Category: National

By Charles Mkula:

Deficiencies in the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene services in Malawi contributes to the increasing cases of infectious diseases, including cholera, Maria Rusca, Hyphen Media Institute Board Member has said.

Rusca raised the concern in the wake of a cholera outbreak along Lake Malawi’s lakeshore fishing community at Tukombo, in the country’s northern district of Nkhata Bay, when over the years, the vibrio cholerae bacteria caused disease has been a health issue mainly affecting the country’s southern and central regions.

The Ministry of Health confirmed the Nkhata Bay outbreak on 7th August, 2022. Other cases are reported to have occurred in neighboring Nkhotakota district and Mzuzu city.

Genetic analyses of vibrio cholerae strains has shown that the disease is spreading outside traditional hotspot areas including Blantyre, the country’s commercial capital city, which was once crowned Africa’s cleanest city

Currently, Malawi has recorded 1,483 cases and 68 deaths with a case fatality at 3.9 per cent. Further reports indicate that the figures continue to rise

In 2010, one of the country’s major cholera outbreaks occurred in the fishing communities on and around Lake Chilwa, in Zomba district. A total of 1,171 cholera cases and 21 deaths were reported in the three districts around the lake while other cases were also reported on the Mozambican side of the lake.

“Lack of clean water forces people to consume water from unsafe sources,” said Rusca who pointed at poor hygiene practices such as inconsistent handwashing to be another problem increasing the risk of cholera transmission.

Rusca also observed that the disruption of rural livelihoods due to climate change induced drought is another factor that forces people to migrate away from their rural homes to seek employment in urban areas.

“Rural to urban migration is contributing the expansion of informal urban settlements,” she said explaining that failure to provide safe water for the population in these settlements lead to the use of unregulated and unprotected wells which are vulnerable to bacterial contamination

She said lasting solutions to the spread of infectious water borne diseases in the country must, apart from the provision of WASH services, include stakeholder support accelerate the provision of WASH services in rural areas and overcrowded urban informal settlements.

“We have to lobby for increased funding to neglected areas of the service delivery chain,” said Rusca explaining the need for provision of WASH infrastructure as well as sustainable post-construction support and monitoring activities.

Since the declaration of the outbreak in March, the Ministries of Health, Water and Sanitation together with development partners have embarked on a national response that includes strengthening survelliance for early detection, quality case management and provision of water treatment, personal hygiene and water storage facilities at the household level.

Community engagement and dissemination of communications around cholera prevention, and positive hygiene practices have also been stepped up.

By Erik Chiputula:

The Miracle Media Ministries led by Apostle Peter Banda donated assorted items to elderly and needy people of Group Village Headman Chimpumbulu in Lilongwe.

The items which includes bags of maize, cooking oil, Sugar and clothes costed them about K1 million.

Speaking after handing over the items, Apostle Banda said he found it necessary to help the elderly who are struggling financially.

“We noted that alot of elder people here faces many challenges so the members of my ministry made some contributions which we have managed to distribute to the elderly and needy people here” he Said

One of the beneficiaries, Mercy Banda hailed Miracle Media Ministries for the support saying it will help reduce challenges she is facing.

“Iam greatful for this support. It has come at the right time when my family is going through different challenges including food scarcity so with these items iam happy because now we have something to eat” she said

On his part Group Village Headman Chimpumbulu was delighted for the donation and has further asked for more support to his people from other well wishers.

By Staff Writer:

Some customers using Point-of-Sale (POS) machines at Chipiku Stores in Blantyre had a surprise of their day as FDH Bank plc spoiled them with 60 seconds Trolley Dash worth K300, 000 as part of a new promotion.

FDH Bank plc launched the ‘Swipe and Dash Promotion’ which will see all card holders who swipe using an FDH POS machine at Chipiku, Sana and other participating outlets standing a chance to win.

The Bank’s Managing Director, Noel Nkulichi said the aim is to promote usage of swipe machines as compared to hard cash.

“This is a competition where we want to sell our POS. We want our customers to be using our POS machines. Going forward we will be doing this campaign until December. Every month there will be two people winning K300,000 worth of shopping vouchers, four people winning K60,000 fuel vouchers, and the other four winning K60,000 shopping vouchers.”

“Using our POS machines is much easier and we want customers to embrace that,” he said.

One of the winners, Kelton Masangano said he is a regular POS machine user and never expected it could make him winner one day.

