Malawi National Netball team star Mwawi Kumwenda has been named in the top four for the best netballers in the world in 2020. An annual poll released by Netball Scoop on Wednesday led by a team of ten judges comprising netball writers, journalists and coaches, has named the Malawi Queens shooter on position four in the 2020 world netball ranking after amassing 13 votes. The judges said Kumwenda turned in fine performances for the premiership-winning team, Melbourne Vixens in Australia in 2020 most memorably in the league decider where she netted 47 out 50 baskets. The netballer Kumwenda has described the news as an honour and a self-motivation to hard work. Kumwenda has dedicated the award to former Malawi Queens coach Griffin ‘Zagalo’ Saenda who died last month. “Above all Thanks to Almighty God for this amazing talent and l dedicate this to the late Griffin Saenda, who spotted me and lam here as the best because of him. May his soul continue resting in peace,” she said on her Facebook page. Ameliaranne Ekenasio from New Zealand has been named as the best netballer with 31 votes seconded by Australian Liz Watson with 30 votes while Jamaican Jhaniele Fowler has scooped third position. The rest of the top ten netballers is as follows; Australian Caitlin Thwaites on position five with eight votes, Australia’s Courtney Bruce and South Africa’s Karla Pretorius are tied on position six with seven votes so is Kate Moloney from Australia and Jane Watson from New Zealand on position seven with four votes. Sulu Fitzpatrick from New Zeland, Jamie-Lee Price from Australia and Jamaican Shamera Sterling are on position eight with three votes. Laura Langman from New Zealand, Geva Mentor from England and Australian Jo Weston have scooped position nine with two votes while the duo of Karin Burger and Maia Wilson all from New Zealand completes the top ten.-(Yuneco Website)
Author: Leyman Publications
Five key Incidents for African Football In 2020
By Michael Oduor, Africa News Agency The African football landscape had a number of major occurrences over the course of the year, from tournament cancellations, a historic player of the year win, leadership campaign and a FIFA ban on CAF boss. As part of our 2020 review, we look back at five top news items in Africa’s world of sports for 2020. November: CAF president banned from football The head of Confederation of African Football (CAF), Ahmad Ahmad, was late this year banned from football for five years by FIFA’s adjudicatory chamber. The decision came following an ethics investigation by world soccer’s governing body. FIFA said in a statement the independent Ethics Committee had found Ahmad guilty of offering and accepting gifts and other benefits, and misappropriation of funds. Ahmad had declared his intention to seek re-election as the continent’s football chief in March 2021. He has confirmed he will be appealing the ruling. March: CAF postpones AFCON 2021 The Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football, CAF, postponed the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON to January 2022 citing the coronavirus pandemic. The tournament had been scheduled to take place between January and February 2021. The football governing body, however decided that the local version of the AFCON, the Championship of African Nations, CHAN, will take place in January 2021. It had originally been slated to be played in April this year. Both competitions will be hosted by Cameroon. Cameroon suspended the CHAN in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The local organizing committee after a meeting announced the decision to suspend the competition which would have taken place between April 4 – 25. CHAN is a version of the African Cup of Nations but is reserved for players that ply their trade on the continent. The current champions are Morocco who beat Nigeria in the final of the last tournament in 2018. March: FIFA reschedules congress slated for Ethiopia In March, football’s world governing body, FIFA, announced rescheduling its 70th Congress that was scheduled for May 2020 at the African Union’s headquarters in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. At the time, FIFA said it will be moved to September 2020 in Addis Ababa. It has still not taken place. An official statement issued on March 11 read in part: “On account of the spread of COVID-19, numerous international bodies and public health authorities have advised against the organisation of international events. Concerns over the health and well-being of participants, as well as travel restrictions in many countries, have resulted in the cancellation or postponement of many such events in various parts of the world. Mindful of this, and given the wish of FIFA to organise a Congress which all member associations are able to attend, the Bureau of the FIFA Council has decided to reschedule the 70th FIFA Congress from Friday 5 June 2020 to Friday 18 September 2020 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. February: FIFA’s mission to clean African football ends FIFA’s six months joint control of African soccer ended in February when Secretary-General Fatma Samoura’s temporary leadership of the continent’s governing body was not extended by CAF ExCo members. Samoura was dispatched to CAF in August 2019 with the task of cleaning up the organization. FIFA also declared Samoura’s mission as “General Delegate for Africa” complete after a meeting of the CAF executive committee. Changes implemented during Samoura’s mission include enhanced financial controls, better salaries for staff and new ethics structures, FIFA said. CAF president Ahmad Ahmad’s ethics probe was still underway at the time as he faced accusations of sexual harassment and bribery, as well as claims of personal and financial impropriety. January: Mane finally wins African best award Senegal and Liverpool forward Sadio Mane won the African best player 2019 award at an event in the Egyptian city of Hurghada on January 7. He became the final awardee for the decade 2010 -2019. He succeeded Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah who was also shortlisted along with Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez. Mane helped his club side win the UEFA Champions League in the 2018/2019 season and was captain of the Senegal side that lost the 2019 AFCON to Algeria in Egypt. He eventually helped club side Liverpool to a historic Premier League trophy. It was the fourth straight time that he had been shortlisted for the award. He lost in 2016 to Gabon’s Aubameyang (at the time with Dortmund), then missed out to Salah twice in 2017 and 2018.
