By Charlie Ligomeka

Machinga, April 3, Mana: District Information Officer for Machinga, Martin Chiwanda has died.

Chiwanda passed away Friday evening at Machinga District Hospital where he was admitted.

District Commissioner (DC) for Machinga Rodrick Mateauma, speaking to Malawi News Agency (MANA), described Chiwanda's death as heartbreaking.

He highlighted Chiwanda's exceptional communication skills and his commitment to the council's development.

"We have worked with him for a long time, and we will remember Chiwanda as a diligent person who always delivered his assignments with expertise.

"He was instrumental in ensuring the council's progress and worked well with everyone in the district, including traditional leaders,” said the DC.

Deputy Regional Information Officer for the South, Evance Chisiano, echoed Mateauma's sentiments, stating that the information department would miss Chiwanda's hard work and dedication.

"He was a young man dedicated to his job, and his contributions will be greatly missed," said Chisiano.

Meanwhile, tributes continue to pour in for the departed journalist.

Manford Chirombo, Nsanje district-based journalist said,” I have learnt with a heavy heart the news about the passing on of Martin Chiwanda a professional colleague and District Information Officer (DIO) for Machinga. I new Martin in 2013 when he was posted to Nsanje District Council as an Assistant DIO. I have learnt a lot from him as I was then new in the profession.

Alfred Guta also said,” Death is so cruel, we talked a few days ago you were saying, "I will be OK aixe ndilibe nkhawa" mkumamva zoti wapita eish Martin Chiwanda ndakulira ine.

Chiwanda joined the Ministry of Information on April 18, 2012.

Born on March 3, 1984, he is survived by his wife and two children.

His body will be laid to rest at Chilipa Trading Centre in Kalonga village, Traditional Authority (TA) Ntonda, Mangochi district, on Monday.

By Fostina Mkandawire

Salima, May 3, Mana: Deputy Minister of Health Noah Chimpeni has called for increased support in Malawi’s fight against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), particularly Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS), citing the need for healthy citizens to achieve the country’s Vision 2063 goals.

Speaking at the launch of the Malawi-German FGS Initiative at Maganga Primary School in Salima on Friday, Chimpeni said access to safe water is essential in preventing schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease that affects millions, particularly women and girls.

“To achieve our development goals, we need a healthy and productive population. Diseases like female genital schistosomiasis affect women disproportionately and hinder their productivity,” said Chimpeni.

He said integrated approaches in the health sector are important to tackle diseases therefore the collaboration between GIZ and Ministry of Health to tackle FGS is a good initiative to increase awareness and promote early health-seeking behaviour.

The initiative, a collaboration between the Ministry of Health and the German Development Agency (GIZ), will be piloted in Salima and Dedza districts.

It aims to raise awareness, improve diagnosis, and ensure treatment of FGS, a disease often caused by contact with contaminated freshwater.

Germany’s Ambassador to Malawi, Ute König, said her government is committed to supporting Malawi in its fight against NTDs.

She commended the World Health Organization (WHO) for supplying medication and technical support.

“FGS is a silent disease that damages the female reproductive system and increases the risk of cervical cancer. We are committed to help Malawi address this challenge through prevention, treatment, and community outreach,” said König.

König also noted that Germany considers health a key area of cooperation and emphasized the importance of reducing the stigma faced by women living with the disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 250 million people globally are affected by schistosomiasis.

In Malawi, FGS remains prevalent due to limited awareness and poor access to clean water.

WHO Representative in Malawi, Dr. Neema Kimambo, said FGS poses serious health risks including pain, bleeding, infertility, and anemia.

“This disease affects more women than men and is often misdiagnosed or ignored. Our focus is to support the government with technical expertise and ensure better detection and care,” said Kimambo.

She confirmed WHO’s continued commitment to help Malawi eliminate NTDs through training, research, and provision of medication.

The two-year initiative will focus on capacity building in health facilities, community education, and integration of FGS diagnosis into reproductive health services.

Malawi is among the pilot countries in this effort and officials are optimistic that the joint initiative will help reduce cases and improve women’s health outcomes.

By Charlie Ligomeka

Machinga, May 2, Mana:  Farmers in Machinga have expressed dissatisfaction with One Acre Fund, alleging the organization provided poor-quality maize seeds on loans, leading to low yields and potential food insecurity in the district.

The grievances were raised during a District Agriculture Stakeholders Panel Committee (DASP) meeting at Ntaja Trading Centre in Machinga where farmers were advised to prepare for the May to August irrigation season.

