MANAonline
MACRA lost US$ 20 million through court disputes over RAS
By Tione Andsen
Lilongwe, May 31, Mana: Malawi Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has bemoaned that court dispute over the implementation of Revenue Assurance System (RAS) costed the authority US$ 20 million.
MACRA Director General, Daud Suleman disclosed this Thursday during a press briefing on RAS implementation at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe.
He said the time MACRA was fighting the court disputes over the RAS project made them to lose over US$ 20 million.
“You may recall that this RAS project was first introducing in the country 10 years ago but Agents thought MACRA was intending to install spying machine,” Suleman said.
He said MACRA went through courts of arbitration where it was awarded US$ 7 million.
“We are going to follow the Directors of Agents wherever they are Bahamas, Las Vegas we will find them in order for us to collect the said amount,” Suleman hinted.
He said in this new digital world, MACRA could not dare to install spying machines for its operators and this could result into massive pull out of business in the communication sector.
“We have invested US$ 6 million to implement the project within two years and this has been done in very transparent and professional manner. You can now see that we lost US$ 20 million in 10 years over the implementation of the same project,” the Director General added.
He said the RAS project would help his organization to have collect data on mobile and data operator are generating their revenues and remit the required percentage to MACRA.
Suleman added the issue of call drops were difficult to handle with the mobile operator but MACRA was not able to have backing evidence before them.
“We have installed RAS, we will be able to have back proof of call drops where customers are being while their call drops,” he explained.
The Director said MACRA projects a K 14 billion profit for the 2024-205 financial year saying for the past three years the profits have been growing.
“For instance in 2021-2022, we had a profit of K 5 billion which was paid to government as dividend, the following year we had a profit of K 9 billion and last financial year, which were remitted to government. We had a profit of K 13 billion. We are anticipating to triple our profit by the end of the financial year,” Suleman said.
He noted that last year the economy was quite tough but they were able to make such profits signaling that there a potential in the market.
Suleman said MACRA has demonstrated that it could grow its business, create more market and service the country better.
A businessperson in Area 3, Kamwana Ndevu said MACRA has role to ensure that data and mobile service operators are working within the agreed terms of references.
He said sometimes these operators are robbing customers due to high cost of data and poor service delivery.
Ntchisi mourns STA Mndinda
By James Mwale
Ntchisi, May 31, Mana: People in the area of Senior Chief Nthondo were full of grief Wednesday at Mndinda headquarters ground as they laid to rest Sub Traditional Authority (STA) Mndinda who succumbed to high blood pressure on May 27,2024.
Present at the ceremony was Director of Chiefs Administration in the Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Charles Makanga, who described late Mndinda’s passing as a big loss to his community describing him as a leader who stood for unity, justice and oneness among his people.
He said that, “Late Mndinda was one exemplary leader who stood for unity and discipline. Even going through his file, you would not find any indiscipline-related documentation unlike other traditional authorities around.
“It is with great sadness that President, Dr Lazarus Chakwera, through me, mourns with you the people of Senior Chief Nthondo following your great loss.”
Mndinda headquarters is in Ntchisi North-east constituency and present was its legislator, Olipa Chimangeni, who described the late as iconic and a collaborative partner in development.
“My collaboration with late Mndinda on development was well coordinated and it is my prayer that as he rests in God’s peace, his successor will be equally of the same quality or more,” she said.
Born Luka Jolomu on September 10, 1947, late Mndinda served as Group Village Head from September 1990 before his elevation to STA on June 10, 2022.
Joviasi Mawere has been unveiled as the successor.
Government committed to supporting Financial Crimes Division
By Levison Lester
Lilongwe, May 30, Mana: Minister of Justice, Titus Mvalo has described the establishment of Financial Crimes Division as a significant milestone in fighting against money embezzlement saying the division symbolizes government's determination in Malawi judicial reforms.
