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Malawi’s High Commissioner to UK explores partnership opportunities with Leeds United

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Malawi’s High Commissioner to UK explores partnership opportunities with Leeds United

By Jones Gadama

In a significant development for Malawian football, the country’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Thomas Bisika, has been invited by recently-promoted English Premiership side Leeds United to explore potential partnership opportunities.

The invitation is a testament to the strong bond between the people of Malawi and the football club, with Bisika expressing his excitement and humility at the prospect of working with the team.

Bisika

During an interview, Bisika revealed that he intends to use this opportunity to discuss potential partnerships between Leeds United and Malawian football clubs, with a focus on capacity building for coaches and administrators, as well as opening doors for Malawian players to showcase their talents.

The High Commissioner also hopes to explore ways in which the Flames, Malawi’s national football team, can benefit from the partnership.

“I want to take advantage of the occasion to explore the possibility of Leeds United partnering with our clubs, capacity building of our coaches or administrators, and indeed opening opportunities for our players,” Bisika said, adding that,”I am also looking at finding ways through which the Flames can benefit. So, I will meet Leeds United management and even players to see how best we can explore all these areas.”

Bisika further highlighted the potential for study tours, which could provide valuable learning experiences for Malawian football stakeholders.

He also plans to engage with the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) to seek advice on how they can benefit from the partnership.

FAM has welcomed the invitation, with President Fleetwood Haiya congratulating Leeds United on their promotion to the English Premier League.

In a statement posted on the FAM website, Haiya expressed the association’s delight at the potential partnership, noting that it could open doors to deeper football and cultural engagement between Malawi and one of England’s most historic football clubs.

“This remarkable achievement not only restores the club to the top tier of English football but also rekindles global admiration and fan loyalty, particularly from our passionate football community in Malawi,” Haiya said, adding that , “As FAM, we believe this gesture opens doors to deeper football and cultural engagement between Malawi and one of England’s most historic football clubs.”

The potential partnership between Leeds United and Malawian football stakeholders has the potential to bring about significant benefits, including improved coaching and administrative capacity, increased opportunities for players, and enhanced football development programs.

As Bisika and FAM work to explore these opportunities, Malawian football fans will be eagerly watching for developments.

The invitation to Bisika is a testament to the strong relationship between Leeds United and the Malawian football community, and it will be interesting to see how this partnership develops in the coming months.

With the potential for mutual benefits, this partnership could be a game-changer for Malawian football.

Blantyre schools close in tribute to Chilima, government denies holiday declaration

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Blantyre schools close in tribute to Chilima, government denies holiday declaration

By Jones Gadama

In a surprising move, some primary schools in Blantyre did not report for classes today, citing June 10th as “Chilima’s Day” and therefore a holiday. According to sources, the schools alleged that the government had ordered the commemoration of the life of the late Vice President Saulos Chilima, but the government has vehemently denied this claim.

Speaking with this publication, Government Spokesperson Moses Kunkuyu clarified that the government did not declare today as a holiday.

Chilima


“We did not declare today as a holiday, and schools should operate as usual,” Kunkuyu said. “We understand that some schools may have chosen to observe a moment of silence or hold memorial services, but there was no directive from the government to close schools,” he added.

Despite the government’s denial, many primary schools in Blantyre remained closed, with pupils and teachers staying away from school premises.

The decision to close schools appears to have been driven by popular demand, with many Malawians choosing to pay tribute to the late Vice President.

The government’s clarification comes as a relief to some parents and guardians who had expressed concerns about the sudden closure of schools.

However, the situation highlights the complexities of balancing official directives with public sentiment.

As the nation continues to mourn the loss of Vice President Chilima, it remains to be seen how schools will operate in the coming days.

For now, the government has urged schools to adhere to the regular calendar and ensure that academic activities proceed without disruption.

When the sky fell: media ethics, misinformation, and public grief in the Chilima Plane Crash Coverage

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When the sky fell: media ethics, misinformation, and public grief in the Chilima Plane Crash Coverage

By Burnett Munthali

The death of Malawi’s Vice President Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima in a tragic plane crash on June 10, 2024, sent shockwaves across the nation and beyond.

As the country grappled with disbelief and grief, the role of the media came under sharp scrutiny for how it reported the unfolding tragedy.

From the moment the aircraft lost contact with aviation authorities, social media was flooded with speculative posts, some falsely declaring all passengers dead even before official confirmation.

The Late Chilima



This premature reporting not only caused panic among the families of those onboard but also undermined the work of search and rescue teams still combing through the Chikangawa Forest.

Mainstream media outlets, racing to break the story first, often relied on unverified sources, contributing to a cloud of confusion and anxiety.

In a time of national crisis, the public looked to the media for clarity and reassurance, but instead, many were met with chaos and conjecture.

Photoshopped images, fake rescue updates, and sensational headlines became rampant, particularly on Facebook and WhatsApp.

The pressure to provide constant updates seemed to override the media’s ethical obligation to verify information before publication.

This situation highlighted the blurred lines between journalism and digital rumor-mongering in the age of instant communication.

Ethical journalism demands restraint, especially in sensitive matters involving death, yet this restraint was noticeably absent in many cases.

There were outlets that performed admirably, sticking to official sources and providing calm, fact-based updates — but they were the minority.

The responsibility of reporting such a sensitive event also includes showing respect for the deceased and their loved ones.

Unfortunately, graphic images purported to be from the crash site were shared widely without consideration for their traumatic impact.

Many Malawians took to social media to criticize both media houses and individual users for spreading fear and disrespect.

A public sense of betrayal emerged, with many feeling that the media had weaponized tragedy for clicks and ratings.

In the days that followed, a wider conversation on media ethics gained momentum across civil society, academia, and professional journalism circles.

