Gift Chiponde
Salima, March 7, Mana: Secretary for Human Resource Management and Development Blessings Chilabade has said the digitisation of human resource personnel records will enhance the Department of Human Resource Management and Development's (DHRMD's) performance and operations.
Chilabade made the remarks on Thursday in Salima, where the Department, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Department of the Accountant General (AGD), officially launched the Digitalisation of Human Resource Personnel Files program for the Public Service.
This initiative is part of the broader upgrade of the Human Resource Management Information System (SAP-HRMIS).
Speaking during the launch, Chilabade, highlighted the importance of the project, stating that it will help reduce incidents of missing files for public civil servants in the country.
He commended the World Bank for its support and for donating essential equipment, including desktops, laptops, scanners, and projectors, emphasising that the resources will play a crucial role in the initiative.
Chilabade said,” I urge participants to take good care of the equipment and use it responsibly to ensure high-quality work during the project's implementation.
“I commend the collaborative efforts between the Department of Human Resource Management and Development (DHRMD), the Accountant General’s Department, the Ministry of Health, and the Department of E-Government for their dedication to make this initiative a reality.
In his remarks, Duff Msukwa, Director of Human Resource Management in the Ministry of Health, acknowledged the challenges associated with manual data storage.
"We all know the decision-making process in government. We take on a huge responsibility when managing healthcare workers, but most of our data is stored in physical form, making access to information difficult," Msukwa said.
"This delay leads to critical decision-making regarding promotions, postings, and training. When information is stored manually, it becomes difficult to retrieve and analyse. However, once digitised, it will be much easier to make informed decisions on Human Resource for Health (HRH) management," he added.
The initiative is fully funded by the World Bank and is expected to benefit over 263,000 employees across the country.

By Tamala Kamanga

Dowa, March 7, Mana: Dowa district council chairperson of finance and audit committee, councillor Martin Luka has urged elected members in the district to set aside politics and focus on developmental projects.

Luka made the remarks Thursday as the committee presented a K38.4 billion budget for the 2025 - 2026 financial year which has since been approved through a full council meeting held on the day.

Speaking in an interview after the presentation of the planned budget, Luka said the budget is for Dowa citizens in all the seven constituencies, and not for the council or its elected members, and must be treated as such.

"If we embark much on political ambitions, we cannot deliver. We must set aside politics and look at the pressing needs at that particular moment, which we can prioritise.

"That is why we have allocated funds in every constituency regardless of the nature, condition and the situation we are passing through," he said.

Luka added saying as a district which is shining on project implementation, the budget also puts in place measures to improve revenue collection so that the council remains top in its project implementation and service delivery.

In his remarks, Traditional Authority (T/A) Mponela said he is happy with the budget as it prioritises rehabilitation of hospitals, schools and bridges in all the T/As.

"I believe that this budget will bring more development to the district. If we start implementing the projects in time, and according to plan, our district will develop," he said.

In his remarks, council chairperson Gift Nkhono Songeya urged the secretariat and elected members to work in collaboration so that people in the district should benefit from the budget.

'In this way, we can pave the way for social and economic development of our people, in the district," he said.

By Tikondane Vega

Lilongwe, March 7, Mana: Savings and Loan Groups in Blantyre city now have a capital of K398 million, a testimony that such groups can drive the country's economy if properly managed.

This was revealed on Thursday by Pearson Banda, who is the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for Blantyre City Council (BCC), when representatives from the Community Savings and Investment Program (COMSIP) Savings and Loan Groups in Soche West Ward, visited Chilomoni Ward on a best practices-learning visit.

Soche West Ward groups were formed from the Livelihoods Restoration for the Urban Poor - LIRUP Programme formed in 2024, while those in Chilomoni, were formed during the Covid-19 Social cash Transfer Program.

The learning visit was facilitated to see how the old group has survived years after their program concluded.

Speaking during the visit, Banda, who is also BCC COMSIP Desk Officer, said the groups continue to register successes due to several skills COMSIP has been equipping them.

“These groups are receiving much support from COMSIP and BCC hence continue to thrive like the case of Chilomoni where the Covid programme ended. I can happily say that people who are receiving social cash transfer money are investing so much at group level as well as individually.

“In the meantime, we have 145 savings and loan groups in Blantyre city with 3880 members of which the majority are women. The coming in of COMSIP has made many people have discipline on how to use money,” said Banda.

Community Facilitator for Chimwankhunda COMSIP cluster Veregia Lumbe attested that the coming in of COMSIP has changed many on how they think about business as well as money on a large scale.

