The Atlas Malawi

Category: National

  • Chakwera hands over secure houses to persons with albinism

    Chakwera hands over secure houses to persons with albinism

    President Lazarus Chakwera has expressed happiness that persons with albinism are now living in a safer environment, following the government’s initiative to construct secure houses for them across the country.

    The President made the remarks in Mchinji on Tuesday when he symbolically handed over houses to beneficiaries, underscoring his administration’s commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of vulnerable groups.

    “Persons with albinism have suffered for a long time in the country, but under my administration they are not suffering anymore. We are constructing these houses across the country as a sign that government cares,” Chakwera said.

    He further urged Malawians to protect persons with albinism and all individuals with disabilities, saying inclusive development is central to his government’s vision.

    One of the beneficiaries, Getrude Ulaya of Tembwe, expressed gratitude, noting that the house has restored her sense of safety after surviving previous attacks.

    “I have never felt so protected, and I thank the President for this house. I have been attacked before, and having this house assures me of great protection. I appeal to government to extend this gesture to other persons with albinism in the country,” Ulaya said.

    According to officials, Mchinji has three such houses, all fitted with steel doors to enhance security.

    Shadow Member of Parliament for Mchinji South West Constituency, Deus Gumba, commended President Chakwera for championing various development projects in the area beyond the housing initiative.

    “There are several bridges that have been constructed in this area, which has many rivers. We now have better roads, and police houses are also being built. These developments are improving lives in our communities,” Gumba said, while urging people in the district to support the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) in the September 16 polls.

     

     

  • Chakwera for development across the country

    Chakwera for development across the country

    President Lazarus Chakwera says he is fired up to make sure development is all over the country.

    He was responding to pleas by Senior Chief Dambe and Malawi Congress Party (MCP’s) shadow member of parliament for Mchinji North East Anthony Masamba at Kapiri Trading Centre in Mchinji where the president is on a whistle stop tour.

    The two asked Chakwera to consider completing Kapiri to Mkanda road, provide portable water at Mkanda and Chipumi Trading Centres, and also upgrade Chipumi Health Centre as the other reliable health facility is a mission hospital, apart from providing electricity in secondary schools.

    Chakwera said: “I want development everywhere and all these things that you have asked for are already in our plans.”

    The MCP candidate in the September 16, 2025 elections also said plans to make the National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) a bank will benefit a lot of people who will get loan packages that can make them millionaires.

    Making his remarks Masamba hailed the good working relationship in the constituency saying even though the outgoing MP Esther Majaza lost in the party’s primary elections she chose not to contest as an independent MP.

    “I am thankful to Majaza for the spirit she showed to not contest and support me. These are the kind of people that the party has to keep,” said Masamba.

    Majaza was also present at Kapiri Trading Centre when Chakwera stopped at Kapiri.

  • Court backs Chilomba’s prolonged ACB acting-director role

    Court backs Chilomba’s prolonged ACB acting-director role

    High Court judge Redson Kapindu has defended Hilary Chilomba’s prolonged role as the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) acting director, saying it is not in conflict with the initial six-month period as prescribed by law.

    Kapindu made the ruling in a judicial review application, in which Vice President Michael Usi was challenging the ACB’s summons compelling him to appear before [the court] to answer questions over corruption allegations he has been raising on the campaign trail.

    Through his lawyer Tamando Chokotho, Usi argued that Chilomba lacked authority because his lawful period of his acting appointment had expired.

    Chilomba was appointed ACB acting director following the expiry of Martha Chizuma’s contract on May 31, 2024. He was deputy director general then.

    Activists have been criticizing President Lazarus Chakwera for maintaining Chilomba in that capacity for more than six months.

    According to Section 6B(7) of the Corrupt Practices Act, in the event of a vacancy arising in the office of Director, the Deputy Director may act in that capacity but for a period not exceeding six months.

    However, Kapindu ruled that as long as the Defendant holds the substantive position of Deputy Director, he has the requisite authority, in any event, to issue such notices and indeed exercise any other functions and duties that a Director must perform.

