One of the Malawi’s urban music giants Onesimus on April 7,2023 released his debut single titled’ Allergik’
In an interview, the musician said the new song speaks of the insane and utterly mesmerizing effect love can have on a man.
The ‘Maria’ hit maker said he relished making the song and that now is the time for people to have fun and enjoy the track.
Onesimus
“Gods time is the best time, My new single “Allegik” out on all digital platforms, I wanna take this moment and Thank all my fans for always supporting my craft,” he said.
The ‘Allegik’ track which is now available on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and Boomplay follows the success of his Love and Dreams Extended Playlist ( EP) which topped the Apple Music Albums Chart in Malawi for some weeks.
Barely weeks after releasing his debut music video’ Collect’ shot in Tanzania, Malawi’s fast-rising Afro-Pop star Pop Young real name Vitumbiko Chisoni is set to release another video and audio song titled’Sole’ on Monday.
According to the artist, the new song which has been produced by Tactic and Fat Nyanda will be available on all viewing, streaming and downloading platforms, both local and international.
He said the music project is being sponsored by Akometsi Creative Media of Kelvin Silungwe.
Pop Young recorded his first song ‘ Ndakusowa’ in 2016 and that is when the interest developed for him to actually make more more music.
People of Balaka in the area of Sub Traditional Authority Matola have commended President Dr Lazarus Chakwera for turning Balaka into a food basket.
Chakwera through Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC), a built in program within the Agricultural Commercialization Project released about K20Million to help people who lost their crops and animals after Tropical Cyclone Ana hit the district.
Almost 13 Districts were affected with the calamity.
But speaking in an exclusive interview, Sub Traditional Authority Matola said was happy that people of his area will now be food secure.
He said Balaka is known as a hunger striken district with no hope at all.
“In the past all vulnerability reports have painted Balaka as a hopeless district with many households surviving on food aid distributed on Government programs.
But this is not the case this year courtesy of Agricultural Commercialization Project CERC,” he said.
CERC is an AGCOM component which is used to bail out disaster striken areas when a country has been declared a disaster area.
President is the only one mandated to activate the facility.
Martine Chiwaya is the Chair at Talandila Irrigation scheme. Chiwaya is thankful to Government and President Chakwera for introducing to them AGCOM which gave them 25 Kg of bottom fertiliser and 25 kg of upper dressing.
“On top of that AGCOM gave us 5 Kg seeds which helped us to have such vibrant maize,” he said.
He said the areas were heavily affected by Cyclone Anna and Gombe.
Yohane Tembo of Mkolomonjo Irrigation scheme which comprises of 38 farming households concurred with Mr Chiwaya in commending Dr Lazarus Chakwera saying this was the first time for farmers who benefitted from this program are to realise 25 to 30 bags of maize per half acre planted.
Director of Agriculture Extension Services Pearson Soko has since commended people of Balaka for making good use of the materials given to them.
He said giving the farm input is one thing and using them is a different thing as well.
“Am happy that most of the farmers have utilized the input so there is high productivity,” he said.
He said through the contingence program, the Ministry reached out to 39,000 farmers in all 13 districts with farm inputs.
“As Government we are oblidged to help farmers affected by disaster through contingency emergency response which is a component of AGCOM,” he said.
He said currently Government is still discussing to take action on the devastation farmers have gone through the Tropical Cyclone Freddy.
Soko was sure that Government will help farmers affected by this tragedy.
Soko said the good news is that in Balaka farmers are estimating that farmers may get 4 tons of maize per hectare which is very good.
Agricultural Commercialisation (AGCOM) Project is a Malawi Government flagship programme for transforming smallholder agriculture from mostly subsistence to commercial by linking together Producer Organizations (POs), service providers (including research and extension) and off-takers in a value chain, in a concept known as a Productive Alliance (PA).
Moderate Tropical Storm Ana was a deadly tropical cyclone that affected the African nations of Madagascar, Malawi and Mozambique and the third-deadliest tropical cyclone in 2022, after the Western Pacific Tropical Storm Megi and Hurricane. The storm hit the three countries from January 20 to 25, 2022. Experts estimate that the Ana damage at $25 million.
Malawi economy is expected to grow since trade imbalance which has been of major concern is soon going to be closed.