She said,” We have learnt a lot in Chilomoni, and when we go back home, we will start a business as a new group that was formed in 2024. We need to have multiple sources of income, and also to change our business according to the time. These are some of the things we have learnt.

“Within seven months, as a group, we managed to raise K2.7 million, which we shared among 26 people. From January 2025, we started again, and we have K687,000 cash in the meantime. I used such money to buy a motorcycle while other members are in farming produce businesses.

Edith Matope, Community facilitator for the Chigwilizano cluster in Chilomoni, attributed their group's resilience to intensive training that COMSIP has been providing.

“Apart from individual businesses, our group makes dish wash liquid, peanut butter, and we are doing farming as a group. We currently have K6 million in our account. All these have been achieved after the programme phased out. It means we are here to stay,” she said.

Matope said the group, which started in 2021 after receiving Covid funds, has 19 members.

By Brian Wasili

Mwanza, March 2, Mana: Ministry of Health has engaged southern region District Information Officers (DIOs) and health personnel in public health on dissemination of National Healthcare Waste Management Policy so that it should guide proper management of healthcare waste.

The ministry’s Chief Public Health Officer in the Public Health Division, Sydney Lockie Paul, said there was need to engage media practitioners in disseminating the policy, adding that orienting information officers on the policy was necessary, as they inform the public on many policies through news articles.

Paul said this in Blantyre recently at the end of three-day policy dissemination meeting with the DIOs, Environmental Health Officers, Nursing and Midwifery Officers, Health Promotion Officers, Infection Prevention and Control Coordinators, Hospital Management Committee Chairpersons, Healthcare Waste Management Focal Coordinators and Water Sanitation and Hygiene Coordinators.

He expressed hope that the DIOs, in collaboration with Health Promotion Officers and other hospital level officers, will popularise the National Healthcare Waste Management Policy to the public.

“Previously, Ministry of Health did not have a comprehensive document in place as a guiding tool; as such, there was no proper way of managing healthcare waste. The challenge has now been addressed because of this policy," Paul added.

He also indicated that key issues highlighted in the policy include legal framework, human capacity building, monitoring and evaluation, governance, infrastructure and public awareness.

Paul further emphasised the need to popularise to the public the content of the policy and implementation strategies at the lowest level through awareness, saying this was the reason Ministry of Health decided to engage district information officers as media practitioners for a joint district-level stakeholders’ collaboration in the policy popuralisation.

Thyolo DIO Yamikani Yapuwa said the meeting was ideal, as it was informative on the National Healthcare Waste Management Policy.

She added that the knowledge about the new policy will help the information officers to write informative news articles and ably disseminate correct information through other communication channels in their respective districts.

"District Information Officers have capacity to raise awareness at council level using different means of communication. I am sure we will work together with health officers to effectively inform communities about the policy so that it should be well understood and implemented at the lowest level,” added Yapuwa.

She therefore pledged total commitment to work with the health sector to ensure that planned activities in the dissemination and implementation of the policy are done for positive results at district level.

Mwanza District Environmental Health Officer Andrew Nowa said dissemination on National Healthcare Waste Management Policy was necessary as it will guide in protecting health workers and communities against accidents and diseases related to poor healthcare waste management.

"It will also promote clean environment and at the same time reduce infections that are related to poor healthcare waste management in health facilities,” he added.

Nowa pledged to impart the knowledge to fellow health workers and other district and community level stakeholders to ensure the policy is fully understood for effective implementation and better results.

Similar policy dissemination sessions with districts councils in the central and northern regions are expected soon, according to the Ministry of Health.

By Thula Chisamba 

Rumphi, March 2, Mana: A trail of destruction has been left in Rumphi district, following rainstorms that have ravaged crops, leaving countless farmers in despair. 

The relentless downpours on Saturday, coupled with thunderstorms, swept away entire farms, leaving farmers reeling and counting their losses.

Vitima Chikoza, a farmer from Mhuju, is one of the many victims of the rainstorms. 

"I have lost almost four acres of my maize farm. The rains were so fierce, they destroyed everything in my farm," said Chikoza.

The situation is equally dire in tobacco farms across the district.

Farmers in areas like Luzi, Luhono, Kamphenda, and Bolero have reported widespread destruction.

A farmer from Luhono, Ian Chipofya, said the rains have been heavier than anything he has seen before.

"It is heartbreaking to see our hard work go down the drain," said Chipofya.

Several farms in Chozoli, Buwira and neighbouring Vongo have also been destroyed, according to eyewitnesses. 

