President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera on Monday inaugurated the 2020 Malawi Council for the Handicapped (MACOHA) Flag Week with a call to all stakeholders to support programmes aimed at promoting the welfare of people with disabilities.
Speaking in Mzuzu when he presided over the ceremony, the President said his Government was committed to implementing inclusive programmes to benefit all Malawians, including those with disabilities.The Malawi leader said the Tonse Administration realizes the importance of implementing programmes that “progressively promote the rights of persons with disabilities.”
MACOHA’s board member Alex Machila said most of their 1.7 million members across the country face a number of challenges.Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Patricia Kaliati, said apart from training sign language interpreters, her Ministry has lined up programmes that will enable persons with disabilities to meaningfully participate in national development.This year’s MACOHA Flag Week is being observed under the theme: Inclusive Health Response to Combat COVID-19.MACOHA is targeting to raise K10 million during this year’s Flag Week.
The government of Malawi under the administration of president Lazarus Chakwera has repeated that it is so committed to rollout several developmental projects in the northern part of the country so that it is changed into its deservedly outlook. The reaffirmation has been made during the 10th Weekly brief from the state residences which took place at Mzuzu State Lodge on Monday morning, Addressing media, the presidential press secretary Mr. Brian Banda told the nation that president Lazarus Chakwera has the lives of all Malawians at his heart regardless of where they are coming from, but all what is needed is for Malawians to be hold their patience.
On the ongoing AIP, the presidential press secretary said the program has been smoothly running despite in some isolated cases where some vendors are trying to abuse the program and network problem in other areas. But he assured the people that the president is serious about the program and will not tolerate this, hence ordering the ministry of Homeland security to deal with any kind of abuse to the program. On connectivity issue, Brian Banda has said the president has ordered that the network problem must be dealt with immediately, once and for all as it is a big project that is targeting over 16 million people of 4.3 households from previous 900,000 people and if abused or meets some problems it can affect a huge number of beneficiaries.
Brian Banda in Mzuzu
Mr. Banda took advantage also to reveal that president Chakwera plans to build a mini Capital Hill in the Northern region so that the president and his ministers can find time to work in the region. He further mentioned a number of projects that Chakwera administration intends to roll out in the region like building a brand new campus for the Mzuzu University to increase intake, Inkosi Mbelwa University to replace the failed Mombera University, linkage between areas like Chintheche, Nkhata-Bay Boma, Likoma as well as Nyika plateau, a beautiful big Jetty at Nkhata-Bay and railway from Salima to Mbeya. He also told the nation that the president is so committed to finish all important projects which were rolled by his predecessors once funds are available as they belong to Malawians. Mr Banda added that president Chakwera will construct an international airport in Mzuzu and be named after Orton Chirwa as well as turning Nkhata-Bay district into a municipality among others. But Mr. Brian Banda was quick to appeal for calm among Malawians as he said all these developements won’t happen in a day, a month or a year.
The presidential press Secretary has also assured the nation that the M1 road is on the priority list of president Chakwera and that the process of getting funds for the project is underway, adding that even within the city of Lilongwe many new roads will be constructed to ease congestion at all times, saying all what is needed is to give president Chakwera and his administration ample time of sourcing funds for these projects as the projects are aligned within short term, medium and long term plans in the quest to uplift the lives of Malawians.
On the much debated bilateral relationship that Malawi intends to establish its office in Jerusalem, Banda denied to comment on it, saying the meeting between the state president and an envoy from Palestine was held in a closed door.
Meanwhile Mr. Brian Banda has assured the nation that the issue to do with the publicizing the Tonse alliance agreement will be addressed by partners soon.
Before Mr. Brian Banda took answers from media, the executive assistant and director of communications Mr. Sean Kampondeni clarified on a number of issues of public interest including that of letters of appointment to 2 DPP MEC commissioners who were found to be incompetent by courts of law. He also outlined several activities that the president has done in the week including a visit of a young girl admitted at Mzuzu Central Hospital who is among 119 defilement cases attended by the Mzuzu Central Hospital and intends to do in the near future.
Weekly brief from the state house aims at letting the Malawians know what president Chakwera has done in the week or has put forward to do in the following week.
His Excellency the state president of the republic of Malawi, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera who is also the commander in chief of the Malawi defence force on Sunday morning attended the memorial service of the soldiers who fought in the first and second world wars in 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 respectively.
During the service which took place at Mzuzu Upper Stadium, president Chakwera led the nation in remembering the fallen heroes who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty to save their countrymen by laying a wreath on a memorial pillar. Also laying their wreaths were the war veteran who fought in the two wars and still lives Warrant class 2 Frank Masiyano who represented the X-soldiers and warrant class 2 Jimmy Ninde who laid the wreath on behalf of the current serving soldiers.
It is reported that during the second world war around 1940s, Nyasaland soldiers popularly known as asilikali a keyala fought on the side of Britain against Italian troops at Moyali in Kenya , a name that end up earning Moyale barracks in Mzuzu. It is believed that during these wars 10 million soldiers died and over 20 million others got wounded.
