The party’s Publicity Secretary, Nicholas Dausi, was speaking during a media briefing on the developments in the party.
Dausi said the party’s national convention will help to bring sanity in the party as it will allow people to elect candidates of their choice.
“Anything out of convention will not be allowed. No one is going to run the party if this convention will not be conducted,” he said.
DPP Senior NGC Members during the press briefing
Dausi further said the party should also allow people to endorse candidates of their choice without intimidation as endorsing candidates is not bad.
He accused party members for imposing the candidates citing example of DPP leader Professor Peter Mutharika who has been imposed by regional chapters of the party.
Dausi who was accompanied by DPP legislators from all four regions said they were not consulted as the party to endorse Professor Peter Mutharika as the torch bearer in 2025.
Let all candidates compete at the convention adding that the party should start preparing now because no one is going to run the business of the party after July if there will be no convention as it will illegal and unconstitutional, he said.
President Lazarus Macathy Chakwera has described tobacco farmers as the number one foreign exchange (forex) producers in Malawi.
Chakwera made the remarks on Wednesday when he presided over the official opening of the 2023 Tobacco Marketing season at Kanengo, Lilongwe.
“If all tobacco farmers stopped producing today, the economy would collapse,” he said
Chakwera said something must be done to support tobacco farming to increase its productivity because whether anyone likes it or not tobacco farmers are the ones keeping the economy on its feet while giving access to all goods and services.
Chakwera: Tobacco is the country’s major forex earner
President Chakwera called upon stakeholders to support tobacco farmers whose products sustain the country’s economy saying that support includes buying tobacco at fair prices because buying them at unfair price does harm to the economy.
Buying tobacco at decent prices motivates and empowers tobacco growers to continue increasing the quality of their products, additionally, he observed, buying tobacco at fair prices encourages others to venture into farming as a productive and prosperous vocation especially young people whom are needed in the sector.
President Chakwera commended the Tobacco Commission (TC) for its ambitious goal of increasing annual tobacco production to atleast 200 million kilograms.
He said one way of attaining that is adopting mega farms strategy that his administration is championing.
The President said government will support the plans the Commission has put in place to initiate and promote the use of irrigation technology in tobacco farming.
TC Board Chairperson, Commissioner Dr Godfrey Chapola said for the past years, the country’s tobacco production remained below 125 millon kilograms.
“We envision that by 2028, we will have gotten to an annual production of 200million kilograms,” he said.
Chapola said that one of their flagship initiatives to help them get to the high production levels is the introduction and promotion of irrigation tobacco farming.
Irrigation farming is one of the critical features in the agenda 2063 adding that it means the industry is assured of full support in the new direction.
Amref Health Africa has committed K60 million to support the restoration of health care facilities in Phalombe and Chikwawa districts, following the devastating effects of Cyclone Freddy, which hit southern part of Malawi.
The funds have been provided by Amref Headquarters in Kenya and Amref Austria as part of a wider response initiative by Amref Health Africa, aimed at preventing deaths, serious illness, and infections by ensuring the continuous provision of access to essential healthcare to most vulnerable persons-women, children and young people affected by the cyclone in the districts of Phalombe and Chikwawa.
Speaking on Tuesday during the hand over of plumbing materials and medical supplies to Phalombe Health Centre, Country Director for Amref, Hester Mkwinda Nyasulu said it is worrisome that health facilities such as Phalombe and Nkhulambe health centres have been closed indefinitely because the structures were damaged by the cyclone.
“The current healthcare situation is worrying, and we are concerned about people who are having challenges to access healthcare services due to the cyclone. We are doing our best to support the Ministry of Health to continue providing essential healthcare services in these affected districts,” he said.
As Amref, so far, Nyasulu said, they have managed to raise K60 million which they are committing to go towards supporting rebuilding of damaged health facilities in Phalombe and Chikwawa.
In red t-shirt, Amref Health Africa Country Director Hester Mkwinda Nyasulu handing over items to Phalombe Health Center
Today, we are presenting these plumbing materials and medical supplies to Phalombe health centre to go towards the fixing the water system that has been broken due to the cyclone, he said.
Nyasulu further said their vision as Amref has always been that of creating lasting health change that’s why their support is focusing on restoring health care delivery to the communities.
In his remarks, Acting Director of Health and Social Services for Phalombe, Dr. Sam Sibakwe, described the support from Amref as timely.
He said Phalombe health centre serves a population of over 50,000 people and that on a daily basis they assist at least 400 people.
