MANAonline
Lilongwe women donate to Dedza District Hospital
By Zenak Matekenya
Dedza, March 4, Mana: Women from Lilongwe calling themselves Friends of Dedza on Monday donated assorted items, including sugar, flour, soap and soya pieces worth K700,000 to Dedza District Hospital female ward.
Speaking in an interview after the donation, the Treasurer for the grouping Mwayiwawo Tchupa said the group, composed of 10 members, was formulated to assist each other in need, but thought it wise to extend the gesture.
“We are originally from Dedza District; therefore the challenges faced by women here in Dedza also affect us. This is why we thought of making this donation. A similar donation was made in Lilongwe some months ago,” she said.
One of the guardians Malita Edison from Mlanda in Ntcheu expressed gratitude over the donation, saying it will complement the healthcare for patients in the ward.
“In our case we just came without anything. This donation is a big push,” she said.
A nursing officer at the ward, Winnie Makwiti said the initiative is an encouragement to the patients and the workers.
“We are glad and thankful to know that there are people out there who are mindful that our colleagues are in the hospital and they further take a step to visit and make a donation,” she said.
About 30 patients who were in the ward benefited from the donation.
Old mutual spearheads financial inclusion
Fostina Mkandawire
Salima, March 4, Mana: Old Mutual Life Insurance has underscored the importance of enhancing financial inclusion by intensifying awareness in the country with an aim of upscaling understanding about financial products.
Speaking during an award presentation ceremony for its employees from various departments in Salima, on Monday, Managing Director for Old Mutual Life Insurance, Mark Mikwamba emphasized the need for the country to prioritize financial education, so that people make informed financial decisions.
"We are committed to educate more people about financial products, encouraging them to make informed purchasing decisions," he said.
Mikwamba said they have been receiving positive feedback from the public on their financial products and said they are committed to provide critical financial solutions through delivering top-notch products that drive the country towards financial inclusivity.
On this point, he said they are rewarding well-performing employees as a way of motivating them to continue working hard and offering the best services to their clients.
One of the award recipients, a Business Development Supervisor, Kenneth Kaunda hailed the company for the awards, describing them as a motivating factor, for employees to spearhead the company's objectives.
The awards were presented in the following categories: Pensions, Operations, Unit Trust Retention, Bancassurance, Retail Affluent, Retail Mass, and Business Development.
Kaunda has been awarded for the third time in a row, for the efforts to expand its customer base and market share within the Malawian market.
He said will continue working hard to promote the company's products.
He said: "We could not achieve this without my team, which focuses on selling life insurance, long-term savings, and investment products to individuals and businesses."
Another employee, Patrick Mbite, who is a financial advisor, said the award will encourage him and his colleagues to work hard and support the company’s growth.
Old Mutual Life Insurance is a financial institution that provides a financial education initiative, created to teach people how best to manage their finances.
Neno Youth Network to plant over 40,000 trees in reforestation drive
By Wellington Sibale
Neno, March 4, Mana: Neno District Youth Network is planning to plant over 40,000 trees across the district as part of the newly launched "One Youth, Ten Trees" campaign.
Speaking during the launch of the initiative Monday at Chisupa Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in the area of Group Village Headman Zalewa, Traditional Authority (T/A) Symon, Neno District Youth Network Vice Chairperson, Charles Chikwasa, reaffirmed the commitment of youth to make Neno green.
"As youth leaders, our mission is to inspire change. By launching this exercise first, we are showing our fellow youths that we can build tomorrow’s Malawi by planting trees," Chikwasa said.
He emphasized that the initiative, championed by the National Youth Council of Malawi (NYCOM), aimed to restore degraded forests and promote environmental conservation adding it will be rolled out across all five youth networks of Symon, Chekucheku, Dambe, Mlauli and Chikalema to ensure widespread participation.
However, Chikwasa noted challenges, particularly lack of full support from the district council and expressed hope that continued engagement with local authorities would address issues and strengthen the campaign.
Chairperson of Education, Youth, and Sports Service Committee, Mark Ngwangwa highlighted the critical role of young people in environmental conservation.
"Youths are very important in conserving our environment. We always encourage them to be involved in tree planting to replace the cut ones,"
“We need to restore our degraded land and plant trees in barren areas. Trees play a vital role in attracting rainfall and protecting houses from strong winds," Ngwangwa said.
Neno District Forestry Officer, Erick Mbingwani stressed the importance of educating youth and the wider community on environmental restoration.
"This campaign will help restore degraded sites and ensure the continued availability of tree products for future generations," Mbingwani said.
