President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has arrived back in the country from the trip he undertook to Kenya, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Speaking after the arrival, President Chakwera said a number of sectors are set to benefit and improve as more support is coming to Malawi following agreements which were made between Malawi and various investors through side meetings in New York and Washington DC.
He among others cited a meeting he had with the World Bank and Signing of the Millennium Challenge Compact, that is bringing billions of dollars to Malawi, which will see areas such as health, agriculture, education, energy, transport, sports and youth development advancing.
Chakwera further said the stopover he had in the UAE following an invitation by the Royal Family gave him an opportunity to discuss investments set to benefit Malawi.
He further added that the UAE government will send a delegation to Malawi in two weeks time, and plans to invest in the energy sector to end current blackouts and in fuel importation to help in stabilising fuel supply.
Malawi National Examination Board (Maneb) and Ministry of Education have announced the 2022 Primary School Leaving Certificate of Education (PSLCE) examination results and selection to secondary schools.
Maneb executive director, Dorothy Nampota said 260,295 candidates sat for the examination and out of those, 216,664 candidates have passed the examination representing 83.24 percent. The pass rate this year is lower than for 2021 which was 83.83%.
However, this year’s pass rate is the second highest pass rate in 6 years.
Maneb Executive director, Dorothy Nampota
Nampota said there was no leakage this year but said there were some cases of cheating initiated by teachers.
In this year’s results the best performing education district is Zomba Urban with 95.8 % followed by Nkhata Bay district with 93.88%, Likoma with 93%, Mzuzu 92. 64%, Phalombe 92.44%, Zomba rural 91.72%
The lowest performing district is Mwanza with 70.21 percent
Minister of Education Agness Nyalonje said of the 216,664 that have passed the PSLCE, 89,404 learners have been selected to various public secondary schools. This year’s transition rate is 41.62% which is higher than previous year which was 37%.
FDH Bank has spoiled the national football team, the flames with a state of the art Bus.
The bus is expected to be handed over to the Fotball Association of Malawi ( FAM) this morning at an event which will take place at FDH head office in Blantyre.
According to a statement by Director for Commercial and Marketing at FAM Limbani Matola, the bus has been purchased by FDH Bank.
Flames continue being spoiled with gifts despite their poor performance at various tournaments including the recent failure to qualify for CHAN Tournament.
President Lazarus Chakwera on Friday, September 30,2022 ended his successful tour of the United States of America where he attended the 77th Assembly of the United Nations in New York. Foreign Affairs Ministry has announced that the President will return home Monday morning.
Writing on his official Facebook page on Friday, President Chakwera who left the country on September 12,2022 said; “I have now officially ended my tour of duty in the USA with an address to the Congressional Black Caucus. My deep thanks goes to US Government for hosting us so well.
Tomorrow we begin our journey home to turn the huge investment we’ve secured here into wins for Malawians.”
While in USA, President Lazarus Chakwera addressed the 77th UN General Assembly on 22nd September in which his 10 minutes speech articulated a number of issues ranging from food crisis, security challenges, climate change and Covid-19 effects, and based much on calling the UN member states to work together to end crises facing many countries within the organization especially the LDCs.
“If we are truly one UN family, the leaving no one behind has to be practiced not just preached.” Read part of his speech.
But apart from the main UN General Assembly, President Chakwera attended many other side meetings, conferences, and events during the tour.
Among others, President Chakwera had a stop in Kenya where he was among heads of state who attended the inauguration ceremony of Kenyan President, William Ruto before proceeding for United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
While in New York, Chakwera had several engagements with various donor and developmental partners in his quest to move Malawi higher in both social, economic, and developmental livelihood of its citizens inline with the 2063 vision.
He among others attended a reception on Friday, September 16,2022 which aimed at mobilizing resources for the health sector in Malawi. He also addressed the Nuveen Agricultural Investment Business Council for International Understanding (BIUC) where he challenged Investors to invest in Malawi’ agricultural industry including mega-farms the country is embarking on.
He further addressed the High-Level Summit for Transforming Education, addressed the Green Climate Fund Summit where he appealed for more funding to Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
Malawi leader also attended the USAID Conference on Democracy.
Chakwera attended the Global Fund Conference on September 21,2022 where he secured about K640 billion for fight against TB/HIV, Malaria, and Covid-19 in the country before addressing UN General Assembly on 22nd September, 2022.
Addressed the Annual Investment Forum of the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) on Thursday, where he appealed for international financing institutions to partner Malawi’s NEEF to support Small Scale Entrepreneurs which comprises the youth and women.
President Chakwera then went to Washington DC where he witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Malawi Government and the Millennium Challenge Corporation for second compact worth $350 million for construction of the 300-Kilometre network of four corridor roads across the country to facilitate greater flow of agricultural products from farms to urban markets, a program President Chakwera described as very important for Malawi.
Investigations by office of Ombudsman into alleged recruitment of Nocma deputy CEO Helen Buluma has found that she was irregularly and unprocedurally recruited as no advert was flighted and no application was made.
Speaking at the press briefing in Lilongwe to release a determination on the alleged unprocedural and irregular recruitment of Deputy Chief Executive Officer for the National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma) Helen Buluma Ombudsman Grace Malera has directed that the appointment of Nocma deputy CEO Helen Buluma should be treated as it never happened, and no benefits should be paid for the time served.
The Ombudsman has also found that at the time of Bulumas appointment, the position of deputy CEO did not exist in Nocma’s establishment.
Malera at the Press Briefing
During investigations the Controller of Statutory Corporations told her office that Helen Buluma’s employment at Nocma as Deputy Chief Executive Officer followed a Presidential Directive. Malera said Buluma told the inquiry that she did not apply for the Deputy CEO position at Nocma but has the requisite skills and qualifications for the post. She went on to say Buluma also admitted having served in the National Governing Council of the former ruling Democratic Progressive Party, an affiliation the complainants raised might have warranted her recruitment.
She has also directed that Buluma’s contract should be terminated forthwith and if any extension was done it must be nullified forthwith. According to Ombudsman’s determination, Buluma should not be allowed to benefit from an Illegality.
