Malawi Congress Party supporters and the people of Karonga will on Saturday 30th March 2024 have a memorable time of celebrating the Local Government by-elections win in three of the three Wards where the Malawi Electoral Commission recently conducted, following the conviction of the former representatives.
During the launch of the party’s campaign at Baka ground, Strategist for MCP Ken Zikhale Ng’oma promised to have a special celebration with the people of Karonga if the Malawi Congress Party wins all the three seats, saying he was optimistic that his party is strong and popular among all Malawians and can not lose any election to the opposition.
“If you vote for these three MCP candidates, I will bring cows here for all of you to celebrate the victory. I am optimistic this will happen as the leadership of President Chakwera has proved to be the darling of many Malawians including those in opposition” Said Zikhale when launching the campaign in February.
Just a day after MEC announced the official results of the by-elections, Ng’oma has handed over the promised cows, nine in total for people to celebrate the victory.
Commenting on the gesture, one of those who received the cows thanked Ng’oma for fulfilling the promise he made and saluted MCP for a 100 percent win of the elections.
He said: “This is a memorable time for us, and it is clear that Malawians have trust and confidence in MCP and the leadership of our President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera”
Malawi Congress Party has won elections in Kaporo, Chilanga, and Rukulu Wards on 26th March 2024.
Political activist Bon Elias Kalindo, has accused the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) of politicizing Cyclone Freddy Memorial Service in Mulanje describing activities marking the day as a lost opportunity for Malawians to unite.
Kalindo said the Memorial Service was full of politics claiming that instead of the speakers asking God not to send another Cyclone Freddy, they were busy praising human beings President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera and his Vice, Dr. Saulosi Klaus Chilima for coming to visit them.
Kalindo
He said there could have been an independent committee to organize the function inviting all political party leaders but on the surprising note, Dr. Bakili Muluzi, Dr. Joyce Banda, Enock Chihana and Atupele Muluzi were not in attendance meaning that the function was pure MCP.
Speaking through an audio clip circulating in various social media platforms, Kalindo said to prove that the Memorial Service was organized for MCP campaign in Mulanje, Brown James Mpinganjira announced that 620 members of the DPP has joined the MCP.
Kalindo said it was shame and disappointments to see people from other areas coming in lorries while the owners who could have walked on foot to the venue, such as people from Njeza, Chisinkha, Chitakale, Kumwamba, Chisitu, Mulanje Mission, didn’t come to the function.
He said only those from Limbuli could have been the ones to come to the function on lorries but they too, didn’t come saying the Memorial Service could have been held in Limbuli, Chiladzulu, Sochi in Blantyre not Mulanje stadium but the MCP was afraid that they did nothing to the people of these areas.
The activist said Cyclone Freddy caught Malawi unprepared saying had it not been for Prophet Shephered Bushiri, Cyclone Freddy Ambassadors Dr. Bakili Muluzi and Madam Dr. Joyce Banda, the Government of Tanzania and Zambia to come in, there could have been no day the MCP could ask its party supporters to clad in their attires to grace the Memorial Service.
He thanked church leaders for coming to the function and chiefs for being directed on what to speak praising Chakwera lamenting that T/A Mabuka, GVH Njeza and Member of Parliament for the area Santiago Phiri were not invited.
“Malawians should be praying hard for God to give them a President to unify the country that Malawians are one people regardless of political party affiliations,” said Kalindo.
He has since advised the organizers of the Memorial Service that if there will be another one next year, they should invite all to attend and not to come in their party colors and if they cannot do this, it is better to stop conducting the Memorial Service claiming that those that died are not their relatives.
Leader of the House in Parliament, Richard Chimwendo Banda, who is also Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture, has stated that the passing of Private Members Bill No.1 of 2024, also known as the Cannabis Regulatory Amendment, will help Malawi boost its foreign and domestic revenue collection.
He said government, through Ministry of Agriculture, aims to grow the economy by producing and exporting.
Banda has emphasised that the legalisation of cannabis farming is not for smoking, but rather for industrial and medical purposes.
He explained that the cannabis industry will be regulated, and unlicensed individuals will not be allowed to grow cannabis.
The Minister said that once President Dr Lazarus Chakwera assents to the bill, it is expected to promote local participation in the cannabis industry and provide a platform for local licensed farmers to cultivate cannabis which is in high demand on the international market.
Dr. Amelia Taylor, a lecturer in Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) has described Generative Artificial Intelligence as an important tool that can provide solutions to challenges Malawi is facing in the healthcare sector.
Generative AI is a type of AI that can create new content and ideas, including conversations, stories, images, videos, and music.
Speaking on Thursday during the one day Generative AI project dissemination workshop at Amaryllis Hotel in Blantyre, Taylor said Malawi has to adopt the use of Generative AI if it is to end challenges faced in the healthcare sector because the tool is very effective and innovative
.
Said Taylor:” Generative AI is very innovative tool or technology that can be used everywhere including in the healthcare sector.This technology can be used in so many ways. For example, it can be used to find information using natural language.Not only that, but also the tool itself can be able to perform complex tasks, for example summarizing information, extracting information from documents, extracting key words, creating tables, creating reports and many others. So it is basically an assistant.”
She added:” It can help healthcare professionals to be able to understand contexts. In this case, the contexts we mean disease surveillance. This means that the Generative AI can help healthcare professionals to know the information of the disease of interest for example cholera, cancer, Covid-19 and many other diseases.”
Taylor said the other important part of Generative AI in healthcare sector is that it can be accessed everywhere even in the rural areas.
