Items filtered by date: May 2025

By Shaffie Bakali

Mangochi, July 22, Mana: Mangochi District Council Saturday elected Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Councillor for Malindi Ward, Hassan Chikuta as the new chairperson of the council, and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) councillor for Mulimba ward, Adams M’Bwana as vice.

Chikuta who was vice chairperson of the council in the just ended term emerged winner after beating his predecessor, Ivy Faith Sande of Maiwa ward.

Vice chairperson, Councilor M’Bwana was elected after beating other four fellow councillors.

Speaking soon after taking oath, the newly elected Chairperson expressed gratitude for being entrusted with the chairmanship and appealed members of the council to continue working as a team in fostering development in the district.

“I am so humbled for being entrusted with this position, and as such, I can assure members that during my period, I will ensure that chiefs, councillors, members of parliament and the secretariat should continue being in good term to achieve the needed progress,” Chikuta said.

The Outgoing Chairperson, Councillor Sande congratulated the newly elected team, and advised the new leadership to maintain unity as well as strive to meet the goals of the council.

“The election was solely to change the leadership not the council, as such, new leaders are urged to work well with the full council for the benefit of Mangochi district,” she said.

District Commissioner (DC) for Mangochi, Dr. Smart Gwedemula commended the outgoing chairperson for the progress the council registered during her tenure of office.

He encouraged the new team to continue working as a unit.

By Brenda Nkosi

Thyolo, July 22, 2023: Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Richard Chimwendo Banda has applauded traditional leaders in the country for working hard in realizing the government's vision of developing its people.

He said this Friday in Thyolo when he officially elevated Traditional Authority (TA) Bvumbwe to Senior Chief and Group Village Head Chidothe to Sub Traditional Authority (STA).

"Government recognizes the huge role that chiefs play in translating its development plans. Elevation of chiefs is done to motivate them so that they can continue working hard," Banda said.

He said unlike politicians who are elected, chiefs are God appointed people who lead the people forever.

"The chieftaincy title goes for decades. This means different governments come and goes. That is why government is always committed to work with chiefs because it is their people who benefits regardless of the political party in power," Banda said.

The Minister said a chief does not indulge in politics but rather looks after the welfare of his people and maintains peace.

Paramount Chief, Gomani has since thanked government for honouring chiefs in the country, saying the elevation of TA Bvumbwe was a special honour to their tribe.

"Bvumbwe is a brother to Gomani. So his elevation is an honour to the Gomani chieftaincy. In addition, wherever a ngoni chief is, they represent the whole tribe," he said.

Inkosi Gomani has since urged fellow chiefs in the country to lead their people with love saying this has potential to bring more blessings in life.

By Harold Mtepatepa

Lilongwe, July 22, 2023: Malawi Interfaith and AIDS Association (MIAA) has rolled out K56 million worth of project which is geared to reduce gender based violence (GBV) and HIV cases through faith communities in Lilongwe, Mchinji, Salima and Blantyre districts. 

Briefing Lilongwe District HIV and AIDS Coordinating Committee (DACC) about the project in the district on Friday, MIAA Project Officer, Wellington Nkhoma, said the project is expected to create and sustain GBV and HIV free communities.

“As we know that cases of GBV are on the rise. It is on that note that our organisation should come in and work together with the faith community.

“This project will work hand in hand with faith leaders, faith youth leaders and student based organisations like SCOM, Adventist Youth, Young Christian Students and Muslim Students Association on treatment literacy and faith healing sessions,” he said.

He added that the project will promote child-centred practices and conduct GBV awareness among communities so that they are able to speak out about GBV incidents.

This is expected to help mitigate GBV cases and implement activities that will increase access to HIV and AIDs services for boys and men.

Lilongwe District Council Principal Nutrition and HIV and AIDs Officer, Edina Mwangonde, commended the initiative, saying it will promote HIV-services-seeking behaviour and GBV prevention in the district.

“The project has come at the right time when the district is grappling with GBV and rising HIV infections. I urge district stakeholders to support its implementation,” she implored the DACC members.

United States (US) President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief will be supporting the project every year for five years.

By Moses Nyirenda

Lilongwe, July 22, 2023: St Patrick's Catholic Parish says it has raised over K10 million in the fundraising golf tournament which was organised on Saturday to raise funds for construction of its church in Lilongwe.

