MANAonline
President Chakwera says the appointment of SCs are not political
By Sellah Singini
Lilongwe, 30 August, Mana: President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has said the conferment of Senior Counsel (SC) to Eight Justices of Appeal is not a political appointment and that he would never entertain the practice of giving positions as a political favour.
Dr Chakwera made the remarks at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Friday, when he conferred the SC title to the newly appointed ones.
The eight Justices of Appeal who have received the honours of Senior Counsel are Justice Healey Potani, Justice John Nelson Katsala, Justice Ivy Chatha Kamanga, Justice Mankhambira Charles Ching’anyi Mkandawire, Justice Dingiswayo Madise, Justice Dolothy Nyakaunda Kamanga, Justice Silvester Augustino Kalembera and Justice Rowland Mvundula.
Speaking at Kamuzu palace, President Chakwera said, the appointment of those conferred followed all the recommended processes.
“I must therefore make it clear that any practice from the past that gave the title Senior Counsel as a political favour ends with me. For this is not a political appointment, but a fulfilment of what the law requires of the Honours Committee when it comes to those who have accomplishments and credentials in the legal profession,” he said.
“Today, we are designating senior counsel members of the legal profession who have been recommended to me by the honours committee chaired by the Chief Justice. I must therefore make it clear that any practice from the past that gave the title of SC as a political favour ends with me,” he added.
The President therefore, congratulated the SCs for the achievement and expected them to be impartial and objective.
Minister of Justice Titus Mvalo highlighted how crucial it is to recognize the efforts, integrity and abilities of the conferred Justices of appeal in the legal affairs of the country.
In an interview, Justice Ivy Chatha Kamanga said she feels honoured and privileged for the recognition.
She said the honour is giving them responsibility to deliver to the expectations of all the Malawians.
Dedza women embrace Digital Financing Services
By Steve Chirombo
Dedza, August 30, Mana: Women who ply various small-scale businesses and those in Village Savings and Loans (VSLs), in Dedza district, have hailed awareness raising campaign being conducted by AC Consulting in conjunction with the Reserve Bank of Malawi and the Ministry of Finance on Digital Financial Services (DFS).
The campaign which is being done with support from the African Development Bank (ADB) seeks to educate the communities on the need to embrace digital financial transactions through banks and mobile money companies describing them as safe and secure.
One of the women, Labina Samuel a tailor from Mthandizi area under Traditional Authority (T/A) Kachere in the district stated that she embraces the initiative as it simplifies her financial transactions.
Samuel said: “When I am doing my business, I recommend mobile money transactions because it simplifies my work. Customers do send exact money as agreed and I do not have to go about looking for change hence it saves my time.”
Another woman, Linda Chinyanga, from Katsekaminga under T/A Kamenyagwaza who sells bread and other food items said DFS is fast, easy and secure.
“I know more about Airtel money and Mpamba transactions. Some of the challenges experienced are network hitches. These affect our businesses sometimes particularly when we are receiving money from customers,” she stated.
On the other hand, a VSL member, Tereza Fountain from Mkwinda Village under T/A Chilikumwendo expressed satisfaction with the messages on DFS especially on mobile banking.
She said like many other community members, she could not fully understand the technologies and that there was a need for continued efforts in disseminating messages on DFS so that many communities understand the need to embrace the initiative.
On his part, Traditional Authority Chauma applauded government for enabling the initiative to happen and reach out to the communities with the DFS messages while appealing for continued updates on the same and also accommodating the less privileged like the elderly and those with disabilities.
Speaking in a separate interview one of the facilitators under AC Consulting, Margret Luis Mbwana said they are in Dedza for a month reaching out to people in markets, VSLs and Area Development Committees (ADCs) with DFS messages.
“The government realizes that VSLs, women and all those doing small-scale businesses are the ones that contribute to the development of the country. This is why we are encouraging them to know about mobile banking, TNM Mudziwathu, Mpamba ndikankhe, Airtel Kutchova and other services.
