People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has announced that it will hold its first elective convention which will be expected to be held in Blantyre on 13th to 14th September 2024.
Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday in Lilongwe PDP publicity secretary Rhodes Msonkho said women, youths and the people with disabilities are encouraged to contest for the position of their interest.
Msokho further says all party positions starting from the president and the rest will be open for the candidates who are willing to contest
He also announced that the fees for the candidates who want to contest for the positions are as follows; for the position of the president will be K 1.5 million, first vice president and second vice president K1.3 million, secretary general K1.1 million, treasure general K7000,000, directors K500,000 and all the position of deputy directors are requested to pay K300,000 respectively .
Kondwani Nankhumwa formed the PDP after he was ousted in People’s Democratic Party (DPP) some few months ago.
In a surprising political move, Vera Kamtukule has announced her departure from the United Transformation Movement (UTM) to join the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). This shift comes amidst speculation and analysis regarding her political impact and influence.
Since her appointment as Minister, Kamtukule has been notably inactive within President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera’s Politburo. Her role has largely been limited to the periphery of active party politics, leading some to view her as a fringe figure within the UTM.
Vera being welcomed by MCP
The implications of Kamtukule’s defection for MCP remain uncertain. Analysts describe her as a potential political liability due to her perceived lack of a robust political constituency. Despite this, her move to MCP could stir significant political dynamics, either by galvanizing support or exacerbating existing tensions within the party.
As the political landscape adjusts to this development, it will be crucial to monitor how Kamtukule’s new affiliation impacts MCP’s strategy and public perception. The coming months will reveal whether her defection will be a strategic advantage or a challenge for the party.
Government has commended Common Market for East and Southern Africa ( COMESA) for coming up with digital financial payments platform which will ensure the growth of financial inclusion and enhancing local businesses in the country.
Minister of tourism Vera Kamtukule made the sentiment when COMESA is conducting a three days sensitisation meeting with women who are involved in micro small and medium enterprises on Tuesday in Lilongwe.
Kamtukule said is very excited that women are doing cross border trade when the country is promoting industrialisation through exporting of the goods other than importing to ensure that they are effusing Digitalisation within the business that are existing at the moment.
Vera Kamtukule
She said:” it’s about sensitising the people in terms of advantages of digital financial transactions, I think it could have come at a better time than now to them because once you are transacting through digital does not need to move around hence you reduce your cost. When you are reducing cost it means you maximise your profit, I think it is very integral for small businesses like these to ensure that they are digitally connected.”
Kamtukule stated that theft, high cost of doing business and also inability for the small and medium business to be accessed by customers both locally and internationally remain a challenge saying but if they are digitally connected it is very easy to be accessible anytime and where.
She added that as a government they are taken task with the responsibility to ensure that the infrastructure that are available is promoting digital financial inclusion such as they need to put infrastructure in place, access to mobile phone and working hard in hand with the private sector like telecommunication companies.
In his remarks COMESA Business Council (CBC) Board President James Chimwaza said one of their focus areas for business is targeting micro small and medium enterprises hence they are trying to promote women and the youths to put them into the business arena.
Chimwaza further disclosed that there are quite a number of men who are already in micro small and medium enterprises saying they want to strike a balance in the business financial ecosystem.
He added that digital financial inclusion will help Malawi businesses to advertise and sell the goods to other countries in the platform through phone without travelling a long journey saying if their clients are satisfied with the the goods they can order and pay it and goods will be send to them, but also through the platform will going to show if the goods has arrived to make sure that there is no bribes.
On his part COMESA Business Council Chief Operating Officer Dr Jonathan Pinifolo said they are about to commission payment platform by the end of this year because they want to prepare the traders before the platform will be in place saying they will initially start with eight countries such as Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Egypt, Ethiopia and Mauritius.
He said : ” the choice of the countries of course Malawi will be one of the priority country based on that fact we are looking at a trading corridors, so when you are looking at Malawi trades a lot with Zambia but also if you look at East Africa we got countries like Uganda , Kenya and Rwanda there are even in same space, North Africa we have got Egypt and Ethiopia, so that’s a choice of the countries and we are lucky that Malawi is one of the countries that will be part of the programme.”
Pinifolo lamented that they are at looking avoiding the use of United States Dollar (USD) notes when it comes to trade in COMESA region: ” if want to buy staff from Egypt or Zambia you don’t have to look for USD you just use Malawi Kwacha and that will be all, unless if it is going outside COMESA region.
