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India’s Keltron Electronics to invest in Malawi’s manufacturing sector

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By Burnett Munthali

Keltron Electronics, an Indian computer manufacturing company, has announced plans to establish a manufacturing and assembly plant in Malawi.

India Trade Commissioner Sunil Hukumatray Rajdev made the announcement on Thursday during the Malawi-India Business Dialogue in Lilongwe.

Rajdev said Keltron Electronics is a reputable company owned by the Indian government, manufacturing well-known computers in India, including Cocunics computers, which are widely used by government agencies and citizens in India.



He said the company is currently finalizing registration processes in the country before setting up its plant.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Trade at the Malawi-India Business Dialogue, Minister of Natural Resources Dr. Michael Usi urged Indian investors, who have been present in the country since May 6, 2024, to make meaningful investments in the country.

Manufacturing is the creation or production of goods with the help of equipment, labor, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processing or formulation.

It is the essence of the secondary sector of the economy.

The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high-tech, but it is most commonly applied to industrial design, in which raw materials from the primary sector are transformed into finished goods on a large scale.

Such goods may be sold to other manufacturers for the production of other more complex products (such as aircraft, household appliances, furniture, sports equipment or automobiles), or distributed via the tertiary industry to end users and consumers (usually through wholesalers, who in turn sell to retailers, who then sell them to individual customers).

Throughout history, manufacturing has improved quality of life, enabled the growth of human populations and societies, and drives innovation through the efficient mass production of materials.

Investing is an effective way to put your money to work and potentially build wealth. Smart investing may allow your money to outpace inflation and increase in value.

The greater growth potential of investing is primarily due to the power of compounding and the risk-return tradeoff.

Advantages of foreign investment in Africa include higher profits and a stronger position and market access in global markets.

Reduced technological barriers to movement of goods, services and factors of production. Cost considerations,a desire to shift production to countries with lower unit labour costs.

Malawi implementing 10-year Action Plan on Fertilizer and Soil Health

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By Kondanani Chilimunthaka

President Lazarus Chakwera who is currently in Nairobi-Kenya where he attended the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit has disclosed that his government has proactively developed a 10-year Malawi Action Plan on Fertilizer and Soil Health to improve the soil Health.

He made the remarks during the presentation of his speech at the summit on Thursday, 9th May 2024.

Chakwera said soil degradation has affected the effectiveness of the inorganic fertilizer by about 70 percent between the year 2014 and 2022, adding that the situation has been worsened  by climate change impacts like cyclones and droughts, hence an urgent need to address the soil health issues.

President Chakwera

“This is why my government has proactively developed a 10-year Malawi Action Plan on Fertilizer and Soil Health to demonstrate the continental framework which we are adopting at this Summit. Our goal is to improve soil health, improve the usage of organic and inorganic fertilizers, improve soil productivity, and reduce soil erosion. In so doing we will reverse the negative trend in the deterioration of our soil health through a set of interventions that have been outlined in the Action Plan.

Through our Action Plan, costing 163 million dollars, we will leverage existing programs by Government and other stakeholders with our development partners’ support to ensure swift and effective implementation” Said President Chakwera.

Further, the President told the summit that Malawi’s Action Plan will implement the continental fertilizer and soil health action initiative and others aimed at improving soil productivity.

“Through our Action, Malawi will take her place in the World as a food basket for all the countries in the world that do not have the arable land, fresh water, and agricultural human capital we have” added Malawi leader.

President Chakwera has since said the summit gave Malawi an opportunity to present her interest in matters of fertilizer and soil health which have affected the crop production for years.

Scorchers player Leticia Chinyamula among the winners of Cosafa Awards in South Africa

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By Durell Namasani


Malawi national women’s football team ‘Scorchers’ forward Leticia Chinyamula  won Women’s most promising player award at the Cosafa Awards 2023 held on Thursday night at Sandton Convention Center in South Africa.

Chinyamula was one of the four Malawian women footballers nominated for the inaugural awards including Rose Kabzere who was also nominated for the women’s most promising player.

Leticia Chinyamula In action

Other players who were nominated for the awards were Mercy Sikelo who was nominated for the Women’s goalkeeper of the year and PSG star Tabitha Chawinga who was nominated for the player of the year category.

During the awards ceremony Bafana Bafana forward Percy Tau won Men’s player of the year award while Zambian player Rachael Kundananji received an award for the Women’s player of the year.

The award for the Men’s and Women’s goalkeeper of the year went to Ronwen Williams and Andile Dilamin respectively.

Other notable award recipients included  Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena who won the Men’s Coach of the year award and Victor Gomez who won the Referee Legend award.

Chamkakala faces criticism for dropping Chilima’s corruption case

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By Burnett Munthali

Some Civil Society organizations in the country have accused the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Masauko Chamkakala of abusing his powers on discontinuance of criminal cases and have called for urgent reforms to protect the integrity of the prosecutorial process.

