MANAonline
Government to sign MOU with Truck drivers
By Happy Byson Milanzi
Lilongwe, August 15, Mana: Government through the Ministry of Transport and Public Works has agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Truck Drivers Association of Malawi as one way of addressing their grievances.
Minister of Information and Digitalization government spokesperson, Mosses Kunkuyu made the revelation at a press briefing in Lilongwe on Thursday afternoon.
Kunkuyu said problems that were there between the employees and employers have been solved.
The Minister further said that the government has already gazetted the minimum Salary of MK234,500 for employers to give their employees.
He said despite the gazette, there are still some challenges in regards to meeting the standard that government already gazetted.
“Issues of license and other travelling documents has also already been sorted by immigration, by August 18th, every truck driver will have his or her license including traveling documents.
“We are worried with people that also pretend like they are also truck drivers and put some pressure on government to consider their grievances fast,” said Kunkuyu.
He however said, in the MOU, government has introduced a task force that will be working on the ground to enforce the agreed and signed agreement,” said Kunkuyu.
Spokesperson for Transporters Union of Malawi, Frank Banda, welcomed the ideal of government in introducing the task force to monitor progress of the agreed terms.
“We are thankful to government for coming up with better solutions for our problems. We are therefore hopeful that drivers will very soon call off the strike following the agreement,” said Banda.
NAC and NCHE collaborates in dealing with HIV and AIDS
By Elia Chibwe
Lilongwe, August 15, Mana: National Aids Commission (NAC) and National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) have joined hands in the fight against HIV and AIDS pandemic in public universities through combining resources and expertise.
In an Interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Thursday, Public Relations Officer for NCHE, Priscilla Zikapanda underscored the significance of collaboration as it plays a key role in the creation of a safe and supportive environment where students can succeed both academically and personally, free from effects of HIV and AIDS.
“We have a plan called HIV and AIDS Strategy for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with strategies on how to deal with the pandemic. The strategy spells out clearly the need for the universities to promote safe practices and provide support services to affected students,” Zikapanda said.
She disclosed that NCHE is dedicated to tackling the HIV and AIDS epidemic in universities by working with NAC as they combine resources and expertise in the fight against the disease.
Zikapanda said NCHE’s goal is to lower the number of new cases in public universities and colleges.
“NCHE is guided by the National overarching laws and policies, such as the Malawi 2063 and the National HIV and AIDS strategy. So in taking our active role in embracing those guiding policies, our goal through the strategy is to lower new cases of HIV and AIDS among students,” she said.
Acting HIV Protection and Prevention Officer for NAC, Francis Mabedi said the commission recognizes that young people have specific needs which require different delivery approaches from the adult population, and collaborating with NCHE is one way of addressing the challenges.
“The commission in collaboration with NCHE is implementing various HIV prevention activities in HEIs which comprises universities and colleges. The commission recognizes that the young people have specific needs which needs various delivery approaches from adult population,” Mabedi said.
He said the commission is involved in various interventions aimed at dealing with HIV and AIDS among the young generation.
According to Zikapanda, apart from working with all universities, it is also working with other communities targeting the young generation.
World Vision’s Lipiri area project closes after 18 years of success
By Hastings Yobe
Lilongwe, August 15, Mana - Deputy Minister of Education, Nancy Chawola Mdooko, has urged the Lipiri community to build on the successes of World Vision's 18-year project, which came to a close on Thursday.
"Let us take the lessons learned from this program and apply them to other communities across Malawi. Let us continue to prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable, to empower them, and to create an environment conducive to growth and prosperity," Mdooko said.
The deputy minister commended World Vision's work in supporting community development, citing improved healthcare, education, economic, and infrastructure development as key achievements.
"The Lipiri Area Project has been a testament to the power of collaboration," she added.
World Vision Malawi National Director, Francis Dube, reflected on the project's successes despite numerous challenges since its inception in 2006.
"We've seen significant improvement in access to safe water, healthcare, and education," Dube said.
The project's education component led to the construction of Mdika Girls' Hostel, easing the hardships faced by girls who previously had to travel long distances to school, often experiencing abuse and early marriages.
Senior Chief Kayembe acknowledged the project's impact in her community, particularly in educating young people and reducing child marriages.
"The issue of child marriage was a huge problem before World Vision's intervention, but today, parents are aware that child marriages are illegal, and children have a right to education," Kayembe said.
