MANAonline
Lilongwe DC lauds government for SAPP II
By Andrew Mkonda
Lilongwe, March 29, Mana: Lilongwe District Commissioner Lawford Palani has thanked government for including Lilongwe district council into the Sustainable Agriculture Production Program II (SAPP II), describing it as a game changer for the agriculture sector.
Palani made the remarks Friday at Nathenje Residential Training Centre during sensitization meeting of SAPP II for the frontline staff workers in the district.
He said he was happy to see that over 40,000 households, which include persons with disabilities, will benefit from the programme in the district in order to ensure inclusivity and equity in agriculture extension service delivery.
“Let me call upon the Agriculture Extension Development Coordinators (AEDC) and Agriculture Extension Development Officers (AEDO) to take this program seriously by guiding farmers towards adopting sustainable and profitable farming practices. Your dedication, innovation and commitment will determine the success of this program in our district," he said.
In his remarks, Director of Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources for Lilongwe district, Ezra Mbendela, said if the program will be well implemented in the district, it will among other things alleviate the challenges faced by farmers and at the same time increase smallholder productivity and climate resilience through the adaption of climate -smart agriculture and improved extension services.
Mbendela said that Lilongwe District Agriculture Office has been facing enormous challenges in activity implementation due to financial hiccups as the district has been relying on Other Recurrent Transaction (ORT) as a source of funds for operations which has been erratic and small.
“That is why we cherish projects and programmes like SAPP II coming to our district as they enable us reach out to more farming households than what we do with normal envelope of ORT which is usually small and erratic.
“I call my team in agriculture a winning team, as they always dedicate themselves whenever they are given an assignment to do as long as they are well supported,” he said
One of the participants, Mphatso Mtambalika, who is also the AEDO for Nyanja Extension Planning Area (EPA), said she was happy with the programme as it will improve productivity for farmers as they will be taught new agricultural farming practices.
The SAPP II was designed to support the upscaling of SAPP approaches while promoting market-oriented crops and livestock production systems in support of agricultural productivity and commercialization which is in line with pillar number one of Malawi 2063.
The programme has also a strong focus on women empowerment, climate resilience and household food and nutrition security, whilst enhancing the natural resources base, such as land and water of the rural smallholder farmers.
Malawi to host AI workshop to boost innovation
By Donald Zimba
Lilongwe, March 29, Mana: Ministry of Higher Education, in collaboration with the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), a UNESCO organization, is set to host a ground-breaking workshop on Tiny Machine Learning (TinyML) in Zomba on Monday.
The workshop, spearheaded by Associate Professor Chomora Mikeka, who is Director of Science, Technology and Innovation at the Ministry of Higher Education, aims to advance artificial intelligence (AI) innovation in Malawi.
“This is a step forward for innovation in Malawi. I believe students need to feel they can create solutions and embrace new challenges without fear,” said Mikeka.
Tiny Machine Learning is a cutting-edge approach that enables AI to run on small, low-cost devices. Unlike traditional AI, which requires powerful and expensive computers, TinyML makes AI more affordable and accessible, costing as little as $5 to $10 per device.
“This low-cost technology allows AI applications to be tailored to specific environments, making it particularly useful for countries like Malawi,” explained Marco Zennaro, a research scientist involved in the initiative.
The workshop will bring together 30 participants, primarily students and graduates in engineering, physics, and mathematics. As part of the initiative, Malawi has been selected to receive specialized hardware to support further research and student projects in AI and machine learning.
“This technology has immense potential, especially in agriculture, where AI can be used to detect plant diseases early. This ensures healthier crops and improved food security,” added Zennaro.
With Malawi’s economy heavily reliant on agriculture, experts believe that TinyML could revolutionize farming by providing cost-effective AI-powered solutions for detecting and preventing plant diseases.
The TinyML workshop marks a significant milestone in Malawi’s technological advancement. By introducing AI solutions that are both affordable and practical, the initiative aims to equip young innovators with the skills and tools needed to drive local development.
The event is expected to lay the foundation for future AI-driven research and applications in Malawi, positioning the country as a leader in adopting emerging technologies for sustainable growth.
Anglican Diocese of Southern Malawi holds Maria Day celebrations
By Evance Chisiano
Blantyre, March 29, Mana: Christians, mostly women in the Anglican Diocese of Southern Malawi, on Saturday congregated at Soche Parish Christ the King Church hall in Blantyre where they celebrated life of Mary, the virgin, as source of inspiration for her obedience and life of self-giving to God.
