Govt Procures More Maize Expected To Last April

Malawi Government says ADMARC has procured additional stocks of maize bringing the total stocks of maize to 50, 500 (Fifty Thousand and Five Hundred) Metric Tons which is enough to feed the country up to April this year.

Allan Chiyembekeza

Minister of Agriculture, Allan Chiyembekeza disclosed this in Lilongwe on Monday evening at a joint press conference held with minister of Information Jappie Mhango to update the nation on the food situation.

Chiyembekeza said the new stocks of maize were procured after 59, 428 (Fifty Nine Thousand Four Hundred and Twenty Eight) Metric Tons of maize which Government procured through ADMARC and another bought from Zambia had only remained to 9000 Metric tons.

“This country has enough maize. It can last up to April this year if unscrupulous traders do not interfere with this maize” Assured Chiyembekeza who called Malawians to be watchful of irresponsible traders who may intend to buy that maize with intent to sell later at high prices.

Chiyembekeza explained that 59,428 Metric tons of maize set aside for ADMARC was near completion as ADMARC had remained with 9000 Metric tons by last week. He therefore said Government in collaboration with ADMARC has quickly procured additional maize which has now accumulated to 50,500 Metric tons.

He said the distribution matrix of the new stocks of maize is that, Southern Region has been allocated with 25, 833 Metric tons, while Central Region will have 16, 833 and Northern Region will get allocation of 8, 417 metric tons.

Chiyembekeza indicated that when the stocks were at 9 thousand metric tons, government procured at first 4 thousand metric tons then procured additional 12 thousand metric tons and 8 thousand metric tons. He said later ADMARC also procured 30 thousand metric tons.


He also indicated that buying rations remain unchanged to 20 Kg fearing that if it opens up too much, unscrupulous traders will take advantage.

Unlike the previous stocks which its distribution faced logistical issues, Chiyembekeza has assuringly said this time around there will be no such problems. 

“We tried to make sure that maize is available across the country but we faced logistical challenges. Most transporters were involved in distribution of farm input subsidy and food from World Food Programme so it was difficult for ADMARC to find transporters to distribute maize.”  He said adding that transporters were also denying to accept their big trucks to ferry maize into rural areas because of poor road networks and therefore few transporters with small trucks were ones involved in transporting small amounts of maize into rural markets

Poor roads like this broken bridge prevented
Transportation of maize to ADMARC selling depots

“Am pleased to note that now things are normalizing as most of the trucks that were involved ferrying farm input materials have now finished and are starting to transport ADMARC maize into all depots.” He said

The Agriculture Minister mentioned that Malawians should now be assured that there is adequate quantities of maize in ADMARC which is going to ease issues of buying maize at exorbitant prices from vendors.

He further expressed concern over reluctance among vendors to establish markets where they can sell out maize which they bought from farmers. He said Government believes that there is still 100 thousand metric tons of maize that traders are withholding hoping to sell in future at high prices. Chiyembekeza equally blamed maize traders for being responsible depriving poor Malawians from accessing maize in ADMARC depots because are the ones that are dominating buying of maize from ADMARC.

Following adverse weather conditions early 2015, Malawi's maize production and other food crops across the country declined by 30.2%  putting a total of 2.8 million people representing 17% of the country’s total population at risk of hunger during the 2015/2016. Following adverse weather conditions early 2015, Malawi's maize production and other food crops across the country declined by 30%  putting a total of 2.8 million people representing 17% of the country’s total population at risk of hunger during the 2015/2016.

An assessment by the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC), carried out in June and July, 2015, the situation required humanitarian food to support the affected people was  of maize equivalence.

To stabilize the price of the commodity on the market through ADMARC the Malawi government also, using its own resources, bought 30,000MT of maize from Zambia for ADMARC at a cost of K2.8 billion, and 22,193MT of maize locally at a cost of K2.6 billion.

An assessment by the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC), carried out in June and July, 2015, the situation required humanitarian food to support the affected people was  of maize equivalence.

