By Tione Andsen

Lilongwe, August 11, Mana:  Malawi Netball Teams, “the Queens” can claim its lost glory if funds are injected for early preparation and camping for the team.

Leeds Lionesses professional netballer, Joyce Mvula made the suggested Saturday at Gateway Mall Netball Court in Area 47 in Lilongwe in an internment with Malawi News Agency (Mana).

She admitted that the team’s performance has gone down in the recent past but this was due to lack of adequate preparation and camping.

Mvula said early camping was helping a lot and players were able to jerry well and formulate good combinations.

The Queens Goal Shooter observed that nowadays that the Queens, they only have one week of camping for big tournaments and the results are usually disastrous. 

“When I was first called into camp in 2010, we used to be in camp for two months when preparing for big tournaments.” Mvula recalled.

She noted that teams like England, New Zealand, Jamaica and Australia have already started camping for 2025 Commonwealth games and 2026 World Netball cup.

“Look at the seriousness of the teams that we play with. If we are to progress, we need to emulate what our friends are doing too and then we will be at par with them. Netball Association of Malawi through National Sports Council need to support the Queens technical and financially,” Mvula explained.  

She believes that, “In camp make the players happy and happy players win games always.”

Former Queens captain, Emmie Chongwe attributed to delays in injecting new blood into the team.

“We are taking long to replace our aging players and as result we are being caught up. We need to have a fine succession plan and   more days of camping in order to develop our play. We have talent and the only way we can nature it is to scout it,” she said.

By Tione Andsen

Lilongwe, August 11, Mana: Provision of better sports equipment remains fundamental prerequisite to the development of any sport code in the country.

Leeds Lionessess in England and National Netball Goal Shooter, Joyce Mvula made the sentiments Saturday in at Gateway Mall Court in Area 47 when she presented assorted sporting shoes to Immigration Netball team which is playing in the Gateway Mall Central Region League sponsored by Mpico to the tune of K 40 million.

She said development of any sporting code starts with the essential basic equipment such as such balls, uniforms, whistles and playing surface.

“A well-wisher who opted to be named has collected and provided the fairly used shoes which has been donated to Immigration netball team,” Mvula disclosed.

The Leeds netballer added that, “Sometimes people would ask for assistance and I had just to ask some other few friends to help. I have collected the parcel and I have presented to Immigration netball team.”

She said her role was only to facilitate the delivery of the items to the intended beneficiaries which are Immigration netball team.

Mvula said playing on hard surface was prone to lots of injuries and wearing of sporting shoes help to curb some of them particularly in our country where most playing courts are made of hard surface.

Immigration Netball Coach, Aaron Gopani expressed gratitude to the well-wishers saying the donation would go a long way in improving the standards of play for her players.

He said playing shoes are one of the critical equipment most teams in the league are lacking and the coming of the shoes has narrow the gap his was facing in terms of equipment.

“I am hopeful that the donation will help to boost morale in my camp and the team will start doing betters in our league games,” Gopani added.

By Hastings Yobe & Patience Longwe

Lilongwe, August 10, Mana: President for the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), who is also State President, Dr Lazarus Chakwera has thanked all party members who volunteered and donated for the party's convention.

The President said this on Saturday at Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC) during the closing ceremony of the party’s 2024 elective convention.

“I want to thank all party members who run small businesses all over the country but still decided to donate their income to support the convention because this is what is needed for the stronghold of our party,” said Chakwera.

Chakwera further urged the newly elected National Executive Committee (NEC) members to be hardworking, committed and work as a team.

“You should keep in mind that the people who have elected you are united, hardworking, lovers of peace and do not bring anything opposite to this. We respect the rule of law and not strength of individuals,” Chakwera said.

Newly elected Secretary General, Richard Chimwendo Banda, emphasized on the need for the new committee to work in unison in order to achieve better results.

“I strongly advise for peace to those who are in the party. We must work together even with those we were contesting against on the same seat we are on now. We must remember that we are children of the same family,” said Chimwendo.

Chimwendo also thanked the delegates for choosing what he called democratic leadership.

“This convention has proven that our delegates know what is best for the party because they have voted each position wisely,” said Chimwendo.

The MCP elective convention started on Thursday, August 8.

By Hastings Yobe

Lilongwe, August 10, Mana: The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) convention at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) auditorium has reaching its climax, with musician Skeffa Chimoto setting the tone with soothing music as delegates await the commencement of today's events.

The highly anticipated events, expected to start shortly, will be graced by the presence of State President and MCP President, Dr Lazarus Chakwera.

Today's proceedings mark the finalization of all events held during the convention, resulting to the announcement of the official results for the party’s new National Executive Committee (NEC) by the Malawi Electoral Commission.

By Rosalia Kapiri

Salima, August 9, Mana: Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) says the media has a powerful role to play in making sure that correct information is passed on to the public, thereby facilitating in voluntary tax compliance in the country.

MRA Head of Corporate Affairs, Steven Kapoloma disclosed this on Thursday, in a statement during a media editors training on new tax measures and MRA initiatives workshop in Salima.

Kapoloma said MRA engaged various media organizations to take them through the various tax administration reforms and measures that have been implemented by MRA and the new technologies employed to fight smuggling.

"Editors are key gatekeepers of information and engaging them will make sure that the information going out to the masses is the correct one.

"MRA is committed to ensure that all tax knowledge and skills are shared with members of the press to advance capacity and guarantee effective utilization across the news gathering chain," he said.

In his presentation, MRA Training Manager under Domestic Taxes Division, Samuel Mwale highlighted the introduction of tax stamps, a tool to help identify goods that have come through the border and are of good quality and genuine.

He said this will help differentiate smuggled goods from legitimate ones on the market of which teams deployed to search will be confiscating goods without MRA stamp found on the market.

