Nthanda Times

Peter Ngwenyama

  • 50 potential investors in Malawi

    A 50-member delegation of investors from across Africa, led by Professor Patrick Lumumba, arrived in Malawi to launch various investment operations.

    The delegation met President Dr Lazurus Macarthy Chakwera at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Monday to discuss his vision for enhancing productivity of the country’s economy for the achievement of job and wealth creation in line with Malawi 2063 vision of turning Malawi into inclusively wealth self-reliant middle income economy.

    In his remarks, President Chakwera said the coming of the investors demonstrates eagerness to see Africa rise together.

    “As citizens of your own countries, you could have easily taken your resources to invest in the economic growth of your own countries but you have come here with the heart to see Malawi grow together because Africa is one family that must rise together,” he observed.

    President Chakwera added that their coming is also an expression of their trust and confidence in the investment environment that his administration is creating to make all sectors in Malawi productive and competitive.

    A Group photo with potential investors

    For a long time in Malawi, he said, there have been enterprises that have enjoyed monopoly over entire sectors with little to no competition. “The net effect of this is that monopolies lead to high prices in production and translate to higher costs for consumers.”

    The President said his administration has been aggressive in attracting investors that can compete fairly especially in all sectors especially in agriculture, tourism and mining.

    Competition that strengthens the supply chain capacity of any industry in any sector reduces production costs over time and makes goods, services and works affordable for consumers, allowing the ordinary Malawians to have more disposable income at the end of the month, he said.

    The President decried that the kind of redistribution of wealth has not been received well by monopolies while some have declared war on his administration through smear campaigns and bullying tactics.

    Professor Lumumba said the, PLO Lumumba Foundation, a Pan-African initiative has brought together potential investors from Africa, Carribean and friends of good will from India and Israel to invest in Malawi in various sectors of economy so that the country realizes its Malawi 2063 vision.

    Professor Patrick Lumumba speaking to journalists

    “Those who want to invest are focusing much on agro-industry because we want as Africa to feed ourselves.” Adding that: “We have the view that Malawi can be a focal point in that area.”

    Professor Lumumba further said that they are also leveraging on energy like hydro and solar, industrialisation as well as technology, education, mining and value addition.

  • MPs worried with rising cases of petrol arson

    Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Social and Community Affairs, Savel Kafwafwa, has expressed concern over an increase in arsons caused by petrol and other fuel products that results in loss of lives. 

    In an interview with Nyasa Times on Thursday, Kafwafwa said as a committee they are equally concerned how people sometimes keep liquid fuel in their homes without safeguarding peoples’ lives. 

    The tragedy of petrol arsons keeps increasing in the country    amid scarcity of fuel in different parts of the country. 

    This week there have been a number of petrol arsons including in Mayani, Dedza where a husband and wife died after being sustained with burn injuries. And a child is battling for life at Kamuzu Central Hospital. 

    Dedza Police Public Relations Officer Beatrice Jefati identified the victims as a 44-year-old man, Uladi Kumwembe and his wife Lukiya M’bwana, 32 died on 7th and 8th August 2023 respectively after sustaining body burns. 

    And their daughter Alice Uladi, 2 years old, is being treated at Kamuzu Central Hospital after their house was gutted by petrol fire in Mayani, Dedza.

    The accident occurred when Kumwembe was siphoning petrol from a vehicle and tried to keep it in his house  so that could share it with a colleague, who requested a favour to buy for him.

    In the same District, on 27th July 29 year-old man, Chipiliro Chimkwita and his wife Fazida Chimkwita, 22, died after their house was accidentally gutted by petrol fire at Kachule Village. 

    The Social and Community Welfare Parliamentary Committee Chairperson advised that the general public should understand that petrol should not be stored in places where people sleep or sit because they are highly inflammable.

    Savel Kafwafwa said: “As a committee we would like to agree with the government that these fuels need to be tightly guarded, even if a vehicle has been involved in an accident or breakdown no need siphon fuel from it.”

    On the other hand, Kamuzu Central Hospital has expressed concern over increasing numbers of patients with fire burns since 27 July, 2023.

    In a statement, Kamuzu Central Hospital Director Dr. Jonathan Ng’oma said from 27th July, 2023 to 10th August have registered 8 cases where 5 are dead and 3 others are critically ill. 

    Dr. Ng’oma has therefore advised the public to refrain from keeping fuel in the house to avoid arsons and loss of lives.

  • LUANAR plans to develop natural pesticides

    Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources has disclosed plans to develop natural pesticides to control environmental degradation in Malawi.

    LUANAR Vice Chancellor Professor Emmanuel Kaunda said this on Wednesday in Lilongwe during a two-day symposium organized by the Agro-Ecological Hub in Malawi.