To stabilize the price of the commodity on the market through ADMARC the Malawi government also, using its own resources, bought 30,000MT of maize from Zambia for ADMARC at a cost of K2.8 billion, and 22,193MT of maize locally at a cost of K2.6 billion.

Malawi Hosts 1st Bridge Africa Conference

Malawi Government has announced hosting of 1st Bridge Africa Conference beginning 17th February to 19th February in the capital, Lilongwe.

Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Patricia Kaliati announced this at a joint media briefing in Lilongwe held with Dong-Seok MIN, Secretary-General of the Korean National Commission for UNESCO (KNCU)

Kaliati said the conference will offer Malawi an opportunity of sharing experiences with other six African countries where Korean National Commission for UNESCO is working on similar projects being done in Malawi.

“We are going to share experiences with different countries; So we are going to share experience how to improve adult literacy in the country, how to eradicate extreme poverty that most of our people are experiencing now and also how to increase economic empowerment of our women in communicates where we are working with the Korean National Commission for the UNESCO.” Said Kaliati

Areas that KNCU is assisting Malawi includes: Mmera Mpoyamba (early childhood development); literacy education to women, adults and youth; help overcome absolute poverty through income generating training especially vocational training and skills youth, women and people with disability; and developing community ownership.

She also mentioned that the platform will also help the country to inform KNCU other needs that Malawi Government has in the Bridge Africa Programme including requesting KNCU to establish more Community Learning Centres across the country.

While thanking KNCU for number of projects it is doing in Malawi which the minister said are helping in poverty alleviation Kaliati further express gratitude to KNCU for the 19000 text books donated to Malawi which are assisting learners in various ways. 

In his remarks, Dong-Seok MIN said the upcoming conference organized by KCNU and the Malawi National Commission for UNESCO will bring meaningful contribution to the Bridge Africa Programme as partner countries will come together and share their experiences.

He said this 1st Bridge Africa Conference comes against the backdrop that through Bridge Africa Programme, the KNCU strives to serve as a reliable partner in the promotion of education in sub-Saharan Africa by sharing Korea’s experience and enhancing mutual understanding among nations.

“Education is a vital component in determining the future of a country. As such, in order to implement the Bridge Africa Programme successfully in reach of the countries in which it operates, it is equally vital that there is strong cooperation and solidarity among the government of each partner country, the National Commission for UNESCO in each partner country, and KCNU.

By enabling participants to share best practices applicable to their various local circumstances, the conference will facilitate South-South cooperation in the production of practical and incremental learning effects for all stakeholders in the Bridge Africa Programme.” said Dong-Seok MIN

Dong-Seok also highlighted that Bridge Africa Project, plays a role in promoting education and local development programmes including vocational and technical skills to enable people to earn income and become self reliant. 

He also assured that with funds donated by the Korean Ministry of Education and ordinary Korean citizens, the KNCU will continue its efforts to operate and improve the Bridge Africa Programme, which promotes field-level efforts to increase access to quality education in Africa.

Dong-Seok also indicated that after the conference, KCNU is expected to release Lilongwe Commitment.

Countries expected to participate are, South Africa, Lesotho, Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe and Botswana as new comer in the programme.

CYECE Calls Govt, Regulatory Bodies To Rescue Youth In Drug, Substance Abuse

Sativa: another type of canabis being smoked
among youth 

Centre for Youth Empowerment and Civic Education (CYECE), has called on Government and its enforcement agencies to strengthen regulations of drugs and substance in order to protect youth from accessing drugs and substance easily and cheaply like it is the case now.

Executive Directors CYECE, Lucky Mbewe said in an interview following concerns that drug abuse are common among the youth in the country and the legal enforcers still have no capacity to contain the problem. 

Mbewe observe that as the result of the weakening enforcement of regulations on alcohol, substance and drug use, it is common to see young people easily access and afford drugs including Marijuana and that sometimes they openly use these in the public and entertainment places.

He expressed concern over Government silence on excessive use of alcohol and smoking of tobacco and Marijuana among young people and therefore underlined that these are some of the challenges that must be carefully and urgently to looked at.