“I am so excited because when I came here I didn’t know there was a competition, so when I produced my FDH Bank card, the Managing Director approached me that I am the winner. I just encourage my friends to trust the competition and who knows they can be winners,” said Masangano.

Linda Kachisa, an NBS Bank customer also benefited from the promotion.

“I just thank God because I never expected this. I just came here as a customer to buy as I do always,” said Kachisa.

After swiping, customers will leave their receipts indicating their names and numbers in the Swipe and Dash box in the outlets.

By Staff Writer:

National Bank of Malawi plc has launched a new product called ‘Taoloka’ which offers vendors across the country easy access to financial products and services including loans of up to K5 million.

Speaking during the launching ceremony held at Blantyre Market on Wednesday, NBM plc Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mcfussy Kawawa said the Bank decided to introduce the product considering the cry for working capital by vendors.

“As the Bank of the Nation, we provide financial solutions to all Malawians and in this service offering, the urban vendors will have a chance of accessing unsecured short-term loans of up to K5 million with a maximum repayment period of three years. This product has been designed to offer lending and transactional products uniquely tailored to the needs of urban market vendors.

“This is also the Bank’s strategy to grow the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector while supporting the government’s initiatives to achieve equitable access to banking services among small business owners through financial inclusion,” said Kawawa.

Inside the Taoloka product, urban market vendors will have an SME Savings account with a book balance of K2,500 and a current account with cheque book at 50% fee of a normal SME account.

They will also be granted access to premier mobile banking platform, the Mo626 Digital and our internet banking platform, the Banknet 360 all at a monthly fee of 50% of the normal fees.

“The urban vendors will have a specific Accounts Relationship Manager (ARM) or Accounts Relationship Officer (ARO) in their specific service centres to help them with the application process,” added Kawawa.

Chairperson of the Blantyre Vendors Association, Martin Matchengo commended NBM plc for the initiative saying for a long time they have been rebuffed by banks to access loans to boost their businesses.

“Most Banks require collateral from us which becomes a challenge. Where do we get cars, houses, and other things to be used as collateral when we are struggling to raise capital for our businesses? This has therefore come at the right time and we are ready Kuoloka ndi National Bank,” he said.

To be eligible for the loans, the vendors need to own a registered business, registered with the vendors association, have a physical location by city council, and evidence of ownership through rental payments receipts among other conditions.

By Chris Jimu:

Five students from Lilongwe based Music Crossroads school left the country over the week end to pursue further studies in Norway, Brazil and Mozambique.

This is part of the exchange program known as MOVE and   has been in existence for sometime now between countries where Music Crossroads has establishments.

Musicians  Organizations Volunteer Exchange (MOVE) Coordinator Chisomo Chimoto confirmed in a interview of the trip saying the five will spend a couple of weeks  abroad.

According to Chimoto,  2 representatives have travelled to Brazil, 2 to Mozambique and 1 to Turkey.

The five are Horace Banda  and Madalo Nyirongo- Mozambique, Hardwork Zuze and Sam Chinyama- Brazil and Kelving Chilunga Norway.

“Move has been there since 2013 and every country sends five representatives per trip. There are four countries involved in this project and these are Brazil, Malawi, Mozambique, Norway.  We benefit a lot from these exchange visits because we learn new cultures as well as skills on such trips,” claimed Chimoto herself an accomplished musician and journalist.

Chimoto  also disclosed that a group of ten Malawians and ten Mozambicans who were on an exchange visit returned to their respective countries two weeks ago.

Since the exchange visits started many students have benefited with some starting as organizers but later on becoming musicians.

Music Crossraods has over the years produced many talented musicians as well as dancers and has been commended by government for helping in the preservation of culture.

By Chris Jimu:

This township used to be the backwater of Zomba Municipality before  the town became a city  a couple of years ago.

Ntiya could be mentioned in the same breadth as Chikanda, Mpunga and Mpondabwino.

Despite being close to the Cobbe Barracks popularly known as 1 MR, Ntiya could not attract any meaningful development.

Today the story is different, the once earth road from Zomba Mental Hospital, which takes one to Namadidi, Nankhunda Seminary all the way to Changalume Barracks (Changaz) or 9 MR  is now tarmaked.

That is not all, the street has lights powered by solar and walking, driving or even cycling  at night is a real pleasure making the K750 million spent on the project look like money well utilised.

Councillor for the Area Steven Bamusi in an interview claimed that the development that has taken place in the area is unprecedented and almost everybody is happy.