MPC Appeals For Government Bail Out
By Mercy Makuwira Blantyre, December 10, Mana: Malawi Posts Corporation (MPC) has asked government for financial intervention in its drive to reinvent and remain relevant on the market. The appeal was made on Thursday in Blantyre made during an interface meeting between Minister of Information, Gospel Kazako, and board of directors for statutory corporations that are under the Ministry. Responding to the appeal from MPC board members Kazako said there was need for further talks between MPC and government where the corporation will have to give an account of how it used funds previously made available and how they will use the funds they were requesting for. “There is need for corporations to run as businesses where they make money for government and not run to government each and every time for bail out. So, let us sit down further and talk, if there is need for downsizing operations let us see how this can be done, let us see what will be needed or not and decide on what to do,” said Kazako. He, therefore, added that time had come for statutory corporations to reclaim the glory they had when they were being instituted. “Most of the corporations under my ministry do not have a good reputation out there. If you talk of MACRA it is well known for abuse of funds, nepotism you name it,” he said. Kazako said with the Tonse administration board members for statutory corporations are expected to work extra hard to ensure the alliance’s agenda is implemented at all levels. He expressed concern in the past statutory corporations have been used as a means of siphoning funds for personal use. However, Kazako said the situation not be tolerated with the Tonse government. Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) Director General, Henry Shamu, said problems being experienced at MPC dates way back saying the corporation has been neglected for a long time even though the telecommunication industry has been changing. “Out of 180 post offices in the country only 10 make profits. However, there are people who have to be paid against the social function that post office have. The question has always been, should post offices that are not making money be closed against how operations are going to be maintained,” said Shamu.
Malawi Veep Chilima Urges Malawians To Refrain From GBV
By Ireen Mseteka Mzuzu, December 10, Mana: Vice President, Dr. Saulos Chilima, has urged Malawians to refrain from gender based violence (GBV) and enhance interventions in fighting the vice. The call was made Thursday at Bumba Primary School in Rumphi where he presided over the commemoration of this year’s International Human Rights Day. Chilima said the commemoration of the day marks the end of 16 days of activism against GBV, a vice which has recently been rampart in the country. “Malawi has recently seen a sharp increase in GBV cases as the Malawian Police Service has recorded 1, 440 defilement cases between January and October 2019 and 1, 738 similar defilement cases between the same period of 2020,” said Chilima. The Vice President pointed out that the figures are alarming hence the need for action to end the trend. “I believe that GBV can be prevented and it can be eradicated. The first step is to change our mindset and attitudes which perpetrate violence against women, girls and children,” he said. He said everyone should feel safe and protected by the law saying that government is equally appalled by the incidents. In responding to the queries regarding such unprecedented increase, government instituted a taskforce to look into the causes of sexual violence with goal of providing a lasting solution to curb the inhumane behaviour. Chairperson for Human Rights Commission, Patrick Semphere, commended government for gazetting Covid-19 prevention taking it into account as a human rights approach. “Government applied an inclusive approach in dealing with the pandemic and in doing so the country has been able to address the pandemic while maintaining the provision of crucial services and human needs,” said Semphere. He, however, said the commission is greatly concerned with unprecedented levels of sexual and other forms of human rights abuses. He said the most shocking element is that parents and guardians who are supposed to be protecting children from all forms of the violence are among those people being involved in the malpractices. Semphere, then, called upon law enforcement agencies including traditional and religious leaders to be proactive in addressing the immoral behaviors and practices. “Those found guilty of committing such offences should be arrested and given stiffer penalties,” he said. The day was commemorated under the theme ‘Recover Better, Stand up for Human Rights’.