He said so far, Neno District has planted over 371,000 tree seedlings against their target of 700,000 in this forestry season.
To improve survival rates, Mbingwani urged youth and community members to plant healthy and mature seedlings, protect them from browsing animals and fire, clear weeds, and water them during dry periods.
During the launch, which was held under the theme "Restore forests and land to secure food production," 500 Tsanya tree seedlings were planted, donated by Nsawenza Youth Holding, a local Non-Governmental Organization in the district.
The campaign is being supported by the Neno Active Youth Organization, which is implementing a Save the Children-funded climate change project in T/As Symon and Mlauli, and additional support has come from ESCOM and Msaweza Youth.
The launch event also showcased the planting of various tree species, including Colophospermum mopane (Tsanya), Afzelia quanzensis (Msambafumu) and Albizia lebbeck (Mtangatanga).
ESCOM addresses meter upgrade delays amid customers complaints
By Priscilla Phiri and Lumbani Chisi
Lilongwe, March 4, Mana: Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi Limited (ESCOM) has responded to growing concerns from customers regarding delays in meter upgrades, which have resulted in prolonged blackouts.
According to ESCOM’s Public Relations Officer, Peter Kanjere, the company is aware of the challenges and is working to provide solutions to affected customers.
“We are helping all concerned customers with solutions to the challenges,” he assured.
Kanjere attributed the delay to the supplier’s failure to deliver prepaid meters required for the Token Identifier Project.
However, he revealed that 98 percent of prepaid meters on the network have been upgraded, with plans to replace and roll over the remaining non-compliant meters once the next batch of replacement meters is delivered.
In the interim, ESCOM has converted single-phase prepaid meters to post-paid as a temporary solution to maintain supply while awaiting delivery of the requested meters.
The development comes amid complaints from customers who have experienced blackouts for up to three months while awaiting meter upgrades.
On ESCOM’s Facebook page, one customer pleaded, “We are experiencing blackouts, yet you promised us to upgrade our meters by end January 2025, do something please ESCOM.”
The Token Identifier Project, launched in June 2024, aimed to upgrade the software of prepaid electricity meters to comply with new international requirements.
NEEF plants 1,500 trees at Msuka Primary School
By Charlie Ligomeka
Machinga, March 4, Mana: National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) on Monday planted 1,500 tree seedlings at Msuka Primary School in Mkanje Village, Traditional Authority Nyambi, Machinga, as part of NEEF’s corporate social responsibility.
Speaking during the tree planting exercise, NEEF Regional Manager for Eastern Region, Victor Mlusu, said the initiative was meant to promote environmental conservation and hoped that it will improve livelihoods of communities in the area once the trees fully grow.
“We believe that tree planting is essential for the future. It helps to purify the air, improve the weather, and prevent soil erosion,” Mlusu added.
He said NEEF is committed to support farmers in the area through the business, and farming inputs loans for improved socio-economic livelihood.
Mlusu added that NEEF chose to plant trees in the area, considering that it has many loan beneficiaries who are committed to pay back loans.
“We have disbursed 2,100 bags of fertilizers to 418 farmers in Machinga North East. This is part of our effort to support farmers and improve food security in the area," he said, observing that the farmers' enthusiasm for farming was evident in their choice of fertilizer over cash loans.
Mlusu disclosed that NEEF plans to introduce loan officers in all agricultural Extension Planning Areas (EPA), to ensure proper coordination with farmers for easy access to loans and services.
Member of Parliament for Machinga North East, Ajiru Kalitendere, asked NEEF to continue with the corporate social responsibility in areas where they provide farm inputs and business loans.
He therefore thanked NEEF for leading in tree planting at Machinga North East, saying the exercise will help his constituents embrace issues of environmental conservation and sustainable agriculture.
Apart from local leaders and teachers, learners also took part in planting various tree species, including mango, pawpaw, nsangu and other agroforestry trees.
Msuka Primary School, Deputy Head teacher, Davie Rabison, welcomed the tree planting, saying this will have a lasting impact on learners' understanding of afforestation and the importance of environmental conservation in the wake of climate change.
Standard 2 learner, Rahim Muhammed, said NEEF led tree planting inspired him to plant more trees at home.
Traditional Authority Nyambi hailed the initiative, saying the tree planting has set the pace for people in his area to do more on afforestation this forestry season and beyond.
Nyambi encouraged people who got loans from NEEF to pay back the loans so that other people could benefit from the same.
Chakwera asks Malawians to emulate martyrs
By Chisomo Kambandanga and Yamikani Sabola
Nkhata Bay, March 3, Mana: President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has asked people in the country to emulate selflessness and patriotism demonstrated by martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the struggle for the country’s independence.
