Items filtered by date: May 2025

By Watipa Nyalugwe

Lilongwe, 25 November. Mana: Ministry of Labour, with support from the European Union (EU), under the Zantchito Skills for Jobs Programme, has launched a capacity building initiative to train occupational safety and health (OSH) inspectors on advanced occupational hygiene monitoring techniques.

The initiative marks a critical step towards realizing Vision Zero which is a global strategy to eliminate workplace accidents and injuries.

OSH expert, Johanes Mandowa, said in Lilongwe on Monday that the training program is meant to equip OSH inspectors with knowledge on how to conduct occupational hygiene monitoring in the work place environment.

He said workplace employees are exposed to physical hazards such as dust, noise exposer and poor lighting which are supposed to be identified in a scientific way.

“There is need for

us to equip OSH inspectors with knowledge about occupational hygiene monitoring so that when they go out they are able to anticipate, recognize, evaluate and control these hazards which is based on scientific evidence,” he said.

Labour Commissioner, Hlale Kelvin Nyangulu, said there is a lot of theological knowledge amongst the inspectors where they know all the hazards that prevail in the work places but a gap exists in terms of measuring and quantifying the level of these hazards.

“The missing link is the practical aspect where they do actual measurements to determine hazards in the work places,” he said.

He, therefore, said the training will give inspectors a chance to be able to measure these hazards.

Facilitated by renowned occupational hygienist Peter Jacobs and organized by GOPA Worldwide Consultants, the workshop focuses on bridging gaps in knowledge and practice among Malawi’s OSH inspectors.

The training aligns with the International Labour Organization’s standards, reinforcing Malawi’s commitment to decent work and sustainable economic development.

Participants have been provided with operational manuals to ensure that knowledge gained is sustainable.

The initiative underscores collective efforts required to build a safer, more productive workforce as Malawi moves towards achieving Vision Zero and eliminating workplace injuries and fatalities.

By Tione Andsen

Lilongwe, November 25, Mana:  Government has admitted that access to financial resources remains a corners stone to transformation.

Minister of Trade and industry. Sosten Gwengwe said this during the launch of Grants programme under Southern Africa Trade and Connectivity Project (SATCP) ay Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe.

He said provision of tangible financial support particularly to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) would unlock the country’s economy.

Gwengwe said the grants would empower the SMEs to produce value added products that would be competitive at regional markets.

“We need to address the bottlenecks facing value adding process and provide alternatives that are long lasting” the Minister added.

He pointed out that the private sector involvement in the implementation of SATCP remains key and needs to play a vital role in helping in financing.

The Minister viewed that the key to the success of the loans would depend on the SMEs that would be reached out and saying there was need to reach out to new one so that they should benefit too.

He urged 15 participating councils to make use of the grants in order to consolidate the issue of promoting value chains.

Gwengwe thanked the World Banks for granting Malawi a 50 percent grant from the US$ 150 million loans to be implemented in the SATCP.  

World Bank Senior Private Sector Specialist, Efrem Chilima said the World Bank was keen to ensure that value addition and commercialization in the agriculture sector was promoted.

He said there are number of projects the Bank was implementing in the country in order to commercialize the agriculture sector in order to achieve economic growth.  

By Austin Kananji

Lilongwe, November 25, Mana: The Ministry of Labour held a pre-departure orientation today at Lilongwe Technical College for the first batch of agricultural workers heading to Israel aimed to prepare them for their upcoming roles and responsibilities, with their departure scheduled for Thursday this week.

Speaking at the event, the Director of Planning in the Ministry of Labour, Patricia Zimpita, emphasised the importance of the pre-departure orientation saying it will provide the necessary information to the successful Malawian Agricultural workers which will help them during their tenure in Israel.

“This is to prepare the successful candidates that applied for the agricultural work in Israel under the Malawi-Israel Labour export programme. We are orienting these candidates for them to know what is expected of them, and what they are going to do in Israel and also how they are going to conduct themselves in Israel so that they do not find themselves in trouble or stranded in any instance,” she said.

Director of Legal Services in the Ministry of Labour, Chapusa Phiri, highlighted the importance of conducting the pre-departure orientation which he said will help the successful candidates understand more the terms and conditions of their contract agreement before leaving for Israel.