“We want to call upon the Government especially also minister responsible and those in control in terms of regulation of smoking alcohol and drug abuse that we need to put in place strong measures that will help us to contain the problem. 

If it is the issue of smoking itself, to date a lot of young people are engaged in smoking and it is a big problem. And most of them are getting mad every day because of excessive use of those drugs. These are some of the issues we need to talk about.” He said 

“So we are appealing to the Government and Minister responsible for Youth to come out and rescue a lot of young people that are getting lost each and every day due to smoking of Indian hemp and substance abuse so much so that we have a better Malawian in future”

Mphwiyo Shooting Case: Pika Denies Presence At Crime Scene

Pika Manondo, second accused in answering conspiracy and attempted murder of shooting Paul Mpwhiyo has denied presence in area 43, residential area of the victim and where the shooting happened in the night of September 13th 2013 as call logs trace him using a network tower of area 43 same night.

The second accused now in his defense was being cross-examined by prosecution on Friday morning especially to clarify his movements and calls he was making prior and after supposed hours Paul Mphwiyo was shot at the gate of his house in area 43.

It is suspected that Paul Mphwiyo who survived the shooting was shot between 23:00 hours and 24:00hours just outside the gate of his house in area 43.

With support of call logs and network tower location, Pika is traced to have used a network tower of Area 43 at 23:12 hours and other call logs indicates that he constantly exchanged calls with third accused Raphael Kasambara.

The State told court that it believes that Pika was in area 43 between 23:12 hours and 00:00 hours. 

However, the accused denies being in area 43 that night saying he was all night drinking in several bars with friends. 

When the question was put before him of his whereabouts between those hours of that night, Pika said was drinking on September 13th , and that level of his awareness was just “fairly high” but “not drunk.”

While admitting being tipsy with number of bottles he had drank Pika indicated that he could not remember exact times of when some events happened but recall making movements earlier that evening particularly from Chameleon bar to Chez-Temba night club via Pacific Mall in area 10 (neighboring area to area 43) where he stopped by at Vision Gaming club.   

Pika explained that he moved from Chameleon bar that night to Chez night club because he wanted to drink closer to home in area 47.

He has told court that he will bring Gostern Chinseu, one of the persons he met while clubbing at Chez-Temba that night. The issue of this witness however, brought some misunderstanding when State had asked Pika if that person is coming as an alibi witness.

Pika also indicated that after clubbing he went home but still could not recall precise time he left the club, “From Chez-Temba I did not go to any other place other than home in area 47” he insisted

He further told court that the morning of September 14th, he traveled to Dedza district then back to Lilongwe the same morning and went straight to hospital to see his friend Paul Mphwiyo. But Pika said could as well not recall exact time he wake up and left home for Dedza. 

Pika indicated to court that most of the questions from State were assumptions and at one point, he asked State to bring a witness who had seen him being in Area 43.

Apart from denying presence in residential area of the victim during the night of shooting, throughout the cross-examination with state, Pika denies possibility of some of the movements as call logs indicates.

He said it is impossible that him could at 23:12 hours be in area 43 then at 12:37 hours being in area 32 (near MCP House/Head Quarters) and two minutes later at 12:39 hours being in area 47 sector 2 as call logs indicates. Same call log later trace him making call at 12:47 hours in area 11 and therefore the accused maintains it was not possible that one can travel from one place to another within such a space.

But state told court that it suspects that such was the case because the accused was driving so fast and that since it was in the middle of the night with possibility of no traffic, he was therefore able to travel fast within those places while network towers capturing him as he was making constant calls.

It was also revealed in court that the defense are going to call Airtel experts to tell court the best and accurate technology used to precisely establish position of the subject making or receiving phone call.

Kasambara (in jacket)

According to explanation made by third accused, Raphael Kasambara when the state was continuing cross-examining Pika on the call logs, the Airtel experts who came in court last year, were only analyzing frequency of the conversations and location of network tower and therefore it implied that they were not precisely locating the distance the subject was from the tower at the time of making or receiving the phone call.

