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Wednesday, 17 January 2024 11:49

NICE orients volunteers ahead of elections

By Rose Cross Mahorya

Mzuzu, January 17, Mana: National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Trust has asked its volunteers to step up civic education activities as part of civic and voter education in readiness for elections.

Speaking on Tuesday during an orientation meeting at Bwengu in Mzimba North, NICE District Civic Education Officer for Rumphi, Mzimba North and Mzuzu City, Freency Mapanga said as elections are approaching, para-civic educators need to intensify civic education efforts so that more people register to vote.

“This meeting was held as a refresher for our para-civic educators specifically on their roles and duties as elections approach. They are key in disseminating information and governance messages hence the meeting was organized to ensure that messages on registration are sent across,” she said.

Aida Mdolo, a para-civic educator from Chizaula in Mzimba North appreciated NICE for the training which she said served as a timely reminder to their roles.

“It has been a while since we got a similar training. The refresher is timely as it comes at a time when registration for general elections is almost nigh,” she said.

According to recent electoral calendar released by Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), phase 1 of registration for the 2025 general elections is expected to begin in September, this year.

By Martha Simchimba

Lilongwe: January 17, Mana: Communities in Traditional Authority (TA) Kalumbu in Lilongwe have expressed excitement over the distribution of relief maize by government saying it will ease the challenges faced in the lean season.

Speaking on Tuesday during a maize distribution exercise at Mtenthera food distribution point, Group Village Head Funachina thanked government for the initiative saying the area is experiencing hunger as communities did not harvest much last year due to dry spells.

“I am happy to see this exercise happening in my area today. This will go a long way in reducing the problems people were facing, especially women and children,” he said.

Funachina, therefore, called on his subjects to use the maize donation for the intended purpose and not sell to vendors saying anyone who will be found doing that will face the law.

In his remarks, one of the beneficiaries Mtima Lyson assured government that they will use the relief maize received for the intended purpose and not sell.

“My family has suffered a lot in this lean season and I cannot make a grave mistake to sell this relief maize. I am so thankful to government for bailing us out from this dilemma,” she said.

Lilongwe District Risk Management Officer, Anganile Kalonga said government, through Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), will make sure that they reach all the vulnerable people in all TAs in the district.

About 1,419 beneficiaries received 50 kilogram of maize at Mtenthera food distribution point.

The project will run for four months. DoDMA is targeting 4.4 million beneficiaries across the country to receive relief items like maize and money.

By Roselyn Phiri

Lilongwe, January 16, Mana: Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have launched a five-year ‘Enhancing Animal Health and one Health capacities to mitigate zoonotic disease threats in Malawi’ project.

Among others, the project will capacitate the animal health sector to prevent, detect and respond to public health threats.

Speaking during the launch on Wednesday, Director of Animal Health and Livestock Development Dr Julius Chulu said the project will help strengthen capacity in the Ministry of Agriculture as well as Ministry of Health so the country should quickly respond in an outbreak.

“Malawi has not been spared from pandemics. This is why we had to sit down as a Ministry to see how we can move forward hence the project,” he said.

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Director for Health, Population and Nutrition, Christina Lau said they will invest US$1.8 million during the first year of the project to assist Malawi Government in complying with international health regulations.

“We are planning to support the Government of Malawi by investing money. We pledge to continue to help Malawi save and change lives for good,” she explained.

Representing FAO, Mohammad Naeem, extended gratitude to the Ministry of Agriculture, especially the Department of Animal Health and Livestock, and USAID for continued commitment in enhancing animal health to ensure that both animals and humans thrive, free from the looming shadows of zoonotic diseases and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

“FAO will continue providing the expertise, supporting Malawians to combat zoonotic threats and tame the beast of AMR,” he explained.

FAO will be the key implementers of the project in conjunction with the Malawi Government.

The five-year project, which is being funded by USAID, will have FAO in collaboration with Malawi Government as the key implementers.