The ‘Maria Day Celebrations’ event, which was held under the theme: Let it be to me according to your word, saw women from as far as Nsanje, Phalombe, Mulanje and Mwanza coming together to reflect on Mary’s obedience, prayerfulness and service to the church.
Guest of honour at the celebrations, Margret Marobe, said the gathering provided a moment to reflect on the life of Maria in its totality, saying there was need for the church to emulate what the mother of Jesus Christ lived for.
“Let Mary’s obedience and self-giving be a firm foundation for our Christian faith. Let us serve the church, community and our families based on Mary’s life,” she said.
Marobe further said women should be very instrumental in building a strong foundation of the church by preaching the word that should bring unity other than division.
“Let’s not be divided or compete for dominance. Divisions and competition compromise fellowship,” she added, as she appealed to women to be innovative, entrepreneurial and progressive for the good of the Anglican Diocese of Southern Malawi.
During the celebrations, several speakers made their presentations on topics like mental health, mindset change, spiritual family life, and entrepreneurship, with each presenter calling for the congregants and the entire Anglican church to think deeply on the topics for the good of the diocese.
In his remarks, Anglican Dioceses of Southern Malawi Bishop, Rt. Rev. Alinafe Kalemba, thanked the Maria Day Celebrations organizing committee members for holding the event which he said had called for total dedication and a lot of resources.
He reminded the congregants to emulate the life of Mary and asked them to be prayerful for the sake of their families and the church.
“A prayerful person builds a strong foundation of a good family and a good fellowship in a church comes from as family with good Christian values,” he added.
During intercession, the congregation prayed for peaceful general elections, good economy, favourable climate and good family life.
On this note, Bishop Kalemba called on Anglican faithfuls to desist exploitation, observing that most young people are used to cause political violence during elections thereby compromising free elections.
Margret Tchaile, who came all the way from Mathambi in Mulanje, said Maria Day Celebrations provided her a great opportunity to reflect on the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, adding that her obedience and prayerfulness is worth emulating.
“Maria Day Celebrations was another refresher. Mary was the centre of the celebrations here at Soche; she set a precedent that needs to be admired,” she added.
The 2025 Maria Day Celebrations theme was taken from the Gospel of St Luke Chapter 1 verse 38.
Communities at Kunthembwe hail MWASIP for restoring degraded land
By Memory Chatonda
Blantyre, March 29, Mana: Malawi Watershed Services Improvement Project (MWASIP) Coordinator for Blantyre District, Owen Malimba, has said the project has scaled up land restoration activities to about 8,483 hectares against 12,234 hectares projected target.
Malimba disclosed this on Thursday during a meeting that was held to discuss MWASIP implementation with traditional leaders, Catchment Management Committee (CMC) and Area Development Committee (ADC) members at Traditional Authority Kunthembwe’s area.
He said the land restoration and other environmental conservation related activities were done under sustainable land management component which involves gully reclamation, construction of stone bands, swales and conservation agriculture among others.
He added that the project also supported about 15,000 communities participating in MWASIP activities with matching grants and Community Environmental Conservation Fund (CECF).
“For matching grants, about K832 million has been disbursed to 30 farmers' groups, while under CECF, about K461 million has been given to the communities," Malimba said.
Senior Traditional Authority Kunthembwe also hailed MWASIP currently being implemented in his area, for restoring the degraded landscapes and also improving the people's livelihoods.
The senior chief acknowledged interventions such as sustainable land management (SLM) activities, saying great impact has been registered in the area, citing landscape restoration.
"Apart from this, the project also supported 30 farmers' groups participating in SLM activities with matching grants to venture into different business enterprises such as poultry farming, beekeeping, and livestock farming, while others were supported with money from the CECF to start income generating activities to sustain their livelihoods," he added.
Senior Chief Kunthembwe said he will continue encouraging his subjects to maintain assets that have been created through the project.
A CMC member at Namitondo in Kunthembwe area, Pililani Gulo, commended MWASIP for bailing out his family from abject poverty.
"MWASIP, through CECF, gave me about K500,000 to start a small-scale business and, today, I manage different businesses, including a grocery shop, to support my two children with basic needs," she said.
The meeting was organized under MWASIP's social marketing activity to allow different influential groups at the local level to reflect on the project as it is expected to phase out in the next 12 months.
MCGs essential in vaccine advocacy
By Tamala Kamanga
Dowa, March 29. Mana: Dowa District Environmental Officer (DEO) James Mtonga says Mother Care Groups (MCGs) are essential in promoting vaccine advocacy among under-five children in rural areas.