Kasambara indicated that the correct and precise technology to locate a person is cell phone GPS which defense would like the Airtel experts to explain more when they come back to court.

Kachale: questions Airtel new evidence 

“If Airtel will come to discredit themselves in this case then we will wait to hear from Airtel” reacted Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mary Kachale after listening to Kasambara’s explanation

The matter has been adjourned to March, 21st to 23rd March where the State is expected to continue with cross-examination with Pika. 

Also before adjourning, Court granted Raphael Kasambara to travel to South Africa for medication. Justice Micheal Mtambo allowed that lawyer Kasambara should travel on February 23 and return by February 29, 2016.

Ntcheu Man Gets 10 Yrs Imprisonment For Defilement Of Girl Aged 7

Ntcheu First Grade Magistrate court has sentenced to 10 years imprisonment a 29 year old man who was caught in act defiling a 7 year old girl in Ntcheu district.

The convict identified as Samson Maganga was arrested by members of community the afternoon of January 26, 2016 at Sharpevalley Trading Centre when a man passing by shouted for help when he red handedly catch the convict defiling the girl in unfinished building.

According to Sub Inspector Hastings Chigalu, a Deputy Police Public Relations Officer for Ntcheu district said a standard 2 pupil met her fate on her way to the trading centre to buy some groceries.

“Court heard that the young innocent girl suddenly was grabed by this irresponsible man and taken into a building under construction. He threatened to kill her using a knife holding in his hand if she dare to shout for help.

His pair of trouser hanging in the building caught attention of a businessman who peeped into the building and saw Samson Maganga on top of the young girl. And without hesitation, the businessman shouted for help and people came and arrested him.” Narrates Chigalu

“Court sitting at Kasinje Ntcheu, on February 11 2016, state prosecutor  Sergeant Daniel Phale asked the court to give the accused stiffer punishment considering the gravity of the offence and that the victim is a minor, but in mitigation the accused asked for leniency, saying he is the first offender and that he regrets the incident. 

But in his ruling, Ntcheu First Grade Magistrate Chrispine Sachuluka, conquered with the state adding that the death threats the young girl and Trauma suffered by the young girl will continue to haunt her for the rest of her life. To deter the other would be offenders he slapped the accused with 120 months imprisonment with hard labour.” explains Chigalu

Sub Inspector Chigalu also mentioned that Ntcheu police station is very much concerned with this​dreadful​behaviour and incidences and that police are doing everything possible to arrest the situation. 

"We have intensified our rural patrols in all T/As and we are working hand in hand with our Community Forums. 

We also want to appeal to the communities to report any suspicious activity to Police so that together we can create Ntcheu which is crime free, so we will relentlessly strive to protect life and property in the District” assured Sub Inspector Chigalu

The convict hails from Kalorila village of T/A Mthiramanja in Mulanje district while the victim comes from Magomero village of T/A Ganya in Ntcheu district.

Mphwiyo Shooting Case: Pika, Kasambara Conversations Were On ‘Katapila’ Business

Kasambara and Pika exchanged çslls and texts on
Loan Shark 

The second accused Pika Manondo answering conspiracy and attempted murder of former budget director Paul Mphwiyo has told Lilongwe High Court on Thursday that constant communication he was in with former Justice Minister, Raphael Kasambara on the day Paul Mpwhiyo was shot, was doubtless an issue to do with ‘Katapila’ (money lending) business he had with Kasambara’s brother.

Pika, now in his defense was being cross-examined by the State on call logs which were last year analyzed by experts from Airtel mobile company. The prosecution was trying to let Pika clarify what his constant communication with the third accused, Raphael Kasambara answering conspiracy in the ongoing case was all about.

At first Pika told court that he was not able to recall his memory on exact issues discussed between him and Kasambara through number of calls and texts they constantly exchanged the day their friend, Paul Mphwiyo was shot.

However, it was when the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mary Kachale was so inquisitive on some of the evening calls and text that led Pika recollected that probably the main discussions were around a business between him and Sylvester Kasambara, brother to third accused.

