John Paul Kayuni

John Paul Kayuni

The Ministry of Health will include the malaria vaccine in its childhood immunization programs after the World Health Organization (WHO) approved the Mosquirix malaria vaccine for use following years of testing in three African countries.

The National Malaria Control Program says it will discuss with donors for a possible extension of time for the Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) Program which has proved to be effective in the fight against malaria.

The Malawi Police Service Administration has interdicted nine police officers for professional misconduct in the manner they handled the reported missing and death of a 20-year-old person with albinism Ian Muhamba in Blantyre last month.

Farmers from two Farmer Field Schools (FFSs) in Nkhotakota were all smiles on Wednesday when the Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM) donated solar water pumps to help them irrigate their crops during winter cropping.

The Nkhotakota District Council has challenged Traditional and Faith Leaders in the district to champion correct Covid-19 information dissemination that will inspire their subjects to get vaccinated and strictly adhere to the pandemic set preventive measures.

Security Experts have faulted the country’s security institutions for allowing a group of party youth who are civilians to run along the Presidential Motorcade describing the conduct as unprofessional and a threat to the President’s security.

Brigadier General Misheck Chirwa (retired) and Sheriff Kaisi were reacting to Tuesday events when Malawi Congress Party (MCP) youth clad in black uniforms disregarded the security detail and run along President Lazarus Chakwera’s convoy.

Video clips that have gone viral on social media show men in black combat uniforms and red MCP branded berets running alongside the Presidential Motorcade, apparently providing security to the first citizen which Brigadier General Chirwa (retired) and Kaisi condemn as a security flaw that should not be condoned.

According to Brigadier General Chirwa (retired), currently teaching security studies at Mzuzu University, the police and army should not have allowed this to happen.

He added that it is a security concern considering that there are security institutions that are supposed to take care of the safety and security of the President.

“Where were the police and army? It seems we are going back to the old days when we had security institutions not approved by parliament.”

Another security analyst Kaisi, a former MDF soldier, says “clearly, the security institutions have failed to do their job.”

He concurs with Brigadier General Chirwa (retired) that constitutionally only the police and army are mandated to provide security for the president.

Kaisi was quick to say not every police officer or soldier does that, “special training given to those guarding the President.”

“Look at how they were running, very close to the President’s convoy and in a disorderly manner. That was total chaos. We don’t want to have a situation where one is run over by the convoy.”

Malawi Police Service National Spokesperson James Kadadzera asked for more time before commenting.

MCP Deputy Spokesperson Ezekiel Ching’oma admitted that the people seen in the video are MCP youth. He however said they were not providing security to the President.

“The people, including the youth and women were running towards the Bingu International Convention Centre BICC where President Lazarus Chakwera was to hold a rally. It is just unfortunate that it looked like they were providing security.”

He further said the party’s Director of Youth Richard Chimwendo Banda who is also minister of Homeland Security has condemned what happened.

“Having noted what happened, the Party’s Director of Youth called the leaders of those that were running along the Presidential Convoy and told them never to do it again.” Said Ching’oma.

The Constitution of Malawi mandates the Police and Military to provide security for the president.

A consortium of Civil Society Organisations against corruption has petitioned President Lazarus Chakwera to fire Energy Minister Newton Kambala and his Aide on Strategy and Manifesto Implementation Chris Chaima Banda who are suspected of corruption.

The Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has challenged the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to successfully prosecute and secure court convictions for corrupt senior government officials saying that is what Malawians expect and not merely arresting suspects.

Health experts have said the Indian manufactured Oxford AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine remains safe for use despite that the European Union (EU) has excluded it from the list of recommended vaccines on its Covid Vaccination Passport.

Four people have died while several others have been injured in Nkhotakota when a vehicle they were traveling in got involved in an accident on the M18 Nkhufi road inside Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve on Monday.

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