Speaking after the fundraising golf tournament, Dr. Mathews Mtumbuka who was the guest of honor and representative of St Patrick's Catholic Parish at the tournament expressed his gratitude towards the success of the tournament.

"As a parish we are very grateful and happy, we had a target to raise between 10 and 13 million kwacha and as we speak we have realized over K10 million" he said.

He thanked the golfers who participated in the fundraising tournament as well as the sponsors including individuals and companies such as Centenary Bank as well as NBS Bank for assisting in making the fundraising tournament a success.

Mtumbuka said the funds and resources raised have surpassed the total budget needed for the construction of the church.

"It is pleasing that the budget of our church is round K850 million and we have already raised close to K450 million.

"We have raised most of that money through paper Sundays but also members of the church were contributing items such as; tiles, roofing materials, windows, doors and cement all valued at close to K100 million," he said.

He also said the parish has other programmes in pipeline that would help to source the remaining funds for the church construction.

representative of the golf tournament fundraising organising committee, Brian Coombes hailed individuals and companies that took part in the fundraising, saying their generosity and commitment contributed much in achieving the objectives,

The fundraising golf tournament was participated by the country's Vice President, Dr. Saulos Chilima among others.

By Manasse Nyirenda

Rumphi, July 21, Mana: Councilor for Chinyolo/Mphompha Ward has been elected as new council chairperson for Rumphi District Council replacing councilor for Chitimba/Mchenga Ward, Gilbert Kasambara after leading the council for one year.

Munyembe beat Councilor for Nkhamanga Ward Alfred Butao by eight votes to three during a full council meeting held on Friday.

Munyembe has urged various sectors of the council to work together in order to achieve a common goal to improve the welfare of the people of Rumphi.

He also chaired the council from 2020 to 2021.

He will be deputies by councilor for Tcharo Ward, Starch Galatiya Kondowe.

Former chairperson, Gilbert Kasambara urged the new leadership to focus on development for the benefit of people of Rumphi.

By Memory Chatonda

BLANTYRE, July 21, Mana: Blantyre district council through the agriculture sector has launched a district-based catchment conservation management project to address land degradation problems and climate change impacts

 Launching the project on Thursday at Mkajdi sub-catchment in Kunthembwe EPA in Blantyre, District Commissioner Alex Mdooko described the project as essential for stimulating interest and mobilising communities for action in the implementation of climate-smart agriculture practices and other integrated catchment management.

"This project which falls under the World Bank-funded Malawi Watershed Services Improvement Project (MWASIP) is the continuation of the Shire River basin project that was implemented in this area some years ago to curtail the production of charcoal which was hugely practiced by some communities.

"This is why today we are launching this catchment conservation to encourage communities to participate in conservation management work to restore the environment and very soon, such participating members will be provided with matching grants to venture into non-charcoal businesses to support their livelihoods," he said.

He then encouraged communities to participate in the catchment conservation in large numbers and also take ownership of the project to ensure that there is sustainability.

In her remarks, Chief Agriculture Officer for Blantyre District Mphatso Kafuwa said in the project, participants will be involved in the management of village forest areas, and also land resource management activities such as the construction of swales, and tree planting exercises among others.

One of the beneficiaries Eneless Lungu of Mkajdi catchment hailed the project, encouraging other communities to participate in its implementation.

Lungu who is also the chairperson of the Mkajdi Catchment Management Committee attested: "From the time we started implementing catchment conservation and other climate-smart agriculture in this place, our crop yields have been doubled sometimes tripled in each passing year and we have also managed to engage in livestock production.

“...and today we are more than happy that as the launch of the project means our lives will continue to be transformed for the better both socially and economically.”

The catchment management launch was held under the theme ‘integrated catchment management for improved food security and climate resilience.

By Chisomo Kambanganda

Nkhata Bay, July 21, Mana: Nkhata Bay District Commissioner (DC), Rogers Newa says the council is geared to continue with implementation of various interventions on nutrition to improve nutritional statuses of people and reduce cases of malnutrition in the district. 

Newa was speaking on Thursday during a reward ceremony where the council was named as top winner in the Catholic Relief Service (CRS)’s Performance Based Incentives (PBI), a model through which various groups or individuals are being rewarded for star performance in nutrition related activities under AFIKEPO project.   

He said the council will prioritise improving on areas where it scored low and continue to foster coordination amongst nutrition structures.

Newa said: “We are extremely happy to be the top winning council in the competition. We are going to continue encouraging coordination among stakeholder ranging from the community to district structures. I urge everyone involved to continue working as a team for more success and development of the district.”