The Lipiri Area Project has achieved significant milestones, including a surge in prompt and effective treatment of diarrhoea diseases among under-five children from 68.9% to 100%, a substantial increase in school enrolment and attendance with 89.1% of children now in structured learning institutions, and improved access to education services with 83% of households reporting satisfaction, up from 27% in 2013.
Ntchisi District Council launches K1 billion GESD projects
By Maria Tembo
Ntchisi, August 15, Mana: Ntchisi District Council has launched four projects worth over K1 billion under the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) in the areas of Senior Chiefs Kasakula, Nthondo, Malenga and Sub Traditional Authority Masanya.
Among the projects are a girls’ hostel and matrons’ house at Katete Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Chikaonga village, Senior Chief Kasakula and a two-classroom block at Champhoyo primary school in the area of Senior Chief Nthondo.
A girls’ hostel and matrons’ house at Katete CDSS worth K529 million is to be completed within 120 days and is expected to ease the long-distance challenge, girl learners undergo to access education, according to the legislator for Ntchisi East Constituency Bernard Chitekwe where the development is taking place.
Chitekwe said it is disheartening to see that many girls in the district are performing poorly while others are dropping out of school due to among others long distance covered when going to access education
He said the coming in of the hostel will act as a motivation to the girls.
“We have noted with concern that many girls in this area are getting pregnant while others go into early marriages because they stay far away from school.
“We hope to see a lot of girls performing well in school once construction works of the hostel is completed as they will only be able to focus on studies and not on distance covered,” he said.
The school’s head teacher, Robert Zefa concurred with Chitekwe, saying some of the girls drop out of school due to pregnancy and hoped that once the construction of the hostel is completed, school dropout cases will be reduced.
“Sadly, every year we have girls sitting for the Malawi School Certificate of Examination (MSCE) while pregnant. It is our hope that this issue will be addressed once the hostel is completed as the girls will only be focusing on their school work and not school-unrelated issues” Zefa said.
Olipa Chimangeni, Member of Parliament for Ntchisi northeast said the K103 million two-classroom blocks being constructed at Champhoyo primary school will help to decongest the number of learners in other classes.
She asked the district council and non-governmental organizations to renovate the old classroom blocks describing them as a death trap.
Also launched were a Police Unit and staff house at Malambo in Sub T/A Masanya and a staff house at Kansonga police unit in Senior Chief Malenga.
In her remarks, Inspector Stella Chipala of Ntchisi Police Station said once the construction of a police unit at Malambo in the area of Sub T/A Masanya is finalized, it will help to reduce criminal cases currently on the rise in the area.
“I would like to thank the district council for the Malambo Police Unit and staff house project worth K449 million. We believe that the area will be crime-free once the police unit is operational,” Chipala said.
Council chairperson, Arnold Kapolo, who was a guest of honour, warned contractors against substandard work and missing deadlines.
MAREP 9 excites communities
By Abel Ikilioni
Blantyre, August 15, Mana: Parliamentary Committee on Public Assurance and Public Sector Reforms recently conducted a tour of Malawi Rural Electrification Programme, (MAREP 9) in two districts of the southern region and one in the central region.
In an interviews with Malawi News Agency (Mana), Chairperson for the Committee, Noel Lipipa said the committee embarked on the tour to Dedza at Kaname, Mulanje at Kasankha and Chanje in Monkey Bay, Mangochi district to appreciate progress on MAREP 9 programme.
“We are impressed with the work done in all the areas we have inspected” Lipipa said.
He said although things were progressing well, there were still some challenges such as a disconnect between MAREP and ESCOM and that a solution to the problem was to hold a meeting involving ESCOM, MAREP and the parliamentary committee.
He said such a meeting would ensure that the objective of MAREP is achieved and that all the challenges that existed in MAREP 9 should be ironed out.
According to Lipipa, the committee also observed that communities do not know that even grass thatched houses can also be connected to the grid.
“They are not supposed to do wiring in their houses, all they have to do is to apply to ESCOM and then they will get the power.” He said.
Deputy Director for Rural Electrification in the Ministry of Energy, Francisco Chingoli said the project is running smoothly with an initial target of 460 centres to benefit 46 000 households.
