Nthanda Times

Peter Ngwenyama

  • Government hands over single buyer licence to ESCOM

    Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) has handed over a single buyer licence from a dissolved Power Market Limited (PML) to Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM).

    Speaking during the official handover ceremony in Lilongwe on Wednesday, Minister of Energy, Ibrahim Matola alongside Head of Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU) Dr Janet Banda, Attorney General, Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda, and officials from Mera and Escom, said the handover is in line with government’s policy to ensure the provision of sustainable and affordable energy in Malawi.

    “This milestone marks significant step forward in the government’s efforts to transform the power sector, fostering investment opportunities and ensuring a reliable supply of electricity for the people of Malawi,” he said.

    Matola (Centre) during the handover ceremony

    With the retransfer of the licence, he said, Escom now has the full mandate to perform the functions and duties of the single buyer licence.

    Matola lamentated that whilst the establishment of PML which among other things was meant to promote economic growth through increased private investment but little has been realized to that effect apart from the increased overhead costs.

    Escom Chief Opererations Officer, Maxwell Mulimakwenda said as Escom has been honoured and entrusted once again with the responsibility of a single buyer licence they will work diligently with government and all stakeholders in the energy sector.

    ” We want to assure Malawians that the decisions we make and processes undertaken are with due diligence and also with speed,” he said.

    However, in 2018, government established PML to carry out the single buyer functions, a role Escom was previously executing. 

    Come in 2020, government reviewed the functions of PML and decided to dissolve guided by the electricity amendment act of 2016.

  • Harawa tops Zili MwaIfe Campaign with K12m prize

    A Biomedical engineer, Malumbo Harawa has emerged a winner and was awarded K12 million by Airtel Malawi in the Airtel Zili MwaIfe campaign.

    Harawa has been awarded for his work in fixing oxygen concentrators free of charge to improve health care delivery service in his community.

    Speaking during a Grand Finale of Top-Five winners of Zili MwaIfe Campaign held in Lilongwe on Tuesday,  Airtel Managing Director, Charles Kamoto said his company is celebrating individuals who have done exceptionally well to benefit the society.

    “We want to showcase them to the nation and the world so that others can see what they are doing,” he said.

    He however challenged Malawians to come forward and showcase their works to the world.

    Harawa (left) with Kamoto

    Harawa commended Airtel for coming up with the initiative which has a great impact to him as well as the community.

    “The money received will boost his project thereby reaching out to more health centres in the country,” he said.

    Other winners in the top five are Stanslaus Sakwiya awarded K10 million, Chimwemwe Mwenefumbo with K7.5 million, Elias Matope with K5 million and Juma Ali, K3 million totalling K37.5 million.

    Airtel Malawi has spent K100 million awarding16 heroes for making a difference in their communities.

    Zili MwaIfe campaign was an initiative by Airtel Malawi aimed at celebrating individuals who have done extraordinary things to benefit the society.

  • Airtel Malawi staff donate blood to MBTS

    Staff members at Airtel Malawi on Wednesday donated blood to Malawi Blood Transfusion (MBTS) to support and boost blood banks in order to save lives. 

    Speaking during donation, Airtel Malawi Managing Director Charles Kamoto said the initiative complements their corporate social responsibility with a motive of saving lives.

    Kamoto explained, “We believe that we can play a major role in saving the lives of Malawians, and we will do this on annual basis.”

    He further elaborated that the blood donation will boost blood banks for MBTS, which is mandated to administer the stock in the country.

    The Airtel Malawi boss then encouraged the public to come out and donate blood in order to save many lives.

    Kamoto leading in donating blood-pic courtesy of Airtel Malawi.

    Meanwhile, Assistant Public Relations Officer for MBTS, Chikumbutso Mbendera, called upon other stakeholders to emulate what Airtel Malawi has done by donating blood. 

    Mbendera however expressed concern over myths and misinformation that has engulfed communities, that negatively impact the work on blood donation in Malawi. 

    “We have intensified the fight against fake news and misinformation by introducing civic education to the masses,” said Mbendera.

    MBTS was established in 2003 to ensure that the country is able to provide adequate supplies of safe blood to meet the needs of all patients in all hospitals in Malawi.

  • Govt to spend K320m on 59th National Independence Celebrations

    Chairperson of the National Independence Celebrations, Richard Chimwendo Banda, has disclosed that government has set aside K320 million as total cost for this year’s 59th Independence Anniversary to be held in Lilongwe.

