- Mozambique is reported to have registered its first H1 N1 flu death.
The news comes barely a few days after another southern African country Malawi also registered its first Swine Flu case.
According to Mozambique’s Deputy National Health Director Leonardo Chavane, a 29- year old woman is said to have died on Monday in Maputo.
A Reuters report said the patient is said to have been admitted in August with fever, headache and vomiting.
H1N1 is a virus that causes Swine Flu.
Swine Flu has caused over 2,800 fatalities worldwide and the first cases were reported in Mexico early this year.
- World Bank has toughened its lending procedures on Zambia saying it will only continue disbursing funds after it controls its spending.
This comes as a warning not only to Zambia but other African countries that depend on donor money for various development programmes.
World Bank is one of the top bank’s which has played a pivotal role in lending poor countries huge sums of money apart from the African Development Bank.
Media reports in the rich copper nation quoted the bank’s country manager Kapil Kapoor as saying that Zambia needed to control its spending.
He added that World Bank will continue with its existing lending conditions to ensure that the money disburs…
- Malawi’s president Bingu Wa Mutharika has appointed Perks Ligoya as the new governor for the country’s Central Bank.
Ligoya takes over as the Reserve Bank of Malawi governor having served as the Economic Adviser for the Minister of Finance.
The new governor takes over the top office from Victor Mbewe who resigned two months ago before the expiry of his contract.
Mbewe, a former head of Standard Bank in Malawi, joined the central bank as governor in 2005.
Media reports said the former governor resigned due to a shortage of forex which had hit the southern African country over the past 12 months.
The new governor promised to work hard in the best of his capabilities…
- Mozambican President Armando Guebuza has been appointed the new chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ of Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
Zambian president Rupiah Banda is the vice chairperson of the Organ.
Guebuza and Banda are said to have been appointed in absentia. The two leaders are expected to run the Organ for a year.
The names of the two leaders were announced on Tuesday during a communiqué to mark the closure of the 29th ordinary session of the SADC heads in Kinshasa, DRC.
Guebuza has taken over the position of chairperson from His Majesty King Mswati III of the Kingdom of Swaziland.
Mswati told the meeting in his report…
- As companies continue to battle with the global financial crisis in Africa, Arcelormittal South Africa is reported to have shut down its plant in Mozambique.
The company’s Spokesman Sven Lunsche said the closure has come up due to low demand.
It is also reported that the closure has led to about 78 people losing their jobs.
"The plant has been mothballed since December and we now officially closed it down,” said Lunsche.
He added that the production from the plant was roughly 5,000 tonnes at one stage and that this was not feasible to keep it going.
A Reuters report quoted the company’s Spokesman as saying that it would supply its Mozambican customers fr…
Zambia's copper production is expected to increase this year. This is good news for the country which has recently been affected by the global crunch which led to the falling down of copper prices on the international market. - The country relies on copper for its economic boost. Copper production output is expected to rise from the previous estimation of 600,000 to 664,000 this year.
A Reuters report quoted Zambia's Treasury Thursday as saying that output from the copper mines would rise by further 5 percent in 2010.
"Total copper production in 2010 is ... projected to increase by about 5 percent from a projected 664,000 metric tonnes in 2009," said the Treasury. …
Under-five mortality rate has dropped in Mozambique and Malawi according to recent figures released by the United Nations Children's Fund - UNICEF. A statement from the UN agency indicated that Malawi's rate has fallen from 225 deaths per 1000 live births in 1990, to 100 per thousand in 2008. - The report further said that in 2000, only three per cent of children under five slept under a mosquito net – a key means of preventing malaria - whereas by 2006 this had risen to 25 per cent. The southern African country is said to have focused its limited resources on improvements in health and health systems and the use of the most effective interventions.
The new data also show…
Malawi's President Bingu Wa Mutharika has deported four top foreign tobacco buyers for their failure to adhere to prices. The four who were given a 24 hour deportation include Kevin Stainton and Van der Merwe of Limbe Leaf Tobacco Company, Colin Armstrong of Alliance One and Alex Mackay of Premium Tama. - The move comes barely a few months after the country’s president threatened the major buyers for their low prices in buying tobacco saying this was exploiting Malawians.
In a statement, Mutharika said he had ordered the four individuals to leave the southern
African nation for conniving to deliberately frustrate the policy of his government to improve people’s welfar…
- The long awaited Big Brother Africa (BBA) Revolution kicked off on Sunday in South Africa leaving many viewers in the African continent in suspense.
