Residents and businesspeople from the Northern Region have hailed President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera’s two-week stay in the region, saying it has given a huge boost to their various businesses.
Chakwera is the first Head of State to operate from Mzuzu for such a long period of time as previous presidents preferred operating from Sanjika Palace in Blantyre and Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.
During his stay in the Northern Region, the Malawi leader visited flood survivors in Karonga where he also inspected the rehabilitated Wovwe Irrigation Scheme.
President Chakwera
Chakwera also officiated the opening of three Teacher Training Colleges (TTC) of Chikwawa, Mchinji and Rumphi at a function held at Rumphi TTC.
From Rumphi, President Chakwera went to Mzimba where he inspected M’mbelwa Stadium before going to Edingeni where he assured the people of Mzimba that his administration will complete Jenda-Edingeni-Mzimba Road.
On Friday evening, the President hosted a dinner for business captains in the Northern Region.
Residents in Mzuzu have told this publication that President Chakwera’s stay in the Northern Region has helped in boosting every sector of the economy, including tourism.
Food and accommodation businesses are among the businesses that have benefitted from the stay, according to the residents.
At the peak of national desperation created by an acute food shortage and the 44 percent devaluation in November 2023, President Lazarus Chakwera in February 2024 spoke hope in his State of the Nation Address (Sona) in Parliament. Chakwera said the economic pain that Malawians were going through was because of a combined effect of geopolitical factors; over 20 years of public policies that have effectively destroyed Malawi’s production and manufacturing as well as four devastating cyclones that hit Malawi over the past four years.
He said despite the anxiety, there were clear signs that the economy was recovering and that it was time to use that progress to achieve even greater and faster progress. Among others, Chakwera said the fact that the country’s Human Development Index (HDI) moved up five steps from position 174 to position 169 meant recovery was happening.
Chakwera further said the fact that Malawi made advances in five different Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) means recovery is happening. He added that the fact that food inflation has been going down for several weeks and is set to go down further when harvesting starts is cause for optimism.
Finance Minister Simplex Chithyola
The economy on the ground
According to Economic Intelligence Unit (eiu) Malawi’s economic outlook remains highly uncertain. In 2024-25 the economy will remain saddled with still-high inflation (albeit declining), and exchange-rate instability (following a large currency devaluation of 44% in late 2023). The expected impact of the El Niño weather event event in early 2024 will weigh on agriculture, but growth will accelerate, driven by development finance (towards infrastructure), which will be catalysed by an IMF extended credit facility that was approved in late 2023. The government is pursuing debt restructuring to keep funding taps open. Endemic corruption, a rising rate of poverty and limited economic opportunities will provoke public protests in 2024. Despite social instability, GDP growth will accelerate from 2024 as output in the mining sector improves.
The World Bank report says Malawi’s economy continues to be significantly weakened by frequent exogenous shocks coupled with macro-fiscal imbalances. Growth is projected to increase in 2023 to 1.6% as electricity supply improves, compared to 0.9% in 2022. However, severe, and persistent shortages of foreign exchange continue to subdue growth.
The economy of Malawi was $7.522 billion by gross domestic product as of 2019, and is predominantly agricultural, with about 80% of the population living in rural areas. Malawi ranks among the world’s least developed countries. In 2017, agriculture accounted for about one-third of GDP and about 80% of export revenue. The economy depends on substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, and individual donor nations. The government faces strong challenges: to spur exports, to improve educational and health facilities, to face up to environmental problems of deforestation and erosion, and to deal with the problem of HIV/AIDS. Malawi is a least developed country according to United Nations.
Worldwide gross domestic product in 2022 was at about 12,703 USD per capita. GDP in Malawi, on the other hand, reached USD 645 per capita, or 13.16 billion USD for the whole country. Malawi is one of the smaller economies and is currently ranked 142.
The 2023 Corruption Perception Index released by Transparency International shows that Malawi’s performance has remained constant on corruption scores. The report shows that Malawi has scored 34 out of 100 points and has been ranked 115 out of 180 countries that have been assessed. In 2022, Malawi scored 34 out of 100 points and was ranked 110 out of 180 countries and territories that were assessed.
The Nation in early February 2023 reported that Malawi had slightly moved from 35 to 34 points on Transparency International (TI) 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index, but maintained position 110 out of 180 countries assessed. The assessment, according to the TI statement released on January 30, meant that despite several efforts, the country remained highly corrupt.
Main challenges hampering progress for Malawi and other countries in sub-Saharan Africa included lack of integrity among the political elite, failure to deal with procurement flaws and sanction as well as prosecute any abuses of funds for emergencies like COVID-19 recovery funds, according to the report.
Reads part of the report: “Criminals are often aided by the complicity of corrupt public officials, police officers, prosecutors and judges, which allows them to operate with impunity.
President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has said the 520-hectare Tropha Estate Limited’s Kaweche Farm in Mzimba District falls within the government’s vision of promoting the establishment of private mega farms in the county.
Speaking at Ekwendeni Trading Centre after visiting the estate, Chakwera said his government is impressed with how the estate works and would like other stakeholders in the agriculture sector to meet similar standards.
“The main idea behind the private mega farm is to create opportunity for increased agriculture production and value addition, thereby increasing exports earnings for generation of forex.
The mega farm vision- Chakwera
“Mega farms will also help in addressing food security challenges and poverty in the country. However, this can work only if we put in place proper regulations to ensure that our products satisfy global markets, as is the case at the farm which I have just visited,” said Chakwera.
