Social media has been flooded with warm birthday wishes for Malawi Congress Party (MCP) First Deputy President Catherine Gotani Hara, affectionately known as Indodakazi, as she marks another year.
A respected leader and former Speaker of Parliament, Gotani Hara is admired for her calm demeanor, approachable nature, and unwavering dedication to public service. The MCP faithful have praised her as a “woman of substance,” highlighting her ability to connect with people across all levels of society.
Catherine Gotani Hara
In a special birthday message, supporters celebrated not only her life but also her leadership, resilience, and vision for Malawi. The tribute also hinted at her anticipated rise to higher office, stating: *”This birthday marks a special milestone—your final birthday before ascending to even greater heights as the future Vice President of the Republic of Malawi.”*
The message further emphasized her commitment to justice, development, and national progress, expressing confidence that she will play a transformative role in Malawi’s leadership.
As the MCP gears up for the 2025 elections, Gotani Hara remains a unifying figure, with her birthday serving as a moment of reflection on her contributions and the promise of her continued impact.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Director of Recruitment, Madalitso Kamatcheni Kazombo, has secured a decisive victory in the party’s primaries for the Kasungu East constituency.
Kazombo, the incumbent MP, triumphed over his challenger, John Mapesa Phiri, by a wide margin, garnering 1,110 votes against Phiri’s 85. The win ensures he will represent the MCP in the upcoming September 16, 2025, general elections.
Kamatcheni
Known popularly as “Kamatcheni,” Kazombo is a prominent figure in Malawian politics, serving as both Deputy Speaker and a key party official. His landslide victory reinforces his stronghold in the constituency.
The MCP primaries determine the party’s candidates for parliamentary seats ahead of the national polls. Kazombo’s re-election bid now shifts focus to the September elections, where he will compete against candidates from other parties.
Analysts suggest his experience and incumbency give him an edge as the MCP seeks to retain control of Kasungu East.
The Dowa Civil Society Governance Network, says it is set to implement a-3 months Community-Powered-Transparency, a development accountability support under the banner Malawi Anti-Corruption Civil Society Support (MACCSS) project.
The project is targeting areas of three Traditional Authorities in the district such as Chiwere, Mponela and Kayembe with the possibility to be extended by mutual agreement of the implementing partners and communities of Dowa.
Presenting the project to the District executive committee (Dec), Governance Chairperson George Kaunda, said accountability and transparency of District Development Fund (DDF), Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and Local Generation Revenue (LGR) collected by the District Council is one of the main challenges the district is facing.
George Kaunda- citizens have the right to audit their resources for projects
Kaunda has claimed that there’s limited information on LGR and unfulfilled obligations saying communities, institutions, and CSOs mandated to demand accountability have limited awareness of the DDF, CDF, and LGR guidelines.
He said there is inadequate skills to track utilization of the resources and spaces for dialogues saying limited or no access to information and reports on CDF, LGR, and DDF do not reach the communities and it is difficult for the communities to demand documents as they are not empowered to do so.
The Governance Chairperson said political and council leadership sometimes resolve to stop people who speak upon irregularities shrinking the citizen’s civic space observing that shrinking donor funding CSO Network has failed to execute its mandate despite having the expertise and tools to carry out the task.
He said the objective of the Community Powered accountability initiative Malawi Anti-Corruption Civil Society Support is to address governance and accountability challenges by monitoring District Development projects and initiatives funded by the DDF, CDF, and LGR and empower the citizenry to effectively demand transparency and accountability as their integral entitlement.
Kaunda said the committees, people movements and political influence has brought in capacity gaps in the existing committees rendering them ineffective to deliver their functions and the Dowa CS Network will engage council to monitor some of the projects under the DDF, CDF, and LGR.
He said the project will strengthen the capacity of the committees’ s structures to competently to demand accountability in the management of the resources and adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
“This will be achieved through enhanced coordination between the Civil Society Network and Dowa District Council and empowering the community to actively engage in demanding better governance and transparency through voice, evidence, social media, and radio,” said Kaunda.
He said the Network will build the capacity of the community through the provision of tools and Nice Trust has instituted and capacitated citizen forums in all communities focusing on checking adherence to Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs).
