Max Bullets owner Max Kapanda says he will have no choice but to sell newly crowned Southern Region Football Association Nsejjere League champions if he fails to get a sponsor for the outfit which has earned promotion to the TNM Super League.

Kapanda said after spending a fortune to earn promotion into the Super League, he does not have the financial clout to bankroll the team in the top-flight league.

“If someone wants to buy this club, we can discuss and if a company wants to sponsor us, that will be fine as well,” Kapanda said.

“All I wanted was to take the team to the TNM Super League and I have done that. I would like to talk to several companies to take over the team in the Super League.”

Kapanda, who started sponsoring Max Bullets in 2005 when it was playing in the then Southern Region Football League (SRFL) Division One, said he had not yet set a price for the deal.

“I have spent a lot to gain promotion to the Super League and I can’t survive alone in the top flight league. It requires a lot,” he said.

Meanwhile, relegated teams have said they need to time to reflect on the situation.

One of the teams linked with Max Bullets sale, Fisd Wizards, who have the financial muscle, said they would meet first before committing to anything.

“We have not yet met as an executive to look at the team’s performance and the way forward,” Wizards chairman Mike Tembo said in an interview yesterday.

Tembo, however, confirmed that he was aware of the Max Bullets offer and that it would be tabled at the meeting.

“It’s only after the executive committee meeting which will be held at the end of the season, that we will be able to answer that question,” he said.

But Tembo hinted that the team’s philosophy was that they should play in the top-flight league on merit and not because they have money to splash around.n

The Malawi Professional Boxing Control Board (MPBCB) has slapped heavyweight boxer Alick Gogodo with a three-month ban for being at the centre of a fist-fight involving his compatriots during a party in Namibia after their international bouts.

According to MPBCB president Lonzoe Zimba, the board’s investigation has found that Gogodo, under the influence of alcohol, insulted and pounced on his compatriots Robert Kachiza, Tinkhani Kamanga and Chikondi Makawa a day after being knocked-out in the ring by a Namibian opponent.

Zimba said this means Gogodo, who was among six local boxers from various stables that No Pain No Gain Boxing Promotions and Zimbabwe’s Delta Force Boxing Academy sent to Namibia for international exposure, will miss boxing bouts for six months because he is also serving a three-month prohibition due to the knockout defeat he suffered in Namibia, as per the boxing rules.

“We had a disciplinary hearing last weekend when we noted that Gogodo was the only one in the wrong and what he did in the foreign land embarrassed the whole nation. Discipline is very important in boxing, so he has to serve a three-month ban,” Zimba said.

“However, he will be out of boxing for six months as he is also forbidden from bouts for another three months following his recent knockout defeat in Namibia.”

Gogodo could not be reached for his comment yesterday.

The fist-fight prompted No Pain No Gain Promotions chief executive officer Craig Rousseau to declare that local boxers will have to be passing psychological tests before being considered for international bouts. n

Like old vintage wine, discarded Flames midfielder Joseph Kamwendo appears to be getting better with age like old vintage wine.

The former Flames captain last Thursday scored his third league goal which inspired his DR Congo Super League side Don Bosco to a 3-1 win over Pacific FC in Lubumbashi.

On Saturday, Bosco held second-placed St. Eloi Lupopo to a two-all draw. They are fifth in the Group Two of the 10-team Vodacom Super League with 13 points from nine games.

“I am enjoying my game at Don Bosco and scoring three goals in nine appearances has been a great motivation. Over and above that, I am happy that I am enjoying game time.

“They are also appreciating my contribution; hence they have handed me the number 10 jersey,” said Kamwendo who is on loan from giants TP Mazembe.

Although they are fifth, Don Bosco have played fewer games compared to the top two teams—Sanga Balende and Lupopo—who have played 13 and 12 games respectively. Mazembe are third with 21 points from nine games. They are the only side yet to taste defeat.

Kamwendo believes his revival will further boost his chances for Flames’ recall.

Flames coach Ernest Mtawali recently hinted on the prospects of recalling the battle-hardened midfielder. n

Mzuzu University (Mzuni) FC has said it will beef up its squad by, among others, signing former Flames striker Russell Mwafulirwa as they target a top-five finish next season.

Mzuni chairperson Albert Mtungambera Harawa said this in an interview with The Nation on Tuesday.

He claimed that they have already approached the gangling forward and he has shown interest to join them.

“Our focus is that we should finish in the top five next season and to achieve that, we resolved to beef up the squad with experienced players such as Russell who is now based here in Mzuzu,” he said.

