It’s intriguing to see that UTM supporters do not see that theirs is a cult with Chilima as a its cult figure.
However, with the court case hanging around Chilima’s neck, reality has started creeping in the minds of some of the UTM members.
Some supporters are beginning to read the signs of time such that they understand that if Chiima goes down it will be the end of the grouping.
For the record, I have deliberately avoided calling UTM a party for a reason.Since UTM’s inception, I have not been convinced if the grouping is really a political party.
A political party worth its salt is founded on ideals which embodies it. UTM doesn’t have any ideals to point out. What they have is Chilima. Chilima is UTM and UTM is Chilima.That’s what UTM stands for.
In any case, who is going to take the leadership mantle in the UTM (God forbid) if Chilima is to be convicted, let alone quit politics altogether.
The issue is not necessarily that there is no one in the party capable of succeeding Chilima but but they made it to look like he is the only good thing to happen in that grouping.
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets came from behind to move top of the TNM Super League log table with a 1-1 draw against Civil Service United at Civo Stadium on Sunday.
Binwell Katinji’s first half goal had threatened to bring a first defeat of the season for the People’s team but Patrick Mwaungulu levelled things up just some seconds in the second half.
Katinji scored for the civil servants 15 minutes from kick-off with a cool finish after a brilliant pass from a former Bullets player Patrick Phiri
Chikaiko Batson receiving a man of the match award
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The visitors got an equaliser from Mwaungulu who struck a beautiful 30-yards drive beating Civil’s goalkeeper Tione Tembo.
After the match, Civil Service United player Chikaiko Batson was voted man of the match.
In Blantyre, Mafco FC gave away a 1-0 lead to draw 1-1 against Azam Tigers at Mpira Stadium.
It was a 50-50 affair in the first half but the visitors broke the deadlock 21 minutes from kick-off with Gift Soko’s beautiful strike beating Innocent Nyasulu in goals for Tigers.
The home side made a number of changes in the second half, bringing in the experienced legs of Anzeru Joseph and former Rumphi United forward Trouble Kajani among others.
The two made a big impact and their efforts were rewarded 16 minutes after their introduction as the former FCB Nyasa Big Bullets midfielder released Kajani who equalized for the Kau-Kau Boys with a beautiful finish in the 78th minute.
After the match, Mafco FC player Dan Chimbalanga was voted man of the match.
In Dedza, it ended goal-less between Dedza Dynamos and Silver Strikers as Red Lions lost 1-0 at home against Moyale Barracks with Walusungu Mdoka scoring the only goal of the match.
With Sunday’s results, Bullets have now dislodged their neighbors Mighty Mukuru Wanderers at the top of the table as both teams have now accumulated 14 points but the People’s team have a superior goal difference.
Silver Strikers are third followed by Karonga United while Mchinji-based Extreme FC remain bottom on the log table with two points after playing 6 games.
Dan Chimbalanga for Mafco FC receiving a man of the match award from Sulom president Fleetwood Haiya
Second-half goals by Christopher Kumwembe and Stanley Sanudi helped Mighty Mukuru Wanderers to collect maximum points as they cruised to a 2-0 win against Bangwe All Stars at Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday
Kumwembe made it 1-0 in the 56th minute and Sanudi added a score from the penalty spot 6 minutes later to ensure victory for the Lali-Lubani boys after two consecutive draws.
Kumwembe connected home a well taken cross by Gaddie Chirwa while Sanudi converted from the spot after he was fouled by Philip Chavula.
After the match, Wanderers midfielder Misheck Botomani was voted man of the match.
Wanderers are now on top of the log table with 14 points from 6 games followed by city rivals FCB Nyasa Big Bullets who have 13 points but may move back to the top if they win on Sunday against Civil Service United at Civo Stadium.
In other matches played on Saturday, Deus Nkutu and Lanken Mwale were on target as Kamuzu Barracks drew 1-1 against Blue Eagles at Nankhaka Stadium.
The match between Extreme FC and Karonga United ended goal-less while Ekwendeni Hammers were 1-nil winners against Chitipa United at Mzuzu Stadium.
The Extreme FC and Karonga United match was the only one that did not produce a red card as four red cards were flashed in the three games played on Saturday.
Wanderers’ Gaddie Chirwa, Jimmy Msiska for Ekwendeni Hammers, McDonald Lameck for Blue Eagles and Zeliath Nkhoma for Kamuzu Barracks were the recipients of the red cards.
