“Let me remind everyone that DPP isn’t a family party and that we don’t have a life president in the party. As such, APM must be treated like any other candidate interested in contesting for the seat of the president of the party,” he said.
Dausi condemned what some DPP officials in the Northern and Central Regions have done by endorsing APM ahead of the July 2023 elective conference, warning that this has potential to kill democracy in the party.
Another influential MP in DPP, Ralph Jooma, feared that the current infighting and bickering in the former governing party could reduce the party’s chances of returning to power in 2025.
DPP National Publicity Secretary and Mwanza Central parliamentarian, Nicholas Dausi, and other senior NGC members addressed journalists in Lilongwe on Thursday where they spoke against the purported endorsements for APM ahead of the elective conference slated for July 2 this year.
He said endorsements are therefore not necessary at this time, arguing that this is the time for the party to start preparing for a convention where all presidential aspirants, including APM will contest if he is indeed interested in the position.
DPP Senior NGC Members during the press briefing
“While it is a constitutional right for members to vote, everyone has a candidate of his/ her choice. There’s no need to threaten each other,” said Dausi.
He challenged APM to declare his interest instead of hiding behind some party followers’ endorsements. He said it would not be good for the delegates to see his name on the list of candidates without him declaring his interest prior to the convention.
“We lost the election because there was something we did not do right, and this is the time the party was supposed to do soul searching, but alas nothing is happening only divisions because of endorsements and endorsements,” said Dausi, adding that there is a need to respect the constitution of the party.
His Mwanza West counterpart, Joyce Chitsulo, challenged DPP supporters to wake up from their slumber, observing that the party behaves as if it has no learned persons.
Chitsulo vowed that her constituency will not endorse anyone, let alone APM, until the day of the convention.
“People of Mwanza West didn’t endorse any presidential aspirant. We will do that at the convention,” she said.
Meanwhile, Chitipa South lawmaker Werani Chilenga has announced that the Northern Region bloc will rally behind Kondwani Nankhumwa at the convention.
This time, it is about one of its labourers losing his life working and discharging his duties inside the company’s silos.
Dowa Police Station Public Relations Officer, Inspector Gladson M’bumpha, has confirmed that Rashid Kadyandawa died after being hit by a stack of soya beans at Mount Meru Factory, which is along the M1 Road.
M’bumpha said the incident happened on the afternoon of Monday, April 10, 2023, at the factory.
“Kadyandawa was working at Mount Meru Millers Factory as a labourer and at the time of the incident he (Kadyandawa) was working with other labourers at the silos. Unfortunately, soya beans came abundantly and covered Kadyandawa completely,” he said.
M’bumpha said efforts to rescue the labourer proved futile ‘as he was found already dead after being removed from the silos’.
Kadyandawa hailed from Kachule Village in the area of Traditional Authority Kachere in Dedza District.
Members of Parliament (MPs) sitting on the Parliamentary Committee on Health and Budget and Finance Committee on Wednesday could not help but simply confess that Malawi is not doing well in the fight against Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
The lawmakers made the confession in reaction to the presentation NCD Alliance Chairperson Maud Mwakasungula made during an interface meeting with people living with NCDs and legislators on strengthening NCD financing and budget allocations.
NCDs are the leading cause of death globally, with the majority being cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, or diabetes.
However, the Government of Malawi has, over the years, failed to give priority to the sector, with this year receiving a meagre K700 million allocation.
Mwakasungula emphasized that financing NCDs is vital as it cross-cutting into all of the sectors of Malawi from agriculture, health, transport, food security, and all other sectors.
Mwakasungula making a presentation to the MPs during the interface meeting on Wednesday night–Photo by Watipaso Mzungu.
“This is why donors in Malawi need to put NCD financing a top priority, including supporting development of an NCDs investment case. We have seen persistent stock-outs of NCD drugs and a lack of dialysis machines in public hospitals in the country, which has always been a concern,” she added.
She said this is why the alliance decided to conduct a meeting to build a platform for dialogue on transforming NCD financing as a critical part of achieving sustainable development goals.
Mwakasungula pleaded with the Malawi Parliament to seriously consider setting up a Parliamentary Caucus on NCDs as a matter of urgency if the country is to tame the scourge.
One of the MPs present, Euriter Valeta, testified that she coughed over K7 million to get her relation treated for an NCD.
MP Valeta (right) narrates the financial crisis her family went through to treat a relation with NCD
Valeta, therefore, agreed with Mwakasungula that the K700 million allocation is simply a drop in an ocean.
Chairperson for the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Dr. Matthews Ngwale, admitted that there are gaps in NCD financing.
Ngwale described the interface meeting as a revelation to them as it provided them a platform to hear for themselves what persons living with medical conditions are going through.
