By George Mponda

Karonga, April 15, Mana: Ramadan Ntafu produced the first hattrick of the 2024/25 TNM superleague season as Chitipa United Football Club (FC) thrashed Karonga United FC 4-1 at Karonga Stadium on Sunday.

From the first whistle, Chitipa dominated possesion and Ntafu opened the flood gates at eight minutes as he coolly slotted the ball home after being fed a nice pass by Ken Mulenga.

Chitipa almost doubled their lead minutes later as Ken Mlenga curled a beautiful freekick which missed the goal post by inches.

At 23 minutes, Ntafu scored his brace after receiving an assist from Stimela Muyira who kept tormenting the Karonga defence with his dribbling skills.

This made Headcoach for Karonga United, Trevor Kajawa to make three changes; introducing Blessings Mwalilino, Nanison Mbewe and Saulos Moyo, having subbed Geoffrey Kadzitche, Alfred Chizinga and Obie Raphael.

Midfielder Victor Chirambo missed Karonga United's best chance in the dying minutes of the first half as he blasted the ball over the cross bar while facing an empty goal and the first half ended 2-0.

In the second half, Ntafu completed his hattrick at 52 minutes and two minutes later, Muyira danced his way through Karonga United defence to score the fourth goal to the bewilderment of travelling Chitipa fans who were now the loudest in the stadium.

Blessings Mwalilino who was voted man of the match in Karonga United's last match scored  a consolation goal at 73 minutes and the game ended 4-1 in favour of Chitipa.

In a post match interview, Karonga United FC Headcoach Kajawa said this was a humiliating defeat at their own backyard.

"The boys had created many chances and we could have scored almost six goals but they failed and our opponents made use of their chances that is why they managed to punish us with four goals," Kajawa said.

Head Coach for Chitipa United FC, Elvis Kafoteka hailed his boys for putting a wonderful perfomance saying they will be getting better with each game.

The win has put Chitipa United on position six with three points and they will be facing Bullets in their next assignment at home.

Silver Strikers are currently league leaders with six points from two games.

By Wanangwa Tembo

Kasungu, April 14, Mana: Senior Chief Kaomba of Kasungu has called for more investments in irrigation farming to avert the famine that threatens thousands of families in the district following poor rains in the 2023/24 season.

He said this on Saturday during a field day organised by Seed-Co Malawi at Chilanga in Chipala Extension Planning Area (EPA) in Kasungu district.

Kaomba said it is hard to fight hunger when farming is only done in three to four months in a year followed by eight to nine months of idleness.

He said: “Farmers must get into clubs, establish anchor farms and start serious irrigation farming. We must ensure that every irrigable land is put to full use so that farmers are busy throughout the year.

“With the climatic changes, farmers must be keen to follow advice from the Ministry of Agriculture through extension workers on the use of modern farming techniques including manure making and planting hybrid seeds.”

Kaomba said when farmers get into groups, they can easily access irrigation equipment through Agriculture Commercialization (AGCOM) and the National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) to enable them produce enough crops for food and commercial purposes.

Seed-Co Malawi Agronomy Manager, James Mtiyesa, said they organized the field day to showcase to farmers the hybrid varieties that can be adopted in the face of changing climatic patterns.

He said: “Our key message is that we have a variety of hybrids for farmers and we urge these farmers to adopt them because they are very good in terms of tolerance to dry spells.

“We want farmers to make money out of their work and this can be achieved if they adopt hybrid seeds which are on their own a promise that whoever plants them will have a bumper harvest and make money out of their farming.”

Kasungu is one of the 23 districts where President Lazarus Chakwera declared a state of disaster due to dry spells induced by El nino weather condition.

The dry spells have affected about 750, 000 hectares of maize representing 44.3 percent of the country’s crop area, putting at least 2 million farming households in the line of famine.   

