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APM gives lame excuses on Times Talk show on why he snubbed Operation Tigwirane Manja Conference

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By Staff Reporter

Former head of State Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has given unvalid justification on why he failed to attend the Operation Tigwirane Manja Campaign Conference for Former Head of States and Governments.

Malawi leader President Dr Lazarus McCarthy 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 Commencial City of Blantyre.

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

Reasons cited for not attending Operation Tigwirane Manja Campaign conference are vage and unjustifiable.



Speaking on Times Exclusive Mutharika said the meeting was unnecessary because it needed technical people to come and attend such a meeting and not policians.

May be Mutharika forgot that politicians are key to any Government structures.

Mutharika although confirmed on times that he received official communication from President Chakwera inviting him to the conference but never gave valid reasons on why he failed.

Later in the interview he said there were other reasons confidencial on why he failed to go and attend the conference.

Malawians have branded Mutharika unpatriotic and lacking human heart on Tropical Cyclone Freddy.

Malawi Tropical Floods alarms the most powerful King in the World King Charles the third

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By Staff Reporter

It started as normal rains and little was known that something bigger will come out of it.

Soon after the devastation, we saw countries coming in with their condolences and plans on how they seek to respond.

King Charles III of the United Kingdom has not remained silent on the disaster which has claimed over 500 lives.

The king sent a message of condolence to President Lazarus Chakwera and people of Malawi following the loss and damage caused by Cyclone Freddy.



In a statement addressed to the President, King Charles said he can only begin to imagine the scale of suffering and loss as a result of the tragedies.

“I particularly wanted to convey our deepest and most heartfelt sympathy to the families of all those who have lost their loved ones,” reads part of the statement.

It adds that the King’s thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the appalling natural disaster whether through injury or the destruction of property.

To assist Malawi respond to the disaster, the United Kingdom has provided £1 million (about K1.3 billion) in lifesaving support to Malawi.

The UK’s emergency package of assistance comprises a team of emergency medical personnel, a team with international search and rescue expertise (ISAR), specialist boats, and urgently needed emergency relief items such as shelter materials and water filters.

This is in addition to the immediate support the UK provided to the Malawi Government at the Emergency Operations Centre in Blantyre when the cyclone hit. This included food assistance, staff and vehicles to help Government and the UN launch emergency operations.

In his statement, King Charles said: “I do hope the UK assistance we are providing will help Malawi through this difficult time.”

Malawians in Ireland donate to Cyclone Freddy victims in Chiradzulu, Bangwe

By Chisomo Phiri

As various individuals and stakeholders continue providing support to survivors of Cyclone Freddy, the Association of Malawians in Ireland ( AMAI) on Saturday donated assorted items to Cyclone Freddy survivors in Malawi’s southern region.

The donation targeted camps in Chiradzulu district and one camp in Bangwe, Blantyre.

The items which include wrappers( Zitenje), basins, pails, clothes and chlorine reached to 305 households living in the camps.


Speaking in a separate interview, AMAI President, Henry Mkumbira Phiri, said the donation follows reports of challenges that various survivors are facing in camps.

“Upon receiving reports that survivors are facing a lot of challenges in camps, we decided to raise some funds so as to bail them out of these challenges,” said Mkumbira.

He said they raised the funds using two channels, the association’s main bank account and Gofund.

Mkumbira said through this, a total of K7.6 million was raised.

He said the association is still mobilizing funds so as they reach out to many camps.

“We are still mobilizing funds and we hope we will reach to many camps as it is not in Chiradzulu and Bangwe where survivors are facing challenges,” he said.

On his part, the association’s representative in Malawi Father Mathews Semba of Chikwawa Diocese hailed the grouping for raising the funds meant for charity.

“Let me thank the association for the recommendable job.

“To say the truth, we are greatly concerned with the devastation that Cyclone Freddy has brought to our friends in the Southern Region and we hope this will help a lot,” said Semba.