Kaunda said the governance project will facilitate dialogues with the District Council officials based on the results from the monitoring exercise saying the local radios will be used to raise awareness, creating visibility and encouraging community involvement to help track progress, and share updates.
The Malawi Congress Party (MCP) is riding high on the success of its Cabinet Ministers in the ongoing primary elections.
According to MCP Publicist, Jessie Kabwila, the triumph of five Cabinet Ministers is a sign of confidence in President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera’s choice of Cabinet Ministers.
In an interview, Kabwila attributed the victory to the people’s confidence in the President’s leadership and the Ministers’ performance.
“The victory has revitalised the Ministers’ passion to fight for the party and its leadership, aiming for a landslide victory in the forthcoming 16 September polls,” Kabwila said.
Kabwila
The five Ministers who have won their primary elections are Jessie Kabwila herself, Minister of Information Moses Kunkuyu, Minister of Foreign Affairs Nancy Tembo, Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, and Deputy Minister of Gender Halima Daud.
Their success has boosted the morale of the party, with Kabwila saying it demonstrates the people’s trust in the President’s leadership.
The MCP primary elections have been keenly contested, with several high-profile candidates vying for positions.
However, the victory of the Cabinet Ministers has sent a strong signal about the party’s unity and confidence in its leadership.
Kabwila’s remarks suggest that the party is gearing up for a strong campaign in the forthcoming general elections.
“We are working hard to ensure that we win the elections with a landslide victory,” she said, adding that, “The people have confidence in our leadership, and we will work tirelessly to deliver on our promises.”
The MCP has been busy campaigning across the country, touting its achievements and promising further development and progress.
The party’s success in the primary elections is seen as a crucial step towards achieving its goals in the general elections.
With the general elections just around the corner, the MCP is gearing up for a strong campaign, and its success in the primary elections has given it a significant boost.
The MCP’s success in the primary elections has also raised expectations about its performance in the general elections.
In a heartwarming display of generosity and compassion, Gertrude Mutharika, the wife of Malawi’s former President, has donated essential items to the Balaka Mosque.
The donation, which was made in response to a request made by the mosque’s leaders, is a testament to the Mutharika family’s commitment to supporting the community.
The donation was made during a ceremony at the mosque, where Mrs. Mutharika was accompanied by senior officials from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the Central Region.
Gertrude Mutharika making a donation
The items donated included essential supplies that will help improve the mosque’s facilities and support its activities.
The request for assistance was made by the mosque’s leaders during a recent visit by the Mutharika family, where they distributed food to vulnerable families in celebration of Eid-fitr.
The mosque’s leaders had approached the Mutharika family, seeking help to improve the mosque’s infrastructure, including the installation of mats and other essential items.
Mrs. Mutharika expressed her joy and satisfaction in being able to support the mosque, citing her love and concern for the community.
She assured the mosque’s leaders that she would continue to seek support for their cause, including their request for a new mosque.
“We are happy to support the Balaka Mosque and its community,” Mrs. Mutharika said, adding that, “We will continue to seek support for their cause and work towards improving the lives of Malawians.”
The donation was warmly received by the mosque’s leaders, who expressed their gratitude and appreciation for the Mutharika family’s kindness.
Sheikh Pritorious Khalid, the chairperson of the mosque’s committee, said that the donation would go a long way in addressing some of the challenges they face.
“As Muslims, we believe that giving to good causes and supporting our fellow human beings is a way of connecting with Allah,” Sheikh Khalid said. “We are grateful to the Mutharika family for their kindness and generosity. This donation will help us to improve our facilities and serve our community better,” he added.
The donation is a testament to the Mutharika family’s commitment to philanthropy and community service.
Through their charitable work, they have consistently demonstrated their concern for the welfare of Malawians and their desire to make a positive impact on their lives.
The Balaka Mosque serves a large community of Muslims in the area, and the donation will undoubtedly have a significant impact on their lives.
The mosque’s leaders have expressed their gratitude for the support and have pledged to continue working towards the betterment of their community.
The donation made by Mrs. Mutharika to the Balaka Mosque is a heartwarming display of generosity and compassion.
It highlights the importance of community service and philanthropy, and demonstrates the positive impact that such efforts can have on people’s lives.
The Mutharika family’s commitment to supporting the community is truly commendable, and their efforts are likely to inspire others to follow in their footsteps.