Save The Poor Foundation In Retaining Girls To School Project
By Maureen Murotho Blantyre, December 10, Mana: Save the Poor Foundation (SAPOF), a local organisation aimed at improving and enhancing the quality of life for marginalised people through advocacy and community empowerment interventions has embarked on a Retain Girls to School Project, targeting girls who dropped out amidst COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking during an Integration Forum meeting in Blantyre on Wednesday, SAPOF Executive Director, Alice Chiwaya said the project also intends to popularise policy standards and guidelines in the education sector in Blantyre district and contribute towards the reduction of school dropout among girls in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Somba in the district. “The project will be called ‘Keeping girls in school to educate more girls in Blantyre District (KEEP4MEG) project and will be implemented as a pilot project with funding from National Democratic Institute,” said Chiwaya. Chiwaya added that positive outcomes that shall be registered will build a project to be scaled out in the remaining TAs in the district. Blantyre District Director of Planning and Development, Tamanya Harawa, commended the initiative and welcomed the development. “This is a very good initiative since they are promoting evidence based issues. As a council, we are yet to learn from them on how they will tackle such issues and bring change in the district,” said Harawa. According to a 2020 Rapid assessment on child marriages, teenage pregnancies and early marriages about 44, 874 teenage pregnancies and 12, 995 child marriages were respectively recorded during the six months closure of schools as a result of COVID-19 spread. The project will run from November, 2020 to January, 2021. It targets groups such as parents, guardians, learners who dropped out of school, community and school structure.
Chakwera Advises Unima To Produce Quality Graduates
By Solister Mogha Zomba, December 10, Mana: President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has advised University of Malawi (UNIMA) to restore the University’s known core value of producing quality graduates through quality and relevant education that should contribute to national development. Dr. Chakwera made the remarks at the Chancellor College Great Hall in Zomba on Thursday when he presided over the graduation of 461 students from various colleges of the UNIMA. The President said the University of Malawi was by its establishment intended to be centre of excellence thus producing graduates who were expected to drive the socio-economic development of the country to higher levels through their various acquire skills and knowledge. He added that as the university continues to strive to its highest level, it was important to also consider the quality of education being offered. “The University of Malawi was established to build capacity of our country through provision of quality education and I would, therefore, like to urge you to maintain the value of which this university was established,” he said, adding that there was need for the institution to produce quality graduates and not just the qualifications. The president said Malawians have higher expectations from graduates from UNIMA as they are regarded as graduates of higher calibre. “Malawians are waiting for people who are ready to develop this country and offer solutions to many challenges the country is facing and not graduates who are always analysing what has gone wrong and who has done the wrong,” said Dr Chakwera. The newly installed Chancellor of UNIMA, therefore, urged graduates to be agents of change and be job creators than job seekers. He said gone are days where people waited for someone to create jobs for them adding that the current world requires one to be innovative and creative to venture into various economic activities. “You are the ones who must drive this nation to greatness, we need to start moving into product creation and produce home made products and as a new crop of graduates, regard yourself as job creators and not job seekers,” he added. The President commended the University Council and all staff of the University for their dedication to work. He expressed hope that with his administration’s support UNIMA would continue offering basic and quality education. UNIMA Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Alfred Mtenje, said the university is always dedicated to producing quality students who would actively play a crucial role of changing the Malawi nation. Mtenje said under the current leadership, the University has no doubt that it would rise to higher levels and continue developing programmes that suits the current situation. “As an institution of excellence, we wish to state that Covid-19 has affected immensely our academic life,” he said, adding that the pandemic disturbed the university’s academic calendar. He said the University of Malawi is working hard to ensure the institution maintains its programmes. Chairperson for the University of Malawi Council, Professor Jack Wirima, pleaded for more funding to enable the institution to potentially fulfil its mandate of offering quality education. The graduation ceremony was the first of 2020 with 461 students (128 males and 333 females) graduating with certificates and degrees of which only fifteen students graduated with distinctions. During the ceremony, President Dr Chakwera was installed as the Sixth Chancellor of the University of Malawi. The first chancellor of the University of Malawi was Malawi’s first president, Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda followed by Bakili Muluzi, Joyce Banda and Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, University of Malawi will continue with graduation of other students in the afternoon and Professor Mtenje will preside over the graduation.
