Online Journalist
In a bid to help economically sustain lives of people with visual impairment, the Malawi Union of the Blind plans to provide livestock in Karonga for a pass-on program that should benefit over a hundred visually impaired people.
Malawi Union of the Blind Project Officer, Violet Baleti, says the idea comes from observing that people with virtual impairment are not incorporated in social protection programs which makes them continue living in abject poverty.
This came out in Karonga during a capacity building training on self-esteem and livestock management.
“What we are going to do now is secure livestock that will be given to these people and as the animals breed, they will be passed to the members.
“We believe this way the members will be helped to be independent economically,” says Baleti.
Opposition Democratic Progressive Party National Director of Operations, Reverend Mwai Kamuyambeni says he has quit the position and the party with immediate effect.
But Kamuyambeni, a former legislator for Ntcheu West constituency, refused to discuss his next destination as a politician.
“I am thankful to President Peter Mutharika for giving me an opportunity to learn politics in the DPP.
“It is now time for me to move on and use what I have learnt to serve people of Malawi in another capacity.
“I shall be disclosing where I will be next in the next few days,” he said.
In the meantime, DPP spokesperson, Brown Mpinganjira says he does not immediately have a comment on the development as he was yet to see the official communication.
Since the loss Mutharika suffered at the June fresh presidential election, senior members of the party have been jumping ship to the opposition UTM, MCP and Aford.
This is coming at a time a leadership fight is emerging in the party with calls for an elective convention.
DPP vice president for the South Kondwani Nankhumwa and the party vice president for the centre, Uladi Mussa, are said to be the interested prospective party presidency contenders.
Inkosi ya Makhosi Gomani 5, the Ngoni leader in Ntcheu says child marriages are on the rise in his jurisdiction and he will re-engage traditional leaders under him to ensure that the vice is eliminated.
Gomani V, who is a World Vision ambassador on end child marriage campaign, told a chiefs’ council in Ntcheu yesterday the trend is worrisome.
“We have a responsibility to ensure that this is put to an end. That every child is in school not married.
“All traditional leaders here will need to know this and do something about it now not later,” says Inkosi Gomani the 5th.
But Vice chairperson for Ntcheu Health Service Committee, Councilor Ezra Mike, says communities there are resisting efforts to end the vice.
“It is unfortunate that some communities are reacting this way,” says Mike.
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.
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.
The on-going parliamentary by-election campaign in has exposed CFT membership political allegiance which has potential to split the renowned political pressure group.
Some CFT leaders convened a press briefing in Lilongwe on Tuesday to attempt to explain that as a group, the political grouping is supporting the MCP in the current campaign.
However, there is an off-shoot CFT group in Karonga district that has openly said it is supporting the UTM.
CFT leaders Timothy Mtambo, who is also minister of Civic Education and National Unity has openly backed the MCP in the on-going parliamentary by-elections campaign.
UTM and MCP went to June polls together in what has come to be called the Tonse Alliance to unseat President Peter Mutharika and Mtambo used the CFT to help campaign for the Tonse Alliance.
The successful mission resulted in MCP leader Dr. Lazarus Chakwera becoming the state president and UTM president Dr. Saulos Chilima becoming the state vice president.
The two political parties now face off in by-elections in five constituencies where each hopes to carry the day.
The electricity supply cooperation of Malawi (ESCOM) in Ntchisi has lost 32 poles that were burnt by fire on Wednesday night by unknown people in the district.
Young people in Mangochi have decried the tendency by NGOs operating in the district of implementing interventions that do not address problems faced by the youths, thereby slowing down efforts to end child marriage and teen pregnancies.
UNFPA UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, has announced plans to build a new operating theatre at Mangochi maternity hospital to cater for pregnant women who are COVID-19 positive.
FIFA Assistant Referee Clemence Kanduku is attending a 5-day CAF Elite B Referees Online course organized by the African Football governing body.
