Results of the food security vulnerability assessment have revealed that 1 million four hundred and ninety-six thousand Malawians will face hunger during the 2020-2021 consumption year and will need food assistance.

Concerned with an erratic water supply that is affecting operations at Dedza District Hospital, Central Region Water Board has constructed two water storage tanks worth K6m.

Dedza will become the first district in Malawi to benefit from a $400,000 project that SADC is implementing in five countries through the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development in Southern Africa-CCARDESA and two other organisations.

Public Relations Officer for Roads Fund Administration Mr. Masauko Ngwaluko says all frequent road users like minibusses and people living within a ten-kilometer radius will qualify for discount when passing through toll gates.

Six students from Mtendere Boys Secondary School in Dedza were arrested on Saturday for being suspected to have set ablaze two offices at the school, Dedza Deputy Police Spokesperson Cassim Manda has told Zodiak Online.

For the second time, the National Registration Bureau has withdrawn 300 registration officers from the field where they were doing mass identity card replacement.

A group of Elderly people and Chiefs in the country are demanding the introduction of the old pension scheme they were promised, saying life is very tough for them in villages.

Some Chiefs in the country have expressed worry over the continued delay by government to pay them honorarium for 19 months now.

Concerned Chiefs from Dedza and Chikwawa for example have told Zodiak Online that the delay is affecting their livelihood.

"We have not received our honorarium for 19 months, they are not telling us what is causing the delay, this has affected us, we depend on this money to get our basic needs."

"It is unfortunate that despite the money we receive being very little, government is also delaying to pay us," said the chiefs.

The Concerned Chiefs in Dedza and Chikwawa for example told Zodiak online that village headmen receive K5000 and group Village Headmen K10,000 only per month but they are yet to receive their money for months.

The Chiefs said they feel under-appreciated despite undertaking a crucial role in the country's villages.

The Chiefs have also faulted government for paying chiefs through banks saying, the little money they receive is used for transport to and from the banks.

"We are worried as chiefs, we are paid honorarium through banks, for us to travel to and from the bank, we spend a lot of money for transport," said the chiefs.

Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Halima Daudi attributed the delay to failure by some Chiefs to open bank accounts.

"Some Chiefs have not opened bank accounts that is why they are not receiving honorarium but their money is available."

"As government, we are considering to start paying chiefs through Airtel money or Mpamba," said the chiefs.

Meanwhile, the chiefs have faulted Government for introducing a system of paying their honorarium through banks before consulting them.

Malawi Girl Guides Association (MAGGA) has embarked on a MK6.2 billion kwacha project aimed at improving the sexual and reproductive health rights of teen mothers and adolescent girls in central region districts of Dedza and Mchinji.

Some Malawians have expressed interest to develop a new low-cost passenger airline and make it affordable for Malawians and serving domestic flights within the country on routes that have not been served in recent times.

The spokesperson for the group Mr. John Mkumba has confirmed the development to Zodiak online.

"The company will create jobs in all airports in Malawi, we will look at bringing back Malawian pilots and we shall also make direct flights from places like Mzuzu to other neighboring countries in the future," said Mkumba.

Mkumba said the group will obtain a license by the fourth quarter of 2021 and commence flights between Lilongwe, Blantyre, and Mzuzu.

He added that the airline will be able to provide safe, reliable, and affordable air transport to travelers and also provide an important boost to the national economy.