Eli Njuchi’s song ‘Yabaya’ which he featured Zambia’s multi-award-winning musician Yo Maps, has become Malawi’s quickest video to hit 1 million views on YouTube.
The sensational track hit 1 million views in three weeks and three days breaking the record set by Kell Kay’s hit song ‘Loss’ which hit a million views in one month.
Yabaya was produced by Tricky Beats, Jmass and Sispence while the video was directed by Hendrix Kanchowa.
Below is the link for Eli Njuchi’s song ‘Yabaya’ featuring Yo Maps https://youtu.be/yXMDjUHr1tA
The Malawi School of Government (MSG) has said that it is time for Malawi as a country to take advantage of public relations practitioners for it to be able to tell its own story and set a narrative of success to the world.
MSG Kanengo Campus Acting Director Dr Jessie Kabwila was speaking on Thursday in Mangochi during the opening of a two-day PR training for non-PR executives and managers from both the private and public sector. The PR training has been organised by MSG in partnership with CNM Communications Consulting Agency.
Kabwila said for a long time Malawi has been known as a country of failures but was quick to note that the narrative could be reversed if those in executive positions utilised the power of public relations. She said it was the reason why MSG and CNM entered into partnership in order to address these issues.
“The intention of the partnership between MSG and CNM is simple, to make sure that the functions of MSG are aligned to the Malawi2063. This partnership recognises that it is now time that Malawi has to use PR function in telling the national story. “It is time that PR should now be used in constructing a narrative of success for the country and help shape our journey towards 2063,” said Kabwila.
The two-day long course aims at enhancing participants’ knowledge and understanding on the strategic role of PR in management and how it can effectively be used in achieving overall organizational goals and objectives.
Dr Jessie Kabwila
This is the second programme in a series of short PR courses being jointly organised by MSG and CNM. The first PR course, held in March this year, targeted PR practitioners, spokespersons, information officers, personal assistants, marketers and other communication executives from both the MDAs and the private sector. The course also looked at how organisations can utilize PR to communicate and popularize the MW2063.
In his remarks CNM Communications Managing Director Baldwin Chiyamwaka said the purpose of these courses is to share skills not only with PR practitioners but also other professionals within organisations.
“PR is an area that is still relatively new and people across the board have to get the required skills. With this particular training, we are hoping that the ability of non-PR executives whether in senior management, human resource, operations, programmes, finance and other related departments to utilise the public relations strategic function,” said Chiyamwaka.
Keynote Speaker Paul Kwengwere, who is also Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC) called on the participants to start taking PR as one of the most important function and a pivotal strategic pillar for organisations.
“PR offers a number of functions that we can leverage on in the management of our organisations.
PR is also crucial in constructing and telling the national story,” said Kwengwere.
The training has among others, attracted participants from the Department of Human Resource and Management, Central Region Water Board, Ministry of Homeland Security, and Cannabis Regulatory Authority.
In November last year MSG and CNM signed a partnership to work together in various areas including organising short communications and PR courses specifically targeting those working in the public service. The short courses are also open to corporate organisations in the private sector.
The Malawi Leader, President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, who is also Commander-in-Chief of the Malawi Defence Force, on Thursday, bestowed the rank of General to the new Defence Force Commander Paul Valentino Phiri.
The ceremony took place at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe and in attendance was the Minister of Defence Honourable Harry Mkandawire.
New commander Paul Valentino Phiri
Chakwera appointed Lt General Phiri as New Army Commander replacing Vincent Nundwe.
“In exercise of the powers vested in him under Section 161(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi, His Excellency Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, President of the Republic of Malawi and Commander-in-Chief of the Malawi Defence Force, has appointed Lt. General Paul Valentino Phiri as the Commander of the Malawi Defence Force, and has promoted him to the rank of General with immediate effect,” read the letter in part.
Until his appointment, Phiri was deputy Army Commander.
National Bank of Malawi (NBM) Plc has extended its Know-Your-Customer (KYC) exercise to August 31 to give customers more time to update their information.
NBM started the exercise mid-June and was scheduled to end on Monday, July 10, which caused panic among customers resulting in congestion in banking halls in almost all the service centers, fearing their accounts could be blocked.
But speaking during a press briefing on Wednesday, NBM Chief Risk Officer, Charles Ulaya said the process is a requirement because customers are dynamic in that their sources of income, addresses and other things captured within KYC may change periodically.
“Customers do not necessarily need to come to service centres as they can submit through emails in their respective service centres. The exercise is a requirement of our Anti Money Laundering (AML) Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) policy as well as the Financial Crimes Act which requires customers to update their information periodically. NBM policy requires high-risk customers to update KYC data every one year, two years for moderate-risk customers and low-risk customers every three years,” he said.
Charles Ulaya
Ulaya also said customers residing abroad or unable to visit the service centres in person, have to update their information online, while those whose details have not changed in the past three years need not to go to the Bank and update their KYC information.
“For customers with expired National IDs but no other alternative cards/ NRB replacement forms, they can still bring their expired National IDs together with the NRB updated form which has an attached QR CODE. For students that are not working, but transact above the minimum, they need to bring a scholarship letter, a letter from a sponsor or where they self- finance, an explanation on the same.”
“Students should also update their KYC information. Most are rated low risk. However, for those that engage in transfers beyond the minimum threshold they need to provide proof of source of funds. For customers that are doing small scale business, they can detail on the form the nature of the business they are undertaking,” he explained.
The news to extend the deadline has been welcomed by customers who earlier expressed their discomfort on the bank’s Facebook page.
“Thanks for the development,” reads a comment by Emmanuel Dillon.
The KYC exercise is expected to be carried out after three years, in accordance with the Financial Crimes Act 2023.