A resident of Buwira, Grace Gondwe, says she has seen farms that have been completely destroyed.

The rainstorms have also raised concerns about the livelihoods of farmers who financed their farms with loans in the district, as they do not know how they would service their loans.

Officials from the Department of Agriculture in the district were not immediately available for a comment on the disaster when we went to press. 

By Fostina Mkandawire

Salima, March 2, Mana: Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare in collaboration with National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) have launched a political leadership manual, a tool of empowerment for women political aspirants.

The manual has been described as a step towards ensuring that women have the knowledge and skills to participate in political leadership.

Speaking during the launch on Friday in Salima district, Chief Gender and Development Officer in the Ministry of Gender, Chimwemwe Grace Hussein, reaffirmed government’s commitment to gender equality in politics.

"The ministry has put in place gender and development officers in districts to work with women aspiring to be Members of Parliament and councillors," she said.

Hussein added that government has collaborated with different stakeholders in engaging Malawi police to look into the issues of violence during political campaign and other activities.

"The main challenges which the ministry is facing on the implementation of political empowerment of women in politics programme are issues of coordination and funding; we don’t have enough resources for our partners and women participating in politics," she said.

The ministry developed the political leadership manual in partnership with NICE under a project called Nthawi Yawo, which is aimed at increasing women participation in politics.

In his remarks, NICE Executive Director Grey Kalindekafe said as one way of increasing participation of women in politics, they are focusing on building the capacity of women aspirants.

"We want the women to be able to analyze their constituencies and understand the voters’ needs and come up with comprehensive campaign manifestos," he said.

Kalindekafe said the major challenge that hinders women participation in politics is financial constraints, adding that is the reason they are equipping the women with skills for resource mobilization.

Malawi Congress Party female candidate who recently won primary elections as aspiring Member of Parliament for Salima Central East Constituency, Sakina Salim Chingomanje, commended NICE for encouraging them to overcome challenges and political violence.

Nthawi Yawo project is funded by UNDP and aims to increase female political representation in the targeted districts of Salima, Karonga and Neno by providing training and resources for aspiring candidates.

By Evance Chisiano

Blantyre, March 2, Mana: Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has engaged civil society organisations (CSOs) in Blantyre to discuss the advocacy role of the CSOs on legislations that should protect consumers from cyber theft, bullying and other forms of online injustice that negatively impact on other people’s rights.

MACRA and the CSOs from the southern region met over the weekend at Sunbird Mount Soche Hotel where the authority’s Director General Daud Suleman said there was need for the CSOs to understand digital laws so that they should push for policies for inclusive digital regulations to protect citizens against growing offences on various digital platforms.

“We have responsibility per law to take a leading role in creating stronger digital Malawi which protects its citizens.

“We will continue raising awareness on digital regulations and we will continue having such engagement with stakeholders,” Suleman added, emphasising the need to strive for cybercrime free Malawi.

Whilst welcoming the engagement meeting, Active Youth Initiative for Social Enhancement (AYISE) and other CSOs called for more public awareness on pieces of legislation on digital laws and rights, apart from digital literacy in schools, to ensure adequate knowledge on digital responsibility and rights.

AYISE head of programmes, Monica Makeya Dzonzi, who was one of the participants, observed that the MACRA-CSOs engagement was ideal, saying the engagement raised the much needed awareness on digital laws that protect rights of consumers on various digital platforms.

“We advocate for human rights and there is need for us to understand issues of digital rights in this digital era where we have various digital platforms,” Dzonzi added, observing the growing cyber bullying that infringes on other people’s rights and increased money related cyber crimes.

MACRA also held a technical meeting on the same Friday with such stakeholders as Telekom Networks Malawi, Aitel Malawi, National Registration Bureau, and Directorate of Road Traffic to discuss SIM Card registration integration.   

By George Mponda

Karonga, March 2, Mana: Bishop Martin Anwel Mtumbuka of the Diocese of Karonga has ordained Deacon David Harvey Chipeta to priesthood during a Eucharistic celebration which took place Saturday at St Joseph the Worker Cathedral.

The rite of ordination to priesthood ceremony for Father Chipeta, which brings the total number of priests in Karonga Diocese to 40, was attended by priests from Tanzania, Mzuzu Diocese and hundreds of faithful from across the Karonga diocese.

In his homily, Bishop Mtumbuka advised families, whose sons become priests, to realise that it is a calling to be a true servant of the Lord and be dedicated to serving the people of God.

