By Clarabella Chipolonga

Chiradzulu: August 31, Mana: Deputy Director for Rural Electrification in the Ministry of Energy, Francisco Chingoli, has deplored theft and vandalism of Malawi Rural Electrification Programme (MAREP) property in Chiradzulu where four project sites have been affected after items including more than 400 metres of electricity cables were stolen, frustrating Phase 9 of the rural electrification drive. 

He, therefore, called on people in the district to jealously guard MAREP equipment against theft and vandalism saying the programme is to bring electricity in many parts of the district.

Chingoli told Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Friday at Makuwa Community Day Secondary School in the district during a joint site meeting with chiefs, police officers and other stakeholders that they ought to be instrumental in tackling theft and vandalism of MAREP equipment in the district.

The stakeholders meeting also discussed ways and means to successfully implement MAREP in the district for wider electrification.

“We came here to touch base with the community to tackle the issue of vandalism which is rampant in the district. I am glad that all stakeholders have promised to fight against this malpractice,” said Chingoli.

He asked police, the district council and community members to work together to deal with theft and vandalism so that most people in the district should continue benefiting from the MAREP.

“Our duty is to bring development. It is the communities’ responsibility to take care of it. If people vandalize electricity equipment, they will suffer for not having the electricity.

“We expect that the contractor will start and finish his job without being distracted. There is a new law that says a person will be imprisoned for 30 years or else pay K150 million if found vandalizing electricity resources,” he said.

Chiradzulu Police Station Community Policing Coordinator, Mark Munama, assured the ministry that police will emphasize to the communities on the importance of MAREP and gravity of vandalism electricity resources in the district.

“We will revamp all community policing structures and bring in new structures. We have already deployed our officers including those in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in all zones to gather intelligence information so that we should arrest all suspects that are connected to theft and vandalism of MAREP property.

“This is crime prevention issue and it is a joint approach, the police alone cannot reach everywhere. This is why we are calling others stakeholders to support us with reflectors, torches and any other resources that can be useful in dealing with this problem,” he said.

Traditional Authority Sandrak expressed concern over vandalism of electricity equipment, saying this is retrogressive to rural development.

“We use maize mills powered by electricity because they are better than diesel powered. With electricity all over we will not walk long distances to maize mills,” she said and pledged to join the fight against theft and vandalism of MAREP property in her area.

She said they will engage in massive sensitization with village heads and will reach out to their subjects to raise the much-needed awareness on the negative effects of theft and vandalisms on development.

“We will also tell them what new law is saying on those caught stealing or vandalizing electricity equipment,” said Traditional Authority Sandrak.

Four out of 10 houses in Malawi have access to electricity and government says MAREP is there to improve the current status by 2063.

Chiradzulu and Chikwawa have more cases of vandalism on MAREP phase nine resources. Chiradzulu has ten MAREP 9 sites out of which four have been vandalised.

The vandalized sites are; Makuwa, Chamdimbo, Kukhumula and Chelewani where 400 plus meters of wire was stolen.

By Joel Chirwa

 Mzuzu, August 31, Mana: Bishop Martin Mtumbuka of the Catholic Diocese of Karonga has urged Catholic youths in the country to be active in politics with the goal of attaining the common good of less privileged people.

Mtumbuka was speaking during a memorial mass service celebrated in honour of the former Vice President, Late Dr. Saulos Chilima, and eight others who died in plane crash in June this year.

He said young people need to borrow a leaf from Late Chilima who, during his life, was not only spiritually active but also played an active role in social life and promoted agenda of prosperous and development of the country.

"The church in its teachings espouses its adherents to contribute to national politics. You need to stand up to be counted in confronting wrong things.

“It is your God given right to take an active role in politics. However, you need to lean towards virtues of good governance that are for the common good of the less privileged people," said Mtumbuka.

He added that the country is going through a lot of social and economic challenges that warrant youth to take a bold step to advance principles of good governance.

“The church encourages its faithful to create a just society that has a common good for everyone. Therefore, church members especially young people need not to be spectators when they have what it takes to make a positive contribution to the national political agenda.

"It will be meaningless for you to complain and do nothing when politicians are mismanaging things yet your influence is better placed to improve lives of downtrodden and underprivileged people," he said.

He said Late Chilima inspired many people because of his vision which envisaged a developed and a prosperous Malawi.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the ceremony, Bishop the of Diocese of Mzuzu, John Ryan, said the event was organized for the family of Late Chilima to have closure.

"Considering the unexpected nature of the death of Late Chilima, we felt that it was essential to organize prayers so that Madam Mary Chilima and family should move on and have a closure to the loss of their beloved one," said Ryan.

Some of the people present during the ceremony included, wife to Late Chilima, Mary and family members, United Transformation Movement (UTM) Secretary General, Patricia Kaliati; former Vice President, Khumbo Kachali and President for Alliance for Democracy (AFORD), Enock Chihana.

The memorial which was mass was celebrated on the theme ‘Stay Awake,’ was jointly organized by Mzuzu and Karonga Catholic dioceses.