Speaking during the launch of Financial Crimes Division at High Court on Thursday in Lilongwe, he said the Division would help judicial officers to acquire expertise in fighting against financial fraud.
"A country which is determined to fight against corruption must demand other measures like financial crimes division to ensure that corruption cases are processed with speed and diligence. Not only will this division help to expedite trials, officers working in this division will attain skills that will be vital in delivering justice," Mvalo said.
The Minister said the government was aware of infrastructure challenges that surrounds judicial system as such, government would construct a Court Complex at City Centre in Lilongwe where there would be 40 court-rooms.
Judge In-Charge for the Financial Crimes Division, who is also Deputy Chief Justice, Redson Kapindu said despite some hiccups, collaborative efforts have necessitated the progress of handling cases.
"Today's pivotal event signifies not just an establishment of a new financial crimes division but embodies collective commitment as a nation towards constitution principles of national policy that introduce measures guaranteeing accountability, transparency, personal integrity, and financial probity," he said.
Kapindu said since it was establishment in November 2022, the division has so far registered 139 financial case crimes, and that 40 cases have been finalized.
President for Malawi Law Society, Patrick Mpaka said there was a need for adequate funding, technical and institutional support if the division is to serve Malawians more efficiently.
He added that the financial crimes division has three judges, which according to him delays delivery of speedy justice.
Financial Crimes Division has been launched with a purpose to deliver justices on cases related to financial fraud as well as financial terrorism.
MACRA challenges social media influencers
By Fostina Mkandawire
Salima, May 31, Mana: Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA), Director General Daud Suleman has challenged the country's social influencers to be aware of the concept of changing times, digital developments and new laws governing their activities, if they are to maintain relevance.
MACRA in collaboration with Malawi Computer Emergency Response Team (mwCERT), on Thursday organized a day long "Get Safe Online" Ambassadors Training workshop in Salima for social media influencers and content creators on how to protect themselves while on social media platforms.
Suleman said creators should create content which was relevant, truthful and of impact to their market while at the same time creating a media space that the citizens have trust and confidence in.
"Time is changing, gone are the days when consumers had no knowledge of their rights, in this day and age there is a variety of content therefore if a social media influencer does not match with changing times they cannot stay relevant," he said.
The Director General expressed optimism that the country was heading in the right direction in terms of technological advancements such as infrastructure.
He was quick to mention that as a regulator they are working towards monetizing digital content to grow the country's digital economy.
"There are just a few things we are getting wrong, if we get those few things right then we will be able convince the big tech to pay us for our content," Suleman said.
He said although the country was disadvantaged by not being monetized yet, that should provide a strategic position for creators to build a strong foundation, growing their market while at the same time creating a media space that the citizens have trust and confidence in.
The Director General added that, "If you ask any social media influencer, the dream is to one day make big money through content monetization and this is possible. Unfortunately, this is an animal that has been so elusive within the local content creation equation as currently, Malawi is not among monetized countries."
One of the participants, singer and song writer, Shafie Phiri, professionally known as Driemo said the workshop was relevant and insightful because it assisted him to understand the 2016 Electric Transactions and Cyber Security Act and how he could apply it to safeguard himself online.
He decried how it has become a norm for some followers to bully social influencers online, and he therefore called for enforcement of the law.
"While we are not getting paid for our content online we are building strong foundations that will assist us to leverage on the future benefits we will be accruing from the internet, we appeal to MACRA to enhance on its collaboration with the police to protect artists," Phiri said.
He said its high time that artists started to benefit financially from their talent online, he therefore urged MACRA to fast tract all the necessary requirements for them to start benefiting from digital content.
Notable names present at the workshop included, musician Kell Kay, Charisma, Temwa and social media influencers, Ida Chabuka, Dorothy Shonga and media personality, Priscilla Kayira.
MPS lobbies for training in land related laws
By George Bulombola
Mzuzu, May 30, Mana: Malawi Police Service (MPS) has asked Ministry of Lands to consider training Police in land management and administration, related policies and roles for them to ably enforce amended land laws.
