News In Brief (894)
Parliament Pass 2020/21 National Budget Pegged at MK2.1 Trillion
Parliament has on Wednesday 14th October passed the 2020/21 national budget with Minister of Finance Felix Mlusu assuring Malawians that now implementation of some development initiatives as promised by the Tonse Government will start.
Woman 31, Killed by Hyena in Mzimba
A woman has died and 7 others have sustained various degrees of injuries after being attacked by a marauding hyena at Kamangadazi Makamo village in the area of Inkosi Mmbelwa in Mzimba district.
Salima District Hospital 31 Years No Rehabilitation
Salima District Hospital constructed 31 years ago is now in a dilapidated state and the district council which should attend to this is resource-constrained.
Mzimba Storms Blow-off Roof-tops
Saturday stormy rains in Mzimba have blown-off roof-tops for numerous houses in the area of Inkosi ya Makosi Mmbelwa including the Edingeni Community Day Secondary School.
Zodiak has been informed that a lot more other property has been destroyed in the area.
Chimwemwe Chisi, a teacher at Edingeni CDSS, said among the damaged property are 21 computers, books in the library and other teaching and learning materials which were soaked in water.
Meanwhile, Faith Longwe, a Relief and Rehabilitation Officer for the disaster office at the Mmbelwa district council, says the office will assess extent of the damage Monday or Tuesday to recommend action.
Neno Youth Centre Construction Starts Soon
The Minister of Youth and Sports Ulemu Msungama has warned the contractor for the Neno Integrated Youth Centre, under the Job for Youth project against poor workmanship and corruption.
The minister said on Saturday his desire is to see actual designs on the ground so youth of Neno acquire entrepreneurial and technical skills as part of one million jobs creation agenda.
The Managing Director for Magalasi Construction Company, Room Gombwa, assured the minister of quality works and to include local communities in the workforce.
Malawi Journalists Taking TB Head-on
Journalists Association Against Aids has launched an initiative to lobby for the procurement of TB diagnosis equipment in district hospitals across the country.
JournalAids program manager, Dingani Mithi, said investigations showed that most district hospitals cannot diagnose TB at an early stage due to inadequate equipment.
Diagnosis of TB at an early stage is crucial to effective treatment.
Mulli Ignorant Govt Cancelled Contract
Mulli Brothers Limited claims it has not been furnished with official communication on the termination of its contract to supply items for the Affordable Inputs Programme.
Managing Director of the company, Leston Mulli, told us today that the company will map the way forward on the matter once it gets official communication, but in the meantime will not stop preparing for the AIP.
Early this month, the government announced it had terminated the contract to a due to an alleged debt of K2.5bn which Mulli apparently owes the government.
The government does not say how the two issues are linked.
Neno Youths in Reproductive Health Quandary
It has emerged that the majority of young people and youths in Neno district are failing to access Youth Friendly Health Services due to Covid-19 restrictions and some cultural beliefs discouraging use of contraceptives among this age group.
Neno district Youth Friendly Health Services Coordinator, Antony Sandiyang'ane, said Tuesday there is a growing need for civic education in the area to stop the vice.
The antenatal register at Neno district hospital alone, shows that there have been over a thousand teen pregnancies since Covid-19 struck the district six months ago.
“These young people need urgent help. Their very lives are at stake,” Sandiyang'ane says.
Court Stops Police Crack-Down on Residents
Residents of Mzuzu have secured a court injunction against the Malawi Police Service demolishing their houses located at Nambo area.
Lawyer for the residents, Lenard Mbulo, says the injunction stops effect of an earlier court order of September 18th by the Mzuzu magistrate court for the demolition of the structures.
Ntcheu Courts Slap Man With 15 Years for Defilement
A magistrate court in Ntcheu has ordered a man sent to jail for 15 years for defiling a stepped daughter aged 12.
George James, 42, pleaded not guilty to the offence before Ntcheu Senior Resident Magistrate Yohane Munthali who convicted him.
Ntcheu police spokesperson, Hastings Chigalu, says James did what he did on 3rd August, 2020 at Zidana Village, Inkosi Kwataine in the district.
“The state paraded witnesses to secure the conviction,” said Chigalu.
In mitigation, James pleaded with court for leniency saying he was a first offender.
However, state through police prosecutor, Brazio Kambalame asked court for a stiffer punishment arguing that prevalence of defilement was high in the district.
Senior Resident Magistrate Munthali said he thought a 15-year-old jail term was adequate to send a warning shot to would-be offenders.
George James, hails from Chepa village, Traditional Authority Kwataine in Ntcheu.
