MANAonline
Project donates supplies to beekeeping cooperative in Balaka
By Mary Makhiringa
Balaka, June 11, Mana: There was jubilation in the area of Sub Traditional Authority (STA) Makwinja in Balaka, Tuesday when the Transforming Landscape and Livelihoods Project (TLLP) donated various bee keeping materials to Nkasi cooperative worth K15 Million.
Speaking during the function, Director of Forestry for Balaka, Titus Zulu, said bee keeping has a number of importance that the world may not appreciate, as it centres at conserving the sustainable management of trees within the dry land area in which Balaka also falls.
Said Zulu: “Instead of extracting the trees into charcoal or other products, we want to go in non-extractive way of getting income to support their homes, in which apiculture or bee keeping fits in very well.
“They will get extra income from live trees because once they are cut; the future generation won’t be able to get the benefit from the same trees.”
He added: “Bee keeping contributes to the forest conservation by providing non extractive income opportunity. It also enhances bio diversity through the pollination that the bees enhance, and lastly it provides income to the families.”
Zulu therefore, called upon the cooperative to utilize the received materials, as they will help in uplifting their lives.
Chairperson for Nkasi Beekeeping Cooperative, Umali Jiya, was all smiles and said as a group, they have been longing for better materials, which on their own they could not afford.
“We only have seven beehives, and could realise just K200, 000. We added 12 more, which we are yet to start harvesting. With the additional 40 that the project has donated, we are optimistic that we will go up to K5 to K6 million which is a greater boost to our business.
“Right now, we are working towards having a group warehouse in which we would like to keep our materials and other things. We already have the land, and soon we will be moulding bricks,” he said.
STA Makwinja hailed the project for considering his area and pledged for a continued support to the cooperative so that they excel in their business.
“As a leader here, I will fail if these materials do not bear positive results to the lives of the people in the cooperative. I will work hand in hand with the cooperative, and give guidance so that the business continues to excel.
“As an exemplary leader, I also have my two beehives within my forest that surrounds my home and am able to harvest honey for my home use,” he said.
Nkasi Cooperative has a membership of 46 people and started in 2014.
Some of the donated materials included 40 beehives, eight bee suites, five smokers, seven honey sieve and pressers and one settling tank packaging bottles.
COSOMA engages stakeholders to address misinformation over it’s mandate
By Alice Ndunya
Machinga, June 11, Mana: Copyright Society of Malawi (COSOMA) has engaged muscians, the meadia and other stakeholders in the eastern region districts to raise awareness on its mandate on copyright proptection, licensing, registration, membership and distribution of loyalties in a bid to protect artistic creative works from unlawful copyrighters.
COSOMA Communication Officer, Catherine Mitungwi said the meeting at Liwonde in Machinga on Tuesday was meant to strengthen collaboration with music artists, raise public awareness on the societiy’s activities while addressing misconceptions surrounding COSOMA’s mandate.
“Engaging stakeholders to discuss our mandate is essential because it propvided us opportunity to furnish artists with imprtant information that helps in protecting artistic creative works from unlawful copyrighters while fostering innovative progress for the artists,” she said.
During the meeting COSOMA officials made presentations on; copyright protection and licensing, registration and membership, distribution of loyalties and ways of promoting innovation among artists.
“We organised this meeting to fill in the information gap that exists on COSOMA’s mandate, engaged stakeholders to create a well-informed public and to strengthen our relationship with artists,” said Miyungwi.
One of the participants, a Mangochi based musician, Asante Emment, populary known as Achakongwe said the meeting was ideal as it informed her on COSOMA`s role in protecting artists from unlawful copyrights and other bad trends in the music industyry that leave alot to be desired among established and upcoming music artists in Malawi.
“I now know that the society is vital in protecting artists, I did not register my music with the society because I was not aware that I needed to do so.
“With this information, I will take action, The meeting was an eye opener to me,” added Asante Emment who has been in the music career since 2013 but not yet registered with the COSOMA.
Musicians Union of Malawi (MUM) Secretary for Zomba chapter, Holice Kalembo hailed COSOMA for engaging music artists on its awareness programmes.
“We are looking forward to having these kinds of meetings with COSOMA to ensure brighter future for the music and art industry,” he said.
The meeting at Liwonde had participants from COSOMA’s eastern region stakeholders with musicians and the media from Machinga, Zomba, Mangochi and Balaka.
COSOMA has over 18,000 registered members across the country ranging from muscians to writers and visual artists.