“I emphasised much on the employment contract to our young Malawians so that they know what they are letting themselves into and understand their responsibilities as they go to Israel,” he said.

In an interview with one of the selected candidates to work in Israel, Lumbani Chiwaka, expressed the benefit of being part of the successful candidates being recruited by the government.

“The importance is that as Malawians we will learn different aspects concerning the type of irrigation to utilise and bring back that knowledge here in Malawi to showcase to others what happens in the farming sector of Israel,” he said.

The pre-departure orientation aimed to equip the first 29 Malawian agricultural workers as recruited by the government with crucial information about their upcoming employment in Israel by emphasizing the importance of understanding their contracts, and expectations, as per the Memorandum of Understanding which also differentiates it from the previous departures made by the private recruiters where workers were deployed with no orientation on the nurture of the agricultural jobs.

Mzimba, November 25, Mana: Child Affairs Officer in the Ministry of Gender, Community development and Social Welfare, Neil Masamba says government intends to train over 40,000 care givers in Early Childhood Development (ECD) to enhance their tutorial skills. 

Masamba made the remarks on Sunday at Embangweni in Mzimba during an open day organised by the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC)'s Development Broadcasting Unit (DBU). 

She said there are many caregivers who lack requisite skills to train young minds hence the plans by the ministry to offer them training. 

"We acknowledge the gaps in teaching skills among care givers and because of that we will be training them in phases. The aim is to equip them with skills in teaching children", said Masamba. 

MBC's DBU coordinating officer, Sebastian Mthatiwa, urged parents at Embangweni in Mzimba to send their children to ECD centres.

"Early Childhood development is critical in children between 0 and 8 years because it helps build cognitive skills such as language skills, problem solving and memory retention. We therefore urge communities to embrace ECDs for their children," he said. 

Mthatiwa said MBC has entered into a contract with Unicef to raise awareness on the role of men and women in ensuring children between 0 and 8 years attend ECD centres.

Mmbelwa District Council official, Isabel Chakhame said the council attaches great significance to education of children and encouraged parents to send their kids to the centres.

Traditional Authority Mzukuzuku urged organisations to help set up ECD centres in more villages to ensure more children attend early childhood lessons.

By Charles Nkhoma & Martha Rukunya

Lilongwe, November 25, Mana: Minister of Trade and Industry, Sosten Gwengwe, has announced the inaugural Malawi-European Union (EU) Investment Forum, set to take place at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe from November 26 to 28, 2024.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lilongwe on Monday, Gwengwe highlighted that the forum aims to solidify investment partnerships with EU member states, paving the way for increased foreign investment and driving Malawi’s economic growth.

“This partnership will open up new opportunities for local Malawians, with a focus on three key pillars: Agriculture, Tourism, and Energy. This forum is also a call to action, encouraging stakeholders to work together to attract investment and unlock Malawi’s economic potential,” he stated.

EU Ambassador to Malawi, Rune Skinnebach, said the forum is part of on-going efforts of the EU in Malawi of Growing Malawi together (Kukuza Malawi Limodzi) campaign and the EU Global Gateway Strategy.

 “The Investment Forum serves as a stepping stone for the roll out of the Global Gateway EU-Africa investment package which aims to foster strong, inclusive and sustainable growth across Africa by promoting green and digital transitions, infrastructure development, and human capital growth. The forum offers a vibrant platform for potential investors and project owners to engage and collaborate,” he said.

The Malawi-EU Investment Forum marks a significant milestone in strengthening economic ties and attracting transformative investments to Malawi.

It underscores government commitment to fostering sustainable growth and creating opportunities for its people through strategic international partnerships.

President Dr Lazarus Chakwera is expected to official open the forum on Tuesday.

By Wanangwa Tembo

Kasungu, November 25, Mana: Democratic electoral processes are predicated on the assumption that voters will make informed choices and the importance of an informed electorate is reflected in international norms that place significant value on the importance of civic education.

As part of the processes leading to the September 16, 2025 General Elections, the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) is conducting voter identification exercise whose third and last phase starts this Thursday and will end on December 11.

National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Public Trust Executive Director, Gray Kalindekafe says voter registration process is a fundamental pillar that upholds the integrity of the entire electoral system, describing it a bedrock upon which the legitimacy of elections rests.