Chakwera in Mzuzu
Malawian soldiers also fought in the wars of Nacara corridor and in Rwanda and are currently providing services in countries like Ivory Coast and Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC).
The remembrance ceremony which is an annual event is characterised by prayers from different denominations, military parade, gun salute, and laying of wreaths. In Mzuzu the ceremony was also attended by the speaker of the national assembly Hon. Catherine Gotani Hara, Chief Justice Nyirenda, deputy minister of defence Hon. Jean Sendeza and the leader of opposition Hon. Kondwani Nankhumwa among others. Apart from Mzuzu the similar ceremonies have taken place in Lilongwe, Blantyre and Zomba where the state presdent Dr. Lazarus Chakwera was represented.
The Minister of sports Hon Ulemu Msungama on Friday graced the book launch by one of Malawis celeberated footballers Chancy Vinny Gondwe .Gondwe, long retired from the game launched the book ” The untold history of Malawi Football ” which is a reflection of the development of football in Malawi these past 50 years, as told in a biographical nature by the legend.
Making his commentary , Msungama said had already skimmed through the book and feel enriched by reading the stories of football and also of Chancey’s personal journey, rise to international soccer stardom, conversion to Christianity and transition into a trained Pastor. The book was ghost written by Rev Reuben Chilera
Chancy Gondwe remains one of the success stories of Malawians football. After plying his trade with Nyasa Bullets , then Bata Bullets he found himself breaking through and going to play professional football in south Africa. He earned himself a legendary status there after playing for teams like Mamelodi sundowns and Bloemfontein Celtic. His out of the field antics though brought his fall from grace, a story he vividly narrates in his book. Gondwe has repented and is now a man of the cloth, but still recounts his regrettable experiences and lifestyle when he still played soccer.
Hon Ulemu Msungama with Chancy Gondwe
Gondwe says he is a good example of players who rose high in their career but achieved very little partly due bad behaviour. He says football players should now have managers who can guide them in their life styles and management of finances.
“I told Reverend Chilera that he will be writing what I will actually be telling him. The book is a true reflection of me. It’s a book that sometimes makes me nearly cry when I read it
In his speech , the sports minister said he encourages all Malawians to inculcate the culture of reading, because that is the only way we can remain on the cutting edge and stay knowledgeable and relevant in this fast moving world.
“In a special way, and on behalf of Chancy Gondwe and all football fans, I would like to thank the President, Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera for the support rendered to sports development in general and Gondwe’s book project in particular. The President bought 20 copies of the book and contributed One Million Kwacha to the book fund. He instructed that the books be donated on his behalf, to the National Library so that Gondwe’s insights and experiences in football can be passed on to both upcoming and existing athletes. He has reserved one copy for himself. I also bought a copy and contributed five hundred thousand to the same”.
Citizens of Mzuzu city and its surrounding areas on Saturday November 7 took to street to demonstrate and submit a petition to the ministry of gender through the office of the city council against the rising cases of defilements on young girls in Mzuzu and Malawi in general.
Led by the Association for Women Media(AWOME) the citizens of which many were ladies had placards displaying different messages on the malpractice which clearly indicated their anger, disappointment and disbelief on what some men are doing on young innocent girls. Wimilili wa mphala ya malango wikani malamuro ghakukhoma(Members of Parliament put strong laws), No mercy hung the rapists, Wakukolelera watheneke(Rapists must be castrated), You are our only hope Mr. President read some of the placards carried on the day during the march which started from Katoto school ground to the city council offices.
Talema, Tavuka sono chitanipo kanthu (We are tired now please take action), just where do we raise a girl child? were some strong touching messages displayed on the placards.
In an interview with this reporter, one of the organizers of the demos Angella Mkandawire said as women writers they saw it important to petition the ministry of gender having written and brought to light these malpractices for long to no success. She added that all what they want is for the authorities to take action which she said they think a strong law of death sentence or castration of perpetrators would be appropriate. Mkandawire said it is so touching to hear of men raping young girls as low as 2 years old only to be given lighter punishments of 14 years in jail. Mkandawire who at the time of interview did not hide her disappointment said if no action is taken they will push for their agenda in a different way which she did not disclose.
Receiving the 7 points petition on behalf of the ministry of gender, the mayor for Mzuzu city, councillor Gomezgani Nyasulu assured the petitioners that their concerns are equally those of many Malawians and that the e petition will be delivered to the relevant authority which is the Ministry of Gender, while also putting some bylaws within the council to deal with the vice.
President Lazarus Chakwera has also condemned the malpractice in its strongest term in his Saturday radio address he delivered from Mzuzu State Lodge, saying Mzuzu Central Hospital alone has registered 119 defilement cases since January this year which is probably the highest number of cases on record in this country so far. The president has since directed the line ministry to lead the taskforce in trying to deal with the practice.
