Items filtered by date: May 2025

Lilongwe, March 27, Mana: Minister of Labour, Vitumbiko Mumba, is set to launch a Netball League in the Northern Region worth K25 million to support participating teams in the competition.

The launch, which is being done in collaboration with the Netball Association of Malawi (NAM), will take on April 5 in Mzuzu.

Mumba said the league will help unlock netball career in the Northern region.

He highlighted the transformative power of sports in fostering social development, promoting physical and mental well-being, and empowering youth and women.

“The K25 million sponsorship is for one year but we have plans to sponsor the league for three consecutive years,” he said.

Meanwhile, NAM has expressed gratitude for Mumba’s vision, which aligns with thee association's objectives to rebuild and strengthen sports initiatives across the country.

According to NAM, registration for teams in the Northern Region will begin soon in preparation for the league.

By Sylvester Kumwenda

Dowa, March 27, Mana: Member of Parliament for Dowa East, Richard Chimwendo Banda, has warned people in the communities involved in recruitment of beneficiaries under the free food distribution program, against coercing beneficiaries into sharing maize with them.

He was speaking on Wednesday when he inspected some centers during a free maize distribution exercise conducted by Dowa district council.

Banda warned beneficiaries that some unscrupulous people may want to demand some of the maize from them.

"Some people would want to ask for a share of the maize from you arguing that they helped you to get enrolled on the beneficiaries list. You must not allow this to happen. This is your maize and only meant for you and your families.

"Be assured that government also has systems used in identifying participants for a program. Similarly, let me warn anyone who may think of doing this that once found, appropriate actions will follow," he said.

Banda, who is also the Minister of Local Government, Unity, and Culture, stated that the government recognizes that many more people are in need of food assistance. He noted that the situation has worsened due to the current erratic rains, which have negatively impacted people's harvests.

"We will continue with the food distribution exercise, though we cannot reach out to each and every family, but the best we can do is to start preparing on how government will help those who will be affected," he said.

During the 2024 - 2025 lean season, ultra-poor households on the program were earmarked to receive three bags of maize per household to carter for them for three months.

In Dowa, beneficiaries had already received two of the bags and this was the third bag they had received.

In total, 2,063 bags were distributed on the day at five centers, namely; Maweru, Thonje, Kanyenge, Kaula and Mvera, all in Senior Chief Chiwere.

Speaking in an interview at Mvera, one of the beneficiaries, Malizani Levisoni, thanked government for the assistance.

"I am receiving the maize on behalf of 82-year-old Stelia Jelemane, who is currently sick and cannot manage to walk here.

"But this is a very good intervention because not everyone has the strength, opportunity to be food secure all year round. So we are very thankful," he said.

Disaster and Risk Management Officer for Dowa, Twambilire Ngosi, said the exercise went on well.

"There were no challenges, and people expressed appreciation saying the intervention was timely," she said.

By Patience Longwe

Lilongwe, March 26, Mana: In a commendable display of corporate social responsibility, Centenary Bank has taken a proactive step towards combating climate change.

The bank, in partnership with teachers from Mphunzi primary School in Malingunde Zone in Lilongwe, embarked on a massive tree-planting exercise, with over 3, 000 trees planted in a single day.

In his remarks made on Wednesday during the tree planting, Managing Director for Centenary Bank, Godfrey Byekwaso said the Bank's commitment to environment sustainability is a shining example for other corporate entities to follow.

“By investing in the future of the planet, the bank is demonstrating its dedication to the well- being of not just its customers but the entire community.

"Our goal with this initiative is more than just planting trees; we want to involve the community, especially students, pupils and the communities in raising awareness about the need to protect our environment.

“These trees will not only help the environment around the schools and the communities who are mostly affected when it comes to issues such as cyclones, when they hit, but also leave a legacy that will benefit future generations to come for environment conversation and sustainability" he said.