Dr. Sibakwe further said with the indefinite closure of the facility it means people are now travelling more than 20 kilometers to access health care at Phalombe District Hospital.
Current status at Phalombe Health Center
“This support from Amref has come at an opportune time. It will go a long way in rebuilding our health centre especially in restoring our water system which is completely damaged due to the cyclone,” he said.
Sibakwe said as a facility they still have a lot of areas that need fixing, like electricity, hospital equipment like beds and also the medicine and drugs that had all damaged.
He called upon other partners to emulate the example by Amref to assist in rebuilding this facility so that services resume as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Amref Health Africa has launched an Emergency Appeal seeking One million dollars to assist the households severely affected by the cyclone as well as rebuilding the damaged health facilities in the affected districts.
Through the appeal, Amref is looking to scale-up response on the health needs such as fixing broken water systems in the health facilities, supply of mosquito nets as well as other medical supplies for the families displaced in the camps.
The passage of Tropical Cyclone Freddy has displaced at least 564,239 people in southern Malawi, many of whom are sheltering in 577 camps.
The death toll was reported at 511 and the number of reported missing persons was at 533 as of 25th March according to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs.
The Tobacco Commission (TC) has announced that the 2023 tobacco marketing season will open on 12th April by State President Lazarus Macathy Chakwera at Lilongwe Auction Floors.
TC Chief Executive Officer Dr Joseph Chidanti Malunga made the announcement during a media briefing at Kanengo Auction Floors on Thursday that arrangements and preparations for the opening of the market have reached an advanced stage.
“We are very prepared including all the buyers, transporters and growers as the tobacco bales are already at the market ready to be sold,” he said.
TC Chief Executive Officer Dr Joseph Chidanti Malunga briefing journalists on the opening of 2023 Tobacco Marketing season at Kanengo Auction Floors in Lilongwe
He said 2,600 bales have been set to be sold on the first day of the opening while 16,000 bales have already been presented to the market.
Malunga said this year’s season has been good for tobacco despite cyclone Freddy affecting the crop in the Southern Region.
As a result, he said this year’s tobacco consumption is expected to increase by 50 percent to 126 million kilograms from 85 million kilograms the country produced last year.
Auction Holdings Limited (AHL) Chief Executive Officer Alfred Nkhono said they will use both systems of auctioning and contract during the selling of tobacco.
“All buyers will have their tobacco which they have bought conveyed to their places the same day,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture is expected to come up with minimum prices for the product.
National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Elimination Program (NTLEP) has described stigma and discrimination as the major challenges in early detection and successful completion of treatment in persons affected by leprosy disease in the society.
Leprosy Coordinator, Mercy Mziya, was speaking Monday during a TB and Leprosy Media and Faith Based Organizations (FBO) Bi-Annual meeting in Salima.
Mziya said many people with leprosy are failing to disclose their condition due to fear of stigma and discrimination.
“Stigma surrounding leprosy and discrimination against persons affected by the disease continue to affect early detection and successful completion of treatment,” she said.
Mziya said many people affected by the disease especially those with disabilities continue to experience social exclusion, depression and loss of lively hood.
She added that their families also suffer stigma.
Mziya reminded people that leprosy is treatable as the person affected becomes non infectious when put on treatment.
Leprosy survivor from Mchinji, Harlod Harrison, said before he was put on treatment his condition was worsening due to stigma and discriminated by the community.
“People didn’t want to associate with me because of the way my skin was looking,” he said.
Later, Harrison said, he was taken to the hospital where they discovered that it was leprosy and was immediately put on treatment.
He said he is now healed of the disease after he followed all the requirements of taking treatment.
Leprosy is a disease caused by bacteria and mainly affect the skin and nerves.
United Nations Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has appealed to the Malawi Government to reconsider its decision on relocation of refugees.
UNHCR Representative in Malawi, Cyr Modeste Kouame, said in a statement released on Monday that they have learnt with deep regret and concern the decision taken by the Malawi Government on 27 March 2023 to proceed with the execution of its directive to relocate refugees living in rural and urban centres across the country back to Dzaleka Camp.
“While UNHCR appreciates the leniency exercised by the government regarding the previous relocation deadline for refugees in rural and urban areas, the UN Refugee Agency urges government to reconsider because the decision will have disastrous consequences on many refugees,” he said.
Kouame further said the refugees living in rural and urban areas are expected to return to the already congested Dzaleka Camp, which presently accommodates nearly 50, 000 people.
Dzaleka camp was originally established to accommodate up to 12, 000 refugees.
