Food and Supplies Crisis Looms at Dzaleka Refugees Camp
A food and supplies crisis could soon hit the Dzaleka refugees camp in Dowa district with government disclosing that it is only remaining with supplies that could last four months.
Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng’oma attributed this to a recent decision by the World Food Program which has cut to 50% all food and supplies assistance towards refugees.
He said this at a press briefing in Lilongwe yesterday, where he appealed for support.
“The World Food Program has reduced from 75% to 50% the supplies of food stuffs to the refugee camps in Malawi with effect 1st August, 2023. This will have an effect on our part because it will now be like a bottleneck for the government. This is why we urge everyone to help us, so that we can lobby donors.
“The supplies that we have will last up to 31st December 2023. We need to find a way that we should be able to support the refugees beyond that period,” said the minister.
At the briefing, the minister also said government will continue with the refugees relocation exercise. But he admitted that at the moment, the exercise has been hit by funding challenges as his department has not been able to get all the allocated funding for the exercise from the treasury.
Ng’oma also fired a warning shot to all refugees that have returned to towns and cities, that they have seven days to return to Dzaleka, failing which the government will be compelled to revoke their asylum and refugee status.
“We are giving all refugees that have returned to cities and towns to return to Dzaleka Refugees camp within seven days. If they do not comply with this notice, they will revoke their status and deport them out of this country. Everyone must return and follow proper procedures for conducting business in Malawi. You cannot be operating a business in the country illegally,” Ng’oma said.
Meanwhile, Executive Director for Center of Democracy and Development Initiatives (CDEDI) Sylvester Namiwa says this is a key indication, that the refugees do not need to be condemned into camps, as a good number of them can feed themselves.
“We warned the government to stop that exercise for the following reasons; first, it lacks merit and that it made no sense, Africans victimizing fellow Africans. Why would the government force them into very congested camps? People that were self-reliant? The same government that is failing to feed its prisoners and its citizens, how would it feed the refugees?” asked Namiwa.
Dzaleka refugees camp in Dowa district currently has over 50 000 refugees against a holding capacity of not more than 14 000 refugees.
Spotlight Initiative Leaves a Mark in MHG
Authorities in Machinga have disclosed that 1909 girls from 22 traditional authorities have been withdrawn from early marriages since the inception of the European Union and United Nations funded Spotlight Initiative (SI) in the district in 2019.
MCA Withdrawals DStv Services in Malawi
A legal battle between the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) and MultiChoice Malawi (MCM) over DStv tariffs’ adjustment has led to the withdrawal of DStv services in Malawi with immediate effect.
Man Dies after Tractor Overturns in Nkhata-Bay
A 33-year-old man identified as Oris Jeke has died in Nkhata-Bay after the horse of a tractor he was operating overturned and rested on him.
The accident, according to NKhata-Bay police spokesperson, Sergeant Kondwani James, occurred yesterday afternoon within Vizara Rubber plantation in the district.
"At the material time, Jeke was operating a company tractor registration number NB 8217 John Deere within South Chombe rubber plantation field with three passengers on board," said James.
He added that upon arrival at field 86, as he was descending a slope, a metal bar that joins a trailer to the horse (drawbar) got broken, leading to disconnection of the two parts.
James further added; "The trailer started rolling behind the horse and eventually hit the horse, forcing it to overturn, which in the end rested on him and following the impact, he sustained severe head and internal injuries."
Jeke hailed from Traditional Authority Mkumbira in the district. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at Nkhata-Bay District Hospital, while the three passengers sustained minor injuries and were treated at the same hospital as out-patients.
MultiChoice Africa Withdraw DStv Services in Malawi, Describes Malawi Hostile Business Environment
MultiChoice Africa Holdings has decided to immediately withdrawal DStv services from Malawi following the High Court injunction in the matter between MultiChoice Malawi and the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA).
"MCM does not offer the DStv service to the public and therefore cannot set or adjust tariffs for this service, a point repeatedly made to MACRA. As a result, the order handed down to MCM is incapable of being implemented by them but carries with it grave consequences for the directors and management of MultiChoice Malawi, including imprisonment," reads a part of the statement by MultiChoice Africa.
The matter in court is about Macra objecting to adjustment to DStv tariffs for which MAH describes Malawi as "an increasingly adverse regulatory environment" that has left it with no option but terminate DStv service indefinitely.
