By Sylvester Kumwenda

Dowa, January 8, Mana: Police in Dowa have arrested five people for stealing 61 bags of soya meal cakes at Mount Meru Millers Factory in the district.

Dowa Police Station Public Relations Officer, Alice Sitima, said the suspects, four men and one woman, all employees of the company were arrested Monday midnight after police foiled a heist, which was in progress and recovered the items worth K5, 000,000.

"The factory's Security Officer, Francis Zingunde, received information from a well-wisher about the suspects plans to steal from the factory. He subsequently informed police officers who were assigned on guard duties at the factory.

"Acting on a tip-off, police officers remained vigilant and organized premises patrols which led to the apprehension of the suspects while in the act at midnight," she said.

Sitima said during the arrest, police recovered the 61 bags, of which 34 had already been moved outside the factory fence, awaiting collection by the suspects' counterparts.

The suspects have been identified as Alinafe Maliseni, 25, from Kwelekwele Village, Traditional Authority (TA) Kabudula, Lilongwe; Elliot Charles, 24, of Mphazi Village, TA Kalumo in Ntchisi who is a contract supervisor; Pickson Longwe, 41, from Masini Village, TA Chitukula who is a security guard at the factory.

Other suspects are Wakisa Napolo, 24, from Kawiri Village and Moses Ng'ona, 43 from Kanjala village both in TA Mkukula in Dowa.

The suspects will soon appear in court to face a charge of theft by servant.

By George Mponda

Karonga, January 8, Mana: A 25-year-old herdsman, Bernard Andrew, was Monday struck and killed by lightening at Mwenemwambe Village in the area of Senior Chief Mwilang’ombe in Karonga.

According to Karonga Police Station Public Relations Officer, Margret Msiska, the incident occurred at around 14:30 hours.

"Andrew who was working as a herdsman for Fred Kita was grazing cattle within his boss's compound when he was struck.

“The incident was reported to Nyungwe Police Unit and police officers visited the scene of the accident,” said Msiska.

The remains of Msiska were taken to Chilumba Health Centre, where postmortem was conducted whose results indicated that death was due to electrocution secondary to being struck by lightning.

Meanwhile, police in Karonga have advised people in the district to follow weather forecasts and adhere to precautionary measures during thunderstorms.

Andrew hailed from Nsiwa Village, Traditional Authority Chakhaza in Dowa District.

By Agatha Kadzinje

Blantyre, January 7, Mana: Newly elected President of the Film Association of Malawi (FAMA), Dorothy Kingston, has raised hopes of advancing Malawi’s film industry and increasing its visibility.

Film Association of Malawi held its leadership elections on January 5, 2025, at the Golden Peacock Hotel, Lilongwe.

Speaking to the Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Tuesday, Kingstone said her leadership aims to bring long-awaited changes to the country’s art industry.

“I am excited and deeply honored that people have chosen me as their president for FAMA. I look forward to collaborating with professionals from various fields, such as production, editing, and scriptwriting, in Malawi. I was elected for my leadership skills, not my acting abilities, and I intend to operate like any effective leader,” she said.

Kingston described FAMA as a ‘single ship’ that has existed for nearly fourteen years without being fully operational or registered as an association.

She revealed that FAMA plans to establish regional offices across the country to act as its eyes and ears, making it easier for people to connect with the association.

Kingston acknowledged that Malawi’s film industry faces challenges, particularly due to the absence of a dedicated proposal-writing committee, which hampers its ability to compete globally.

“We lack the capacity to convince stakeholders to fund film production. This results in low-quality films due to limited resources. To address this, FAMA will establish a committee to source funding and build sustainable relationships. This will help FAMA transition from being a resource-seeking entity to becoming a revenue generator,” she explained.

Kingston also encouraged Malawians in the arts industry to join the association and participate in its activities.

Social commentator Humphrey Mvula told MANA that Malawians expect a lot from the new leadership, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the association’s credibility and ensuring its representatives positively reflect the industry.