Chakwera was speaking in Nkhata Bay on Monday when he led the nation in honoring the fallen heroes who were shot by colonial police on March 3, 1959.
He said the best way to honour martyrs is not just to remember them but to continue their struggle, to live by the principles they fought for and to tirelessly work towards a country they envisioned.
“The country needs patriotic people who have the welfare of their country at heart and not sellouts who betray their country because of greed,” Chakwera said.
Chakwera said though every 3rd March is a somber day because lives were lost, it is also a celebration of the bravery and sacrifice made by the martyrs to secure the country’s independence.
“The men and women we honour on Martyrs Day were visionaries who believed in a Malawi where everyone, regardless of region or tribe, could live with dignity, respect and freedom.
“They fought for the freedom to shape our own destiny, to build a nation that truly belongs to all its citizens; and it is this dream of an inclusive and prosperous Malawi that we must continue to strive for,” he said.
He admonished the tendency by other politicians to engage the youth in violence and vandalism of property instead of encouraging them to contribute positively to national development.
Chakwera also criticized ADMARC officials who he said are conniving with vendors to buy its maize at cheaper prices and resell it at exorbitant prices.
Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Richard Chimwendo Banda said government has set aside K15 million to compensate 61 families across the country who lost their loved ones on 3rd March, 1959 while fighting for independence.
He said the bereaved families in the northern region had already received their compensations and disclosed that families in the southern and central region will get their compensations on Wednesday and Thursday.
Representative for the bereaved families, James Thawi said he was grateful to the government for paying the compensations and thanked Chakwera for availing himself every year to preside over the commemorations.
President Chakwera alongside First Lady Monica Chakwera laid wreaths at Kakumbi Cemetery in the district where some of the martyrs were buried.
In addition to the President and the First Lady, wreaths were laid by Speaker of the National Assembly, Catherine Gotani Hara; Chief Justice Rezine Mzikamanda, Malawi Defence Force Commander, Paul Valentino Phiri, and Inspector General of Police Merlyne Yolamu.
Others included James Thawi and Dorothy Chirwa, representing the bereaved families; Minister of Local Government, Unity, and Culture Richard Chimwendo Banda; Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba; Leader of the Opposition George Chaponda; and Nkhata Bay Central MP Vuwa Kaunda.
This year’s Martyrs’ Day was commemorated under the theme, ‘The martyrs: A great model of patriotism’.
MHEN Impressed with MCGs
By Pempho Nkhoma
Blantyre, March 3, Mana: Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) has expressed satisfaction with Mother Care Groups (MCG) role in mobilizing communities in Blantyre rural to understand the benefits of child immunization.
MHEN Assistant Project Officer, Helbert Chakwawa appreciated MSG’s role after the organization toured two MCGs, namely Namende at Group Village Head Scott under Traditional Authority Somba at Mpemba and Umodzi at Group Village head Undi, Traditional Authority Lundu at Lirangwe.
MHEN monitored the two MCGs to appreciate vaccine coverage following community mobilization on importance of immunization on child health.
“As MHEN we are really impressed with the Namende and Umodzi Mother Care Groups since we established them in October 2024. They have managed to identify about 20 zero dose children and 66 under immunized and they have brought them back,” he added.
He therefore urged the MCGs to continue sensitizing communities on immunization to eliminate new born deaths.
“All men and community leaders should also take part in immunization so that our children should be protected from diseases,” he added.
Chief Preventive Health Officer at Blantyre District Health Office, Innocent Mvula, said involvement of MCGs in child immunization has helped the District Health Office to increase vaccine coverage.
He said the MCGs play crucial role in covering gaps in child immunization, as some parts of Blantyre were hard to reach with community mobilization for child vaccine coverage.
“The Mother Care Groups assist Blantyre to mobilize communities on child immunization to ensure good coverage. This resulted in reaching out to more children and reduce zero dose plus under dose children.
“Before Mother Care Groups came in, our vaccine coverage was hovering around 78% but we are now at 91%, marching towards 95% by December, 2025,” he said.
Mvula added that MCGs are crucial in providing community awareness saying that District Health Office programmes emphasizes on community involvement for sustainability.
“They help to dispel the myths on child vaccination. As members of the communities, they play crucial role by providing peer to peer education to mothers,” he added.
Namende MCG member Joyce Kwazachina stated that the group persuades mothers who were initially reluctant to vaccinate their children due to myths and religious beliefs. She added that these mothers now understand the importance of child vaccination.