Byekwaso also encouraged everyone to take pride in what they were doing because the trees represent their shared responsibility to create a better future for themselves and for the generations that will come after them.

Senior Chief Samuel Masumbakhunda, highlighted the importance of the tree-planting program, saying its aim is to reduce the impact of climate change and promoting agriculture and ensuring food security.

He said, "The initiative also highlights the importance of collaboration between the private sector, local communities and government institutions in addressing the challenges posed by climate change.

“By working together, Malawians can make a significant impact in reducing the country's carbon footprint and promoting sustainable development.”

Meanwhile the Primary Education Officer (PEA), Theodora Sakala, has acknowledged the bank's commitment saying the trees will help to create a good environment for learners and has also asked the Centenary Bank to extend the program to other schools in her zone.

Centenary Bank is planting 5,000 trees across different areas in Lilongwe and their initiative is to contribute to environment sustainability in Malawi through planting of trees in areas where there is deforestation or better yet no trees at all.

By Andrew Phiri

Balaka, March 26, Mana: Police in Balaka have arrested a 42-year-old man, Precious Peter, for burglary and theft.

Balaka Police Station Public Relations Officer, Gladson M'bumpha, said the incident happened during the night of November 25, 2024.

M’bumpha said unknown criminals broke into the house of a business person, Maxwell Malefula, and went away with assorted electronic gadgets including three smart phones, a Dell laptop and a television screen.

"Detectives from Phalula Police Unit have been on the ground conducting investigations.  A call log  led to the arrest of the suspect on Tuesday, March 25, 2025,” he said.

M'bumpha said during the arrest, Police managed to recover two smart phones, Central Processing Unit (CPU) for a computer, an amplifier and a 52 inch television screen, all  belonging to Malefula. 

Peter, who hails from Chikumbu Village, Traditional Authority (TA) Kunthembwe in Blantyre District, will appear in court soon to answer charges of burglary and theft.

By Chisomo Kambandanga

Nkhata Bay, March 26, Mana: Foundation for Children’s Rights (FCR) has withdrawn five girl children from early marriages in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Zilakoma in Nkhata Bay.

FCR Project Manager, Chimwemwe Singini, made remarks Tuesday during the project’s progress presentation to Nkhata Bay District Council Technical Working group.

Singini said the achievement has been registered within a span of six months through the ‘Addressing Sex and Gender Based Violence (GBV) through social analysis and action Project’ which the organization is implementing in the district.

Singini attributed the achievement to well coordinated efforts among community structures such as mother groups, parents, community gender technical working groups, teachers and traditional leaders in attaining the project’s goal.

“The project was intended to address gender related issues such as child marriages, economic abuse and marital and interpersonal conflicts perpetuated by masculinity.

“Hence, in the long run, we have managed to rescue five girl children from early marriages as one of our immediate achievements within six months,” said Singini.

District Community Development Officer for Nkhata Bay, Jacob Moloko, hailed the coordination between the council and FCR in promoting human rights in the district.

“This project has helped us revamp some of the community structures that were already in existence through the Spotlight Initiative Project.

“I am happy to say that all the five girls withdrawn from early marriages are back to school,” said Moloko.

He said, for GBV survivors to sustain their lives they are supposed to be empowered economically as such the project also trains survivors in savings and loans groups.

He, therefore, urged all development partners in the district to emulate FCR’s gesture by involving relevant sectors in implementing their projects.

The K50 million project is being implemented with financial support from the United Nations Development Programme.

By Yankho Kandio

Salima, March 26, Mana: Experts in Malawi’s construction sector have called for improved procurement processes to enhance infrastructure quality and curb corruption.

Speaking during a National Construction Industry Council (NCIC) training on Tuesday in Salima, NCIC Chief Executive Officer Gerald Khonje emphasized the need for stakeholders to understand the complexities of procurement in construction.

“Unlike buying ready made goods, construction procurement involves hiring experts to oversee an entire process, from design to execution. If you get the wrong person, you get the wrong product,” Khonje said.