Harawa said apart from Mwafulirwa, they are also planning to rope in players from relegated Dedza Young Soccer and Fisd Wizards.

“We are still discussing with officials from the two teams and as such, it would be premature to mention names.”

Mwafulirwa, who was Flames top scorer at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola with two goals, confirmed that he is willing to relaunch his career at Mzuni.

“I love football and I believe I can still deliver. Once we agree the terms with Mzuni management, I will join them. I will prove to Malawians that I am not a spent force,” he said.

Mwafulirwa last played competitive football at IK Sleipner in Sweden in 2012.

He also had stints with top Swedish side IFK Norrkoping, Jomo Cosmos and Ajax Cape Town in South Africa while on the local scene, he played for Silver Strikers. n

TNM, sponsors of the Super League say all is set for the closing of 2015 season this coming at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe this coming Sunday.

The mobile phone network service provider’s marketing manager Madalitso Jonazi said the closing event will culminate in Big Bullets being officially crowned champions.

.“We are very glad that the journey we started in the 2015 season is coming to an end this coming Sunday. As sponsors we have lined up a number of activities to spice up the closing ceremony that will include the parade of the trophy and traditional dances among others,” said Jonazi.

He said TNM is happy that since the launch of the league in April this year, the competition has been high.

“The league went on very well and we have seen improvement in standards of the game. It is our hope that the level of competition will get even higher and the games will become even more exciting next season,” he said.

The parade is expected to start at Game Stores complex before proceeding to the match venue where 2015 champions Big Bullets and Civo Service United (CIVO) will play their last game.

The 2015 season was launched under theme Our Players, Our Heroes, Our Pride. This was meant to build the spirit of motivating the player who is the hero of the beautiful game.

TNM increased the sponsorship value from last year’s K65 million (about $103,048) to K90 million (about $ 142,682) this year. n

While sections 74 and 75 of the Constitution of Malawi prohibit both employment and allowing young persons aged below 18 to buy and drink beer or do any sexual activities in premises licensed to sell beer, the story at most pubs in the country is discouraging.

In Chirimba and Kachere townships in Blantyre and Bwandiro and Chigwirizano in Lilongwe, for instance, the number of children that patronise drinking places continues to rise. Even on some counters, it is minors selling and serving customers.

“You cannot employ older women to be on the counters or serve customers, you will lose business,” explains Vincent Dzimbiri (not real name), who runs a bottlestore in Kachere Township.

True to his words are the ages of the girls that are operating at the bottlestore. There are six, aged between 14 and 25, whose key role is to serve customers and they are on a full salary of K10 000 (about $16) a month. Apart from these, there are other 10 aged 12 to 17, who are recruited to attract customers. They are not on salary.

“Only those that add value to our business are given a room and they pocket whatever they get, but we expect them to pay K1 000 a day,” he explains.

Experts have always argued that allowing minors at places such as these spoil their future. Soche Child Justice Court Magistrate Esmie Tembenu says the Liquor Act prohibits employment of young children under the age of 18 in bars or selling beer. Section 78 of the Act also says “any licensee who allows his premise to be a place of habitual meeting of common prostitutes or any other person for immoral purposes shall be guilty and liable to pay a fine of K500 and a year imprisonment.”

Tembenu adds that minors under the age of 18, if employed in bars, would be tempted to start drinking beer and sleeping with older people.

So who is to blame? Anthony Kasunda, Blantyre City Council (BCC) public relations manager admits shortfalls in their grip.

“The issue of teenagers patronising bottlestores needs multi-sectoral approach to tackle. Most importantly, parents are crucial stakeholders. The current trend cannot be attributed to BCC alone,” argues Kasunda.

The situation exposes serious gaps in child control at home level. Out of 11 minors sampled by The Nation, only five live with their parents. Three live with grandparents and others could not reveal their home identities.

“I cannot believe my son visits such places. He sneaks out while we are asleep,” says a mother, whose 12-year-old son we found at a bottlestore in Kachere.

Like Chancy’s mother whose 13-year-old sneaks to bottlestores at Chirimba, she promised an action against the child and practice, but she blames it highly on councils for overlooking bottlestore owners operating in residential areas.

But Kasunda does not agree.

“The challenge is lack of respect for laws. People would want to be policed always instead of just following the dictates of their licence. We try our best to enforce, but the city is big and our personnel cannot be everywhere all the time.”

