MANAonline
DRTSS advise people to be road safety cautious
By Memory Kutengule Chatonda
Blantyre, September 3, Mana: Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services (DRTSS) has advised Malawians to be road safety cautious, observing that 98 percent of road accidents happening in the country could be prevented.
Principal Road Transport Officer responsible for safety at the DRTSS, Charles Maluwa, said in Blantyre, Tuesday when the directorate established the District Road Safety Committee.
He added it was always disheartening to note that the country continues to lose a lot of lives and property because of the culture of 'carelessness.'
"We should know that 95 to 98 percent of road accidents are preventable, so it is high time that we embraced a culture that could help people prevent accidents so that we save lives and property," he said.
In the meantime, the DRTSS is setting up district-based road safety committees across the country to promote road safety through effective coordination and implementation of road safety initiatives to reduce fatalities and injuries at the district level.
Maluwa said that so far, the DRTSS has set up committees in 12 districts, including Blantyre, Thyolo, and Chikwawa.
"The committees will act as a steering committee for the delivery of the National Road Safety Strategy 2022-2030, which, among other result areas, seeks to capacitate institutions to mitigate accidents in the best way they can," he said.
He therefore advised committee members for Blantyre to identify and address district road safety concerns by conducting regular meetings and site visits.
The Director of Administration for Blantyre District Council, Redgson Mkolombwe, hailed DRTSS for the initiative, saying the council will collaborate with various stakeholders on road safety best practices.
The committee will be chaired by the District Commissioner and will have members from various departments, such as health, education, police, public works, civil society organizations, local elected leaders and traditional leaders.
MP pleads with government to address space issues in schools
By Priscilla Phiri
Lilongwe, September 3, Mana: Member of Parliament (MP) for Nkhotakota Central, Peter Mazizi has expressed concern over the lack of space in secondary schools in his constituency saying it is contributing to students’ poor performance.
He made this statement during a parliamentary session on Monday, during supplementary questions to the Minister of Education.
The legislator highlighted severe overcrowding at Linga Community Day Secondary School (CDSS).
“Linga CDSS has 1,200 students against six classrooms, and each classroom accommodates 200. Let it be known that the issue has taken six years without being addressed, which has contributed to poor performance for the students. I therefore ask the Minister of Education to clarify when this will be addressed,” pleaded the MP.
In response, the Minister responsible Madalisto Kambauwa Wirima acknowledged the challenges in the education sector saying her Ministry is quite aware of the lack of space in schools that the country is facing.
“What Malawians need to know is that for so long, the education sector was neglected in terms of building new infrastructure. During that period of neglect, the population grew, which led to exerting a lot of pressure on the limited resources available, including infrastructure,” she said.
She further mentioned that some issues in the education sector contradict the country’s education policy and hence need immediate attention.
“We have also heard that students are walking about 20 kilometres one way just to reach school, which is not only against the Ministry’s policy but has also contributed to high rates of school dropouts and put girls at a disadvantage,” she added.
She also highlighted that due to the country’s limited resources, addressing issues to close the gap in the sector has been a challenge, hence the need for more resources to promote education in the country.
Wirima further assured the MP that through the ministry’s partners and some of the projects currently rolling out in the country, Linga CDSS and other schools facing similar challenges will be considered.
“Currently, we are working on creating more space in our schools to reduce the pressure that is there in the country. Government is building about 10,000 classroom blocks for primary education, and we are hopeful that soon enough this will extend to the secondary level to solve the issue of space. We have a lot of learners who are not selected to secondary schools because there are no spaces in our schools, as well as not enough desks,” she said.
The minister assured Malawians that her Ministry will address the most pressing challenges once resources are available.
NWRA urges editors and media managers to change people’s mindset on water
By Christina Mkutumula
Mponela, September 3, Mana: National Water Resources Authority (NWRA) has urged editors and media managers in the country to assist the authority in changing people’s mindsets on issues surrounding water resource management.
The remarks were made by the Chief Executive Officer of NRWA Dr Dwight Kambuku, at Chikho Hotel in Mponela, on Monday, when his organization engaged editors and media managers from Central and Northern regions.
