Category Archives: Malawi

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Opinion, Politics

The resurgence of Malawi’s development: Chakwera, Kabwila’s strategic impact

Maravi Post Author

By Mpinganjira Mathews

Dr. Lazarus Chakwera’s presidency has been marked by a strong commitment to national development, focusing on infrastructure, education, healthcare, and economic reforms.

Despite significant progress, his achievements have not always been effectively communicated to the Malawian populace.

This gap in public awareness has allowed opposition parties to dominate the narrative, often overshadowing the positive strides made under his leadership.

As a result, many Malawians have been swayed by misinformation, leading to a skewed perception of Chakwera’s efforts to improve the nation.

However, the recent re-emergence of Dr. Jessie Kabwira within the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has brought a renewed focus on publicizing these developments.

Known for her eloquence and strong media presence, Kabwira has become instrumental in reshaping the party’s communication strategy.

By actively engaging with various media platforms and the public, she has managed to highlight the significant projects and reforms initiated by Chakwera, ensuring that the narrative of national development reaches a broader audience.

Under Kabwira’s influence, the MCP has effectively countered the opposition’s rhetoric by showcasing tangible evidence of progress.

For instance, Chakwera’s government has successfully initiated road construction projects, improved healthcare facilities, and expanded educational opportunities across the country.

These initiatives, which were previously under-reported, are now being brought to the forefront of public discourse, allowing Malawians to see the impact of the current administration’s policies on their daily lives.

In addition to infrastructure and social services, Chakwera’s administration has made substantial efforts to stabilize the economy.

This includes reforms aimed at improving agricultural productivity, supporting small and medium enterprises, and enhancing fiscal discipline.

Kabwira’s role in publicizing these economic achievements has been crucial in changing the narrative from one of economic stagnation to one of growth and opportunity.

The collaboration between Chakwera’s development agenda and Kabwira’s communication prowess has reinvigorated the public’s perception of the MCP.

By ensuring that the party’s achievements are effectively communicated, they have managed to reclaim the narrative from the opposition.

This has not only strengthened the party’s standing but has also reinforced the public’s confidence in Chakwera’s vision for Malawi’s future.

As the MCP continues to leverage Kabwira’s media strategy, the true extent of Chakwera’s development initiatives is becoming more apparent to Malawians.

The partnership between these two leaders serves as a powerful example of how effective communication can enhance the impact of governance, ensuring that progress is recognized and appreciated by the people it is meant to serve.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article are those of the author not necessarily of The Maravi Post or Editor

Malawi, Obituaries

Malawi mourns Cultural colossus Fr Claude Boucher, buried at Kungoni compound

Maravi Post Reporter

DEDZA-(MaraviPost)-The country’s cultural colossus and founder of Kungoni Centre of Culture and Art, Father Claude Boucher, will be laid to rest at Kungoni compound at Mua in Dedza on Wednesday.

Boucher popularly known as Achisale, died on Monday at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe.

Joseph John Kadzombe Gama, who worked with Boucher from 1994, confirmed of the burial at Kungoni compound.

He said Boucher’s remains was taken to Mua on Tuesday before a mass at Our Lady of Help.

“There will also be a mass on at Kungoni Amphitheatre before interment at Kungoni compound,” Gama, who has been trained by Boucher and now leads a group that holds performances at Kungoni, said.

Father Brenda O’shea (Angozo), who took over from Boucher and is now the director of Kungoni Centre of Culture and Art, said yesterday that after a good consultation with the Bishop of Dedza, His Lordship Peter Chifukwa and his pastoral team, they have set the burial for Wednesday, August 28, 2024.

O’shea said Bishop Chifukwa will also celebrate the mass for Boucher today and that the body of the confrere will lie in state in the church for vigil.

Several people have mourned Boucher on social media describing him as an extraordinary person, who promoted Malawi’s culture to the world.

Jacaranda Cultural Centre (JCC) Director Luc Deschamps, who is also French Honorary Consul to Malawi, said Boucher “was an extraordinary man, a man of God from the Catholic Church and an initiated chief from Chewa culture”.