Dzimbiri, on the other hand, denies being responsible for attracting minors at the pub. He says they are in business and with the current generation, it is not easy to distinguish, who is above 18 years and not. He says the girls lie on their age to get the job or be allowed into the drinking space.

“We don’t have national identity cards, how can we know the real age of a person. We have a youthful population and nowadays height and one’s appearance hardly match the age? How can you control them? Looking at their faces? No! Let us be sober in these issues. It’s not our fault,” argues Dzimbiri.

In an earlier interview, Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) secretary Grace Malera faulted the child protection system.

“A legal framework in isolation cannot effectively be used as a mechanism for addressing the issue of child protection; hence, the need for a holistic approach that would encompass both the legal and non-legal-interventions to ensure that children are effectively protected,” said Malera.

Eye of the Child, executive director Maxwell Matewere says: “The law is very clear on this matter and authorities, members of the community policing and child protection communities, should conduct an inspection and arrest the crime.”

Group Village Head (GVH) Mbayani, who participated in the establishment of child protection committees in Mbayani and Chirimba townships confirmed malfunctioning of the committees in the areas, but promised to revive them, saying it is getting worse.

GVH Kachere says: “If you mention Kachere, what comes into one’s mind is prostitution. We have tried several efforts, but the situation is still bad. We will revive the child protection committees. My worry is that we are building a generation that will cause more problems in the future,” says the chief.

While different players heap blame on the other, there is need for measures that solves this crime once and for all. Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare Patricia Kaliati says the issue is compromised by several factors from the moment bottlestores are licenced, but says once her ministry finishes clearing out street kids in cities, it will stretch its muscles further by closing all bottlestores that entertains children.n

National Junior Welterweight champion Osgood Kayuni has temporarily relocated to his old base Blantyre to camp for his non-title bout against fellow Malawi Defence Force (MDF) soldier Salimu Chazama.

The fight is scheduled for this Saturday at Lilongwe Community Centre ground and has been organised by New Dawn Boxing Promotions.

“I need to use the best facilities to prepare for the fight and Blantyre has some good gyms where I can condition myself better. I will teach this kid a lesson, “ said Kayuni, adding that his best sparring partners are in Blantyre.

New Dawn director Michael Chimaliza is promising boxing fans a great fight.

“I encourage boxing fans not to miss this fight. These are top boxers and it will be a highly entertaining fight. Fans should bring their families to watch one of the greatest fights this year, “ he said.

Chazama insists that he is unperturbed by his opponent change of base.

“It doesn’t matter to me where he camps I will still beat him. I am just good and in great shape than ever before, “ he said.

If Chazama wins it will be one of the greatest boxing upsets as Kayuni is considered one of the country’s top boxers. n

It is again that defining moment when people get busy and plan how to spend their Christmas in style every year! But for fun seekers, who wish to celebrate the day through music and cinema there is a wide range of choices in town as different artists and event managers have organised different activities that suit their tastes. Let the parties begin.

From gospel to secular music shows, cinema to night life, this year’s Christmas promises more goodies as most events’ organisers claimed that they have planned their events big and better. Most of the activities kick-start on Christmas eve all the way to the main day, which falls on Friday.

After experiencing a seemingly natural death of Cinema in Blantyre, a new management of Blantyre’s Cinema centre M-Theater (formerly Cine Cinema) at Chichiri Shopping Centre has revived the Cinema from this Christmas festive season. They will start screening blockbuster movies on a big screen on the night of Christmas eve from 8:30 pm. A partner of M-Theater Sundu Jere said the official opening of the Cinema will be a blockbuster movie The Vacation which was an ideal for family entertainment.

Jere said: “We want to revive the Cinema culture on a high note with a wide and wise selection of blockbuster movies on a high quality big screen which gives people amazing experience.”

On Christmas Day, the M-Theater will screen other family comedy and suspense movie called Minions and A Christmas Horror Story from 2:30pm and 8:30pm, respectively. The screening continues on Saturday, the Christmas Box Day, with an adventure/action movie called Fantastic 4 from 2:30pm, The Transporter (5:30pm) and 8:30pm’s drama Mistress America.

From the Cinema, music fanatics who take pressure in live music will be entertained by Mingoli band on the Christmas eve at Mustang Sally from 8:00pm until midnight. From 12 midnight, a disco will take over to ensure that patrons have fun until the morning light. The same arrangement will apply on Christmas Day.

For those who love clubbing, especially youths, Blue Elephant will be the place to be on the Christmas Day as Mikozi Entertainment has organised a bash from 1:00pm. The event will be spiced up with music performances by Street Fame, One Wizzy, NSG, KenSpyral, Gattah and Juvy.

