By Mirriam Bwanali

Blantyre, April 16, Mana: To address the increasing number of street-connected children, the Blantyre City Council (BCC) and the Concerned Youth Organization (CYO) held a stakeholders’ engagement on Tuesday to discuss potential initiatives.

Speaking during the event, Vice Board Chairperson for CYO, Dr. Estiner Katengeza said the project aims to come up with interventions to address the plight of street connected children and build a responsive, inclusive and child friendly city.

“We are in the process of developing strategies that will work in addressing the issues surrounding the presence of street children," she said.

Mayor for BCC, Joseph Makwinja said some people fail to visit Blantyre City because of street connected children.

"Everywhere in Blantyre City you will find street connected children. Some sleep under the bridges due to lack of shelter and struggle every day to survive. It is our duty as leaders to help those children fulfil their dreams," he said.

Makwinja said not all street connected children are criminals as some come in the streets just to find basic needs.

A former street connected child, Innocent Tengeza, who is also the Director of Hope for Children Trust said in order to end the presence of street connected children, BCC needs to find people who have a good relationship with the children so that they can guide them and change their mentality.

"Giving money to street connected children is what encourages them to continue living in the streets.

“Instead of giving them money, we can just provide them with what they are lacking and you will see that their numbers will reduce,” Tengeza said.

The meeting was attended by councilors, lecturers, Non-governmental Organizations, street connected children, police and representatives from various commercial banks.

By Gift Chiponde

Lilongwe, April 16, Mana: A heated land dispute has erupted in Lilongwe's Area 44 under Traditional Authority Tsabango, where community members are strongly opposing the decision by the Lilongwe City Assembly to review the boundaries on land belonging to Msambeta Primary School.

The controversy centres on a piece of land that, according to the title deed seen by Malawi News Agency (MANA), belongs to Msambeta Primary School but Zion Christian Church and other individuals encroached the land and they are also developing on it.

It is revealed that Zion Christian Church was already allocated land in Area 17 in order to stop encroachment but they are still clinging to the land having also taken the land in Area 17.

Chiefs and residents have argued that the land was legally and rightfully designated for educational use to meet the growing demand for school infrastructure in the area and the land was previously used as market.

Speaking to MANA, block leader Gomani confirmed that the land in question was reallocated to the school after a thorough assessment of the community’s needs.

 “The area was previously used as a market, but considering the pressing demand for education facilities in the area, we made the decision as chiefs in this area to allocate for the construction of Msambeta Primary School in 2007,” he said.

He further noted that the relocation of the market was done in the interest of development and that it was a community-driven initiative aimed at prioritising education for future generations.

Echoing the chief’s sentiments, the area’s councilor, Ben Chafungatila, said that the community followed all the necessary procedures including land registration, and now possess a valid title deed for the land in question.

“We have evidence of proper registration and documentation, the land belongs to the school and its purpose was clearly laid out from the beginning. This decision did not happen overnight—it was the result of a participatory process involving local leaders and the Ministry of Lands,” he said.

The School Management Committee chairperson Patson Kamphero further clarified the history of the land, stating that although it is not linked to the church, the land served as the market in the past.

 “People who were trading at the market were relocated, but they were not compensated because they welcomed the development; the land now legally and morally belongs to Msambeta Primary School,” he said.

Concerns have also emerged over the church’s claim to the land. When approached for comment, one of the church’s trustees noted that, in accordance with Zion Christian Church policy, only their spokesperson in South Africa is authorized to speak on behalf of the church.

Adding to the tension, Msambeta Primary School’s headteacher Shadreck Nandolo has raised alarm over ongoing encroachments that are severely hindering the school's operations and expansion plans.

“Despite the school having the land, people are cultivating crops on it without our consent. This is not only a violation of the school’s rights but also a major setback to our development goals,” the headteacher stated.

He added that plans to construct additional classroom blocks and recreational facilities have been delayed due to the uncertainty surrounding land ownership and encroachment by community members and, now, the church.

Community members are urging the Lilongwe City Assembly to intervene and resolve the issue swiftly and justly. They say the review of the boundaries of school land undermines efforts to improve educational infrastructure and deprives children of their right to learn in a conducive environment.

Currently, Gift Nankhuni, a prominent lawyer, has said that he will provide "pro bono" services to people of Msambeta in order to safeguard the land belonging to Msambeta Primary School.

