One of the commercial firms in the country, the Sales Hub, says the public sector can overcome the current turbulent economic shocks only if the sales and marketing leaders are innovative.
Senior consultant and director for the firm, Micheal Khomani said this in Blantyre during an open sales leaders training.
Khomani noted that some companies scaled down production while others closed shop recently due to the prevailing turbulent economic environment.
“But the situation could not be like that if the marketing and sales leaders were innovative to cushion the companies against such economic shocks,” he said.
According to Khomani, his company decided to build the capacity of the sales leaders across the country on strategies to implore so as to save companies from death due to the poor economic parameters.
“As we have just started the year, sales team of companies need to kick start on a good note for the survival of the companies,” said Khomani
In a separate interview, one of the participants Titania Katenga Kaunda, hailed the company for the training, which she said would go towards motivating the marketing and sales teams.
Kaunda noted that the survival of the companies rest in the hands of the sales and marketing teams, therefore, need innovative leaders.
Sales Hub, was established in 2023 to among others, capacitate the sales and marketing sectors of various companies.
Dedza Dynamos has announced the appointment of Andrew Bunya as the team’s head coach effective immediately.
Bunya ‘s appointment was confirmed by Technical Director for the team Massa Kalamula on Thursday.
Bunya, 44, replaces Gilbert Chirwa, whose contract was not renewed after it expired in December, 2023.
Andrew Bunya, new coach for Dedza Dynamos
Accepting the appointment,Bunya said:”Dedza Dynamos is a club with huge potential with fantastic people and I’m really excited about the plans, ambition and possibilities at this club.”
He said being a citizen of Dedza, he has seen the establishment and growth of the team with each passing day and he know the high standards that the team demands.
“We have an exciting squad and a brilliant backroom team and the team came very close to playing in the final of the FDH Bank Cup last season, together we understand and know that absolutely everything has to go up a gear for the 2024 campaign,” he added.
Bunya who has signed a two-year contract brings with him his passion of football he has already proved in many years that he has been involved in football circles.
While confirming of Bunya’s appointment, Technical Director Massa Kalamula said they opted for him because he is someone who knows the culture of the team.
“He is from Dedza and knows what we want hence his appointment,” Kalamula said.
Bunya led relegated Extreme FC during the second round of the 2023 TNM Super League Season.
He is a holder of CAF B coaching license and founder of Dedza Young Soccer a team he established in 2002 and managed to take it to the TNM Super League during the 2015 season.
Bunya is also the head coach of the Dedza Youth select team under the Dedza district youth football committee.
Dedza Dynamos will be playing in its third season in the elite league after being promoted in 2021 three years after played in its first competitive competition.
MISA Malawi says it is deeply concerned with threats on Platform for Investigative Journalism (PIJ) Editorial Director Gregory Gondwe.
Gondwe is currently in hiding, on advice from military sources, following his expose on the payments that Malawi Defence Force (MDF) made to businessman Zuneth Sattar, a fraud suspect under the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) probe.
Vitusi Gregory Gondwe
“This is not just about legal threats, which I was prepared to face head-on. Yesterday, top government officials confirmed that the MDF intended to ‘arrest’ me for allegedly ‘endangering state security’—a vague and ominous accusation.
“Given the potential for my situation to be ‘accidentalised’ with a seemingly plausible explanation posthumously, I have heeded the advice to protect myself. In this line of work, death can be disguised as an accident, and no hospital can revive a life once lost,” Gondwe wrote on his Facebook Page.
In a statement, MISA Malawi Chairperson Golden Matonga says the media body engaged the Army Commander General Paul Velentino Phiri and the Attorney General (AG) Honourable Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda on the matter and they have both assured them that there are no plans to arrest Gondwe or intimidate him for writing the story.
“We hope and trust that these assurances are true and sincere.
“We would like to remind government bodies and all citizens that threats on journalists are retrogressive and a threat to democracy.
“We believe that if MDF or any other concerned parties have an issue with the media, they should use proper channels to raise such issues, but military interrogations and threats are not among those channels,” says Matonga in a statement.