In October 2024, the society distributed loyalties amounting to K1 billion in total, with approximately 50 members receiving not less than K1. Million each.
MLW engages media practitioners on climate change and health
By Mirriam Bwanali
Blantyre, June 11, Mana: Malawi Liverpool Welcome Trust (MLW) on Wednesday engaged media practitioners to build their capacity in reporting on impact of climate change on human health.
Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of the training, Communications and Media Engagement Coordinator for Malawi Liverpool Trust, Luke Manja said the training was part of a larger project being implemented in Chikwawa and Blantyre Districts.
“The Media being part of the community will be able to report around the impact of climate change on health. We are targeting community as well as media houses in Chikwawa and Blantyre.
"Climate change has a lot of impact on people in all aspects of their life especially on issues to do with human health. There are a lot of pandemics that come in due to climate change such as cholera and many others,” he said.
He expressed hope that the training will build media practitioners capacity to understand and report on the effects of climate change on human health which will trigger policy makers and stakeholder’s interventions.
In his remarks, Environmental Health practitioner, Enerst Takomana said in March 2023 Tropical Cyclone Freddy affected many people especially in the southern region districts, observing that some people in the region are still living with psychological effects of the impact.
"Climate change is becoming a public health problem and there are hazards like cholera, cyclones and many other disasters that started because of climate change," he said.
One of the participants, Eunice Kananji from Angaliba Radio and TV observed that the training was relevant to media practitioners.
“We usually focus on reporting actual disasters than on post disasters issues. The training will give us more knowledge on climate change and health related issues," she said.
reporters from various media houses such as Malawi News Agency (Mana) Angaliba, Times, Mzati, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and Blantyre Synod Radio attended the five days training workshop.
Water for People promoting WASH in Chiradzulu
By Blackson Mkupatira
Chiradzulu, June 10, Mana: The Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Water for People announced on Tuesday that it is making significant progress in providing clean water, sanitation, and hygiene services through its ongoing Grant 600 Project in Chiradzulu District.
Speaking during a WASH District Coordination Team (DCT) meeting, the organization’s District Coordinator for Chiradzulu, Dorothy Bandawe, said their goal was to ensure that every person in the district has access to quality water, sanitation and hygiene services.
“So, among other initiatives this year, we are rehabilitating boreholes, upgrading solar-powered water systems, promoting hygiene in communities, revamping Water Point Committees, and constructing pit latrines in schools.
“And so far, 17 out of the 25 targeted boreholes have been tested, and two solar-powered water systems have been upgraded and handed over to communities,” she said.
Bandawe added that the organisation has also revamped four scheme management committees and 25 water point committees, and facilitated the signing of 1,200 service contracts with the committees to ensure timely repairs of boreholes.
Chiradzulu District Hospital Environmental Health Officer, Veronica Nkukumira appealed to the organization for further support, saying persistent water shortages are affecting service delivery at the hospital.
“We have four water sources but they are often dry, putting a strain on health workers, patients, and guardians,” she said.
Chiradzulu District Council Water Development Officer, Mcpheson Kuseli hailed Water for People for the efforts saying their interventions are crucial in addressing water related issues in communities.
On the water situation at the district hospital, the DWDO said a project by Southern Region Water Board was in the pipeline that will supply water to the facility but lamented that theft and vandalism of vital components were affecting it's completion.
"Recently we had an interface meeting with communities surrounding the hospital because of theft cases,” said Kuseli.
The grant, totalling $2,150,000, is being implemented from January 2025 to December 2025 across the districts of Chiradzulu, Chikwawa, Ntchisi, and Neno.
Project intensifies labour related rights for employees and employers
By Memory Kutengule Chatonda
Blantyre, June 10, Mana: A situation analysis conducted by the European Union Funded Project-Zantchito revealed a serious knowledge gap among employees and employers in understanding various provisions of labour laws in Malawi.
Zantchito Project Occupational Safety and Health Expert, Johanes Mandowa said this in Blantyre on Tuesday during a Decent Work Awareness Campaign with workers at Bakhresa Malawi Limited.
"When we are talking about the promotion of decent work, one of the important pillars of decent work is social dialogue.
"So we expect employers and employees to be able to sit down. For them to be able to effectively sit down and iron out the differences that could be there, they need to be able to do that from a point of understanding and a point of knowledge as far as what is provided for in the various labour laws," he said.
The campaign saw Ministry of Labour officials equipping the employees at Bakhresa with knowledge on Employment Act, Industrial Relations as well as Occupation Safety and Welfare Act.
