In what started as mere speculations that Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) has terminated three years contracts for over 25 district reporters, the reality has now come to pass.
There have been no official reasons provided for the termination of contracts with some people describing the move as politically motivated in an attempt by the DPP led government to place its loyalists.
MBC Director General Brian Banda
Other people suggested that the move is a deliberate ploy by the DPP led government to continue politicizing the public broadcaster as always done with the ruling party in government.
MBC district reporters are now breathing a thigh of relief after the High Court granted an injunction to stop the public broadcaster from terminating their contracts and this means that all MBC district reporters are now back to work until the court decides otherwise.
And in a leaked nemo from the Secretary to the Treasury Cliff Chiunda dated 29th May, 2026 to all Controlling Officers and Heads of Government Departments, the Treasury has requested all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to submit all contracts, agreements, guarantees and employment – related contracts that were signed between 1st September, 2023 and 30th September, 2025.
The memo said in the event where contracts were adjusted upwards, MDAs should provide the original contract sum and the addendum, justification for the increase and evidence that procurement approval and procedures were followed.
” Funding for works and services linked to the contracts under review will be withheld until the process is completed,” reads the memo in part.
Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and social welfare, Mary Navitcha on Tuesday launched the Umunthu Social Index (USI) at a colourful ceremony held at Ufulu Gardens in Lilongwe.
Speaking at this year’s Umunthu Impact Social Forum, Navitcha commended the organizers, saying the forum “is a statement on its own” that promotes honest conversation, structured thinking, and commitment to meaningful, sustainable change.
Navicha
“The Umunthu philosophy teaches that a person is a person through other people. This is more than a cultural expression; it is a guiding principle for nation-building. It reminds us that our progress as individuals, institutions, communities, and as a nation is interconnected,” she said.
“Our impact is not measured by what we achieve in isolation, but by what we accomplish together,” Navitcha told the conference.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Umunthu recognizes unity in diversity, and that together everyone achieves more,” she continued.
She cited Nelson Mandela as a classic example of Umunthu in practice. Despite being the greatest victim of apartheid, Mandela reconciled Black and white South Africans and turned the ‘rainbow nation’ — once full of hatred, division, and calls for revenge — into a united, prosperous country for all.
“We are gathered at an important moment in Malawi’s development journey. As a nation, we continue to pursue the aspirations of Malawi 2063, which envisions an inclusively wealthy and self-reliant nation,” the Minister said.
Navitcha added that in implementing this development blueprint and the Democratic Progressive Party manifesto, President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has emphasized the centrality of the Umunthu concept in driving national development.
“The K5 billion Constituency Development Fund is one initiative aimed at equally distributing development resources across the country and promoting fairness and equality among people,” she said.
Navitcha closed with a powerful statement: “The future we seek will not be built by individual institutions acting alone. It will be built through collective action, mutual accountability, and a shared commitment to the values of Umunthu.”
Thrive Afrika Executive Director Wilson Chivhanga said the USI measures how organizations, communities, and institutions embed values of shared humanity, accountability, and local ownership in their work.
“The USI is not a ranking tool to shame organizations. It is a mirror. It helps us see where we are strong and where we must do better as a sector,” he said.
He added that the first baseline report shows Malawi’s social impact ecosystem scores highest on community participation but needs improvement in data use and domestic resource mobilization.
Conference Organizing Chairperson Ruth Kulaisi said the newly launched indexes are important tools for strategic planning, as they turn complex, multidimensional realities into measurable, comparable signals for action.
Kulaisi said the indexes will also provide a baseline for benchmarking and show comparable status across time, regions, sectors, or peers.
“The index will reveal strengths and weaknesses. Aggregate scores and sub-indicators pinpoint which components — such as health, education, and media access — are underperforming and need targeted interventions,” she said.
She added that the index will help communicate progress to stakeholders using trends and visualizations. “For example, if the Umunthu Social Index shows low scores in civic information and media reliability, a strategic plan might prioritize media literacy campaigns, support for independent local journalism, and measures to increase transparent government communication — each with targets tied to improving the relevant sub-index,” she said.