We are imparting them with messages on how they can transfer cash in their mobile phones without traveling long distances to the banks. We all need to embrace DFS because the government uses more resources in issuing paper monies,” she said.
Jetu finds love
By Lisa Lamya
Blantyre, August 30, Mana: It was all fun for Jetu (Christina Kholiyo) fans Thursday night when she participated in a Blind Date Show in search of love.
The 40-minute show was hosted by Kelvin Ngumuya popularly known as Jaa Kev of Madness Entertainment.
The show brought together seven eligible bachelors from across Malawi who were hoping to win the heart of Malawi’s Amapiano Queen.
Dressed in a white suit with rose flower patches on her jacket designed by award-winning fashion designer, Xandria, Jetu looked gorgeous; her killer outfit was complemented by Oxford shoes, a wig, and her signature white sunglasses.
The eligible bachelors were between the ages of 25 and 50, but they were all not fazed by Jetu’s age which is 71.
The men carried balloons and when Jetu was not pleased with some of the qualities of the men, she popped the balloon signifying that they stood no chance to win her over.
In the final round of the show, Jetu picked one luck one, 55 year old Ian Chitsekula and the decision to continue dating after the show is up to them.
In an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana), Assistant Manager at Madness Entertainment, Review Wasema said some participants have found love through the show and they have no hand in what happens after the show.
“We sponsor the show, for instance, Jetu’s show cost us about K1 million and because people subscribe to watch the show we give the participants a share of the proceeds,” he stated.
The show is being accessed through Ulinzinga platform at a fee of K1,000.
Jetus’s fans supported her quest for a lover through her Facebook page such that Evans Namasiku wrote: “This is beautiful, big up to everyone taking part in our Jetu's life transformation,”.
Jetu is currently one of the biggest artists in Malawi, her songs “Simunatchene and “Chakwaza” have 779,000, and 2.4 million YouTube views respectively.
Silver Strikers drop points in Karonga
By George Mponda
Karonga, August 30, Mana: TNM Super League leaders, Silver Strikers Football Club have dropped two points after playing to a one-all draw against relegation-threatened Chitipa United at Karonga Stadium Thursday.
Silver who are yet to taste defeat this season were stunned by Ramadan Ntafu's penalty 26 minutes after their defender Nickson Mwase handled the ball in the 18-yard box.
Immediately after Ntafu converted his penalty into a score, the Bankers’ Coach, Peter Mponda made two changes bringing in Charles Chipala and Gift Chunga whilst Zebron Kalima and Chinsisi Maonga were rested and the first half ended 1-0.
In the second half, Charles Chipala headed home a throw-in by McDonald Lameck at 51 minutes to level the scores and they held each other until the referee blew his whistle ending the game at 1-1.
Rajab Nyirenda of Chitipa United was voted Man of the Match at the end of the game.
In post-match interviews, Silver Strikers Coach, Peter Mponda hailed his boys for maintaining their unbeaten run in the league this season.
"Although we planned to collect all three points, we have salvaged a point which will still help us in our quest to win the league this season. Chitipa scored from a penalty and after that, they did nothing much, all the same, this result is not bad for us,"Mponda said.
On his part, Head Coach for Chitipa United Christopher Nyambose promised the team’s fans that the team will not be relegated this season.
"If our team is relegated then we will kill football in Chitipa so our plan in the second round is to collect points which will ensure our survival in the league,"Nyambose said.
At the moment, Silver Strikers are leading the league with 44 points from 18 games followed by Mighty Mukuru Wanderers who have collected 38 points from 19 games.
Chitseka, a teen launches Jimbo Mart
By Alex Kachingwe
Blantyre, August 30, Mana: Blantyre-based teen, Prince Chitseka has launched Jimbo Mart, a company that connects sellers and buyers across the country to transact electronically in what is termed, e-commerce.
18-year-old, Chitseka who is the founder of Jimbo Mart told Malawi News Agency that he decided to establish the company after observing a gap in e-commerce.
He said a lot of businesses in Malawi fail to increase their visibility and market reach, adding that the gap prevents business people from selling their products.
