- Malawi has never had a mineral sites before Kayelekera Uranium plant in Karonga which was opened barely two years ago with loads of machine planting, sampling as well as lengthy geological surveys by an Australian investor Paladin. The running court battles between some bludgeoning Civil Society Organizations and the State on the opening of the mine nearly scuttled the establishment at the very beginning. The Civil Society groups wanted the mine to stop while government wanted investors to go ahead with extraction projects. Malawi’s Gross Domestic Product (DGP) has been a stagnant sorry figure; significantly lower if scaled against neighbouring countries and consequently the coun…

- BY HARRY MANGULENJE, African news website reporter Blantyre malawi Recently two popular television channels The BBC and SABC one, aired at least three highly fascinating documentaries based on English language exploring its future. Though different the programmes charged one idea, English is expanding, changing and fast facing strange future as well as new threats. The overflowing new technology terms coupled with the fact that the world’s local languages are fast being englicized, the originality of the Queen’s language is continuously looking hazy. Our relative who is studying in the Unites States of America said in New York you never have to say ‘I am comin…

- The introduction of unspecified awards and prizes to inland fish farming by Malawi’s Agriculture ministry as well as World Vision International has prompted a new level of seriousness in the farmers. Ministry officials in June this year announced the introduction of some minor awards to farmers in an agriculture meeting held in the former capital city Zomba. Zomba is among the districts where inland fish farming is slowly becoming an in thing particularly that fish stocks in the country’s main water body Lake Malawi are depleting by day due to over fishing. Such is why people living far from the lake have always trusted in land fish for their nutrition. And one of…

- Thousands of kilogrammes of Cable wires have been rescued the past few weeks through tipsters after being vandalised by irresponsible people. Malawi communities have started feeling the pinch of tolerating thugs whom they live with in the comunities but whose job is nothing but pulling out underground telephone wires. Last week 900 kilogrammes were rescued in Blantyre'swestern shanty township of Mpemba through a tip from a well wisher. And another load was rescued at a road way place called Zalewa which connects Blantyre and the Capital City Lilongwe, courtesy of another tipster. Malawi Telecommunications Limited (MTL) anti vandalism unit is ow the busiest of all departments d…

- Malawi’s major vendors’ committee claims it is receiving an average of 40 new people each week, seeking space to start operating their businesses in the populous vendors market called Limbe in the city of Blantyre in Malawi. They say they have a long waiting list of people hunting for space to open their trades in various ‘departments’ in the vendors’ market. This indicates that the town is now a full scale vendors’ city. Vendors’ secretary Bizwick Maulidi and committee advisor Jimmy Kalasa said their population is growing at a high speed. They said they are not able to approve or accredit all the requests because there is not enough sp…

Most of the young people of Malawi who voted for the first time after turning 18 years said they were enthralled for being part of the national decision to elect a new government which will run for the next five years. - They said in separate interviews in Blantyre that the elections have been a time mark to their age and they now feel being part of the decision making process in the country. President Bingu Wa Mutharika won the elections with a commanding majority. Ronald Chikwakwa, a young voter speaking after casting his ballot at Misesa last Tuesday said he was happy to believe that the results being announced comprise his ballot. He said it is a success to be part of national consens…

The Albino Association of Malawi (TAAM) has asked its members to register in various hospitals in the country so that their population can be updated. TAAM also pledged to provide security to the people from some intentioned members of the society. - The registration will also help each one of them easily access facilities which prevent skin cancer. Speaking during an awareness meeting held at Blantyre Youth Centre (BYC) Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital Levi Mwale a dermatologist said the nationwide albino census is on course. He said the exercise is meant to ensure that all albinos are registered and given special attention in various clinics when they require to access facilities whi…

- Malawi's Former president and opposition party leader Bakili Muluzi in a company of his collegue John Tembo paid homage to fallen freedom fighter Chakufwa Chihana. The two visited his family and his resting place in the northern province of Malawi before holding a political rally in a city called Mzuzu. The rally was part of their jolint campaign to woo voters in the presidential as well as parliamentary scheduled for May19. Muluzi who ruled from 1994 to 2004 before handing over to Mutharika is helping Tembo wrestle power from the incumbent whom he accuses of being insubordinate and ungrateful to him as Malawi's political godfather. Tembo is standing for both his par…

- University of Sheboygan, Wisconsin United States of America (USA) called Lake Land in collaboration with Malawi government is hunting for five primary school teachers to undergo an intensive Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from August this year. The programme which is being fully paid by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Malawi will run till May 2012 where the candidates will graduate into full trainers. THis will be the first time for primary school teachers to earn a foreign degree programme fully sponsored The lucky five, upon completion of the studies will be deployed into Malawi’s five Teacher’s Training Colleges (TTC’s) to work for a…