Without disclosing what that business was, he said, the third accused, Kasambara was key in the discussions of that business because Sylvester used to consult his brother Raphael on several issues of that business and therefore Kasambara was directly speaking to him (Pika).

After seeking permission from Judge if it was necessary to disclose the type of the business he was doing following keen curiosity by state, Pika simply but a bit shyly explained that it was that kind of business where one lends money out to someone desperately in need that assistance and in return one gets an interest. 

His explanation led court concluded that it was a Loan Shark an illegal money lending business locally known as ‘Katapila’ but, Pika said his business was a bit different from Katapila because he was charging lesser interest and attaching better conditions but could not remember amount of money he was lent out to Kasambara’s brother.

Pika told court that it was unregistered business and it never had a bank account a development which led Prosecution to ask him if he was aware that doing such business and especially without registering was against the law.

However, Kasambara stood to oppose strongly the DPP assetion that it was against the law to do business without getting registered. He said there are a lot of similar unregistered businesses being done in the country but are not regarded as illegal.

Kasambara gave an example of ‘Bank Mkhonde’ (community loans and savings) as one of the best example where people are trading business of lending money without being registered.

McDonald Kumwembe, first accused who is a suspected shooter in the case, also stood to protest against DPP’s inquisitive on Katapila issue instead of going straight to the matter relating to shooting.

“Ine ndimafuna kuuza bwalolino kuti ndikudabwa kuti kodi mchifukwa chiyani madame DPP akungolimbikira nkhani ya Katapila. Katapila akugwirizana chani ndi mulanduwu. Nkhani yakatapilayi ikungochedwetsa mlanduwu ikuti taitsa nthawi.”

The cross examination by state, continues this Friday 

Failed Attempt To Sell Son Lands Man In 18 Months In Prison

First Grade Magistrate Court in Salima has sentenced a 25 year old man, Andrea Seveni  to serve 18 months imprisonment after court conviction of his sickening failed attempt to sale his biological son to prominent fisherman.

According to Salima Police Public Relations Officer, Sub Inspector Gift Chitowe, said the convict who hails from Kasina village of T/A Kaphuka in Dedza district planned do such a sordid business of selling his 8 months old son to a well known fisherman at Lifuwu Trading Centre. 

"Public Prosecutor sergeant John Kamphani told court that the convict went to the house of the fisherman." explains Chitowe, "There, he asked the fisherman if he could buy his 8 months old son but after being shocked with the news, the fisherman asked the convict to come another day for further discussion of this business. Immediately the convict had left, the fishermen went straight to police to report this disturbing matter to Lifuwu police who had the suspect arrested." 

Sub Inspector Chitowe said the prosecutor pleaded with the court to give the convict a stiffer penalty which will set as an example to others because his motive of willing to sell his own biological son is not only strange but as well immoral and offensive act. 

"When passing the judgement, First Grade Magistrate Alex Kamtiki observed that the behaviour of the convict was inhuman more especially now when people of similar motives take Albinos as source of money. He said the 18 months prison sentence is a good punishment to warn others who may wish to commit similar offences in future." Said Chitowe

Meanwhile, in Salima district a man has committed suicide on suspicions that he was tired of long time illness.

A 34 year old man Josam Frank of Mtula village T/A Mwanza District Salima has hanged himself to death in a tree over his health says Police.

"The deceased was diagnosed to be HIV positive in 2013 and was recommended to be on ARV treatment." Said Chitowe

"In the middle of night of 7th February a day he went to get his ART's at Salima District Hospital, he got out of his house as if he wanted to answer call of nature leaving his wife asleep. An hour went without his return forcing the troubled wife to inform her relatives about his sudden missing.

Then early hours of of 8th February the bereaved wife with help of her relatives began search of him and they found his body hanging dead from a tree just 20 meter away from home" explained Chitowe 

Sub Inspector Chitowe then advised members of the general public not to commit suicide as a way of solving problems because doing so, one inflicts much suffering to the bereaved family and all dependants.