I’m here reading commentaries from disciplined Patriots with misplaced reconciliatory diplomacy.What do I see? Time in my country is a curse. It fades reality and ignores the dangers ahead.
The Prince of Thieves is apparently mutating into a Statesman worth national accolades and admiration. Tonse Alliance malaise in fighting state corruption is slowly becoming a plausible defense that says DPP was a clean administration. Wrongly accused. That’s making mockery of our collective intelligence.
We are saying Do whatever serves you well BUT don’t institutionalize mediocrity. That’s political opportunism. Expediency. Immoral Convenience. To this minute, Tonse Alliance Government has recovered NO single Tambala out of the TRILLIONS which were allegedly stolen. You said Mutharika was a Prince of Thieves. Where are these thieves? Show us what they had stolen. You are in a position to recover the loot. What prevents you from recovering the stolen goods?DPP Administration had failed to prosecute Bakili Muluzi despite overwhelming evidence because Muluzi plunder was just an introduction to biology. DPP was a devastation.
Similarly today, Tonse Alliance is unable to prosecute anybody they said was a thief because they are going to loot big time. Ngati mukuganiza kuti DPP imaba, mbava zeni-zeni zalowa m’bwalo zibvine tsopano. That’s the picture Tonse Alliance is painting.Tell me I’m wrong. Show me where I’m wrong.
14Trees, a LafargeHolcim joint venture with CDC Group, the UK’s publicly owned impact investor, is deploying 3D printing technology at scale to build affordable and low-carbon housing and schools in Africa, starting in Malawi. The group printed the walls of a school and a house in Lilongwe to show how the method could be used as a cheap and fast way to build social infrastructure in Africa.
The walls of the prototype house were printed in Lilongwe in 12 hours, compared to almost four days using conventional methods, CDC said, while the walls of the school, built in Salima, were printed in 18 hours.
The UN’s Children Fund UNICEF estimates a shortage of 36,000 classrooms in Malawi. The joint venture, called “14Trees” said this shortfall could be eliminated in 10 years with printing, as opposed to 70 years using conventional construction methods.
With its record speed of construction and optimised material use, this technology reduces the carbon footprint for building new homes by up to 70%. Pioneering this technology in schools for the first time, 14Trees aims to address the country’s chronic infrastructure shortage while creating skilled local jobs.
Miljan Gutovic, Region Head Middle East Africa and LafargeHolcim Executive Committee member, said: “I am very excited about the work of our joint venture 14Trees, innovating in 3D printing technology to accelerate affordable and sustainable building, from homes to schools. This is a great example of our commitment to build for people and the planet. Starting in Malawi, we will deploy this technology across the broader region with projects already in the pipeline in Kenya and Zimbabwe.”
Tenbite Ermias, Managing Director, Africa, at CDC said: “The rollout of 14Trees’ world-class, cutting edge technology is going to have a tremendous developmental impact on Malawi and the wider region. It is a wonderful example of how we are investing in businesses that can support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.”
Using proprietary LafargeHolcim ink, this innovative 3D printing process will significantly reduce the time and cost of building housing and schools in Malawi. UNICEF estimates a shortage of 36 000 classrooms in Malawi which would take 70 years to build using conventional methods. According to 14Trees, this infrastructure gap could be bridged in just ten years using 3D printing. Partnering with a range of NGOs, 14Trees is committed to solving this chronic shortage at scale, starting with families and communities most in need.
These projects will sustain skilled job creation with the hiring and development of local experts from 3D machine operators to material specialists working hand in hand with local builders for carpentry, roofing and painting.
The walls of 14Trees’ first prototype house were built in Lilongwe in just 12 hours, compared to almost four days using conventional methods. The walls of its first school, built in Salima, were printed in just 18 hours, as opposed to several days.
Kind hearted Poole residents in South England have banded together to ensure they won’t be the only ones enjoying a special Christmas dinner this year.
Through local charity Orfund they have funded Christmas dinner for the children of ‘Molima Home’ in Dedza, Malawi.
Children at Molima Home in Dedza
Children join the Molima Home for all kinds of reasons. Many are orphaned (often through AIDS,) others have been street children or have fled abusive family situations.
Like all of us, the children of Molima Home have experienced a difficult year.Covid-19 closed their schools for almost six months and this year’s exams have been postponed.
“Of course, Molima Home is about more than just a Christmas dinner!” said Caroline Hall, an Orfund supporter who also visited Molima Home last year.
“Molima gives the children family, safety and crucially an education (in a country where only 25% of children graduate from primary to secondary school, and few of these are girls)”.
Orfund is a charity based in Poole, Dorset which is helping to meet the needs of children and young people in Dedza in southern Malawi, who have no parents – or only one parent or relative who is unable to care for them through poor health or age.
Orfund currently supports 25 children who live at, or receive support from the Molima Family Home. They also pay the fees and accommodation costs for former residents who start apprenticeships or undertake other training.
Dickson, a previous resident of Molima Home has continued to be supported by Orfund through his diploma course in Journalism. He starts a degree course next year.
Likewise, Linda, in her final year of Secondary School, is due to take her exams to qualify for further education – in the hope of becoming a nurse.
Jackie, another Orfund supporter explains: “These children have often had such a traumatic start to life, but with a bit of support we see them battling the odds and achieving extraordinary things.
State Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima has issued a stern warning to management of the Bingu Convention Centre BICC in Lilongwe against continued cases of poor service delivery.
The vice president was speaking when he was at the the premises presiding over a 10th anniversary interface for the African Institute for Development Policy – AFIDEP and found that there was issues with power. “This is the second time I have been here and you have had an issue with power. Do not lead us into temptation,” he said.
Chilima went on to say as an international Convention centre , service was key and the premises should do better. “This is an international Convention Centre. If you don’t know how to manage it, please go home. “We don’t tolerate any form of rubbish and this was a typical example of someone serving us rubbish. This is the last time that is happening,” he concluded.
He has issued the warning at the BICC on Friday evening where he is presiding over a 10th anniversary interface for the African Institute for Development Policy – AFIDEP. During the interface, Dr. Chilima spoke of the need for the adoption of evidence based approaches in decision making processes to help drive Malawi’s development agenda
.AFIDEP is an African led regional non profit policy think tank. It was established to bridge gaps between research, policy and practice in areas of population change, public health and the environment
His Grace Archbishop Tarcisius Ziyaye of the Roman Catholic Church who died on Monday will be buried with military honours ,Office of the President and Cabinet has said in in a statement.
Zanga-Zanga Chikhosi Secretary to the President and Cabinet said the body of the late Ziyaye is expected arrived through Kamuzu International Airport this afternoon and will be be taken to Maula Cathedral in Lilongwe.
Faithfuls waiting for Archbishop Ziyaye body to arrive at the airport
The late Archbishop was ordained Catholic priest in 1977, appointed and served as Bishop in Lilongwe from 1994 to 2002. He was Archbishop of Blantyre till he left for Lilongwe in 2013 but served in same capacity till his death.Ziyaye died on December 14, in Namibia where he was receiving cancer treatment.
Meanwhile President Dr Lazarus Chakwera and the Government of Malawi have sent deepest condolences to the Roman Catholic Church. According to the statement from the OPC the Malawi leader has directed that the late Ziyaye be accorded burial with military honours, in recognition of the late Archbishop’s enormous service to the country