“Jimbo Mart provides a platform where sellers can create an online store for their products and be able to reach a wider market and at the same time buyers can browse through different products, enabling them to purchase these products anywhere,” said Chitseka.
To prevent online fraud, he explained that every seller on the platform undergoes a verification process before uploading their products to ensure that the uploaded products are real and available in stock.
“The company has an additional security measure (escrow) which allows a buyer to make payment on the platform and the company holds the payment until the seller completely delivers the purchased product to a customer,” Chitseka added.
Commenting on the innovation, Blantyre-based business expert, Hope Jabes hailed Chitseka for being innovative saying this is the right innovation in the right direction in this modern digital era.
“We are living in a digital world where we cannot run away from the use of technology. Providing such business platforms means buyers can access a variety of products they want everywhere, every time,” he said.
Jabes said Chitseka’s marketing innovation adds more value to modernization which is in line with the Malawi 2063 agenda, adding that a cross section of Malawians including young men need to play significant roles to achieve the goal.
“We need to learn the good impact of modernized technology which can increase economic growth, business market and national development,” he added.
Chitseka launched Jimbo Mart this year and offers free services to its customers until the end of the year.
The e-commerce company currently has registered 150 sellers and about 200 buyers have created accounts with the company.
Chitseka is currently doing an Advanced Diploma in Human Resource Management at the International College of Business and Management.
Local authorities urged to be closer to people
By George Bulombola
Mzuzu, August 30, Mana: Deputy Minister for Local Government, Unity and Culture, Owen Chomanika, Thursday urged local authorities to take central government close to the people by ensuring quality service delivery for improved access to social amenities.
Chomanika was speaking in Mzuzu when he opened a tow-day quarterly coordination meeting for local authority drawn from the north including Nkhotakota and Kasungu district councils.
He said central government has never been local and that local authorities are there to manifest government’s development initiatives for the benefit of local communities.
“Local authorities work through local structures as such they play in leading role in transforming the country through implementation projects under various sectors,” said Chomanika.
He then called for well-coordinated and team working spirit amongst all players who include directors, controlling officers who are either District Commissioners (DC), Chief Executive Officers, councilors, members of parliament (MP) and traditional authorities to ensure sanity in the council’s management and operations.
“This meeting has therefore been organized for the local authorities to reflect how the councils are performing.
There are some problems surrounding lack of commitment to duty by some members of staff, we have departments that are not talking to each other and all these challenges are issues of coordination, hence the meeting,” he said.
Chomanika also expressed concern over some non-functional positions as the assigned officers are incompetent and that some are too busy in what is not under their job descriptions besides increased executive absenteeism.
“I therefore advised all players in local authorities to be patriotic and as public officers, they need to serve the public. Everyone should work within to the expectations of his/her roles.
“We are running away from a situation where a council chairperson feels is more like a (DC) and a DC feels more like an MP. A director of finance working like a procurement officer and procurement officers behaves like a directors of public works,” he said.
Chairperson for National Local Government Finance Committee, Richard Chapweteka said local authorities have had challenges in financial management and that the issue continues to be addressed through officers’ trainings and recruitment of qualified officers.
“In this meeting we want to reflect on what we need to improve service delivery and encourage each other to sustain the gains we have made so far such as increased financing to councils, councilors introduced on payroll, financing of construction of city and town roads and increased financing to social support programmes,” said Chapweteka.
However, Chapweteka expressed over underutilization of resources by councils, saying the challenge emanates from late commencement of procurement processes as councils wait to start the process until they have the money into their bank accounts thereby impacting negatively on projects’ implementation.
“My advice to avert this issue is that councils should start procurement processes before the money is in their accounts as they already have plans and budgets and know what they would like to do in a given financial year,” he added.
DC for Chitipa, Mac Millan Magomero said absenteeism and incompetency by officers in councils could be ascertained as true as some of them take their work as usual.
“That aside, for the first time in the history of the country, local authorities have attained clean audit reports,” said Magomero.