According to Bamusi there are a lot of development projects taking place in Mbedza Ward and Ntiya is one of the areas which has benefited quite a lot.

“We are talking about road projects, schools, hospitals, markets and even bridges. All the footpaths to Nankhunda now have bridges in area which were impassable and we have saved a lot of lives. The Kalimbuka Ring Road is under construction and about K1 billion will be spent on the project,” says Bamusi.

Bamusi also disclosed that about K1.3 billion has  been set aside for the construction of the Chinganga Ring Road which will pass  behind Zomba Catholic Secondary School all the way to the Zomba Cathedral.

“We are doing all we can to develop this area and I am happy with the support we are getting form government and the council. At Mpotola school we are building an ECD Centra and a market is also on t he offing. Due to pressure from the people in the area a clinic is also under construction near Mpotola School,” claimed Bamusi.

Alfred Longwe a resident of Ntiya and former soccer star for Red Lions and Malawi said the developments in Ntiya are worthy commendation.

“I have been living here for almost twenty five years since I retired form the army but the development I have seen over he years is unprecedented. Before we did not have piped water, the road was impassble during rainy season and not many people wanted to settle here,” said Longwe.

Today Longwe claims many soldiers are renting houses in Ntiya and because of the availability of street lights business men and women are able to transact even late into the night.

Another resident of Namadidi Jasper Kawawa said driving to his home village Namadidi is no longer a nightmare and every week end he makes sure that he visits his relatives because the road is top notch, smooth and very well marked.

If all the areas in Malawi could take after this development model seen in Zomba’s Mbedza Ward especially Ntiya, surely making Malawi a middle income country by 2063 will be a reality.

Dr Thomas Munthali must surely make a courtesy call to the area.

By Chris Jimu:

Director for CDEDI  Slyvester Namiwa says his case seems to have hit a snag looking at the pace investigations are going on.

Namiwa a strong critic of the Tonse Administration,was abducted and hounded by an unknown assailants while preparing for mass demonstrations in Lilongwe last month.

He recently  told the media  that he informed the Police everything about his attackers  but up to now there is nothing happening on the ground.

Said Namiwa.”I am a worried person because the case of my abduction has stalled. There is nothing happening on the ground despite the fact that I furnished the Police with all the information required to make my case move and the details about my abductors. What is giving me profound sadness is that some Malawians are just treating these issues as a Namiwa story   but abduction is a serious issue.”

Namiwa said Malawi being a signatory of so many UN conventions on Human rights should have been the last country to look at his issues without interest.

However National Police spokesperson Harry Namwaza recently told a local radio  that the Police are still investigating the matter and once concluded the nation will be told about what has transpired of the saga.

Malawi Congress Party member of Parliament for Lilongwe South George Zulu recently addressing a rally at Biwi in Lilongwe claimed that the abduction issue was staged.

“This issue  is giving us a lot of questions than answers. Namiwa on the day he claims he was abducted was in different clothes and the day he was found he was also a different attire. How can one sum that up[? It is difficult. These people do not know what they want,” claimed Zulu.

But a source close to the matter claim that Namiwa was abducted by some  young men who were promised cash in order to foil the demonstrations but up to now are yet to get the whole amount agreed.

“Namiwa was indeed abducted and assaulted but this issue is very sensitive and I will be surprised if it will see the light of the day,” said the source.

By Eric Chiputula:

It never rains but pours for the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as lawyers for the party’s Vice President for the Southern Region Kondwani Nankhumwa and three other senior official are demanding K87 million from the party in legal fees.

According to a court document that we have seen, the lawyers Chidothe and Chidothe are demanding the MK87 million following a court ruling that went in favour of Nankhumwa, Party Secretary General Grezelder Jeffrey, Treasure General Jappie Mhango and Mulanje West Parliamentarian Yusuf Nthenda who were challenging their expulsion from the party.

The won the case with costs.

The four dragged the party to court after they were expelled over what the party called gross indiscipline.

However in its ruling, High Court of Malawi Judge Simeon Mdeza which reinstated him and Jeffrey into the party and their positions.

The Judge faulted the party in the manner it handled the issue and ordered party President Peter Mutharika to call for national governing council (NGC) and central committee meetings within reasonable time.

Now the claimant’s lawyers have penned the court demanding MK87 million from the former ruling party as legal fees.

Meanwhile the court has set September 1, 2022 as the day it will hear arguments for assessment of costs demanded by the claimants.

The former ruling party is no stranger to court battles.

Since losing the June 2020 Fresh Presidential battles the party has been fighting one court battle after another.