- Cancer equipment big problem in Malawi Malawi is one of the 32 of the total 53 African countries without radiotherapy services for screening cancer patients in its hospitals. Observantly Africa is not suffering from the disease per se but riling from lack of equipment to detect the epidemic in early stages. This combined with the fact that the prevalence of the disease has raised cases emerging in various forms. To this far the country is just hoping against hope that the strategy by Oxford scientists aimed at preventing more cancer in Africa would just work out. During the recent global conference, organised by Oxford University's Africa-Oxford Cancer Consortium (AfrOx) a…

- Sudan national soccer coach Briton Stephen Constantine has been stopped from visiting the war torn Darfur. The former Malawi has however refused to dump his plans to set a foot in the conflict zone saying as a coach he needs to be seen and expected to visit the region in May. British Embassy made the advice recently adding that the coach who has just been appointed must keep a low profile “I've not felt threatened at all,” he said. “The people have been very hospitable and the politics is none of my business. I hope to visit Darfur in May. I have a responsibility as national coach and have to be seen. I feel it's my duty to go there,” he said. He was…

- The deadly cancer disease continues to inflict pain in Malawi. And the combined disaster of Tuberculosis and HIV AIDS means no escape for an average population. However Health experts have pointed out that global fund against cancer established years back is helping in the setting up of structures against the disease. As of now the work mean to establish a full fledged cancer hospital being championed by Malawi president Bingu wa Mutharika is taking shape. A number corporate institutions are involved in the work. One of the prominent institutions participating in the setting up of cancer hospital is First Merchant Bank through its Chairman Mahesh Nadkat, who once funded the constr…

The Malawian government is to test about 200,000 people for HIV/AIDS during the country's HIV/AIDS testing week, Malawi's Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) has said. Mary Shawa Principal Secretary for Nutrition and HIV/AIDS said the testing was shifted after noting that there was a clash with electoral activities. - “At first we used to have it in July but due to national census we thought of shifting to a better date when people will always have chance of going for the testing. We didn’t want to be panicking. This time around we are expected to test over 200,000 people nationwide,” Shawa said. She said in 2007 they targeted about 150,000 people but the…

- An organization has been formed in Malawi in the name national Nutrition HIV and AIDS. On the skeleton the body has for a start short listed 540 secondary schools in the country to benefit from a nutrition project whose aim is to under run the impact of HIV AIDS. Acting Executive Director for the organization Benjamin Chirwa told journalists that they decided to target schools after noting that most schools were not largely benefiting from nutrition and Aids treatment projects initiated by various stakeholders. “Through the project we are going to have groups of students in the selected schools. Each group will have eight members and these members will act as pioneers of this pr…

- Malawi’s main commercial city of Blantyre is a hub of entertainment and fun. It therefore declares itself, the wheel of HIV AIDS. With government having little interest to comb out the myriad and flourishing brothels business in the corners of the townships where men and women exchange money for sex, the virus is having a fertile land. Delays by National Aids Commission (Nac) to fund Blantyre City Assembly, an umbrella body for Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and other stakeholders advancing HIV and Aids initiatives, has paralysed the fight against the pandemic. The assembly has since bemoaned the situation, saying it was derailing the progress in the fight against the disea…

US pop star Madonna Ciccone will face some very stiff legal battles to adopt a second child - Mercy Chifundo James - from Malawi. Human rights organizations argue that the country's laws clearly state that a single parent cannot adopt a child hence it would be wrong for her to go ahead with her plan. - Magret Alli, Executive Director for the Save Children Malawi, said at a press briefing in Blantyre on Wednesday that while the civil society was not prejudicing the courts, it would be surprising if the courts gave Madonna custody of the child as the Malawi laws are clear on that matter. The revelation comes in the wake of Madonna’s second bid to adopt another child from Malawi,…

- Head of Church of Scotland Right Reverend David Lunarnflies to Malawi on April4 to grace 150th anniversary of ancient explorer scottish David Livingstone to be attended by President Bingu wa Mutharika in Blantyre. Communication officer for Blantyre Synod of the Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Reverend Paul Mawaya who is a member of Main Organizing committee disclosed this in a written statement to this reporter responding to a questionnaire about the event. He said Lunarn is coming in a company of four others namely his wife Margaret, Rev. Professor Ken Ross, Rev. Ayleen Robson and Mrs. Margaret MacIntosh. “They are coming to attend to attend the national commemoration of Dr.…