By Petro Mkandawire

Blantyre, August 31, Mana: Blantyre District Council through World Bank funded Malawi Watershed Services Improvement Project (MWASIP) has disbursed about K119,366,518.51 into Community Environmental Conservation Fund (CECF) to support communities in the district to participate in various activities that are meant to restore degraded land.

Communities under Kapichira Catchment, where the project is being implemented, will access the funds, on revolving basis, to engage in income generating activities other than charcoal production and selling to support their livelihoods.

Speaking during the disbursement of the funds to participating communities at Traditional Authority (TA) Kunthembwe, MWASIP District Coordinator, Owen Malimba, said the money will support communities to implement sustainable land management activities in 48 villages in TAs Kuntaja and Kunthembwe.

“This money is very important to the communities because it acts as a motivating factor for them to continue implementing different activities under the project such as soil and water conservation, gully reclamation among others. The money will address immediate community livelihood needs,” he said.

One of the participants, Judith Fumulani, who is also Vice Chairperson for Mulanga Catchment Management Committee in TA Kunthembwe said the money has come at an opportune time when communities have known and understood effects of climate change and importance of conserving the environment.

She pledged to continue participating in sustainable land management activities under MWASIP saying participating communities are looking forward to receiving the money to go into businesses in order to improve household income.

“We are motivated with this gesture. As the Vice Committee Chairperson, I will encourage those that are not participating in the project to start participating in MWASIP interventions as MWASIP is here to improve communities ‘livelihood,” said Fumulani.

CECF is a conservation benefit sharing initiative implemented by MWASIP to address immediate community livelihood needs.

MWASIP, which runs from 2020 to 2026, is being implemented in Blantyre, Neno, Balaka, Machinga, Zomba and Mangochi.

By George Mponda

Karonga, August 31, Mana; A drone delivery company called Village Reach has been authorized to start delivering lifesaving health products to health facilities in hard to reach areas in Karonga to ensure equitable access to health facilities.

Speaking during a District Executive Committee (DEC) meeting Thursday, Senior Programs Officer for Village Reach, Innocent Mainjeni, said the organization has for the past 20 years been working on how to improve transportation of vaccines, medical drugs and laboratory samples in low income countries.

“People who live in remote or hard to reach areas have difficulties in accessing medical products and services and Karonga, being a disaster prone district, the drone delivery service will play a vital role in ensuring that health care services are not an option but a right for all,” said Mainjeni.

He said the drone delivery system will overcome challenges, which are associated with infrastructure and logistics thereby optimizing supply chain systems for them to be more effective and reliable.

Mainjeni explained that the drones made by an Australian company, Swoop Aero, are capable of covering a distance of 100 kilometers carrying a package weighing a minimum of three kilograms.

Director of Social and Health Services (DHSS) for Karonga, Dr. David Sibale, said the initiative will mitigate challenges in transportation of drugs and other small health service related items to facilities, which are far from the district hospital.

“This will greatly assist in making sure that supplies are readily available in health facilities around Wiliro, Kayelekera and Kaporo.

“I would like to urge community members to have a positive attitude towards this initiative as sometimes people associate new innovations with misconceptions,” Sibale said.

By Felix Katemula

Karonga, August 31, Mana: Karonga based civil society organisations (CSOs), on Friday elected Edgar Phiri as new chairperson the network in the district.

Phiri replaces Jabess Nyirenda who served on the post for the past two years.

In his acceptance speech, Phiri said there is need for CSOs in the district to align their programs with Malawi 2063 so that they offer effective complimentary role in achieving the country’s development blue print.

Phiri, who is also Executive Director for Ukhondo Services Foundation (USEF), was thankful to members of the network for entrusting him with the responsibility of leading them.

 “I, therefore, promise to lead the network without bias by being transparent and accountable in my duties,” said Phiri.

Nyirenda said, during his tenure of office, the CSOs executive committee worked hard to help civil societies in the district mobilise funding from donors as well as collaborating with the district council in many projects.

“We are ready to offer advice to the newly elected executive to ensure the network’s smooth operations," said Nyirenda.

By Felix Katemula

Karonga, August 31, Mana: Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) has advised households who have received assorted relief items in Karonga against selling them but rather use them for the intended purpose.

Operations Coordinator for MRCS, Loius Solomon, was speaking Friday during a distribution exercise of relief items which included solar powered lights, blankets and mats to 100 households who survived floods at Nyungwe in the area of Traditional Authority Mwilang’ombe.

“We have targeted the needy such as the elderly, child-headed families and people with disabilities so that they are cushioned in one way or another.

 As such, our expectation is that you who have received these items will use them for the intended purpose,” Solomon said.

He was optimistic of more support to the survivors in complimenting government’s efforts to ensure that affected households rebuild their lives and live normally.

One of the beneficiaries, Rista Mwafulirwa, urged other organizations to emulate the gesture as there are still more needy people who were affected by floods last year.

 “These items have come at a time we needed them most. The floods affected us greatly and this assistance will improve our day to day life. My house will have solar lighting now which I could not afford to buy on my own,” said Mwafulirwa.

MRCS is implementing Flood Response Project with funding from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

The project is expected to reach out to 724 beneficiaries in Karonga.