13th January Anti-NacGate Demonstrations No Link with Global Fund Mission

13^th January Anti-NacGate Demonstrations No Link with Global Fund Mission

Government says no link between the upcoming Global Fund Mission between January 13 and 20, 2015 and the January 13, 2015 demonstrations by Anti-NAC Gate Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

Nankhumwa: No link

Currently there are reports that Global Fund has suspended its aid to Malawi following information that National Aids Commission (NAC) without proper procedures funded first lady’s Beautify Malawi Trust (BEAM) and Mulhakho Wa Alhomwe institutions not directly linked to HIV/AIDS response. And now CSOs are holding demonstrations on same dates demanding the two institutions to refund the money.

In a statement Kondwani Nankhumwa Minister of Information, Tourism and Culture assured that there is ABSOLUTELY no connection between the two events as the purpose of the Global Fund Mission is to provide feedback and discuss the latest draft TB/HIV and Malaria concept notes and implementation arrangements.

“One of the critical aspects of the process is engagement of relevant stakeholders. This forms part of the assessment of the eligibility of any country’s concept notes. The Civil Society is particularly given prominence in as far as stakeholder involvement in the process is concerned.” Explained the minister

Ant NAC Gate CSOs: Demanding Mulhakho and BEAM to refund
the funds to NAC

He said the mission is routine and the last Global Fund Mission happened three months ago in September 2014 and this Mission too had engagements with CSO representatives as part of both TB/HIV and Malaria concept notes writing teams.

However, in the statement Government says does not completely rule out discussion on the recent developments during the Global Fund’s meeting with the CSOs as members of the Mission may still want to hear their side of the story.

The Minister also confirmed government position on this mission by quoting an email message from the Executive Secretary of the Malawi Global Fund Coordinating Committee to all stakeholders informing them about the Mission.

In the latter to all stakeholders Executive Secretary for Malawi Global Fund Coordinating Committee Secretariat, Victor Chayamba informed all stakeholders about the Mission exactly as government statement is indicating.

Reads the letter

Dear all,

I would like to report that there will be a Global Fund Country Team mission to Malawi from 13 to 20 January 2015. The aim of the mission is to discuss the latest drafts of the joint TB/HIV and malaria concept notes and implementation arrangements. This is in alignment with the change in the New Funding Model where the Global Fund plays an active role in concept note preparation. The delegation will include disease advisors for Tuberculosis and HIV and an HSS expert. Find attached the schedule of meetings for your preparation. Note that this will note derail our road map for finalizing the concept notes. You are kindly requested to plan to be available for these important meetings.

Warm regards,

Victor Chayamba,

Executive Secretary,

Malawi Global Fund Coordinating Committee Secretariat.

Malawi Congress Party Mourns Tembo’s Wife

Malawi Congress Party Mourns Tembo’s Wife

Chakwera

Malawi congress Party (MCP) has described the death of wife of its former president Honorable John Tembo as a great loss to one of the party’s great pillars.

Ruth Tembo wife to former Leader of opposition and president for MCP John Tembo passed away in the night of 5^th January 2015 after a short illness.

In a press statement Leader of Opposition and incumbent president for MCP hon Dr. Lazarus Chakwera said “I am deeply saddened to announce on behalf of the Malawi Congress Party the passing of our dearly loved mother, Mrs Mamaria Ruth Tembo, wife to our former president Rt. Hon J.Z.U. Tembo, who passed on to be with the Lord in the late hours of 5^th January 2015.”

“She has been a woman of great outstanding virtue not only to Rt. Hon. Tembo but to us all the Malawi Congress Party and the entire nation of Malawi. On behalf of the Malawi Congress Party family, and on my own behalf, I convey our heartfelt condolences to Rt. Hon J.ZU. Tembo, the children and the entire family both here at home and in Lesotho” Reads the announcement

MCP leader in the statement has also appealed to all members of MCP and the nation of Malawi to observe a period of mourning from today 6^th January, 2015 until the day of her being laid to rest.

Kabwila

In an interview with MCP spokesperson hon. Dr Jessie Kabwila described late Ruth Tembo as a great woman and her demised is a great loss to those whom she inspired and to the party.

“She was a pillar of Malawi Congress Party, she supported the party and has greatly supported both women and youth in Malawi Congress Party in many ways” she said, and added that this is time to mourn Mrs Tembo and remember her life.

Royal Family Member Hang Himself When Elders Fined Him K500

Royal Family Member Hang Himself When Elders Fined Him K500

Kaponda: the fine did not go well with the deceased

Police in Dowa district says a man hanged himself when disappointed with a K500 fine for being late at community fundraising farming.