“We received maize seeds variety like DK 777 and Kanyani, but the yields were very low. The seeds were clearly labeled as high-yielding varieties, but the results were disappointing.

“We urge One Acre Fund to reconsider the loan amount to avoid losses among farmers. Many of us are compelled to resort to irrigation farming to supplement our harvests, which is not sustainable.” said Joshua Maunde, a farmer from Nyambi Extension Planning Area (EPA).

The situation has put One Acre Fund inputs beneficiaries in an awkward situation with most of the farmers uncertain of their food security at household level.

“We had hopes that we would be food secure once we plant the seeds, but now we will face hunger. We urge One Acre Fund to work with us to find a solution to this problem," added Maunde, who is also Chairperson for Agricultural Stakeholders Panel for Traditional Authority Sale.

Agricultural Development Coordinator for Nyambi EPA, Maganizo Erick Likagwa, confirmed that many farmers experienced losses due to the seeds.

“The seeds didn't grow as expected, and we have consulted One Acre Fund about the issue. We have been working with One Acre Fund for a while, and we have trusted their distribution of different varieties like DK777 and Mzati.

“However, the quality of the seeds this season has been disappointing,” added Likagwa.

Agricultural Extension Methodology Officer for Machinga District Council, Betty Kujingo Tholo, emphasized the importance of DASP meetings in addressing farmers' concerns.

“These meetings provide a platform for farmers to share their experiences and challenges. We will take up this issue with One Acre Fund and explore ways to improve the situation,” she added.

Responding to the allegations, One Acre Fund's Public Relations Officer, Francis Chipanda, said the organization opted for maize seed variety, DK 8023, Mzati, based on farmers’ demand.

“We believe performance issues might be due to unfavorable weather patterns and ecological factors. The same seed batch has performed well in other districts like Mulanje and Chiradzulu.

“We provide crop insurance to farmers affected by extreme weather conditions, and our team will assess whether the affected areas in Machinga District qualify for this support. We are committed to continuous improvement and appreciate the feedback and concerns raised,” he said.

Chipanda said that One Acre Fund values farmer feedback, adding that the organization works to strengthen seed quality control processes and enhance farmer training and support.

By Rosalia Kapiri

Mchinji, May 2, Mana: The Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) on Friday concluded the final phase of its Lean Season Response maize distribution in Mchinji District, marking the end of a nationwide effort that has reached 5.7 million people since September 2024.

The final distribution exercise took place at Gandali Full Primary School ground in Traditional Authority (TA) Dambe’s area, where households impacted by El Niño-related food shortages received relief maize.

DoDMA’s Director of Preparedness and Response, Moses Chimphepo, commended the community’s resilience and stressed responsible food use.

“We all know about the El Niño which affected crops in the country. Government mobilized resources to help people for four months. We are now distributing the last phase,” he said.

Chimphepo emphasized the maize was strictly for consumption: “This is not for sale. It is to help food security in your household. The maize you harvest should be stored and used wisely, not wasted or sold.”

The initiative, supported by the World Bank and implemented through the World Food Programme (WFP), was carried out in 21 districts.

Chimphepo noted that government managed to mobilize over 87% of the needed resources.

“In some districts, we distributed three or four times, but everyone received at least twice. So far, so good. The challenge is big, but we’ve done a tremendous job,” he said.

Chimphepo encouraged communities to embrace food budgeting: “The harvest should be properly stored and rationed. Sometimes people sell all their produce and later need support again. It’s a shared responsibility between government and citizens.”

Beneficiaries expressed gratitude for the support. Dorothy John, 34, from Chimwala Village, thanked “government for bailing us out from hunger. We didn’t expect this, but we are grateful.”

Senior Group Chimwala also praised the programme, saying: “People had nowhere to turn to. With this support, people are now happy. I urge my people not to sell the maize.”

With the relief programme coming to an end as the harvest season begins, authorities hope the food security lessons learned will carry communities forward into a more stable and self-reliant future.

By Memory Khutuliwa

Blantyre, May 2, Mana: Blantyre District Youth Office (BDYO) has generated Risk Assessment Vulnerability tool to assess adolescent girls and young women’s (AGYW) mental and reproductive health and to track gender-based violence, HIV and Aids, drug and alcohol abuse, and school dropout.

Blantyre District Youth Officer Peter Mizedya said the tool is meant to deal with issues affecting the AGYW from the age 10 to 24, saying after assessment they will be referred to different institutions for attention.

“This tool helps to detect issues in a fast way at community level since we use peer educators that we trained. We expect to reach the whole district in the next 12 months,” he added.

