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.
Business Partners International (BPI) Malawi, a fund manager that provides debt equity financing, has advised budding entrepreneurs to consider finding mentors to grow their businesses especially in a depressed economic, complex and challenging environment.
BPI Country Manager Akuzike Kafwamba said in an interview yesterday that mentorship offers access to the tools and expertise a business requires to grow.
“It is well proven that guidance and advice from a mentor can offer as much value as any other form of training, if not more. This is due to the support being tailor-made to the specific needs of the business and offering expertise that are lacking within the business. Guidance from a mentor with extensive experience can help to significantly shorten a less experienced entrepreneur’s learning curve, often saving valuable time and money.”
“It is therefore vital that a business owner knows how to seek appropriate mentors and consultants to help steer them in the right direction,” said Kafwamba.
BPI Country Manager Akuzike Kafwamba
He said entrepreneurs need to master some tips to manage to locate mentors easily, one of which is shared core values.
“Having clear core values is incredibly important to guiding your business. It informs how decisions are made, how teams are managed and whether the business is heading in the right direction. It stands to reason that mentors add the most value when they understand and align with their mentee’s core values.”
“The likelihood of finding a mentor that is willing to spend their time offering guidance is also far greater if you share the same values. When initially talking to prospective mentors, ask them about the values that drive their own companies, and take the conversation further if you find that their values echo your own,” advised Kafwamba.
He also said an informal approach encourages entrepreneurs to even call veterans in the particular industry to ask them a question and also build trust.
“A specific question to an industry veteran can start a wider conversation and may even lead to a visit to your business premises. Many professionals are also more willing to meet for coffee over a weekend or after hours when the pressure is off. In this way, the first contact with the mentor runs very little risk of being unsuccessful, and both parties are able to get a sense of whether it will be worthwhile to build a formal mentor/ mentee relationship,” explained Kafwamba.
“Trust is paramount to a successful mentorship relationship, as is mutual respect between the two parties. As a business owner you must feel completely comfortable sharing information on all aspects of your business with your mentor.”
“With this in mind, avoid finding a mentor among competitors – instead, seek out individuals in unconnected industries that may share the same methods or challenges. Retired, or semi-retired business leaders and entrepreneurs are often great mentors as they have seen it all and have the time to spare and are not affiliated to any competitors,” added Kafwamba.
BPI Malawi further urges the budding entrepreneurs to be willing to learn new things.
“Any form of mentorship will be of little use if the entrepreneur is not open to suggestions and new ways of doing things. Good mentors usually have little time to spare, and therefore will be unlikely to continue with mentees who are too rigid and unwilling to take on their advice.”
“It is possible to hold on to the vision for your business while being open to different paths for reaching one’s goals. Keep this in mind, and make a point of conveying to prospective mentors that you are willing to learn,” advised Kafwamba.