“Editors and media managers should help the citizenry to manage water resources and avoid any water-related catastrophe.
“This interaction today recognize the pivotal role that the media has in changing the mindset of the citizenry on water resource management issues,” he said.
He further stated that projections indicate that as a country, Malawi may have the worst water-related catastrophe for encroachers on the buffer zones of Lake Malawi and rivers in the next hydrological years.
“This is where editors and media managers become critical in disseminating warning messages to the populace to save life and property, by involving their reporters,” he said.
He said no individual can spur the country’s socio-economic development without sustainable water resources, hence the need to involve gatekeepers as they have an enormous task towards realization of the Malawi 2063 through publication and broadcasting water-related issues.
“For us to have sustainable water resources, editors and media managers are central by virtual of being gatekeepers of all the information from their media outlets,” he said.
He then expressed hope at the end of the meeting that the authority believes that editors and media managers will send messages to the masses on water resource management that could help to avoid catastrophe scenarios.
In his remarks, Secretary General for Editors Forum Gracian Tukula said editors and media managers are gatekeepers in the newsroom and make decisions saying it is important therefore to get the right knowledge of NWRA so that they can properly guide the reporters on how to come up with good stories.
One of the editors, Gloria Kany’ang’wa from Mlimi Radio thanked the authority for organizing the interface saying the knowledge that has been imparted to them will help how they can assign reporters to cover issues of water management.
The meeting was convened to share notes on how best the authority can sustainably manage and regulate water resources to avoid any water-related catastrophe among the citizenry.
President Chakwera arrives in China, meets Chinese Veep
By Chikondi Chimala, in Beijing, China
Beijing, September 2: Mana: Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, Han Zheng, has hailed President Lazarus Chakwera for enhancing relations between the two countries.
Zheng was speaking Monday evening at the Diaoyutai State Guest House when he held bilateral talks with President Chakwera and also hosted him and his delegation to a welcome dinner for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
“We are pleased to welcome you again to China for the Focac Summit. This comes after meeting you during your successful visit in June last year when you delivered the keynote address at the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE).
“Relations between our two countries continue to improve and President Xi Jinping looks forward to further discussing more areas of cooperation with you tomorrow during your meeting,” said Zheng.
President Chakwera hailed the support from China and the ever-improving relations between Malawi and China that were formally established in 2008.
Said Chakwera: Malawi is incredibly thankful to China for its generous support of numerous influential projects in our country, facilitated through grants and concessional loans during our nearly two decades of diplomatic relations.”
China has successfully implemented vital infrastructure projects in transportation, education, healthcare and energy. This includes the duplication of the M1 road from Mchinji Roundabout to Kanengo, through grant funding, and the National Fibre Backbone Project II through a concession loan.
The president also hailed the Chinese government which has already conducted a feasibility study for the construction of the Judiciary Complex in Lilongwe through grant financing which he said Malawi awaits a positive response.
Chakwera also expressed Malawi’s support for the inclusion of the Belt and Road Initiative in this year’s FOCAC Summit as particularly it emphasizes infrastructure development and regional connectivity projects.
The 2024 FOCAC Summit will among others focus on building relations and cooperation in supporting Africa’s industrialization, energy and trade as a priority, talent development, accelerating agricultural modernization, belt and road cooperation and agenda 2063 of the African Union, modernization and mutual learning among civilizations, political, peace, and security cooperation as well as poverty reduction.
President Chakwera arrived in Beijing China through the Beijing Capital International Airport earlier on Monday and was welcomed by among others Cao Shumin, Head of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, Beijing Municipal Vice Chairman, Mr. Han, Malawi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nancy Tembo and Malawi Ambassador to China Allan Chintedza.
The President is expected to hold bilateral talks with President Xi Jinping on Tuesday and is expected to hold meetings with various industry captains and partners with a view of fostering developments in Malawi.
Focac was instituted in 2020 to foster relations between China and the 53 African nations and the African Union (AU) and is held every six years while the minister’s conference is held every three years.