Ministry of Mining says it will soon open state of the art laboratory
By Christina Mkutumula
Lilongwe, August 30, Mana: Ministry of Mining says the country will soon have state of the art laboratory where all analysis of mines will be done.
Director of Administration in the ministry Andrew Chisamba told Journalists on Thursday, that the opening of the laboratory is waiting for few final touches to be done which is expected to take a month or so.
“The laboratory is almost functional now and the equipment is being mounted, a few things are remaining like to construct vents in the laboratory for equipment that requires vents, and soon we will roll out,” he said.
He said the laboratory is beneficial to the country as it will now be analyzing its samples within and not sending them elsewhere.
“This laboratory is of benefit to Malawians because in the past we used to send samples outside for analysis but now we will be able to do that ourselves.
“This will cut on forex for the services that we used to pay and also will cut on the time that it took for us to get analysis results. This will have an impact on the process of Mining in the country,” he said.
Chisamba further explained that the state-of-the-art laboratory is the first of its kind in this part of Africa as neighbouring Zambia and Tanzania also send to other countries to have their mines analysed.
“This means that we have not created something for ourselves as a country, but also for our neighbours who will be sending their mines to be analysed in Malawi,” he said.
Responding if the country has enough minerals, Chisamba said Malawi has more minerals especially critical minerals which are used for clean energy production saying as the world is moving towards clean energy, there are critical minerals which are currently in high demand and Malawi has to utilize that.
Ministry of Land handovers land registration certificates to communities
By Solister Mogha
Zomba, August 30, Mana: Ministry of Lands on Thursday handed over customary estate ownership certificates to the people of Senior Chief Mlumbe in Zomba.
This makes community members genuine owners of the land and is a step towards curbing community land disputes.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Director of Human Resources in the Ministry of Lands, Francisco Zimba said by registering land, community members have the freedom to develop their land without limitations and that the process would reduce cases of land grabbing.
Zimba said according to the new Land Law, community members are encouraged to register their land, which is one way of protecting loss of land even in times of death.
“Land registration is one of the important processes that will, apart from promoting ownership of the land, also help people to care for their land knowing any damage on it will have direct effects to them. This will be very different from the current status where people do not care to what they can do with the land because they feel it does not belong to them," Zimba added.
He said it is the wish of the Ministry of Land that more people register their land for a legal biding land ownership.
Senior Chief Mlumbe hailed the ministry for fast tracking the land registration process, which he said, would reduce land disputes and other related cases.
“Issues of land boundaries have been some of the challenging situation to us. I am proud that with the certificates, chiefs will have no pressure of handling land disputes," the senior chief said.
One of the beneficiaries, Esnart Symon said by registering her land, she is assured of full ownership and that no one would come threatening her.
“I am excited because finally, I have become owner of my land. My children and grand grandchildren are assured of the land,” she added.
Jonathan Kanyangalazi from the Malawi Watershed Services Improvement Project (MWASIP) which has supported the ministry of lands carry out the exercise said it was exciting that finally the much awaited process has been completed.
Kanyangalazi said during project assessment period it was discovered that many families were failing to take part in sustainable land management activities because they did not own any land.
This, he said prompted them to support the land registration process with hope to attract more into sustainable land management interventions.
“All we expect from them in massive contribution in sustainable land management activities knowing that they have their land where they can do several land management activities, “he said.
In Zomba, the exercise started in the area of Senior Chief Mlumbe.
First round concludes in Gateway Netball League
By Tione Andsen
Lilongwe, August 30, Mana: First round games for K40 million Mpico sponsored Gateway Mall Central Region Netball League games are expected to wind up this coming weekend.
According to General Secretary of the League, Daniel Chigowo, teams are expected to conclude the first round by playing games at Gateway Mall Netball court on Saturday, August 31, 2024.
With the big one which involves Civonets against Young Eagles as they will be battling it out for the second position on the table.
He told Malawi News Agency (Mana) Thursday in Lilongwe that the conclusion of the games would spell out clearly as to which teams are fighting for the title and which one are battling for relegation.