In a joint statement signed by National Advocacy Platform(NAP) Chairperson Benedicto Kondowe,  released on Tuesday, the CSOs are also calling on President Lazarus Chakwera to use his powers as provided in the constitution to among others fire Chamkakala.



The statement by the CSOs comes after the office of the DPP discontinued a number of criminal cases including the corruption cases involving Vice President Dr Saulos Chilima, former President Dr Bakili Muluzi and Paramount Holdings Limited.

According to the CSOs, the recent decisions by the DPP to discontinue a number of criminal cases raises serious questions and there is need to put in place measures that would ensure there is no abuse of these powers.

When contacted, Chamkakala said he could not comment on the matter.

Meanwhile, the CSOs have given the anti-corruption bureau 14 days to update Malawians on its position regarding the discontinued cases and disclose the amount of money spent on investigating and prosecuting these matters.

Section 77 (i) states that: “In any criminal proceedings, and at any stage thereof before judgement is pronounced, the Director of Public Prosecutions may enter a discontinuance, either by stating in court or informing the court in writing, that the State intends that the proceedings shall not continue, and thereupon.”

The Constitution endows the President with an illimitable power to remove all officers in whose appointment he has participated, with the exception of federal judges.

Dr.Saulos Chilima was arrested in November 2022 on allegations that he accepted money in exchange for awarding government contracts. He denied the charges.

The latest move has provoked questions over the government’s handling of prosecutions for alleged corruption.

Abuse of power or abuse of authority, in the form of “malfeasance in office” or “official abuse of power”, is the commission of an unlawful act, done in an official capacity, which affects the performance of official duties.

*The 1994 Constitution of the Republic of Malawi*

As Malawians opted for a new Constitution in 1994 the Constitution attempted to protect the office of the
Director of Public Prosecution by ensuring that there should be no interference in the performance of his or
her job.

This was done by providing procedures for appointment and removal from office of the Director of
Public Prosecution in the Constitution itself.

The Constitution thereby provides that appointment of the
Director of Public Prosecutions shall be made by the President and confirmed by the Public Appointments
Committee of Parliament.

Where the President is inclined to remove a Director from office, the same should
only be based on incompetence; or where the Director is compromised in the exercise of his or her duties to
the extent that his or her ability to exercise his or her functions impartially is in serious question.

These Constitutional provisions attempt to provide and ensure that the Director has general protection in the
exercise of his or her duties in all matters, including corruption matters.

It was however, once more observed by the citizenry that much as the Director of Public Prosecutions had
Constitutional protection there were a lot of presumed corruption cases that were not being prosecuted.

These observations resulted in the assembling as well as coming into force of the Corrupt Practices Act 1995.

NASFAM tips farmers to embrace modern farming technologies

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By Burnett Munthali

The National Smallholder Farmers Association of Malawi (NASFAM) has tipped farmers under its Elangeni association to embrace modern farming technologies if they are to maximize their yield especially now when the world is grappling with effects of climate change.

Edward Kalukusha Mwale, Innovation and Productivity center Manager at NASFAM Mzimba south made said this  yesterday at a field day for farmers under it’s  Elangeni association  in Mzimba where it showcased how farmers can manage their land, the importance of using certified seeds in their farming and how to avoid post harvest losses.

Mwale said the organization was compelled to engage the association to ensure that  their members are harvesting enough and are taking farming as a business where they produce enough for food and for sale.

One of the farmers under Elangeni association James Gija Chipeta said the field day has helped in cascading knowledge in manure making processes which can assist farmers in maximizing their yields while at the same conserving the fertility of the land.

NASFAM has a membership of over 8000 farmers in Mzimba south grouped into 5 associations in it’s quest to ensure that farmers are adopting technologies that enhance agriculture production.

Today’s agriculture routinely uses sophisticated technologies such as robots, temperature and moisture sensors, aerial images, and GPS technology.

These advanced devices and precision agriculture and robotic systems allow businesses to be more profitable, efficient, safer, and more environmentally friendly.

Symptoms of climate change are all around us: extreme weather, diminishing sea ice, year after year of record-breaking warmth, drought, fires, and stress to ecosystems.

Many of these consequences will create hardship for humans.

By saving and replanting seeds from successful crops, farmers can produce enough food to feed their families and communities.

This can be particularly critical in the face of climate change, which can lead to crop failures and food shortages.

Farming as a Business (FAAB) is an extension approach to working with farmer groups during agricultural interventions.

It is a form of private-sector development to sustainably increase the profits of low-income, smallholder farmers.

It involves technical and institutional capacity building.

Soil conservation measures like crop rotation, reducing tillage, and cover cropping help safeguard the soil’s nutrients and organic matter, ensuring its long-term fertility and productivity and setting the stage for sustainable agriculture.

The basic mission of farmers’ associations is to represent farmers, in order to ensure their participation in the formulation and implementation of policies and agricultural development actions.

The accomplishment of this mission is based on three principal functions: consultation, information and training of farmers.