In Lilongwe, fun seekers will celebrate the Christmas eve with Sir Paul Banda amd Alleluya band, Lulu and his Mathumela band, and Skeffa Chimoto alongside his Real Sounds at Waka-Waka hotel. Dubbed “Xmas Night”, the Waka-Waka event starts from 6pm to 6am. However, only bonafide customers with fidelity cards of Waka Waka hotel will enter free while others will part ways with a cool K2 000 (about $3) at the gate.

The sound and light concert, which is powered by Carlsberg and Entertainers Promotion, will be in Salima at Zitherepano on the Christmas eve where patrons will pay K5 000 (about $8) at the door. According to Tonderai Jai Banda, the Salima concert is a grand finale which will take on board various artists such as Lucius Banda and the Zembani band, Ben Mankhamba and Jena sisters, Mulangeni Sounds, the Black Missionaries band and many others.

On Christmas Day, there will be another celebration at Lilongwe Golf club where Phindu Promotions have organised an event called “A Christmas band live show”. This will feature the Black Missionaries band, Soldier Lucius Banda and his Zembani band, Anthony Makondetsa, Lambani Dube and Nepman.

Innovation is the mother of necessity. As many artists and event organisers have taken advantage of this Christmas festive season to come up with different activities to cash in and ensure that people catch the best entertainment.

The excitement has not left out the fashion industry as Nzika Arts has also come up with a dinner fashion show slated for Sunbird Mount Soche in Blantyre this evening.

Dubbed Ladies Night Out, Nzika Arts’ fashion dinner has lined up a number of activities such as segments of fashion exhibition, business tips, cookery competition and prizes.

Artistic director of Nzika Arts Mwai Namaona described the fashion dinner as a rare platform for Malawian ladies to appreciate and showcase different talents.

He said: “Malawi needs such platforms to accord people with an opportunity to exhibit, appreciate and support the home-grown fashion industry. It begins with us to blow the trumpet of our good work.”

He said participants will stand a chance to win prize.

Namaona said this fashion dinner will bring all the amazing work Nzika produced in 2015.

“The meeting will also accord Nzika team and participants an opportunity to discuss business.” he said n

One of Malawi’s leading choral grouping, Great Angels takes to Lilongwe, the DVD of its bestselling album Mwasankha Ine. The launch takes place on Christmas Day at Shaeffer gardens in Lilongwe.

The album was launched earlier in the year and got a resounding response from gospel music fans, according to the choir’s Music Director Ephraim Zonda.

“We launched the album on January 1, 2015 in Lilongwe, then we moved to Robins Park in Blantyre and at both venues the turnout was so huge.

On December 6, we launched the DVD in Blantyre at BAT ground to another big crowd.

“We are in Lilongwe on December 25, the following day in Zomba, at Gymkhana and then in Balaka, Mlambe motel on the 27th. We will finish our tour with a show at Boma Park in Mzuzu on January 1. At all shows, we will perform 20 songs from all our albums a majority o which from Mwasankha Ine,” explained Zonda.

Limbani Simenti, Peter Mlangeni, Grace Chinga, Mlaka Maliro Wagwedeza Yesu Boys, Donnex Muva, Martha Nthakomwa and Billy Kaunda among others are part of the supporting artists.

The Lilongwe based Great Angels choir was formed in 1983 but only came onto the limelight in 2005 when it released its first album Mundifungatile.

The group went ahead to release another album, Agwireni Dzanja in 2007 which made a name for them. It had the hit Paine Ndekha Sindingathe.

Three years later, the group released another album, Ndiyende Bwanji which through songs like Ndisiyeni Ine ndiyende and Sindipita, cemented the fact that the Great Angels Choir is here to stay.

Produced by John Nguluwe of Positive Arts, Mwasankha Ine is a record-breaking album in Great Angels’ history as to date, over 140,000 copies have been sold this far while more than 30, 000 DVDs have been sold since the launch two weeks ago, according to Zonda.

The CD was recorded by former Parliamentarian, Joseph Tembo at Groove Magic Studio and some of the popular songs on this album are Tadikira, Samadziwa Kanthu and Akuyimilira Ndani. n

Malawi’s agricultural sector has been branded inefficient, technologically backward and not in line with the country’s vision of becoming a predominantly exporting nation.