“We are very happy to report that Mafco Soldiers fulfilled their fixtures last weekend where they were able to play against Sharp shooters and Blue Eagles Sisters,” Chigowo revealed.
He said it was worrisome that the Salima netball outfit, Mafco Soldiers some two weeks ago were unable to fulfill their fixtures as a results they donated points and baskets to others teams in the league.
“When they returned they managed to beat struggling Sharpshooters by 59 baskets to 14 and they lost to current league leaders, Blue eagles Sisters by 35 baskets to 15. With the win the move on the ladder from position eight to seven with five points,” the General Secretary explained.
A Netball follower from Ntandile in Lilongwe, Anne Phiri noted that Boma, Immigration and Sharpshooters need to do something in their last games in order to raise their points and remain relevant.
She said the points tally their have collected from eight games are not encouraging and this is putting them on an awkward position.
“The bottom three teams are not looking good and these teams they need to jack up as they are not here just to fulfill their fixtures. We need teams that will compete in such leagues not that will only participate and donate points anyhow,” Phiri fumed.
Currently, Blue Eagle Sisters are topping the chart with 16 points from eight games and they are seconded by Young Eagles with 14 points from the same number of games while Civonets are third with 14 points on the same games played.
League results of August 25, 2024
Dyna Queens 35 Young Eagles 44
Sharpshooters 14 Mafco 59
Immigration 16 Vanessa 50
Lioness 36 Civonets 37
Blue Eagles Sisters 35 Mafco 15
Weekend fixtures for August 31,2024
Boma vs Immigration@ 9: 00 am
Vanessa Sisters vs Sharpshooters @ 10:30 am
Dyna Queens vs Lioness @ 1:00 pm
Blue Eagles Sisters vs Boma @ 2:30 pm
Civonets vs Young Eagles @ 4:00 pm
LWT launches sourcebook to promote wildlife, environmental education
By Moses Nyirenda
Lilongwe, August 29, Mana: Lilongwe Wildlife Trust (LWT) has launched a sourcebook on wildlife and environmental education for primary schools which seeks to promote wildlife and environmental education in the country's primary schools.
The sourcebook among other things is tackling issues about waste and water management, how people would interact and relate with animals as well as forest conservation.
Speaking after presiding over the launch of the sourcebook at LWT's Environmental Education Centre in Lilongwe on Thursday, the Secretary for Education in the Ministry of Education, Dr Mangani Katundu applauded LWT for the sourcebook.
“The sourcebook will not only benefit the learners in terms of the environment but it will also enhance their ability to think and solve ethical dilemmas associated with wildlife and environmental conservation,” Katundu said.
He added that the sourcebook will also assist learners to attain skills, knowledge, competences and attitude that are in line with environmental conservation that would make them appreciate the value of wildlife, environment and natural resources that the country possess.
He also said the sourcebook would also enable the pupils to understand their role in protecting the wildlife and human from catastrophes associated with environmental degradation and climate change.
Katundu further added that the ministry will make use of the sourcebook in primary schools in order for the learners to learn more about wildlife and environmental conservation.
“We are going to incorporate the sourcebook in primary schools so that pupils should gain more knowledge about wildlife and environmental conservation,” he said.
Also speaking at the launch of the sourcebook, LWT Director of Programmes Dorothy Tembo Nhlema said that as LWT they decided to come up with the sourcebook after observing a limitation of wildlife and environmental education in the national education curriculum.
“When we looked at the curriculum we realized that it is little lean in terms of wildlife and environmental education and when we engaged the Ministry of Education the they agreed that indeed primary school curriculum is limited in terms of wildlife and environmental education.
“This prompted us to develop the sourcebook so that it should be used in primary schools for wildlife and environmental education,” Nhlema said.
LWT has developed the sourcebook with support from Nyika Vwaza Trust, Born Free Foundation as well as Tusk and the first copies of the sourcebook will be distributed in 16 primary schools across the country, according to Nhlema.