    The amount was provided for in the 2023-2024 national budget.

    Chimwendo Banda, flanked by Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng’oma and Minister of Sports, Uchizi Mkandawire, told reporters in Lilongwe on Thursday during a press conference called to update the media on independence celebrations activities to be commemorated under the theme: “Celebrating Renewed Unity and Patriotism.” 

    He said the figure may be seen to be higher, but it is a reasonable figure in celebrations.

    “As we commemorate independence, it is not one region that must commemorate but it is the whole country coming together including religious institutions, cultures, international guests as well as other activities that will need a lot of money,” he said.

    Chimwendo Banda also Minister of Local Government, Arts and Culture said government expect that companies and private sector will come in and support so that the activities.

    Chimwendo: It is a reasonable price

    He added that plans to have visiting Head of State from a neighboring country to join President Lazurus Chakwera during the celebration have been finalized.

    Commenting on this year’s theme, he said, government has come up with the theme so that the nation renews and resolve for unity but most importantly continue to be more patriotic especially now when rebuilding the nation from the challenges that the country faced in the past two years.

    Chimwendo Banda, however, said they have lined up a number of activities to kick-start with National Services of Worship on 5th July at BICC and the climax of the celebrations to be held on 6th July at Bingu National Stadium where there will be a military parade, Police displays, traditional dances, performances by renowned musicians there after a football match between FCB Nyasa Big Bullets and Young Africans Sports Club from Tanzania.

  • Media influencers challenged on responsibilities in digital technologies

    Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has emphasized the need for media influencers and influential individuals to ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities when using digital technologies and the laws that apply in relation to the Electronic Transactions and Cyber Security Act of 2016.

    Macra Board Chairperson, Dr Stanley Khaila, said on Thursday during the official opening of a two-day media influencers workshop in Lilongwe under the theme: Media Influencers, Impact and Responsibilities”.

    He said Information Communication and Technology (ICT) has changed the communication landscape with the introduction of social media platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tik Tok gaining attraction as the leading forms of attaining and exchanging information. 

    “These platforms have given room for opinion leaders who are also referred to as media influencers, to engage and raise their critical voices,” he said.

    Media influencers pose for a group photo

    Khaila said MACRA continues to make steady progress toward achieving a digitally transformed nation through the implementation of its strategic plan (2022-2026) adding that it is obliged to ensure that ICT advances to higher levels in line with the Malawi 2063 agenda which has placed ICT as its backbone. 

    He expressed hope that the knowledge for the workshop will be a catalyst for mindset change which will translate into telling the Malawi story that will create a pathway to achieving vision 2063.

    Khaila said: “It is therefore becoming inevitable that media influencers are becoming an important instrument in promoting national discourse and narrative. In other words, Malawi’s story can better be told by Malawian media influencers who are Malawians themselves.”

    One of the Media Influencers, Tana Harawa popularly known as Mr Broken English, described the meeting as important as people nowadays are largely communicated through social media.

    Harawa: The workshop was very important

    “It is important that we are equipped with knowledge on how we can use our platforms to disseminate good information to the public,” he said.

    However, Macra engaged media influencers as part of its awareness campaign in the fight against fake news

  • Government to continue investing in power generation, transmission

    Government has disclosed that it will continue investing in power generation, transmission and distribution to reduce the power deficit that the country sometimes experiences especially when natural disasters strike.

    Principle Secretary for Energy, Engineer Alfonso Chikuni, made the remarks on Wednesday after a media tour of the Improvement of the Rehabilitation and Expansion project implemented by Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi Limited (Escom) with funding from Japanese government at its Kanengo and Old Town Substations.

    Part of the media tour

    Japanese government through Japanese International Corporation Agency (JICA) granted $19 million while Malawi has pumped in $2million into the project which was launched in July, 2020.

    He said government wants to ensure that most Malawians in rural and urban areas have access to electricity.

    “Escom is rehabilitating and expanding the two substations to improve reliability and accessibility of electricity in the city of Lilongwe,” he said.

    He added that his ministry will continue to support and create a conducive environment for other players in the energy sector to thrive and contribute to the country’s development.

    Japanese Embassy Charge d’ Affaires, Seiji Tashiro, said the project aims to support the people of Malawi to have access to improved transmission and distribution of energy for a reliable and stable supply of electricity for sustainable economic and social development activities in Lilongwe City.