Economics Association of Malawi (Ecama) and Civil Society Agriculture Network (CisaNet) point to lack of adequate extension and research services, failure by Lilongwe to strategically allocate resources in the sector and promote large scale mechanisation and irrigated agriculture as some of the bottlenecks failing the country in its export quest.

In a communiqué issued on Monday following its 2015 Annual Lakeshore Conference held on November 12 and 13 in Mangochi, jointly signed by president Henry Kachaje and executive director Edward Chilima, Ecama called for an urgent consultative meeting to holistically review the sector.

Among others, Ecama reiterated its call for government to exit the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp) and reallocate the funds to targeted commercial production.

“Fisp funds should be diverted from subsistence farming towards subsiding organised medium scale farming. There should be a deliberate intervention by government to change the thinking that agriculture is a social or political service, it is a business,” it urges in part.

Ecama also recommends the removal of all controls and exportr bans on commodities.

With a couple of water bodies in the country, Ecama also tipped government that the bulk of the Ministry of Agriculture’s annual budget should go towards irrigation, irrigation infrastructure development, building of dams and extension services, not travel and allowances.

In an interview on Monday, CisaNet executive director Tamani Nkhono-Mvula stressed that the growth of the country’s agriculture sector is dependent on the growth and development of other sectors such as education, energy and infrastructure.

He said strong strategic thinking and political will, as well as proper linkages between farmers’ organisations and the industry are needed to enhance production and value addition.

“We may require making a hard choice to drastically reduce our investment in the Fisp [Farm Input Subsidy Programme] and invest quite a lot in education. I believe that education will produce the human resources that will easily adopt improved technologies, but at the same time be able to come up with new technologies,” advised Nkhono-Mvula.

He also urged government to invest a lot in research, extension, mechanisation

Agriculture remains the mainstay of Malawi’s economy. According to the Food and Climate Justice (FCJ) campaign, the sector accounts for at least 39 percent of the total gross domestic product (GDP) estimated at about $4.3 billion by the World Bank.n

The Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) has projected a 3.2 percent growth for the mining and quarrying sector in 2016 on the assumption of continued growth in traditional mineral outputs and mineral exploration.

This year, the sector grew by two percent unlike in 2014 when it shrunk by 4.6 percent.

Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining spokesperson responsible for mining issues Levy Undi says as part of regulating the sector and ensuring that it is efficient, government will, among other things, migrate to Mining Cadastre Administration System (Mcas), a web-based software application that supports governments in mineral rights management.

Undi also said to boost the sector, government is to increase electricity capacity from the current 351 megawatts (MW) to 1 550 MW by 2020.

Apart from the mining sector, RBM in its 2015 Third Quarter Financial and Economic Review released last Monday, said manufacturing sector is projected to grow by 4.3 percent in 2016.

While construction sector gowth might hit 6.7 percent in 2015 from 4.8 percent in 2014.

Growth in the sector this year was boosted by the completion of the construction of the Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe as well as an increase in donor driven projects.

In 2016 the sector is expected to grow by 4.2 percent.

The growth of economic sectors in the country have been hampered by erratic power supply and a volatile kwacha, among others, according to Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) flagship Malawi 2015 Business Climate Survey Report.

MCCCI president Newton Kambala told Business Review recently that, apart from erratic electricity, the business community in Malawi is failing to do well due to high cost of finance and government policies.

But Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe has challenged the private sector to take the leading role in bringing positive change that would transform the country’s ailing economy.

“We all know that our economy is currently destablised.

“If we are to get out of this situation, it will all depend on how, as a country, we react. We need a vibrant private sector which can turn things around,” Gondwe said. n

One of the things that many people hate at work is having to attend many long meetings. Since nearly everyone does not like having many long meetings, it should ideally be easy to ban them!

But I bet we will still be subjected to having many big long meetings for the foreseeable future. We must, therefore, begin the journey towards improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the meetings that we attend.

This starts with the meeting chairperson. The chairperson of the meeting has the responsibility to ensure that meetings run smoothly, address all matters on agenda effectively and help the meeting attendants to arrive at some consensus. It, therefore, means that who and how many people you invite to the meeting are key drivers for the effectiveness and efficiency of the meetings. You need to invite the rightful people to the meeting so that you can achieve the goals of the meeting.

You need to fully understand the agenda of the meeting and then based on that, invite the appropriate representatives. Only invite the key people needed for the meeting. Having a long list of meeting attendants is the first step towards having a failed meeting. There is a general rule of thumb that only two levels of hierarchy should attend meetings.