He pointed out that some public projects have failed due to poor planning, lack of expertise, or corruption.

He, therefore, urged stakeholders to adhere to NCIC’s Code of Ethics, which provides guidelines on professional conduct.

The training brought together representatives from key institutions, including the Reserve Bank of Malawi, World Vision, ESCOM, Water Boards and Malawi Housing Corporation, to discuss best practices in procurement and consultancy selection.

World Vision’s Governance and Partnership Specialist, Innocent Pendame, highlighted how procurement inefficiencies can compromise the quality of infrastructure projects.

“To deliver quality projects, we must ensure that integrity is at the heart of procurement. Fraud and corruption destroy infrastructure and put lives at risk,” he said.

Atikonda Mtenje Mkochi from the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) described procurement as a complex process requiring strict accountability in resource management.

The training sought to equip stakeholders with knowledge on procurement best practices, ethical standards, and policy compliance to ensure sustainable infrastructure development in Malawi.

By George Mponda

Karonga, March 26, Mana: Minister of Transport and Public Works, Jacob Hara, has officially handed over the Chiweta-Karonga stretch of the M1 Road to SOS Construction for maintenance works, with the contractor set to commence work next week.

Speaking when he inspected the Chiweta-Karonga M1 Road on Tuesday, Hara said the stretch is in a poor state due to lack of periodic maintenance.

Hara said: "This is an important road for our country but it hasn’t been maintained for the past 25 years. The good news is that government has brought in contractors who will start working on this road to make sure it is in a good state."

"We're going to have multiple contractors to ensure that the work is done in the shortest period of time possible. So, we have SOS Construction who will be working from Chiweta to Uliwa. We are also going to have another set of contractors who will start from Uliwa to Karonga patching the potholes that are developing now before they get worse," he added.

According to the Minister, prompt and timely maintenance of roads is a cost effective approach that not only saves money but also conserves resources in the long run, rather than waiting for roads to deteriorate further.

Roads Authority Regional Manager for the North, Fletcher Mkandawire, said the Chiweta-Karonga M1 Road has developed so many potholes posing nightmares for road users.

"We have received assurance that the initial funding to start the works has been put in place, and that's the reason why we have brought SOS Construction to start working on the road.

“Government has considered the need for maintenance, and they have put aside resources which will be used to work on this road for a period of almost six months," said Mkandawire.

By Maston Kaiya

Ntcheu, March 26, Mana: Beneficiaries of the Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-EPWP) in Ntcheu are combating effects of climate change by harvesting rainwater for their farming activities.

In an interview with Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Tuesday, Steven Dende, a participant from the Linengwe Catchment Area, said with various interventions, his maize field survived the dry spells the area experienced last year.

Interventions under the programme include construction of swales, marking ridges, gully reclamation and afforestation, among others.

"Some climate smart agriculture related activities have enabled many smallholder farmers in the area to adopt best agricultural practices," he said.

Dende, who hails from Malonda Village in the area of Senior Chief Makwangwala, is this farming season expecting to harvest 20 bags of maize weighing 50 kilograms each on his two-acre piece of land.

Another participant, Alfred Makhuyula from Mthinda Village under Group Village Headman Makwangwala, said farmers in the catchment area will experience bumper yields than before.

"If we compare the past years in terms of crop harvests, the adoption of best agricultural practices have completely changed the lives of farmers. This clearly shows that CS-EPWP is a game changer,” he said.

Linengwe Catchment District Designated Officer, Etikeni Masache, said the programme is improving livelihoods of many communities who have adopted the best climate smart agricultural activities in their maize fields.

"We construct swales and marker ridges to make sure that we harvest rainwater and use the same in times of disasters like dry spells," he said.

Masache said through marker ridges and swales 488 participants under the Linengwe Catchment Area have managed to harvest running water in 115 hectares of land in this year's farming season. 