“When you met him, you could feel the spiritual density of a man, in a certain way; he was a mysterious man, a man who knew the secrets of the Chewa initiation,” Deschamps said.

Boucher, who dedicated his life to researching and preserving the country’s culture, spoke Chichewa fluently and was awarded an honorary Degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Shareworld Open University in 2014, spent the years 1967 to 1970 in learning to speak local languages with Chichewa the main focus.

The period of 1970 to 1976, taught Boucher, who was 83 years old to think in the culture whereas the period 1977 to 2000 brought about the possibility of acting in the culture by establishing the Kungoni Centre of Culture and Arts and its various activities.

In the period of 2001 to 2014, Boucher, who came to Malawi as a missionary in 1967 from Canada, was blessed with several publications and the need to reflect on the past and on the history of Kungoni.

In 2017, Boucher received his second honorary Doctorate Degree in the same discipline conferred by Mzuzu University for his true missionary work couched in education, training and ethnology, and for making religion accessible.

Source: Daily Times

Health

UN upholds safety and efficacy of Gaza polio vaccine

Maravi Post Reporter

The United Nations has upheld the safety of the polio vaccine that will be administered to more than half a million Palestinian children during an inoculation campaign in Gaza.  

Dire conditions brought on by the war have caused the disease to resurface after more than two decades.  Last week, a case was confirmed in a 10-month-old.

Countering vaccine misinformation 

During his daily media briefing from New York on Tuesday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric noted that there had been misinformation surrounding the vaccine.

“I want to make the following clear: the safest and most effective way to protect children against the polio virus, regardless of the variant, is to vaccinate them,” he said. 

Several news stories have appeared online in Israel and the United States, quoting two Israeli scientists falsely asserting that the polio vaccine due to be used in Gaza is “experimental” and a danger to citizens in both Palestine and Israel. 

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA, are preparing to launch the campaign, which will be conducted in two rounds. 

More than 640,000 children under the age of 10 will receive two drops of oral polio vaccine type 2. 

“This vaccine is safe, it is effective, and it offers top quality protection,” said Mr. Dujarric. “It is a vaccine globally recommended for variant type two polio virus outbreaks by the World Health Organization.” 

He said the vaccine was rolled out in March 2021, and since then more than 1.2 billion doses have been used to protect children in over 40 countries. 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres recently appealed for a humanitarian pause to allow for the extensive vaccination campaign. 

Gaza had a high level of vaccination coverage prior to the escalation of hostilities last October but routine immunization coverage has dropped, increasing the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases to children, including polio.   

Israeli evacuation orders latest threat to Gaza aid workers  

Meanwhile, evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military have impacted the safety of humanitarians delivering aid in the Gaza Strip, the head of the UN’s Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) said on Tuesday. 

“Mass evacuation orders are the latest in a long list of unbearable threats to UN and humanitarian personnel,” Under-Secretary-General Gilles Michaud said in a statement. 

Mr. Michaud underlined the UN’s determination to stay in Gaza, where life-saving aid continues to be distributed, which he called “a tremendous feat given that we are operating at the upper-most peripheries of tolerable risk.” 

Running out of safe spaces 

He said this past weekend, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) gave the UN just a few hours’ notice to move more than 200 personnel out of their offices and living spaces in Deir Al-Balah, a crucial humanitarian hub. 

“Like most Palestinians in Gaza, we are running out of safe spaces for our own staff,” he said. 

Furthermore, “the timing could hardly be worse,” he added, as UN agencies are set to begin the massive polio vaccination campaign next week, which requires large numbers of staff to enter the enclave. 

Caught in the crosshairs 

“However, the IDF’s actions this weekend compound existing security threats and seriously impact the pace at which we can deliver, safely.  These constraints are beyond our control,” he continued. 

Mr. Michaud said “humanitarians have been in the crosshairs” throughout the Gaza crisis – by far the deadliest on record for the UN. 

“In line with international humanitarian law, our ability to provide assistance rests on the responsibility by parties to conflicts to do everything in their power to keep our colleagues safe,” he said. 

