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UDF youth visits Mzomera Ngwira in Prison

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UDF youth visits Mzomera Ngwira in Prison

By Lucious Gerrald

On Sunday 24th October 2021, the United Democratic Font (UDF) northern region youth wing visited the former Democratic progress party northern region governor, Mr. Mzomera Ngwira who is currently at Mzuzu Prison.

The visitation was, among other aims, organized to show up solidarity in times of needs and cheer up the north leader, offer Mr. Ngwira a psychological support and also profoundly dashing a sense of belonging from the UDF party members while he is in prison.

Speaking during the visitation at the prison premises, chairperson of UDF northern region youth wing, Mr. Abdul Lanjesi, assured Mr. Ngwira that although he is behind the bars, the UDF party leaders and the general UDF and DPP alliance supporters are with him during his stay in prison and up to his time of release from the prison.

Mzomera Ngwira

Mr. Lanjesi added that people outside including DPP supporters are sincerely extending their well wishes to him so that at the end of the stay in the prison, he should come back to the outside world with full energy and serve them once more as the nation is going through tough leadership time with the current government. Mr. Lanjesi highlighted a number of moves the northern region youths are taking to strongly develop the party structures from the ground level.

Meanwhile, the northern region youth wing chairman collaboratively acknowledged Mr. Mzomera Ngwira for he remains the core pillow to the political alliance between UDF and DPP in the northern region. Kachiona further requested Ngwira to negotiate with senior party officials and the President to at least financially and of course materialistically support the northern region youth wing as it is struggling with transportation and many other financial constraints whenever it goes for official party duties in different districts around the northern region.

On his part, Mzomera Ngwira warmly thanked the youth wing for sparing its time and visit him at the prison. “I’m humbled with the visitation. This clearly shows that you have a loving and caring heart towards me and I will not take this for granted” cemented Ngwira.

In reacting to the requests by the youths, Ngwira was opportunistic and promised to humbly convey the same to the relevant authorities for possible consideration. He admitted the need for smooth transportation means which can ease the youths’ motility burdens when they are out for rallies.

Filled with motivation, Mr. Ngwira shared many leadership skills tips to the visiting team for the growth of the party, ranging from unity to total dedication towards the positive development of the party. He added that there is need for tolerance and unity within the alliance of UDF together with DPP for it to win again in the next general elections.

UDF northern region youth wing is geared and dedicated to the grassroot growth of UDF party. They have been on the ground implanting the party’s structures in northern region including Rumphi, Mzimba, Nkhatabay and Mzuzu. The wing is scheduled to build districts’ youth wings in Chitipa, Karonga, Likoma and Chizumulu among other places come November 2021.

Health facilities face Shortage of Essential medicines: UHCC study shows

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Health facilities face Shortage of Essential medicines: UHCC study shows

By Chisomo Phiri

Malawi is currently faced with an acute shortage of essential medicines, putting lives of many poor and marginalized groups such as women and children are risk of dying from curable diseases.

According to the recent study conducted by the Universal Health Coverage Coalition ( UHCC), it shows that there is acute stock outs of essential medicines across the sampled districts of Nsanje, Mchinji, Chikwawa, Mzimba South, Mzimba North, Lilongwe, Dedza, Neno, Karonga, Mangochi and Dowa. The study further shows that the stock outs of essential medicines for non-communicable diseases such as High Blood Pressure is also worrisome in the country.

In Balaka district, a UHCC member, Development Communication Trust( DCT) traced access to medicines at Chiyendausiku Health Centre and established acute stock outs of hypertension and diabetes drugs. In addition, DCT found that stock cards were irregular and not updated as required by 2003 National Health Commodities and logistics manual.

Maziko Matemba

At the same facility of Chiyendausiku, the UHCC has found 4000 Glibenclamide were not utilized and cannot be traced after February as the stock at the hand slows only 1000 tablets in April,2021, a worrying trend that may encourage drug pilferage.

