The European Union (EU) on Tuesday launched a five-year, €60 million program called Ulimi ndi Chilengedwe(UCHI) aimed at preserving, restoring, and regenerating Malawi’s natural resources and ecosystems.
Speaking during the lauch in Lilongwe,EU Ambassador to Malawi Rune Skinnebach,said the program will focus on ten district councils, including Chitipa, Kasungu, and Thyolo.
Rune Skinnebach
Skinnebach, emphasized that the project will help diversify the agriculture sector, making it more resilient to climate change and generating revenue for the country’s economy.
He noted that Malawi’s agriculture sector has been severely impacted by climate change, limiting its potential benefits.
On his part,Minister of Natural Resources Owen Chomanika urged district councils to use the funds prudently, highlighting the need to protect Malawi’s rapidly depleting natural resources, which are being lost at a rate of 2% annually.
Malawi leader President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera has demonstrated real love for his former recent past Vice President Dr Saulos Klaus Chilima.
This time around, he has renamed 6 lane road built from Parliament to Lilongwe Shoprite, Chilima Highway.
Speaking during a memorial service at Nthungwa Nkhata-Bay in honor of late Vice President Saulos Chilima and eight others who died in Plane clash, the President described the tragedy accident as devastating, heartbreaking and unforgettable.
The President has since encouraged Malawians to cheer each other and avoid temptation of bringing politics into the tragedy.
“We need to respect all those who departed, each of them requires respect.”
“Chilima was the most senior person among them all as such, he deserves to be recognized in a special way,” the Malawi leader said.
He said this is the reason he has decided to honor him in a special way by naming the road after him.
The Malawi leader also disclosed that as Government they invited all the bereaved families to the memorial service and that he has made a directive through the office of Secretary to the President and Cabinet to look into any challenges from the bereaved families.
Chakwera also mentioned that events that have been organized elsewhere related to the memorial service, are complementing to each other.
In conclusion, President Chakwera said people are free to mourn in their own way as people are still in grief.
NBS Bank plc Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Temwani Simwaka has attributed the Bank’s remarkable 2024 financial performance to continued investments in key sectors such as food and agribusiness, corporate and investment banking, and innovation.
Simwaka spoke during a stakeholders’ engagement in Blantyre on Friday, where she explained to journalists and stakeholders the Bank’s strategies for maintaining momentum.
NBS Bank announced an increase in its profit after tax of K72.99 billion for the year ending 31 December 2024 up by 145% from K29 billion profit after tax in 2023.
“Looking at the Malawi economy, yes, the inflation and interest rates are high, the cost of doing business is also high; however, from the positive side of the economy, we are looking at the opportunities in the agriculture sector and also the Agro-processing sector. As a Bank, we made a major investment in the core banking system and also in the digital platforms.”
“So, with that, the Bank is set to drive growth in the economy, but also transact cheaply and easily, making it simple for our customers. One of the key areas we invested in is the digital loan for our customers, especially those on salary, which enables them to borrow in less than five minutes without coming to the Bank,” said Simwaka.
Responding to shareholders’ concerns about the Bank’s excessive lending to the government, Simwaka said that NBS Bank plc has raised its capital limits to mitigate the risk of default by the government and other borrowers from the Bank.
“Banking is about how to take a risk and mitigate it. So, as a Bank, we are open to supporting the government, at the same time, at NBS Bank, we do a capital reservation whereby we internally raise our capital limits to take advantage of not just the risk of default by the government but also other people who borrow from the Bank,” said Simwaka.
Shareholder Bernadicto Bena Nkhoma applauded the Bank’s performance.
“The Bank has taken off, it’s a great performance, and as a shareholder and indeed any other stakeholder, I see a future in this Bank, and it will continue to grow, making a lot of strides,” said Nkhoma.
First Capital Bank (FCB) on Sunday celebrated its 30th anniversary by engaging customers and stakeholders in a 13-kilometre fun walk in Blantyre.
The event, dubbed ’30 Years Belief Walk’, saw multitudes including the bank’s chief executive officer Agnes Jaza taking part from Livingstone Carpark near FCB head office to Kwacha Roundabout through Kamba in Naperi Township and back to the starting point.
The walk was preceded by aerobics at the carpark.
FCB head of marketing Twikale Chirwa said the event was a tribute to the Bank’s shared belief, growth and resilience over the years.
“For 30 years, the Bank has grown from being a mere office in Delamere House to being an institution that exists in five countries in the Southern African region. From humble beginnings, the Bank now has footprints in Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Mauritius,” he said.
“We chose to celebrate with the fun walk because we are a sports brand and we believe health is wealth. Fitness or wellness is everything and we thought it wise to celebrate with our customers in a healthy way.”
He also hinted that the anniversary celebration will continue with a celebratory football match this month involving FCB Nyasa Bullets and one of the other football giants in the country in Lilongwe.
One of the people who participated in the fun walk who is also a member of the Walkers Group Stanley Brown Gwaza said he enjoyed the walk on a Sunday morning having participated in another one the previous day with his Walkers Group.
“It was also good for social interaction with other people including the Bank staff and other stakeholders while improving physical and mental health, all in all, it has been a good weekend for me,” said Gwaza, an account holder with FCB.
UDF leader Atupele Muluzi joined President Lazarus Chakwera and other dignitaries at the memorial service for late Vice President Saulos Chilima and eight others in Chikangawa, Mzimba. The solemn event drew prominent traditional leaders, including Inkosi ya Makosi Mbelwa V, Inkosi Gomani V, and Paramount Chiefs Kyungu, Lundu, Chikulamayembe, and Kaduya.
President Chakwera arrived at Lunjika Turn-off, where the ceremony began with a moment of silence, followed by wreath-laying led by the President. Family members of the deceased were also expected to pay their respects.
Atupele Muluzi
Among the notable attendees were former minister Atupele Muluzi, Speaker of Parliament Catherine Gotani Hara, and Minister of Local Government Richard Chimwendo Banda. Most Reverend Archbishop Desmond Tambala of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe presided over the sermon, offering prayers and reflections.
The memorial honored Chilima’s legacy and the lives lost in the tragic plane crash, uniting Malawians in grief and remembrance. The gathering underscored the nation’s collective mourning, with leaders from across political and traditional spheres standing in solidarity.
As tributes continue, the event serves as both a farewell and a reflection on Chilima’s contributions to Malawi’s development. Further commemorations are expected in the coming days.