Many viewers expected to see the usual things they have been seeing in the previous BBA shows but they were in for more drama.
During the launch, only 12 housemates entered the house of which all of them were males whereas two countries Kenya and Uganda had two housemates.
Three countries namely Malawi, Angola and Zambia however, did not have housemates among the 12 entrants.
This led to viewers in these countries to express their disappointment.
14 countries are said to be participating in the event this year namely Zambia, Sou…
- Malawi national football team popularly known as the Flames earned their first three points in the 2010 World and Africa Cup qualifiers when they came from behind to beat Guinea 2-1 at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre on Saturday.
It was a sweet victory for the southern African side which is still at the bottom of Group E with three points just like Guinea who have a better goal difference.
The team lost all its previous three matches, 1-0 at home to Burkina Faso, 5-0 away to Ivory Coast and 2-1 away to Guinea before the revenge.
The Flames who can not qualify for the World Cup have rekindled their hopes of participating at Africa Cup in Angola.
Guinea scored first in the 37th minute t…
Malawi's president Bingu Wa Mutharika has sent back a marriage bill to Parliament which would have given a nod for girls to marry at the age of 16. The country's Members of Parliament which has been dominated by Mutharika's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) passed the bill despite others challenging it. - Some Members of Parliament challenged the bill saying 16 was not the right age for marriage saying many girls were still not mature and still in school.
NGO’s and several other quarters also attacked the House for passing the bill and said the marriage age could have been either 18 or 21.
But the Malawi president had not assented the marriage bill and sent it bac…
Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has said he is frustrated with the unresolved disputes with President Robert Mugabe which he said were still pushing the development of the country down. - Tsvangirai and Mugabe who entered into a government of national unity early this year have continued to disagree of several issues which have forced donors to fail to commit funds.
The development has since force Tsvangirai to call on the annual summit of Southern African Development Community (SADC) heads to be held in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday to quickly remove obstacles in the unity pact.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader said SADC should push Mugabe …
- Many rural areas especially in the African continent lack a lot of things among them safe water and electricity, but a young boy Emmanuel Chidima in Malawi’s southern region is reported to have produced electricity.
Media reports in the country where blackouts are rampant, said the 15 year old who is in standard seven at Chimkwezule Primary School has made 12 volt hydro electricity from running water and a disused radio cassette motor.
Out of the 12 volt hydro electricity, the boy is said to be able to power his radio and light his parent’s house.
The local daily of the Daily Times quoted the boy as saying that he heard from the radio that people can make electricity f…
SA president Jacob Zuma who made his first visit to Zimbabwe since becoming president said mediation was the only key to solving disagreements in the country. Zimbabwe which is still battling to uplift its economy entered into a government of national unity in February with Mugabe and Tsvangirai coming to terms. - But since then the country has failed to forge ahead as well as win the support of donors due to disagreements between the two parties.
But Zuma said during his two day visit in the country that the problems between the two parties can be overcome through mediation.
South Africa’s former president Thabo Mbeki brokered the power sharing deal between Mugabe and Tsvangirai…
- Malawi on Saturday won an overall gold medal in darts during the Zone VI championships in Zambia.
The southern Africa side is said to have triumphed after netting 13 points at the tournament.
They beat Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe and only lost to the host Zambia.
Media reports in the country said that a Malawian player Sam Maloya also won gold in Junior Mens closed singles after he beat a Zambian opponent Austin Nkukulusa.
According to the southern African country’s darts official Kelvin Nyirenda, the country won an overall gold medal because it performed well in all the categories.
“The overall gold medal was given to us because we performed well in…
The latest Big Brother Africa (BBA) deemed the revolution which starts this Sunday in South Africa will not have the popular shower hour time. - The shower hour is that time where housemates are shown bathing and naked and this brought criticism from other people in the continent.
Some quarters said the programme lacked morals and was not portraying the cultural values of the African continent.
Multichoice Malawi Sales and Marketing Manager Chimwemwe Nyirenda said the removal of the shower hour time marked the coming in of new things.
He said viewers in Africa are expected to see surprises in the revolution adding that a snap survey had been made as to what people were looking for h…
- Malawi’s former president Bakili Muluzi has been given a go ahead by the country’s High Court to stay in the United Kingdom until December.
This follows a request by the ex-leader who was supposed to return to Malawi next month to extend his stay which is said to have not gone down well with the country’s Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
Muluzi who left for the UK recently for medical treatment is answering charges allegedly of diverting $ 11 million donor money.