- In a pursuit to generate broader membership base Malawi's capital city Lilongwe based Journalists Association Against Aids (Journaids) has set up structures in the commercial city of Blantyre with the election of regional committee members Friday last week. Presiding over the setting up of the structures Acting Programme Manager Christopher Bauti said the body aims at reaching out to every part of the country. Bauti is sitting in for Chinyeke Tembo who picked up a job in east Africa. During the hasty elections Deogratias M’mana of The Nation Publications Limited was elected regional chairman after defeating capital FM’s George Mhango and Semion Shumba of FM 101…

- A South African expert says Malawi is succeeding in the pursuit to attain an absolute trade justice and commended the country's Bureau of Standards (MBS) for adopting the system, which is currently being observed by all SADC countries. The expert Brian Beard commended the country for adopting the practice of checking calibration equipment used by traders when measuring commodities for their customers on the market. Beard a legal metrology specialist working for National Regulatory Compulsory Specifications-one of the two organizations in South Africa-equivalent of Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) said this in an exclusive interview in Blantyre after a Southern Africa Developmen…

A task force to unify Moslems and Christians ahead of the Malawi general elections on May 19 has been formed. About 30 religious and community leaders from southern Malawi met in the capital Blantyre to initiate the plan. The group pledged to hold more meetings with the general public across the country. - Leaders of the group Nouridine Haji and Sheikh Eric Jafali were impressed with initial response and disclosed that about 70 members of Christian and Moslem backgrounds from central and eastern regions attended. The group praised State President Bingu wa Mutharika for treating Christians and Moslems equally. Members of the Moslem Association of Malawi (MAM), Qadria Moslem Association…

A group of women operating businesses in Malawi's lake shore district of Mangochi has been given communication technology boost. Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) handed over to the Limbika Women Business Group an Information and Technology Centre worth USD$64,285. - The group is to run the center as their own. Speaking during the opening ceremony, Rosebery Sawila Gondwe, an executive of the group, said the infrastructure which is replete with high tech computers, fax machines, photocopiers and phones, is a dream that has come true. “Originally we were doing fish business but things began getting tougher for our group because of the scarcity of the fish in the …

The World Bank has recommended that Malawi needs to improve its company laws to be in tandem with the fast flourishing corporate governance policies around Africa and the world in general. It said the nature of the company codes in Malawi poses a major challenge to effective Corporate Governance. - World Bank Consultants - Alex Berg and Alison Kibirige - said they have advised the government on the need to review all the company codes and fasten them up to international standards. “We understand there is a country action plan to the same effect, where consultations are ongoing among members. In the action plan there is a list of activities to be done. After that we understand there wil…

The Association of Chess in Malawi said it is leaving no stone unturned in its quest to improve the game in the country where the sport was never taken serious until recently. The association plans to have Chess Grand Masters within the country soon after competing in several world tourneys. - The Association took part in the World Chess Olympiad tourney in Germany last November and Africa Junior championship in South Africa in December 2008. Currently Malawi does not have a Grand Master - a crown title handed to an individual of distinguished capability in the game of Chess. They are treated with great respect in the game and in the past Malawi has hosted a number of them from other cou…

Malawi's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has been tipped to get up to 113 of the total 193 Members of Parliament and consequently become a winner in the elections to be held on May19, 2009, according an independent opinion poll in that country. The poll has 15 percent margin error. - But the inquiry cautions that main opposition party Malawi Congress is a threat as it can stretch its opportunities to snatch the victory. The analysis said any change in the behaviour of electorates from now to the voting day would favour MCP and not any other party. Two years ago in 2006 during by-election in six constituencies scattered across the country, the DPP scooped all the seats, …

- Music is universal they say, such that American rapper and producer Akon can be suspected to be in the tapping and stealing of relics from African songs, to enrich his cues in Hip-hop at the world stage in New York. But what can be said about African music being continuously re-done in America? In his latest release Over, Akon seems deliberately picking Zambian artist Jimmy’s 2006-7 release Over- Over, unless Akon himself comes out and makes a statement. People are ready to listen what he will say. Otherwise, drizzles of expletive statements have slowly started pointing to this direction if discussion in various media forums, are anything to go by. May be he can argue it wa…

Jamaican Dancehall and Hip-hop maestro Wycliffe Jean who is adept to Cuban style has said he had to travel all the way from Kingston City to Johannesburg in South Africa to present a special song he did for late African Reggae artist Lucky Dube. - Dube died late last year after unidentified gunmen suspected to be car hijackers shot him while dropping his kids at school in the volatile South African city. Speaking during an interview with SABC1 television Mzansi fo sho, Jean said he did the song from pieces of relics he worked together with Dube in Caribbean Island back in years when they performed together. “I had to present this song to South African people by myself; I didn’…