He said relocating several thousand refugees back to the camp will have dire consequences on the provision of critical basic services such as health and education, as well as protection activities.
Adding that the relocation means that children will have to leave their schools, and for breadwinners to abandon their employment or small businesses and retum to a camp where they will be dependent on humanitarian assistance.
UNHCR is also very concerned about the extremely tight deadline given for the relocation of all refugees back to Dzaleka camp which is now 01-15 April 2023, she said
Kouame also said the UNHCR’s underfunding is already impacting current service provision to refugees and asylum seekers in Malawi.
According to her as of 28 March 2023, the agency had only received six percent of the USD 27.2 million required to adequately support refugees and asylum-seekers in Malawi this year.
This has crippled UNHCR’s ability to meet the protection, assistance and livelihood needs of the people it serves.
He therefore appealed to the government to allow refugee families to remain in rural or urban settings where they can continue their education, employed, and operate their small businesses.
Kouame said the UNHCR appreciates the Government of Malawi’s efforts to ensure the protection, safety and security of all refugees and asylum-seekers.
Government has announced the new dates for relocation of refugees and asylum seekers to Dzaleka Refugee camp on Dowa effective from 1st to 15th April 2023.
Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng’oma said in a statement available to Nthanda Times that all refugees residing in both rural and urban areas should relocate to the camp during a stated period.
“Relocation will be enforced by officials from Malawi Police Service and Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services after the dates given to,” he said.
Ng’oma: The exercise will be enforced by Malawi Police Services
Ng’oma said the notice comes following an expiry period which government gave from 30th November, 2022 to 1st February, 2023.
He added that government appreciates the efforts of those that have made their decisions to return to the camp following the deadline set.
Ng’oma called upon those that have not yet relocated to immediately adhere to the notice.
He however warned people or groups found meddling in the process or harassing the refugees in anyway that they will meet with a full arm of law.
Lilongwe District Council has disclosed that it is targeting to collect K857 million from locally generated revenue during the 2023/2024 financial year.
District Commissioner Lawford Palani disclosed during a press conference in Lilongwe on Friday that the revenues will be collected from market establishment fees, licenses and permits, service charges as well as income from commercial ventures.
“These funds are used to pay salaries for staff and honoraria for Ward Councillors and construction of market infrastructure,” he said.
District Commissioner Lawford Palani
Palani added that the funds when collected are also used to procure market working tools and protective clothing, procurement of motorcycles and motor vehicles, collection of refuse from markets and provision of general office services.
Last financial budget, 2022/2023, he said, the council collected K841million on locally generated revenues.
Palani however said challenges like Covid 19 and cholera outbreak affected the collection of revenue during the last financial year ending 31st March, 2023.
Lilongwe District Council has warned business operators that it will close their businesses if they do not renew their licenses by 30th June 2023.
District Commissioner Dr. Lawford Palani issued a warning on Friday during a press conference.
Palani said all businesses that will not have renewed their businesses by the set date will be closed in accordance with the council’s bylaws.
District Commissioner Lawford Palani
“The council is advising all business operators to apply or renew their business premises licenses now inorder to operate legally,” he said.
Palani further said the council will start issuance and renewal of business premises licenses for the 2023/2024 financial year from 1st April, 2023 in compliance with government new financial year calendar.
The licenses shall be valid from 1st April 2023 to 31st March, 2024.
Luntha Television has joined Likuni Girls Secondary School, with guidance from the Lilongwe City Council (LCC), in planting 800 trees in City Centre and along Lilongwe River in an effort to conserve the environment.
Lilongwe City Mayor Richard Banda described the initiative taken by the media station as a welcome development, saying it complements the council’s vision to keep Lilongwe city clean, green and prosperous through a greening campaign.
“Lilongwe has lost its vegetation cover so much that the council championed the intervention aiming at restoring vegetative cover and expanding green areas of the city,” he said.
Banda therefore urged city residents to take responsibility in planting and caring for trees.
Banda: Residents should take responsibility to plant and take care of trees
Luntha Television Director Father David Niwagaba said they took heed the call of Malawi Government and the council to keep the city green.
“Plant a tree today and save a life tomorrow. This impact we are making today will have a greater impact in future. This is what inspires the television station to join the nation in planting trees,” he said.
Father Niwagaba said with their partners Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) will be planting trees each year in Lilongwe City and extend to other parts in future.
Lilongwe Girls Secondary School Headmistress Sister Amelia Nyendwa said her school is happy to be part of the initiative in planting trees.
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