“The tool is accessible everywhere and it can be found in communities. The tool can be on the mobile phones and it can be online and offline. It can provide answers to several questions in relation to health. Questions like what are symptoms of cholera, what causes Covid-19, how best can we prevent cholera or cancer.It also interprets abbreviations and many others difficult terminologies in the healthcare field.It acts as a dictionary but in this case, Generative AI is a very modern dictionary. In short it is an assistant to guidelines,” she said.
Dr Amelia Taylor
On her part, Dr. Alinafe Mbewe, a Director of Digital Health in the Ministry of Health echoed Taylor saying everything nowadays is going digital and that the use of Generative AI in the healthcare can indeed bring positive results.
“I am glad that digital health is growing in Malawi. Of course, we are not doing well as other countries but still we are at a better level.And the idea to bring Generative AI in the healthcare sector is another indication that we are doing much better in as far as digital health is concerned. This is really exciting news,” she said.
She added:”In short, as Taylor said, Generative AI is very important in the healthcare sector. All the systems you see in the hospitals whether ordering drugs or in the laboratories, is part of digital health and AI is one of the most important components of digital health. I find the use of Generative AI as an important idea if we are to keep doing great in the digital health sector.”
President of the Republic Chakwera of Malawi, Dr Lazarus Chakwera has praised the enduring alliance between Malawi and the United States during bilateral discussions with members of the USA Congress consisting of five Senators, on Wednesday.
Highlighting significant contributions across various sectors including education, agriculture, and healthcare, President Chakwera emphasized the pivotal role of US support in addressing pressing issues such as the current food crisis in the country.
Led by Senator Patty Murray, (WA). Chair; Senate Appropriations Committee the congressional delegation reiterated the commitment to bolster cooperation, focusing on leveraging technology and modern agricultural practices.
Reflecting on the historical ties dating back to 1964, President Chakwera expressed optimism for further expansion and deepening of the relationship, despite challenges such as disasters and rising commodity prices stressing that fruitful discussions are what strengthen bilateral ties.
President Chakwera and the visiting Senators from USA
His Excellency stressed that the country needs a “paradigm shift” in terms of the financing for development that currently exists, adding that it is time for transformative strategies for Malawi and the continent in line with the Vision 2063 agenda.
President Chakwera went further by offering suggestions for areas of collaboration between the US and Malawi that need to be magnified, including comprehensive investment in the mining sector; enhancing capacity building; leveraging expertise in technology and software engineering by supporting partnerships with institutions like MUBAS; investing in infrastructure development including establishing efficient and sufficient road networks and sustaining open engagement and discussions on matters of mutual benefit including international peace and stability.
Meanwhile the US delegation hailed the vast potential for collaboration in many areas in Malawi including mining and water and sanitation as well as partnerships in the agro-industry citing Macademia nuts as a prospective commodity that could open doors for partnership between the two countries, given the quality of the product in Malawi.
One of the senators also pointed out that the collaboration should provide solutions to not just the growing of Macademia nuts, but also the production.
Min of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Nancy Tembo also hailed the collaboration with the US, saying the two nations share common areas of interest including children’s welfare, and investment in minerals. Hon Tembo also said that the US’ 2025 development strategy aligns with Malawi’s 2063 blueprint.
Also in attendance during the discussions was Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Sam Kawale who thanked the US delegation for the existing partnerships that Malawi has benefited from including one with North Carolina State University, which provides for investment in research at Malawian academic institutions.
His Excellency the President of the Republic Chakwera of Malawi, Dr Lazarus Chakwera has praised the enduring alliance between Malawi and the United States during bilateral discussions with members of the USA Congress consisting of five Senators, on Wednesday.
Highlighting significant contributions across various sectors including education, agriculture, and healthcare, President Chakwera emphasized the pivotal role of US support in addressing pressing issues such as the current food crisis in the country.
Led by Senator Patty Murray, (WA). Chair; Senate Appropriations Committee the congressional delegation reiterated the commitment to bolster cooperation, focusing on leveraging technology and modern agricultural practices.
Reflecting on the historical ties dating back to 1964, President Chakwera expressed optimism for further expansion and deepening of the relationship, despite challenges such as disasters and rising commodity prices stressing that fruitful discussions are what strengthen bilateral ties.
His Excellency stressed that the country needs a “paradigm shift” in terms of the financing for development that currently exists, adding that it is time for transformative strategies for Malawi and the continent in line with the Vision 2063 agenda.
President Chakwera went further by offering suggestions for areas of collaboration between the US and Malawi that need to be magnified, including comprehensive investment in the mining sector; enhancing capacity building; leveraging expertise in technology and software engineering by supporting partnerships with institutions like MUBAS; investing in infrastructure development including establishing efficient and sufficient road networks and sustaining open engagement and discussions on matters of mutual benefit including international peace and stability.
Meanwhile the US delegation hailed the vast potential for collaboration in many areas in Malawi including mining and water and sanitation as well as partnerships in the agro-industry citing Macademia nuts as a prospective commodity that could open doors for partnership between the two countries, given the quality of the product in Malawi.
One of the senators also pointed out that the collaboration should provide solutions to not just the growing of Macademia nuts, but also the production.
Min of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Nancy Tembo also hailed the collaboration with the US, saying the two nations share common areas of interest including children’s welfare, and investment in minerals. Hon Tembo also said that the US’ 2025 development strategy aligns with Malawi’s 2063 blueprint.
Also in attendance during the discussions was Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Sam Kawale who thanked the US delegation for the existing partnerships that Malawi has benefited from including one with North Carolina State University, which provides for investment in research at Malawian academic institutions.