    “In the Court’s view, on a fuller reading of the Corrupt Practices Act, whether or not the tenure of the Defendant as Acting Director of the ACB has expired by effluxion of time under the law is neither here nor there. Information is in the public domain that he was confirmed as substantive Deputy Director of the ACB by the Public Appointments Committee of Parliament in January, 2023, for a three-year term.

    “Whilst indeed Section 6B(7), on its face, seems to limit the total period within which the Deputy Director may act as Director, it is important, firstly to note that under Section 6B(8) of the same Act, in the event of incapacity of the Director and Deputy Director or if the offices of the Director and Deputy Director are vacant, the President is required to appoint a suitably qualified person to act as Director for a period not exceeding six months or for such longer duration until the vacancy is filled.

    “It would therefore appear that if a narrow interpretation of Section 6B(7) of the Act is adopted, it would suggest that an Acting Director appointed under subsection (8), who may only be appointed if the ACB does not have both a Director and Deputy Director, may serve for a longer duration than a situation where there is a Deputy Director, who acts as Director simply by virtue of holding the office of Deputy Director, in which case the acting Directorship may last for a duration

     

  • High Court judge decries inconsistencies in Trafficking in Persons Act enforcement

    High Court judge decries inconsistencies in Trafficking in Persons Act enforcement

    High Court of Malawi judge Zione Ntaba has said that despite Malawi having a solid anti-trafficking legal framework for combating sexual exploitation anchored in the Trafficking in Persons Act (TIPA), its implementation reveals troubling inconsistencies.

    She was speaking in Lilongwe on Thursday during the launch of a Training Manual to guide local media on reporting sex trafficking cases responsibly and ethically, organized by People Serving Girls at Risk (PSGR) and Equality Now.

    Ntaba, who made a key note address under the theme, ‘Turning the lens—media as a force for justice in combating sex trafficking in Malawi,’ said judicial records show that there are very few trafficking cases being prosecuted, and this is despite numerous reports of hundreds of trafficking incidents annually

    “This enforcement deficit reflects systemic challenges, including inadequate investigative capacity, insufficient witness protection mechanisms, inadequate prosecution, and limited judicial familiarity with trafficking jurisprudence. It should be stated that Malawi stands at a critical juncture in its fight against sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. As a country, we are dealing with numerous vices, and this vice erodes our social and moral fabric.

    “As a nation, our legislative framework has evolved to meet international standards, and policies have been developed with our specific context in mind to help eliminate this scourge.  Despite all these remarkable frameworks, we consistently have a persistent gap between legal prescriptions and practical implementation.

    “Touting that Malawi’s anti-trafficking legal framework provides a solid foundation for combating sexual exploitation is all good. However, legal prescription without effective implementation serves primarily symbolic rather than protective functions,” she said

    Ntaba said that although Malawian courts have been developing jurisprudence around trafficking prosecutions, the body of case law on sex trafficking remains limited.

    “This lack of jurisprudence demonstrates that there is a need for judicial recognition of trafficking’s gendered dimensions. Courts should ensure that there is an understanding of the vulnerability of women to trafficking and sexual exploitation, which is exacerbated by poverty, limited educational and economic opportunities, and cultural practices that devalue women’s autonomy. This judicial recognition of structural drivers aligns with sociological evidence about trafficking’s root causes.

    “Our trafficking challenges stem from intersecting structural factors that our legal framework cannot effectively address. Poverty remains the primary vulnerability factor, with 70% or more of trafficking survivors, according to various studies citing economic desperation as the initial factor in their exploitation. Gender inequality, reinforced by harmful traditional, religious, and social practices as well as limited educational opportunities for girls, also creates systematic vulnerabilities that traffickers exploit,” she said

    To effectively combat trafficking, Ntaba said concerted efforts are needed from various key stakeholders and duty bearers, including the media.

    “The media’s role in combating trafficking extends beyond mere reporting to encompass its constitutional responsibilities under section 36 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of the press, coupled with freedom of opinion and expression in sections 34 and 35, while recognizing corresponding duties to promote human dignity and social justice.