Apart from the Civil-Bullets game, other matches on Sunday will be between Tigers FC and Mafco FC at Mpira Stadium, Red Lions FC and Moyale Barracks at Balaka Stadium as Dedza Dynamos will be hosting Silver Strikers at Dedza Stadium.
Minister of Education Madalitso Kambauwa-Wirima says Government will soon launch the Grand Challenges Malawi (GCM) Initiative to mobilize domestic and international funding and collaboration through which Government will inspire and mobilize the research community, policy makers, industry leaders, environmentalists and society at large to work together towards transformative solutions to address numerous challenges through quadruple and quintuple innovation helix framework.
“Simply put, we want to address innovation challenges through collaboration with the government, private sector (industry), academic institutions, civil society and environmental sector,” said Wirima who was speaking from Kigali International Convention Centre in Rwanda where she attended the launch of Grand Challenges Rwanda.
Wirima also said just like Rwanda and other National Grand Challenges, Malawi has the ambition to leverage the transformative potential of Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) to position herself as a globally competitive knowledge-based, innovation-led economy.
“To deliver on this ambition, the Ministry of Education is geared to set up the Grand Challenges Malawi Initiative which will be hosted by National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) in partnership with Science for Africa Foundation (SAF) with technical support from AUDA-NEPAD,” she said.
The Minister said she believes that once launched, the Grand Challenges Malawi Initiative will help the country to deal away with complex problems that require cutting edge or ground-breaking scientific, technological, innovative and at times inventive solutions for societal advancements.
She said:“We are facing challenges that are typically global in nature and often require creative multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration approaches to address them effectively.
“Therefore by establishing Grand Challenges Malawi, we will be joining a growing global network of innovation support and leverage the synergies from other members of the Grand Challenges family, in particular, researchers that have profound research acumen and impact on a global scale.”
According to Wirima, this strategic orientation is founded on the premise that knowledge is essential for addressing social-economic challenges and is a crucial driver of growth and competitiveness and indispensable in achieving improved quality of life.
The national long-term development blueprint (Malawi 2063) and its first implementation plan (MIP-1) spanning (2021-2030) states that Malawians aspire to have a vibrant knowledge-based economy with a strong and competitive manufacturing industry driven by a productive and commercially vibrant agriculture and mining sectors.
“This aspiration will be attained through making significant investments and scientific research and innovation. The Grand Challenges Malawi will be connected to Science for Africa Foundation, a think-tank established through AUDA-NEPAD and with support from development partners, like Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). I am also pleased to mention that these partners are supporting the Grand Challenges Global family and they are assuring all new Grand Challenges of their commitment as they aim at discovery of new solutions,” she concluded.
In continued efforts to ease the access to its products and services, one of the country’s major insurance companies NICO General Insurance Company has opened its first digital service branch at Chichiri Shopping Centre in Blantyre.
Speaking after the official opening of the branch, NICO Chief Executive Officer(CEO) Donbell Ndalama said the branch is unique as it is the branch which will be providing all services digitally.
Donnell Ndalama
“This is a unique office compared to other offices as all services for example, provision of receipts, proposal forms that someone fills in and other services, will be done digitally,” he said.
He added:”The office is also unique as it will create a convenient environment for our customers since service offered will be timely, cost effective but also it will be easy for customers to keep records of all services provided.”
On his part Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) Director of Administrative smServices Lanjes Sinoya commended the company for the innovation.
“This is a welcome development from the perspective of registrar of financial institutions because this is what the registrar has been agitating for provision of services to customers in a convenient, affordable and in a proper manner.
“And looking at this kind of innovation, it has been one of those milestones that the market is doing in order to achieve the objective of financial inclusion,” he said.
Grace Mzumara, a client who bought her motor vehicle insurance electronically on the newly launched centre described the process as very fast, easy and convenient.
NICO General Insurance Company Limited was formed as a short-term division of the National Insurance Company Limited (now NICO Holdings Plc), which was incorporated as a composite insurance company in 1971.
The company was restructured to a stand-alone general insurance company in 2002.
NICO General is 51% owned by NICO Holdings Plc and 49% by Sanlam Pan Africa (SPA).
It is the leading short-term insurer in Malawi with a market share of approximately 35% and a gross written premium figure of MK20 billion for the year ended December 2020.
The company has an investment portfolio spanning from life insurance, pension services, hotels, real estate, banks, shopping malls, hospital to telecommunication.