Sergeant Richard kaponda Dowa Police Public relations Officer confirmed to FM 101 that the man aged 44 Harold Kang’oma from a royal family and used to perform village headman roles in the village has over the weekend hanged himself to a tangerine tree.

He said the deceased was fined K500 for being late at a fundraising farming activity meant to raise money for buying hoes to be used at the village graveyard.

Sgt Kaponda said the elders imposed the fine to the deceased for lesson to others.

“The deceased did not pay the imposed fine and was later on 3^rd January 2015 found dead hanging to a tangerine tree” said the police officer and said medical report indicates that the death was due to suffocation.

The deceased was from Chimgwetseni village of T/A Chiwere in Dowa district.

Red Cross, Politicians Respond To Victims of Thunderstorm At Kauma as Bisnowaty Appeals for More Help

Red Cross, Politicians Respond To Victims of Thunderstorm At Kauma as Bisnowaty Appeals for More Help

Various institution and groups of people are now responding with relief items to families whose houses were damaged by thunderstorm that hit in some parts of Lilongwe on Friday night of 2^nd January.

On Monday at Kauma in the capital city Lilongwe, Red Cross brought to the victims 200 tarpaulin’s, former Member of Parliament for Kasungu Central Constituency Ken Kandodo brought some food items and household materials, and also of Department of Disaster Management distributed some plastic sheets.

In the same day, Leader of Opposition and president for Malawi Congress Party (MCP) Dr. Lazarus Chakwera also visited Kauma area to appreciate the magnitude of the damage made by the storm “I came here to see for myself and encourage people. I felt greatly touched, shocked at the same time, but am thankful that the resilience of the people and those that have come out to help will add on to softening the devastations effect”

Ken Kandodo while urging others to assist victims in the area as well as other areas that have been affected by the storm said “I came here with these items just to try to alleviate some of the problems that these people are going through at the moment”

But, Member of Parliament for the area Lilongwe City Centre honorable David Bisnowaty said he is overwhelmed that people are now coming in to his constituency to assist following his appeal made hours after the incident happened.

“Am now happy that we are now taking some very serious actions following this incident” he said while thanking Kandodo for his gesture.

He added that earlier in the day he has had some discussions with City Council on how the city can quicken its response to such natural disasters. He also mentioned that the meeting also looked at other measures like planting of trees in the city and setting house standards to prevent future occurrence of similar disaster as most affected houses seem to be those that were not of up to standards.

He further appealed to all well wishers and international community like United Nations to come and help the victims with tents, clothes and food as items most needed at the moment.

Baxter Simoko one of the victims said he is more grateful that he has received tarpaulin and some household items. Like hon. Bisnowaty Simoko also asked for more help like big tents that can accommodate his family of three children and have privacy where children and parents can have their separate rooms.

“My house was completely destroyed I’m now living in a school block meant for Early Childhood Development classes.” He said, “We are sharing the block with other five families we just demarcated the class using some bamboos.”

“Am not sure if am building a house this year,” he added, “if I do then it will be a very small one because I don’t have anything now, everything was destroyed, and clothes that you are seeing me putting on was given by a friend”

The estimated number of victims of Friday night thunderstorm is at 392 families according to list of names of victims collected by Hon. Bisnowaty.

Kauma Rainstorm Death Toll Reaches 2

Kauma Rainstorm Dath Tll Reaches 2

The rainstorm that destroyed houses in Lilongwe has claimed another life at Kauma. Samson Chirwa a father of three children has died after falling from a roof top of friend’s house trying to repair it from damage caused by the storm.

In Lilongwe the recorded death due to the thunderstorm that happened in the night of Friday 2^nd January 2015 was of a 10 year old Sakira Banda who was electrocuted after stepping on a fallen ESCOM live-wire as she escaped when the roof to her house was being blown-off.

But as of Sunday morning people in the area were also mourning a man whose deaths was the result of the damage brought by the storm.

According to the deceased’s cousin Dickson Tchongwe, on Saturday morning Samson Chirwa left work unfinished of fixing damaged roof of one of his houses to help fix three damaged roof sheets of a friend’s house.

“He climbed to the roof of the house and had a hammer in his hand.” explained Chirwa’s cousin, “As he tried to repair on one roof sheets the hammer slipped from his hand and fell on the floor. He was trying to look down when he suddenly lost his foothold on some timbers and down he went, sliding, falling on a cement floor and smashed back of his head.”

Tchongwe said the back of deceased head started to swell rapidly and was rushed to Kamuzu Central Hospital where he died upon arrival. He said his remains were taken on Monday afternoon to his home village of T/A Maulawo in Mzimba district where the burial is expected to take place on Tuesday.

But Tchongwe said police were informed of the accident when the officials at Kamuzu Hospital insisted that family members should get police clearance first before taking remains of Chirwa from the hospital mortuary because the accident that lead to this death require police report.