Dr. Ngwale moderating the plenary session–Photo by Watipaso Mzungu
“We felt good listening to people raise all their concerns, and it is clear that we haven’t been giving them our full attention because we normally concentrate on diseases that affect the majority of people, leaving out NCDs. We will go back to parliament and present everything that has been shared here and possibly lobby for more funds to address NCDs,” he assured.
NCD Alliance is implementing a project titled ‘Strengthening of NCD Financing’ with the aim of building efforts to expand its advocacy reach, build alliances and partnerships through mobilization, collaboration, and networking with various stakeholders, including government, NGOs, CSOs, and donor partners in addressing NCDs with a special focus on NCD financing.
Malawi President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera on Wednesday officially opened the 2023 Tobacco Marketing Season with a call to Malawians to start working hard in their fields or forget about growing their economy.
Chakwera warned that the country risks remaining in the doldrums of abject poverty unless Malawians start weaning themselves from donor dependence and a notion that the government holds a key to every economic problem facing the nation.
“Some people in government and many people outside government behave and talk as though government itself is the solution to Malawi’s economic sickness, but that is simply not the case. Government is a supporting structure for activating the solution to our economic sickness, but it is not the solution itself,” he said.
President Lazarus Chakwera checking the tags of the leaf at the Auction Floor in Lilongwe-pic by Lisa Kadango Malango
The Malawi said there is a need for Malawians to increase agricultural productivity in order to generate enough revenue for developing the country.
“We need to increase the quantity, the variety, and the quality of what we produce as a country to competitively generate revenue from global markets. It is that simple. Now to increase the quantity, the variety, and the quality of what we produce as a country, we have to do the work. No one is going to do that work for us. And as I have stated previously, the primary and priority sectors in which we must work harder, smarter, and together to increase productivity are agriculture, tourism, and mining. This is what I have referred to as our ATM strategy, and it is absolutely critical that everyone of us consider how to support these three sectors to increase the quality, the variety, and the quantity of products to generate the forex revenue that our country needs for its development,” stressed Chakwera.
The opening of the tobacco-selling season automatically brings a flicker of hope to the country as expectations are high that the market will ease the shortage of foreign exchange currency in the economy thereby soothing the importation of strategic commodities such as fuel and pharmaceuticals.
However, President Chakwera was quick to warn that forex availability will remain volatile for as long as Malawians do not tame their appetite for imported good, products and services.
He observed that almost every Malawian is contributing to forex shortage despite politicians and large-scale businesspeople carrying the blame.
“When we talk about forex revenue, none of us should pretend or imagine that we do not need it. If you are wearing imported clothes today, then you have used the country’s forex. If you came here in an imported car, then you have used the country’s forex. If that car has used imported fuel, then you have used the country’s forex. If you have eaten any imported foods this week, then you have used the country’s forex.
Msaiwale Zakaria a Tobacco farmer interacts with President Lazarus Chakwera during the Auction of Tobacco in Lilongwe-pic by Lisa Kadango Malango
“If you travel outside Malawi, you use the country’s forex. If you use imported chemicals in your hair or imported products for your hygiene, you use the country’s forex. If you go to the hospital or pharmacy to get imported medicines, then you use the country’s forex. The list of things in our lives that require the consumption of forex is endless, and so there is no question that we are a nation of forex consumers. But that is not really the problem,” he said.
Meanwhile, the tobacco industry regulator, Tobacco Commission (TC) says about 20,000 bales of tobacco have been availed at the floors, with an estimated 2600 expected to be sold today.
Malawian tobacco farmers are expected to enjoy good prices that will fetch the leaf this year as ten tobacco-buying companies are set to compete to purchase an estimated output of 126 million kilograms.
Such a volume is deemed by the tobacco industry as an underproduction owing to several external shocks including the devastating effects of Cyclone Freddy, which washed away many tobacco fields.
A random visit inside the floors shows that some bales are fetching a record high of US$2.40 (about MK3,600) per kilogram on auction marketing which has already sent farmers smiling ear to ear.
Chinkhoma, Limbe, and Mzuzu Auction Floors are also scheduled to open 13th, 17th of April, and 2nd of May, respectively.
Lilongwe-based gospel artist and evangelist Catherine Nchambalinja on Easter Monday took the gospel of the risen Lord Jesus Christ to expectant women at Bwaila Hospital in Lilongwe.
Nchambalinja described a maternity wing as a place where every human being begins his or her life on earth; hence, the decision to celebrate the resurrection of the savior with expectant women.
“Mothers are epitome of God on earth, who nurture life in their wombs as a priceless possession. As the life goes through varied changes, pregnancy is the most cherished one to experience. It is the all about nurturing love and compassion within your womb,” she said.