"Tax stamps is not a new type of tax, but a compliance monitoring tool," he said.

He added that MRA will run campaigns to encourage the general public to report non-compliance for rewards.

The Authority has appealed to the public to adhere to the paying of taxes, saying they enable Government to implement various social services such as buying of medicines for hospitals, learning and teaching materials in public schools, developmental projects such as construction of roads and paying of salaries to civil servants, among others. 

By Brian Wasili

Mwanza, August 9, Mana: Senior Chief Nthache of Mwanza has hailed Mwanza District Council for constructing two classroom blocks at Mthetula, Group Village head, Kasuza where the council is introducing a Community Day Secondary School to provide secondary education within reach of children in the area.

In an interview on Wednesday Nthache said in the past the leaners from Mthetula used to walk long distance to Chidoole Community Day Secondary School (CDSS), regarded as next school, adding that the long distance to Chidoole frustrates children’s interest in education.

“Now that the school is going to open within a walkable distance, our children will be motivated because many will be selected to start form 1 and this will surely promote education in my area,” said Nthache who also expressed optimism that cases of school dropout will end in the area.

The classroom block which is at roofing level has been constructed with last financial year’s Constituency Development Fund at a total cost of about K45 million.

Also under construction at the new school is a staff house with Performance Based Grants by Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) project at a cost of about K118. Million and there are plans to build an administration block estimated to cost K143 million, courtesy of GESD.

Mthetula CDSS is expected to open this coming academic year (2024-2025) and will bring the number of secondary schools in Mwanza to nine with Mwanza District Secondary School being the only boarding public school in the district.

Emily Nyozani a primary school learner in the area commended the introduction of Mthetula CDSS in the area, which she said, will reduce drop out of girls in the area.

“I am particularly grateful for having a secondary school in our area because this will be convenient on our part, the walking distance is reasonable,” she added.

She encouraged fellow girls in the area not to rush for marriage but rather stay in school to go up to secondary school as the new facility is there for them.

By Chisomo Kambandanga

NKhata Bay, August 9, Mana:  A citizen of the United States of America, Teneil Jayne has constructed a two kilometer slab road at Bwelero in the area of Sub Traditional Authority Mndola in Nkhata Bay to ease mobility challenges.

In an interview, Thursday during the road handover ceremony, Jayne said the challenges that people face in accessing medical services prompted her to mobilize resources for the project.

"I have stayed in Nkhata Bay for about eight years now.  One of the major problems I noticed is transport for people to access medical services. Expectant women struggle hiking down the mountains as the roads are impassable, hence a stretch of the helping hand" she said.

According to Jayne, she witnessed people getting injured due to accidents as they hike down the hills.

"I commend the community and their leaders for their contribution towards the project with sand among other resources. Together with the little that I mobilized from family and friends we have made it," she said.

In his remarks, Nkhata Bay District Commissioner, Rodgers Newa commended Jayne for the gesture of improving the condition of the road as it has opened a door of opportunities to many.

"This is quite a welcome development. The terrain of Bwelero is hilly and it was extremely difficult to travel through it. We are today happy to witness the handover of this project.

Newa therefore invited more partners and well-wishers to continue supporting government's efforts in developing communities in the district.

Mary Banda, a resident from the area said the road has connected them to a number of services they have been failing to access with ease.

"For ages we have been failing to access this road either by car or foot. The situation was worse during rainy season. Now that it has been repaired we are grateful. We are now connected to hospitals, schools and even trading centres to transport agricultural products", she said.

By Wanangwa Tembo

Kasungu, August 9, Mana: Chairperson for Association of Persons with Albinism (APAM) – Kasungu Chapter, Caroline Zimkomola says beliefs against people with albinism are a major barrier to their full participation in politics.

She was speaking in Kasungu on Thursday during an elections stakeholders meeting on women's participation convened by the Catholic Centre for Justice and Peace (CCJP).

Zimkomola said there is need to remove the hindrance and has asked civic education organizations to help raise awareness on the rights of persons with albinism to demystify the myths, which have largely contributed to killings.

She said: “The mention of elections worries us because this is the period some people make evil schemes against persons with albinism resulting in abductions and deaths.

“It is for this reason that most people with albinism opt not to take part in political activities because they feel insecure even to attend political rallies.”

Zimkomola said persons with albinism have the potential to campaign, participate as voters and also contest for leadership positions, but are let down by superstitions.

“We need to seriously look at this issue because it borders on serious threats to the right to life.

“Communities on the other hand must be made aware through intensified civic education about the rights of persons with albinism so that there is a safe environment for everyone to take part in elections,” she said.

In his remarks, District Gender Officer for Kasungu, Humphrey Longwe said political structures must create a conducive room for women participation by ensuring that bottlenecks that discourage women to contest as leaders are cleared.

He said gender equality is not a favour towards women but a virtue that communities must accept and adopt as the correct way of living in a civilized world.

He said: Women’s perspectives, needs and interests must be adequately represented in decision-making processes, which ensures that policies and laws reflect the diverse experiences and challenges faced by all citizens.

“Gender-diverse leadership leads to better governance and more effective policies as women often bring different priorities and approaches to leadership which contribute to having more comprehensive policies.”

District Coordinator for CCJP, Hastings Kalima said the meeting was organized to reflect on the challenges women face in the political arena to increase the number of women in decision-making positions.

The meeting brought together members of the clergy, political and traditional leaders, civil society representatives, women groups and the media.  

In all the general elections that happened in Malawi, women have performed badly such that their numbers in both Parliament and councils have been a source of concern for the country that is striving to promote and empower women.

Only 44 of the 193 Members of Parliament in the country are women, representing 23 percent.