Ivory Coast and Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is the African footballer of the year for the year 2009 having outclassed Cameroon and Inter striker Samuel Eto'o and Ghana and Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien. - Our correspondent in Blantyre, the commercial city of Malawi picked the thoughts of Malawians on the outcome of the awards held in Accra, Ghana on Thursday night.
Esnat Somba: “Yes the best man won because he has been in top form for his club scoring crucial goals. He has also been instrumental taking his country to the World Cup in South Africa.”
“I am happy with the outcome, Didier Drogba has shown that he is a great striker and is currently chasing Wayne Ro…
Malawi government is reported to have stopped advertising in one of the country's private media house Nation Publications Limited. Media reports in the southern African nation say that the Malawi government has ordered all its departments and other partners to stop advertising in the newspaper. - However no reason has been given as to why the government has issued such an order.
Nation Publications Limited are the publishers of The Nation, Weekend Nation, Nation on Sunday and Fuko newspapers.
The newspaper has since written a press release expressing concern on the development and seeking explanation from the government.
The press release carries a letter dated January 21, 2010 issu…
- Two films were launched in Malawi on the sameday on Saturday in its commercial city of Blantyre one from its renowned actor Michael Usi who is popularly known as Manganya titled Manga the international cook and another from Escape Communications titled Campus.
This was a good development for the country which continues to struggle in the music industry and is yet to break the international market.
But the questions raised were do the films have quality or else they were there just to make up numbers?
Director of the film Campus Allan Ntata boosted before the launch that his film was equally good and that it would be the first real production for the country.
Malawi recently a…
- Britain is reported to have trimmed its aid to Malawi for this year from the proposed 22 million pounds to 19 million pounds representing a 13.6 percent decrease.
Malawi is one of the country's which depends on donor money to sustain its various projects and the decrease in the aid has also come as the country looks ahead to a year of low yields from the harvests.
Media reports in the southern African nation said said Britain has reduced the aid as it was baffled by Malawi government's move of spending more money in buying a presidential jet.
Malawi government bought a presidential jet which cost about 2 billion Malawi Kwacha before the country later experienced fuel and forex sho…
- Malawians are expected to cough more money on the yet to be introduced new passport which is set to have more security features.
Media reports in the southern African country said that holders of the Malawi passport and new applicants are expected to pay 15, 100 Malawi Kwacha for the important document whose fee has gone up by 89 percent.
Malawians previously were paying 8,000 Malawi Kwacha for the passport.
The Malawi Immigration decided to introduce the new passport following reports that the fake Malawi passports were being used by foreigners.
According to the country's gazette, the government endorsed new price for the passport on February 5 following recommendations from…
As the world commemorated the Valentines Day on Sunday, Malawi's president Bingu Wa Mutharika engaged his newly found love former Minister of Tourism and Wildlife Callista Chapola Chimombo at a colourful ceremony in the country's capital city, Lilongwe. - Being a Valentines Day where couples share love, red and white decorated the State House as the president engaged the 50-year-old Callista in a traditional ceremony which brought together scores of people.
Having engaged, Mutharika and his new found love will finally marry on May 1 which is Labour Day in the southern African country and a public holiday.
Shown live on the country's state television, Callista who is to become the first…
- Despite bowing out of the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations tournament early, Malawi's Flames and Zambia's Chipolopolo have been labelled the competitions surprise packages.
Ghana's football star Abedi Pele Ayew and Ivory Coast's Mamadou Gaye who were SuperSport analysts during the Africa Cup of Nations finals between Egypt and Ghana last Sunday described the Flames and Chipolopolo as surprise packages saying they did wonders.
Malawi who featured at the tournament for the first time after over 20 years were surprise package because they rose from underdogs to stun World Cup bound team Algeria 3-0 in their first game.
However, having started well the team lost in their second game 2-0 to …
The United States of America has congratulated Malawi's president Bingu Wa Mutharika for his appointment as the African Union chairman saying it would support the continental body. President Mutharika was appointed chairman this week and has taken over from Libyan leader Muammar Gadaffi. - According to www.america.gov website, USA was committed to help develop Africa and that it will continue to help in various projects.
US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Phillip Crowley, said: “We share Chairperson Mutharika’s goals of ending child hunger and malnutrition and welcome his interest in promoting the critical goal of agricultural development and food security on t…
- The Pharaohs of Egypt opened another chapter in their football history when they retained the Africa Cup of Nations after narrowly beating an impressive youthful Ghana side 1-0 on Sunday in Angola.