MAH has since asked customers to halt payment for the DStv service.
Area 18B Residents Mad after Damaged Sewer Pipe Goes Weeks Not Fixed
Residents of Area 18B in Lilongwe have expressed concern over unattended sewer pipe which leaked two months ago but the responsible authorities have turned a blind eye. According to the residents around the place, the sewer pipe has been producing a bad smell which forces the residents to always be indoors.
Kalua Appointed UN Resident Coordinator for Samoa
A Malawian Themba Kalua has been appointed as United Nations Resident Coordinator for Samoa, this according to a statement released on Monday on the United Nations website. Kalua who resumed his new role effective August 5th, becomes first Malawian in recent history to have moved that high in the UN hierarchy.
Apart from Samoa, he will also be coordinating UN Development operations in three other countries in the Pacific region block including Cooks Islands, Niue and Tokelau.
Before his appointment, kalua has worked for a number of UN organizations including UN Women in South Africa, Kenya, and New York.
He also worked for the UN Environment program, UNDP, and World Food Program WFP.
Kalua 43 says he is humbled with the appointment and has since encouraged Malawians especially the youths not to look down upon themselves but to aim high.
'Am greatly humbled by this appointment, and I promise to serve and represent my country well. Let me also encourage youths, that they should not look down upon themselves, they can achieve more, I did my primary and secondary education in public schools in Malawi, went to a public university, Polytechnic, now (MUBAS). And this should encourage someone that everyone has the potential to achieve more in life," Said Kalua.
Human rights and development advocate Michael Kaiyatsa says Kaluas appointment is a sign that Malawi as a country has something to offer to the world.
"As a country we should be proud of what this son of the soil and many others have achieved. This also tells that as a country we have people that are being competed for at the global level, and that Malawi has something to offer to the world," he said.
Among other roles, UN Resident Coordinators are responsible of leading the UN country team in the development, monitoring and reporting on the UN corporation framework; representing the UN at the highest levels of state and also coordinating UN system-wide support to government.
Currently the UN has 130 resident coordinators worldwide that are servicing 162 countries’ and territories.
Old Mutual Malawi Launches First Financial Education Podcast
Old Mutual (Malawi) Limited has become the first financial service provider in the country to launch a financial education podcast, dubbed “On The Money”. According to information sourced on the organisation’s website; the first episode features Old Mutual's Group Chief Executive Officer, Edith Jiya, and Old Mutual's Financial Education expert Benard Chiluzi as a permanent guest.
Jehovah's Witnesses Intensifies Bible-Based Education
The Jehovah’s Witness has encouraged reading and writing through a free Bible Education Program in the country.
CFTC Issues Cease and Desist Trader Order to 16 Cement Traders
The Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) has issued a cease and desist order to 16 traders for over charging cement. CFTC Spokesperson Innocent Helema has told Zodiak Online that this follows ongoing investigations into the matter as tasked by the Ministry of Trade.
Misunderstandings Over Employment, Promotions Erupt in Civil Service
There is growing resentment in the corridors of the civil service where top technocrats are questioning a sudden pattern of what they call “unprocedural employment, promotions and redeployments”.
Anti-Same Sex Marriages Petition Not Yet Tabled in Parliament
Barely a month after petitioning the government to protect the what they called sacred institution of marriage, some religious bodies say they are optimistic that their petition will be tabled in parliament before the current sitting winds up.
Chakwera Implores Malawians to Work Hard
President Lazarus Chakwera has implored Malawians to embrace the culture of hard work for the country to develop, saying doing so would help in fulfilling provisions of the development blueprint, Malawi 2063.
Malnutrition, Maternal and Neonatal Deaths, Thorny Issues After Cyclone Freddy
Mary Mpemba is a mother of six children. She hails from Chidothi village in the area of Traditional Authority Mulumbe in Zomba.
Debt Stifles Implementation of MW 2063
A country Climate and Development Report by the World Bank says Malawi’s rising debt could stifle efforts to implement the national development blueprint - Malawi 2063 - especially in financing climate-change-related actions.
Chirumba Barracks Roadblock Staying Put – Government
Government says it will not remove the checkpoint at Chirumba Barracks in Karonga where some traders have been complaining of mistreatment by soldiers when they transport their goods.