The Appeal was made Thursday by in Mzuzu by Regional Commissioner of Police for the north, Richard Luhanga during a sensitization workshop for Police officers drawn from the north on amended land related laws and Land Information Management System (LIMS) which was organised by Ministry of Labour.
He said knowledge gained through the engagement can be sustained if land administration, management and laws are incorporated in the MPS curriculum.
“Therefore, there is need for the Ministry to train trainers of trainers who could in turn impart such knowledge to colleagues through various courses that we have within our training programmes,” Luhanga suggested.
The Commissioner added that Police officers are always overwhelmed with land related issues which he said are rampart across the country and lead to conflict, theft of land parcels and obtaining land by pretenses.
“We are the first respondents in dealing with these issues in both urban and rural settings. At times police have managed to handle the issues well, we have also handled them wrongly and even failing to give proper advice as we don’t have the knowledge on the same.
Police officers who don’t have the knowledge of land issues have been found themselves adjudicating on such matters. I therefore commend Ministry of Lands for organizing the workshop as the amended laws are about to be rolled out across the country,” he said.
Luhanga said land Issues are so complicated and quite delicate especially in rural settings where they are intertwined with witchcraft and turn into death traps where people murder each other and property get destroyed due to lack of knowledge on land laws.
Director of Administration in the Ministry of Lands, Dr. Victor Sandikonda described the request from MPS as genuine and that the Ministry would consider it though resources could be a challenge.
“This workshop is very crucial as it provides an opportunity for the Ministry to update MPS on the implementation of the 2016 Land Laws and their respective amendments which were effected in 2022 Land Laws and the LIMS which has been developed under the country’s Land Reform Agenda,” he pointed out.
Sandikonda said that land remains a very vital factor of production in any country, hence it was the base of any meaningful-socio-economic development in all aspects and that customary land cases are emotive and need a sober approach whenever implementing any new policy or piece of legislation.
“If not well executed, land matters may breed chaos, public disorder and disintegrated customary land and administrative system, hence the need for law enforces such as Police to be knowledgeable of these laws,” he said.
CS-PWP a key to food security
By Petro Mkandawire
Blantyre, May 30, Mana: Senior Social Protection Specialist and Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project (SSRLP) for World Bank Mission Task Team Leader, Chipo Msowoya has expressed gratitude over the climate-smart public works programme (CS-PWP).
He said the project has reduced households' exposure to risks of climate change, climate disasters and that communities are adopting land resource conservation and were practicing afforestation.
Msowoya was speaking on Wednesday at Lunzu in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Makata in Blantyre during the World Bank’s mission supervision of the Linjemesi catchment area where climate smart project is being implemented with an aim of creating visible, durable and quality assets within micro catchments that will assist in improving household resilience and food security.
He said the Mission decided to visit Blantyre because the mid-term review of the project was on-going as such they wanted to acquire field insights and achievements that should inform and re-assess the project on how to enhance the intervention.
“Since the beginning of supporting public works through national and local government in the past, we were witnessing relatively lesser community ownership of project assets but now we are seeing communities appreciating much more and taking the project as their intervention which reassures us of sustainability beyond the project support,” Msowoya noted.
He added that the development was encouraging and impactful such that the World Bank plans to increase the number of participants in the project and extend duration due to a sense of ownership among the communities.
The Climate-Smart Project is being implemented in all districts of the country under the SSRLP initiative whereby in Blantyre, it is being run in Zemba, Nazombe, Mombo, Mlombozi, Milare Chilambalare, Mikundi, Mgawa Masinde, Mabala, Lirangwe 2, Likhubula, Kamwendo Linjemesi and Somba catchments area and it runs from 2020 to 2027.
Linjemesi Catchment Area Chairperson, Crissy Yasini said the project has helped them to realize good yield due to the use of check dams and swalles that enhanced the availability of irrigation water and helped in the slowing run-off, preventing crops from being washed away.