By Patience Longwe

Lilongwe, April 16, Mana: The Senior Resident Magistrate Court in Lilongwe has convicted four men and slapped them with various imprisonment sentences, ranging from 13 to 20 years each, for commiting robbery in Lilongwe’s Area 46 on December 25, 2024.

According to Lilongwe Police Station spokeperson Hastings Chigalu, the convicts have been identified as Yohane Daniel, 26, Evance Lufeyo, 39, Madalitso Soniyala, 37, and Dickson Mavuto, 30.

Chigalu said Daniel and Lufeyo have been sentenced for 20 years whereas Soniyala and Mavuto have been jailed for 18 and 13 years, respectively.

Chigalu said on the stated date at around 01:20 hours, a group of more than ten criminals, including the convicts, while armed with panga knives, burglar bars and hacksaws, broke into a certain family’s house in Area 46 where they started demanding money, cellphones and laptops.

“And to force their demands, the criminals hacked and wounded two children and two other family visitors who had come for a wedding ceremony to take place the next day.

“Looking at how the children were bleeding after the assault, the family succumbed and surrendered to the criminals two cellphones and K25,000, all valued at K600,000,” he said.

Chigalu further said after instituting investigations, detectives arrested three of the convicts before arresting Lufeyo at Kamuzu Central Hospital where he was receiving treatment.

Representing the state, Assistant Superintendent Evance Kantukule of Lilongwe Police Station prayed to the court to give the four a stiffer sentence, citing the manner in which the offence was committed, in addition to its seriousness in nature.

Kantukule further said that by resorting to hacking and wounding innocent children for the convicts to get what they wanted, they clearly demonstrated their savagery behaviour that deserved no mercy of the court.

Passing his sentence, Senior Resident Magistrate Bracious Kondowe concurred with the state by describing the convicts as very dangerous and a threat to society, adding they deserved temporary isolation from the outside world.

He then went on to pronounce the respective imprisonment sentences with hard labour to the four convicts, depending on each convict’s role in the robbery.

Meanwhile, a manhunt for the convicts’ accomplices who are still at large is underway.

Both Soniyala and Mavuto come from Lilongwe in Traditional Authority (T/A) Malili and T/A Kalumba, respectively.

On the other hand, Daniel comes from Mlangali Village in area of T/A Kachere in Dedza, and Lufeyo hails from Mwanje Village in T/A Kadewere in Chiradzulu.

By Paul Madise

Lilongwe, April 14, Mana: Commissioner of Police Dennis Chipao has described the launch and orientation of the Police Public Order Management Policy and Guidelines for 2025 elections as timely and crucial in strengthening democratic policing, upholding the rule of law, and ensuring peaceful elections in 2025 and beyond.

Chipao made the remarks at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe during the official launch of the 3^rd version of the Police Public Order Management Policy and orientation of all Police Commanders across the country.

The initiative has been financed through the Malawi Electoral Support Project (MESP) basket fund to significantly enhance the Malawi Police Service`s capacity to manage public order situations effectively while ensuring the protection of human rights and promoting democratic values ahead of the September elections.

He emphasized the importance of human rights protection and the need for such engagement to ensure human rights are maintained and safeguarded, further underscoring the need for guidance on the use of force amidst various interventions during elections.

Chipao also noted key advancements in the revised policy, including strengthening accountability, ensuring justice for both police and the public, and the importance of de-escalation and proportionality in the use of force.

“The major role of the police is to maintain law and order to make sure that the space is secure and the rest of the people are protected. Let's make sure that everything is done peacefully and in an orderly manner. We have only one Malawi to protect,” said Chipao.

In his remarks, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Representative Azhar Malik said UNDP remains committed to deliver capacity-building training and advisory support through MESP.

Furthermore, Malik commended the project`s developmental partners, including the European Union, Ireland, Norway, United Kingdom, and the United States government, for their unwavering support to the democratic governance of the country, describing the policy as a roadmap tailored for Malawi.

“This handbook explains guidelines on how the policing of the Public Order events needs to happen, and what the responsibility of the Malawi police service as regard to international guidelines on maintaining peaceful protest.

“So we hope that after the launch of these guidelines, the relevant people will be trained, and implement them in practice as well in different jurisdictions.”

However, Malik has urged Police senior officers in the country to lead by example in upholding the values of the policy and aligning their teams with the vision for rights-based policies.

The Launch and Orientation of the Police Public Order Management and Guidelines attracted key stakeholders from UNDP, International Criminal Court(ICC) and Malawi Police Service, among others.