    “Japan is determined to support Malawi’s effort for its socio-economic development including infrastructure development in the energy sector in line with the Malawi 2063 vision,” he said

    Escom Chief Operating Officer, Maxwell Mulimakwenda, the project will go a long way in improving power supply in the city of Lilongwe thereby contributing to the social economic development of the country as electricity is the catalyst for economic growth. 

    “So far we have completed 78.2 percent of the works whose benefits include replacing old equipment and upgrading capacity of the two sub stations,” he said. 

    Mulimakwenda said through the project, the institution will upgrade Kanengo Sub station from 85MW to 158MW thereby making it possible for ESCOM to accommodate about 58,000 new connections.

    The project also involves upgrading of Old Town Substation from 37.5MW to 50MW thereby allowing ESCOM to connect 21,000 new customers, he said.

    Mulimakwenda observed that the project could not have come at any better time considering that urbanization has led to an increase in electricity demand thereby putting a strain on the existing transmission and distribution network.

    Meanwhile, the trucks carrying transformers have arrived in the country.

  • FAWEMA pushes for gender equality, inclusion in schools

    The Forum for African Women Educationalists in Malawi (FAWEMA) has expressed the need to promote gender equality and inclusion in the education sector to ensure developmental growth in the country.

    Lilongwe District, Project Officer for FAWEMA on Gender Responsive Pedagogy Loyice Tembo was speaking during the end of 5-day teachers training workshop on Monday in Malingunde Zone. 

    Tembo explained that they designed the training to equip teachers with gender knowledge and skills, then should be able to apply gender responsiveness aspects in their respective schools.

    Gender-responsive pedagogy refers to teaching and learning processes that pay attention to the specific learning needs of female and male students. 

    Training of teachers but FAWEMA underway in Malingunde, Lilongwe

    “It is often poor pedagogical practices that reproduce gender inequalities in the classrooms, then this project looks into barriers that infringe girls’ education in the district,” said Tembo

    She then expressed concern with high numbers of drop-outs that Malingunde Zone experiences and most of them are girls due to cultural barriers and bad practices. 

    “If we look at data for these schools, have equal number of learners in lower classes like standard 1-5, but going up number of girls’ drop-outs is high accompanied by early pregnancies and marriages,” however Loyice Tembo didn’t provide figures. 

    FAWEMA Project Officer is optimistic that teachers will play a very big role to promote and encourage education for all through language management, and easily identify the needs for both boys and girls in their schools to reduce the drop-outs.

    Meanwhile, James Zimba facilitator and Teachers’ Trainer at Karonga Teachers’ College alluded to fact that the training opens up to issues that impede life of a learner in a classroom, hence the need to focus on gaps that exist in schools on gender. 

    James Zomba, a trainer from Karonga Teachers Training College

    “Mostly, it is common that a good number of teachers favour boys than girls. So, this training is there to address this gap as there must be equality for both boys and girls because all of them are key players in the development,” explained Zimba. 

    In her response, Gloria Banda, one of the training participants, who teaches at Phirilanjuzi Community Day Secondary School expressed gratitude saying the training has equipped them with more skills and knowledge on gender responsive pedagogy and they shall incorporate it to both boys and girls during lessons.

    Lastly, 68 teachers from 17 schools have been trained with the inclusiveness of two male and two female teachers from each school.

  • China pledges to support Malawi’s security agencies

    The Chinese government has expressed commitment to support in strengthening the Malawi’s security agencies.

    The commitment has been made today Tuesday, during a meeting between the Chinese ambassador to Malawi,  Long Zhou and the Homeland Security Minister Kenneth Zikhale Ng’oma at Capital Hill in Lilongwe.

    According to Zhou, the meeting with the minister has enabled them to discuss high- level security issues that will help the country to strengthen its security to fight cross-border crimes.

    Zhou added that the discussion has been a catalyst to strengthen international cooperation between Malawi and China for the benefit of people from the two nations.

    The Chinese ambassador has also pledged to support the Ministry of Homeland Security through the provision of training to security officers, materials support as well as other expertise in relation to security matters.

    “We had an in-depth discussion on bilateral cooperation on the security situation, so we are looking at the possibilities of expanding the national global security intiative that will help to deal with security challenges in Malawi as well as offering practical need for international cooperation in an effort to fight cross-border crimes,” he said.