    “This provision creates positive obligations for all state and non-state actors to contribute to the elimination of discrimination and exploitation. Media organizations, as influential societal actors whose coverage spans both rural and urban areas, play a critical role in educating the public about trafficking. It is for this reason that the media bears a particular responsibility to ensure their reporting promotes, rather than undermines, these constitutional values. Truth be told, if not for the media/press, the women who had been exploited in Oman would not have made it home,” she said

    Program Lead for Africa Ending Sexual Exploitation at Equality Now, Evans Munga said sex trafficking is a global problem requiring thoughtful and ethical reporting.

    “This can help shift perception, encourage victims to come forward and put pressure on authorities to take action,” he said

    Malawi is a signatory to several international agreements on trafficking, including the United Nations Convention Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, commonly known as the Palermo Protocol

    Reports indicate that around two million female domestic workers reside in the Gulf Arab states. A survey in Oman by migrant charity Do Bold, involving 400 women, published by the 2023 US State Department Trafficking in Persons Report, found that almost all were victims of human trafficking.

    Additionally, the 2024 US State Department Trafficking in Persons Report for Malawi stated that the government reported investigating 46 trafficking cases in 2023, compared with investigating 81 cases in 2022. The government also prosecuted 80 alleged traffickers in 46 cases, resulting in only 11 convictions, compared to 46 alleged traffickers prosecuted and 24 convictions in 2022. The three traffickers each received a six-year sentence

     

     

  • Government renews commitment to end child labour through collaborative efforts

    Government renews commitment to end child labour through collaborative efforts

    The Government of Malawi has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating child labour and creating a safe environment for all children in the country.

    Speaking during a Fun Run event organized under the theme ‘Run for a Child Labour Free Future for All’ in Lilongwe, Minister of Labour Peter Dimba has called for enhanced collaboration between government, development partners, and parents saying that child labour requires a multi-stakeholder approach involving various organizations and communities.

    “The issue of child labour is a very serious problem in Malawi as children below 18 years are trapped in it, so it is a battle that can be won by having different stakeholders on our part to end the practice.

    The minister highlighted that the government is working closely with international organizations including the European Union, Save the Children, and Plan International to tackle this pressing issue. He stressed that beyond institutional partnerships, parents have a crucial role to play in protecting children from exploitation.

    “As the government, we are committed to working with developmental partners, parents to ensure that we create a safe environment for children in the country.

    “We need substantial cooperation from stakeholders and the adoption of strong policy guidelines to prevent children from being exploited,” Dimba added.

    The Fun Run was organized as part of the Joining Forces for Africa – Acting to End Child Labour (JOFA-ACTE) project, which is funded by the European Union and implemented by Plan International Malawi and Save the Children International under the Joining Forces for All Children Alliance.

    Plan International Malawi Country Director Mwape Mulumbi expressed the organization’s dedication to working with the Government of Malawi in curbing child labour practices.

    She emphasized the need for sustainable solutions that create safe spaces where children’s voices are heard and respected.

    “We are committed and dedicated to work with the Government of Malawi to curb child labour,” Mulumbi said, adding that there is a pressing need for more sustainable approaches to child protection.

    The event saw 20 youth athletes receive medals across different categories, competing in races ranging from 5 to 7 kilometers, symbolizing the energy and commitment needed to achieve a child labour-free future.

    Child labour remains a significant challenge in Malawi, with many children under 18 years engaged in various forms of work that deprive them of their childhood, education, and development opportunities. The collaborative efforts between government and development partners represent a renewed push to address this issue comprehensively.

    The JOFA-ACTE project represents part of broader international efforts to eliminate child labour and ensure that all children have access to education, protection, and opportunities for healthy development.

  • Chakwera pledges better markets for farmers in Kasungu

    Chakwera pledges better markets for farmers in Kasungu

    By Wanangwa Tembo: 

    President Lazarus Chakwera has assured farmers in Kasungu and across the country that his administration will continue working to ensure they sell their produce at profitable prices, a step aimed at boosting household incomes.

    The President made the pledge on Wednesday at Ofesi Trading Centre in Kasungu North North East Constituency during his first stop in a series of nine planned whistle-stop rallies in the district. He told communities that his government’s focus in the next term will be to consolidate progress already made in the agricultural sector and other key areas of development.