He adds that participants are also paid at the end of the day to improve household income and support needs of their children’s education.

CS-EPWP is a component of the Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project (SSRLP) in Malawi which is funded by the World Bank and the Multi-Donor Trust Fun and is aimed at improving household resilience, incomes, and food security, while also promoting climate change adaptation.

By Paul Madise

Lilongwe, March 26, Mana: Minister of Higher Education, Dr Jessie Kabwila, has underscored the significance of open conversations to address both educational and economic challenges facing the country towards the realization of an inclusive, wealth and self-reliant nation as embedded in Malawi 2063 (MW2063) blueprint.

Kabwila made the remarks on Tuesday at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe during the contact dialogue of the Malawi School of Government (MSG) with the outgoing National Planning Commission Director General Dr. Thomas Munthali and various stakeholders including the academia.

Kabwila emphasizing the importance which honest and evidence-backed discussions plays towards the transformation of the country.

She also stressed the need for public and private sector collaborative and transformative actions to address challenges in the agriculture sector stating recourse allocation and the need for innovative financing mechanisms saying such actions necessitates achievement of national developmental goals.

She acknowledge the commendable the leadrship roles played by the outgoing NPC Director General, Dr Thomas Munthal, noting that during his tenure, he ensured that NPC remained independent, professional and apolitical.

Kabwila said Manthali played a pivotal role in conceptualizing, driving and championing Malawi's long-term development agenda, the MW2063, and the MW2063 First 10-Year Implementation Plan (MIP-1); and fostering strategic partnerships across state and non-state actors.

“Whatever it is we are doing at higher education, we are teaching people to re-invent the wheel, she said."

NPC Chair, Prof. Richard Mkandawire, reiterated the need for mindset change, particularly from a capitalist perspective, to achieve fairer economic outcomes emphasizing the need for a differential approach to leadership to drive economic progress.

Mkandawire attributed the role leaders play in leveraging aid and financing in driving economic development further ensuring effective use of aid to achieve economic progress.

On the country's economy and education strategies, Munthali emphasized the importance of standardized training programs that align with the country's education goals.

He noted the importance of involving various stakeholders including cabinet ministers and parliamentarians and the role of professional institutions in empowering the next generations.

On February 4, 2025, NPC  announced that Munthali will be stepping down from his position effective March 31, 2025 to take up a new role at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, United Kingdom.

By Sarah Phiri

Mzimba, March 26, Mana:  Chief Preventive Health Officer for Mzimba District Health Office (DHO), Bestido Nkhoma, has disclosed plans to distribute 469,169 long lasting insecticide treated mosquito nets.

Nkhoma made the revelation Tuesday during a briefing and orientation meeting for District Executive Committee members.

He called for collective efforts when registration for the exercise starts in April.

“We are going to start registration of household next month. This process is very crucial as it determines the number of beneficiaries. Therefore, we ask each one of us to encourage people in the communities to register in large numbers so that we can win the fight against Malaria in the district,” Nkhoma said.

The nets are treated with chemicals that have a lifespan of three years before they can be retreated.

Nkhoma said the nets will help households to stay protected for a long period of time.

He, therefore, pleaded with the would-be recipients to use the nets for its intended purpose.

“We are pleading with the people of Mzimba to desist from using the nets for vegetable farming and fishing activities.

“Malaria is a dangerous disease hence distributing the nets to protect people from mosquitoes so that we reduce malaria in the district,” Nkhoma said.

One of the participants, John Mwambughi, an Economist at M’mbelwa District Council hailed the DHO for the initiative stating that it would help save lives.

“I commend the DHO for being proactive. It is disheartening to lose loved ones to a disease that can be prevented. With this campaign, some of these deaths will be prevented hence saving resources spent on Malaria,” said Mwambughi.

The exercise that will be carried out using door to door approach targeting about 187,011 households in the district is being funded by Global Fund to the tune of K251 million.