    The symposium was organized to discuss challenges and solutions on how to manage environment for improved food systems in the country and it is discussed under the theme: Rolling out Agro-Ecological practices to combat pests, climate change and Environmental Degradation for Sustainable Food Systems.

    Kaunda said there are a number of diseases which have come due to weather patterns as a result of climate change.

    LUANAR Vice Chancellor Professor Emmanuel Kaunda says his his Institution is planning to develop natural pesticides

    “Some of these diseases are resistance to certain pesticides which are applied so the research being done is to identify pesticides that can control pests here,” he said.

    Kaunda believed that in the end there will be solutions which are home grown, adding that importation of such expensive pesticides will also be reduced.

    Controller of Agriculture Extension and Technical Services in the Ministry of Agriculture, Alfred Mwenifumbo, expressed the importance to focus and reflect the current challenges for improved productivity.

    “New pest problems such as Fall Army worm and resurgence of soybean rust have slowed down productivity in recent years,” he said.

    Mwenifumbo said most importantly is the fact that the country has compelled to rely on chemical pesticides. saying the pesticides kill a broad range of non-target insects and microbial life including natural enemies of most pests.

  • CDEDI petitions Parliament to debate maize bill

    The Center for Democracy and Economic Initiative (CDEDI) has petitioned Parliament to deliberate and pass an emergency maize bill.

    Speaking after delivering the petition on Wednesday, CDEDI Executive Director Silvester Namiwa stated that Parliament should suspend relevant standing orders to deliberate and pass an emergency maize bill.

    “Through this bill, the government should engage Illovo and Salima sugar companies, and other large-scale commercial farmers to grow maize through irrigation,”adding that there should also be an initiative to tap the underground water to enable prison facilities to engage in irrigation farming. 

    Likewise, he said, those in the lakeshore districts should be provided solar pumps or canals to grow maize. 

    Given that most Malawians are yet to adopt alternatives to maize, it is imperative to increase production of the staple food, he said.

    Namiwa said the demand follows revelations that the current maize situation in the country is a fatal disaster-in-waiting.”The country has maize that will only last two months, if it were to be supplied nationwide.” 

    According to him, with 91 percent of employable Malawians being jobless, coupled with the effects of cyclone Freddy, and drought in the case of Karonga, given that the Tonse Alliance administration set the minimum price of maize at MK500 a kilogramme, translating to MK25,000 per 50-kilogramme bag, millions cannot afford the staple food.

    At the prevailing MK50,000 minimum wage, the majority of Malawians can also not afford to buy the maize. 

    Namiwa reading the petition

    This is so bearing in mind that while the staple food is selling at about MK35,000 per 50kg bag in the Central Region, in some parts of the Southern Region, the same bag is fetching between MK50,000 and MK55,000, he said.

    Namiwa observed that the government has no choice but to release the maize to all the parts of the country and at the same time reduce the minimum price by half.

    Similarly, he said, a social protection mechanism should be put in place to ensure that the ultra-poor receive free food. 

    Instead of pressing the panic button or softening regulations on maize imports, CDEDI is imploring the House to transact the maize bill saying rationing maize will only worsen the situation, while importation is not an option given the acute shortage of forex in the country.

    Namiwa through his organization however implored the Leader of the Opposition, Kondwani Nankhumwa to facilitate tabling of the maize Bill.

    Receiving the petition, Parliamentary Chairperson for Agriculture Committee, Sameer Suleman said the petition has a very strong message which needs to be supported.

    “Malawians are now starving due to natural challenges. There is a shortage of maize across the country,” he said.

    Suleman said prices of maize have gone up such that the majority of Malawians cannot afford it.

  • Women’s Cyber Platform impressed with women, girls participation at the meet

    Organizers of Women and Girls in Cyber have expressed satisfaction with the participation of women and girls at the Women’s Cyber Platform, which took place in Lilongwe last week.

    Chairperson of the organizing committee, Thokozani Chimbe, who is also a Legal Advisor at Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra), expressed her satisfaction on Friday during the closing ceremony of the first-ever Women and Girls in Cyber held under the theme: “Bridging the Gender Gap and Breaking the Gas Ceiling.”

    She said women and girls responded well to the conference.

    Chimbe: The conference was a success

    “This was a success because women from all sectors of the society attended and shared ideas as well as experiences on technology issues,” she said.

    Chimbe said they want the nation through the forum to recognize the importance of women and girls inclusion in digitalization.

    She further said women and girls have among others been sensitized on how to tackle challenges brought about by technological advancement including the gender gap and cyber threats.

    Meanwhile, she said, they agreed to set up a Women in Cyber Malawi Network that will get affiliated to the Global Women in Cyber networks.