“We have benefited a lot through this project, floods did not affect us much which resulted in a good harvest that has even allowed us to find our basic needs, we can now pay school fees for our children and since the introduction of swalles and check dams, we can grow crops and harvest more at a place where I wasn’t able to harvest,” she said.
Director of Planning and Development (DPD) for Blantyre District Council, Melayi Mhone hailed the World Bank for supporting the council and government in the project, expressing satisfaction with the level of community participation in the project.
“Indeed the project is bearing fruits, as council through different stakeholders we are geared to support community members to meet the government mandate of Malawi Vision 2063 as such, I am urging the community members to participate in developmental projects,” he said.
Linjemesi Catchment Area is over 377.5 hectares with over 1876 families; whereby, participants of the project have managed to plant 25,133 trees along river banks and 1,889 in homestead woodlots which saves the community in different ways.
MCC compact to transform mobility, land development
By Sheminah Nkhoma
Lilongwe, May 30, Mana: President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has hailed the support which United States of America (USA) provides to Malawi, through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), saying it has potential to transform the country.
MCC Compact II has given Malawi Government US$350 dollars for transport and land development.
Speaking during the launch of the compact, also known as the Malawi Transport and Land Compact, at Mzonde Ground in the area Senior Chief Kalolo in Lilongwe, Chakwera said the project will help transform and develop the nation.
He said government will ensure to have improved transport through the construction of roads to improve the country’s economy.
“These developments manifest how government is committed in improving the country’s infrastructure and livelihoods. We are dedicated to have a changed nation, all we want to see is that every Malawian should be able to provide for his or her family basic needs,” said Chakwera.
He said transformation of roads will make transportation of products easy helping farmers in the agriculture sector to transport their goods.
MCC Chief Executive Officer, Alice Albright, emphasized that the compact will transform the country’s transportation system, economy and development.
“This project will benefit more than 5.3 million Malawians. This comes because of the commitment which government of Malawi has demonstrated in boosting up the economy,” said Albright.
Minister of Transport and Public Works, Jacob Hara, appreciated President Chakwera for the commendable work his government is doing which has helped to gain trust from donor partners.
He said MCC Compact II projects aligns with Malawi 2063 whereby National Transport Master plan is one of the key agenda.
“MCC Compact II seeks to reduce travel time and costs for smallholder farmers through the improvement of targeted roads in selected transport corridors and the land administration seek to improve Malawi’s land governance institutions,” said Hara.
In 2018, Malawi Government successfully concluded implementation of the first compact from MCC on energy sector. This led Malawi to be chosen to develop a subsequent compact Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Malawi II.
The Transport and Land Compact comprises of three projects namely; Accelerated Growth Corridors, Increased Land Productivity, American Catalyst Facility for Development.
HIV and AIDS intervention to target rural sex workers and drug users
By George Mponda
Karonga, May 30, Mana: Karonga Debate Club (KADEC) will implement a one-year project aimed at reducing the spread of HIV and AIDS among sex workers and drug users in the district’s rural settings.
In an interview after addressing a District Executive Committee (DEC) meeting Wednesday, KADEC's Project Officer, Gwyneth Kaponda said the project titled 'Bringing HIV information and services to key populations and their communities Malawi' will be implemented within four health facilities.
"We are targeting sex workers and people who use drugs in rural communities from Mponela, Mwandovie and Mwakhwawa Villages which use Chilumba, Lwezga, Iponga and Ngana health facilities in the area of Senior Chief Mwakaboko," she said.
Kaponda explained that, “Despite the scale up of HIV testing, prevention and treatment services, sex workers and drug users are not being adequately reached with these services in rural settings.
“We conducted a baseline survey which revealed that most are afraid of facing arrest and prosecution as they believe they are involved in shameful and illegal activities."