Director of Legal Services in the Ministry of Labour, Ofwa Alide, said the month of June is designated as 'Labour Awareness Month' to raise awareness on labour related laws in the workforce.
"Through this initiative, we hope to bridge the knowledge gap that is there, as far as the promotion of decent work is concerned. Knowledge is power and knowledge really induces self-compliance.
"So even after this exercise is done at the end of June, people can still walk in and out of our offices to find out about labour rights and will be able to assist them," she said.
Head of Human Resource and Compliance at Bakhresa, Richard Tchereko said the awareness campaign has ensured that employees are aware of their rights and responsibilities.
"This will make the work of the human resource practitioners easy and also the company will enhance its production because there will not be misunderstanding and unnecessary complaints," said Tchereko.
The awareness campaign was held under the theme: 'promoting decent work: safeguarding workers freedom, equity, security and dignity' and similar activities were done in Mzuzu and Lilongwe.
Elderly people smile after graduating from SCTP in Rumphi
By Manasse Nyirenda
Rumphi, June 10, Mana: Elderly residents of Rumphi who recently graduated from the Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP), funded by the World Bank and the Multi-Donor Trust Fund, have praised the initiative for improving their quality of life in old age.
One of the beneficiaries of the programme, Dekapose Mkandawire, 83, of Magawa Village in the area of Paramount Chief Chikulamayembe, said on Monday that he now has an iron sheet thatched house.
He said that he was living in a grass thatched house before he was enrolled into the programme.
“I was in the programme for five years. To fully utilize the opportunity, I joined a village savings and loans group to save some money.
“Five years later, I have nine pigs, an iron sheet thatched house, piped water at my door step among other things which I have acquired through the programme,” said Mkandawire.
He added that he will maintain his membership in the village savings group to help grow the income his family earns from their local beer-selling business.
Another graduate of the program, Trytis Chirwa, 86, said she used part of the money to support her orphaned grandchildren with school necessities
She also built a house and brought running water to her home with the support her daughter who was managing her receipts before she graduated from the programme in the first quarter of 2025.
Desk Officer for the SCTP in Rumphi, Abel Ndlovu said that most beneficiaries of the initiative who have since graduated from the programme have built decent homes, established small scale businesses to sustain their livelihoods.
There are currently 5,062 SCTP beneficiaries in Rumphi.
Kasungu farmers get goats for livelihood resilience
By Wanangwa Tembo
Kasungu, June 10, Mana: Jesuit Centre for Ecology and Development has supported farmers in Nkanalumo Village, Sub-Traditional Suza, in Kasungu District, with goats in a drive to diversify sources of income and build resilience for vulnerable communities.
Presenting the goats on Tuesday, the faith-based organization’s Field Project Officer, Felister Neddie, said the initiative targets the most vulnerable households to shield them from the effects of climate change by building and enhancing their resilience with diversified farming approaches.
“This is a livestock pass-on scheme that will ensure that the vulnerable farmers venture into livestock production as a source of livelihood to improve their income levels.
“The programme is also promoting livestock production, thereby increasing the contribution of livestock towards climate change mitigation and resilience, and ensuring availability of locally produced livestock products within the impact areas,” Neddie said.
She said the scheme, which is part of the larger Tasintha Mlimi Project, has targeted to distribute 50 goats to 10 households, with each family receiving five goats, to enhance the households’ adaptive capacities.
Agriculture Extension and Development Coordinator for Chipala Extension and Planning Area, Albert Kumwenda, said apart from improving the communities’ nutritional status, the goats will promote climate-smart agriculture practices through harvesting of manure.
“This time we are promoting manure-making not only because of the rising costs of farm inputs, but also because of the effects of climate change since organic manure helps with moisture retention.
“This is a pass-on scheme so all we want to see is that the goats must be taken care of so that other families should also benefit and become independent,” Kumwenda said.
One of the recipients Ellah Nyirenda expressed excitement with the support, describing it as a timely intervention that will help boost her farming activities through manure harvesting and be able to support the education of her children.
She also advised the other beneficiaries not to sell the goats so that they could pass them on to other families.
Two arrested for theft, murder of 3 in Mzimba
By Lesnat Kenan
Lilongwe June 10, mana: Police at Jenda in Mzimba, have arrested two young men on suspicion of being connected to the deaths of three individuals, Matrida Kalua, Linda Gondwe and Felix Makatanje, who were killed between May 17-21 2025, along the Malawi-Zambia border.
The suspects have been identified as Simon Ndawandawa aged 23, and Chisomo Ndawandawa aged 20.
