Lilongwe City Council (LCC) has demolished the Lilongwe Curios Market which was located near Area 3 Post Office along Kamuzu Procession Road, to pave way for construction of a four-lane road.
In interview, Lilongwe Curios Market Secretary, James Subili, said the expansion of the road has forced them to relocate to a place along Chilambula Road as a temporary place as LCC looks for a suitable place.
“We are not [badly] affected with the changing of the market place as this place is conducive for our business because it is also located near the road, which makes it easy for our customers to get to us,” Subili said.
In her remarks, Lilongwe City Council Public Relations Officer, Tamara Chafunya said in July last year, the council started working on infrastructure development projects, including roads across town.
“We are rehabilitating various roads in our city through government funding as well as UNDP,” she said, adding it was such activities that have forced the relocation of curios traders from Area 3 Post Office along Kamuzu Procession Road to a place along Chilambula Road.
Police have arrested Former minister of finance Joseph Mwanamveka and issued a warrant of arrest for another Democratic Progressive Party member Ben Phiri.
Mwanamveka was arrested on Tuesday evening in connection with the selling of the Malawi Savings Bank.
Mwanamveka
The development comes just a day after government announced that it would probe the sale of Malawi Savings Bank which was sold in 2015.
Meanwhile DPP parliamentarian for Thyolo Central, Ben Phiri says he will hand himself to police tomorrow morning following the warrant of arrest that has been issued against him.
According to Phiri, police went to arrest him at his residence in Blantyre today but did not find him as he is currently in Lilongwe.
Phiri said he is not aware of the reasons for his arrest but agreed to surrender himself at Area 30 Police headquarters tomorrow morning.
Group Village Head Malema in the area of Traditional Authority Kyungu in Karonga District has appealed to parents in the District to ensure that all girls attend to education with an aim of ending gender based violence. Malema made the remarks following commemoration of 16 days of gender activism in the district.
In an interview, he described education as a tool that can help girls know their rights and prevent GBV, hence the need for it. “In my area, every parent that allows his/her child to stay away from school will be fined 2000 kwacha per day, what we want is to educate every girl child because educating a girl child is key in ending GBV and also key in the development of the country,” he said.
He has since asked parents to stop sending girls into early marriages with the aim of gaining money through payment of lobola. On her part, Karonga Principle Gender Officer, Martha Kalumbi, said as the council, they are concerned with sexual violence of children and are promoting prevention by engaging communities. “We are conducting sensitisation meetings and promoting prevention of GBV by engaging community members on issues to do with sexual violence of children, in these meetings we teach them that such violence must not be tolerated,” she said.
She has since urged all community members to report all cases of gender based violence so as to help young girls attain the required education.
As one way of empowering youths economically in the country, a Machinjiri-based youth-led non-governmental organization in Blantyre , Young Empowers Organization ( YEO) has embarked on a project to train youths who failed to attend tertiary education on financial issues several course which will help them to find jobs or start businesses and be self-reliant in future.
In a separate interview, the organization’s Executive Director Steven Jonathan said their organization work hand in hand with the youths, bringing them together and share with them ideas on how to develop Malawi. ” We as young empowers organization, we work hand in hand with the youths across the country, bringing them together, and share with them ideas so as to implement activities that can benefit them in life. By doing so, we also contribute to the development of this nation.
The main aim of these short trainings s is to help those youths who failed to go to universities and colleges because of the financial problems able to study these short trainings in order for them to get a a paper which they can use to get a job or start businesses and survive in life, ” said Jonathan. He said, the courses that the organization offers are not specific and that it depends on the majority of those who have qualified , choose what they want to study at a particular period of time.
” The courses we offer are not specific. Mostly, it depends on majority of youths who have qualified, choose what they want to study at that particular period of time. Our partners in Thailand offer what these youths have chosen, ” he said. Jonathan said, despite the challenges they meet, it is still their organization’s wish to reach out all the youths across the country with the program. ” We have challenges such as lack of financial support for our works as you know that mobilizing resources requires financial help.
He however, urged youths who do not have the chance to attend tertiary education due to financial constraints in the country to apply for these short trainings which will enable them to get a job and get employed. ” These short trainings are very important if the one is to get a job for we offer accredited certificates. Several organizations and individuals are commending the good job we doing,” said Jonathan. He called on government and other stakeholders to financially support the organization so as it reaches out to many youths in the country. ” I call on government and stakeholders to that now it is time to start support youths activities that can also motivate them. Youths contribute a lot towards the development of this country, so they deserve attention and support,” he said. Currently, the organization with the support from Cooperative Training Bangkok in Thailand( CTB) is conducting the online short trainings. For the one to be qualified in the trainings, he or she has to be a person who is able to speak and write English.
President Lazarus Chakwera has two new ministers to fill in the positions that were vacant. Jacob Hara, MP has been appointed as Minister of Transport and Public Works.
Chakwera has also appointed renowned academician Professor Blessings Chinsinga as Minister of Local government.
Hon Jacob HaraHon Blessings Chinsinga
The newly appointed ministers replace Lingson Belekanyama and Sidik Mia who died earlier this year.
A statement signed by Zangazanga Chikhosi, Secretary to the President and Cabinet says the appointments are with immediate effect.