Once you bring in the third and fourth levels and so on, then you are bringing unnecessary inefficiency. You can only bring in the extra layers of the organisation if the meeting is specifically an information dispatch meeting rather than a decision making meeting.

Alternatively, if you critically need some of the extra layers of the organisation, then bring them in only at the time when their respective matters are being discussed and release them soon afterwards.

Just recall the past meetings that you attended. Consider the meetings that had many people attending and from many vertical levels of the organisation. Compare with the meetings that had few people from say only two layers of the organisation. You will clearly see that the latter group of meetings were probably far more productive, efficient and effective.

The second key driver for achieving effective and efficient meetings is the agenda. You need a clear agenda that is communicated to all the meeting attendants well in advance so that they all come fully prepared.

Along with the agenda is the information behind the agenda. If there are reports to be presented at the meeting, it is important that such reports are shared with all meeting attendants ahead of the meeting. And the attendants need to read the reports before the meetings so that everyone comes to the meeting fully prepared and so that you do not waste time reading long reports. At the meeting, only summaries of the reports can be presented as a recap and to bring everyone to the same level.

The third key driver for ensuring that your meetings are efficient and effective is the role of the chairperson. The chairperson needs to be in control. He or she needs to be driving and guiding the meeting – bringing members back to the focus lines when they digress and directing the pace and direction of the meeting at all times.

A good chairperson is not simply a passenger. He or she is a driver of the meeting. A good Chair knows when to draw the line, when to call for the vote, when to summarise and which points to dwell on.

The meeting cannot spend a lot of time on all agenda items. Some of the items can be handled with speed while others need a bit more time. A good Chair will have the correct judgement to make that call.

The fourth feature of efficient and effective meetings is the length of the meeting. If you have a meeting that lasts five or seven hours, forget about effectiveness and efficiency. Long meetings quickly lose members.

Towards the end of long meetings, almost no one is listening to anyone. People also tend to forget nearly everything that was discussed in a long meeting unlike from a sharp, focussed and pointed meeting.

Good luck as you drive effective and efficient meetings! n

Excitement is in the air and the festive mood can be felt. The festive season is here again beginning with Christmas Day tomorrow, December 25, the day when billions of Christians worldwide celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, their Lord and Saviour.

Christmas means different things to many people, but the common ground is that it is time to celebrate through feasting and merry-making among Christians and non-believers alike. It is also a time to share what we have with those less privileged than ourselves.

In whatever way we celebrate Christmas Day, it is important to put safety first. Ensure safety in the home and be safe on the roads all the time. It is a happy occasion, but avoid excessive celebrations.

To motorists, always remember that road safety starts with you. There are several basics to ensure safety such as ensuring that your vehicle tyres are in good condition, including the braking system, lights and even wiper blades are in good condition. Remember to buckle up and encourage passengers to wear seat/safety belts where there is one.

With technological advances have come instant messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and WeChat as well as social media such as Facebook and Twitter. This has seen an increase in bad habits among many drivers: Texting-and-driving. I know several friends who have been involved in road accidents because they were engrossed in text-and-drive that they did not realise the vehicle ahead of them had stopped.

Personally, I feel text-and-drive is more risky than speaking on the phone while your vehicle is in motion. It could also be worse than drunk-driving.

When driving, before you pick up your phone to respond to that incoming WhatsApp text, always reflect on this: No message is more important than your life. You can read and respond to that message at your next stop whereas your life cannot be replaced once you ram into the stationary vehicle ahead of you or, worse still, a speeding overtaking vehicle from the opposite direction.

Passengers on public transport such as minibuses should also keep an eye on their drivers. Your safety is entrusted in the driver so do not let them text while driving or indeed consume alcoholic beverages while driving.

In the home, ensure that windows and doors are closed and properly locked before leaving. Besides, do not entertain strangers masquerading as service providers from utility companies.

Commercial banks have spread their automated teller machines (ATM) networks. This is good for convenience. However, be wary of the surroundings around ATMs before inserting your card to withdraw money. Stories abound of people who have been attacked at such places. Make it a point to transact at ATMs in busy points and not quiet places, especially when it is too early in the morning or getting dark.

When shopping, buy what you need. Mind your basket or trolley, respect your shopping list. Do not be an impulse buyer who gets carried away by contents of another shopper’s basket.

