Nthanda Times

Day: March 7, 2024

  • Chawinga calls for women football support

    Malawi Women’s Football National Team striker, Temwa Chawinga, has expressed disappointment with the lack of support for women’s football in the country, attributing it to the underperformance of the national team.

    Speaking in an exclusive interview with BBC’s Sportsworld, the surprise top scorer of the 2023 world football season highlighted the challenges faced by the team despite boasting highly skilled professional players.

    Chawinga lamented, “The country doesn’t prioritize women’s football; all the attention is directed towards men’s football. Unfortunately, the lack of support has hindered the women’s national team’s participation in Olympic qualifiers.”

    Despite these obstacles, the former DD Sunshine striker, who recently signed a new two-year deal  with American side Kansas City in January this year, remains hopeful.

    Chawinga celebrating one of her goals at the 2023 Women Hollywood Bets Cosafa Cup

    She believes that her own success, alongside that of Tabitha Chawinga, can catalyse increased support for women’s football in Malawi.

    “I am confident that our achievements can spark a positive change, leading to greater support for women’s football. It’s essential for us to nurture a strong women’s football team,” she added.

    Chawinga’s remarkable performance saw her scoring 63 goals across all competitions, including for the Chinese Women’s Super League side Wuhan Jianghan University FC and her national team, surpassing Ronaldo’s tally by nine goals.

  • First Lady inspires needy students

    First Lady Madam Monica Chakwera has implored needy students to work hard in school to achieve their educational goals despite facing challenging financial situations.

    Chakwera said this at Mzuzu Government Secondary School on Thursday, during an interactive session with student beneficiaries under her Shaping Our Future Foundation (SOFF) bursary scheme.

    The First Lady shared with the students her personal background and how she nearly dropped out of school.  

    “My parents could not afford to pay school fees for me up to Form 4. They managed to pay school fees for my Form 1 and Form 2, however, they got into huge debts and I was going to drop out of secondary school.

    “In those days, with a Junior Certificate of Education [JCE] you could still go for nursing or teaching but I didn’t want to end at Form 2 because I had capacity to go on. By God’s grace, I was bailed out by Save the Children which paid for my Form 3 and Form 4,” she said.

    Madame Monica Chakwera speaks during her visit to Mzuzu Government Secondary School-pic by Lisa Kadango Malango

    Chakwera said it is such a background that inspired her to introduce scholarship schemes through SOFF to ensure that needy boys and girls are accessing and completing secondary school education.

    Deputy Minister of Education, Nancy Mdooko hailed Chakwera for the bursaries, noting that one of the most common factors barring some students from attaining secondary school education is financial constraints.

    Mdooko said government through the Ministry of Education, is increasing bursaries to needy students in secondary schools.

    “The number of bursary beneficiaries increased from 30,138 in 2019 to 42,043 in 2023, indicating an increase of 39.5 percent and this figure surpasses the national education sector investment plan [NESP] 2025 target of 40,000,” Mdooko said.

    She said although the number of student beneficiaries has increased over the years, there are 19, 105 needy students in various secondary schools requiring bursary support. 

    Head teacher for Mzuzu Government Secondary School, George Chunga hailed  the first lady for donating 20 desktop computers which he said will facilitate effective delivery of computer studies at the school. 

    One of SOFF bursary beneficiaries, Uchindami Nyirenda thanked Madam Chakwera for helping her remain in school, saying she could have dropped out because she comes from a poor family.

    Apart from the desktop computers, the first lady  also donated 150 chairs, 59 desks and 50 bags of maize.

  • Private schools commend Chakwera for directing review of varsity students’ loans

    Private Schools Association of Malawi (PRISAM) – an association of the owners of private schools in Malawi – have commended President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera for directing relevant ministries to adjust upwards loans for university students.

    At the launch of the University Innovation Pod (UniPod) at the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS), President Chakwera directed Ministries of Education and Finance to work with the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) to review and increase the students’ loans and allowances to ensure they are consistent with the prevailing cost of living.

    He said it would be unfair for the loans’ board to continue giving students old rates when the cost of living had gone up.

    Kaonga: It is a relief to students

    Reacting to the development, PRISAM president Ernest Kaonga described the move as a big relief to the students, saying it the upward adjustment of the loans will address challenges emanating from the rise in cost of living, including the recent devaluation of the Malawi kwacha.

    Kaonga said the review will largely benefit students from underprivileged families who are struggling to meet the cost of living.

    “As PRISAM, we receive many letters from students from both secondary schools and universities asking for school fees. We adopted some students but we believe what the Malawi leader has done will help to alleviate financial challenges among these students, allowing them to concentrate on their education,” he said.