Mtonga made the remarks Friday at the end of a media tour organized to appreciate the progress of Extended Immunization Programme (EIP).
He said, before the formation of MCGs, it was difficult for the EIP to achieve its target.
"The major issue was defaulters which affected our immunization campaign, and to reach our target of 85 percent coverage. But the coming in of these MCGs has helped us to reach our target.
"The MCGs have been crucial in vaccine advocacy which is very important because the ideal situation is to have all children vaccinated with all the required vaccinations, and this promote their health well-being," he said.
The MCGs use volunteers to trace mothers with under-five children in their areas, and they follow up to make sure they are adhering to all immunization sessions.
Chizolowondo Health Centre MCG Secretary, Felia Binwell, said they conduct door-to-door visits to families that have under-five children to advocate for vaccinations.
She however said one of the challenges they meet is resistance due to cultural and religious beliefs.
"Our advocacy for vaccine uptake amongst under-five children has faced various challenges because of cultural and religious beliefs amongst some people. But we are making significant strides, and so far we have managed to convince six families to change their perceptions.
"Another challenge was space. We used to do under-five clinics under a tree, but through the trainings we had received, we have managed to build an under-five clinic in collaboration with our village leaders and parliamentarian," she said.
Binwell also said they have made strides in encouraging male involvement in children immunization.
The media visited Chilambe under-five clinic under Chizolowondo health centre in Traditional Authority (T/A) Chakhaza and Mtekenya health post in T/A Msakambewa.
Government constructs 200 health posts
By Gracious Phiri
Kasungu, March 29, Mana: Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo-Chiponda says government has so far constructed 200 of the planned 900 health posts nationwide.
Kandodo-Chiponda said this on Friday during the laying of a foundation stone for the construction of Mphasi Health Post in Kasungu District.
She said upon taking office, the Chakwera-led administration launched a flagship programme to construct 900 health posts to reduce distances people cover to access essential healthcare services in the country.
‘I am so grateful for this project because it is a game changer. We have now done almost 200 health posts and most of them are already functional,’ she revealed.
The minister said the stride government is taking ascertains its commitment in enhancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC), promoting safe motherhood, and reducing teenage pregnancies by making sexual and reproductive health services accessible within every five kilometre.
She said: "Long distances to health facilities negatively impact safe motherhood activities."
Kandodo-Chiponda also warned against theft and mismanagement of construction materials, stating that this leads to having substandard structures that do not last long.
Sub-Traditional Authority Mphasi said pregnant women face mobility challenges in reaching the nearest health centres, Bua and Kasungu District Hospitals, which are approximately 30 kilometres away.
He expressed readiness to ensure construction materials are secured and utilized effectively.
"We are excited with the coming of a health post here. Regarding security, we have already set up committees that will safeguard materials to be used," he said.
Christina Samalani, a resident of Mphasi, was all smiles about the project, stating that it will ease challenges in accessing essential healthcare services for the local community.
Government plans to construct two health posts at Mphasi and Kapili in Kasungu, which are to cost about K1.5 billion, a development that will increase number of health posts in the district to 40.
Man arrested for murder in Thyolo
By Yamikani Yapuwa
Thyolo, March 29, Mana: Police in Thyolo have arrested 47-year-old Paulo Fisher in connection with the murder of Zinthenga Banda, whose decomposed body was discovered on January 27, 2025, at Conforzi Estate behind the Engine filling station in the district.
Banda had reportedly gone to the area to eat sugarcane and search for coco plants.
According to Thyolo Police Spokesperson. Rabecca Kashoti, investigations revealed that on January 20, Banda and two friends had been sent by a local businessperson to pick sugarcane from a garden within Conforzi Estate.
“Upon arrival, they encountered two men guarding the field, who initially suspected them of attempting to steal.
“They were first denied access to the sugarcane, but after explaining that they had been sent by the owner, they were allowed to proceed,” said Kashoti.
Kashoti said, after completing their work, Banda’s two friends left, while he remained behind to eat sugarcane, mentioning that he would later search for coco plants.
“Days later, on January 23, Banda’s daughter was concerned when her father failed to return home, and his phone went unanswered. She reported the matter to Thyolo Police Station, prompting an investigation.
“On January 27, officers discovered Banda’s body in a maize field within the estate. The remains were in a decomposed state, with multiple deep cuts,” Kashoti confirmed.
She added that the post-mortem conducted at Thyolo District Hospital established that Banda had died from severe wounds inflicted by a sharp object.”