Christmas and New Year festivities will always be here. Let us celebrate responsibly. To those who drive, please drive carefully. Observe speed limits as it is better to be late than “the late”. Do not drink and drive. Remember, speed thrills, but also kills.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas plus God’s abundant blessings. n

Malawians will from New Year’s Day in 2016 start dipping deeper in their pockets to pay for electricity as Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) has approved a tariff hike to K53.69 (about $0.08) from the current K40.69 (about $0.06) per kilowatt-hour.

This raise comes barely a month after the energy regulator gave Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) a 13.7 percent increase in tariffs

According to a statement signed by Mera board chairperson Dingiswayo Jere, Mera approved the tariff hike after considering the impact of inflation rate and exchange rate movement that resulted in a 6.6 percent increase.

Reads the statement in part: “The tariff which was beyond the statutory plus or minus five percent threshold for revising tariffs and therefore the electricity tariff qualified for an upward adjustment.”

The statement said during its meeting on December 2, the Mera board noted a further depreciation of the local unit to K612.38 against the United States dollar and that inflation rate also went up to 24.7 percent in October this year as computed by the National Statistical Office (NSO).

In an earlier interview with The Nation, Economics Association of Malawi (Ecama) executive director Edward Chilima predicted that electricity tariffs were set to be raised owing to the sharp weakening of the kwacha and rising inflation.

He, however, urged Escom to embrace the public sector reforms that are currently being championed by government, observing that there are a number of inefficiencies in the management of parastatals.

Similarly, Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) executive director John Kapito queried Mera’s earlier approval for a tariff hike, observing that Escom has failed in most of the key performance indicators necessitating further power hike.

In Malawi, electricity tariffs are expected to be reviewed every four years and since 2008, there have been two electricity tariff reviews, the first being from 2009 to 2013 and the second from 2014 to 2017. n

When spiders unite, they can tie up a lion. This is a popular saying which President Peter Mutharika quoted last month in Mangochi when he addressed the Economic Association of Malawi (Ecama) Annual Lakeshore Conference, to emphasise the need for unity.

Tellingly, the first citizen-who said this in the context of the ills of the domestic economy-was simply admitting that the economy, under his watch, is bleeding from all angles and from head to toe, but if united the country can turn things around.

The ‘lion’ in the room from Mutharika’s perspective is soaring inflation.

Plainly, it was a wise man’s admission that soaring inflation—the general rise in the average prices of basic goods and services—is the greatest enemy of the people of Malawi at the moment.

A week later, Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) Governor Charles Chuka also found himself grumbling about this monster that is eating into the purchasing power of many average income earners.

“Inflation robs the people of the fruits of their hard labour as well as jobs for their children,” he said when he addressed an economic symposium marking the commemoration of RBM’s 50th Anniversary in Lilongwe.

Chuka and team are tasked to tame inflation.

For Chuka, as governor of the central bank, is by law the big spider tasked to tame the lion.

Both Mutharika and the RBM boss seem to agree one common fact, the economy is bleeding and needs spiders to join hands to fix the ailing economy.

And even Chuka says as RBM commemorates 50 years of central banking in Malawi, their celebratory mood is rather muted.

“How can we celebrate in song and dance when basic commodity prices keep on rising? And when interest rates are as high as 42 percent?” he questions.

Prevailing high inflation and interest rates on the market are but a few key macroeconomic indicators that have trapped Malawians six feet under, creating a weak private sector investment atmosphere and a slowdown in household consumption, pulling down economic growth rates down in the process.

Indisputably, Malawi’s short-term growth prospects have deteriorated remarkedly, perhaps for the large part of the year 2015.

Experts say the current situation is due to a combination of weather shocks, increased instability in key macroeconomic variables, and a decline in business confidence, among others.

Economy in the red

The financial year 2015/16 budget was premised on a real gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 5.4 percent, an average inflation rate of 16.4 percent, and on an exchange rate of K450 to the dollar. That was framed somewhere in June, 2015.

Today, six months ahead, in terms of all three indicators, their conditions have worsened than expected.

The rate of inflation seems set to continue piecing into the fresh of monetary policy authorities.

At 24.7 in the month of October, the rate seem to be set to remain stubbornly high in double digits, at least for some time to come.

Even the International Monetary Fund (IMF’s) sister institution, the World Bank is in total agreement on the projections, predicting that the rate will reach an average of 21.7 percent in 2015, the second highest in Africa—from a projected rate of 16.4 percent envisioned by authorities.

Central to most Malawians grievances again is the sharp depreciation of the local currency, which this year wreaked havoc after weeks of stability and gain early in March.

