Two Chinese nationals in Chikwawa have been arrested on suspicion that they assaulted a construction worker, leaving him unconscious and with a broken arm.
Chikwawa Police deputy spokesperson Chancy Mfune says the twain, Allen Cheng, 37, and Peng Yongqia, 34, accused 37-year old Silaj Maluwa, a machine operator, of stealing fuel.
Mfune says Maluwa, a Sinohydro Construction Company employee, was on Sunday 14 April 2024 working at a canal construction site when he was suspected of siphoning fuel from the machine.
He was reportedly found by his workmates lying unconscious along the earth road that connects to the campsite.
Maluwa is currently admitted to Chikwawa District Hospital where he is getting treatment.
Meanwhile, police have charged the suspects with grievous bodily harm.
The victim comes from Sadulo Village Traditional Authority Katunga in Chikwawa.
The Public Private Partnership Commission (PPPC) will from tomorrow Wednesday, April 17, 2024 to Friday, April 19, 2024, host the Digital Malawi Project in the capital Lilongwe to foster collaboration among stakeholders and technology hubs.
In an interview, PPPC Chief Executive Officer(CEO) Patrick Kabambe said the conference will among others, feature panel discussions, breakout sessions, and innovation showcases targeting government officials, technology hub representatives, educators, industry leaders, and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) focused on education and skills development.
He said this will help address challenges and enhance digital literacy in line with evolving technological demands.
PPPC Chief Executive Officer(CEO) Patrick Kabambe
“The Digital Malawi Project is pivotal in equipping our citizens with the skills and resources needed to thrive in today’s digital age,” said Kabambe.
The PPC CEO said Malawi is witnessing swift expansion in its digital ecosystems, as demonstrated by the government’s initiative through PPPC.
The project, implemented with funding from the World Bank, is dubbed the ‘Luntha ndi Chuma’ Digital Skills Development and Innovation Initiative.
Launched in 2020, it has already trained over 12 850 youth, the elderly and women in digital skills, entrepreneurship, and ICT literacy, addressing crucial gaps in the country’s digital landscape.
Additionally, 57 sub-grants ranging from $2500 to $200 were awarded to promising innovators, with 55 youths securing internships in various organizations nationwide.
PPPC was established as the Privatisation Commission under the Public Enterprises (Privatization) Act of 1996.
It started operations in April 1996 with its Head Office in Blantyre, the commercial capital of Malawi.
The commission was established to implement divestiture of direct or indirect state interests in State Owned Enterprises (SOEs).
The Ministry of Education has appealed to parents, traditional and community leadership to take a leading role in instilling a culture of discipline, self respect and respect for others as well as a sense of responsibility in their children to ensure that educational activities are not disrupted in the country.
The Secretary for Education, Dr. Mangani Chilala Katundu delivered this message on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in Ntcheu, during stakeholder engagement sessions with school management, parents, traditional and community leadership, following the vandalism and closure of Nachitheme and Khola Secondary Schools.
With Ntcheu DC, Senior Chief Inkosi Makwangwala and Ntcheu Education Authorities at Ntcheu District Council
Dr. Katundu said many students lack the appropriate guidance and discipline from their parents.
He stated that the ministry will work with civil society organizations such as Sub-saharan Family Enrichment (SAFE), the police, human rights institutions, National Youth Council, cummununity and traditional leadership and other stakeholders, to formulate and implement strategies aimed at fostering discipline in schools and safeguarding shool property.
Inkosi Makwangwala and Inkosi Ganya emphatically condemned the vandalism at Nachitheme and Khola secondary schools in the district.
The two bemoaned the destruction of teaching an learning materials and facilities at the institutions.
“We undertake to engange our subjects to put in place community-based interventions to bring sanity among the students and surrounding communities to avert recurrence of these malpractices. We will also support law enforcers in bringing perpetreters to book,”said Inkosi Makwangwala.
Meanwhile, two community members from Inkosi Ganya’s area were convicted by the courts for their involvement in the vandalism and are currently serving prison sentences.
In his remarks, Ntcheu District Commissioner, George Ngaiyaye said that his office will liaise with all stakeholders to promote discipline in all the schools in the district.
Property worth 43 Million Kwacha at Nachitheme Secondary School and 13 Million Kwacha at Khola Community Day Secondary School, was destroyed during the riots by students and community members in November last year, which forced the Ministry to temporarily suspend learning in these schools.
Following the engagements, the Ministry is considering measures and modalities to facilitate the reopening of the two schools and resumption of teaching and learning activities.
Pinnacle Financial Services (PFS) has on Monday donated 45 bags of cement to the National Organization of Nurses and Midwives of Malawi (NONM).
PFS Chief Executive Officer(CEO), Douglas Kamwendo, said his financial institution decided to donate the cement because they were touched by a story about a retired nurse whose house was destroyed by Cyclone Freddy.
Kamwendo added his institution believes in uplifting people’s lives and that is why they donated cement and K500,000 for transport.
“We believe in sharing. Bible teaches us about sharing and we follow it,”he said.
On his part, NONM Executive Director(ED) Peter Mvuma thanked Pinnacle Financial Services for the donation and urged other organizations to emulate the same.
Mvuma said there is another retired nurse who is suffering from diabetes and has had both her legs amputated and the right-hand fingers.
Her house was also destroyed by Cyclone Freddy.
“We want to relocate her to a safer place where she can also easily access medical care at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.”
PFS was incorporated in Malawi on August 30, 2019 under the Companies Act 2013 as private company limited.
The financial institution is duly registered with and under the supervision of the Reserve Bank of Malawi(RBM) under license number NDMFI 014/19.
Its vision is to dominate the provision of financial services to low-income individuals in Malawi through an impactful, caring and reliable enterprise
President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has warned Malawians against selling their farm lands as this leaves them without any garden to grow crops.
Chakwera made the sentiments on Monday when he opened this year’s tobaccos selling season at Chinkhoma Auction Floors in Kasungu.
The President said even if the government provides agricultural subsidised inputs, some people have nowhere to farm and eventually sell the inputs.
President Chakwera
He therefore, asked the Ministry of Lands to sensitise the communities not to sell their lands so as to at least have somewhere to farm.
On the tobacco, Chakwera praised tobacco farmers saying they are the number one economic drivers of the country as they are the solution to forex shortage in the country.
The Malawi leader argued that Malawi has many people who think they are economic experts but never take action in generating folex.
He therefore, said time has come for action and is practical in the generation of forex thereby, urging people in the country to support tobacco growers who produce forex for the country.
During the opening of the floors, the Malawi Gold leaf fetched three dollars with a minimum of two dollars per kilogram.