“The shared aspiration to participate in the democratic process can only be realised if the voter registration process is accessible and inclusive, where every eligible citizen, regardless of their status and location, has the opportunity to register and vote.

“This inclusivity is crucial in a diverse society like Malawi, where marginalised groups often face barriers to participation. By addressing these barriers through targeted outreach and simplified registration procedures, the electoral process becomes a true reflection of the people’s will,” Kalindekafe says.

He says Nice takes civic education as a crucial element of the electoral process and employs various methodologies in what it calls a ‘360 Degrees’ approach to civic education where the mission is to leave no one behind.

“People’s participation is the hallmark of democracy. To get them involved, we need a robust voter registration that is transparent. This transparency is achieved through public awareness campaigns that educate citizens about the registration process and their rights.

“When people understand how the system works and their role within it, they are more likely to trust and engage with it. So this is where we come in, employing strategies that reach everyone, regardless of where they are,” he says.

The 360 Degrees strategy involves bombarding all available mediums – the air, water and land – with messages about election processes and citizen participation.

Specifically, it involves the use of music and dance shows, radio and television programmes such as jingles, drama, debate and music.

Additionally, it employs village community meetings, letters and door-to-door visitations, interactive sports bonanzas, drama performances, visits to video show rooms, interactions with bicycle taxi operators and fishermen in water bodies and every other available space for mobilisation.

“We understand the electorate comprises of people with different literacy levels and capabilities hence the model guides us to use various approaches that befit the audience being targeted.

“It worked well in 2014, 2019, 2020 and we are using it in the current processes beginning with voter registration. And with a team of over 12 000 volunteers and programmes officers in all districts across the country, we are assured of reaching out to every person that needs to participate,” Kalindekafe says.

A visit to some districts in the central and southern regions last week revealed that registration numbers had picked up, raising hope for better outcomes than feared.

In Kasungu, District Programmes Officer, Gerald Chirwa says numbers were bad in the initial days of the registration but improved in the subsequent days following a successful mobilisation campaign.

“There is a trend that people tend to do things at the last instance. It was the same with the registration. But we are hopeful that we will have good figures looking at the interventions that we employed.

“We chose democracy and it has its pillars, one being that people must participate in electoral processes, specifically, choosing their leaders. It is a process that starts with voter registration, so people must always be willing to take part in this process or democracy will die,” Chirwa says.

His Zomba and Blantyre and Dowa counterparts also describe the turnout as being fair, pointing out that more women turned out than men.

“We used various strategies to woo people to register such as letters read in prayer houses, night criers, market visits, village meetings, mobile vans and many others.

“One thing that has to be appreciated is that there has been an increase in the number of registration centres which also means that distances have significantly reduce. On its own, this should have been an encouragement for people to go and register,” says Kondwani Neba, officer for Zomba.  

He says citizens must participate in democratic processes such as elections so that they are able to influence the direction of their country.

“When elected officials are truly representative of the population, they are better positioned to address the needs and aspirations of their constituents,” he says.

Elinati Chipwaila of Lupsya Village in the area of Senior Chief Wimbe says she is excited to have registered as a voter, describing it as capital for her children’s future after 2025.

“Messages are all over that we should go and register. The registration process is itself very simple.

“My advice is that wherever the exercise is still in progress, let people go out in large numbers. This is our only political capital and comes once in in a while so we cannot afford to miss it,” Chipwaila says.

On his part Chikumbutso Lyford, from Chibwenza Village in Traditional Authority Chakhaza in Dowa says organisations such as Nice invest a lot and work tirelessly towards electoral processes as demonstrated in the previous elections which should signal to people that participating is important.

He says while participation is not compulsory, good citizenship entails that one must participate in making decisions that affects his or her life, in this case, registering to vote.

There have been calls from various stakeholders to extend the voter registration exercise citing challenges such as alleged unavailability of National Registration Bureau crew in registration centres to assist prospective registrants who do not have a citizen identity card as demanded by the new electoral laws. It is feared the challenges would result in many people being disfranchised and leading to a low voter participation.

However, MEC Communications Officer Richard Mveriwa says the electoral body is impressed with the turnout so far.