    Zikhale Ng’oma and Zhou

    On his part Minister of Homeland Security Kenneth Zikhale Ng’oma thanked the Chinese government for its interest in supporting the Malawi government in a number of aspects including security.

    Ng’oma believes that the national Global security initiative which the Chinese government is spearheading will help to strengthen the bilateral relations between Malawi and the Chinese government.

    “The national global security initiative is very important, especially at a critical time like this when we want to make sure that we control cyber crimes and cross- border crimes like ammunitions, smuggling, money laundering and drug abuse,so am 100% sure that our relationship with the Chinese government will be very solid for the people in the country to live in peace and harmony without disturbances in terms of security”, he said.

    Responding to the recent reports as regards the shooting of the two Chinese nationals in Lilongwe, Ng’oma pledged to give a token of 2 million kwacha to anyone who can give a tip about those involved in the matter.

    He has since urged police officers who can successfully do the investigations on the matter to get promotions.

    Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador Zhou has reiterated his government’s commitment to support the Ministry of Homeland Security with vehicles to be used in security departments like the Malawi police service among others.

  • Illovo donates ICT server to Salima Technical College

    Illovo Malawi Plc has donated Information Communication Technology (ICT) servers and rack to Salima Technical College worth K54 million to cater for students access to internet and innovations. 

    Speaking during the donation on Tuesday in Salima, Illovo Communications and Stakeholder Relations Officer Olive Kawelama said the server will enhance data system performance for the institution, and bring opportunities for the students to access high end technology. 

    Kawelama said, “We believe in assisting communities close to where we operate and as a business we are very big on improving science, technology, engineering and maths, so Salima Technical College falls into this field and close to our operations in Nkhotakota.”

    She explained that Illovo has been working with the college for sometime on various things as it also provide trainings to some of its employees. 

    Illovo Communications and Stakeholders Relations Manager Olive Kawelama donating ICT server to Salima Technical College

    In his remarks, Principal for Salima Technical College Benson Zigona expressed gratitude over receiving the donation, saying server will help in training ICT students and manage data used for institutional administration.

    “It will also help in research and innovations,” added Zigona. He then elaborated that they have been facing challenges where student waited for long time until time for apprenticeship to be exposed to these technologies. 

    Martin Nyakhuwa, Student Union President thanked Illovo for the timely donation and will help them in their ICT studies. 

    The severs were bought in 2014 which was then valued over Rands R900 000 now equivalent to K54 million.

  • Government, UNFPA launch 2023-2030 National Fistula Strategy

    Government in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and other stakeholders have developed and launched a seven-year National Obstetric Fistula Strategy from 2023 to 2030. 

    The document is a blueprint that will guide implementation of the interventions towards fistula with an aim of preventing and ending fistula in Malawi. 

    Deputy Minister of Health Halima Daudi said during the launch on Friday in Ntchisi district that the strategy also strives to get more professionals to have the capacity of managing fistula cases in all the district hospitals as well as Central Hospitals in Malawi as part of the universal health coverage.

    Daudi holding the strategic plan

    “We are all aware that fistula is a condition that develops after child complications. Women and girls are subjected to alot of psychological problems in the society ranging from gender-based violence, stigma and discrimination as well as family problems,” she said adding that fistula is not only a problem for an individual who has it but also the members of the family and community because everyone will be affected one way or another especially on day to day activities.

    According to her, obstetric fistula in Malawi is huge especially among the adolescent girls and young women when they become pregnant at an early age.

    Daudi therefore said her ministry will continue supporting the fistula program management and rehabilitation to be part and parcel of the policies and strategic interventions for sustainability.

    In his remarks, UNFPA Deputy representative, Ezizgeldi Hellenov said together with partners they will continue championing advocacy in ending fistula in Malawi by 2030.

    Hellenov: We will continue championing advocacy in ending fistula by 2030

    “This will be done by creating awareness on prevention and also by encouraging women living with the condition to seek treatment through surgical repair,” he observed.

    Hellenov added that the failure to address obstetric fistula is a human rights failure and the girl or woman affected is doubly violated of her sexual and reproductive rights.

    Elimination of obstetric fistula by 2030 demands accelerated action, starting now, he said.

    Fistula occurs as result of delays in getting the appropriate emergency obstetric care, delay in seeking medical attention, delay in reaching a health facility and delay to receive skilled care at the facility.