In Mchinji district, at Mkanda Health Centre, the coalition discovered that a pharmacy technician was caught red-handed breaking into a drug store at night to steal drugs, he was arrested, charged and sentenced. Prior to the Universal Health Coverage Coalition’s study, Mkanda Health Centre and other facilities in Mchinji were facing stock outs of essential medicines.

It is estimated that Malawi loses about 30% of the national drug budget to pilferage. The surdy also found that drug pilferage can occur during transportation from the supplier or manufactures to the national warehouse such as Central Medical Stores.

In the study, the UHCC wanted to understand perceptions in terms of drug supply. The study further found that 57% of respondents saying Central Medical Stores Trust ( CMST) is ineffective and 29% lament incessant stock outs of essential drugs to be a key challenge with the trust.

In his comment, Health activist and National Community Health Champion for Malawi Maziko Matemba agreed with the study results saying the issue of stock outs of essential medicines in the facilities has been one of the set backs to health care delivery for many years.
He said, Central Medical Stores does not have enough capital or funds for them to satisfy the requirements to purchase all the needed or essential medicines on time as it is required .

President Chakwera engages Diaspora Malawians Living in UAE, Commits to opening of Embassy

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President Chakwera engages Diaspora Malawians Living in UAE, Commits to opening of Embassy

By Durrell Namasani

President. Dr Lazarus Chakwera Saturday  engaged with leaders of the diaspora Malawians living in Dubai. In the meeting , the president has  committed to opening an Embassy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to ease challenges of Malawians living there and to develop links for  trade and direct investments.

President Chakwera is in Dubai where he is scheduled to attend the Fifth Global Sustainable Technology and Innovation Community (G-STIC) Conference scheduled to take place from October 24 to 27, 2021.During the interface with Diaspora leaders   that took place at Grand Hyatt Hotel in Dubai , the President highlighted that an Embassy in Dubai would strategically be  important for Malawi as Dubai is fast becoming an global business hub.The President said there are many areas that Malawi could learn from Dubai which Malawians living in UAE could easily facilitate with the exposure and experience they have.

President Chakwera and Malawians in UAE Dubai,

Speaking to 247Malawi News,  the leader of delegation  who is also the chairperson  of Malawians Living in UAE Lloyd Mahowe  thanked the President  for taking time to engage with Malawians  so that a number of pressing issues could be discussed including the embassy issue.

“We are happy that the President considered our top most need to upgrade the consulate to an embassy.There are about 1,000 Malawians living in UAE and it receives an average of 300 others who come for tourism, business and trade,” Mahowe said  

Mahowe said the gained experience in the tourism and trade industry should be fully used by Malawi through deliberate initiatives that would be managed by the embassy.

“We have a lot of organic foods like rice and fruits in Malawi which is an opportunity to penetrate the Dubai market if we have leadership here in Dubai,” he added.

The meeting touched on a number issues including the need for an embassy in the UAE, reforming of the banking sector in Malawi to attract Diaspora Remittances, having a diaspora  Policy that can ensure  objective involvement  of the diaspora, skills transfers from Diaspora to Malawi, lost opportunity on trade with the middle east  and the need to finalize the dual citizenship.

In his statement after the meeting , the President spoke highly of the fruitful meeting  highlighting that building a new Malawi requires concerted efforts , including the diaspora

“ when I met Malawians living in United Arab Emirate, I was emphatic in inviting them to be part of the process of building  an inclusively  wealthy and self reliant nation” read the statement from President Chakwera.

Mzuni student embarks on an Initiative to source books for female prisoners

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Mzuni student embarks on an Initiative to source books for female prisoners

By Chisomo Phiri

In an effort to promote reading culture among female prisoners in the country, a fourth year student in Bachelor of Arts Theology and Religious Studies at Mzuzu University ( Mzuni) Oscar Kameta has embarked on an initiative called” Donate a book at Mzuzu Prison Female Section Initiative” aims at sourcing books for Mzuzu Prison,specifically female section so as to improve literacy among female prisoners at the Prison.