By Petro Mkandawire

Blantyre, January 16, Mana. Kenyan Centre-back Clyde Seneji on Tuesday put a pen on paper to a two-year extension contract with the quadruple winners FCB Nyasa Big Bullets following his current contract which will expire next month.

The 27-year-old Saneji has been nominated as one of the 2023 best defenders of the season after joining the people’s team at the start of the 2023 season and featured in all four CAF champions league matches played in the 2023 campaign.

Clyde Senaji Nevade is the fourth player to extend his contract with FCB Nyasa Bullets head coach Kalisto Pasuwa's side after Ephraim Kondowe, Anthony Mfune, and Precious Phiri also dedicated their loyalty to the people’s team until 2027.

Speaking with Malawi News Agency on Tuesday, Senaji said it was an easy decision for him to make the extension because he had a good season at the club where they claimed everything and he is looking forward to do better in the 2024 season.  

“Am a person who is open to new ideas, I have had a good season and time here at the club so I decided to buy some more time and am looking forward to do well in the coming season since I know more teams have prepared for us,” he said.

He added that his strong bond with the people’s team and everybody associated with his club also convinced him to have some more time with the club and was well prepared to handle the pressure coming from their competitors.

In a separate interview, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets head coach, Kalisto Pasuwa said extension is what everyone at the club was waiting for, saying Saneji’s expertise will see Bullets achieving more.

“I appreciated the decision that Saneji has made. This will help the team achieve even more. We are trying our best to have a strong bond with the players for the betterment of the next season,” said Pasuwa.

Thursday, 11 January 2024 13:59

Government wants more tobacco growers

By Chilungamo Missi

Chiradzulu, January 11, Mana: Minister of Agriculture, Sam Kawale says government is committed to promote tobacco farming in all regions of the country as there are more markets internationally that are set to buy Malawian tobacco.

Kawale made the remarks in Chiradzulu on Wednesday when he visited one of the tobacco fields in Traditional Authority (TA) Sandiraki to appreciate how tobacco farming is fairing in the district.

He said his ministry is committed to continue supporting farmers and working with buyers to offer good prices for the farmers to realize good profits hence his visit was aimed to understand the challenges facing the growers.

“Ministry of Agriculture works with small, medium and large-scale farmers to find out how we can support them in the tobacco industry. In the field we visited today, the family has been growing tobacco since 2001 and over the years they have been meeting challenges which we have been addressing.

“Most of the issues which they had have been addressed in the recent tobacco bill that has just been passed and the reason we came is to assure the farmers that government is taking care of the problems raised,” he said.

Kawale, therefore, encouraged farmers to embrace tobacco farming saying tobacco can be grown anywhere in the country adding his ministry is yet to embark on a massive campaign to encourage farmers to grow more tobacco since there is plenty markets.

Speaking in an interview, a tobacco farmer whose field was visited, Wyson Komwa said he has been growing tobacco for 21 years but has been realizing low profits due to low prices.

He added that climate change effects have also been affecting the farming.

In the previous growing season, Komwa realized about K4.7 million.

He said, with support from government together with his fellow farmers, he can do even more in the tobacco industry and continue contributing to the country’s development.

He, therefore, hailed the minister for finding time to visit farmers and hear their problems, a gesture described as courageous to farmers as well as those who aspire to start tobacco farming in the area.

By Bishop Witmos

Mangochi, January 11, Mana: Minister of Lands, Deus Gumba has commissioned a research vessel on Lake Malawi which will be used for scanning resources that are found below the surface of water including generating maps for navigation of ships that sail on the lake.

The vessel, which is called Timber, was assembled in 1989 but has been off lake for 17 years since 2006 after it broke down.

Speaking during the commissioning of the vessel in Monkey Bay, Mangochi on Wednesday, Gumba said the ship will help enhance hydrographic surveys on the lake as well as improving economic status of the country through revenue generation.

“This vessel will enable us conduct more research within the blue economy because it has equipment which is able to scan and measure anything below the surface of the water.