By Andrew Mkonda

Lilongwe, April 13, Mana: Matamando Matseko (not her real name), aged 22, from Funachina Village in Traditional Authority Kalumbu in Lilongwe district, named her first born son Kamizere for giving birth between rocky ridges in a maize field.

“Picked on kabaza bicycle during odd hours, soaked in heavy rains mixed with lightning and thunders, with agonizing labour pains, we failed to cross Mlinda River which rainy water had burst its banks to Ntenthera Health Centre about five kilometres away.

“Women who were escorting me to the health centre couldn’t do otherwise, but assist me to deliver my baby in a maize garden, while men were waiting patiently at a distance. By God’s grace, the baby boy was born. Immediately, I called his name Kamizere for being born in a maize garden,” she narrates.

Matseko says with what had happened to her, she doesn’t have any interest to have another child any time soon.

“I am still traumatized; I am not healed yet mentally. Memories are still fresh in my mind, more especially when I pass this river going to the market.

“Thanks now to Governance for Enabled Service Delivery (GESD) project for constructing a K24 million bridge on Mlinda River. I am so happy and I will now give my son a middle name called Chimwemwe, to show my appreciation to this development,” she narrates with a smile of joy on her face.

Matseko is just one of the many women who have been giving birth in their homes and in the bush for failing to cross Mlinda River during rainy season.

The absence of a reliable bridge on Mlinda river also impeded children’s right to education during rainy season as they could not go to school.

Head teacher of Mataka II primary school, Chris Chawanda, says in the past leaners who were crossing the river, were unable to attend classes during rainy season because they couldn’t cross the river.

“Memories are still fresh, we lost two leaners on this river when they were trying to cross the river as they were coming to school during rainy season. Up to date, their bodies are not recovered. A dark cloud engulfed the whole school and the entire community.

“No one could believe that we have lost young learners just like that, we really thank the government for constructing this bridge here, our learners do not have any challenges when coming to school these days,” says Chawanda.

He further says the construction of a bridge on Mlinda river has also assisted in reducing absenteeism among learners more especially during rainy season, as parents could not allow their kids to risk their lives to cross the river.

Such memories also crept in the minds of Group Village Headman Funachina and his kinsmen as they walked on new Mlinda Bridge.

The traditional leader recalls: “It was a far-fetched dream to access health care services without challenges. Poor road network affected all aspects of our lives here from livelihood to human rights.”

Joy has overwhelmed communities in this part of Senior Chief Kalumbu who have to cross the river to access social services at Nkhoma and Kamphata respectively.

Apart from bringing new lease of life, Funachina says the new bridge is an asset to the development of his subjects.

“This bridge will allow us to enjoy our rights and be productive. As farmers, we rely on Kamphata market to sell our farm produce, but now our markets have widened.

“I am optimistic with this development, the livelihood of the people in this area will be totally transformed as they will be able to sell their farm produce to the right markets rather than selling to vendors at a loss as they have been doing,” he says.

The Area's Ward Councilor, Davison Mangani, says the initiative has allowed the duty bearers to serve communities with basic needs for their sustainable development.

He says: "The bridge is an answered prayer. People could not believe it when the construction of the bridge was announced during an Area Development Committee (ADC) meeting. Its completion has indeed reaffirmed their hope of more developmental activities coming to the area.

“We are so thankful to the government for this development. Good road network enhances socioeconomic development of an area. This bridge will now give people access to a lot of social services like schools, hospitals and agricultural markets,” says Mangani.

He says the construction of the bridge has also assisted in promoting cross-border trade between the people from our country and those from Mozambique as it only takes few hours to be in Mozambique where people go and purchase various commodities.

However, Mangani says there is need for government to think of constructing another bridge on Diaphwi river, which connects people of Lilongwe to Dedza up to Mozambique as the people are still using canoes to cross the river going to Mozambique.

“Should government construct a modern bridge on Diaphwi river then it will boost the cross-border trade between the two countries [Malawi and Mozambique] as currently the root is being used by vendors to run away from paying taxes for their goods,” says Mangani.