Questions were raised about the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) and its silence during the flood of misinformation.

Some called for stricter regulation of digital platforms, while others emphasized the need for media literacy among citizens.

This tragic event served as a mirror, revealing both the strengths and deep weaknesses of Malawi’s media landscape in the digital era.

It also presented a learning opportunity for media practitioners to reflect on how to balance speed with accuracy, and facts with empathy.

In covering death — especially one that holds such national significance — journalists must remember that behind every headline is a grieving family, a mourning nation, and a legacy in peril.

The Chilima tragedy has shown that the media’s greatest power is not in breaking the news, but in shaping how a nation remembers its darkest moments.

Only through ethical responsibility and humanity can the press truly honor those who have passed — and serve the living.

Chakwera attends SKC Memorial ceremony in Mzimba

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Chakwera attends SKC Memorial ceremony in Mzimba


By Vincent Gunde

President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera will on Tuesday 10th June, 2025 attends the Memorial ceremony for nine plane crash victims tragically killed in the Chikangawa forest on 10th June, 2024 and one year has gone with no answers surrounding the victims’ tragic death.

This is the first time for President Chakwera to visit the site where the nine victims’ bodies were found and none of the MCP high ranking official has visited the site except for President Chakwera who had to take a picture at a place where Ngwazi Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda planted a tree in the Chikangawa forest.

Chakwera at Nthungwa



According to the programme released by Secretary to the President and Cabinet Colleen Zamba, the event will take place at Lunjika Turn-off in Mzimba district from 9: 00 in the morning and it is expected that President Chakwera will lay his wreaths.

On the other side, all eyes and ears will be in Nsipe- Ntcheu when surviving families of the plane crash will hold their Memorial service which will start with a Mass to be held at Nsipe Catholic Church from 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon to 7 o’clock in the evening.

The events in Ntcheu will be patronized by those that loved Dr. Saulosi Chilima and those that will not make it to Ntcheu, will watch the whole programme on Times 360 Malawi and Mibawa Television live form Nsipe ground.

10th June, 2025 will mark one full year after Dr. Saulosi Chilima and eight others, closed their eyes bidding bye to the earthly world in tragic circumstances with graphic pictures allegedly coming from Chikangawa forest made millions of Malawians weeping with tears coming down from their cheeks.

Besides two events happening on the same day 10th June, 2025 in Mzimba by President Chakwera and Ntcheu by the families of the departed souls, silence is still gripping the nation with no answers and even President Chakwera himself, has no answers too but God who was in the Chikangawa forest has the answers and how long it will take, the truth will prevail.

Dr. Chilima and eight others, on the 10th June, 2024 were left in the cold for 24 hours after the MDF ordered a suspension of the searching mission as it was dark to resume the following day morning and the searching itself was allegedly suspicious.

Addressing the nation on the ill-fated aircraft, President Chakwera said the plane reached Mzuzu Airport but due to fog, the pilot was ordered to return to Lilongwe but the Germany report proved President Chakwera wrong that the plane never reached Mzuzu.

Malawi Defense Force (MDF) Commander General Dr. Paul Velentino Phiri told the nation that suspected area for the plane crash cannot be reached and is far away from the villages. this again was proved not to be true, the plane crashed close to the village and at an open ground.

A Malawi Congress Party (MCP) diehard of Mvera in Dowa district Mr. Rodgers Kamphangala, has expressed his sadness that without the support of Dr. Chilima accepting in good faith to be the running mate, Dr. Chakwera could not be President of the Republic of Malawi today.

Kamphangala said President Chakwera is all aware that Biyeni was laid to rest at his home Nsipe in Ntcheu, the family of the departed souls have agreed to hold the Memorial service and Mass to honor them, it could have been better for him to attend SKC Memorial ceremony in Ntcheu but he has chosen Chikangawa forest for the reasons best explained by himself and the MCP.

“Truth to be told, President Chakwera was supposed to go to Nsipe in Ntcheu but has decided to hold a Memorial service to honor the 9 victims at a place where they were tragically killed without the families of the departed souls,” said Kamphangala.

Honouring a trailblazer: How Malawi can uphold Joyce Chitsulo’s legacy in governance

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Honouring a trailblazer: How Malawi can uphold Joyce Chitsulo’s legacy in governance

By Burnett Munthali

Joyce Chitsulo’s contribution to governance in Malawi is both historic and transformative, and her legacy demands not just celebration but also emulation.

Her journey from grassroots activism to parliamentary leadership has inspired many, especially women, to envision a role for themselves in public office.

Chitsulo’s commitment to accountability, transparency, and service delivery redefined what it means to be a representative of the people.

In a political landscape often marred by self-interest and patronage, she stood out as a figure of integrity and resolve.

Her tenure was marked by bold advocacy for social justice, especially for vulnerable groups such as women, children, and persons with disabilities.

She consistently used her voice and position to challenge entrenched systems of inequality and to propose progressive legislation.

Malawi’s governance institutions must now draw lessons from her principled approach and put mechanisms in place to nurture similar leadership.



Political parties, particularly, should prioritize merit and ethical values when selecting candidates, ensuring that individuals like Chitsulo are not the exception but the norm.

Civic education should include modules on her leadership style to inspire future generations of ethical public servants.

Parliament can institutionalize her ideals by establishing an annual Joyce Chitsulo Award for ethical leadership and service to the nation.

Such initiatives would serve as both a tribute and a tool for embedding her values into the culture of governance.

To honour her legacy fully, Malawi must shift from symbolic recognition to practical frameworks that promote inclusive, ethical, and accountable governance.

Only by turning inspiration into action can the country genuinely uphold Joyce Chitsulo’s remarkable legacy and build a better democratic future.

The late Chitsulo
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