According to Jenda Police Station Public Relations Officer, Sub Inspector Macfarlen Mseteka, the arrest that was made on June 5, 2025, at Kapopo along the Malawi-Zambia border, follows intensive and intelligence-driven investigations initiated by Jenda Police after relatives reported missing persons.
"It has been established that the two suspects, along with a Zambian national (the third suspect) who is at large, were targeting farm produce buyers by deceiving them into believing they were selling maize and soya beans;” explained the police spokesperson.
“Once these buyers were taken to quiet places, they were attacked with an axe and their money were stolen,” he added.
Mseteka further said the arrest of the suspects led to the revelations that there was a third dead body of Felix Makatanje, who was killed by the same suspects on May 17,2025, and the suspects led the police to the forest on the Zambian side where they partially buried the victim.
"The suspects admitted to have killed Felix Makatanje after robbing him of K500,000 and his phone, before murdering the two women and steal K1.6 million from them,” explained Mseteka.
He said Jenda Police will continue the investigations to determine whether the suspects committed any other murders of a similar nature.
He said the first suspect, Simon Ndawandawa, is also on court bail for the suspected murder of his grandfather in 2024.
Meanwhile, Jenda Police Station, in collaboration with the community, is committed to holding all offenders accountable to their deeds to reduce the fear of crime, and provide security to people conducting their businesses.
The two suspects will appear before the court soon to answer charges of murder, a criminal offence contrary to section 209 of the Penal Code.
Both suspects hail from Mkondowanjovu Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) M’mbelwa, in Mzimba district.
REIAMA takes Clean Energy Solutions exhibition to Mzuzu
By Busiso Kaunda
Mzuzu, June 10, Mana: Renewable Energy Industries Association of Malawi (REIAMA) has called on the public to consider generating and utilizing renewable energy amidst limited power supply in the country.
REIAMA Programs Coordinator, Charles Dakalira, made the remarks recently in Mzuzu at the close of an exhibition of renewable energy technologies, an event which brought together various players in the said field of technology from the north.
Dakalira said the event, which run from June 4 to 8, aimed at creating awareness on the availability of affordable and reliable energy options, apart from relying on Escom’s power supply.
“This is the first time we are conducting such an event in Mzuzu and we turned the outside area of Mzuzu Shoprite Mall into a busy clean energy solutions hub for the days we have been,” said Dakalira.
He went on: “Through this event, we hope to educate communities, support local innovations and connect people to energy solutions that work.”
Among the exhibiting companies was H and F Solar Solutions and the company’s exhibitions include invertors, solar panels, fans, and pump controllers, among others.
“We brought all of these tools which look simple but they are life-changing and the idea is to woo people who patronized the event to switch from using candles, charcoal and fuel wood, to solar power which is clean,” said Nathaniel Nyirenda, founder of the company.
Other exhibiting companies included Moto Rhino Malawi with modern solar transportation facilities such as electric boats and motorcycles; Sunny Money, with affordable solar lighting focusing on schools, health facilities, and women, with a vision of reaching out to as many people as possible.
A lecturer in Renewable Energy Systems Engineering at Mzuzu University, Dorica Chima, said the event provided a viable learning, information and knowledge sharing space.
“This event is more than just an exhibition, it is a bridge between theory and practice as our students have witnessed practical and real innovations that have motivated the students to become part of clean energy solutions,” said Chima.
REIAMA was established in 1999 to be promoting renewable energy technologies’ sustainability.
Man arrested for murder in Mzuzu
By Santos Zefania
Lilongwe, June 10, Mana: Police in Mzuzu are keeping in custody a 27-year-old man, Austin Chipeta, in connection with the of murdering a sex worker, Rosina Hara, in Luwinga Township in the city on Monday.
According to Mzuzu Police Deputy Public Relations Officer, Sub Inspector Cecilia Mfune, Hara was found dead in her room on May 21, 2025, by fellow sex workers, who broke into her room after noticing that she hadn’t come out since the previous day.
"Police officers discovered Hara’s body with two cuts on the face, and on her private parts,” said Mfune, adding: “Postmortem at Mzuzu Central Hospital, later, confirmed her death resulted from head injuries caused by a blunt object."
Police investigators found Chipeta’s national ID, ATM card, and SIM cards at the scene, and this gave the police leads to the man as suspect and he was arrested on June 9, 2025, according to Mfune.
Chipeta, who admitted to having sex with Hara the night before her death, will appear in court soon to answer a murder charge under Section 209 of the Penal Code.