Evangelist Nchambalinja (left) distributing gifts to pregnant women at Bwaila Hospital Maternity Wing
Nchambalinja, a retired Principal Nursing Officer at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH), read a few gospel passages to the women and sang songs of praise and thanksgiving to God before donating assorted items to the pregnant women.
She said her donation was in appreciation and gratitude to God for the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
One of the expectant women, Hawa Cassim, thanked Nchambalinja for visiting them at the maternity wing.
“The gospel she has shared with us today is a special gift because we normally don’t have the opportunity to go to church while here,” said Cassim.
Drought-stricken farmers in Karonga will receive free maize from the government following a directive by Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera to relevant government agencies to resume distribution of the staple grain to ensure no one dies of hunger.
It is reported that 12, 500 farming households have been affected by dry spell in the Kilombero rice producing district.
A communique from Karonga District Council states that the free maize distribution exercise will start from Karonga South Constituency before extending to other constituencies.
“The distribution will be in each and every constituency. Number of beneficiaries from all constituencies have already been filed,” reads the report in part.
While the Malawi Government and its development partners were busy attending to disasters caused by Tropical Cyclone Freddy in the Southern Region, dry spell hit Karonga, leaving 12, 500 farming families helpless.
The drought had affected the district’s staple crops such as rice, maize, and sorghum, among others.
In a statement issued a few days ago, President Chakwera assured the affected farmers that his government would do everything to support them.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Karonga South Constituency and Minister of Youth and Sports, Uchizi Mkandawire, confirmed that trucks loaded with maize have already arrived in his area.
“I think now the doubting Thomases can see for themselves that Chakwera administration is a caring government. Chakwera is not sleeping, but making sure that cyclone Freddy and dry spell victims are safe. As an MP for Karonga South, I am very happy,” Mkandawire said.
Senior Chief Wasambo described the development as ‘a big relief to us’.
Leader of a political movement – Citizens for Transformation (CFT) – Timothy Pagonachi Simbega Mtambo has denied social media reports being churned by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) media team that he insulted President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera at a public function.
Over the week, Mtambo was the Guest of Honour at the Miss and Mr. LUANAR event, which took place at Bunda Campus. Mtambo has appealed to all well meaning citizens to hold hands and rescue Malawi from the current stinging socio-economic challenges worsened by Cyclone Freddy, Covid 19 and the brutal war in Eastern Europe.
Despite Mtambo calling upon young people to desist being used by politicians as agents of violence, an ardent DPP social media activist disguising himself as Leah Mbughi falsely alleged the former Cabinet minister had spoken sarcastically about Chakwera.
Earlier in the day, Mbughi had alleged that the former Minister of National Unity had committed suicide over a cabinet reshuffle that saw President Chakwera leaving him out.
But in an interview on Tuesday, Mtambo denied ever insulting President Chakwera, saying he remains committed to the values he stood for while in the struggle against the previous regime, and the values he promoted through the Ministry of National Unity.
Comrade Mtambo addressing students at LUANAR on Saturday night
“I remain a strong supporter of national development efforts and shared values of unity, peaceful coexistence and patriotism. So, I urge all Malawians to regard anything contrary to this as misinformation and fake news,” he said.
On Monday evening, CFT National Publicity Secretary Chimwemwe Maunde released a statement in which she deplored misinformation, ‘heavy emptiness and cheap propaganda’ being circulated by DPP media team and affiliates on Mtambo.
Maunde said they had learnt with ‘with deepest shock and shallowest surprise of the continued attacks of discredit on any function the CFT Commander-in-Chief, Timothy Pagonachi Simbega Mtambo attends, with the latest standing the Saturday April 8, 2023 Mr. and Ms. Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) at Bunda Campus’.
She said they were surprised that despite preaching the message of unity for purpose and call to Malawians to support the incumbent government, Mbughi and his fellow DPP media activists spread fake news about the event.
“Mtambo preached message of unity, modern politics and need for creativity, innovation and technology to counterattack the unemployment monster. He described the youth as anchors of the future not destroyers of today. The CFT wish to be clear that a week ago the very same unpatriotic Malawians spread a fake news that the CFT leader had committed suicide over a cabinet reshuffle depression. One of such cowards and childish Malawians masquerades as Leah Mbughi on Facebook,” reads the statement in part.
Maunde observed that Mbughi is a continuous attacker of the CFT leader Mtambo, fearing some uncivilised politicians are abusing Leah Mbughi to advance their political interests.
