Sunday, June 22, 2025
No menu items!
spot_img
Home Blog Page 1464

Malawi -Mozambique Interconnector Project takes off

247Malawi
-
0
Malawi -Mozambique Interconnector Project takes off

By Ben Dzama

The long awaited Malawi – Mozambique electricty interconnector project has funally kicked off.

Malawi’s Consular General in Mozambique, Happy Saka, said the project will help Malawi tap 120Megawatts from Mozambique which would greatly
improve power supply in Malawi.

The 400 Kv power lines will be used to tap power from Mozambique as part of the Malawi-Mozambique Power Interconnector.

The ground-breaking ceremony for the construction works took place at Mutarara in Tete Province on Thursday and is expected to be completed by December 2023.



The project will be carried out by Lansen & Toubro Limited and Gora Civil Engineering & Building Contractors.

President Lazarus Chakwera in April 2022 went to Mozambique for a state visit where he described the launch of the Mozambique-Malawi Interconnector as timely and a prerequisite for speeding up economic growth and improving the living standards of the citizens.

Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony of Mozambique-Malawi Interconnector, in Tete Mozambique
Chakwera said the construction of the 400kv transmission line project will increasing electricity demand in Malawi, and create opportunities for trade in the Southern African Power Pool, provide safe and reliable interconnection of power by enabling supply of 50MW of power from Mozambique to Malawi, and provide room for Malawi to tap more power that can be exported into the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).

“I should also mention that this project will cushion Malawi against future power losses due to unforseen and uncertain circumstances. This Interconnector will assist in closing the gap between power supply and demand in Malawi which is adversely affecting our agriculture, the manufacturing industry, and delivery services.” Said President Chakwera.

He said the line could become a source of revenue for Malawi in the near future when the country will be exporting power to the region once domestic supply is meet with construction of other projects like the Mpatamanga, Kholombidzo, and Fulu Hydropower projects.

President Chakwera went to Mozambique for a 4 day official tour and returned home on April 24,2022.

President Chakwera laid the foundation stone a complement of a similar event at Phombeya Substation in Balaka last November, historic because it establishes a reliable interconnection of power not only between the two countries but across the SADC region.

He said “The 400kV Mozambique – Malawi Transmission Line will create a link between the two countries to meet increasing electricity demand in Malawi and to create opportunities for trade in the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).
The transmission line is expected to enable initial supply of 50 megawatts of power from Mozambique to Malawi with room for us to get extra 60 megawatts upon further agreements between our respective power utility companies.”

Chakwera said he was delighted to see the project commence as it will address power needs at the back of losing 129 megawatts from the grid due to damage caused by Cyclone Ana.

“It is also pleasing that the construction phase of this project will create over 1,000 jobs to both Malawians and Mozambicans.”

Fierce human rights Activist Undule Mwakasungula hails Operation Tigwirane Manja conference

247Malawi
-
0
Fierce human rights Activist Undule Mwakasungula hails Operation Tigwirane Manja conference

By Sylvester Chibwana

Firebrand human rights activist Undule Mwakasungula has commended President Lazarus Chakwera for his wise and dynamic vision of initiating the former Heads of State conference.

Mwakasungula said this will help to improve the progress of the campaign.

“Good move …important for national unity and development,” he said.

Mwakasungula said its rare move and hopes it will create some progress in the local politics too where there is much politics without focusing on national unity and development.

Ironically, former head of State Professor Peter Mutharika did not attend Operation Tigwirane Manja Campaign conference which took place at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre.

Malawi leader President Dr Lazarus Chakwera in his quest to widen scope of Operation Tigwirane Manja Campaign invited all former heads of states who ruled this country since the dawn of multi party democracy to Sanjika Palace in the Commercial City of Blantyre.

Undule Mwakasungula



Despite assurance by his personal spokesperson Shadric Namalomba of Mutharika availability he never turned up last minute.

During the conference, the President stressed on the need for national unity in order for the country to forge ahead during this trying times.

Malawi is home to three former heads of states and these include; Dr Bakili Muluzi who ruled this country since 1994 to 2004.

Muluzi’s reign was taken over by Bingu wa Mutharika who ruled under Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) from 2004 and but died in 2012, while serving his last term of 2009 to 2014.

His vice Joyce Banda was then sworn in as Malawi President in 2012 , served only two years and lost in 2014 to Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika.

Currently two Former Heads of States Muluzi and Banda have honoured the invitation and attended the conference.

As he continues with the “Tigwirane Manja” campaign which he launched last week, gave them an update regarding the effects of Cyclone Freddy.

President Chakwera invited all former Heads of State, including Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, after witnessing the devastation caused by the cyclone and how it has affected people, goods and even crops, during his visit to the affected areas, in the southern region, last week.