Tourism advocate pushes for investment
By Lisa Lamya
Blantyre, September 2, Mana: One of the country’s tourism advocates Colby Mughogho said Malawi should invest more in road infrastructure to make tourist destinations more convenient and accessible to make the industry a reliable and all-time forex earner.
Mughogho made the sentiments in an interview with Malawi News Agency on Monday as the country observes the tourism month of September.
“Malawi has the potential to generate more forex from the tourism industry but we need to invest in infrastructure development among other key issues, for instance, tourists endure a 15-hour drive from Lilongwe to Nyika National Park because of poor roads. I believe if we had a good airport in the North it would ease this burden,” Mughogho said.
Mughogho who has also represented Malawi at several international tourism expos noted that digital marketing has significantly expanded in Malawi over the years and that Malawi is leveraging it effectively to attract tourists
“We have uncovered hidden gems, and when shared online, both local and international tourists show interest in visiting. However, challenges persist such as, poor road conditions and subpar standards at lodges in some areas,” he added.
He shared plans to promote several lesser-known destinations and emerging destinations in the tourism month and according to Mughogho these destinations hold great potential and can lure more tourists.
“There are various destinations that we will promote this year for instance Misuku Hills in Chitipa, the Usisya to Livingstonia hiking trail, and Vwaza Game Reserve which offers Lake Kazuni where one can enjoy a boat ride while spotting some of the big five, such as elephants,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Tourism through its spokesperson, Joseph Nkosi said this year’s tourism month offers yet another opportunity to sell Malawi’s attraction sites.
“September is a month of tourism in Malawi and so we will capitalise all opportunities to ensure we generate revenue but also encourage Malawians to patronise attraction sites not just the well-known ones but also the least known,” said Nkosi.
In his State of Nation Address in February this year, President, Lazarus Chakwera said his administration was on course to promote the tourism sector by increasing the number of airlines traveling into Malawi and working on bilateral Air Service Agreements with countries like Mozambique, Uganda, and Kuwait among others.
Nzeka Arts host talent show
By Alex Kachingwe
Blantyre, September 2, Mana: Youths from various townships in Blantyre caught their leisure time at Chichiri Museum on Sunday, where Nzeka Arts organized a talent show dubbed, ‘Luso Langa Talent Exhibition’.
The talent show which was scheduled for September 1, 2024 at Chichiri Museum was aimed at promoting various art disciplines like music, poetry, drama, storytelling and dances (urban and traditional) to embrace Malawian culture.
The show saw performances from various artists representing different art disciplines and reached a climax following a magnificent Beni dance performed by Chichiri Heritage Cultural Troop which received great applause from the audience.
Speaking after a colorful performance, Bernard Kapanda, Chairperson for Chichiri Heritage Cultural Troop told Malawi News Agency (Mana) that the talent show was very important as it provided a platform for the youths to showcase their talent to the audience.
He said these kinds of events bring people from different cultural backgrounds together and allows them to learn from each other, an experience which has the possibility to promote arts and culture in the country.
Director for Nzeka Arts, Harris Kamwendo expressed satisfaction with how people and youths around Blantyre city welcomed and showed up to the event, saying it was a message that people want to see the world of art and culture developing in the country by unearthing and exposing new talents.
“As Nzeka Arts we conducted a session with the youths before the event, sensitizing them to the essence of incorporating culture in their talents and the importance of producing quality artistic work out of their talents,” he said.
Kamwendo promised that Nzeka Arts will continue organizing more talent shows in the future as one way of creating platforms for people especially the youth to showcase their talents, and he added that these talent shows are also utilized to address various social issues affecting the youths like suicide, anxiety and substance abuse.
Ireen Navitcha, Miss Culture Malawi 2023, guest of honor at the event, hailed Nzeka Arts for organizing the talent show, saying the event created a platform for the youth to showcase their talents.
“Arts has been struggling to develop in the country as it lacks sponsorship. Through these functions we can attract sponsors who play a vital role in promoting artistic work among the youths,” she said.
Navitcha emphasized that having well blended arts and culture would also add more value to national development as it helps to promote the tourism industry in Malawi.