“We also help in other community level development activities. We did not have toilets in our health post, with our initiative, we advocated for toilets in the health center and we will soon have toilets in the facilities,” she said.
MHEN in partnership with PATH with financial support from Global Alliance Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) through the Ministry of Health are implementing a project called Identification of Zero Dose Children in four districts namely; Mzimba, Dowa, Mchinji and Blantyre.
Government continues to build houses for security agencies
By Happy Byson Milanzie
Lilongwe, February 21, Mana: Minister of Lands, Deusi Gumba, has assured people that the project of building houses for the security agencies is going on smoothly, with phase three of the project almost complete.
According to Gumba, approximately 4000 houses in phase three have already reached the procurement and construction stages, demonstrating the seriousness of the current administration.
"The project is making significant progress on the ground. Out of the 10000 houses planned by the government, some have already been opened by President Lazarus Chakwera, while others are nearing completion with only minor work remaining," he said.
Gumba also emphasized that 90 percent of the phase three project is expected to be completed soon, as both the procurement and construction processes are progressing well.
He said the project in Rumphi is also promising, with contractors already identified adding of the 90 earmarked in the district, 78 will be allocated to the Malawi Police Service, and 12 to immigration.
The government of Malawi promised to build 10000 houses across the country, with 4000 houses allocated to the Malawi Police Service, another 4000 to the Malawi Defense Force (MDF), 1000 to immigration, and another 1000 to prisons.
Msonthi wins Ntchisi West MCP primaries
By James Mwale
Ntchisi, February 21, Mana: Malawi Congress Party Thursday held primary elections for legislator and ward councillors to represent the party in forthcoming tripartite elections in the district’s West Constituency.
Competing for the Member of Parliament position were Anderson Msonthi who amassed 284 votes followed by Moses Chakana with 284 votes.
Mtendere Chilapondwa accumulated 47 votes followed by Mdoko Peter Banda who got 33 votes followed by Rosemary Sadya Lunda who came last with 27 votes.
Competing for Madanjala ward councillor was Justice Zambila who amassed 363 votes followed by the incumbent, Mark Mphenzi Mtengo who got 67 votes.
Coming third was Millias Mkwezalamba who got 27 votes followed by Dustan Kalirani who came last with 7 votes.
For Kamnenje ward, incumbent Arnold Kapolo came first with 476 votes followed by Damiano Kapesa with 107 votes with Godfrey Zakeyo coming last with 31 votes.
In an interview after the voting exercise, the prospective legislator said: “It was a stiff competition and for people to trust me with a voter margin of such magnitude, I am very happy.”
Amongst his ambitions, Msonthi said: “Our district has poor road network concerns and we are stranded here because of the same. I will try my best to make sure our road network improves.”
The voting exercise was overseen by ward councillors and the district’s senior party officials.
CMD for political commemoration of this year's Martyrs Day
By Chisomo Kambandanga
Nkhata Bay, February 21, Mana: Executive Director of the Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD), Boniface Chibwana, has called for a political commemoration of this year's Martyrs Day to maintain the event's integrity and significance.
In an interview in Nkhata Bay during a stakeholder's engagement meeting for the event, Chibwana emphasized that focusing on the martyrs' sacrifices will promote unity and solidarity among citizens.
"As we prepare for this day, it is essential to understand that the martyrs died for this country's freedom and wanted self-rule, so Malawians can govern themselves.
"That is why we are emphasizing that this commemoration should be apolitical, as the martyrs died for everyone in this country," he said.
According to Chibwana, during the commemoration, political party colours and affiliations should be set aside to remember that martyrdom is about self-rule.
He added that all political parties must attend the event as one nation.
Principal Secretary responsible for national Unity in the Ministry of Local Government Unity and Culture, Dr. Elizabeth Gomani stated that preparations for this year's National Martyrs Day event are at an advanced stage and will be unique compared to previous years.
"As the government, we are ready for this function, and we want to keep commemorating it as a national event.
"We have produced a commemorative cloth for the first time, and we want everyone to come in one colour, not in political party colours," Gomani said.
"We have also made efforts to engage the media to educate the masses on the distinction between Chilembwe Day and Martyrs Day, and everyone is welcome on this day,” she added.
Representative of the deceased families, James Thawi praised the government for taking over responsibility for organizing the event, describing it as a sign of empathy towards the families.
Martyrs' Day is observed annually in the country on 3rd March to honor those who sacrificed their lives for freedom and self-rule.
This year's celebration will take place in Nkhata Bay under the theme "The Martyrs: A Great Model of Patriotism and is expected to be led by President Dr Lazarus MacCathy Lazarus Chakwera.