The raging thunderstorm on Friday night damage and demolish more than 200 houses at Kauma leaving many people homeless. High winds knocked down the trees, cutting power in the process leaving electric wires and poles lying on the ground and some roofing sheets landed on electric poles and some in the trees.

Some victims said starting around 02:00 hours of Saturday when the storm blew off their home roofs they remained outside soaking in the rains till around morning hours when the rains stopped.

Same night the thunderstorm also hit some parts of the country. It also left 3 children from one family dead after being hit by lightning in Kasungu District and also in Karonga 6 people were injured.

APM Condole With Families Affected By Thunderstorm

APM Condole With Families Affected By Thunderstorm

President of the Republic of Malawi Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has send condolences to the families that have lost their relatives killed in heavy thunderstorm that began in the night of Friday till the morning hours of Saturday.

In a press statement signed by Deputy Presidential Press Secretary Timpunza  Mwansambo says president Mutharika deeply regrets the fatal accident caused by the thunderstorm that has hit parts of the country in the night of 2nd of January 2015.

The damage has left 3 children from one family dead after being hit by lightning in Kasungu District and in Lilongwe at Kauma, where Sakira Banda was electrocuted after stepping on a fallen ESCOM live-wire as she escaped when the roof to her house was being blown-off and also in Karonga where 6 people were injured.

“The President and Government extend their deepest condolences to the families of the victims of these fatal accidents, the Chiefs and the entire nation. Government pledges its support in these trying times to the affected families. May the souls of all the victims rest in eternal peace” reads the statement dated 3^rd January 2015

“The president is also very saddened to hear of injuries sustained and loss of property to our brothers and sisters In Lilongwe’s Area 49, 51, Kauma and surrounding areas. In Karonga, T/A Wasambo where 3 villages have been affected with more than 200 houses having their roofs blown-off and in T/A Kyungu’s area 1 village and dozens houses affected, leaving many people homeless.”

“The president expresses his sympathy and his thoughts are with all the affected. The Government will do all it can to assist those affected. May peace and comfort find you during this difficult time”

Having recognized the magnitude of this problem statement also said President Mutharika is pleading with all those residing in flood prone areas like in the lower shire districts of Nsanje and Chikwawa and other similar parts of the country to immediately relocate to upper areas to avoid flood- generated accidents as we are in the on-set of the rainy season.

The statement is also informing people that Salima-Nkhotakota road is impassable from a wash-away at Khombedza about 17 Kms from Salima Boma.

10 Year Old Girl Killed In Electrocution As Heavy Storm Damage Hundreds Of Homes at Kauma

10 Year Old Girl Killed In Electrocution As Heavy Storm Damage Hundreds Of Homes at Kauma

A 10 year old girl at Kauma in the capital city Lilongwe was electrocuted while trying to escape together with her family from their house ripped off the roof by strong winds during heavy rains on early Saturday morning.

The rainstorm also damaged and demolishes more than 200 houses in the area leaving many homeless.

The girl Sakira Banda a standard 4 pupil at Kauma primary school was pronounced dead by Lilongwe Police officer’s who rushed to the scene when some residents reported the matter to police.

She was severely shocked when curled by ESCOM live wire hanging on its pole just outside her home at Kauma. The energized wire was cut when a blown off iron sheet roof of one of the nearby house landed on the electric wires forcing the wire to cut and lie on the round.  

“The child together with her parents and other children rushed out from the house when the roof was being ripped off by the winds.” Said a man who stays few feet away from the victims house and saw the incident happening, “That time the cable was sparking and arcing on the ground from that electric pole (pointing at the pole outside the house lived by the girl) but she girl run towards the wire as she escaped from the house. Unfortunately, the wire as it moved by the wind touched her and froze there immediately”

He said the girl was in her blanket soaked by the rains when the storm blew off roof of their house.

Around 02:00 hours on Saturday heavy winds damaged and destroyed some houses and a CCAP church in the area, with many roofing sheets of schools and churches ripped off. Kauma Primary School roof portions and teachers houses, Adziwa Orphanage Centre School block roofs have been blown off.

When I visited the area around 07:00hours victims were seen collecting roofs sheets lying along the streets, some organizing their soaked furniture’s and clothes, and others were on top of their houses trying to reconstruct the roofs.

High winds knocked down the trees, cutting power in the process leaving electric wires and poles lying on the ground and some roofing sheets landed on electric poles and in the trees.

Some victims said starting around 02:00 hours of Saturday when the storm blew off their home roofs they remained outside soaking in the rains up around morning when the rains stopped.

Though the storm has caused damages particularly on property however, Police said they have recorded very few serious injuries from the incident.