Chikondi Mwanyali from Dowa and Nalicy Chirwa, a Mzuzu-base female athlete were on Sunday March 5,2023 emerged champions of the inaugural 21 Kilometre Mzuzu Half Marathon.
The Marathon took place on Sunday morning in the Malawi’s green city of Mzuzu.
During the competetion,Mwanyali covered the distance in 1 hour 8 minutes while Chirwa rounded the mile in 1 hour 24 minutes.
The champions in both categories went home with K1 million while Asimenye Simwaka in the female category and Chancy Mastala in the men who finished second pocketed K700, 000 each.
Macdonald Maganizo and Doris Fisher racked in K500, 000 each after finishing third in Men and Women categories respectively.
Among others, the race was aimed at promoting the city of Mzuzu, encourage mass participation in sports and act as a preparatory stage for the 42.195-kilometer Blantyre race.
It was a big weekend for the ruling Malawi Congress Party as Four cabinet ministers – minister of homeland security Ken Zikhale Ng’oma, minister of Transport and Public works Jacob Hara, minister of local government unity and culture Richard Chimwendo Banda and minister of Youth and sports Uchizi Mkandawire are in Mzimba district where they are holding a political rally.
Speaking during his welcome remarks Village headman Zungu urged the ministers that the government start preparations for the 2023/2024 Affordable Input Program in time to avoid challenges which rocked the program this farming season.
Zungu also asked the government to look into the hunger which a number of people in the country are experiencing.
The Ministers reassured the People of Mzimba that the government understands the problems the country is facing and that they should have faith because Dr Lazarus Chakwera and his government will make sure that they deliver good leadership and development for the people of Malawi
Police in Malawi’s broader district, Mchinji are keeping in custody Patrick Kapinya,36, Nafutale Zombo,35,and Kamfosi Kalirani,48, for allegedly being found in possession of medical drugs without licenses.
Limbani Mpinganjira, Mchinji Police Station Publicist confirmed the arrest of the three on Sunday saying they were arrested during a raid exercise police conducted on medical drugs shops in the district.
According to Mpinganjira, the suspects were selling the medical drugs at Matutu trading center in the area of Traditional Authority ( TA) Mduwa in the district.
He said among the medical drugs, the suspects were found with Amoxicilin capsules, Tetracycline tablets, Abendazole tablets and Lofnac tablets.
Mpinganjira disclosed that the three will appear before the court soon, to answer charges of being found in possession of medical drugs without permit.
Mozambican outfit, UD Songo have been crowned champions of the three-day pre-season international bonanza following their 1-0 victory over the hosts FCB Nyasa Big Bullets on Sunday afternoon at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
Dario Melo scored the only goal of the match in the 31st minute after capitalizing on a defensive error by Bullets defense to release a thunderous shot which was deflected into the net.
Despite being outplayed by the visitors in both halves, Bullets had a number of opportunities to get an equaliser but Mike Mkwate and MacFarlane Mgwira failed to utilize the chances.
In an early kickoff, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers came from behind to beat Ferroviario de Nampula 2-1 on the same venue.
The Nomads scored in each half through Christopher Kumwembe and Peter Cholopi while the visitors got their consolation from Telinho Ernesto.
UD Songo have finished the competition on top with seven points followed by Mighty Mukuru Wanderers who finished on second position with four points.
Ferraviario de Nampula finished third with two points while FCB Nyasa Big Bullets who are the organizers of the tournament, finished at the bottom of the table with the same number of points but the former have a better goal aggregate.
The Mozambican champions are the only side to have finished the competition without any defeat and it is the only team that has managed to score three goals but conceded no goal.
The hosts FCB Nyasa Big Bullets who featured a number of new players, are the only side to have finished the competition without a goal.
Despite being played on the home soil, no Malawian club has managed to win the competition since its inception in 2019.
The inaugural edition was won by Ferroviário de Nampula and the second edition was won by Zimbabwean side, Chicken Inn in 2020 before the competition took a 2-year break due to Covid-19 outbreak.
Aberdeen’s Kieran Ngwenya is set to be recalled to the Malawi squad for a double header against Egypt in a qualifier for the Africa Cup of Nations next month.
The young left back is currently on a season-long loan in the Scottish Championship with Raith Rovers from Pittodrie, and has made 22 appearances in all competitions, helping the club reach the final of the SPFL Trust Trophy against Hamilton next month.
The 20-year old suffered an injury at the turn of the year, but has returned to action in recent weeks and appeared as a late substitute for the Rovers last weekend in their 0-0 draw with Ayr United at home.
And now the Glasgow-born defender has been included in the provisional Malawi squad for two matches against Egypt next month, in Group D in qualifying for AFCON.
He made his Aberdeen debut as a substitute against Ross County in the 2020/21 Premiership season, before successful loan spells with Cove Rangers and Kelty Hearts in the next two years.
Ngwenya won his first cap for his country back in June 2021 in a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago, and will hope to claim his second cap against an Egyptian team next month that are captained by Liverpool star Mohamed Salah.
However the double header with Egypt takes place on March 24 and March 28, which will rule Ngwenya out of Raith’s SPFL Trust Trophy final on March 26.
But the young defender has been given the green light by both Raith and parent club Aberdeen to travel with the Malawi team, having been named in their provisional 24-man squad for the two games.
Malawi’s technical support manager James Sangala confirmed the news and said they are arranging transportation for Nwgenya that will allow him to meet up with the rest of the squad.