FDH Bank plc has rewarded 25 customers with K100,000 each in the second draw of its ongoing ‘Swipe to Mauritius’ Promotion, as the bank continues encouraging cashless transactions through its Point-of-Sale (POS) network.
The draw conducted on Tuesday, the lucky customers walked away with cash prizes after qualifying through transactions made on FDH Bank POS machines to purchase goods in various outlets.
Tiyese Kaimila
The promotion, which was launched in February as ‘Swipe to Dubai’ before being rebranded to ‘Swipe to Mauritius’, was extended to July to give customers more time to participate and win prizes.
Speaking after the draw in Blantyre, FDH Bank Marketing Manager, Tiyese Kaimila thanked customers for embracing the promotion and increasing their use of the bank’s POS terminals.
“We have seen a lot of traction since we introduced the ‘Swipe to Mauritius’ promotion. We would like to thank our customers for using FDH POS machines and encourage them to continue swiping because there are still many exciting prizes to be won,” said Kaimila.
He said the promotion is now entering an exciting phase, with the next draw expected to introduce the grand travel rewards.
“Going forward, from the third draw that we will be having this coming month, we will start seeing people winning air tickets to fly to Mauritius,” he said.
Kaimila described the Mauritius package as a fully sponsored holiday experience that includes return air tickets, accommodation, spending money and a range of activities for winners during their stay on the Indian Ocean Island.
“The promotion is open to all bank card holders regardless of their banking institution, and customers qualify by spending at least K20,000 using any bank card on an FDH Bank POS machine,” added Kaimila.
The ‘Swipe to Mauritius’ Promotion is aimed at promoting digital payments while rewarding customers for choosing convenient and secure cashless transactions.
Former President of Malawi Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has been recognized by the National Construction Industry Council for his role in promoting high standards and transparency in Malawi’s construction sector.
The award was presented during the first-ever National Construction Day celebrations held in Lilongwe on Tuesday. NCIC Board Chairperson and Quantity Surveyor Jeremiah Magaba announced the honour while addressing industry stakeholders, contractors and government officials at the event.
Chakwera
Magaba said Chakwera has been at the forefront of driving professionalism and accountability in infrastructure development across the country. He noted that Chakwera’s leadership has encouraged better workmanship and value for money in public projects.
According to the NCIC chair, one of the key areas Chakwera has supported is the Construction Sector Transparency Initiative, which seeks to make project data public so citizens can track how money is spent. The Council said this move has helped reduce corruption and improve trust in government projects.
Magaba also highlighted the recent amendment of the NCIC Act. He explained that the revised law, passed by Parliament last month, strengthens the Council’s mandate to regulate the industry, enforce standards, and discipline non-compliant players.
The former President is credited with championing the review process.
National Construction Day brought together engineers, builders, architects and policymakers to discuss challenges facing the sector.
Organizers said the day will now be marked annually to celebrate progress and set new goals for quality infrastructure.
The NCIC award adds to government efforts to improve roads, schools, hospitals and other public facilities under the current administration.
Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Mary Thom Navicha, today launched the second edition of the Umunthu Social Impact Forum in Lilongwe, bringing together players from government, civil society, development partners, private sector and communities.
The Forum is focused on finding practical ways to strengthen Malawi’s social impact space so that development efforts become more resilient and self-reliant.
Addressing delegates, Navicha said the Umunthu philosophy must remain central to national development. She argued that lasting progress depends on people working together and taking shared responsibility instead of working in silos.
Mary Navicha
“Sustainable development is not the job of government alone. It requires all of us – state and non-state actors, communities and partners – to act together and own the outcomes,” the minister said.
She reaffirmed government’s commitment to key priorities under Malawi 2063, including advancing gender equality, protecting children, promoting disability inclusion, strengthening family structures, and empowering local communities.
Navicha also praised Thrive Afrika and its partners for organizing the Forum and for rolling out the Umunthu Social Impact Index. She described the Index as a timely tool that will improve learning, promote accountability, and support evidence-based decisions in the social sector.
Organizers say the Forum will provide a platform for stakeholders to share ideas, measure impact, and align efforts toward building a more inclusive and self-sustaining Malawi.