  • Chakwera consoles KK flood survivors, condoles bereaved families

    President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera on Thursday consoled survivors of the devastating floods in Nkhotakota, assuring that his government will do everything within its means to support them.

    Chakwera also sent a message of condolence to the families, which lost their beloved ones to the raging waters.

    After suffering a prolonged dry spell, which lasted for almost one month, the finally started receiving rains last week. But alas! The much-sought after rains were accompanied by storms and flooding in other districts such as Nkhotakota and Karonga.

    President Chakwera in Nkhotakota

    At least seven people were swept and killed by the floods while hundreds of houses have been reduced to a rubble in Nkhotakota.

    Speaking after touring the camps where the survivors are being sheltered, President Chakwera mourned the untimely deaths, stating that the country is losing a human resource it badly needs to develop.

    “Our country’s economy is already crippled because of the huge borrowing the previous administrations made. It’s very sad therefore natural disasters should be taking even the little resources we. The disasters have swept away our food and other valuable properties, leaving enterprising families and businesspeople poorer,” he said.

    President Chakwera, while assuring the survivors of his government’s steadfastness in providing support to those affected, appealed to both local and international organizations to mobilize resources towards building resilience among the affected families.

  • DCDC distributes 2,000 tree seedlings in Blantyre

    Desire Child Development Centre (DCDC) Executive Director, Williams Kangawao, has advised communities at Chemusa in Blantyre to plant and care for tree seedlings to ensure forest cover that shall mitigate effects of climate change.

    Kangawao made the plea on Wednesday at Chemusa Village, Traditional Authority (TA) Machinjiri during the distribution of tree seedlings to churches, schools and communities in the area for planting in the current forestry season.

    He said tree planting and protection against destruction should be a collective responsibility that every community member should participate in.

    “We need to take planting and caring of trees as our culture. As citizens, we should develop a habit of conserving the environment. Involving the community in tree planting is a way of ensuring that natural resources are protected,” said Kangawao.

    With support from First Discount House (FDH) Bank, DCDC received 2,000 tree seedlings which will contribute to the country’s target of 40 million trees to be planted this forestry season.

    In an interview, Fortune Secondary School Committee Chairperson, Bright Magaleta, expressed gratitude for the distribution of the trees saying it will strengthen community participation in tree management.

    “Engaging schools, churches and communities is a good development. We are promising full protection because we will take responsibility to water the tree seedlings and caging, among others,” said Magaleta.

    He asked schools and community members to take proper care of the trees to mitigate effects of climate change that ignite many forms of natural disasters.

    DCDC is a non-governmental organisation established in 2018 with the purpose of protecting and promoting life and warfare of the most marginalised children and the youth in Blantyre by proving quality and equitable early childhood development education. 

  • Two arrested for grievous harm

    Police in Chiradzulu on Wednesday arrested two women on allegations that they assaulted an 11-year-old boy for suspecting him to have broken into a house, stealing a radio and solar panel therein.

    Chiradzulu Police Station Public Relations Officer, Constable Cosmas Kagulo, confirmed the development.

    He said the incident occurred on February 22, 2024 at Mulipa Village in Traditional Authority Kadewere (TA) in the district.

    Kagulo identified the suspects as Malita Paul, 31, who is the mother to the victim and Liviness Chinthuli, 37.

    He said the matter was investigated and established that the mother to the victim took part in commissioning the offence.

    “The mother first tied the victim with rubber strings and took a hot knife, placed it on the upper left palm and left thigh of the victim, leaving him with scalds. However, the child was untied afterwards,” he said.

    According to Kagulo, in the evening of the stated date, Chinthuli also tied the victim and told the mother not to untie him until the next day.

    “The following day, the boy’s arms were swollen, a development that prompted the mother to take him to police to get a referral letter to the hospital where the boy was admitted and discharged later,” said Kagulo.

    The suspects, who will appear before court soon, have been charged with acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm.

  • Man arrested for defilement

    Police at Mponela in Dowa have arrested a 34-year-old man identified as James Kaphulika for defiling a 13-year-old girl.

    Public Relations Officer for Mponela Police Station, Macpatson Msadala, said the suspect is alleged to have committed the crime on February 28, 2024, at Mponela Trading Centre.

    He said the issue came to light after the mother to the girl on March 1, 2024 noticed that the child was having difficulties in walking.

    “When asked what her problem was, the child initially denied anything wrong with her. However, upon further probe, she revealed that a certain man grabbed her and took her behind Mponela 1 Primary School and had sexual intercourse with her,” said Msadala.

    According to Msadala, the girl provided identification features of the man and said she could ably identify him if she sees him again.

    The matter was reported to Mponela Police Station and medical examination confirmed of penetration.

    “Following investigations, law enforcers arrested the suspect who was positively identified by the victim,” he said.