Mchima Estate donates cleaning materials
By Yamikani Yapuwa
Thyolo, September 2, Mana:
Mchima Estate has donated cleaning materials worth over K 1.3 million to Thyolo District Council in a significant effort to promote hygiene and maintain a clean environment.
The donation, which includes wheelbarrows, rakes, and shovels, is intended to support market-cleaning efforts and enhance public health in the district.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Human Resources Manager for Mchima Estate, Darlington Kawawa said the donation was in response to a request from the District Commissioner (DC) for cleaning materials to improve hygiene standards in the area.
“We are responding to a request from the DC to supply cleaning materials. We thought it wise to respond because cleaning our area is essential. Estates are part and parcel of Thyolo District Council, and their problems are also ours,” he said.
Kawawa added that there is a big connection between the estates and the local community, noting that many people working on the estates rely on the market for their daily needs.
“If Cholera erupts in the market, the estate will also be affected hugely. Therefore, we are holding hands with the council to promote hygiene and ensure a clean environment,” he added.
The Manager called on other estates in Thyolo to join the effort in supporting the council, pointing out that Mchima Estate’s contribution represents only 10 percent of the total request made by the Council.
“For us to have a clean Thyolo Boma, it will depend on all estates responding. We have only contributed 10 percent of the request, which means 90 percent is remaining,” he appealed.
DC for Thyolo, Hudson Kuphanga expressed his gratitude for the support from Mchima Estate, stating that the donation would greatly assist in maintaining cleanliness in the market and mitigating the risk of diseases such as cholera.
“This generous donation from Mchima Estate is a big step towards improving the hygiene and sanitation of our market spaces. It demonstrates a true partnership between the council and private sector, which is essential for the well-being of our community,” he said.
Kuphanga issued a stern warning against the theft of the donated equipment, cautioning that the law will take its course on those found engaging in such activities.
Acting Director of Environment and Natural Resources, Mirriam Yona commended Mchima Estate for its proactive role in supporting environmental health initiatives in Thyolo.
“Cleanliness and hygiene are crucial components of environmental management, and Mchima Estate’s support is highly commendable. We urge other estates and private entities to emulate this gesture and contribute to a healthier Thyolo,” she said.
Yona emphasized the importance of collective efforts in ensuring that markets and public spaces are kept clean to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.
6000 pets to get anti-rabies vaccine in Nkhata-Bay
By Chisomo Kambandanga
NKhata Bay, September 2, Mana: Mzuzu Agriculture Development Division (MZADD) through Nkhata-Bay District Agriculture Extension Coordinating Committee (DAECC) has launched a free mass rabies vaccination month campaign for the 2024/2025 season.
The campaign is targeting at least 6,200 out of 8000 pets in the district.
Speaking on Saturday during the launching of the initiative at Chintheche Community ground under Senior Chief Malanda in Nkhata Bay, Chief Agriculture Officer for MZADD, Francis Chilenga, said rabies remains a serious public health problem that needs serious attention from all quarters.
According to Chilenga, the targeted number represents almost 70 percent of the total pets’ population, which is recommended by the World Health Organization.
"So far this year, we have 183 suspected cases of rabies waiting for laboratory results. However, we ask for more players to help with procurement of the vaccine other than leaving such to government alone," he said.
Chilenga bemoaned low turn up in vaccination centres, which leads to more pets remaining unvaccinated subsequently causing expiry of the vaccine.
In his remarks, Nkhata Bay District Council secretariat official, Edgar Chihana applauded Center for Community Empowerment for supporting the council with procurement of the anti-rabies vaccine for the initiative.
However, Chihana appealed to community leaders to spread the message about the significance of vaccinating their pets saying they are key stakeholders in such development activities.
One of the board members of Center for Community Empowerment, Marko Chiumia, expressed commitment to continue rendering support to government in diverse development whenever they have resources.
The launch was held under the theme, “Breaking Rabies Barriers" and Nkhata Bay District will be administering the free anti-rabies vaccine to pets in all centres until the end of September this year.