He added that if a new bridge can also be constructed on Diaphwi river, it will save the lives of many people who have been dying after drowning into the river from the canoes they are using.

“We have been losing a lot of people on that river. And when they draw into the river, their bodies are rarely recovered because the river is full of crocodiles,” says Mangani.

He has since urged communities surrounding the newly constructed Mlinda bridge to enhance protection of the river’s catchment area by among other things avoiding cultivating along river banks.

One of the kabaza motorcyclist in the area, Noel Maseko, also applauded the government for constructing the Mlinda bridge saying it has assisted in boosting their business as they are now cycling on the road without many challenges.

“It was boring when we reach here, customers were told to cross the river on their own, by foot and meet them on the other side of the river, a tendency that was time consuming,” he said.

Maseko adds that in the past they were not making a lot of money, but these days they are able to make reasonable amount of money because they are able to operate on the road several times in a day.

He further said the new bridge has also assisted farmers to be connected to agricultural markets at Kamphata and even in Lilongwe central markets, thereby reducing the poverty levels of the people.

Recently, Lilongwe District Council approved the new GESD and District Development Fund (DDF) projects which will be implemented in the 2024/2025 financial year.

Lilongwe District Council Vice Chairperson Dominic Banda said the projects that have been approved will prioritize the 11 constituencies that did not benefit from the funds previously.

However, Banda said despite prioritizing the 11 constituencies, the council will also be able to allocate at least one project in all constituencies from the funded money.

Banda then asked Members of Parliament, councilors and traditional leaders to take a leading role in supervising the progress and quality of the projects, saying the quality of the projects should tally with the funds allocated.

“I am happy that in this financial year, once we start our projects, they will never stop and we will honour the due dates because we will have the funds readily available. We don’t want to see projects such as classroom blocks without toilets. Let us be vigilant and love our country,” says Banda.

The K24 million Mlinda bridge was constructed through the Governance for Enabled Service Delivery (GESD) project implemented through the National Local Government Finance Committee, with funding from the World Bank.

By Moses Nyirenda

Lilongwe, April 13, Mana: Centenary Bank has supported Pediatrics Trust with K2 million to help enhance provision of assistance to children in need of pediatric treatment.

Speaking during the cheque donation in Blantyre on Friday, Centenary Bank Head of Retail, Mayamiko Kalizang'oma, said his Bank decided to provide the support to the Trust as its work complements the Bank's commitment and mission.

“Centenary Bank is honored to give support towards the Trust, a cause that is close to our hearts and aligns with our commitment to supporting the well-being of our community's most vulnerable members especially children.

“The vision of Pediatrics Trust is in line with our mission of transforming lives through inclusive, convenient, simplified and sustainable financial solutions,” Kalizang'oma said.

He added that the donation signifies the Bank's steadfast dedication to making a positive impact on the lives of children in need.

Kalizang’oma said every child deserves access to quality healthcare and support, and through the contribution to the Trust the Bank is taking a meaningful step towards ensuring that its vision becomes a reality.

He said the support to the Trust was made to reflect on the Bank’s core values on corporate social responsibility as they believe in giving back to the community and supporting causes that create a lasting impact.

“As a bank, we are committed to standing with Pediatrics Trust in their mission to provide essential care and resources to children in need of pediatric treatment,” he said.

He, therefore, urged other organizations in the country to join hands with the Trust to support in uplifting and transforming children’s lives.

Pediatrics Trust Administrator, Venancio Kapalamula, appreciated Centenary Bank for the support.

“Our hospital provides surgical services for children and we operate children from all over Malawi among other pediatric treatments and our goal is to provide free services as such we reach out to partners for help.

“For this reason we reached out to Centenary Bank and they responded. The donation will go towards the purchase of medical supplies,” Kapalamula said.

Pediatrics Trust was established in 2017 and has a clinic located at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Blantyre which conducts over 1,000 operations among children per month.