    Kaphulika, who hails from Msampha village in Traditional Authority (TA) Mponela in Dowa, will appear before court soon to answer charges of having sexual intercourse with a minor.

  • Lilongwe DHO embarks on Bilharzia drug mass campaign

    Lilongwe District Health Office (DHO) has embarked on a Bilharzia drug mass distribution campaign in order to eliminate the disease in the district.

    Speaking Tuesday during a media briefing in Lilongwe, District Health Promotion Officer, Richard Mvula, said the exercise which started on Tuesday, March 5, is expected to end on March 9.

    “We are targeting school going children from the age of six upwards as well as adults. At the end of the exercise we are expected to reach out to 800,000 people in the district,” he said.

    He appealed to parents to sensitise their children to take the drugs at school once it is administered.

    Mvula captured during the media briefing

    “Bilharzia is one of the diseases which has been earmarked for elimination just like we did with other neglected tropical diseases such as Lymphatic IASIS. That is why we have decided to conduct this campaign so that no one is left behind and declare Malawi free from Bilharzia,” he said.

    Currently, Lilongwe DHO is working hand in hand with Ministry of Education by going to each and every school meeting primary school learners.

    Mvula said, in the communities they will be going around in places where people usually meet and also engage volunteers on door to doors services.

    Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN) Chief Executive Officer, George Jobe, welcomed the intervention saying it has come at the right time when the country is still receiving rains.

     “Knowing that Bilharzia has affected Malawi for a long time, it is very encouraging that the country aims at eliminating the disease. My appeal to parents and stakeholders is to positively welcome the intervention,” he said.

    The campaign is being conducted in three districts of Blantyre, Zomba and Lilongwe.

  • Ministry strengthens leadership capacity for primary school management teams

    Director of Teacher Education and Development in the Ministry of Education, Zizwa Msukuma, has emphasised on the need for strengthened leadership capacity of management teams of all public primary schools.

    He was speaking in Mzuzu on Wednesday when he opened a 10-day school leaders training.

    The leaders, drawn from Mzimba South, Likoma and Mzuzu City, include head teachers, primary education advisors, section heads, school inspectors and deputy head teachers.

    Msukuma said leadership is paramount for improved school performance through effective teaching and learning approaches.

    “Most of the teachers who are in leadership positions were just nominated in such capacities without knowing what it takes to be leaders as they did not undergo formal training on their roles, hence the training,” said Msukuma.

    He said the ministry has plans to raise the current Initial Teacher Primary Education Certificate, which is the current entry qualification into the teaching service, to diploma as a way of motivating teachers and improve their performance.

    Dr. Msukuma, leadership is very important for improved performance-pic by George Bulombola-Mana

    “Our aim is to ensure that teacher training colleges start offering diploma and degree programs and this will be done through distance learning,” he said.

    The programs are expected to roll out in the 2025/2026 education calendar after going through several process such as bench marking.

    According to Msukuma, this will necessitate functional review saying the ministry will soon write a Cabinet Paper on the same.

    Speaking on behalf of the teachers, Fletcher Mwale, commended the ministry for the training which he said would go a long way in improving teachers’ capacities in various fields.

    “This initiative will address some of the leadership gaps which school management teams face as they execute their duties,” said Mwale.

    According to one of the inspectors of schools for Mzimba South, Caroline Kadango, head teachers who are not trained in leadership roles have challenges in managing schools.

    “In such situations, most teachers develop haywire approach to their duties leading to poor performance at school, zone, district and national levels,” said Kadango.

  • DoDMA calls for extra funding

    Director of Preparedness and Response for the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), Moses Chimphepo, has asked the Parliamentary Cluster Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources to lobby government for an extra K1 billion to their budget in order for them to operate effectively and efficiently.

    Chimphepo made the remarks in Lilongwe on Wednesday after meeting the committee.

    He said DoDMA needs resources to support Malawi efficiently saying responding to disasters depends on the magnitude of the disaster and as such extra funding is needed.

    Director of Department of Disaster Management Moses Chimphepo

    He also said the prolonged dry spells that some districts have faced will require resources to help people in those areas.

    “Currently, we don’t know how many people will be food insecure and once those people are determined, we will come up with a budget for our current course.

    “For those that we know we need an additional K1 billion on top of the K1 billion which has been allocated to us. At least K2 billion will be enough for us to operate properly as a department,” he said.

    Co-chairperson for the Parliamentary Cluster Committee on Natural Resources, Werani Chilenga, said as Members of Parliament (MPs) their mandate is to make sure that people are helped through DoDMA.

    Co-Chairperson Werani Chilenga

    He said MPs will help DoDMA to get extra funding.

    “We will lobby the Ministries of Finance and Agriculture so that they should have enough funding to mitigate most of these factors,” Chilenga said.