By Mary Makhiringa Balaka, November 28, Mana: OXFAM on Thursday donated various COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that included, chlorine, motor cycles and bicycles to female parliamentarians in Balaka South and West under the ‘Elect and Return’ Campaign, to respond to the pandemic in their respective constituencies. Under this initiative, female Members of Parliament are supported with various items to distribute to their constituencies. This also helps the female legislators to woo the electorate to vote for them again in the next elections. Speaking after presenting the donation to the two female parliamentarians for Balaka, OXFAM Program Coordinator, Thandizo Mugwira, said their mandate is to ensure a 50-50 women representation in Parliament and other key positions. She said that was why OXFAM donated to the women parliamentarians as a way of making them more resourceful in the wake of COVID-19. The COVID-19 PPE will be distributed among their constituents while soap and chlorine will be distributed in health facilities. “The motor cycles and bicycles will help the community structures to address mobility challenges when dealing with gender based violence to ensure the cases are reported with speed,” Mugwira said. After receiving the donation, Member of Parliament for Balaka South, Ireen Mambala commended OXFAM for the gesture, saying the donation was timely and would assist constituents to respond to COVID-19 and deal with GBV. “You will note that the COVID-19 pandemic has come with so many negative impacts on our girls such that we have seen so many of them getting pregnant, a development which is worrisome,” she said. It is expected that the motorcycles and bicycles will be effective in ensuring that girls are protected from the GBV. “The motorcycles and bicycles will ease mobility challenges and working with these girls will be easy,” said Mambala. She said it will also be easy to mobilise community based girls protection initiatives to address issues gender based violence.
Author: Leyman Publications
Malawi President Chakwera Commends Nurses
By Fostina Mkandawire Lilongwe, November 28, Mana: State President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera on Saturday commended nurses for their sacrifice and commitment in providing the best healthcare services in the country. Chakwera made the remarks in Lilongwe, when he presided over the launch of the 2020 International Year of the Nurse and Midwife. He said the work of nursing and midwifery is a prime example of Malawians doing their best to make the country better through services rendered to others. “The sacrifice made by those of you in this profession gives us the right to call you our national heroes,” he said. The Malawi’s Head of State said there is no amount of praise that can be piled on nurses that would recompense for their sacrifice; therefore, nurses have to be celebrated for their devotion to the service. “Nurses have worked tirelessly this year to ensure that they provide the best healthcare to the public amidst COVID-19, putting aside their own health needs,” he said. The President highlighted some notable programs that are helping Malawi maintain its reputation as a global leader in the training and practices of nursing. One such program is the Young Nursing and Midwifery Leaders Mentorship Project. On this note, the First citizen assured nurses that government has their best interest at heart and that he would ensure that the nurses’ grievances are solved. President Chakwera, therefore commended institutions and stakeholders that assist government to educate, recruit and deploy nurses and midwives and called them true partners in the work of building a new Malawi. At the 72nd World Health Assembly in Geneva in May 2019, the World Health Organisation dedicated the year 2020, which marks two centuries since the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale was born, as the year of Nurses and Midwives. President of the National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives (NONM), Shouts Simeza, said nurses need to be supported and encouraged by the general public. He also underscored the importance of solving some of the pertinent issues that affect nurses in the country. “We will seat down and list down pertinent issues that are affecting nurses and direct them to the State President so that lasting solutions should be found to these issues,” he said. According to Simeza, some of the issues include, lack of accommodation near hospitals, shortage of workforce which mounts pressure on the available nurses and lack of sponsorship for career advancement. On the day, two nurses received lifetime achievement awards for their service to the nursing and midwifery profession, the two are Charity Salima and Dorothy Ngoma.
Tilitonse Foundation Commits To Improve Urban Governance
By Lily Kampani Lilongwe, November 28, Mana: Tilitonse foundation has awarded over K500 million to four grant partners to assist them in implementing projects to enhance urban governance and management in Malawi. The award ceremony, which took place on Friday in Lilongwe, was under the theme ‘Functional Cities and Towns are Possible: Role of Good Governance in Urban Management’. Speaking during the ceremony, Chief Director for Ministry of Local government, Esmie Kainja applauded the organisation for continued support to government development agendas. “Due to urban population growth, people moving from rural areas to towns seeking income job opportunities, has resulted into increase in congestion, so we have seen a number of issues arise from that,” said Kainja. Kainja described some of the emerging issues as social exclusion looking at how the poor, youth and women access the services. “We have witnessed an increase in public health challenges of communicable diseases. So these are the effects of failing to manage and provide good governance to cities. “The grants will also go towards waste management which is a top priority for government to ensure that our cities are clean,” said Kainja. Tilitonse Foundation Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Robert White, said they are targeting city councils and urban areas to support urban management. “We are focusing on mainly three areas namely waste management, urban governance and lastly revenue generation and utilisation which are all aspects we would like to see improve in our city councils,” he stated. On his part, Nkhadze Alive Youth Organization (NAYORG) Executive Director Charles Sineta, said they would utilise the grant efficiently to improve waste management and promote revenue generating activities in Mangochi. NAYORG is one of the four organisations that will benefit from the fund. The project will be implemented in Lilongwe, Mzuzu, Blantyre and Mangochi.