The MEC has already registered voters in 28 councils and the last phase will cover seven councils which are Lilongwe City and Rural, Mzimba, Mwanza, Chikwawa, Mangochi and Nsanje.

The commission is yet to release figures for its second phase of the registration which covered Likoma, Nkhata Bay, Ntcheu, Kasungu, Dowa, Luchenza, Thyolo, Zomba, Mchinji and Blantyre.

However, in the first phase, MEC identified 2 224 307 voters against a projection of 3 423 066 12, representing 65 percent.

The first phase covered Machinga, Chiradzulu, Neno, Phalombe, Mulanje, Nkhotakota, Ntchisi, Salima, Dedza, Mzuzu and Karonga where at least 56.7 percent of the projected males and 72 percent of the projected females turned out to register.

In line with the 360 Degrees strategy, Nice looks at civic education as a war against the twin enemies of elections which are low registration and voter turnout and null and void votes.

The 2025 general elections, will be the seventh national contest since the introduction of multiparty democracy in 1994 and the third to be held in a tripartite fashion.

Experience shows that intensive and sustainable mobilisation employing the 360 Degrees paradigm is key in dealing with disinterest, voter fatigue and electoral myths and misinformation that result in apathy.

By Pempho Nkhoma

Blantyre, November 24, Mana: In a bid to promote and expose young talented artists, a record label called Warge Records held an Urban Music competition dubbed: 'The Next Big Ting.'

The competition started on October 5 and it was open to artists from different genres.

Founder and Producer at Warge Records, Wanangwa Phiri told Malawi News Agency (Mana) that over the years they have been contributing to Malawi music industry by giving young artists a platform to present their art.

“We have unearthed young talents that have eventually achieved superstar status in our country through our Riddim Projects, as well as Music Shows. It is in the same spirit that we introduced the Warge Records ‘Next Big Ting’ music competition,” he said.

Phiri added that the competition was targeting young artists from the age of 20 below to be given a chance to record five songs for free.

“During the competition the elements that the judges were looking for were originality, melody, composition and lyrics. After the analysis Rixy-B emerged the winner,” he said.

Afro Pop artist, Rixy-B real name Alickangelo Lazaro for winning the competition will get a five all paid for studio sessions at Warge Records, shoot videos and promotion for the five songs that shall be recorded.

In his remarks, Rixy-B observed that the competition was tough, acknowledging that there were many talented artists while expressing gratitude to Warge Records for the opportunity on account that it will help him to grow musically.

“I have been looking for this opportunity to push my music, given a chance to record five songs at Warge Records will shape my career because this is a big studio,” he said.

One of judges, reknowned artist Blaze, real name Blessings Gwengwe said the competition has the potential of helping young stars to find a platform they are pursuing in music circles.

“Being one of the fruits of Warge Records in Malawian music industry, I believe young talented musicians can benefit from this initiative if they follow and subscribe to all the terms and conditions,” he said.

The competition was participated by 15 young artists who recorded their songs with the same instruments and submitted to the panel of judges.

Over the years Warge Records have promoted the talent of artists like the late Mafunyeta, Malinga Mafia, Blaze, Mady P, Gibo Lantosi, among others.

By Prisca Promise Mashushu

Lilongwe, November, 25 Mana: President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has condemned vandalism of ESCOM resources saying it is retrogressive to the company's efforts to make Malawi a free blackout country.

Chakwera made the sentiments on Monday during the official launch of the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Project in Kanengo sub-station in Lilongwe.

“I would like to appeal to Malawians to avoid vandalising ESCOM resources such as poles, cables and others in order to ensure that everyone has access to electricity hence the police should investigate all vandalism cases that are happening in the country.

“The launch of BESS has been designed to reduce blackouts and cost of electricity by having reliability in electricity distribution to all people of the nation, but it can only happen if people in the country protect ESCOM resources since electricity is for all,” said Chakwera.

Echoing with the presidents sentiments, Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola, said the launch of BESS is important to boost energy sector that has been facing many challenges including persistent blackouts and vandalism of electricity resources among others.

“A journey of thousands miles begins with a single step and the launch of BESS is just the beginning of many projects that government is planning to provide to the energy sector in order to ensure that all people have access to electricity without facing blackouts, while  improving climate change,” he said.