"As priests, our role is to guide the flock in the ways of the Catholic Church. While our work is spiritually rewarding, it is not financially lucrative, and our greatest benefits are those we will receive in heaven. Therefore, when your child falls ill, please do not expect the diocese to fund overseas medical treatment, as our resources are limited," Mtumbuka said.

“Priests take care of each other with the little we get and when we fall ill we go to the same hospitals like Karonga District Hospital, Nkhatabay District Hospital just like the rest of you so you should not dictate to us where to take your sons for treatment," Mtumbuka said.

The Bishop further advised the newly ordained priest to be disciplined, obedient and be faithful to God and the Catholic Church.

Father Chipeta was born on 30 July 1998 to Michael Chipeta and Teleza Ng’ambi from Mweningolongo Village in Traditional Authority Kyungu in Karonga. He is the second of seven siblings, with six brothers and one sister.

He attended Ntchowo Primary School and was later selected to study at St. Patrick’s Minor Seminary in Rumphi. From there, he went to Peramiho Major Seminary in Tanzania, where he studied philosophy, before moving to Bidasoa International Seminary in Spain in preparation for his ordination.

Father Chipeta was also motivated to pursue priesthood during his time at St. Patrick’s Seminary, where he became captivated by the priestly life.

"I overcome my challenges by meditating on them and seeking God’s guidance and my favourite quote is from St. Ignatius of Loyola: “Meditating upon how Christ has suffered for me, what shall I offer to him,” said Chipeta

The newly ordained Father Chipeta will start his work at St John Paul II Parish in Kapoka, Chitipa.

By Solister Mogha

Zomba, March 1, Mana: Southern Region Water Board (SRWB) on Saturday planted 20,000 tree seedlings at Zomba Plateau to improve vegetative cover around Mulunguzi Dam catchment eventually stopping siltation which compromises water level.

Minister of Water and Sanitation, Abida Mia joined the SWRB in the tree planting exercise and hailed the board for planning to plant the 150,000 trees in the current 2024/2025 forestry season.

Mia observed that there had been serious deforestation of Zomba plantation in recent years, saying SRWB’s afforestation drive was commendable as it will improve water flow into the dam hence the need to restore the plateau’s past glory of thick vegetation.

“I am glad to learn that the board will plant 150,000 trees this year of which 100,000 will be planted in the Kuchawe catchment. This is the way to go,” the minister added.

Mia further observed that there will not be fear of Mulunguzi dam drying as has been the case in recent years following irresponsible tree harvests.

“Few weeks ago, I came here to see the status of the dam. It was so disheartening to see the low water level in the dam.  Although water level has now improved but we need more trees so that the dam should have water all year round" she said.

Mia appealed to various stakeholders to embrace tree planting.

SRWB, Chief Executive Officer, Duncan Chimbamba said 98 per cent of trees which the board planted around the dam and other parts of the plateau survive due to a number of interventions among them; monitoring tree seedlings growth and caring, protecting the seedlings from factors that contribute to destruction.

“We don’t just plant and abandon the trees, we care for them and we make sure we have fire breaks in all our catchments in the region,” Chimbamba added.

Various stakeholders took part in the SRWB tree planting, among them; the Malawi Defense Forces, the Malawi Police Service, Raiply Limited, Malawi Housing Corporation, and learners from various schools in Zomba.

By Petro Mkandawire

Blantyre, March 1, Mana: National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Trust has appealed to Blantyre-based journalists to utilise their profession by promoting peace and democracy in addition to discouraging handouts, politics of regionalism and tribalism, ahead of September 16 general elections.

NICE Trust, Blantyre District Programme Officer, Glory Maulidi made the appeal on Friday at Limbe Teachers Development Center (TDC) during a meeting with Journalists aimed at sensitizing them on how the Trust operates and the role of the media in promoting democracy and good governance.

Maulidi said the media is crucial in discouraging violence and raising awareness through information dissemination on electoral processes.

She said NICE Trust through Boma Lathu project has lined up a series of activities meant to ensure a peaceful and successful electoral process, adding the Trust is currently focusing on mobilising voters to update their registration details.

“The voter registration process, which took place in three phases from October to December, has been completed.

“Currently, the voter transfer process is underway, also in three phases with the second phase, scheduled for March 5th to 7th covering Blantyre rural and city, we are encouraging all registered voters to update their details” she said.

One of participating journalist, Wisdom Chirombo from the Nation Newspaper said the meeting was crucial as it reminded the media of their role and how it can work with NICE Trust.

"This is a crucial engagement considering that we are going towards a campaign period where people need timely information. As journalists, we are committed to ensure that we give people correct information," he said.