Blantyre Water Board (BWB) has launched a Five-year Strategic Plan (2020-2025) which aims at providing best services to residents within Blantyre City and surrounding areas.
Speaking during the launch of the strategic plan on Monday in the city, the water boards chairperson, George Mnesa, said they decided to launch the five-year plan to counter increasing social and economic challenges the organisation is facing due to urbanisation and the hostile economic operating environment.“We do not have enough [funds] to cover our monthly bills and at the moment, we owe ESCOM K24 billion accumulated in a space of two years.“We have asked government to help up settle this bill so that we can be operational and pay the monthly bills properly,” said Mnesa.
Minister of Forestry and Natural Resources, Nancy Tembo, who was guest of honour at the launch function, said the issue of raising water tariffs should not be a focus point, but rather making sure that the services being offered are satisfactory.
On bailing out BWB, the minister said the matter is in the hands of the Ministry of Finance, but her ministry is currently focusing on helping the water board to reduce its electricity bill.
Prophet Samuel James of Path to Everlasting Life Church has been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for impregnating a 16-year-old girl.
Second Magistrate George Chimombo of Chisenjere Magistrate court who convened the Mobile court at Lilangwe Police Unit on Tuesday delivered the judgement to the ‘man of God’ whom he said abused his position by deceiving the girl whom he was supposed to look after by impregnating, marrying and later dumped her in the name of God.
Prophet Samuel James
The 28-years-old Samuel James is said to impregnate the girl because he saw in his dreams God commanding him to marry her. He has been given 10 days to appeal at the High Court.
Magistrate Chimombo said he believed once in prison the servant of God would help in transforming souls and eventually come out as a transformed man himself when he would be 40, adding life begins at 40 after all.Meanwhile the Malawi Interfaith AIDS Alliance has hailed the mobile court initiative in handling such cases, saying they would go along way in civic educating the masses on the ills of sexual violence cases.
UK based Malawi author Wilson Khembo has finally launched his long awaited book “Surviving Anachy”. Khembo launched the book at an event held at Ufulu Gardens in Lilongwe organised by the Book Publisher, Skillsway Inc.
Khembo’s book launch, was presided over by Speaker of Parliament, Catherine Gotani Hara. Other notable figures at the launched included Attorney General, Thank Chakaka Nyirenda, and former Attorney General, Chikosa Silungwe, Deputy Minister of Labour, Vera Kamtukule and Malawi Human Rights Commissioner, Habiba Osman among others.
In Surviving Anarchy, the author deals, comprehensively, with the topic of regional integration in Southern Africa and its implications on economic and political governance.
Surviving Anarchy: History, Challenges and Prospects of Regional Integration in Africa is selling $21.99 on Amazon, K30,000 hardback and K25,000 paperback.
Wilson Khembo
Wilson D. Khembo is a unique security and foreign policy professional who has worked across many fields in the sector. He started his career in the Malawi Defence Force when he was commissioned as a Lieutenant. He then joined the political and security risk management industry in London after graduating from the University of Kent with a master’s degree in Security and Terrorism as a Commonwealth scholar. He later joined the British Transport Police. However, he continued working part-time in the political and security risk management field before establishing his own political and security consultancy, Seven Oaks Advisory, in 2020. Wilson has appeared on several major media platforms as a commentator on politics, security and governance in Africa. He has also written articles that have been published in both European and African media platforms.
Karonga Civil Society Organisation Network (KACSON) has asked Magoli Gondwe, owner of Hara Coal Mine in Karonga to apologize over what they call barbaric death threats to a Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) officer over bad governance issues at his mine.
On November 24, Gondwe was invited to a scheduled meeting with CCJP to discuss how to proceed on efforts to have the company compensate a victim where in response, it is alleged that he threatened to hunt down, smoke out and shoot the CCJP officer.
Magoli Gondwe
Speaking during a press briefing, chairperson for Karonga CSO Network, Jabess Nyirenda, described the threats by the owner of Hara Coal Mine to shoot CCJP staff as a threat to Extractive Industry’s good governance, Karonga CSO network and all stakeholders of good will. “Threats by the owner of Hara Coal Mine are a threat to all of us as a whole since it threatens the very civic space on whose good governance in the extractive industry the network thrives, the network is therefore unequivocal in its condemnation of the behaviour. “By threatening to shoot the officers, the Mine Investor intends to obscure efforts that the CSOs are making in addressing the plight of poor Malawians that are exposed to exploitation and Human Rights abuses at the mercy of Mining Investors not only at Kambenene but also other areas where mining is taking place in Karonga,” he said.
Nyirenda has since pointed out that the network demands for an apology to be made within seven days or further steps will be taken. “Following the threats, we call upon the owner of Hara Coal mine to apologise to the officer he threatened within 7 working days, failing which further steps will be undertaken, and that Karonga Police should speed up investigations and open a case since the incident was already reported to them but nothing tangible has been done,” he said.
The network is also demanding the Ministry of Mines to seriously and regularly monitor not only the two mines but also all the mines in Karonga to ensure compliance with the Malawi’s Mines and Minerals Act {2019} requirements. Reacting to the matter, Gondwe could not give in to the demands made by the network when he was asked by the reporter. “I am not going to apologize and I will be very interested to see what transpires,” Gondwe said.
CCJP-Karonga Diocese and other stakeholders have been working in Chankholombe VDC in T/A Wasambo concentrating on mining governance involving the two mines that are extracting coal in the area. Issues that are prevalent at the mines at Kambenene mines include labour rights violations, non-compliance to Occupational Health and Safety guidelines and general non-compliance to environmental guidelines which have led to the pollution to the environment.
Afro-pop musician Keturah on Saturday evening released her long awaited single titled ‘Mlele’ and music lovers have already described it as one of the best songs to have been released this year.
Mlele is Keturah’s second song this year after releasing Khalidwe which he featured veteran musician Gidesi Chalamanda.
The new song talks about society and it’s struggles.
Keturah
Speaking after releasing Mlele, Keturah, fondly known as ‘The Local Girl’, thanked her fans for the support they have been showing the singer and her music.
“My dear friends. As I release my second single of the year ‘Mlele’, let me thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support. You have been genuine fans and you have pushed me to greater heights. I can happily say 2021 was a great year for me.”
According to the singer, her first single this year ‘Khalidwe’ did very well and it had over 100,000 views on YouTube.
She said her next target is a million views and she believes that Mlele is going to do wonders.
Meanwhile there has been a very positive reaction to Keturah’s new song as fans are describing it as a powerful song.
One music follower Babrah Nkhoma described Keturah’s songs as unique, “Her (Keturah’s) songs are unique..and she is really beautiful,” she said.
“It’s a very beautiful song. Keturah can sing. Beautiful with brains,” says Tabitha Mataula.
Another music fanatic Cleh Yasin says Keturah’s lyric delivery in this song is just on point, “Mlele is good and I love the lyric delivery. She showed that she’s matured enough and that she is in the industry for a purpose. Receive your flowers Keturah.”
“A very beautiful song,it has made me download all her previous songs. Thanks to the manger (Pemphero Mphande). Without him I wouldn’t know this beautiful local girl,” said one Vitumbiko Mhango
Below are the links to the audio and video of Keturah’s news song: Audio: https://mikozinet.com/keturah-mlele-prod-by-obk/ Full Video: https://youtu.be/9LBcKuBhVqU
