Blessings Tambala

President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has reiterated his administration’s gratitude to the Government of Iceland for the various development projects the latter has implemented to improve the living standards of Malawians.

Chakwera observed that since it established its diplomatic relationship with Malawi in 1989, Iceland has undertaken a number of initiatives to uplift the lives of Malawians.

The Malawi leader made the sentiments at the Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Thursday morning during a joint press briefing with the Prime Minister of Iceland, Bjarni Benediktsson.

According to Chakwera, Iceland began its work in Malawi by supporting fisheries management and conservation, through the Icelandic International Development Agency (ICEIDA).

He added that Iceland donated to the government the “MV Ndunduma,” which remains the main research vessel on Lake Malawi up to now.

“In fact, the vast majority of fisheries experts we have in this country were trained with the support of ICEIDA. Additionally, since 2011, the Governments of Malawi and Iceland have been implementing the Mangochi Basic Social Services Programme (MBSP), which is designed to improve the livelihoods and socio-economic conditions of rural communities in the district.

“Under this programme, the Government of Iceland has provided health, education, women and youth empowerment, and water and sanitation services. As a case in point, you will recall that just seven months ago, I broke ground for the construction of a state-of-the-art maternity wing at Makanjira Centre for Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (CEmONC), which was made possible with support from Iceland. I am therefore very happy that His Excellency Mr. Benediktsson had the opportunity to travel to Mangochi yesterday to see for himself the impact that these projects are making in the district,” said Chakwera.

The Malawi President further mentioned the signing of a partnership financing agreement to implement the Nkhotakota Basic Social Services Programme (KKBSP), which will run until 2027.

At this point, Chakwera announced that because of his appeal to the Prime Minister to expand the programme, plans are underway to mutually identify a third district where Iceland can implement the Basic Social Services Programme in line with the Malawi’s Vision 2063.

He thanked the Prime Minister for accepting his invitation to visit Malawi and wished him safe travel back to his country.

“As His Excellency Mr. Bjarni Benediktsson, Prime Minister of Iceland, concludes his five-day official visit to Malawi, the first of its kind in the history of our nation, our hearts are full and the future of our cooperation is bright. I am so very grateful to Your Excellency Mr. Benediktsson for accepting my invitation to visit Malawi, less than two months after assuming office as Prime Minister of Iceland, the first in your country’s history to do so,” he said.

Chiefs from Lilongwe Mpenu Constituency have written former Malawi Local Government Association (MALGA) president, Samson Maziya, pleading with him to contest for a parliamentary seat in the September 2025 General Elections.

Malawi Congress Party Secretary General (SG), Eisenhower Mduwa Mkaka, is the sitting member of Parliament for the area, but faces resentment from traditional and community leaders who accuse him of neglecting them.

This has prompted some youthful politicians to express their interest to contest against him in the next elections.

But in a latest development, traditional leaders have backed their support towards Maziya, a former councilor for Mazengera Ward.

Village heads Chauwa and Kanyoni, in a letter we have seen, say Maziya is the rightful candidate for the parliamentary seat because he is a ‘humble and focused politician’.

Chauwa and Kanyoni say the former MALGA president demonstrated mature leadership skills during his tenure as councilor in the area.

“Zina mwa zomwe ife mafumu tikukufunirani ndi mbiri yomwe muli nayo ya maudindo omwe mwasankhidwa kuyambira nthawi imene ife tidakusankhani pa ukhansala. Inuyo mdatichotsa ife manyazi chifukwa mdasankhidwako mdziko lino la Malawi kukhala pulezidenti wa ma local council onse 35 a mdziko muno,” reads part of the letter.

We have seen two more letters from other chiefs who also plead with Maziya to stand.

Maziya confirmed receipt of the letters. He said he would consider the chiefs’ request and give them response at an appropriate time.

Citizen Alliance (CA), a local civil society organization advancing human rights and good governance, and the Lilongwe City Council (LCC) have agreed to strengthen their collaboration in addressing social and economic challenges affecting the residents in the city.

Speaking during an interface meeting on Wednesday, LCC Mayor, Councillor Richard Banda, emphasized that it is only through collaboration with its stakeholders that the council can deliver quality services to its residents.

CA organized the interface meeting through its Bwalo La Nzika Programme to provide a platform for council officials and members of the civil society organizations (CSOs) to discuss and find solutions to challenges affecting the livelihoods of the residents.

Banda appreciated the role the CSOs play in promoting the rights of the residents by constantly reminding the council about its duties and obligations to the citizenry.