    Priscilla Nyirenda, a participant, said she has benefited a lot because women and girls generally needed support in cyber security.

    “They are alot of crimes that are committed on the internet and affects women, and girls” she said.

    Therefore, she said, the conference was very important to women and girls and the skills gained will be shared to others.

  • First Lady Chakwera wants new health posts to have maternity wings

    First Lady Monica Chakwera has stressed the need for newly constructed health facilities to include maternal and neonatal wings to allow women and children access proper health care services.

    Chakwera was speaking on Monday during an official opening of Nguluwe Health Post constructed with funds from Constituency Development Fund (CDF) with support from European Union (EU) in Traditional Authority (TA) Malili in Lilongwe.

    Nguluwe Health Post has been built without a maternity wing.

    “This facility will not be able to handle all maternal services as women with complications will still be referred to the nearest facilities which are very far to reach them,” she lamented.

    She decried the 21 kilometers women and children walk to access maternal and neonatal services from Malingunde, Likuni and other nearest government hospitals such as Bwaila and Chitedze, which are 30 kilometers away.

    According to her, it is the plan of government led by President Lazurus Chakwera to provide essential health services within 5 kilometers radius as stipulated in the Health Sector Strategic Plan.

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    Madam Chakwera therefore pleaded with the District Commissioner’s office, Member of Parliament for the area and other stakeholders to consider constructing a fully fledged maternity wing so that women of the area access all maternal services.

    Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda said the facility will soon be a fully fledged health centre with a maternity wing.

    “It is still a health post because we need to do a number of things for it to qualify as a health center like having a proper maternity wing which can take care the needs of women,” she said.

    MP for Lilongwe South West Jean Sendeza said the opening of a facility is a dream come true for people of Malili as it has taken them almost 17 years without accessing the services.

    “We are all happy that people can now afford to access government health services near them,” she said.

    According to her, the construction of the post started in 2006 and was abandoned.

    “But now with the increase of CDF, it has been completed and now ready for use.”

    Mollen Chimphipi, a 19-year-old resident of Nguluwe area, expressed gratitude to government for bringing health services near them.

    “We used to take a bicycle taxi to access health services at nearest facilities and pay for them,” she said.

    Nguluwe Health Post has a catchment population of over 19, 000.

  • USF donates computer equipment to Biwi Triangle Light Industries Association

    The Universal Service Fund (USF) has donated computer equipment comprising of a computer, UPS and printer to Biwi Triangle Light Industries Association.

    USF is a system of subsidies and fees managed by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA). 

    The Fund is the authority’s main regulatory tool for promoting universal access to ICT services in rural and underserved areas in the country. 

    The Fund was established in response to the National ICT Policy of 2013 which put a deliberate policy statement aimed at making ICTs available and accessible to all the people throughout the country particularly those in rural and underserved areas.

    USF Committee Member, Phyllis Manguluti, said on Friday during the handover of the materials in Lilongwe that to they want to promote and facilitate the development of an e-commerce platform to enable coordination in the community of interest. 

    “This follows a request by the Association for MACRA through the Universal Service fund to support them with office equipment and assist in the development of the e-commerce platform Application,” she said.

    Manguluti said considering the fact that the Application will help to automate their business process and that the community is ready to harness the power of ICT in fostering the growth of their businesses and services, MACRA thought it wise to come in and assist.

    Universal Service Fund and Biwi Triangle Light Industries Association members during the donation ceremony

    In this case, she said, USF will assist with the equipment and the development of the App that would avail all services the Association membership provides to the customers.

    Manguluti further said the desktop is part of the donation. Adding that they thought of presenting it now whilst we they still working on the development because we noticed that the Association does not have a single computer to use in their day-to-day work.

    As MACRA, she observed that it is the start of their journey to embark on the promotion of Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) sector growth through the development of smart apps that would link suppliers and customers of their goods and services.

    The Association’s Chairperson Malani Gondwe urged members of the association to embrace technology quite much as the world is changing.

    “We are now teaching members that as we are trading here we have to follow technology because without it we will not make business as usual,” he said.

    Gondwe therefore commended Macra for the gesture they have shown to the association saying what is remaining is an application (App) to allow members showcase their products and services on the App.

    The association has members from garages, Welding and Fabrication, Spare parts traders among others.

  • Minister Gwengwe attributes cement scarcity to forex shortage

    Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Sosten Gwengwe, has disclosed that the shortage of foreign currency is the major factor contributing to the scarcity of cement in Malawi.

    Gwengwe was responding to a question from Rumphi West Member Yona Adadawiza Mkandawire on Friday in Parliament who suggested that the government should encourage cement imports to deal with the situation. 

    The minister told Members of Parliament that forex shortage has affected both local cement and general product producers, which shall be rectified very soon. 