- This year’s Under 20 Cosafa tournament is becoming controversial in almost everything, it has been observed. Fresh from Malawi’s controversial exit after a dubious coin tossing, other countries Namibia and Zambia have also suffered heavy blow after suspension of their head coaches by Cosafa Organizing committee. The two have been suspended from the remainder of the 2008Metropolitan Cosafa Youth Championship following a hearing in Kimberley during which they reportedly admitted guilty of funny behavior. Malawi which was participating at the tourney is no longer there after being ousted dubiously at tossing of a coin. Malawi faired very well winning against Mauritius 4-0 i…

- A German expatriate working as Chief Executive for Malawi’s giant Telecommunication Company is in trouble for pledging to fire 150 local workers this month. The irony is that the man Peter Zimmer has dubiously recruited his wife into the same company on a senior position. Information Minister Patricia Kaliati addressing a communication conference, challenged Zimmer to go ahead fire the 150 and risk deportation. Zimmer recruited his wife whom he just invited on 30 days visit, into the position of value added consultant. At the time she picked the job her permit had long expired. Few days later Zimmer announced that he was retrenching 150 people which, construed as trying to crea…

The Botswana President Ian Tseretse Kharma has unveiled his government is ready to fund the whole election re-run in Zimbabwe. Speaking on national television, he said Botswana is not part of the quiet diplomacy employed by other leaders saying its time for such tactics fast expired long time ago. - Apparently the issue of election re- run is not on President Robert Mugabe’s agenda as he claims he won the abandoned elections. Kharma said his government is willing to fund the election re-run any time and probably oversee the democratic process to ensure it goes in general favour of Zimbabwean people. “We want Zimbabwe people to be given back their full rights to vote and ch…

- The manner in which representatives are selected is as controversial as the manner in which the final winner is picked or hand picked. So far transparency is the biggest problem viewers have testified. And the inavailability of any rotary arbitrator's board is the reason why BBA is struggling to attain any figment of decency. And majority of viewers say they suspect BBA auditors Alexander Forbes handpicked the eventual winner of the third Big Brother Africa 3 Angolan Ricco because there are too many questions which they are failing to answer. At least Rotaries body could have saved the competition from increasingly losing trust of its followers. Apparently every competition is…

The man who troubled Malawi national team in one of their clashes with Angola, Fabrice Alcebiades Maieco, popularly known as Akwa is now Member of Parliament for the ruling party MPLA. He was also instrumental in taking Angola to the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where they performed badly. - He has joined the national assembly after being sworn in as a new member of the Angolan legislative assembly in the recent general elections. For Angola to qualify to the World Cup it took 31-year-old Akwa’s individual effort when he demolished Rwanda (1-0) in Kigali in front of its supporters. He also whipped Nigeria in the same qualifying games to book a place to Germany. After his swearing in r…

Mozambique has served notice to their Nigerian opponents in the World Cup zone qualifiers to be vigilant or risk being pushed out of contention. Despite miraculously squeezing through to the current stage, Mozambique team is raising hopes of going further to Africa Nations Cup in Angola 2010. - The Black Mambas say they are not taking a challenge in their tough group and are ready to make it to the Nations Cup for the first time since 1998. Coach Mart Nooij has said he is aware that other members of the group Kenya, and Tunisia are working at turning tables when the games kick off in March next year. But the coach said he has troops that can beat any team in the World given same condition…

Malawi Football Association has closed the door on foreign coaches, saying local tacticians have shown a character, national team 'Flames' need. FA president Walter Nyamilandu said even if Malawi qualifies for World Cup in South Africa the incumbent, Kinnah Phiri, would enjoy highest priority. - He said his association will never repeat the 1984 mistake of replacing a local coach with a European man Danny McLeinnan. In 1984 it is reported that when local coach, Henry Moyo, steered Malawi team to African Nations Cup in Ivory Coast for the very first time ever, authorities replaced him with a European man because they doubted his capability at such a high level. Consequently th…

Cooking oil has become substitute for diesel due to acute shortages in Malawi. Motorists said the food product is much more effective and efficient for their engines. The southern African country is experiencing shortage in gas supply as a result of a rise in international transportation costs. - Unknowingly and desperately, a man working in the capital city, David Chiumia discovered a short cut to the problem when he ran his diesel engine on coking oil. “It started when I got stuck at one filling station some miles in the outskirts of the city, I looked around me and nobody was watching me, I remembered what I read somewhere about cooking oil and bio-fuel, I bought a litre and poured …