    “We have laid a solid foundation in our first term, and most of the fruits of our labour will be enjoyed moving forward after September 16,” said Chakwera.

    The President said farmers remain central to Malawi’s economy and will continue to benefit from deliberate policies aimed at improving prices and easing access to markets. He added that his administration has invested in agricultural reforms, some of which will begin showing tangible results in the years ahead.

    Beyond farming, Chakwera highlighted the government’s priority in infrastructure development. He said major roads have already been constructed in cities and districts, but going forward, more focus will be on upgrading rural roads to link farmers to markets and social services.

    He urged communities to play their part by turning out in large numbers to vote in the upcoming elections, saying continuity of policies is critical to sustaining development gains.

    Traditional leaders also expressed their views on the government’s initiatives. Senior Chief Simlemba said communities in his area were already benefiting from projects introduced in the first term.

    “We are grateful for the projects that have been initiated in our area,” said Senior Chief Simlemba.

    The Malawi Congress Party’s parliamentary candidate for Kasungu North North East Constituency, Elled Nkhoma, echoed the need for infrastructure support to complement agricultural growth. He appealed for improved road networks and bridges to facilitate access to markets and create more trade opportunities.

    “Our area needs good roads and bridges to open up more opportunities for trade,” Nkhoma said.

    The President’s whistle-stop tours are aimed at engaging communities directly to hear their concerns and share government plans. In Kasungu, many farmers voiced challenges related to market prices, transport, and access to inputs, underscoring the relevance of Chakwera’s pledge.

    Observers note that Kasungu remains one of Malawi’s main agricultural hubs, especially in tobacco and maize production. Improving rural infrastructure and ensuring fair markets are therefore considered key to unlocking the district’s full potential.

    Chakwera’s visit also highlighted the political atmosphere in the run-up to the elections, with the President urging residents to support his party’s candidates in order to sustain development momentum.

     

     

  • You are insincere—Court tells Blantyre Synod, ordered to pay debt in 6 months

    You are insincere—Court tells Blantyre Synod, ordered to pay debt in 6 months

    The High Court, Commercial Division judge Jabbar Alide has ruled that the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Blantyre Synod should pay a K60,607,642.49 judgement debt to TOF Investment Co. Ltd within six months.

    The dispute stemmed from a contract signed in 2020, where TOF Investment was hired to repair a house at the church’s Henry Henderson Institute (HHI). Despite completing the work in 2022, the church failed to pay the full amount owed, leading TOF Investment to seek justice in the High Court. ​

    The court issued a default judgment against the church, ordering it to pay K68,928,292.49 plus interest and costs. TOF Investment seized and sold one of the church’s vehicles, reducing the debt to K60,607,642.49. ​

    However, the church, citing financial difficulties, applied to pay the remaining debt in monthly installments of K1,500,000.

    According to the ruling which we have seen, the Church through its General Treasure, Jenara Yinika Ngwale argued that it was a non-profit institution reliant on donations and membership contributions, and that it faced significant financial liabilities. ​

    He submitted that in the 2024 financial year, it had a deficit of K217 million, yet its liabilities for the year 2024 and 2025 were K246, 197,206.64 and K277, 902, 664. 41 respectively.

    However, during cross-examination, Ngwale admitted that they had not provided a complete financial picture, including audited accounts or a balance sheet. ​

    The court learned that the church owned income-generating assets, such as schools, conference centers, and rental properties, but had failed to disclose their financial contributions.

    The Church’s assets which are sources of income are Grace Bandawe Conference Center, HHI Secondary School, a guesthouse in Zomba, the premises were Phoenix International School operates from, the whole premises at HHI comprising of several buildings, and also a motor vehicle that they had just acquired a Toyota Fortuna, just to mention a few.

    TOF Investment opposed the church’s proposal, arguing that the suggested monthly payments were unreasonably low and would take over five years to settle the debt.

    Alide agreed, noting that the church had previously proposed paying K10,000,000 per month in an earlier application for a stay of execution. ​

    The court found the church’s revised proposal to be insincere and lacking transparency.