He said at least the Ministry has already completed and commissioned 160 sites which translate to 16 000 households, hoping that the phase would finish by the end of August.
“We have reached our targets; we are now working hard to make sure that we should also improve in some of the areas that we had bottlenecks and we intend to revitalize the Ndawala 2 Project to connect a lot of households,” Chingoli said.
He however pointed out some of the bottlenecks that MAREP 9 faced, citing scarcity of forex as one of the main challenges, adding the Reserve Bank of Malawi always intervened in such situations.
He disclosed that the Ministry of Energy will soon embark on MAREP 10 with a target of about 700 sites which translates to 70 000 households benefitting from the project.
MAREP 9 had a budget of K62 billion while MAREP 10 is pegged at K105 billion.
In an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) Stephen Romasi, from Kasankha Village in Traditional Authority Nankumba in Mangochi expressed gratitude to government for extending electricity to his area.
“Our women were walking long distance to a maize mill. But now we have power within our locality.”
Concurring with Romasi, Ellena Daniel said she was overjoyed to have electricity in her home, noting that electricity would improve her livelihood.
President Chakwera in Zimbabwe for SADC Summit
By; Tiyanjane Nandie Mambucha
August 14, MANA: Malawi1s President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has arrived in Zimbabwe for the 44th Ordinary Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit of Heads of State and Government, which the Republic of Zimbabwe is hosting.
Chakwera arrived at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on Thursday evening to attend the meeting which will be held in Zimbabwe`s capital, Harare.
On arrival, the President was welcomed by Zimbabwe’s Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi and Malawi`s Deputy Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Major General Elius Mpaso.
President Chakwera and the First Lady also met senior government officials from Zimbabwe, and officials from the SADC Secretariat.
This year’s 44th ordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government will be held under the theme “Promoting innovation to unlock opportunities for sustained economic growth and development towards an industrialized SADC”.
In 2023 the Summit elected Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco, President of the Republic of Angola, Chairperson of SADC,
Lourenco is expected to handover the SADC chairmanship to Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
Chakwera departs Mozambique-describes trip successful.
By Fostina Mkandawire
Maputo, August 15, Mana: President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera on Thursday afternoon left Maputo in the Republic of Mozambique after a two-day tour of duty, which led into the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will enhance access to electricity as well as reducing the landing cost of fuel in Malawi.
While in Mozambique, Chakwera held bilateral talks with Mozambican President, Filipe Nyusi and was a conferred an Honorary Doctorate Degree centred on improving and fostering cross boarder trading activities between the two countries.
The President was seen off at Maputo International Airport by Malawi High Commissioner to Mozambique, Wezi Moyo; Mozambican Minister of Mineral and Energy Energy, Carlos Zacarias, Malawi's Minister of Energy, Ibrahim Matola and top government officials from Mozambique and Malawi.
President Chakwera described the signing of the MoU and also his visit to Mozambique as "pleasant, memorable and successful," stressing that it will help reduce pump prices while also helping increase access to electricity across the country.
"It is pleasing to note that bilateral relations between Malawi and Mozambique are now stronger than ever and our people will mutually benefit from the strengthened bilateral relations," Chakwera said.
While in Mozambique, President Chakwera on Wednesday toured the Mozambican industrial area called Moz Park to appreciate trading activities being implemented by the Mozambican Government.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA) Chief Executive Officer, Clement Kanyama said the signed fuel agreement will help in lowering the landing cost of fuel in Malawi in the long-run.
"Nacala to Lilongwe is just 36 hours, and the same volume from Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) takes four to five days which means that with the agreement in place, we can now save more money as we will have more fuel flowing into the country by rail," he said.
President Chakwera, will proceed to Harare, the Republic of Zimbabwe, to attend the 44 Ordinary Summit of Southern African Development Committee of Heads of State and Government to be held on Saturday, 17 August, 2024.
Maranatha offers scholarship to a Lilongwe based girl
By Gift Chiponde
Lilongwe, August 15, Mana: A young resident of Ntandire in Lilongwe, Bridget Chimaliro, aged 21, has been granted a full scholarship by Maranatha Private Academy after her commendation of the school on Facebook captured the attention of the proprietor, Dr. Ernest Kaonga.
This development transpired after a post by the Makosana page commending the uniforms of the students at Maranatha Girls Academy, to which Bridget concurred and expressed her desire to acquire a similar uniform so she could proudly showcase her affiliation with the institution.