We have witnessed a decline in exports and an increase in imports hence a worsening trade balance-the difference between goods exported and imported.
For instance, goods exports have declined from about USD1.29 billion in 2012 to USD1.2 billion in 2021, representing over 20% fall, while goods imports increased from about USD2.7billion in 2021 to about USD3.1 billion in 2021 representing a 16.9% rise.
Chithyola at the event
Overgrowing appetíte for foreign goods which he said has been growing, has been affecting the economy while the abilíty to produce for foreign markets has been declining.
But speaking while opening this years Malawi Exporters Awards conference in Lilongwe, Minister of Trade and Industry Simplex Chithyola said Government while using National Export Strategy II, is geared to make Malawi a competitive, compliant, diversified and sustainable sourcing destination of goods and services for the regional and global marketplace and to increase exports as percentage of GDP from 14.6% to 20%.
He said Malawi is deeply integrated into the World market through its comprehensive network of bilateral, regional and multilateral trade agreements.
He said Made in Malawi goods enjoy preferential market access, predominantly Duty Free and Quota Free into the European Union under the Everything but Arms (EBA) initiative.
On top of that Malawi is party to the United States of America (USA) under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGCOA).
The Minister said Malawi can achieve more in terms of exports being a member of the African sub continent through its membership to the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and Common Market for Eastern Africa (COMESA).
Malawi also benefits from preferential market access under Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) and as a LDC from several countries.
Malawi Exporters Award Conference is multi stakeholder gathering of delegates drawn from the private sector, public sector, civil society, academia and development partners to discuss areas of interest to the exporting community and the development of the economy at large.
This year’s Conference is running under the theme “Towards building more inclusive, diversified and connected export readiness for sustainable economic development” which is consistent with the National Export Strategy II.
Malawi Blood Transfusion Service (MBTS) has surpassed its annual blood collection target by 2,772 units of whole blood.
MBTS had a target of 75,000 units of blood from 1st July 2022 to 31st March 2023 and has managed to collect 77,772 units of whole blood representing a 104 percent.
Balaka Satellite Depot has emerged as the best performing center with a 118.3 percent followed by Odala Center (Blantyre) which has achieved a 103 percent. Mzuzu and Lilongwe Centers have achieved a 101 and 100 percent respectively.
Speaking in an interview, MBTS Acting Marketing and Public Relations Manager, Natalya Mbale, thanked all stakeholders for this achievement and appealed for more support.
“We are very delighted to reach this milestone and we would like to thank all blood donors who have helped save lives through their selfless donations.
A special thank you to all stakeholders who have partnered with us to make blood donation possible.
We look forward to our continued partnership in saving the lives of cancer patients, under – five children suffering from malaria – induced anaemia, road accidents victims, women with pregnancy related complications, patients undergoing surgical operations and trauma victims.
When we give blood, we save lives and help put a stop to blood shortages in our hospitals.” She said.
Echoing Mbale’s remarks, Assistant Public Relations Officer for Balaka Satelite Depot, McLloyd Kudzingo said the Depot has managed to collect 11,835 units against the annual target of 10,000 units of whole blood. This success is owed to the generosity of blood donors and all other stakeholders.
“We are very excited to confirm that the Depot has emerged as the best performer of all MBTS Centres and that for the second consecutive year, we have managed to beat our annual target.
Last financial year we had an annual target of 12,000 units of whole blood from 1st July 2021 to 30th June 2022 and we managed to exceed that by collecting 12,093 units of whole blood. And in the just ended fiscal year, we have managed to collect 11,835 units against the annual target of 10,000 units of whole blood.
We therefore would like to thank all blood donors and other stakeholders for their support towards the Depot to exceed these annual targets.” Said Kudzingo.
The Malawi Government established the Malawi Blood Transfusion Service as a nationally coordinated service with the mandate to ensure availability of safe blood supplies. The MBTS collects blood from voluntary non – remunerated blood donors, processes it for hospital blood banks to collect, transport, store, issue and administer to individual patients. The organisation has four established Blood Transfusion Static Centres in Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Balaka districts and conducts mobile blood donation clinics in learning institutions, work places, places of worship, associations and communities nationwide with the aim of meeting the country’s annual blood needs of 120,000 pints of whole blood.