According to the Project Officer, the project would train the key populations to increase their knowledge in HIV prevention, testing and treatment as well as train sex worker support groups and civil society organisations in monitoring HIV services for drug users and sex workers living with the virus.
Youth Officer for Karonga District, Lapken Liwago said it would help reduce gaps which were there in HIV interventions to key populations.
"The inclusion of sex workers and drug users whose majority are youths is a great step in combating HIV and AIDS among rural communities who were being left behind in accessing information and services," he said.
The project will be implemented with funds from Gilead Sciences Inc. from the USA amounting over K 43.5 million.
Mwana Phuli to support girls’ education
By Innocent Kachingwe
Blantyre, May 30, Mana: TikTok Sensation, Hanareen Doness has taken her influence beyond social media by heading an inspiring initiative called Mwana Phuli Phuli which aims at empowering young girls in rural communities of Blantyre.
Mwana Phuli Phuli, which literally means a girl child who is very good looking and intelligent focuses on supporting girls’ education by sending them back to school and providing essential learning materials.
In an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Thursday in Blantyre, Doness said the project is driven by her passion for education and community development and that she hopes to expand her reach and help more girls return to school.
“Education is the key to a better future and I believe that through Mwana Phuli Phuli, I will ensure that girls in rural areas have the opportunity to learn and grow because every girl deserves the chance to go to school to pursue her dreams,” she said.
Doness added that despite the early success of the project, currently there was no funding for her activities.
She called on well-wishers and potential sponsors to join her cause as the initiative aims at breaking down barriers that prevent girls from accessing education.
“The response from the community has been overwhelming, however, in order to reach more children and make a significant impact, we need the support of the generous individuals and organizations,” Tik Tok Sensation said.
Doness disclosed that she was about to release a theme song for the project titled: ‘Ndikwanitsa’ meaning; I will achieve, which would be used to raise the project’s awareness leveraging her substantial social media following to gather support.
“Music is a powerful tool for spreading messages and I hope this song will resonate with people and inspire them to support this cause,” she said.
One of the beneficiaries, Glory Katsache, observed that before the support from the initiative, going to school was a daily struggle as her parents could not afford school fees and that she did not have the necessary educational materials.
She added that the initiative changed her situation and thanked management of Mwana Phuli Phuli for support, noting that the intervention is changing lives positively.
Katsache expressed hope that more girls would receive support from the initiative.
“This support means everything to me because now I have the school materials I need and I can attend classes without worrying about being sent home and I am so grateful because I can focus on my studies in order to make my dreams come true,” she said.
There are three students under the Mwana Phuli Phuli project who are being supported with school fees and as of now there is a campaign to raise K1.5 million to be used to help in the project.
RAS now operational
By Tione Andsen
Lilongwe, May 30, Mana: Revenue assurance System (RAS) is now operational, Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has disclosed.
MACRA Director General, Daud Suleman disclosed this during a press briefing on RAS implementation at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe.
He said the project which started some two years ago has now come to effect after certain stakeholders branded it as spy machine.
The Director General said RAS was a crucial too for revenue assurance verification and fraud detection in the billing and taxation of operators’ services.
“This milestone could not have been achieved without the exemplary cooperation between MACRA, all operators, and other stakeholders involved in the project,” Suleman said.
He said the authority sincerely appreciates their dedication and looks forwards to enhancing our collaboration.
The Director General added that MACRA was requiring each operator to provide historical data for the financial fiscal year spanning from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023.
Suleman pointed out that this data was crucial for their records and regulatory procedures.
“We are expecting to be fully provided by no latter than July 31, 2024,” he added.
Suleman said they are anticipating continued engagements and support to foster excellence within the digital ecosystem.
He appealed to any operator having problems with the initiative should not hesitate to engage them directly.
A Lilongwe resident, Masa Phiri said the RAS should help to address the issue of call drops that mobile providers are facing.
“We are continuously being charged on call drops and the mobile e providers are not even refunding us or providing us with an apology on this matter,” he added.