Stressing that “the women and men who risk their lives to deliver humanitarian aid need a safe and consistent place from which to work,” he called for all parties “to respect international law and their commitments under the UN Charter to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and premises.” 

Donate to the humanitarian response in Gaza

UN Health News

Malawi

Pressure Mounts on President Chakwera to Release Plane Crash Investigation Report

Burnett Munthali

By Burnett Munthali

Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera is facing increasing pressure to release the investigation report into the plane crash that tragically killed Vice President Saulos Chilima and eight others. The call for transparency has been underscored by Dr. George Chaponda, the Leader of the Opposition in Malawi’s Parliament, who insists that families and the public deserve to know the circumstances surrounding the disaster.

In a recent exclusive interview with Deutsche Welle (DW), President Chakwera acknowledged receiving the final report on the plane crash investigation. Despite this admission, the government has maintained that the report is not yet complete and has emphasized that it should not be subject to political manipulation. Officials have stressed that the process of finalizing and verifying the report is ongoing, and its premature release could potentially mislead the public or undermine ongoing procedures.

Dr. Chaponda’s demands for the report’s release reflect a broader public desire for clarity and accountability in the wake of the tragedy. The opposition leader argues that understanding the full details of the incident is crucial for ensuring transparency and addressing any concerns about the investigation’s integrity.

As the debate continues, the government’s stance remains firm on safeguarding the investigative process. Nonetheless, the pressure from both political leaders and the public highlights the urgent need for a resolution and the importance of addressing the concerns surrounding the plane crash investigation.

Malawi, Obituaries

NAP demands accountability on Germany’s Chilima, eight others death report

MaraviPost

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The National Advocacy Platform (NAP) is demanding transparency and accountability on Germany experts report regarding to the late Veep Saulos Klaus Chilima and eight others plane crash.

The call comes hours after President Lazarus Chakwera admitted to Germany DW Television interviews of Malawi government receiving the final report on Chilima and eight others death after plane crash on June 10, 2024 in Chikangawa Forest in Mzimba district.

But NAP chairperson Benedicto Kondowe told The Maravi Post that Chakwera government must release the report to the public.

Kondowe says, “The President’s recent revelation that the preliminary report on the plane crash has already been submitted to the government, yet will be shared without any concrete timeline, raises serious concerns.

“This approach not only undermines transparency but also erodes public trust. The report is, or should be, the property of the Malawian people, not the President”.

He observes, “By withholding it or dictating the timing and format of its release, the President is overstepping his role as a mere steward of the nation.

“This lack of accountability could lead to speculation, further eroding confidence in the government’s handling of such a critical matter”.

Kondowe argues further, “The implications are significant: delayed justice, potential cover-ups, and a public increasingly skeptical of leadership that appears more concerned with controlling information than serving the interests of the people”.

But in a press statement issued on Tuesday, August 24, Government Spokesperson Moses Kunkuyu insists that the report is not yet provided.

Kunkuyu disclosed Germany experts will release the report through its website on August 30, 2024.

Health, Obituaries, Regional

Meet World’s oldest person Maria Branyas Morera who lived 117 years: What helped her to live so long? Lets find out

Lloyd M’bwana

……..As well as eating a certain thing every day, there are people Maria Branyas Morera avoided too….

World's oldest person who lived until 117 shared incredible rules she followed that helped her live so long

By Jess Battison

The world’s oldest person who lived to the age of 117 shared the incredible rules she followed to help her live for so long.

A Spanish supercentenarian, Maria Branyas Morera, died on Monday (August 19, 2024 ) following her impressively long life. And despite having some hearing loss and mobility issues, it was reported by local media that she had a sharp memory even in her later years.

I mean, the woman was active on X – pretty impressive for the eighth-oldest person in recorded history. And as well as sharing in December 2022 about the one thing she ate every day, she also had various tips for how we could attempt to live as long a life as her.

Maria lived to over 117 years old. (X/@MariaBranyas112)

Maria lived to over 117 years old. (X/@MariaBranyas112)

‘Strong’ family ties

Earlier this year, Branyas wrote about how she was ‘lucky’ to have loved ones by her side.

“Strong, rich, and caring family ties act as a mattress that cushions loneliness,” she wrote.

