Nthanda Times

Day: June 21, 2023

  • Chakwera recounts the success of the Ghana trip

    President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has said his travel to Ghana to attend the Afrexim Bank annual meeting and has been highly successful and beneficial to the development agenda of the country.

    President Chakwera returned home Tuesday night with one of the remarkable achievement from the trip being a staggering K2.6 trillion development package from Afrexim Bank to finance various projects, including financing of mega farms.

    “We are back from the Afreximbank annual meetings with distinct dividends in form of multi-billion investment deals towards establishment of two mega farms, an export trading company and modern industrial parks in Blantyre and Lilongwe.

    “We have also received firm assurances from the multilateral financial institution for alignment to our roadmap towards normalisation of Malawi’s debt sustainability,” he said.

    President Dr Chakwera said it was a successful tour of duty on which the government will tie some key aspects of the country’s aspirations as informed by the Malawi2063 development agenda.  

    Afriexim Bank has given Malawi the US$2.6 billion (K2.6 trillion) grant to finance construction of mega farms, industrial parks and special economic zones.

    This follows the signing of memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Government of Malawi and the bank which President Dr Chakwera witnessed on Monday in Accra, Ghana.

    President Dr. Chakwera described the signing of the MoU as a milestone which will help transform lives of Malawians.

    Chakwera described the deals as important to Malawi, saying the mega farms will contribute to food security which is at the heart of Malawi2063.

    President Chakwera greats his Vice Dr. Saulos Chilima on his arrival from Ghana

    President Dr. Chakwera also discussed with President of AfreximBank, Benedict Oramah the K650 million debt restructuring for Malawi which the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led government took.

    “We had an interesting and candid discussion with the bank which has shown solidarity in many ways. We have been assured that the talks will continue. 

    “This is important as, through it, Malawi will have an Extended Credit Facility (ECF) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF),” he said.

    Minister of Finance, Sosten Gwengwe expressed gratitude to Afrexim Bank for opening discussion talks on Malawi’s debt restructuring.

    He said one of the conditions for the IMF granting Malawi an ECF is the country’s ability to work on its liabilities so that when it receives the money it will not be used in servicing its loans.

    Gwengwe said the country has a huge loan with the bank hence the need for the two to renegotiate a repayment plan.

    He said by getting Malawi a debt restructuring plan the bank will also be able to avoid being downgraded.

    “A debt restructuring plan is a win-win situation for both the bank and the country as the country will have resources it needs,” said Gwengwe.

    President Dr Chakwera had other side meetings with other heads of state and other officials during the meeting and also participated in a round table discussion on economic and social issues affecting Africa.

  • Security Guard arrested over theft, properties worth MK3,300,000.00. recovered

    Police at Lingadzi in Lilongwe have arrested a man identified as Innocent Munkhondya who was working as a Security Guard for Serengete Energy and managed to recover properties worth MK3,300,000.00.

    According to Police investigations, they established that on June 16, 2023, the suspect took advantage of his co-worker’s absence from duty, for failing to report for duties as he fell sick.

    The suspect broke into the office where he stole a fridge, 58-inch plasma TV, a microwave,  four office chairs, and plastic chairs.

    Some of the recovered items

    After committing the offense, the suspect disappeared and never reported for work.

    On June 19, 2023, police through intelligence gathering, found someone selling a 58-inch TV at MK100,000.00 which was very questionable and suspicious.  After interviewing him, he disclosed that the properties were not his and that someone just had asked him to help in selling them.

    The suspect was then called for negotiations and upon arrival, he was arrested.

    Upon arrest, the suspect confessed that he stole the items at Serengete offices and led officers to where he kept the fridge, microwave, and other items.

    Lingadzi Police Station Public Relations Officer Salomy Zgambo confirmed the incident saying investigations are still underway to recover the remaining properties and as soon as the Investigations are done, he will appear before the court.

    Innocent Munkhondya,  24 years,  hails from Chaima village in Traditional Authority Santhe in Kasungu

  • Tsangano Market vendors hail biogas project for improving waste management, sanitation

    Vendors at Tsangano Market in Ntcheu have hailed a biogas project for contributing to the improvement of waste management and sanitation at the market.

    With financial support from the National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST), Green Impact Technologies (GIT) installed a biogas plant at the market to, among others, address the problem of poor waste disposal, which posed serious health risks to the vendors and their customers.