“Following intensive investigations, police tracked down and arrested Fisher, who had been on the run.
“We have managed to apprehend the suspect after he had been hiding for some time. He will appear in court soon to answer a murder charge,” Kashoti said.
Fisher comes from Chibwana Village, Traditional Authority Nchiramwera, in Thyolo District.
Fuel smuggler arrested in Karonga
By Patience Harawa
Karonga, March 29, Mana: Police in Karonga have arrested Robert Mwangaju, 30, for allegedly being found in possession of 420 litres of liquid petroleum without a license.
According to Margret Msiska, Public Relations Officer for Karonga Police Station, Mwangaju hails from Mwangwala 1 Village in the area of Traditional Authority Kilupula in Karonga District and was arrested on March 26 at Rukuru roadblock.
“Mwangaju was arrested around 15:00 hours when officers manning the roadblock stopped a Toyota Sienta, registration number BZ 8098, driven by Zidana Kopakopa.
“The vehicle, which had five passengers on board, was coming from Karonga town, heading towards Songwe Boarder. Our officers stopped the vehicle for routine checks, and upon searching, they found 22 20-litre containers each loaded with liquid petroleum,” said Msiska.
She said Mwangaju failed to produce documents for the fuel, leading to his arrest and seizure of the fuel.
Government elevates three chiefs to Sub T/As in Dowa
By Sylvester Kumwenda
Dowa, March 28, Mana: Government on Thursday elevated three Group Village Heads (GVH) to Sub Traditional Authorities (Sub T/As) in Dowa, with a call for traditional leaders to be development conscious for their communities.
The three are GVHs Chipeni, Chidothi Mkhulu and Manondo Zikielo, who were elevated to Sub T/As at an event that took place at Dowa district council.
In an interview after elevating the chiefs, Deputy Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Joyce Chitsulo, asked the chiefs to support government's developmental agenda.
"People need development, and the chiefs are the conduit between people and government. So we need chiefs, Sub T/As, T/As to be championing issues of development in their respective areas in conjunction with government.
"But also, to work with government in fighting corruption at the local level, whether in the distribution of relief items, the Affordable Inputs Program (AIP) or Constituency Development Fund. We need leaders who can help their subjects access the required social services," she said.
She also tasked the Sub T/As to promote girl child education and fight issues of child marriages while lamenting that Dowa has a high number of girls dropping out of school.
Uncertainty, however, dawned before commencement of the event, as it was discovered that court orders were restraining the elevation of two of the chiefs, namely GHV Chidothi and Chipeni.
After consultations, the function proceeded with a resolution to only install GVH Manondo as a Sub T/A. However, as the function was coming close to an end, things took another twist when it was again later revealed that the injunctions had been stayed.
This paved the way for the installation of the two other chiefs.
The Deputy Minister said that as a law-abiding government, they made sure that they uphold the rule of law and stop the elevation of the two, and proceeded to elevate GHV Manondo only as there were no issues with that.
"But the good thing about it is that this injunction was not coming from concerned members of the Sub T/As clan, but other chiefs who felt it was supposed to be them to be elevated.
"So I am saying it was a good thing because as a ministry, we are struggling with issues of injunctions on chieftaincy, as there are a lot of misunderstandings as to who is going to be the next chief after the death of the one who was holding the office. But this case was different," she said.
Parliamentarian for Dowa South East, Halima Daudi said the chiefs will help to identify developmental projects needed in the area.
She asked the chiefs to put the interests of the people first.
In her remarks, Sub T/A Chidothi said she was excited to be elevated, and promised to focus on helping government bring development to her area.
Nice urges people to secure a voter certificate
By Zenak Matekenya
Dedza, March 28, Mana: National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) programs officer for Dedza, Vincent Kalawa has called on voters in the district to secure their voter certificate and make their voices heard in the upcoming September 16, 2025, General Election.
He made the call Thursday at Bembeke trading Centre amid the sensitization tour to a number of places, including Linthipe 1 and Thete.
“We are urging the voters to take full responsibility for keeping their voter certificate safe. We are also reminding them that the General Elections will be held on September 16 this year and that they should exercise their right to vote,” he said.
Kalawa further urged the voters to spare time to understand the manifestos of various contestants to make informed choices.
He discouraged any form of violence to ensure the election is free and fair.
One of the voters during the awareness, Said Ali, hailed NICE for the campaign, saying there are some people who are reluctant to vote out of frustration.
“Casting the ballot is the only legal way of dealing with any nonproductive politician,” he said.