Veep Chilima For High Standard Roads In Malawi
By Stanley Nkhondoyachepa Nkhotakota, Mana: Malawi’s Vice-President, Saulos Chilima says he wants road construction companies to construct roads of high standard in the country that would last long. He was speaking on Monday in Nkhotakota when he toured Nkhotakota-Msulira road construction works to appreciate progress. The Vice-President (VP) observed that poor workmanship in road construction has resulted in government losing a lot of money on maintenance. “Why can’t you construct thick and durable roads that can last for 15 years so that we save on routine maintenance works?” appealed Chilima. Chilima, who is also Minister of Economic Planning and Development, said time has come for the country to take a look at its road network to ensure they are of high standards. The 33-Km road runs from Nkhotakota Boma through the Nkhotakota Game Reserve to Malomo-Ntchisi .It is 16 months behind schedule. Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Public Works, Patrick Zimpita said the construction of the road has delayed because government failed to fund the contractor on time. He disclosed that Treasury only released K800 million of the K4.3 billion for the project, making it difficult for Shire Constructions Company to start works. In another development, the VP assured farmers that struggle to redeem fertilizer and other farm inputs under the Affordable Input Program (AIP) not to panic, saying the challenges facing the distribution of the inputs had been addressed. He made the remarks when he made a surprise visit to one of AIP input selling depots at Nkhotakota Boma as he travelled back from his main engagement. Chilima said he had heard that people were complaining of long distance to access farm inputs under the program, but said Agriculture Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) would now participate to minimise the challenges.
Child Labour Still Remains A Challenge in Malawi
By Tione Andsen Salima, December 9, Mana: Government has said child labour in the country still remains a challenge and serious issue among communities. District Labour Office (DLO) for Salima, Mc Dirrex Chavala said this during the opening of Training of Trainers (TOT) on Child Labour Prevention and Response at Sigelege Beach Resort in Salima. He said the 2015 National Child Labour Survey revealed that 38 percent of children aged 5 to 17 were in engaged in child labour in the country. Chavala added that of these 60 percent of them were in hazardous work. The DLO said the country was recognized as one of the Pathfinder countries under the Alliance 8.7 initiative expecting to lead from the front and significantly accelerate national efforts towards achieving global target of eliminating child labour in all its forms by 2025 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target 8.7 through concrete actions and real results. “Achieving Reduction Child Labour in Support of Education (ARISE) programme complements government efforts in a substantial way towards achieving SDGs 8.7,” he explained. The DLO said the TOT would foster increased knowledge and capacity building among key sectors and stakeholders in child labour prevention and response. Chavala commended Winrock International as the implementer and JTI as funding provider for this well through ARISE project. He hailed Winrock for supporting the development of the national child labour mainstreaming guide. He urged participants to take TOT seriously as they have been entrusted to help in the fight against child labour through capacity building of stakeholders. Winrock International Regional Director for Africa, Dr Dalitso Baloyi has called for multi-sectoral collaboration among stakeholders involved in the prevention of child labour He said the TOT has been designed to have a pool of trainers on child labour issues as one way of eliminating it. Baloyi said child labour has negative implications to the development of any country socially and economically. “We need to join hands in order to deal with the issue of child labour among communities. We need to create awareness among communities so that they should be able to understand the effects of child labour,” he added. The TOT participants have been drawn from Ministries, government ministries and non Government Organizations (NGOs).