“Let me express my gratitude to Citizen Alliance for the good work you are doing on joining hands with the city in making sure that we provide better services to the citizens. Through our interface meeting, it is clear that the civil society has a bigger role in providing  checks and balances when it comes to service delivery,” he said.

“Going by our discussion on key areas requiring constant checks include ; sanitation and waste management,  enforcement of by-laws, urban poverty, insecurity and inadequate market space  Let me assure citizen alliance and all stakeholders that LCC is geared to serve the citizens well.  You have heard the various interventions that the Council is undertaking such as plans to  construct a magnificent bus terminal , upraise market, modern car parks , leisure centres and a better waste management facility just to mention a few. It is our shared view that we will soon implement the flagship projects as these only require investors who are serious in financing the projects,” added the mayor.

Banda assured the CSOs of his council’s commitment to providing better services to the citizens of the city for a better life and development of the city.

Speaking earlier, CA Executive Director Baxton Nkhoma asked the council to address sanitation and hygiene concerns in the markets, stressing that this is key in ensuring an environment that is free from diseases such as cholera.

Nkhoma also emphasized the need for the city to take a proactive role in tackling urban poverty by introducing social cash transfer programmes.

“Let us not cheat one another here that it’s only the rural masses that need social cash transfer interventions. We, in the city, also have households who are very poor and deserve to be considered,” he said.

The National Advocacy Platform (NAP) – a network of civil society organizations (CSOs) championing good governance, transparency and accountability in Malawi – has expressed disappointment with the decision by the Legal Affairs Committee (LAC) to approve the discontinuance of high-profile corruption cases.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Masauko Chamkakala, on Tuesday appeared LAC at the Parliament Building in Lilongwe where he provided justification for the discontinuation of corruption cases involving high profile personalities.

Among others, the country’s top prosecutor said the case involves national security and cannot be brought back to court.

LAC chairperson Peter Dimba told journalists after the interface that his committee was satisfied with the reasons Chamkakala gave for the dropping of the case against State Vice President Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima.

But reacting to the development, NAP chairperson, Benedicto Kondowe, argued that endorsing the discontinuation of a case based on national security grounds in the fight against corruption carries significant implications for the rule of law and public trust.

Kondowe said while aiming to protect sensitive information, this move could be perceived as a cover-up, potentially using security concerns to shield corrupt activities and making the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) a footprint for corruption, excluded from taxpayer oversight.

“Additionally, the DPP’s selective resuscitation of cases risks perceptions of bias and unequal justice, eroding public confidence in the judiciary. To prevent potential abuse of power, it is crucial to reform the law to include pre-discontinuance scrutiny, ensuring decisions are based on legal principles rather than personal or political motivations.

“The Legal Affairs Committee must demonstrate and pursue the interests of Malawians, lest it becomes an accomplice in perpetuating corruption. This is essential for maintaining transparency, fairness, and credibility in anti-corruption efforts,” said Kondowe.

The National Youth Council of Malawi (NYCOM) – a state-funded entity mandated to register youth organisations, and coordinate, promote and regulate youth work in Malawi – has disclosed plans to construct a state-of-the-art Achinyamata Youth Centre in Lilongwe.

NYCOM Executive Director, Rex Chapota, said the government has set aside MK400 million for the project, which will be implemented in Area 54, off M1 Road.

Chapota stated that Achinyamata Youth Centre is a brainchild of President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera who wants young people to have proper facilities where they can develop their various talents and skills for national development.

“It will be a beacon that the youth of Malawi are serious and are ready to contribute towards 2063 development agenda. We want to build innovation labs. There are going to be so many things that are so unique, first of the city council and other government agencies,” he said.

According to Chapota, Achinyamata Youth Centre will provide recreational programmes such as sports, arts, and other activities, which can help young people to learn important life skills such as teamwork, discipline, and time management.

He said this will help in steering young people away from negative influences and behaviours.

“I want to thank President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera for his zeal to develop the youth in this country,” he said.

Youth-led organizations have welcomed the development and have commended the government for the initiative, saying it will go a long way in uplifting the lives of the youth in Malawi.

They made the sentiments at the district stakeholders’ consultative meeting on the development of the 2024-2029 NYCOM strategic plan.

Malawi President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has saluted the Government of Iceland for giving Malawi top priority in its foreign development programs.

Chakwera made the sentiments in Lilongwe on Monday evening during a state banquet he hosted in honour of Bjarni Benedictsson.

The Malawi leader observed that of several countries, Malawi is the country in which Iceland invests more development resources than any other.