    Speaking when members of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Technology visited the site on Wednesday, chairperson of the market committee, James Mapondera, said the project has contributed significantly to the improvement of sanitation and hygiene at the market.

    Tsangano Market chairperson James Mapondera narrating how the biogas plant has improved sanitation at the market

    “This market produces one tonne of organic waste everyday. Unfortunately, we have had no sustainable way of managing it and this led to the deterioration of the conditions of this market,” said Mapondera.

    The chairperson of the vendors added that the project is producing organic fertilizers, which farmers from the surrounding communities are using in their fields.

    Mapondera said use of the organic fertilizers will help in reviving and boosting soil health thereby increasing agricultural production and productivity.

    “Already, the farmers that have bought and applied organic fertilizers on their fields are realising increased production. We believe that with the passage of time, farmers from this area will not need chemical fertilizers in their fields,” he narrated.

    Member of Parliament for Thyolo North Constituency and member of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Ephraim Nayeja, expressed gratitude to the Commission for organizing the visit.

    Nayeja speaking on behalf of other MPs who visited a biogas project at Tsangano Market–Photo by Watipaso Mzungu

    Nayeja said the tour to the site helped them to appreciate what innovators are doing in their efforts to contribute to the national development.

    “We have appreciated for ourselves how this project is helping in protecting the environment and saving natural resources. We pledge to continue working with NCST in promoting science and technology in this country,” he said.

    NCST Acting Director General Gift Kadzamira said with support from Science Granting Council Initiative (SGCI) and other resources from the Science and Technology Fund, they pumped in K22 million into the project.

    But Kadzamira highlighted inadequate funding as their main barrier to reaching out to many innovators.

    Meanwhile, Nayeja assured that their Committee will lobby the government to allocate more funding to the sector.

  • MPs pledge unflinching support to National Commission for Science and Technology

    Members of Parliament (MPs) have pledged to provide the necessary support to the National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) in its efforts to promote and enhance science and innovation across Malawi.

    Lawmaker for Thyolo North Constituency and member of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Ephraim Nayeja, made the pledge on Wednesday when they toured a biogas project, which Green Impact Technologies is implementing with financial support from NCST.

    Nayeja said the world over, science and innovation have played a crucial role in the attainment of social and economic development of countries; hence, the need for Malawi to take deliberate steps towards enhancing the sector.

    Nayeja speaking on behalf of other MPs who visited a biogas project at Tsangano Market–Photo by Watipaso Mzungu

    “China developed itself to the level it is today because of innovation. And if China made it, what can stop Malawi from achieving her dream out of science and innovation? We simply need to give our innovators the much needed support for them to excel in whatever they are doing,” he said.

    At this point, Nayeja assured NCST of the commitment by legislators to lobby for adequate funding towards initiatives aimed at identifying, encouraging and promoting local talent.

    He said MPs are also ready to facilitate allocation of part of the Constituency Development Fund (CDG) resources towards promotion of science and innovation in their respective constituencies.

    CURIOUS – MPs following a presentation by a technician from Green Impact Technologies

    “We’ve noted your concerns on inadequate financing. Very shortly, we’re going for a mid-year budget review and I can assure you that we will present this issue to the House. We’re there for you; make use of us in developing science and innovation in this country,” narrated the legislator.

    NCST Chairperson of the Scientific and Awards Committee, Munday Makoko, said the aim of the visit was to familiarize lawmakers with what the Commission as it carries out its mandate of promoting and coordinating local innovation.

    Makoko said indigenous science and technology is key to the development of the country.

    “The Commission is impressed with the level of commitment MPs have demonstrated towards development of science and technology. As you have seen from the field visits, Malawi has a lot of innovators who simply need the our support to achieve their dreams,” he said.

    Chairperson for Tsangano Market, James Mapondera, hailed the project, saying it will help in addressing the problem of poor waste management at the market.

    Mapondera disclosed that the market produces one tonne of waste everyday.

    In her remarks, NCST Acting Director General Gift Kadzamira said the Commission pumped in M22 million into the biogas project.

    A technician from Green Impact Technologies explaining to the MPs how the system works

    Kadzamira said the funding came from Science Granting Council Initiative (SGCI) and Science and Technology Fund.