In her remark, she pondered, "Is it considered inappropriate to don school attire?"
Upon encountering her comment, Dr. Kaonga, the director of Maranatha Academy, was compelled to extend a comprehensive scholarship to the second-year student, encompassing tuition fees, uniforms, books, and all other educational expenses until the culmination of her secondary education.
"I was elated by her expressions of gratitude towards our institution and her aspiration to don our colours. Sincerely, I endeavored to locate her myself and ensure she realized her ambition of wearing a Maranatha uniform.
"I firmly believe she is deserving of this opportunity and I trust that she will maximize its benefits. The time is now hers," expressed Dr. Kaonga.
Nevertheless, Dr. Kaonga said discussions are underway with the guardians of the girl to formalize the scholarship agreement for their ward.
Within his establishments, Dr. Kaonga has been facilitating secondary education opportunities for both male and female students from diverse backgrounds, particularly those in need, in alignment with the government's initiatives to advance the educational sector.
In June 2022, the administration at Maranatha Private Academy pledged to furnish full scholarships to 40 female students from the Shaping Our Future Foundation (SOFF) and other educational institutions after a courtesy visit by Malawi's first lady, Monica Chakwera, who serves as the chairperson of SOFF's board.
Five arrested for murder in Dowa
By Sylvester Kumwenda
Dowa, August 15, Mana: Police in Dowa have arrested five people suspected to have murdered Ephraim Fradson aged 18 on August 7, 2024, at Mgwandali village, on suspicion that the deceased was dating a girl which one of the suspects was also in love with.
Dowa Police Station Public Relations Officer, Alice Sitima has identified the suspects as Malekano Julius aged 22, Stonard James aged 21, Mavuto John, 30, Misheck Julius aged, 24, and 18-year-old Yudas James.
Sitima said the father of the deceased reported that the victim had on the day attended a chieftaincy ceremony in Chiwale village.
'Fradson had attended a chieftaincy ceremony earlier in the day but was later found lying in a pool of blood by Isiah Matison, who had noticed a group of children gathered in a certain area.
"Witnesses reported that four individuals had assaulted Fradson, leaving him unconscious. Eventually, Fradson's relatives rushed him to the hospital, but he was pronounced dead upon arrival," he said.
Sitima said postmortem results revealed that the cause of death was a head injury and basal skull fracture.
"Police investigations led to the arrest of the suspects who will appear before court soon to answer a murder charge levelled against them," she said.
All the suspects hail from Goma village, Traditional Authority Msakambewa in Dowa district.
Malawi Assemblies of God Church set for annual conference
By Moses Nyirenda
Lilongwe, August 15, Mana: The Malawi Assemblies of God Church says it is set to host its annual conference slated for August 20-23, 2024 at the Sheaffer Conference Centre in Lilongwe.
General Secretary for the Church, Dr. Matilda Matabwa told Malawi News Agency (Mana) in an interview on Wednesday that the upcoming annual conference will be held under the theme ‘Anchoring Perpetual Relevance’ which signifies the church’s commitment in promoting its values and mission.
“The theme signifies our commitment to firmly grounding our church’s core values and mission, ensuring they remain impactful and meaningful in a constantly evolving world.
“It reflects our dedication to preserving the essence of our faith while engaging effectively with the present and future challenges of our community,” Matabwa said.
She added that the keynote speaker for the forthcoming conference will be; Bishop Dr. Andrew Dube, the President of the Malawi Assemblies of God who will be joined by Reverend Alan Dickson from Gabon which she said will add a unique dimension to the conference.
She also said that each evening from August 20 to 23, 2024 will be marked by a powerful revival services starting at 6PM.
According to her, the services are designed to make the patrons ignite a fresh encounter with the Holy Spirit as well as providing them with space for profound spiritual renewal.
Also commenting on the same in a separate interview Malawi Assemblies of God Church Events Committee Chairperson, Wezi Kamthunzi said the forthcoming general assembly promises to be a remarkable experience and invited the public to patronize the event in their large numbers.
“We are extending a warm invitation to the general public to join us for the evening revival sessions, these services are open to all who seek a deeper connection with God and a renewed sense of purpose,” she said.
During the annual conference, the Assemblies of God Church is expected to usher in new leaders who will take up the mantle of guiding the church in the next four years.