Well, there you go lads, look after those who look after you and be social and it could help you reach an older age – something studies have previously supported.

Avoiding excess

While she did eat her specific thing every day, the Spanish woman never followed a particular diet.

She wrote on X: “Many people ask me what diet I follow to live [for] so many years. I have always eaten little, but everything, and I have never followed any regime. I have not suffered from any illness or been through an operating room.”

A daily yogurt was pretty important to Maria. (X/@MariaBranyas112)

A daily yogurt was pretty important to Maria. (X/@MariaBranyas112)

Eating yogurt every day

Yep, Branyas credited much of her long life to eating a pot of natural yogurt every day.

She posted on X that it is ‘a lifelong food with an infinite number of positive properties for the body’.

The supercentenarian went on to cite a Bulgarian study that regular consumption can extend life, while stating in Persian tradition that Abraham’s longevity was due to the consumption of yogurt.

Avoiding toxic people

As well as having a ‘connection with family and friends’ and ‘contact with nature’, it was essential to Branyas to stay ‘away from toxic people’. I mean, no one wants that in their life, let alone for over 100 years.

Being positive and having no regrets

Another lesson we can all take from Branyas is that she placed importance on ‘emotional stability, no worries, no regrets and lots of positivity’.

Well, that doesn’t all sound too hard, does it?

Featured Image Credit: X/@MariaBranyas112

Source: https://www.ladbible.com/

Lifestyle, Malawi, Obituaries, Regional

Kenyan woman buried in gown who died days before wedding

Lloyd M’bwana

NAIROBI-(MaraviPost)-Bizarre! A Kenyan lady was recently buried in a gown after passing away days before the wedding
During the burial ceremony the late Nancy Muthoni was dressed in her wedding gown complete with a veil and bridal makeup.

In December last year, an elderly couple residing in Kayole, Nairobi, made the decision to solemnise their marriage after 16 years of living together.

The couple, Stanley Macharia and Nancy Muthoni, was married under the customary law in 1998 after which they had two children.

But growing older together and being very active in their church, the couple decided to make their marriage official in a Christian way.

That decision was arrived at on December 17 last year during the dissolution of a committee that helped organize another couple’s marriage at ACK Pumwani Church, Nairobi.

The committee decided to take on the new responsibility of organising the couple’s wedding that was scheduled for today, August 17, at the same church.

So big were the plans that the bridal party had more than 50 people. Muthoni, 57, worked at the Uhuru market while Macharia is a trader in the Gikomba market.

But things took a drastic turn on July 27, 2024, when Muthoni suddenly fell ill and was attended to at a local health facility and discharged.

Muthoni’s condition, however, worsened and she was taken to another facility before being referred to Kenyatta National Hospital on August 4 where she was admitted.

The admission came as a shock for family members who were counting days to the wedding day. She was diagnosed with pneumonia.

Two days later, on August 6, Muthoni took her last breath, leaving her family reeling in confusion as wedding plans had advanced to the last stages.

But Macharia, determined to give her the wedding she was waiting for with bated breath, decided to turn their wedding day into a burial ceremony.

On Saturday, the bridal party arrived at Macharia’s local church, ACK Gikoe in Mathioya, with their wedding uniforms.

Meanwhile, Muthoni was dressed in her wedding gown complete with a veil and bridal makeup.

At the church, a solemn mood engulfed attendants who watched the colorfully dressed bridal party walk into the church, slowly dancing to gospel wedding songs.

At the front of the church lay Muthoni’s casket covered with Mothers’ Union clothes.

They praised and danced, and afterwards mourned her departure, eulogizing her as a dedicated mother, wife and community member who helped mould many into good Christians.

Macharia said his wife longed for the wedding and that it was unfortunate that she did not live to see the day.

“I still wanted to make her dream come true and am happy wherever she is, she’s happy that the wedding has still happened,” he said in his tribute.

“When we started planning for this day, we thought we were planning for a wedding but God had other plans”.

Macharia said with the clothes ready for the wedding, it’d have been a waste not to give his wife the wedding that she had put a lot of effort into putting together.