Matafale: The Man Who Lived In A Time He Never Lived
The golden voice; powerful and intelligent lyrics that used to be carried in the frame called Evison Matafale still hang with a distinct quality. Matafale went for good, true, but the fact we all live with is that his wisdom, intelligence, prophecy, silky voice and clear musical art were – and still are – mighty. They all escaped those chilling fangs of death that senselessly and savagely smothered the life of the reggae maestro who died at a nubile 32. Quite young for a person of his caliber. A musician with qualities, one can safely say, that any musician on the local scene is yet to boast of. Reason? Evison Matafale, profoundly called ‘the prophet’ then, was not just a musician like any other. He was a musician and more. Matafale, the man who lived in a time he never lived Arguably, this is one of the roles that many use in distinguishing the late Matafale’s music from other people’s music. Lately, to back up this claim, almost everybody picks at Kuyimba 1’s hit Malawi. In it, the silky voice of the gone but to never be forgotten Matafale advises: mtendere si nsimatu ayi (Freedom is more than having food). The people of Malawi, now agree, the man was just right at the point. They have food but does that mean they are free? The people of this nation can answer that one better, in their hearts. Yet, the prophecy of the man survived by two full albums and a band that still exudes perfection on the reggae scene does not stop at that. It does not even conclude at Time Mark, the hit single just before his unnerving death, in which he called himself ‘Rasta Daniel…only here to finish up the revelation.’ The Arab springs, it appears, were already seen by the man in his song ‘Freedom’ in which he lets his hypnotizing voice flow with an unguarded sweetness as it proclaims: The song is freedom, freedom, freedom/everywhere/the song is freedom/total freedom/to the people Matafale knew and saw an age in which people will never be satisfied by almost free housing, free education, free access to medical facilities as was the case in Libya but would demand something more: freedom. End result? The prophetic voice, clearly and with an arguable style of its own, announces in the song: And all I can see is smoke and fire/they’re still fighting in mamaland/And all I can smell is bomb and blood He knew, our safely interred prophet, that the song of freedom will not just be sung amidst peaceful ululations, it will be embroidered in sorrow. The people of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Syria know better. Evison, the avid reader Chinua Achebe, the man whom most of Africa – and even the entire world – looks at with a powerful reverence has been in the news lately. The reason being he has denied an award from the Federal government of Nigeria because, in his words, the government has not tackled issues to do with corruption and bad governance which were the same grounds he used to snub the award in 2004. In one word, it would be prudent to say, Achebe is wise. It is in that wisdom that the man wrote in his 1986 fiction book ‘Arrow of God’ that: ‘sometimes the gods use us as a whip’. Matafale, the fallen giant whose works refused to fall with him, was not very far from that wisdom in Time Mark as he challengingly announced, and warned, the Al Qaeda days after razing down the World Trade Centre in America on September, 11 2001: This is the warning to the terrorists/you have been used by Almighty as a whip/to punish people of the land Borrowing from Achebe? It appears so, one cannot completely rule out the high possibility that the man read Achebe. Even the thinking espoused in Olenga Dzuwa, for all those who have read Malcolm X’s autobiography, will agree that it is the kind of thinking preached in the book in its foundation pages. The late ‘first black missionary’ scathingly denounces the white man. He sings, with an admirable velvet voice still: Nawe mzungu taona wangoziulura kuti Satana ndiwe/ukulamulira dziko lapansi/ndi nkhanza zokhazokha (white man, you’ve just revealed yourself that you’re the devil incarnate/you control the whole world with all the cruelty) Matafale, the man of God Sometimes, it gets hard to classify the music of Matafale. That it was reggae, pure and undefiled, everyone accepts. The question lies whether it was secular or gospel. A good number of practicing Christians will be quick to dismiss the music as secular chants of a Rasta while almost every Rastafarian who chooses to appear in fidelity to the faith will embrace the man’s music as the gospel. However, in Chauta N’gwamphamvu, the maestro reconciles the two parties to accept him as a man of God. A man who could appreciate the role of God in our lives. No wonder, he patiently implores us all to thank God, still maintaining the irresistible reggae touch and that angelic voice, as he sings: Ukaona dzuwa latuluka/mbalame nazo zikuimba/Chauta n’gwamphamvu…timuyamike/kuti izi zipitilire/timtamande kuti iye asasiye (At the break of every new dawn/just know God is great…Let’s praise Him/for all the good works to continue) That was in his first album, Kuimba 1. He did not stop there, anyway; in Kuimba 2, as a missionary, he went on a mission inviting people to the Rasta faith. The lyrics of Why Jesus was born bare it all: I want to know why Jesus was born/Was he born to be king?/Oh no!/Wasn’t he already?/Oh Yes!/To save mankind/But has really man of the world been saved? Oh don’t lie! Rasta has got the answer He released that song after divorcing with the wailing brothers; he had formed the black missionaries. In that song, he was the missionary. A black missionary inviting people to a faith he believed had answers. Evison, the social scientist “Matafale, what distinguishes him from other