Religious Leaders Challenged To Champion Mindset Change
By Fostina Mkandawire Lilongwe, December 9, Mana: Religious leaders in the country have been challenged to champion mindset change as one way of fostering development of the country. Vice President Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima made the call to the clergy on Wednesday in Lilongwe when he made a keynote address at the World Vision Micah Challenge Malawi Church partnership. The Vice President said religious leaders have a critical role to play in changing people’s mindset on different societal issues that are affecting the country’s development. Chilima who is also Minister of Economic Planning and Development and Public Sector Reforms, delivered a public lecture on Mindset Change in October 2020, in Lilongwe, where he challenged Malawians among other things to abort opportunistic tendencies and to stop their obsessions with negativity. In the same vein the Vice President was making the same points as delivered during his lecture to the religious leaders because of the authority they hold in society. “We are told that there is God at churches but we have never seen God but we still believe in His existence this only shows how religious leaders can make people believe in the mindset change agenda,” he said. Chilima highlighted four areas that faith based organizations needed to reflect on and further inculcate in their congregants minds as follows; unity and trust, wise stewardship, looking outward, and timely truth telling with love. One of the participants at the conference Reverend Vasco Kachipapa said as faith based leaders they have a mandate to help the citizens of Malawi to have a prosperous life through mindset change. He said they will take the message to their churches because that is what churches have been doing all along to change perceptions and people’s negative behaviours into good citizens. “We will incorporate the mindset change message with the gospel so that we should be in line with the word of God while at the same time preaching about mindset change,” he said. Board Chair for World Vision, Lucy Kachapira, said change is a transformative process that cannot take a day to manifest. She therefore said her organization will gradually continue to spread messages of change until people’s views and perceptions are changed. ” This Micah challenge initiative was established to ensure that people’s welfare and way of lives change for the better, to eradicate poverty, to end infant and maternal deaths, in short it is encompassing all the Sustainable Development Goals as it’s objectives,” she said. The Micah challenge Malawi is a national movement of aid and development agencies, churches, schools, groups and individual Christians who support Sustainable Development Goals.
Malawi Chiefs Blames Laxity On Covid-19
By Glory Msowoya Blantyre, December 9, Mana: Traditional leaders in Blantyre have expressed dismay with looseness on efforts to win the battle against deadly novel coronavirus. This come as one of the country’s key development partner United Nations (UN) Women in Malawi donated some personal protective equipments (PPEs) to eight senior chiefs based in Blantyre on Tuesday. The chiefs feared that with lowered efforts in providing awareness to the citizenry is a call for wary as it gives room for possible spike of Covid-19 cases. Speaking to Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Tuesday Traditional Authority (TA) Kapeni of Blantyre hailed UN Womens’s gesture for the donation. “The donation is timely because if we are to interact with communities, we need to protect ourselves but if not that that means our lives will be in danger. “I cannot hide, l have seen people in my area not following all Covid-19 preventive measures of but I’m trying my level best to continue sensitizing the people. “We need to strictly follow all the preventive measures wholesomely and we need to treat everyone that we meet as a potential carrier of the virus,”Kapeni said. National Programs Officer for UN women in Malawi, Pamela Mkwamba, said the organisation targeted senior’s chiefs from 14 districts to receive PPEs as one way of easing some of the challenges being faced in efforts to deal with Covid-19 in their areas. “During the consultative process between UN Women and chiefs on Covid-19 this year, one of the requests from chiefs was that UN Women should come up with ways on how chiefs will be protected while sending Covid-19 messages to the communities. “The request for paramount and senior chiefs to have PPEs was valid and that is why as UN women we thought it wise to honor their request,” she said. Mkwamba has, therefore, called for collective efforts in dealing with Covid-19 to avoid the country from having the second wave of covid-19. “This is the time where as a country we need to work together in sensitizing the public on issues to do with Covid-19. We should not relax. As of now some of the countries have started registering the second wave of Covid-19. So, the need not to relax is very crucial,” she added. The donated PPEs included face masks, buckets, liquid and tablet soap.