“This means that whenever Iceland wants to send resources for development around the world, Malawi is the first country they consider. I don’t know if you’re aware, Prime Minister, but in Malawian culture, the first people you consider sending support to and the people you send the most support to when you get your paycheck at the end of the month are one’s family relations. So the fact that Malawi is the first you consider supporting and the country to which you send more support than any other means that you treat us as members of your extended family. In fact, what all this means is that Malawi is Iceland’s most important development partner on the whole continent of Africa, Iceland’s African sister from another mother if you will, and that makes our relationship very very special indeed,” said Chakwera.

He further stated that the Malawi and Iceland relationship is special because the Icelandic approach to development support, which he observed that it has a bias towards bilateral cooperation.

He said while Iceland supports several multilateral agencies that have programs in Malawi, the lion’s share of the country’s support comes in a bilateral framework that allows the Governments of our two nations to work closely together on implementation and execution, which fosters true partnership between us.

“When you consider that in much of the Global North these days the preference is for Governments to channel their support to developing nations like ours through the work and programmes of third parties rather than the Governments of those nations, it is refreshing that in Malawi, Iceland has made the bold decision not only to do both, but to have a bias towards Government to Government collaboration. This policy is a paradigm shift because if Government abuses development resources, it is held accountable by voters through elections, meaning that the people empowered to hold elected officials accountable for the use of those resources are the beneficiaries themselves, not the donors. So Iceland’s bias for close collaboration through bilateral development support for programmes and projects that the Government of Malawi and the Government of Iceland implement together as partners makes our relationship very special,” he said. 

Meanwhile, he called upon Malawians to rally behind the relationship that exists between the two countries.

Malawi President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has advised African countries to tackle ‘afro-pessimistic lenses’ and start utilizing the potential of youthful populations, saying this is key in addressing social and economic difficulties dogging the continent.

Chakwera sounded the advice during the session of the Ninth African Population Conference, which took place at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe on Monday.

The Malawi leader dismissed assertions and perception that tend to portray Africa as being the most populous continent, yet without solution to its challenges.

“I know that the most popular thing to do at conferences like this is to discuss Africa’s population from a remedial perspective, the kind that says that there are too many of us Africans in this world and that we Africans are simply breeding too much and need to be controlled because they are placing too much pressure on Africa’s natural resources and thereby exacerbating our own poverty and inequality.

“But I find that this kind of thinking and narrative is over-simplistic and smacks of afro-pessimism, for if there is a continent in the world that has enough natural resources to sustain its people, it is Africa, for I doubt that there is anyone in this room who does not know that the unequal distribution of Africa’s natural wealth is less a factor of its population and more a factor of its mismanagement by the greedy Governments within and its theft through unfair international trade policies by the greedy Governments without. Just two days ago, a coup attempt took place in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country whose political fabric is constantly being torn asunder by foreign interests in the mineral-rich Eastern region that has become the playground of armed mercenaries sponsored and armed by external forces. After decades of armed conflict there, no intelligent person can argue that the unequal distribution of the DRC’s natural resources to the people of Congo is because there are way too many Congolese in that country,” said Chakwera.

He further schooled participants that other continents are struggling to sustain their labor market demands because they do not have enough young people to work in various industries that are critical to their economies, including agriculture and food security.

Chakwera said Africa is therefore ‘perfectly poised to be a solution to this challenge, if the continent can remove its afro-pessimistic lenses and see that the youthful and enterprising population of Africa as a resource they must harness and equip to solve the sustainability problems that the ageing populations of other nations are grappling with.

“What Africa needs are no nay-sayers. Instead, what Africa needs are platforms for synergy, where the population advantage of Africa is married to the human capital disadvantages elsewhere to create a better world across the board. What Africa needs are platforms for inclusivity, where the people in power open doors for the youthful and enterprising citizens who entrust them with that power to make a meaningful contribution to governance and development.

“What Africa needs are platforms for institutionalization, where strong systems and regulatory frameworks are developed and enforced to prevent the prevailing individual and corporate interests from robbing Africans of their national interests and birthright. What Africa needs are platforms for digitization, where smart technologies are deployed at speed and at scale to reorganize Africa’s population and way of life towards resilience in the face of climate change impacts. And crucially, what Africa needs are platforms of partnership, not the old model of partnership between developed benefactors and developing beneficiaries, but a new model of partnership between equal nations exchanging people, services, and goods in a global market with fair rules of trade, fair prices, and fair modes of exchange,” he said.