Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda says schools will remain open amidist rising cases of COVID-19 in the country.
The minister was speaking at a Press briefing in Lilongwe where she said Government is continuously monitoring the situation on a day to day basis.
The minister disclosed that so far, 13 cases have been registered in universities, 3 cases in primary schools, 23 cases in secondary schools and 19 cases in Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs).
According to Chiponda, all cases are being managed in isolation centres within the schools.
In the past 24 hours, Malawi has registered 104 new Covid-19 cases taking the total number of cases recorded to 35,219.
1,178 people have so far died in the country since the start of the pandemic last year.
President Lazarus Chakwera will this Saturday June 26, preside over the Commemoration of the International Albinism Awareness Day at Chigumula Ground in Nkhotakota.
According to a statement signed by Secretary to the President and Cabinet Zanga-zanga Chikhosi, the president will arrive at the venue at 10 o’clock in the morning.
Speaking to 247 Malawi, Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi (APAM) president Ian Simbota says on this day, people celebrate the achievements of persons with Albinism regardless of the many obstacles they face.
He said, “This day should remind everyone that people with albinism are human being like anybody else and have got potential to achieve great things in life.”
Simbota has since called on government to take bold steps in ending killings and abductions of persons with albinism in the country.
“It is heart-breaking that persons with albinism are still living in fear. This simply means that we are not doing enough as a country.Government should take bold steps in ensuring the security of persons with albinism in the country,”said Simbota.
The International Albinism Awareness Day is commemorated across the world on June 13 every year but here in Malawi it will be commemorated on June 26.
The day was established on December 18, 2014, after the United Nations’ General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing June 13 as International Albinism Awareness Day.
The theme of the day this year is StrengthBeyondAllOdds.
As the world commemorated the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict that falls on June 19th, President Chakwera has called for more co-ordinated efforts by all world leaders in order to end sexual Violence in conflict zones, once and for all. He was speaking when he addressed a panel discussion webinar on Friday afternoon.
The webinar, which was organised by the UK Conservatives party was moderated by former UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s head of broadcasting, Caroline Preston and included panelists such as Malawi’s Minister of Health Hon Khumbize Chiponda. On 19 June 2015, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 19 June of each year the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, in order to raise awareness of the need to put an end to conflict-related sexual violence, to honour the victims and survivors of sexual violence around the world and to pay tribute to all those who have courageously devoted their lives to and lost their lives in standing up for the eradication of these crimes.
Chakwera addressing the Panel discussion
Opening the panel discussion with his address, President Chakwera thanked the organisers for Inviting him to speak and appreciating the role Malawi can play in the fight against sexual Violence. The President said , while Malawi might not be classified as a conflict zone, he feels each country has a moral obligation against Sexual Violence and that Conflicts zone like Democratic Republic of Congo, Northern Eastern Nigerian, Ethiopia and Mozambique are not far from Malawi. The president said the fact that Malawi hosts over 50 thousand refugees is a perfect reminder that countries need work together and be each brothers keeper.He called for the need to address humanity issues multilaterally, systematically and holistically with great lessons learnt from the Covid pandemic.
President Chakwera said he wants to see an end to sexual violence and promised to stand tirelessly with those that are working to bring to an end such despicable behaviour “ I stand with you all in condemning and calling for an end to all forms of sexual violence in conflict Zones, including forced pregnancies, forced prostitution, forced sexual slavery and rape
In her remarks, Minister of Health Hon Kumbize Kandodo Chiponda said the issue of sexual violence is a problem, not only for the conflict zones but the same challenges are also experienced everywhere. She said Malawi, just like other African Countries faces the challenge of ‘Culture of silence’ that sees victims failing to speak out just because the perpetrators is an Uncle, stepfather or a person of good standing in society.
According to United Nations, Rape and other forms of sexual violence continue to be used as weapons of war in conflicts the world over. The scale of sexual violence against civilians in situations of conflict and repression is truly appalling. Survivors of conflict-related sexual violence are often ostracised by their communities, shunned by their families, denied just justice and cut off from critical support networks.
The UK government has led global action to tackle conflict-related sexual violence since the launch of the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) in 2012 by the former Foreign Secretary, Lord Hague, and UNHCR Special Envoy, Angelina Jolie. Since then, the UK has committed over £46 million, supporting over 85 PSVI projects across 29 countries
Patience Namadingo fans have learnt with disappointment that one of the people key to the singers rise to become an international artists has called it quits . Peter Mazunda ,announced on his social media that he is leaving his role as the manager for the artist.