“I wanted to give her the satisfaction of a wedding and am happy it has been accomplished. Her soul is happy”.

John Ng’ang’a who was to be the couple’s best man said it was after his wedding in December last year that it was agreed that a wedding for Macharia and Muthoni would be organised.

“I was the vice chairperson of the wedding committee and then became the chairperson of the funeral committee after she passed on”.


“Our plans were to have a mega wedding and it was shocking when she died just days to it”.

Lucy Wanjiru, Muthoni’s friend and neighbour, said they brought their children up together and shared a sisterhood.

Muthoni, she said, was a progressive woman who was always there to offer support when she needed it.

“When I got the news, to say that I was shocked would be an understatement. Our friendship spanned over 25 years,” she said.

Various groups that had prepared to perform during her wedding performed in the burial ceremony.

As they laid her to rest in her husband’s maternal home, mourners said it was God’s will and comforted her family.

Source: the-star.co.ke

Law and order, Malawi

Malawi Parliament chamber wear new face as UTM legislators split

Dorica Mtenje

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Malawi Parliament chamber’s seats have been covered with the country’s flag colors and computer monitors for each Member of Parliament (MP) to use during the session.

Speaker Catherine Gotani Hara said the business committee decided to change the cover seats since it has stayed for 10 years.

Hara however admitted that the house has lights problems but was quick to say technicians are fixing the fault.

Meanwhile, UTM legislators were divided on the first day of the session as ten members were seated on the opposition side while two anchors were on the government side.

UTM legislators moved to opposition benches including Symon Salambula, Katwafu Kaira, Chrispine Mphande, Kenneth Ndovie, Chrissie Kanyacho, Stevie Mikaya, Arthur Chipungu, Mwisho Chilikumtima, Jason Kaneka, and Sam Chirwa while duo working with the government are Bizwick Million and Susan Ndovie.

In an interview with Maravi Post, one of UTM lawmakers, Symon Salambula said the party announced that they are no longer in partnership with the government they wrote the speaker on their current status.

UTM announced its move from the alliance through its secretary General, Patrick Kaliati

On Monday, August 26, 2024, the Malawi Parliament commenced the 5th meeting of the National Assembly in the 50th session of Parliament.

Human Rights, Law and order

Lilongwe couple arrested for strangling child to death in ritual murder plot

Malawi News Agency (MANA)

By Sellah Chunda and Patience Longwe

LILONGWE-(MANA)-The Malawi Police Service (MPS) in Nathenje are keeping in custody a couple accused of strangling their  two year-old son to death in a gruesome plot to use his body for charms to gain wealth.

The incident occurred in Chikuwa Village, Traditional Authority Chitekwere (T.A), Lilongwe District.

The suspects, identified as Ivy Elinati (25) and Mphatso Nalinde (25), the child’s mother and stepfather, are alleged to have conspired to kill the boy after striking a deal with an unidentified Mozambican witch doctor. The witch doctor had reportedly promised the couple wealth if they provided him with their son’s dead body.

According to Lilongwe Police PRO Hastings Chigalu, the couple bade farewell to their relatives and friends at the husband’s home village, claiming they were traveling to Mozambique to visit other relations.

 However, their true intention was far more sinister— they planned to kill the child en route to Mozambique to fulfill the witch doctor’s demands.

After walking several kilometers, the couple reportedly lured their son into the bush, where they strangled him to death. However, when they contacted the witch doctor to inform him of their actions, he refused to proceed, claiming they had failed to perform certain rituals, making the body useless for the intended charms.

Fearing the consequences, the couple returned home with the deceased child, attempting to cover up the murder by claiming that the boy had suddenly become unconscious and died while strapped to his mother’s back. However, the village elders grew suspicious of their story and alerted the police.

A postmortem examination conducted at Nathenje Health Centre confirmed that the boy had died from suffocation due to strangulation.

The couple has been charged with murder and will face trial in court.

The suspects, Ivy Elinati, hails from Chimbwala Village, T/A Mlonyeni in Mchinji, while Mphatso Nalinde comes from Chikuwa Village, T/A Chitekwere in Lilongwe District.