“The development will, in one way, provide us an opportunity to boost revenue. For instance, right now, we have people from England, who have come to do some research on Lake Malawi. They have already borrowed it for three months, to pay us K1,650,000 per day; the revenue that we have been looking for,” said Gumba.

Gumba said there was a gap during the time the vessel was off water as other important services within his ministry were not adequately done.

Government has managed to buy two engines that have enabled the vessel to bounce back with full force.

In his remarks, Surveyor General under the Department of Survey in the Ministry of Lands, Masida Mbano, said the vessel has been maintained with state of the art equipment so that it can also be used by other security bodies for marine services.

“Inside it, we have an equipment called multi-beam equal sounder which scans the depth of water on the lake and produces maps that are used for navigation of ships that sail on the lake. This can enable security agencies to operate marine services,” said Mbano.

Wednesday, 10 January 2024 10:18

Minister banks hope on fish production

By Leah Malimbasa

Chikwawa, January 10, Mana: Minister of Natural Resources and Climate Change Micheal Usi has said fish farming has potential of contributing the country’s economy and become a significant forex earner for Malawi.

Usi made the remarks on Wednesday during a familiarisation tour at Kasinthula Aquaculture Centre in Chikwawa district.  

“For Malawi to develop, we need to export more, and fish is one of the products we can be exporting,” he said adding fish farming industry is already making strides.

“We have been importing fish feed, but we are now producing feed in Malawi, meaning fish production will also grow and today we are here discussing plans to establish an aquaculture park at Kasinthula to grow our economy," he said.

On how to address obstacles to achieve these plans, Usi said bureaucracy should not hinder development.

“There will be investors coming in, so we do not expect an officer to sit on a document and delay progress just because a document is not signed, within two years, the country should improve productivity in terms of fish,” he added.

"We are also learning from other countries that are doing well in this industry and we are assessing ourselves to see how the country can be more attractive to investors. The country has resources in terms of land and water, but we need the investors' financial muscle,” said the minister.

Usi further revealed that plans are under way to establish eight Aquaculture mega farms in the country.

In his remarks, Deputy Director of Fisheries in the department, Brino Chirwa said Kasinthula has about 300 hectares of land and this land is fully utilised through a fish mega farm saying over 3000 tonnes of fish can be produced from Kasinthula Aquaculture Centre alone.

Chirwa described Kasinthula Aquaculture Park as an enormous game-changer project.

“Government is investing a lot through infrastructure development and at the park we will have a step of the fish hatchery, laboratories for research, and a training centre to build capacity of fish farmers,” said Chirwa.

He then concurred with Usi that fish production has the potential of bringing in forex.

“In countries like Philippines, fish business is doing well and Malawi can also do well,” he said.

By Leonard Masauli

Lilongwe, January 10, Mana: Economics Association of Malawi (ECAMA) says government should take a bold step towards focusing on promoting trade and not aid to ensure the economy is transformed and earn more forex for the country.

This was said on the sidelines of a budget consultative Meeting with various stakeholders held on Wednesday at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe.

Speaking when making his contribution at the meeting, an Economic researcher at ECAMA, Lucius Pawa said however, for this to work, government needs to be aggressive to look for market and ensure the country diversify more in producing other commodities such as cotton, apart from tobacco.

"For this to work, Government needs to diversify in producing other commodities that will fetch good Market such as cotton and not tobacco alone. For example, statistics show that in 2020 cotton earned huge sums of money across the globe while Malawi only benefitted $2.2 million.

"This is one area in which as ECAMA we feel that government should do more and be aggressive to look for markets," said Pawa

In his submission, Programme Coordinator at Oxfam, Kondwani Mubisa said it is high time the country required a new diversification strategy that will promote production of more other crops such as macadamia and soya nuts to improve exports.

"We also need to look at Decentralization of registration of cooperatives across the country because this will enable more farmers to join cooperatives and produce more that could in the end improve on exports.

"Government should as well invest more in rural road infrastructure so the farmers can produce more and be able to access markets hence adding value to Malawi's economy," said Mubisa.

However, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Simplex Chithyola, said despite other challenges, the country expects a gradual economic recovery with a growth of 3.2 percent in 2024 on account of the improvements in the availability of foreign exchange and investments made in the agriculture sector.

The Minister said it is also wealth noting that government is focusing on diversifying economic activities that are aimed at recovering, as well as development of a strategy to protect the economy.

"For example, to develop this economy government has embarked fully on supporting the private sector to venture into MEGA farms through the Malawi Agricultural, Industrial Investment Cooperation to produce for both local and export markets," said Chithyola.

By Chilungamo Missi

Blantyre, January 9, Mana: Minister of Agriculture, Sam Kawale is impressed with the progress of Affordable Inputs Program (AIP) in Chiradzulu District where most AIP beneficiaries have managed to buy fertilizer.

Kawale made the remarks in the district on Tuesday when he visited Chiradzulu Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund (SFFRFM) to appreciate how the selling of affordable inputs is going on in the district.

Kawale was happy to see depots fully stocked with fertilizer saying government is doing a good job to ensure that people have access to affordable farm inputs.

“We have heard from clerks, councilors and the Member of Parliament that AIP went extremely well in Chiradzulu.

“I am happy that almost everyone bought fertilizer and we have so much stock in the warehouses where clerks are waiting for people to come and buy,” said Kawale who later visited maize selling points.

He said government expects a lot of farmers to have good harvest this year saying all the challenges that marred AIP were solved.

He added that people who are currently spreading information that AIP is facing challenges are not aware of the real situation on the ground.

Member of Parliament for Chiradzulu Central Constituency, McTimes Malowa said out of 1900 AIP beneficiaries in the area, 85 percent have accessed their fertilizer and is optimistic that the remaining 15 percent will buy their fertilizer because the depots are fully stocked.

He said: “Going forward, we urge government to consider registering AIP beneficiaries based on Village Head Areas instead of Group Village Heads. This will ensure that every village has enough beneficiaries because the number of beneficiaries was very low in other villages.”

In his remarks, Group Village Head Mbalame hailed government for ensuring that people in his area have access to affordable farm inputs.

 He appealed to government to consider increasing the number of beneficiaries in the next farming season so that the area can achieve food security.

Tuesday, 09 January 2024 09:19

Thumba CCAP gets K10m boost

By Wanangwa Tembo

Kasungu, January 9, Mana: Member of Parliament for Kasungu North East Constituency, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima, has donated K10 million to Thumba Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) to assist towards the roofing of a multi-million new prayer house.

Making the donation on Sunday, Wirima said it was sad to see that Thumba CCAP, which is considered the mother for all CCAP churches in Chamama area was still congregating in an old dilapidated structure.

She said: “Last year when I came for a Women’s Conference here at Thumba CCAP, I heard God talking to me that I must do something. When I went back home, I contemplated on this and decided that I must help.

“I sponsor a football league to the tune of K10 million and I thought it wise that it must be another K10 million for the church. Why not? I was confident because I knew that the same God that talked to me to help will assist me with this money.”

Wirima, who is also Minister of Education, was happy that God has fulfilled the promise she made, thanking the congregation for their courage to embark on a new big church structure.

Receiving the donation, the church minister Reverend Berson Magombo said church members have worked hard and dug deep into their pockets to erect the new structure estimated to cost K100 million.

Said Magombo: “Before devaluation, our budget was around K56 million but now the cost would hit K100 million. This is a lot of money. So, I’m thankful to God for giving us this MP who is always with us.

“As a church we are very excited that our project is nearing completion and we are looking for funds for roofing. I must say that the donation that the MP has made today will go towards roofing of the church.”   

The reverend also took time to advise politicians saying they must be people of high integrity and must be true to their word.

“We don’t want leaders who are dishonest and keep changing colours. We want leaders who talk peace and have the welfare of the people at heart. These characters are found in people who fear God,” he said.

Thumba CCAP prayer house was constructed in 1946 and 78 years down the line, the structure stands in a dilapidated shape.

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