He adds that threats on Gondwe’s life have a chilling effect on journalists and the media fraternity.
“As a democracy, Malawi should not slide back to the era of heavy-handedness on media and critical voices. We will continue engaging the leadership at MDF and the office of the Attorney General to ensure the safety of Gondwe and a free and conducive media operating environment,” he concludes.
In April 2022, police also detained journalist Gondwe after refusing to disclose source of his information that laid bare that Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda had allowed the government to make payments to Sattar.
This was despite his public statement terminating all of Sattar’s contracts with the government and restricting any payment on the same.
Previously, President Lazarus Chakwera pledged that no journalist would be arrested or harassed as long as he is the president of Malawi.
“We must each regulate ourselves to ensure that any time a journalist publishes something or a social commentator says something, we never react in a manner that infringes on their freedom to do so.
“This principle of self-restraint applies to me, every public official, every agency of the state, and every citizen. Freedom of the press and freedom of expression means that from time to time someone will write or say things that offend or embarrass us, but that does not give any of us the license to deal with them.
“We too can write and say something to defend ourselves, and if we feel our name and reputation have been unjustly defamed, we can even complain to regulatory bodies and the courts that follow strict rules of justice, but we must never seek to harm those who offend us in this way or try to deprive them of their freedom through illegal searches, seizures, arrests, or invasive acts like hacking, harassment, and cyberbullying. These things have no place in a free country,” Chakwera said.
Afro-pop musician Masiye Kasaru popularly known in music circles as ‘Maskal’ has arrived in the country ahead of Nde’feyo Entertainment’s success celebration show slated for Saturday 3rd February at Illusionz in Lilongwe.
The Udalire hit-marker will perform alongside former Nde’Ifeyo members Onesimus and Piksy.
After the Lilongwe show, the trio will head to Club 24/7 on 10 February and Mibawa Multipurpose Hall on 2 March in Blantyre.
Maskal arriving
Nde’feyo Entertainment was founded by Ken Zizwa Limwame and Khumbo Kabuzi Munthali both from the defunct hip-hop group ‘Biriwiri’.
According to Zizwa, the tour aims at celebrating Nde’feyo’s legacy and creating promotional opportunities for new and up and coming artists.
Apart from the the three artists performing this weekend, the Entertainment company also signed Bucci, McLuther, Mada Ngoleka and Trumel.
One of the country’s top financial institutions First Capital Bank(FCB) has on Thursday unveiled a valentine’s day promotion dubbed” ‘Okondedwa Kuivungila Kokuya’ digital campaign.
According to the bank’s Head of Marketing Twikale Chirwa,the innovative campaign aims at fostering a stronger bond between the bank and the digital users through creative expressions of love.
Twikale Chirwa
He says the promotion invites users to showcase their affection for the bank using various forms of artistic expression, whether through the visual arts, written poetry, or any other creative outlet.
Chirwa says participants for the promotion are encouraged to share their love for the bank in unique and heartfelt ways.
He says the winner for the promotion stands a chance of getting MK2 million cash.
“This campaign underscores commitment to building meaningful connections with its customers old and prospective alike by providing a platform for creative expression, the bank aims to create a more engaging and interactive relationship with its various audiences.
“We believe that love comes in many forms, and we want to celebrate that with our followers and the general public who are digital users,” says Chirwa.
He adds that the promotion is not just a campaign, but also a way for them to express their gratitude and strengthen the bond they share with their digital followers, develop the arts in Malawi and interact with young people and students.
According to Chirwa,the competition also presents a platform for the development of talent for consumption in Malawi.
He says through the initiative, the bank aims at increasing brand love and loyalty while spreading joy during the Valentine’s season.
“We look forward to a month filled with love, creativity, and strengthened connections with its customers both old and new alike through the digital campaign. Participants in the competition are encouraged to share their artistic expressions on Facebook using the hashtag,” he says.
According to him, the bank will feature selected submissions on its official Facebook channel, showcasing the creativity and love shared by its customers and followers.