Semba was also quick to acknowledge, Archbishop Thomas Msusa of Blantyre Diocese for allowing his charges under Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM) to take part in the donation championed by Mandinda Zungu.

Ganizani James, a beneficiary and survivors chairperson also hailed the association for the donation saying it is a short in the arm as it will go a long way in alleviating their suffering.

Education Minister commends Great Minds Bright Futures for Partnering Government

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By Kondanani Chilimunthaka

Education Minister has commended Great Minds Bright Futures for supporting Malawi government in ensuring that inclusive and equitable education is accessible to learners in Dowa district.

Speaking when she received Chunzu Primary School which has been constructed by the organization in the area of TA Mkukula in Dowa, Wirima said the gesture by Great Minds Bright Futures stands a long way in improving education in the district and the country at large, describing it as an extraordinary.

Education Minister Wirima and Dave Armstrong cutting the ribbon



Said Wirima; “Let me thank the Great Minds Bright Futures for this rare gesture of constructing and handing over a whole school. This school is being handed over at an opportune time when my Ministry is planning to increase number of classrooms to reduce pupil/teacher ratio.”

Wirima in her speech expressed optimism that the school which has 8 classrooms , headteacher’s office and sanitary facilities for both learners and teachers will go a long way in providing uninterrupted education services to communities around the areas.

She then said he Ministry under the leadership of President Lazarus Chakwera is committed to achieve the Malawi Agenda 2063 through Malawi Implementation Plan (MIP-1) which is emphasizing on ensuring that school-going-age children access compulsory basic education in safe and better environment among others.

The Minister has since commended the community for sending their children to school as evidenced by the enrollment, urging them to jealously guard the new infrastructure and all the property at the school against theft and vandalism to benefit generations to come.

Records at the school indicate that it has enrollment of 1,643 learners of which 840 are boys and 803 are girls with a total of 17 teachers.

In her remarks, Dowa South East Parliamentarian who is also Deputy Minister of Health, Halima Daudi said the donation has come at the right time when the old classes were not conducive for learning environment. She then concurred with the Minister of Education on the need to take a good care of the infrastructure.

On his part, Davie Armstrong, Founder of Great Minds Bright Futures expressed his excitement that the school has finally been handed over to government, saying his visit to the area in 2027 revealed the need that made him and his organization to respond by constructing the new look Chunzu Primary School.

Aerial view of the school

MBS awards local companies with certificates of compliance

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By Chisomo Phiri

The Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) has today awarded a total of 178 certificates of compliance to various local companies for their products and services under the local product certification scheme bringing a total of 1033 certificates.

According to MBS, Out of the 178 certificates being issued in this phase, 75% are new certificates.



The bureau has also awarded 3 management systems certificates in Quality Management System based on ISO 9001:2015 and Food Safety Management System based on ISO 22000:2018.

This means out of the 3 certificates, 2 are new; Rab Processors Ltd-ISO 22000:2018 (Corn soya blend) and Optichem Ltd-ISO 9001:2015 (Fertilizer) while 1 is a renewal Promat Ltd-ISO 9001:2015 (PVC-U & HDPE Pipes, Solvent cement, and trading of PVC Pipe Fittings).

Speaking at one of the certification awards ceremonies in Blantyre, the Board Chairperson of the MBS, Davlin Chokazinga said,It is encouraging to learn that the number of locally certified products and services is increasing.

Chokazinga said this is attributed to the understanding among local companies that their products and services will not be accepted on the market without evidence of conformance to the applicable set of requirements.

This year’s Certification Award functions were held from 7th to 16th March 23 in Blantyre, Lilongwe, and Mzuzu.

The Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) is a statutory organization established in 1972 by an Act of Parliament (Cap 51:02) of the Laws of Malawi (Amended as Act No 14 of 2012), with a mandate to promote metrology, standardization and quality assurance of commodities and of the manufacture, production, processing or treatment thereof; and further to provide for matters incidental to, or connected with standardization.

The organization is governed by a Board of Directors, the MBS Board, which is appointed by Government.