He then assured the gathering that the government is doing everything possible to ensure that more people benefit from the private mega farm initiative.
Traditional Authority Mtwalo commended Chakwera for visiting the estate, which he said is a model in the northern region and the country as a whole since it has provided employment to over 1,000 workers.
“This estate has 1,000 employees, aside from boosting agricultural businesses for over 2,000 farmers who are working in partnership with it. As a district, we are ready to support the government in the mega farm initiative which we are sure will benefit us all,” said Mtwalo.
Tropha Estate Limited Managing Director Duncan McDavid thanked the government for supporting the mega farm initiative, which encourages communities to work in partnership with such institutions.
” We grow and process and export Macadamia Nuts Chilies, Paprika and Piripiri in partnership with about 2,500 small holder farmers that we work with,” explained McDavid.
Earlier, Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale said his ministry is doing everything possible to support, with required expertise, people who are interested in venturing into the mega farm initiative.
During the visit, the President was accompanied by First Lady Monica Chakwera, Former Vice President Khumbo Kachali and other government officials.
Malawi exports about 17,000 metric tonnes of Macadamia Nuts, and this contributes about K40 billion to the country’s export earnings annually.
Just Associates Southern Africa (JASS SNA), a global feminist movement building and strengthening organisation, on Thursday launched a Chichewa HIV treatment literacy manual.
The manual, developed in collaboration with Our Bodies Our lives (OBOL) movement, Coalition of Women Living with HIV and Aids (COWLA) and Malawi Network of Religious Leaders living or personally affected by HIV and Aids (MANERELA+), aims at meeting needs of women affected by HIV and AIDS, enabling them to make informed decisions about their health and assert their rights in treatment options.
Speaking during the launch, Regional Director for JASS Southern Africa, Phumi Mthethwa described the launch of the manual as a milestone in that issues related to HIV treatment can be communicated in a language spoken in Malawi.
Launching a Chichewa HIV treatment literacy manual
“We launched the English manual in 2019 and we are launching the Chichewa manual now. Having heard women’s experiences at community level, we want to ensure that HIV treatment issues are communicated in a language they understand,” Mthethwa said.
The manual covers three key thematic areas of treatment, adherence and understanding of medical issues.
Mthethwa said HIV treatment does not guarantee health and well-being; hence the manual also covers issues to do with gender and preparedness measures in relation to disasters such as cyclones and other weather effects.
She, therefore, said government should provide adequate health care to HIV positive women by ensuring that hospitals are functioning and have adequate medicines.
According to Malawi Country Coordinator for JASS, Sibongile Chibwe Singini, the manual addresses women’s holistic health needs, thereby enabling them to advocate for comprehensive healthcare solutions.
“The manual, the first-ever grassroots feminist treatment literacy manual in Malawi, is a testament to the dedication and vision of OBOL women. It is designed to meet the diverse needs of women affected by HIV and AIDS among other functions,” said Singini.
Northern Region Coordinator for OBOL, Tiwonge Gondwe said most women in rural communities experience knowledge gaps on HIV/AIDS issues, hence the manual will help bridge such gaps, through the provision of relevant information.
In his remarks, HIV Care and Treatment Officer in the Ministry of Health, Brown Chiwandira commended JASS SNA for initiatives aimed at supporting women living with HIV and AIDS in the country, saying the launch of the manual complements government’s efforts of enabling access to information.
In Malawi, JASS SNA has actively supported OBOL women’s movement for over 15 years in advocating for accountability and improved healthcare for HIV positive individuals.
Minister of Education, Hon. Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima M.P, has condemned the increase of vandalism of school property by students in some secondary schools in the country.
The Minister warned that students caught in such misconduct will be expelled from school and will not be given any opportunity to continue their education in any public school.
She sounded this warning bell on Thursday, at Mphomwa Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Kasungu where she inspected the construction works of classroom blocks and laboratories being financed by the Malawi Government and the World Bank.
Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima
Wirima said it is very disappointing and disheartening that while the government is trying to improve education, there are some unruly students who are vandalizing classroom blocks and learning materials, especially if they do not agree with some of the decisions by school managers.
“To bring sanity, we will not be left with any choice rather than expelling such ungovernable students who spoil other students with a clear vision of their future,” she warned.
She cited Robert Blake in Dowa has only form ones, while Khola and Nachitheme in Ntcheu as schools which have not been remain closed since students damaged property and classrooms which demands huge sums of money is for restoration.
“Let me emphasize that as a ministry we do not condone the practice of vandalising property in our schools. We have many students who come to school to shape their future. As such we will not allow a few students to disrupt the education of their peers. I therefore urge students to follow the right channels of presenting their grievances as opposed to vandalism,” Wirima said.
She then asked parents and guardians to give the right advice to their children, realizing that a child’s behaviour starts at home.
Before visiting Kasungu, the Education Minister inspected a similar project at Msongwe CDSS in Mzuzu City.
Ministry of Education is implementing the Equity with Quality and Learning at Secondary School (EQUALS) project in 13 districts in order to improve quality of science and mathematics teaching in Community Day Secondary Schools (CDSSs) and increase the number of students accessing secondary education especially in remote areas in the country.
Through the EQUALS Project, 103 secondary schools in the country have been expanded to increase the learning space to spur the performance of students in CDSSs.