CRS Country Representative to Malawi, Sekai Mudonhi said as government’s partner in development they decided to implement PBI under AFIKEPO programme as a sustainability strategy.

“CRS is determined to improve people’s nutrition status mainly pregnant and lactating mothers and reduce cases of malnutrition in children. As such the PBI model is intended to promote nutrition related activities and practices within the AFIKEPO project’s catchment area,” she said.

Nkhata Bay District Council was presented with a K60 million cheque for scooping the top position while Karonga District Council which emerged runners up, went away with K40 million cheque. Traditional Authority (T/A) Kabunduli, group village heads, care groups and various households in the district were also recognized for their sterling performances and went home with various prizes. 

Afikepo Performance Based Incentive is being implemented by the CRS in 11 district councils under the AFIKEPO programme in partnership with UNICEF, FAO, Government of Malawi and University of Malawi with support from European Union.

By Chisomo Kambandanga

Nkhata Bay, July 21, Mana: People of Nkhata Bay have hailed government for its commitment in improving secondary school education in rural areas by constructing modern secondary school structures.

The sentiments were made Friday by Councillor for Chikwina Ward, Malani Kafunda following the commencement of construction works of Bula and Makumbo secondary schools in the district.

The two schools are among several secondary school the Ministry of Education is constructing across the country under Secondary Education Expansion Development (SEED) Project.

Kafunda said people in the district are excited that the project will bail out communities who have been trying so hard in the past to have the secondary schools in their areas but all efforts proved futile.

“We will make sure that these facilities are well taken care of. This will reduce school dropout especially among girls. We will mobilise resources for additional teachers’ houses and girl’s hostels to complement this good initiative,” Kafunda said.

District Commissioner for Nkhata Bay, Rogers Newa, said that there is good progress of construction works of the two schools.

“We will have three modern schools in Nkhata Bay under SEED Project. Two of them are already under construction,” Newa said

 He added that the construction of the schools is an indication that government is committed to promoting access to secondary school education.

A standard package of the secondary schools will include a science laboratory, an administration block and two teacher’s houses.

Public relations Officer in the Ministry of Education, Mphatso Nkuonera said the ministry is grateful to Government of United States of America for supporting construction of the schools they will help the Malawi Government to meet enabler number five which is Human Capital Development of the MW2063.

“We therefore appeal to other development partners to join hands with the ministry in developing the education sector. Nkuonera said.

Bula and Makumbo secondary schools are expected to be ready for use by December 2023.

By Joel Chirwa

Mzuzu, July 21, Mana: The Church and Society of Livingstonia Synod has appealed to government to convene an indaba with families of demonstrators who were killed by police on 20 July 2012 during anti- government demonstrations.

Speaking on Thursday at Zolozolo Cemetery during commemoration prayers for 11 people who were killed during anti-government protests in Mzuzu, Reverend Chipasi Chirwa said the dialogue could facilitate attainment of national reconciliation and healing.

He said the church has spearheaded the initiative of holding annual gatherings to remember the victims and remind the country on the importance of national unity and ensuring that such tragic event should not occur again.

“For the nation to move on there will be need for government to initiate measures that will pave a way towards national reconciliation and healing through dialogue with the bereaved families. There will be need for those in wrong to acknowledge that things went wrong.

“The acknowledgement should also be in form of assisting the families of the victims especially widows and children who are financially struggling following the loss of their breadwinners. Government should ensure that all school going children of the deceased should be put on bursary scheme,” he explained.

In interview with reporters, representative of the bereaved families, Mercy Mbesuma said the compensation they got when they took legal action against the state did not assist much as most of the funds went towards settling legal costs.

“Currently, most of the widows and children of the deceased are struggling to make ends meet. We would like the government to assist the widows with soft loans to start various business ventures and put their children on bursary scheme,” she said.

During the event it was learnt that most of the promises made by government authorities in previous commemorative events like fencing the deceased’s burial places and putting their children on bursary scheme have not been fulfilled.

In response to the concerns raised, Director of National Unity and Peace in the Ministry of Local Government Unity and Culture, Gerald Chigona who represented the Minister, Richard Chimwendo Banda promised to follow up on the said promises.

“On our side we will follow up on those promises. We will write a report and present it to relevant officials who will give us necessary guidance on how we can tackle the concerns raised,” he said.