Chairperson for ESCOM, Morgan Tembo, said the launch of BESS will help to improve stability and reliability of the national power grid as it will have the capacity to hold 20 megawatts of electricity.

“BESS will facilitate effective distribution of power, reduce outages and increase access to eelectricity. It will also provide frequency support in case of emergencies when electricity is shut down unaccepectebly,” said Tembo.

The project is expected to provide electricity to natives in different parts of the country by June 2025 and ESCOM has fueled US$ about 2.4 millionn to complete the project.

Tembo has, therefore, warned people who engage in vandalism of ESCOM resources to desist from such malpractice saying it is drawing back development in the country.

Vice President for Africa Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), Joseph Karanja Nganga, explained that the launch of BESS symbolises the spirit of ambition and innovation to ensure that Malawi has access to electricity.

“With energy present in the country, our farmers will be able to use technology equipment when farming and also they will be able to store crops easily. It will help in flourishing business activities; schools can work smoothly and the health sector can improve without having any draws back.

“Our ambition is to work alongside visionary leaders such as President Chakwera in order to fulfil a common goal of having access to energy globally,” Nganga explained.

Nganga said that the launch of BESS is also proof that Malawi can overcome tremendous challenges concerning energy.

The project has been funded by the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), the Malawi government and ESCOM.

By Gift Chiponde and Paul Madise

Lilongwe, November 25, Mana: Residents of Dedza district have been encouraged to make effective use of the inputs they procured through the 2024/2025 Agricultural Input Program (AIP) to achieve self-reliance and create wealth at the household level.

The appeal was made by Village Headman Solowa at the Bembeke Fertilizer depot, who emphasized the importance of the AIP in enhancing crop yields and addressing hunger in rural communities.

"It is important to acknowledge the government’s efforts through the Ministry of Agriculture. As beneficiaries, we have to utilize these initiatives to maximize crop productivity rather than selling them to vendors," said Solowa.

Salowa further urged beneficiaries to adopt modern farming methods to increase yields and that farmers should embrace good agricultural methods for them to realize enough yields.

"As government distributes fertilizer to all Malawians nationwide this season, I appeal to responsible beneficiaries to collaborate with the government in tackling food shortages in our communities," Solowa stated.

In his remarks, Village Group Leader Kadammanja from Traditional Authority (TA) Kamenyagwaza noted that the commencement of the AIP demonstrates government's commitment to reach the intended beneficiaries on time.

"We must recognize government's effort, as they have embarked on mass distribution of AIP resources across the country. This development is very encouraging. However, it is concerning that, some may misuse this initiative. Such malpractices are not tolerated in our communities because they lead to food insecurity," said Kadammanja.

Evijenia Maliteni, a beneficiary from T/A Kamenyagwaza, expressed her excitement after successfully purchasing two bags of fertilizer.

“I hope to harvest enough for my family and even have a surplus that can transform our lives through increased yields compared to last year," she stated.

Maliteni further said she has committed herself to effectively use AIP opportunity as a tool for achieving food security.

By Albert Mulizakamba

Balaka, November 24, Mana: Police in Balaka District have apprehended three individuals identified as Mailosi Thole, 42, Francis Banda, 44 and John Akambwiri, 36 in connection with the theft of bags of maize, fertilizer and bales of sugar from a motor vehicle.

Confirming the development, Balaka Police Station Deputy Public Relations Officer, Sergeant Mphatso Munthali said the incident took place during the night of October 4 to 5, 2024 along the Chingeni-Liwonde Road.

"The arrests were made during a targeted operation in the district whereby a truck driver Patrick Awali was transporting fertilizer, maize and other assorted items and he noticed upon reaching Liwonde that his truck had been tampered with," he said.

"A subsequent check revealed that an unspecified number of bags of maize, fertilizer and other items were missing," he said.

Munthali added that the incident was later reported to Balaka Police Station and through diligent intelligence gathering; the three suspects were arrested on November 22, 2024.

Meanwhile, police have recovered nine bags of maize, 11 bags of fertilizer and six bales of sugar, all valued at K1,600,000.

All suspects hail from Khozi Village in the area of Traditional Authority Makwangwala in Ntcheu District and they are expected to appear in court soon to face charges related to the theft.