The Malawi Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that President of Zimbabwe Emerson Mnangagwa will from May 31 to June 2,2023 undertake a three-day state visit to Malawi.
According to Government, during his visit to Malawi, Mnangagwa who has been invited by President Dr.Lazarus Chakwera will carry out several official engagements including holding bilateral discussions with the Malawi leader on the matters of mutual interests to the two sisterly nations.
Meanwhile, the Government says the full details of Mnangagwa’s visit to the warm heart of Africa will be announced in due course.
Malawi and Zimbabwe have had a close history for a long time.
The two countries share common values, history and culture.
Along with Zambia, they were one country under the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland.
Malawi has a large Zimbabwean diaspora and Zimbabwe has a large Malawian diaspora.
Kansai Plascon Malawi,a painting company has made a K5 million donation towards the ongoing Malawi Institute of Architects (MIA) annual general meeting being in Malawi’s lakeshore district of Mangochi.
In an interview with local media on Thursday, the company’s General Manager Yotam Katumbi said the architectural industry is a key stakeholder to the paint industry hence the financial support.
“We cannot do our business without buildings and those who play a vital role in erecting these buildings are architects. We thank them,” he said.
According to Katumbi, Plascon has made a good footprint in the country, as major structures across the country shine with their unique variety of paints.
On his part, the newly elected MIA president Khumbo Chirwa since then appreciated the financial support adding that Plascon has been a traditional sponsor of their annual gatherings.
The three day Malawi Institute of Architects event which started on Wednesday and ends today Friday has drawn players from both the private and public sector.
It is being held under the theme” Where is the architect? “.
Starting a business in Malawi is both exciting and challenging and having it grow is even harder for most people.
Research shows that 80 percent of small businesses in Malawi fail within the first five years of operation.
This is a common fact that the rate of failure in small businesses in Malawi is very high and it is for this reason some people get scared to start any kind of business as they are afraid that the business will fail and they will lose money.
However, some people out there are determined to do business and hope to succeed, anyway.
David Banda
To them, as there are others still doing business,they do not regret starting the journey.Their success is a motivation for everybody to see.
It is clear that people who excel in business poses street knowledge that others who fail may not have.
Relating to the above is a story of David Banda, a 23-year-old young man who has created Linka-Malawi ( linkamalawi.com).
Linkamalawi.com is an online platform that is aimed at bringing small businesses together and fostering strong connections withing the professional community.
The platform links up business owners to their potential customers digitally.
What business owners need to do is to provide Linka-Malawi with their business details and Linka uploads them on their marketing website.
“Then as the team, we market their businesses to what seems to be their potential customers.
“Their online presence will expose them the maximum audience regardless of their size.
“The website not only benifits the business owners, but it also benifts the community as the whole. This is so because an individual will be able to explore different businesses around him/her before choosing the one to work with.
“At the same time, the website will give people links to some services that are on demands such as banking, loans, scholarships and consultants,” said David in an interview.
He said he started his business after attending the Digital Skills and Entrepreneurship Trainings that were delivered by Dzuka Africa Organization under Luntha ndi Chuma Project.
“Their trainings taught me the importance of starting my own business as the youth,” he said.
David said every one is a customer to his business.
Said David: “Whether a start up company looking for new market ventures, whether San established business looking for expansion, or an individual advertising his/skill, professionals and everyone else who is looking for opportunities, Linka-Malawi is for those.”
He said his future plans are to have the same sytem in the physical form.
“We dream to have a big building where we have many offices for start up entrepreneurs. From this building, we will see companies established after the entrepreneur has graduated from his or her hatchling stage. The offices will be cheaper and affordable to everyone who is starting business just like the website is affordable to any business,” said the soft-spoken young man.
On the challenges he meets in his business, David said: “There is no business without challenges.
“A business like this one is not popular in Malawi as a lot of people are not exposed to the world of internet. Many do not understand what the internet can do their business hence they do not understand what benefits will we bring to their business. But we try our best to explain to them with relevance examples on how the internet has boosted a lot of businesses.
“You know,one of the reasons why small scale businesses does not make it in Malawi is due to lack of exposure. They do not have access to the Market that is monopolized by giants industries but we are still going forward and thriving to the success we want.”
He urged his fellow business owners to always look at their businesses as important and the ones that have the bility to change the nation.
“Whether it is a startup or a small enterprise, possibilities are there that they can bring change and drive the economy if properly utilised,’ he urged.
He concluded by calling on people to join him by using his linkamalawi.com platform.
“I call everyone to join me by using our website because doing so they will help to boost Malawian small businesses,” he concluded.
Police at Namwera in Mangochi District have arrested a 46-year-old owner of Neptune Lodge at Namwera Trading Centre, identified as Dennis Dias, on allegations that he defiled a 15-year old girl at the said lodge.
According to the father of the victim, on May 19, 2023 his daughter was chased out of the house by her stepmother after she refused to share water for bath with siblings.
The victim slept out in a nearby uncompleted building for two nights which prompted the parents to report to police.
When she heard that police were looking for her, she was afraid to go back home and together with her friend they borrowed a sum of K2,000 and went to hide at Neptune Lodge.
On the morning of May 23, 2023 during the checkout, the suspect interrogated the duo who narrated that were afraid of the police. The suspect took advantage of the situation and promised to take care of the girl.
The same day in the afternoon, while the victim’s friend went to take a bath, the suspect sneaked into the room where he found the victim dressing. He pushed her on the bed, tore her underwear and defiled her while covering her mouth with his hand.
He then gave the victim K10,000 and threatened that he would call the police to arrest her if she dared to reveal the ordeal to anyone.
Police report indicated that Few minutes later, her friend returned only to find her in tears and she revealed what had happened. Coincidentally, the same day police were tipped by members of the community about the whereabouts of the victim who rushed to the lodge and found her in the room crying.
According to Inspector Amina Tepani Daudi ,public relation officer for Mangochi police ,the suspect was arrested instantly and will appear before court Thursday 25 May, while the victim was issued a referral letter to Namwera Health Centre where results indicated that she was defiled.
Dias hails from Sumaili Village, Traditional Authority Jalasi in Mangochi.
Last week news were news going around indicate that Mighty Mukuru Wanderers wrote a letter through their legal office to Football Association of Malawi (FAM) expressing their reservations against Super League of Malawi (Sulom) general secretary (GS) Williams Banda of having a hidden agenda against them.
This accusation comes following the suspension of striker Christopher Kumwembe after being adjudged to have been shown two yellow cards in the Nomads’ recent TNM Super League match against Mighty Waka Waka Tigers.
Mighty Mukuru Wanderers
In the first place , Nomads Executive committee legal office should be made aware that the attack on Williams Banda who is SULOM General Secretary, is going to a wrong person.
In this regard , Banda signed the letter in his capacity as Sulom General Secretary which is an regulatory body of all affiliates.
The truth of the matter is that their player Kumwembe receives two yellows cards and but the referee failed to notice.
The Referee made an error in not showing the red card to the player and all these decisions are made by committee responsible and the GS just sign.
So according to principles of corporate veil, Sulom is not Williams and Williams is not Sulom.
Sulom has powers on its own to sue and be sued being the personal entity.
Nomads should stop behaviour of being crying baby all the time using the media to influence the decision through buying public sympathy.
Let this office just withdraw the letter or else be embarrassed at the disciplinary committee.
SULOM acted acted within the framework of the law unlike the Manoma who just jumped the gun.