Substitute Mohamed Gedo broke Ghana's heart when he scored five minutes from time for Egypt to become the first team to win the African Nations Cup three times in succession.
The Pharaohs might have won the game 1-0 but they struggled to play the Ghana side which has surprised many and was never given the chance with the absence of their key players among them Chelsea star Michael Essien who got injured during their first game against Ivory Coast.
Though they failed to lift the Cup, Gh…
- Malawi's president Bingu Wa Mutharika was on Sunday elected Africa
Union chairman taking over from Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi at a Summit taking place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Gaddafi failed in his attempt to stay on as chairman of AU for another
year after African leaders opted to give the seat to the Malawi leader.
Media reports in Malawi have described Mutharika's election as good for the country and the Southern African Development Community(SADC).
In his acceptance speech, Mutharika described the year 2010 as the time for the African continent to develp.
" Although Africa faces enormous challenges, times has come for Africa to develop. Let us use this moment to r…
Malawi's president Bingu Wa Mutharika has been elected Africa Union chairman taking over from Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi at a Summit taking place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Gaddafi failed in his attempt to stay on as chairman of AU for another year after African leaders opted to give the seat to the Malawi leader. - Media reports in Malawi have described Mutharika's election as good for the country and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
In his acceptance speech, Mutharika described the year 2010 as the time for the African continent to develop.
“Although Africa faces enormous challenges, time has come for Africa to develop. Let us use this moment to rise," said …
- Malawi’s year on year inflation for December has gone up, the country’s National Statistics Office (NSO) has said.
The inflation now stands at 7.6 percent up from 7.2 percent in the month of November which represents a rise by 0.4 percent.
According to NSO, the southern African country’s inflation’s rise has been attributed to the rise to emerging scarcities of some seasonal foodstuffs.
Media reports in the country say that since January last year, Malawi has been recording a drop in inflation after opening at 11.9 percent which was attributed to availability of food.
The reports further said that the annual average national inflation for the year 2009, is…
Malawi's president Bingu Wa Mutharika has found a new wife and expected to marry on May 1 this year. The former Minister of Tourism and Wildlife Calista Chapola Chimombo would now become the first lady after the official marriage ceremony. They will have an engagement ceremony on February 14. - Mutharika who is in his 70’s lost his wife Ethel in May 2007 after a long battle with cancer.
Chimombo is a high ranking official of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
The news of their engagement and wedding comes barely a month after speculations were rife that the two were planning to marry and the two have been seen together at recent functions.
The Malawi president, wh…
Malawi went into wild celebration on Monday after The Flames shocked Algeria 3 - 0 in their opening Group A game of the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. - The Flames, highly tipped as the minnows and completely written off by football pundits put up a scintillating performance resulting in the hat-trick through striker Russel Mwafulirwa, defender Ivis Kafoteka and midfielder Davie Banda.
People were glued to their television sets in various locations in Malawi and after the full regulation time the entire streets of the southern African country were electrified with jamboree and wild celebrations.
Both young and old flooded the streets and many were optimistic their side will go far in the…
- Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) has banned music for the country’s top musician Lucius Banda.
According to an internal memorandum issued to its staff, MBC which has radio one and two said Lucius Banda’s music should not be played on air as music material or programme.
The memo further warned its staff to take the information as a “last warning.”
Lucius is one of the top and successful musicians in the country and last year he performed over five shows in UK.
He recently released his 15th album titled Fifteen Fifteen which he said recounts of his life since he started music.
However, it is this album which has earned him the ban as he has played …
- Malawi national football team popularly known as Flames play their last friendly game against Ghana Tuesday night in Swaziland ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.
The two teams are camping in the southern African country before flying to Angola for the tournament which kicks off this Sunday.
The Flames are the underdogs in Group A which has hosts Angola, World Cup bound Algeria and Mali.
Malawi qualified for the tournament after 25 years and their coach Kinnah Phiri has said they are determined to cause upsets.
They play Ghana which will feature among others Chelsea star Michael Essien, having drawn 1-1 with Afcon defending champions Egypt last week at their own backy…
- Malawi's former president Bakili Muluzi has finally come out to announce that he has retired from politics.
He announced the news about his retirement on Wednesday at his BCA Hill residence in the country's commercial city of Blantyre. Muluzi has been in politics for about 35 years.
The Ex-leader served one of the top parties United Democratic Front(UDF) as the National Chairman.
Muluzi was the first president in Malawi's multiparty democracy from 1994 before he left office in 2004.
