LIP help them to improve nutrition status of people in the area as they grow a variety of crops and rearing livestock.
He said the agricultural activities improved cooperative member’s livelihood as they sell crops and buy shares in the cooperative.
Feremu asked the Ministry of Trade and Industry to help them get registered with the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) so that they are able to supply their goods to big markets and chain stores.
The Cooperatives are part of the 14 cooperatives in Neno District under the Livelihood Improvement Project (LIP) being implemented by Umodzi Consulting with funding from Helmsley Charitable Trust through the United States African Development Foundation (USADF).
Over 4, 417 participants in the 14 cooperatives benefit from the project in the district of which 2,268 are patients suffering from non-communicable diseases.