Lulu dazzles delegates at Catholic journalists’ annual conference
By Arnold Namanja
Mulanje, September 2, Mana: Celebrated music artist Lawrence Khwisa, popularly known as Lulu over the weekend mesmerized delegates to this year’s Association of Catholic Journalists (ACJ) elective conference held in Mulanje District.
Lulu appeared at the 8th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at Nalipiri Eco-Tourist Resort located at the foot of Mulanje Mountain and on the banks of Likhubula River as a surprise package to the cultural evening.
The artists took to the stage which had been fired up by a local cultural outfit called Magabada from Lumbuli – Muloza Border which also left the audience in awe with its renditions.
Lulu whose performance only lasted for 30 minutes since he had just sneaked from another event at Mulanje Peaks and Rhythms happening across the district, dished out songs like ‘Ana ambiri ndi lera, Mtima wakana and Wachenjera darling’, among others.
Speaking in an interview with Malawi News Agency after his performance, Lulu said he felt duty bound to entertain the journalists despite having another assignment considering the contribution that the media has made to his music career.
“I was compelled and obligated to come because the media, let alone Catholics have been an important aspect of my life. I owe my success in the music profession to the media,” Lulu said.
On the other hand, the Magabada Cultural Theatre Group performed various traditional dances including Beni, Chisamba, Namunasini and Manganje. The cultural evening was also characterized by traditional dressing and traditional food.
Speaking with Mana, Magabada Group Leader, Weston Chipendo said they were pleased to entertain the Catholic journalists during the cultural night to spice up the evening with traditional dances to leave lasting and memorable experiences of Mulanje.
On his part, DJ Kho Makondetsa did want to be outshone with his selection of music. DJ Kho carefully selected his traditional music pieces ranging from the oldies to those trending today.
DJ Kho told Mana he had prepared well ahead of the event considering that journalists are a rare breed in society with a taste of good things in life including music.
One of the delegates, Jacqueline Saidi of Luntha TV said the cultural evening had been quite refreshing and rewarding.
“The evening has been quite an experience for me as this is the first time I am attending the ACJ AGM. It has been very interesting with a lot of unexpected events and interactions,” she said.
Similarly, Moses Michael Phiri of Nation Publications Limited praised the organizers of the AGM for providing them with an event where they were entertained for a long time.
Speaking at the official closing of the AGM, the incoming national chairperson for ACJ, Lucky Mkandawire pledged to work with dedication, observing that the ACJ needs innovation and creative minds for its sustainability.
However, Mkandawire thanked individuals and companies such as the OPC, Illovo Sugar, the management of Nalipiri and all those who took part in ensuring that the AGM was successful.
Minister hails council for promoting infrastructure
By Wanangwa Tembo
Kasungu, September 2, Mana: Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Richard Chimwendo Banda has hailed Kasungu District Council for promoting agricultural infrastructure in the district.
He spoke on Saturday when he toured the newly constructed Tchesa Extension and Planning Area (EPA) offices in Sub-Traditional Authority Mawawa in Kasungu.
Banda said the construction of the offices demonstrates the government’s seriousness in providing quality agricultural services to farmers, especially those in rural communities.
“When we talk about development in agriculture, we rely on extension workers providing best services, best technologies, equipping our farmers with the best skills regarding extension services.
“We are happy as government that we can open this office which will help our farmers to get quality extension services within short distances,” he said.
The K48 million structure was constructed with a performance-based grant under the World Bank-funded Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) project.
According to Director of Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources for Kasungu District Council, Evelyn Chima, the structure which consists of four rooms, a resource hall and toilets, will serve a population of about 13 600 farming households.
Council Chairperson Mwambilaso Mbeza who is also Councilor for area (Lifupa Ward) said the EPA will reduce distances to access extension services for the people of Traditional Authorities Lukwa, Mawawa, Mangwazu and Kaphaizi.
“Agriculture is one of the priority areas of this government. For us here in Kasungu West, we are all farmers and the need for extension services cannot be overemphasized.
“This is why, we are excited with the project because it means reduced distances for us to access extension services,” she said.
GESD is a $100 million initiative supported by the World Bank aimed at strengthening local assemblies’ institutional performance, responsiveness to citizens and management of resources for service delivery.