    “I observe that while the Defendant presented some figures to the Court, these were only one sided and were only aimed at showing that the Defendant was in dire straits. The picture presented by the Defendants on its sources of funds was all but gloomy. However, during cross examination it was clear that the Defendant has some assets which were generating income in form of rentals or funds from constituent institutions.

    “The Defendant sought to dispute that it was making money from these and claimed that it had consistently made losses since the institutions have not remitted any funds to the Defendant. I take the same with a pinch of salt as no disclosures were made in Court about the existence of these in the first place. The fact that the Defendant was not making any money from these institutions, or from rentals, was not substantiated in Court,” reads part of the ruling

    He ruled that the church must pay monthly installments of K10,000,000, starting on August 30, 2025, with the final payment of K10,607,642.49 due by January 30, 2026. ​

    The court emphasized the importance of balancing the interests of both parties, ensuring that TOF Investment could enjoy the fruits of its litigation while allowing the church to settle its debt within a reasonable timeframe. ​

    TOF Investment was awarded costs for the application

     

     

     

     

  • Nkhotakota-Salima M5 road construction to be completed in 2026 – Malondera 

    Nkhotakota-Salima M5 road construction to be completed in 2026 – Malondera 

    Deputy minister of transport Steve Baba Malondera has disclosed that the construction of the Nkhotakota-Salima M5 road is expected to be completed next year end.

    Malondera, who is also the director of youth for the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP) made the remarks in an interview after a rally at Nkhotakota L.E.A. primary school.

    He said just like many roads the government is constructing, the Nkhotakota-Salima M5 road will be durable.

    “We want to construct a road that will be durable, that will survive for a long time not what was being constructed below. This is the standard of this government led by President Lazarus Chakwera. And we will make sure that we maintain such standards.

    “The rehabilitation and reconstruction of the M5 Lakeshore Road between Salima and Nkhotakota is a significant infrastructure project in Malawi, aiming to improve connectivity, enhance tourism, and boost economic growth in the region.

    “The project involves significant works, including bridge construction, and commenced around early 2022, with asphalt pavement works starting later in 2024,” said Malondera who added that this is one of the reasons why people should vote for Chakwera during the forthcoming elections

    He also hailed government for providing National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) loans amounting to K300 billion to young people for the past four years.

     

  • Kabwila, Usi and the art of timely outrage

    Kabwila, Usi and the art of timely outrage

    Vice President Michael Usi grew a conscience too late to save the nation – and himself.

    In 2009, James Washington, an American serving 15 years for attempted second-degree murder, thought his time had come after suffering a massive heart attack. In the spirit of ‘you can’t take secrets to the grave’, he confessed to a 2006 murder that had gone unsolved for years.

    Then, with impeccable bad timing, his heart decided to start beating again. Unfortunately for him, the justice system doesn’t have an ‘undo button’ for murder confessions.

    Washington went into the prison as a would-be killer and walked out with a fresh 45-year sentence — courtesy of his own mouth.

    Fast forward to Malawi’s political circus. Vice President Michael Usi appears to be having his own Washington moment — minus the cardiac drama.

    He has taken to hollering from the rooftops that the MCP government is packed with thieves. Of course, this revelation carries all the shock value of announcing that Lake Malawi contains water.

    Enter Jessie Kabwila, the MCP publicity secretary, who responded with a threat of arrest, along with the tantalising hint that she has a dossier of Usi’s skeletons.

    And here’s where hypocrisy sprints past comedy and collapses into farce: Kabwila has allegedly been sitting on this intel for months — years even — while dutifully smiling for the cameras.

    We have been here before — a chilling echo of the MCP’s dark days, when the party, blind to its own reflection and deaf to the winds of change sweeping across the continent, threatened Catholic bishops with death for daring to challenge the system in 1992.

    Usi, meanwhile, has spent over a year as vice president (and years before that as a minister) sipping tea with the same crooks he now denounces.

    If these thieves are as bold as he claims, they must have been sweeping the Treasury bare in broad daylight while he was too busy kneading dough for mandazi, perfecting his Mr Bean routines and playing the ever-smiling clown-in-chief to the commander-in-chief’s stone-faced act.

