Cassim Aubi

Cassim Aubi

The governments of Malawi and Tanzania have high hopes that the Songwe Hydro Power Plant they intend to jointly establish at the Lower Songwe River will boost their economic activities.

The neighbouring countries signed two Memorandums of Understanding to improve their energy sectors during a recent meeting of high-profile officials who met in the Tanzanian commercial city Dar es Salaam.

First, the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) and Tanzania's electricity company TANESCO signed an inter utility agreement for power trade.

This agreement, which was signed by ESCOM’s Chief Executive Officer Kamkwamba Kumwenda and his TANESCO counterpart Maharage Chande, will see the construction of transmission lines from Nkhoma in Lilongwe to Songwe for a power interconnection between the two countries.

The other agreement, signed between Malawi's minister of energy Ibrahim Matola and his Tanzanian counterpart January Makamba, worth $761 million is on an intergovernmental pact for collaboration of the two countries on the Songwe Hydropower and Malawi Tanzania Interconnector Project.

Matola said the projects, once completed, will help attract investors since they will be assured of stable power supply, thereby creating job opportunities for the citizens of Malawi.

“More investors will be interested to open their businesses in the northern part of Malawi, this will also create jobs for our people,” said Matola.

The Malawi energy minister said signing of the deals is a follow-up to engagements by heads of state from the two nations who recently had exchange visits.

“One of the key topics at the forefront of these discussions was the construction of the momentous Songwe Dam, a multi-purpose project that holds immense potential for both nations,” added Matola.

He also said the benefits of this energy cooperation extend beyond the boundaries of the two nations and that the impact will be felt throughout the region as it will contribute to the overall stability and progress of East Africa and South Africa through the Eastern African Power and Southern African Power Pool.

Makamba said that the MoUs gives direction and clear roadmap for the projects.

“The MoUs spell out the next steps... one is the formation of joint technical teams. Within one month, each country should appoint a team to start to work on implementation,” he said.

Other than the deals in the pipeline with Tanzania, Malawi also has an agreement to tap power from Mozambique.

That deal was launched by President Lazarus Chakwera and his Mozambican counterpart Filipe Nyusi in April 2022.

As climate change continues to impact negatively on farming in the country with most traditional cash crops not giving desired results, experts have been suggesting the need to promote other crops as a way of filling the gap.

A book titled Africa Magufuli and Change by a Malawian, Professor Malango Chinthenga, has attracted the interest of most East African countries including Tanzania and Kenya with the Tanzanians willing to have it translated into Kiswahiri. 

Malawi Kwacha Depreciates

Results of a foreign exchange auction hosted by the Reserve Bank of Malawi on June 19 have pushed the maximum selling price of USD1 to MWK1, 063.86 from MWK1, 036 effective Wednesday June 21st 2023.

A project on biogas and solar by a local firm, High Impel Energy Company, an arm of Nyasa Engineering Consultancy Limited has been selected as the best in the 2023 Fifth African Science, Technology and Innovation Forum held recently.

Shareholders of Salima Sugar Company Limited, which is under the Greenbelt Authority, have appointed a new board to oversee the operations of the company.

The hospitality industry is associated with peace and calm and fun. It is in the hotels and lodges where life is associated with tranquility and enjoyment – a near taste of the world hereafter.

The hospitality industry is largely associated with smiles, good food and happiness. But in this special assignment I find that behind all that sophistication, pomp and apparent sacred hospitality services, there are women in tears: tears of payments under the minimum wage; tears of sexual harassment perpetuated by both bosses and male guests.

In an attempt to address gender equality gaps that continue to leave many women and girls behind in development, activist and poet Tendai Shaba has collaborated with former President Dr Joyce Banda on a poem which calls for concerted efforts in curbing the vice.

The Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) has confirmed that it is yet to identify a Company to help in purifying alluvial gold the Central Bank is buying from artisanal and small scale miners in the country, over five months after announcing plans to engage the company for the exercise.

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