” We are saying even as far as saving money is concerned you don’t need to go to the bank physically you do it with the agent because you are going to be intergrate with all service players within the industry.” He said.
Pinifolo revealed that they have put fraud management modules which will be able to trace fraudulent activities in the platform and they are doing awareness whereby they will know some sort of activities that may lead to fraud through the use of education programme as well as policy framework.
COMESA Women three days sensitisation meeting has brought together delegates from the statutory cooperation, Malawi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Women in Micro small and medium enterprises
LG Electronics (LG) revolutionized Malawi’s indoor climate scene by introducing its cutting-edge Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) technologies to over 60 professionals on July 26, 2024, in Lilongwe.
This inaugural seminar showcased LG’s commitment to providing top-notch product training, supply, and after-sales support to its Malawian customers.
The event drew a diverse crowd of contractors, architects, building engineers, MEP consultants, project managers, developers, and government officials.
LG’s latest air conditioning solutions took center stage, highlighting their efficiency, sustainability, and innovative features.
By enhancing awareness and training, LG aims to increase the adoption of innovative HVAC technologies in the local market.
The company is partnering with industry players to strengthen its B2B business and provide a platform for sharpening technical skills, supporting the uptake of its state-of-the-art air conditioners.
Attendees engaged directly with LG representatives, gaining valuable insights into optimizing indoor comfort and energy management with LG HVAC systems.
“We are thrilled to introduce our new products to Malawian professionals and ensure they have access to our latest technologies,” said Barrack Onyango, Design Engineer, LG Electronics.
The event also facilitated a productive networking session, reinforcing LG’s position as a leading global provider of HVAC solutions.
“This timely workshop allowed construction and property industry players to share best practices for indoor climate and heating system management,” said Harold Jere, Managing Director of Anderson Engineering, LG’s East African partner.
LG showcased its energy-efficient residential and commercial HVAC product lineups, including the MULTI V i, an AI-powered Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) technology that allows users to control heating, ventilation, and hot water simultaneously via smooth connectivity with indoor units.
The system operates in temperatures from -30°C to 52°C, with full performance in the -10°C to 43°C range, unmatched for a single-unit system.
The intelligent system uses data on user behavior patterns, temperature, people, season, and humidity levels to create an optimal indoor environment while decreasing energy usage.
All systems on display can be integrated into the LG ThinQ app for temperature management optimization.
Additionally, customers in the region can rely on the Total Management System (TMS-BECON Cloud and HVAC), recently introduced to the Eastern Africa market, allowing LG to support customers through real-time monitoring of their LG air conditioners from the Nairobi office.
Security journalist Ephraim Mkali Banda, has commended the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Affairs for intensive screening of those applying for letters of asylum seekers for entry into Malawi to live together with refugees from Rwanda, DRC, and Burundi at the Dzaleka Camp in Dowa district.
Recently, there have been reports in the media that people from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are taking long at Songwe River border post to be given letters of living as asylum seekers in Malawi, a development which is infringing their rights.
Mkali
The rights organizations faulted the Department of Immigration wrong claiming that most of the people from the DRC do not have the necessary resources to support themselves and with the Immigration Department’s taking time to give them letters of asylum seekers in Malawi, is a very big blow.
The Human Rights organizations pleaded with the Government of Malawi to urgently look at the concerns raised at the Songwe River border post so that these people are cleared and continue their journey to Dzaleka Camp in Dowa district.
Giving his reaction, Security Journalist Mkali Banda said Malawi besides signing different treaties or protocols one being that of asylum seekers, it has got its own laws governing the country and cannot be forced to do things outside its laws.
Mkali Banda said the Department of Immigration is doing the right thing at the right time saying there’s a great need for the Department officials to thoroughly investigate and screen these people before they are given letters as asylum seekers.
He has claimed that some of these people applying for asylum seekers are soldiers, police officers and intelligence officers in their countries of origin and allowing these to enter Malawi without properly being screened, they will undermine the security of the country.
“Malawi is facing an increasing spate of armed robberies and various forms of crime, some of the people contributing to this, are these coming from other countries,” said Mkali Banda.
He has advised human rights bodies in Malawi not to take advantage of their donors who give them money for advocacy on the rights of people including those of refugees and asylum seekers not to always finger-pointing government-wrong, but to look at the country’s security first.