The President appealed to all Malawians to set aside politics and instead hold hands during this calamity.

His Excellency Dr. Muluzi commended President Chakwera for coordinating government’s efforts in providing assistance to the affected areas.

Govt urged to abolish contributory pension scheme

247Malawi
-
0
Govt urged to abolish contributory pension scheme

By Chisomo Phiri

A call has gone to government to abolish a Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) which came into effect in 2017.

Speaking at a press briefing at Amaryllis Hotel in Blantyre on Friday,Chairperson of ‘Young Concerned Civil Servants on Contributory Scheme’ Samuel Chaoloka described the scheme as discriminatory in nature as it does not allow employees above 35 years to benefit.

“As concerned civil servants, we are against this contributory pension scheme. It is not good. Why is it that it does not include everyone to benefit. We want government to remove this pension scheme,” said Chaoloka.



He blamed the government for implementing the contributory pension scheme without consulting civil servants and hear their views.

“The government missed a very important step. It could consult the civil servants and hear their views before start implementing this scheme. We were not consulted but rather forced into the scheme, ” he said.

The grouping chairperson indicated that they consulted the government officials, Malawi Congress of Trade Union (MCTU), and old Mutual to review the scheme but nothing worked out.

He urged government to only use one Defined Benefit( DB) type of pension scheme which he said is not discriminatory in nature.

” We want government to only use Defined Benefit type of pension. It is good and every civil servant enjoys it,” he said.

Under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), an employee contributes a minimum of 5% of the pensionable emoluments while the employer contributes at least 10% of the employee’s pensionable emoluments.

Contributions by the employer are tax deductible up to a maximum of 15% of the employee’s pensionable emoluments while those made by the employee are not.

Upon withdrawal, through retirement, all the benefits are exempt from income tax.

This is applicable whether they are received as a lump sum or as an annuity.

Flames suffer 2-0 defeat in Egypt

247Malawi
-
0
Flames suffer 2-0 defeat in Egypt

By Staff Reporter

The Malawi National Football team suffered a 2-nil defeat at the Air Defense Stadium in Cairo in the third round of the qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations.

Mohamed Salah scored the first goal for the Pharaohs In the 20th minute after receiving a cross from Mohamed Hamdy.

The other goal for Egypt came from Omar Marmoush who fired a shot from outside in the 45 + 1 minute, which hit the Malawi defense before hitting the net.



This is the second defeat for the Flames in the Afcon Qualifiers and they are expected to hosts the Pharaohs on Tuesday next week at Bingu National Stadium.

In the same group, Guinea beat Ethiopia 2-0 at Mohamed V Stade in Casablanca.

Flames are now bottom in Group D with 3 points from three games while Egypt are now on top with 6 points with the same number of games.

Government assured of World Bank continued support

247Malawi
-
0
Government assured of World Bank continued support

By Mike Van Kamande

The World Bank Group says the international financial institution will continue playing a solitary role in supporting projects, capacity building to provide leadership and consideration on budgetary support.

Speaking on Friday when a team from the financial institution met with Minister of Trade and Industry in Lilongwe, World Bank country manager, Hugh Riddell, said the economy was already in a precarious situation even before Tropical Cyclone Freddy hit the country and hence the need for continued collaboration and support.

“Fuel shortages, forex scarcity, structure decline, trade imbalance are some of the challenges Malawi is facing and these affect production and the capacity to do trade. The bank partnered with Trade and Industry Ministry on a number of strategic projects and programmes of which sustainability depends on the economic turnaround.

“Effects of Cyclone Freddy have really been tragic and with low tobacco earnings a post-tobacco economy should be looked at seriously. Malawi is a small country with a smaller economy hence it needs to prioritise trade as a heartbeat of the economy,” he said.

In his remarks Trade and Industry minister Simplex Chithyola Banda said one of the challenges Malawi is facing is the unsustainable debt which should be structured or staggered.

“Having acknowledged existence of all these challenges we now need to strategize on how best to reboot the economic activities to enhance regional and international trade as well as agriculture productivity. The ministry is implementing interventions under reducing trade costs such as negotiation of a Simplified Trade regime between Malawi and Mozambique, expansion of the National Single Window and Training of its users,” he said.

Some of the World Bank supported flagship projects includes Agriculture Commercialisation (AGCOM $95m), Southern Africa Trade and Connectivity ($380m), Financial Inclusion and Entrepreneurship Scaling Project (FINES $86m) and the Agri-Policy Project ($800000)

1...1,4631,4641,465...1,899Page 1,464 of 1,899

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

ABOUT US

True and well researched news covering key issues in Malawi and abroad

Contact us: info@247malawi.com

FOLLOW US

© Newspaper WordPress Theme by TagDiv