“He is one of many ill-nurtured Malawians. You are too small that we should be wasting our energy on you, up next we are to bring to public your smartphone bundle buyers and inhumane political masters. This infiltrates indecency in the political arena and milk the thin democracy of Malawi. This tendency is democratically lethal not only for one political party but the nation as a whole. Feeding the public with wrong political facts is a grave offence and a serious crime. We therefore plead with the public to refrain from such ill developments. The youth deserve to be engaged beyond material and serious ideologies to solve the challenges rocking Malawi including high unemployment levels. As a nation we need to involve youth in policy implementations not intimidating other political leaders.”
“CFT regrets that directionless politicians are still abusing the nation’s greatest assert, the youth. The CFT leadership has all names of well-established and respected politicians behind these young, energetic and pathetic social media hooligans. The CFT firmly extends that as a People Power Movement will not bow down to any political childishness and cowardice of highest level but continue denunciation of politics of division on the journey for the achievement of a better living space,” he said.
The Government of the United States of America (USA) has made an additional investment of US$17 million (approximately MK17.5) to bolster higher education in Malawi in the next five years.
The funds have been provided through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
A presss statement from the US Embassy in Lilongwe, Malawi, says USAID’s Transforming Higher Education Systems project, implemented by Michigan State University, will help more students enroll in and complete higher education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
It adds that USAID and partners, through the project, will expand high-quality, market relevant university programs for students, and boost the ability of Malawian universities to advance innovation, productivity, and competitiveness of Malawian industry.
“The new USAID project will partner with the Ministry of Education, three anchor universities (MZUNI, MUST, and LUANAR), and several other Malawian public and private colleges and universities. It will also engage the National Council for Higher Education and the Higher Education Students’ Grants and Loans Board to expand pathways to access higher education,” reads the statement.
It further states that USAID’s Transforming Higher Education Systems project will strengthen student support systems, increase experiential learning opportunities, and engage private sector actors through increased internship opportunities and research innovation. Students from marginalized and vulnerable backgrounds throughout Malawi will benefit from the project, and universities’ research capacities and outputs will increase to match the ambitions of Malawi 2063.
In his remarks, the US Ambassador to Malawi, David Young said this latest partnership with the Ministry of Education is a systems-wide approach that will remove barriers for marginalized and vulnerable youth and support students to thrive in the higher education system.
“Our investments will foster an enabling environment that helps youth build their own successful futures,” said Young.
USAID forges partnerships between U.S. and Malawian universities to advance market-relevant areas of study for economic growth, especially in fields related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. For more information about USAID’s progress and partnerships with Malawi in the education sector, visit https://www.usaid.gov/malawi/education.
Founder and current president of the Citizens for Transformation (CFT), Timothy Pagonachi Simbega Mtambo, on Saturday bounced back to the podium and immediately seized the opportunity to warn university students in Malawi to guard against being used as instruments of violence by greedy politicians.
Mtambo – a revered human rights activist-turned politician – also advised young people not to be satisfied with short-lived socio-economic gains such as party T-Shirts or financial incentives floated to them from selfish political fabric.
He made the sentiments at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) where he was Guest of Honour at the Mr. and Miss LUANAR 2023 event.
Comrade Mtambo addressing students at LUANAR on Saturday night
His attendance and presence at this function came amidst fake social media reports from Leah Mbughi, who wrote on his Facebook page insinuating that Mtambo had committed suicide over political issues.
In his remarks, Mtambo emphasized that universities are strategic institutions for transformation of any country; hence, the students need to be agents of new innovations.
“I therefore call for collaborative efforts to build a better and transformed Malawi for there shall no longer be another Malawi. This is our country, and indeed Malawi is our heritage, we must all be involved in building her. We must all stand on our generational civic duty, guided by the principle premised on the belief that destiny must be written by us and not for us,” he said.
Mtambo tipped the students to embrace any opportunity of the moment, including capitalising on their precious talents and skills to be effective players in all fronts where there is a need for calibration.
Comrade Mtambo (second from left) poses for a photo with the winning contestants
“Be it entertainment or sports. Let us work extra harder on ourselves and emerge enlightened. As one family of LUANAR, we need to witness some of us competing at continental and global heights in all opportune multiple socio-economic platforms available. Let us make ourselves available to take such spaces. Change starts in universities and let us be agents of change,” he said.
Turning to the business of the day, Mtambo urged the students to take advantage of the contest to challenge and believe in themselves and conquer the imaginary thoughts of limitations created by their mindset.
He said young people are the engine and blood for the national socio-economic acceleration.
He further stressed that Malawians now deserve civilized politics as primitive politics has, for a couple of good times, crippled to elevate the nation.
“We come from a variety of political backgrounds. The fact remains, uncivilised politics is dirty and kills the soul of the nation. Let us refrain from being victims of political manipulation. Selfish and unambitious politics hates development. I therefore humbly appeal for spontaneous unity for inclusive development amid diversity of political ideologies,” he said.
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