    Gwengwe, who stood for Minister of Trade and Industry Simplex Chithyola Banda, said the ministry has engaged the Reserve Bank to support local manufacturers.

    Gwengwe: The Cement prices have been affected by the shortage of Forex

    The finance minister explained that the central bank has engaged in order not to deal with only cement but also other equally local important products that needs forex it’s an import base.

    “It is these local producers who are generating forex, therefore they need to be supported to make sure stable supply markets and prices,” elaborated Gwengwe. 

    He added, “It is true that prices of cement escalated as other traders are selling as higher as K20, 000 per 50kg bag. During the meeting between concerned stakeholders was resolved that a bag of cement should not exceed K16, 000.” 

    He explained that the querry is made considering poor Malawians who earn less than K50, 000 per month and can’t afford to buy a bag of cement during this time. 

    Mkandawire pointed out the need to utilize the duty free week in this time of crisis as manufacturers in Malawi are failing to bring down cement prices. 

    “There is need to encourage cross-boarder import of cement where government can also be collecting revenues,” pleaded Mkandawire.

  • Parliament adopts motion on political party financing

    Malawi Parliament has adopted and passed a private members motion that proposes operationalization of Section 40 (2) of the Constitution on political party funding, which had no legal framework regulations. 

    Member of Parliament for Zomba Ntonya, Nedson Phoya, introduced the motion where the provision in the Constitution shall now be regulating the administration of political party funding, and other matters incidental thereto if the bill is enacted. 

    Currently, the Constitution targets political parties that amassed at least 10 percent of the votes during general elections.

     “We want every party represented in parliament to benefit from the funds,” he said. 

    Phoya said section 40 subsection 2 of the Constitution does not provide regulations on how to operationize the legislation hence to enact an amendment. 

    He gave an example that the funds will come from public coffers’ consolidated funds that should be accounted for by looking into how they have used it. 

    “Are they being audited? This is another major issue that is going to be included minus an element of getting 10% of national vote during general elections which shall be removed so that every party gets a proportion of the funds,” explained Phoya. 

    Phoya told the August House that this scheme will help to phase out corruption activities that policitians have been attempted with from business tycoons who have had interest doing business with government. 

    He added: “When a certain political party gets into power, these political donors or funders becomes investors. So, we need to deal with such things.”

    He however pointed that money for political parties already exists as stipulated by law, only it was diverted because of lack of legal framework regulations.

    The bill is expected to go through scrutiny together with section 21 of the political parties act. 

    Seconding the motion, MP for Nkhatabay South East Noah Chimpeni explains that this bill will fade out issues of corruption between business gurus who funds political parties in favours of business opportunities when they get into power. 

    DPP Spokesperson Ralph Jooma has expressed the need for political parties to fully take into account the funds that shall be disbursed through this scheme.

    Speaking on behalf of UDF, Lilian Patel from Mangochi South supported the bill, saying today things aren’t the same and it is important for the democracy they fought for.

    For MCP, Leader of the house Richard Chimwendo Banda expressed gratitude over the bill that it will really foster the country’s democratic principles.

  • MPs call for recapitalization of MCHS

    Members of Parliament on Wednesday called for the recapitalization of Malawi College of Health Sciences (MCHS), which is currently going through many administrative challenges. 

    Legislator for Salima Central West, Enock Phale, expressed concern over unfunded and projects that have stalled for years at the Lilongwe Campus. 

    Phale proposed that contracts that stalled should be terminated and restart in order to advance in finishing the projects with new contractors. 

    MP for Chiradzulu West Dr. Matthewa Ngwale concurred with Phale and told the August House that the College should be recapitalized as one way to improve the situations. 

    MPs were commenting after the Parliamentary Committee on Education presented a situation and status report which was adopted on Malawi College of Health Sciences. 

    Among others, the report recommends government through Ministry of Education and Health provide funds and contract renumeration in order to finish the stalled projects at the college. 

    In his presentation, Thyolo Central MP Ben Phiri to stood for the Chairperson of Education Committee called for both the Ministry of Health, Education and Presidential Delivery Unit-PDU to collaborate to deal with stalled project as soon as possible. 

    Phiri added, “Ministry Education should liase with the Health Ministry to reverse and restructure the board that was taken out because of other reasons.” 

    “It is painful that the structures that were being constructed stalled as both staffs and students struggles to operate on everyday basis,” complained Phiri. 

    He therefore advised government to consider needy students at the College with tutions loans that the Loans Board provides. 

    Committee assured that will continue to monitor the situation at Malawi College of Health Sciences, to make it to a better one and accomplish the projects. 

    MCHS was established in 1996 under ministerial order of the then Minister of Education, but it reports to Ministry of Health.