OXFAM Donates Hand Washing Facilities, Soap To Schools
By Mary Makhiringa Balaka, November 26, Mana: Oxfam on Monday donated hand washing facilities and soap to schools in Balaka in the efforts to contain further spread of Covid-19. Balaka District Council disclosed that hand washing facilities were not enough in most schools due inadequate resources that could cater for all the schools in the district. Over 15 primary schools and two community day secondary schools have benefited from the Oxfam donation whose hand over took place at Nkhonde Primary School in the district. Oxfam Country Director, Lingalireni Mihowa said their partner Oxfam Hong Kong provided the funds which meant for education support to girls and other vulnerable children in the country. She said the support facilitated the purchase of hand washing facilities for all targeted schools. “We have made procurement such that each and every school will have its own hand washing facility to support the education sector,” Mihowa said. Apart from Balaka, Oxfam has donated the same in items in Dowa as a way of complimenting government in protecting school going children against Covid-19 pandemic. She called on all girls who have fallen pregnant during the long holiday to ensure they get back to their respective schools after delivery. “The First Lady herself has advocated for all girls who are pregnant right now that should consider going back to school, the minister of education too said that the readmission policy allows girls to go back to school,” Mihowa added. After receiving the donation, Coordinating Primary Education Advisor, McPeter Lumbani commended the Oxfam for the donation saying the donation help schools to promote hand washing practices amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. “This donation has come at the right time and we appeal for more donors to come forward to assist us with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as masks, hand sanitizer, for teachers as they are also at risks,” he added. A standard 8 learners at Nkhonde Primary School, Doris Masina acknowledge the Oxfam donation saying her school was really in need of adequate hand washing facilities.
Namadingo Thrilling With Mash-Ups
By Natasha Muthete Lilongwe, Mana: Malawians from all walks of life were excited to hear a new genre of music dubbed mash-up of which Patience Namadingo featured several music icons like Lucius Banda, Black Missionaries, Giddes Chalamanda and Billy Kaunda. According to Namadingo, mash-up is number of songs put together but listeners choose and select what they want from the songs. About 12 songs putting them together, basically the word mash up is coming in because they are just mashed together. He was quick to point out the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the coming up of mash-up with Mlaka Maliro. Namadingo said that, “The coming of Covid-19 disturbed us on our planning because when Covid-19 came, we had already planned to do mash up with Maliro which we did not do. We will do another mash-up with him but that will be communicated.” Namadingo said that he enjoyed working with every artist and he could not compare them since everyone was unique in their on way. “Working with Lucius was full of stories. It took longer working with him because we had so much funny listening to his stories from the past,” “Working with Black Missionary was exciting since it was group sharing a lot of stories. Chalamanda was another thing because I was working with someone in another generation. I had a lot of questions to ask him. He told us a lot of the stories,” he added. Acting Director of Music Association of Malawi, Gloria Manong’a said Namadingo is the first person bringing Mash–up in the country. “Mash-up has really helped Namadingo because he has exposed his talent very far and has reached young and old. He has promoted unity among musicians by working together and pass in different messages to people,” she explained. Manong’a noted that Covid-19 was really a big challenge to the music industry, as most of the musicians depend on live performances where after performances they get money or funds to support their daily living. “We did not manage to support our members due to financial or material limitations. We did not have enough resources to do so but this has being a lesson to us all. We did not prepare for the disaster but we have to make sure that we keep something for the future use,” she admitted. Leader of Black Missionary, Anjiru Fumulani stated that it was great performing with Namadingo, the collabo helped to rekindle the fire for old time sake as black missionary. “Our fans did not believe that we can collaborate with him but they were excited and amazed that it happened,” he said. Fumulani said that Covid-19 has affected not only the musician’s but even the business community and has affected people financially. Upcoming artist, Stanley Zikambuma (Zika B) cherishes an opportunity to do mash–up with Namadingo, since he is one of the best artists in the country. “I have known mash–up because of Namadingo, not many people were aware of this. This has reminded us, the songs that our parents were listening like Chalamanda songs,” he confessed. Tamika Mkandawire, one of the fans of Namadingo said that she really like his mash-up and she just hopes that he should continue. Namadingo is the first musician to bring Mash–up in the country and fans are excited.