During the press briefing, he announced that the National Executive Committee of UDF on Tuesday elected former finance minister Friday Jumbe to lead the party until the party’s national conven…
- One of Malawi’s veteran politicians Chipimpha Mughogho died on Sunday in the country’s northern region city of Mzuzu.
Mughogho was one of the founding members of the country’s Alliance for Democracy (Aford) party which fought the one party rule of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
Media reports in the southern African nation said that the politician died at the age of 87.
Mughogho, a teacher by profession who also served in various cabinet portfolios in both the MCP and United Democratic Front (UDF) regimes, died at Mzuzu Central Hospital at around 3pm.
The country’s local daily of the Daily Times quoted family members as saying that Mughogho suffered fro…
- As African countries continue to face economic problems, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is set to bail out Zambia with $ 81 million.
The money is expected to help the country stabilize its currency which is currently under threat.
Media reports said the $81 million loan would provide short-term support to its Kwacha currency.
The southern African country is one of the biggest producers of copper which has failed to generate enough forex due to its low prices on the international market.
A Reuters report said despite the Kwacha being a fully convertible currency, the Zambian currency remains very illiquid and can be moved by aid and donor flows.
The report further said …
- Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique and hosts Angola are the only countries which will represent the Southern African Development Community at the Africa Cup of Nations in January next year in Angola.
Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique qualified in their groups scooping the third position after the last qualifying games on Saturday.
Mozambique qualified in Group B after they beat Tunisia at their own backyard through Dario Montero’s goal whereas Zambia popularly known as Chipolopolo qualified IN Group C after they drew with Rwanda 0-0.
Malawi popularly known as Flames qualified in Group E taking the third slot with four points after they lost to Burkina Faso 1-0. However, their closest co…
- Malawi’s Junior Under 17 side’s participation at the World Cup in Nigeria has opened a window for its striker Luka Milanzie who is set to undergo trials in Serbia.
The Junior Flames who were booted out in the early stages without a point participated at the tournament for the first time.
However, despite their early exit the team won the hearts of many especially with brilliant skills from Milanzie and another striker Tony Chitsulo.
Media reports in the southern African country said that the young player will undergo trials at a yet to be disclosed football academy.
This could be a very good window of opportunity for Malawi which has failed to produce more players t…
South African president Jacob Zuma has been conferred with the 2009 African President of the Year award. Established by the African Consciousness Media and the Kenneth Kaunda Foundation, the prize recognizes achievements as well as honour African leaders. Zuma hailed the founders of the award. - Zuma, who took over leadership of the rich southern African country in May said: “What is most special about the award is that it is Africans recognizing what they regard as achievement and appreciating their own.”
A Sapa report said Zuma received the award in Johannesburg, South Africa and paid a special tribute to African leaders who fought for freedom and independence.
Mozambique's president Armando Guebuza and his party Frelimo are heading for a landslide victory in the national polls held on Wednesday. Media reports in the country said estimates released on Sunday gave president Guebuza who is seeking another term of office 75 percent of the presidential vote. - His party is set for a two-thirds majority in parliamentary elections.
The Mozambique president is fighting Renamo leader Alfonso Dhlakama and Movement for Democratic Change (MDM) leader Davis Simango for the presidency. A Reuters report said Dhlakama has taken 15 percent of the vote in the presidential contest with Simango head of the new part MDM getting 10 percent.
The report further quo…
Malawi Under-17 side were on Sunday booted out of the ongoing junior World Cup in Nigeria after they were thrashed 4-1 by Spain at the Sani Abacha Stadium. Spain scored their first goal in the 32nd minute through Adria Carmona. - Their other goals were scored in the second half through Sergio Morata and Espanosa. However Malawi scored their consolation goal in the dying minutes through Luka Milanzi.
The Junior Flames who were participating at the tournament for the first time followed African champions Gambia who also went out on Saturday after they drew with Colombia 2-2.
Nigeria and Burkina Faso are the only African countries who made it to the last 16 with Algeria also crashing out.…
Host nation Zimbabwe on Sunday came from behind to beat Zambia 3-1 to win the Cosafa Senior Challenge Cup at Rufaro Stadium in Zimbabwe. The Cosafa Senior Challenge has played a crucial role in uplifting the standards of football in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. - Zambia who are also battling to make it to the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola next year were the first to hit the net through Henry Banda. Banda scored in the 24th minute after he collected a ball on the edge of the 18 yard box and dribbled past a Zimbabwean defender before lifting the ball over the host’s goalkeeper Edmore Sibanda.
Zambia popularly known as Chipolopolo could have added another…