On GBV, Mizedya said his office refers victims to police stations, community victim support units, education institutions and social workers in their respective communities for psychosocial support and other forms of assistance

“This initiative is really helping; we have seen girls being supported. This has also seen an improvement of uptake of services in health institution more especially in Youth Friendly Services,” he added and expressed hope the tool will offer more improvement on issues that affect the AGYWs.

Community Policing Coordinator for Milare Police Sub Station in Blantyre, Sub-Inspector Harry Makumbi, said there are rising cases of GBV only that some of them are not reported to police.

Makumbi said community members need to be sensitized on how, when and where to report GBV cases.

“Since the tool came into being, we have recoded one case of GBV. This tool will help to encourage GBV victims to report to police,” he added.

Makumbi said that Risk Assessment Vulnerability Tool will bring a greater impact to the AGYWs, observing that peer educators in youth clubs will also use the tool to identify, analyse, evaluate problems the AGYWs face in their respective communities to mitigate further consequences.

The District Youth Office in Chiradzulu used the tool to assess 4,178 AGYWs in Machinjiri and Mpemba where some AGYWs were referred to various institutions for further attention while some opted to go back to school to continue with education.

By Pempho Kantayeni

Lilongwe, May 2, Mana: Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has developed a draft framework for data protection registration regulation, which will require data controllers and processors to register with the authority at a fee. 

Speaking on Friday in Lilongwe during a validation workshop with various stakeholders, Head of Data Protection, Daniel Chiwoni, disclosed that the purpose of the workshop is to engage with stakeholders on developing a framework to support the Data Protection Act by providing detailed processes on how MACRA will regulate the processing of personal data in the country.

"So we have developed, for now, two sets of regulations; the first one being the data protection registration regulations. Under the Data Protection Act, there is a requirement that those that are processing vast amounts of data, we call them data controllers and data processors of significant importance, should register with the with the MACRA," he said.

Chiwoni emphasised that the regulations will outline the information to be

submitted during the registration process and the fees to be paid.

He added that the framework will specify when the registration process is complete and how the authority will communicate to the registrants.

Chiwoni highlighted that Data Protection Handling Regulations will address the complaints from data subjects affected by processing activities by providing a process for handling complaints lodged with the data protection authority.

"The framework will specify the period within which a company must respond to a complaint and the steps to be taken afterward," he said.

One of the participants, for Youth Intiative Executive Director Precious Phiri, said that the new regulations and protocols will help in safeguarding data and privacy in the country.

"The workshop will help us to actually safeguard the data and the privacy for almost everybody in Malawi, so what we're trying to do is to safeguard these by putting protocols so that people should be safeguarded, whereby people cannot hack and issues of identity theft should not happen," he said.

The regulations aim to streamline the registration process and ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act.

In order to ensure that data subjects rights are protected, MACRA has also developed the Data Protection Complaints Handling Regulations draft.

By George Mponda

Karonga, May 2, Mana: Bishop Martin Anwel Mtumbuka of the Karonga Diocese has announced that proceeds from the newly launched St Denis Primary School will be utilized to rehabilitate rural primary schools.

The school, located at Karonga Boma, has been constructed with funds from Steven Peck through the Cross Catholic Outreach and it is offering classes from Standards One to Six.

Speaking at the launch on Thursday, Bishop Mtumbuka said the school will be operating on a business model and profits made will be used to improve schools located in rural areas.

Mtumbuka said: "This particular private school will help give very good primary education holistically. In other words, the parents who send their kids here pay a little bit more money, and we will use that money to improve the schools in rural areas.

"The philosophy of education in the Catholic Church is that you can't have proper functions in a church full of members who have not gone far with education. It can't work, especially in today's world where you want most of the things run by the church to be done by the Christians themselves; which is why we want to educate learners from all over the diocese despite their denomination," he added.

According to Mtumbuka, the school's staff will have the autonomy to make decisions, subject to approval by the school's board, as part of a self-sustaining management approach.

On her part, Director of Education Services for Karonga District Council, Mercy Mayuni, commended Karonga Diocese for opening the school, saying it has complemented government's efforts in delivering quality education.

"This resonates with enabler number five of the Malawi 2063 which stresses development of human capital. In order for our country to be self-reliant, we need to educate learners from all corners of the country," said Mayuni.

Headteacher for St Denis Catholic Primary School, Eunice Ndhlovu, promised to nurture learners' spiritual growth and help them become productive citizens who will contribute positively to Malawi's development.

During the launch of the school, Bishop Mtumbuka also commissioned two priests who will be heading to South Africa to launch the Ad Gentes Missionaries of St. John Paul II.