Plan International Malawi Gears To Fight GBV Through Artist
By Lydia Bomani Lilongwe, November 26, Mana: Plan international Malawi has said that every citizen in the country has the responsibility to fighting against Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the country. This Year’s theme of 16 days of activism is prevention, response, report and funding. In an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana), Communications Officer for Plan International Malawi, Chawanangwa Nyirenda said that they are appealing to all Malawians to stop GBV. “We have planned very well for this year’s 16 days of activism whereby as one way of mobilizing the messages to people, we are working together with the media, internet, youths, and dialogue session with different stakeholders and government,” he said. Nyirenda added that they are working with Banks as a way of spreading the information across the country as this would help to find solutions to end GBV. “We have joined hands with FDH Bank in spreading the messages as they have sponsored the competition known “as in my lens” which focuses on designers, photographers and artist,” he added “We have call upon artist, photographers, graphic designers just to give us ideology where there is no violence, how would it look like when women and girls are living freely without GBV, and why is it important to end it in our country,” the officer said. Nyirenda added that the country was experiencing rise in GBV and this directly affects the socio-economic development of any nation and its democracy. “When girls and women are not given equal rights as men, and are not allowed to have access to education, job, promotions, this means they are being denied in their lives to develop as human being and this will end up our country being stuck,” he said. The Communications Officer asked vulnerable people like children, women, and girls to be open and report any case of abuse and all cases of violence. “We have high expectations that there will be equal mechanism after this campaign and that people will stop gender based violence and there will be no any of abuses in every community,” he pointed out. Plan International Malawi has pleaded Malawi Police Service, Non-Governmental Organizations, traditional leaders and all other stakeholders to join hands in fighting against GBV not only in this 16 days of activism, but beyond. The 16 days of activism have started on November 25 to December 10, 2020. Ministry of Gender, Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) and other stakeholders are advocates of the 16 days of activism campaign in raising awareness to people about GBV.
Malawi Cuts Off 75 Percent On Park Accommodation Fees
By Yankho Phiri Mana: Department of National Parks and Wildlife has decreased prices with 75 percent for lodging at Lifupa Lodge in Kasungu National Park for both international and local tourists. The development has come after the government terminated a contract with the previous owner Act to Protect (AP) due to poor services and higher rates. Speaking on Wednesday during a media tour which was organized by African Development Bank (ADB) for journalists to appreciate various activities in its project called Promoting Investment and Competitiveness in the Tourism Sector (PICTS), Kasungu National Park Manager, Petros Msiska said the government considered revision of the rates so that every Malawian could afford to visit and enjoy the stay at the park. “The government through our department thought it wise to terminate a contract with the private owner who was managing the place and takeover for some valid reasons, the rates for an individual to spend a night, conduct a safari walk and a game drive inclusive was at US$140 which is equivalent to K105, 000 while all of that is now offered at US$40 which is K30, 000 making it very affordable,” he said. Msiska added that such a low price has been offered to attract more tourists to visit the park which has been restored and is now highly populated with wildlife especially elephants than the previous years. “We believe that our newly revised rates will help us in attracting more tourists both local and international to come and see several species of wildlife, historical places and other interesting things that we have,” he said. Parks and Wildlife Officer responsible for Environmental Education, Matias Elisa commended the support from ADB which he said has changed the shape of the park. “We are very much grateful for the support that we currently receiving from African Development Bank’s PICTS ecotourism project which has mainly put Kasungupark into form by equipping us with enough resources for smooth operations of our work which has helped us to achieve all our plans,” he said. Kasungu National Park is the second largest park in the country with over 2,300 square kilometres which is situated south west of Kasungu.