    His highlights as a vice president make for some sobering reading (and if you have tears, prepare to shed them now). Knead mandazi here. Throw a dance there. Buy bonya on Tuesday. Eat gado on Wednesday. Clown for the cameras on Thursday.

    Threaten a hapless health worker in Chikwawa on Friday for daring to arrive late. All this while parading around with enough heavily armed bodyguards (and a convoy to match) to start a small war  — if that isn’t legalised theft of public resources, then perhaps I’ve been misusing the word ‘theft’ my whole life.

    Kabwila is hardly an innocent in this drama. She now claims to hold the moral high ground with her ‘secret file’ on Usi, yet has kept the public in the dark for years.

    If she truly had evidence of misconduct, why didn’t she speak up earlier and save the country a fortune in lost funds? Timing, it seems, is everything — and in Malawian politics, timing is usually dictated by campaign schedules rather than any urgent sense of justice.

    Now the two are locked in a bizarre contest I can only describe as the ‘Confessional Olympics’.

    They’re sprinting to see who can hurl the most damaging revelations into the public square, all while conveniently ignoring the fact that their outrage has the shelf life of a campaign season.

    One might almost admire their stamina if it weren’t for the sheer cynicism of the whole exercise.

    At least James Washington had a near-death experience as an excuse for his big reveal. Usi and Kabwila have no such defence. Their sudden honesty is less a moral awakening and more like two seasoned grave diggers finally pointing out the bodies.

    And that’s the real tragedy of Malawian politics: everyone knows where the skeletons are, but the whistle only gets blown when there’s political mileage to be gained. Until then, the thieves keep looting, the jesters keep dancing and the public keeps paying — sometimes in cash, always in dignity.

  • Old Mutual triumphs at Africa Marketing confederation awards 

    Old Mutual triumphs at Africa Marketing confederation awards 

    Old Mutual Malawi Limited was announced as a runner-up in the Tourism and Destination Marketing Campaign category at the Africa Marketing Confederation award held in Ghana on 21 August 2025.

    Old Mutual was recognised for its Green Frame campaign where it mounted unique photo frame landmarks that are contributing to promoting Malawi as a preferred tourist destination.

    Responding to the recognition, Old Mutual Marketing and Corporate Affairs Executive Patience Chatsika expressed joy that even, at continental level people can see the impact of the campaign that primarily is selling Malawi as a tourist destination.

    Chatsika said; “we launched this ongoing campaign in 2024 when we were celebrating our 70 years of doing business in Malawi. These gigantic frames were gifted to Malawi, our beloved country as a way of complementing the country’s ATM strategy which among others is prioritising tourism as a pillar for economic growth”.

    According to Chatsika, Old Mutual collaborated with the Ministry of Tourism in identifying strategic positions that highlight Malawi’s beauty including Cape Maclear in Mangochi, Chilundu Point in Nkhata Bay, Chitakale at the base of Mulanje Mountain, and Lilongwe’s Bingu International Convention Centre.

    She said; “the Old Mutual Green Frames stand as a symbol of our remembrance to the people of Malawi, whom we have stood with since 1954”.

    Reacting to the news, the Minister of Tourism, Vera Kamtukule, described the recognition as a proud moment for Malawi.

    “This honour demonstrates that Malawi’s beauty and tourism potential are not only appreciated locally, but are also being celebrated internationally. This award means Malawi continues to be placed on the global map as a must-visit destination. We are grateful to Old Mutual for complementing our efforts in line with the Malawi 2063 vision and the country’s tourism growth strategy as well as the ATMM Strategy ,” she said.

    The Minister further highlighted the critical role of the private sector in advancing Malawi’s tourism agenda: “While government provides the policy framework and infrastructure, the private sector brings creativity, investment, and innovative marketing campaigns such as this one by Old Mutual.”

    She reaffirmed government’s commitment to partnerships that drive tourism growth, pointing to platforms such as the Malawi Tourism Council and the Annual Tourism Expo, where private sector players are given space to showcase their initiatives.

    The Green Frame campaign is innovative and impactful campaign that gives both Malawians and visitors a chance to capture Malawi’s natural beauty in iconic frames, creating memories that can be shared worldwide.