In a separate interview, Kameta who is a founder of the initiative said Mzuzu Prison Female Section has a library which lacks books although the arrangement is accommodative and inclusive that even female outsiders use the the facility, a situation that is fostering interaction between inmates and outsiders.

He said the interaction in turn helps the outsiders get the desired information from the library and the female inmates get the psychological support.
” As the female outsiders come to the library and read books, they do find information which is useful in their daily lives and the inmates get the psychological support from their friends who come to source information in the library which is also very important to their health”, said Kameta.

Oscar Kameta

Kameta added that the initiative learnt that the inmates engage themselves into bad and toxic behaviors, since they have too much idle time due to lack of books in their library and that some lack what he calls bibliotherapy to remain focused, educated, entertained among others.
” It is in in this context the initiative proposed to conduct fundraising activities, engaging well-wishers and corporate world for sponsorship, collaborations and partnerships in sourcing the books for Mzuzu Prison Female Section”, he said.

In his words, one of the lecturers in the Department of Communication Studies at the University Ziliro Mchulu appreciated Kameta for coming up with an initiative saying it will help in promoting reading culture among the prisoners as well as improve their psychological health.
” This is a very helpful initiative. We hope that through this, many female inmates will now be able to read .And again, this will help improve the psychological health for the prisoners as they will be able to interact with female outsiders. The initiative deserves support”, Sid Ziliro.

Kameta said so far, Phinex Sight Saver, GrandPen Publication and the Mzuzu University Writers Forum have shown interest to be part of the initiative and still calling other well-wishers to freely come, join, partner, collaborate, or sponsor the initiative in sourcing more extra books for the section.
He said for sponsorship, donations, partnerships, collaborations, or any other enquiries, contact him on 0888087786/0998260618/ pkametaoscar@gmail.com.

Apart from being a University student, Oscar Kameta is also a book author who recently published In The Hands of Beast novel, a compelling story of life of minonrs under an unjustice and oppressive society, a book that is expected to be donated to the initiative.

Missing Malawian in Scotland Found Dead, Tributes pour

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Missing Malawian in Scotland Found Dead, Tributes pour

Malawians in UK and all over woke up to the news that they dreaded most , Greater Glasgow Police had identified the body of missing student Timothy Chiwaula. Chiwaula , a Malawian living in Glasgow went missing over a week ago.

Around 4am on Friday 22 October police were called after the body of a man was discovered in the water next to Glasgow Green.

The deceased has been formally identified as Timothy Chiwaula, 23, who had been reported missing from the Glasgow area, and was last seen in the city’s Old Shettleston Road around 8.45pm on Monday 11 October. His family has been informed about the discovery.

The Police report no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death, though the reasons for his disappearance are still unknown and under investigation. A report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal. 

The late Timothy Chiwaula

Timothy was a BA Acting student at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS). The RCS tweeted a statement from its principal, Professor Jeffrey Sharkey, which reads: “Within our community, Tim was known as a young man of warmth and great potential. He will be missed very much. This is a close-knit community and our focus now is ensuring our students and staff are supported as we all come to terms with this terrible news.”

People took to social media to pay tribute to the young talented Timothy whose death has shocked many . Member of Parliament for Glasgow NE Anne McLaughlin tweeted “Heartbreaking. Thanks to everyone who shared and willed him to be safe and well. His mum flew from Malawi to find him but sadly it was not to be”

Joyce Juma-Phiri said of Timothy, originally from Malawi; “It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that the Association of Malawians in Scotland informs you all that our young man Timothy Chiwaula was found dead today.

“We tried to look for you son and now we leave it in God’s hands. We thank God for your beautiful life.”

Timothy was also a footballer playing for Glasgow Saints FC . His teammates at Glasgow Saints FC. They took to Facebook on Saturday to say he was one of the ‘warmest, funniest and most charismatic people to grace the club’.

Their moving tribute reads: “All at Glasgow Saints F.C. are devastated to hear the tragic news of the passing of our dear friend and player, Timothy “Timo” Chiwaula.

“Timo was one of the warmest, funniest and most charismatic people to grace our club & the impact of this loss leaves us lost for words.

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