“The film industry in Malawi is still in its infancy and must grow gradually and not rush to achieve significant progress. It should align with Malawi’s cultural values rather than adopting foreign cultures solely to accelerate development,” Mvula said.

He commended the election of Dorothy Kingstone as president and Gilbert Moyo as vice president, urging the leaders to remain neutral and independent.

“They must support constructive initiatives from both the government and opposition while objectively critiquing issues through the arts. Their neutrality will be crucial in fostering trust and credibility,” he added.

Film Association of Malawi was established in 2011 with the goal of bringing together and coordinating persons and groups involved in the production and promotion of films in Malawi.

By Hastings Yobe & Gomezgani Msiska

Mana, Lilongwe, January 6: Malawi’s efforts to empower girls and women have been remarkable, but in the process, the boy child has been left behind. The consequences are alarming.

According to recent statistics from the Malawi Police Service, the first half of 2024 recorded 281 suicide cases representing a 27.7 percent increase from the previous year. Males accounted for 87.5% of these cases, with 246 reported incidents.

This disturbing trend is a wake-up call for Malawi. Isabel Pike’s 2019 study in Kenya highlights the threat to the future of the boy child.

“Too much attention has been paid to the girl child leaving the boy child completely ignored,” the report reads.

This neglect has far-reaching consequences, affecting not only the boys but also their families and communities.

For young men like Gift Banda, a student at the Malawi University of Science and Technology, the struggle is real.

“I have never seen any bursary for boys,” he says, his voice laced with frustration.

“If they cannot support us all, at least they should support those boys who are brilliant and from marginalized families,” he adds.

 Gift’s story is not unique; many boys in Malawi face similar challenges, their potential hindered by lack of opportunities.

The societal expectations placed on boys exacerbate the problem.

Kelvin Chirwa, a student at the University of Malawi, explains: “Systems are there to help men, but they are not adequate. Men are suffering in silence because the society expects them to persevere.”

This toxic masculinity stifles boys’ emotional expression, leading to devastating consequences.

Redson Kandozi, a student at the University of Livingstonia, believes that counselling should start from primary school to help boys with mental health issues.

“This makes it hard for men to get help, but I think if we start counselling from schools, then we can help more men with mental health issues,” he says.

By addressing these issues early, Malawi can prevent the alarming rise in suicide cases.

Communications Director for Centre for Social Equity (CSE), Beston M’betewa, says that nearly one million boys are facing different forms of violence at the hands of teachers and their peers, especially girls.

“Many boys or men fail to report violence because of their gender roles and the fear of being looked at as weak in their communities,” M’betewa said.

The neglect of the boy child is not only a Malawian problem but also a global concern. The African Union (AU) recognizes the need to promote the boy child alongside girls.

Writing on its website after a conference on matters of gender equality held in Ethiopia, the continental body agreed that both men and women are victims, survivors as well as perpetrators of violence.

“Why do we only focus on females as the only victims of gender based violence? Why is there such a stereotype towards men?”writes AU.

Paramount Chief Gomani V of Ntcheu emphasizes, “It is important for us, as traditional leaders, to lead in the fight against gender-based violence and to remind people that our communities have both males and females.”

As Memory Banda, an activist and founder of the Foundation for Girls Leadership, aptly puts it, “To have a peaceful co-existence and end gender wars, we must groom both girls and boys in the same measure of opportunities and respect to their rights.”

Witness Chawinga, a CorpsAfrica volunteer, highlights the importance of supporting both girls’ and boys’ education.

 “Supporting boys’ education is crucial for achieving youth empowerment, and it should not be neglected in favor of solely focusing on girls’ education,” she said.

Ministry of Education reports a 7.3 percent decrease in the number of boys writing Junion Certificate of Education (JCE) examination, compared to a 6 percent decrease in girls. This trend is concerning, as it suggests that boys are being left behind in education.

By acknowledging the neglect of the boy child and working towards a more balanced approach to empowerment, Malawi can create a brighter future for all its children.

As the 16 days of activism against gender based violence just passed in December, the call to action is clear. It is time to recognize the struggles of the boy child and work towards a more equitable society. The future of Malawi’s boys depends on it.