Media reports in the southern African country quoted High Court Judge Anaclet Chipeta as saying that the ACB’s reservations on Muluzi’s request to extend his UK stay were baseless.
The Judge…
- Zimbabwe which is still sailing in troubled waters economically is reported to have announced that it would cough $ 1 million to host the Cosafa Cup.
The annual tournament which attracts national football teams from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region is expected to kick off in October.
Zimbabwe won a bid to host the tournament on condition that it raises more than $700 000.
The southern African country’s national football team has won the tournament three times since it started in 1997.
Media reports in Zimbabwe quoted the country’s Sports Minister David Coltart as saying that the Finance Ministry has agreed to release $1 million for the tourna…
- As the world continues to battle the harsh realities of the global crunch, Botswana’s Central bank is reported to have slashed its main lending rate.
This is said to have come due to the improved inflation according to media reports.
The bank said that it anticipates that the country’s domestic inflation will stabilise.
Reports say that the rich diamond country’s consumer inflation slowed to 6.0 percent year-on-year in July from 7.0 percent in June. The Bank of Botswana had cut its bank rate by 150 basis points to 11.5 percent in June.
According to a Reuters report, the Central Bank has cut its main lending rate by 50 points to 11. 0 percent.
The Bank said i…
Malawian President Bingu Wa Mutharika has said he will not stand for a third term. His remarks follow rumours that his Democratic Progressive Party, which scooped almost half of the seats in Parliament in the May elections, will stamp its majority to offer another third term to the president. - The reports say that with the majority in Parliament, the president cannot fail to amend the Constitution to either extend the presidential terms to seven years or provide a third term. Analysts recently also expressed fears with the DPP’s majority in Parliament saying they will dictate everything and give no chance to the opposition.
However, Mutharika has said that such a thing will not hap…
Mozambique has said that it expects to reap billions from coal projects by the year 2015. The southern African country is currently running coal projects in Tete which will generate about $ 1.5 billion a year in revenue starting 2015. The coal projects are being run by two firms from Brazil and Australia. - The country’s National Director of Mining Eduardo Alexandre last week said that the country would generate revenue mainly from coal projects being developed by Brazilian mining giant Vale and Australia's Riversdale Mining, according to Mozambiquenews.com report.
"The two firms, Vale and Riversdale, will generate annual coal revenue of $1.5 billion in 2015 when both proj…
- The death toll for people who have died of swine flu in South Africa is reported to have risen from eight to 18.
According to media reports in the country said all the deaths are said to have occurred this month and that half of those who have died are pregnant women.
The first confirmed case of swine flu occurred in June in the southern African country.
An Sabcnews report quoted National Institute for Communicable Diseases Spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala as saying that it is now critical that the treatment of swine flu needs to be prioritised, especially in pregnant women.
The report further quoted the Institute as saying that the number of confirmed cases in the country now st…
- A South African athlete Mbulaeni Mulaudzi on Sunday won a gold medal after coming top in the 800 metres for men at the World Championships in Germany.
The win was good news for the rich southern African country as well as the African continent.
Mulaudzi is said to have ran an exciting race and won with a time of 1 minute, 45 point 29 seconds.
The athlete is reported to have met stiff resistance from other runners but he composed himself to win the 800 metres.
An Sabcnews report said Mulaudzi is the country’s 2004 Olympic silver medalist.
The country which will next year host the World Cup also did well as its other athletes Khotso Mokoena and Caster Semenya also have wo…
- Zambians on Wednesday led by president Rupiah Banda remembered former leader late Levy Mwanawasa during a memorial mass held in the southern African country’s capital City, Lusaka.
The memorial mass is said to have taken place at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross for a memorial service in honour of the late President.
Mwanawasa, who won the hearts of donors for his corruption fight and prudent leadership which saw several high profile officials arrested and jailed, died last year after he suffered stroke whilst attending an African Union Summit in Egypt.
During the ceremony which was also attended by Mwanawasa’s wife Maureen, president Banda is said to have declared late…
The US government has through the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) signed four grants with Malawi that is set to support grassroot groups. - According to a press release from Washington DC, the four grants will benefit Malawi’s Lilongwe South Smallholder Farmers Association, Nkhata Bay Coffee Cooperative, Misuku Coffee Growers Cooperative Society and Coffee Growers Cooperative Society.
The four grants come barely a few days after Japan also signed an agricultural pact with Malawi which is expected to help boost the agricultural sector, the southern African country’s economic hub.
USADF president Lloyd Pierson said the funds will assist the groups at the…