Anglican Church Calls For More Membership
By Linda Likomwa Mana: St. Michaels Anglican Church in Chiradzulu has called for more membership as the church currently registers about ten families only Membership varies aaccording to number of civil servants working in the district and frequent transfers of the members. In an interview on Sunday after a community entry service at Chiradzulu District Hospital ground, Father Harry Daniels, said some people in the district especially the area around Chiradzulu Boma think that the church is for those working at the Boma area. “Anglican is a big church and we have members in Milepa, Masanjala, Ndunde and Namitambo, but we have challenges around the Boma,” he said adding that this was the reason the church organized the prayers at an open place to let people know that the church is for everybody and people around Chiradzulu Boma are free to join. The chiefs in the area did not fully welcome church, according to Father Daniels who therefore asked village head Makanani to encourage his subjects especially those that do not go to church to join the Anglican Church. It was also observed that some people at the Chiradzulu Boma attend Anglican churches in Blantyre. Father Daniels also noted that there are several factors that contribute to low Church memberships citing one of them as being that the Anglican faithfuls pray on a rented premise. Members of Anglican Church gather for prayers at Malawi Congress Party (MCP) hall at the Boma which is also used by Fountain of Victory Church. The two churches give each other turns as Anglican Church starts services after Fountain of Victory finish prayers at 9 o’clock in the morning. Father Daniels said the Anglican Church has engaged the Chiradzulu District Council to allocate a land to construct a church, adding that the church got assurance from the council that the land for the church will be allocated in 2021. “We started the process way back in 2012 to acquire a land from the council and all necessary documents were submitted but the challenge was with lands office which did not process anything and this year we reminded them and they told us to re-submit the document which we did,” he said. During the service the church also donated assorted items to the elderly and needy children from Makanani Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Mpama with contributions from women of St. Veronica guide. Chairperson of St Veronica guide (of the Limbe Archdeaconary), Kitta Nkhoma, said the guide has an obligation to do charitable work in assisting the elderly, the needy, the vulnerable and to cheer the sick among other obligations. She said the archdeaconary mobilized K90, 000 from its seven churches which was used to buy packets of sugar, salt, match boxes, soya pieces, plastic basins, note books and pens for the elderly and needy children. Nkhoma also disclosed that early this year the archdeconary donated assorted items at Namitambo Health Centre as one way of reaching out to the needy. One of the beneficiaries James Sikoti, 62, thanked Anglican Church for the donation saying that the items will assist his family as the family was in need of such items. After listening to Father Daniels’s message and being one of the beneficiaries of the assorted items, Grace Kachepa, 67, said is ready to be a member of Anglican Church. She also commended the church for its humane gesture saying this manifested the love of God to His people.
Network Lobbies For Creation Of Child Officer Positions
By Aliko Munde Mzimba, November 23, Mana: Civil Society Organisations (CSO) Network of Mzimba has appealed to government to create a position of District Child Officer in the councils as one way of directly dealing with issues affecting children. The CSO Network Chairperson, Teckson Amadu, made the call over the weekend during a child protection stakeholders’ meeting which was organised with funding from Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad). Amadu said the network faces challenges in implementing child protection initiatives in the district due to low funding towards children welfare in the district. “Just imagine, the District Social Welfare Office (DSWO) gets K200, 000 per month from central government for services meant for the elderly, persons with disability and even children,” Amadu said. He further appealed to government to consider increasing financial allocation to the DSWO for the smooth running of its operations so that they serve people better. “The office is failing to follow up child abuse cases due to low funding,” he said. Amadu then suggested the creation of positions of District Children Officers in all district councils as it is the case with district gender officers. District Commissioner (DC) for M’mbelwa District Council, Emmanuel Bambe, concurred with Amadu saying DSWO receives little funding thereby affecting its operations and service delivery. Bambe said both national and district budgets are not child friendly hence the need to advocate for more financial allocation towards child protection interventions. “Children have a voice but they are not heard. We need to be developing child friendly budgets which can contribute to effective implementation of child related activities so that the plight of children is recognized,” Bambe said. Bambe also welcomed the suggestion for the creation of the positions of District Child Officers saying the development will enhance proper coordination and funding allocation towards child protection interventions. DSWO for Mzimba, Bernard Nangwale, said his office is failing to meet the expectations of people as the district has six permanent child protection workers who are on government pay roll while 25 of them are volunteers. “The volunteer child protection workers are playing a pivotal role in fighting child abuses across the district but their efforts keep on dwindling due to lack of incentives,” Nangwale said.