By Chancy Namadzunda:

Glorious Light International Church has organized a Youth Seminar with the vision of reaching out to the youth with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Slated for 3rd to 4th September 2022 at the Church’s Arena of Liberty, the seminar targets not only the youths from Malawi, but also but also from other countries around Malawi, and even beyond.

Addressing the media in Lilongwe on Thursday, Glorious Light International Church Founder Bishop Dr Abraham Simama said apart from the seminar, they has also targeted 1500 households in Lilongwe townships in charity events.

The them of the event is “Jesus Christ our Changer”.

“As you will relate and appreciate, the youth of today are meeting several challenges in their lives. Their academic life is affected. Their social life is affected. Their spiritual life is affected. And above all, their relationship with God and people is in a big mess.

“For married youth, marriages are no longer guaranteed these days. Marriages are ending everyday, leaving children destitute. Divorce judgements in our courts are being delivered on daily basis, leaving no hope for the man and woman.

“The youth of today are engaged in drug trafficking, accepting to be agents of this terrible business. Some of the youth have been attracted to using drugs, or trafficking in drugs just because of the their poverty and need for a flashy life style.

“And when the devil uses them, he dumps them, and leaves them to rot. Their lives lose direction, their future gets doomed and their vision is completely lost. Drunkenness has become part of everyday life. The youth, even those who go to churches, are drinking every day, contrary to the ideals of Christian character. Alcohol has become part of the lifestyle for the youth.

“In the old times, children feared their parents. What parents said was taken seriously and it was final. Today, the situation has changed. Now, parents are fearing their own children. Discipline among the youth has really gone down. There is total chaos in homes, in schools, in the communities we live and in the entire nation.

“In light of all these, we, at Glorious Light International Church, have decided to step in and offer a solution – based on Jesus Christ Our Changer. We want to show the way, which is Jesus Christ, and share with the youth the word of truth,” he said

Bishop Simama said there will be visitors from Nigeria who are coming for the seminar, with an advance team already in the country.

“We are going to have many ministers of the word of God including Prophetesses Anne and Yinka daughters of my spiritual mentor, Prophet T.B. Joshua, may his soul continue resting in peace, and other ministers.

“We also have over 20 members from Nigeria mentored Prophet T.B Joshua are coming here to do several ministrations such as music, media work, protocol and

“During this time, we will have preaching sessions, deliverance sessions, worship sessions, testimony sessions. This will culminate into a charity event on 5th and 6th September in Ntsiriza and Masintha Ground where we are going to deliver items to over 1500 beneficiaries in Lilongwe rural.

“We do many charity events this every year, including during the Easter season, to show love for those in need and care for those who struggle to have food on their table. So, we also hope to touch many lives with these activities as well,” he said

Before the seminar, the youth will have a march around the city on September 1.

Glorious Light International Church is founded on Apostolic and Prophetic doctrine, fully recognizing the Holy Trinity of God in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

The Church has been in service for the past 19 years.

By Peter Phiri:

Lilongwe City Council (LCC) says it has raked in about K2.3 million, two weeks after government reclaimed the bus terminal from Muli Brothers Limited Company which has been operating the facility for the past 15 years .

Speaking at a handover ceremony of the terminal, Minister of Local Government, Blessings Chisinga, said the development marks the beginning of fixing the broken systems in the country.

According to Chisinga, the country’s major bus terminal takeover has energized the ministry to develop the city for the upcoming generations.

“Social media has been awash with criticism, mocking the status of our cities’ bus terminals and comparing them to our neighbours . This is the dawn of a new Era and we believe that with the route government has taken, we’ll move towards a successful implementation of the agenda 2063”.

Chisinga has since given Lilongwe City council a six months ultimatum to start developing the facility with new structures.

Meanwhile, Mayor for Lilongwe City Council, Richard Banda, assured Malawians on fears of politicizing the initiative and corruption, saying “Malawians in the capital city deserve a modernized bus terminal and corrupt free operations of the facility”.

“We at the city council, after a successful takeover of this bus depot, have developed a plan to change the face of the city and the council will soon be engaging interested investors to mordenise the facility.” said Banda.

Government, through the office of the Attorney General, battled with Muli Brothers Limited Company in court to claim the country’s major city bus terminals that were previously owned and operated by Muli Brothers on a lease period between the year 2008 and 2035.

The Attorney General, Thabo Chaka Nyirenda, argued in court that the deal was unfair to Malawians.