Peter Mazunda is well known in the entertainment industry after being cinematographer with over 20 years experience in telling business, development and art stories through the camera lens and has worked with so many artists in the country . His work with Namadingo gained attention after the release of the “ Mash ups” and the carefully crafted Namadingo music videos that have been on international standard and highly watched on platforms such as Youtube
Peter Mazunda
In his statement , Mazunda did not go much into why he had decided to call it quits now . He wrote “After serving as Communication and Bookings Manager, and subsequently Overall Manager for Namartists-The music and philanthropy brand of vibrant musician Namadingo for the past 6 years, time has come for me to step aside inorder to allow other great minds take the brand to the next great level while I concentrate on my new passion-farming and my all time passion videography/photography”
Mazunda statememt went on to read “for those worried of what becomes of the brand, be assured that Namartist is intact and in safe hands because for the past 6 months, we have been working on a tangible succession plan which I know will achieve more, for this was not a one man show”
Fans were quick to say positive thanks to Mazunda with one called Emmanuels writing “All the Best Great Man. You did a profound Job. We shall always miss your professionalism Sir. All the best in all your endeavors” Another one Sauti Photographics described Mazunda as Great, always an achiever , who when he venture into anything he perfects it. “you showed the world how to manage music into aformidable brand , wishing you all the best in to your new projects life goes on”.
Namadingo has yet to release an official statement in regards to the resignation of his Manager.
A huge step has been taken in allowing Muslim students to wear the hijab, or headscarf, in all educational institutions. This follows a memorandum of understanding on the dress code that has been signed by the religious groups at an event that took place at Mount Soche hotel and had Education Minister Agness Nyalonje and Civic Education Minister Timothy Mtambo as guest of honours. The event also saw National Unity Minister announce that plans are underway to establish a Peace and Unity Commission that will be key is solving Unity issues in the country.
The issue of wearing the hijab has long been a point of contention in Malawi,especially in Christian-run schools where female Muslim students have not been allowed to cover their heads in class.The controversy reached its peak in October when suspected angry Muslims in Machinga torched the office of a Catholic primary school head teacher who had turned away pupils wearing the garment.
The standoff forced several Christian primary schools in the Muslim-dominated region to close.As a result, the Ministry of Education together with the Ministry of Civic Education requested that the quasi-religious Public Affairs Committee, or PAC, help resolve the matter.
Civic Education and National Unity Minister Hon Timothy Mtambo
The newly signed Memorandum that was led by PAC has concluded that no child in Malawi should suffer, or have any moment when their right to education or religious participation be infringed in any way. Speaking to Malawiana Times, Civic Education Minister Hon Timothy Mtambo whose ministry has been at the forefront of trying to find a common solution to this problem said , the MOU is a great milestone and thanked all that were involved for putting differences aside for the common good of the country. “Muslim children will now be allowed to wear hijab in state sponsored christian schools, I had to be here as a civic education Minister and my colleague minister of education Agnes Nylonje as these problems were happening in the education sector” said Mtambo.
Speaking when he addressed participants at the signing in ceremony Hon Mtambo said the signing of the memorandum brings to an end a conflict that has threatened the exercise of the right to education and the right to religion fro certain sections of the Malawi population. The Minister also thanked PAC for the role it has played in finding long-lasting solutions to the conflicts
The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding
The minister was also quick to point out that other sectors of the society that have been having similar concerns also need to be accommodated . He cited the example of Rastafarians who have long been urging the government to allow their children to go to school with dreadlocks among other things ” The MOU signed today today only addresses issues specific to wearing of hijabs in Assisted Christian Schools. However, concerns over school dress code are not limited to the Moslem faith only, but also other faith groups including Rastafarians and bible believers and many more ” argued the Minister Mtambo also took time to acknowledge the recommendations that PAC has made to his ministry to develop and implement programmes that enhance common values and unity among different faith groups. He took the opportunity to give an update that his ministry has so far started consultations with faith leaders and that the ministry is championing the establishment of the Malawi Peace and Unity Commission which will ultimate responsibility for promoting peace and national unity in the country.