The kwacha has been depreciating as a result of a combination of factors including the strengthening of the dollar, continued speculative tendencies, weak demand for Malawi’s major exports and escalated demand for the foreign currency as the economy drifts into lean period.

“But by the end of it all, it is an ordinary consumer who suffers as a weak kwacha send prices up the roof,” complained John Kapito, Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) executive director.

Then there comes one more critical indicator, real GDP growth rate. Prospects on this indicator are bad this year.

In 2015, the World Bank projects that the rate of economic growth in Malawi will be subdued, as a series of both external and internal shocks would take their toll coupled with a weak economic environment.

“In 2015, Malawi’s estimated rate of GDP growth has been revised downwards to 2.8 percent, compared to an estimate of 5.1 percent made in February,” says the World Bank in its latest publication on Malawi, the Malawi Economic Monitor.

But there is more meaning attached to this revision.

With a slowing rate of GDP growth, the poverty rate is now expected to increase over the course of 2015, before resuming a downward trend in 2016, based on the World Bank analysis.

A six percent growth rate mark is deemed as a required threshold for an economy to meaningfully impact on poverty reduction.

The proportion of poor households living under the new international poverty line of $1.9 a day is expected to increase marginally from 69.7 percent recorded in 2014 to 69.9 percent in 2015, World Bank puts it.

Adding to that a paltry growth rate of 2.8 percent as estimated this year entails a weak consumption pattern by many Malawians , constrained government expenditure, stressed export base and poor spending, which sums up to a weak demand for goods and services.

This will likely, in the short to medium term, suffocate production entities who will be forced to downsize staff and trigger a high rate of unemployment.

This is coupled with a decline in business activity, and disruptions to utility services which had an adverse impact on the value of collected Value Added Tax (VAT), corporate income tax and import duties.

Gilbert Kachamba, who Heads Economic Department at Catholic University summarized on Tuesday that: “Lower rates of GDP growth will result in a decline in the value of collected revenues by MRA, and this will trigger a significant risk that revenue targets may not be achieved by the tax collecting body.”

While IMF country representative for Malawi Geoffrey Oestreicher thinks the negative spillover effects of reduced disposable income in agriculture sector.

“[This] will impact the retail, construction and other sectors and that the negative impact of persistent inflation on investment and consumption will all weigh towards pulling down growth in 2015,” he said.

Weak fiscal discipline

By the end of the 2014/15 fiscal year, Capital Hill had recorded lower-than-expected levels of revenue and sharply higher recurrent expenditure, and the situation remains unabated.

Fiscal authorities seem to be found themselves in a quagmire with fewer resources at hand meant to carter for a myriad of public services.

With donors—who withheld their budget aid in November 2013 nowhere to be seen—government huge recourse to domestic borrowing is now apparent.

Given the deterioration in the short-term macroeconomic outlook, it is obvious that government will continue to face tight budgetary constraints over the course of the 2015/16 fiscal year, and the World Bank subscribes to the same.

But that is dangerous and suicidal to the already fragile economy, which is like sitting on a time bomb.

A good blend and balance of monetary and fiscal policies is key in the Malawi’s ever-puzzling equation.

Chuka seems to be unmasking the truth on the root cause of Malawi’s economic malaise.

“During the last 50 years, any successes and failures with regard to inflation trends, are almost entirely attributed to fiscal prudence or lack of it,” says Chuka.

For example, he reasons that inflation cannot persist if it is not financed either by the central bank or central government or both.

“I have very much hope that the people of Malawi realise that the next 50 years can only be better than the last only if we can achieve and sustain macroeconomic stability— basically defined as low and stable inflation,” he says.

To the World Bank, difficulty in managing public expenditure is a key factor contributing to Malawi’s persistent macroeconomic instability.

The bank says until the gap between revenue and expenditure is brought under control, the short-term outlook is unlikely to improve.

Currently, the Government continues to run a large fiscal deficit, with expenditure under pressure as a result of rising debt service costs, increasing wage demands, and the cost of implementing subsidy schemes and weak fiscal discipline is the most significant contributor to Malawi’s macroeconomic instability, with the prospects for improvement remaining poor. n

Low-income developing countries have seen weakened external conditions over the past eighteen months, but the net impact has varied significantly across these countries, according to a new study by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

While all of the 60 IMF member countries classified as low income countries have been affected by slowing global growth, the key shock has been the dramatic drop in commodity prices over the past eighteen months.

The report says while commodity-dependent exporting countries (especially oil exporters) are being adversely affected, countries that are more diversified in their exports have benefited from lower prices and continue to record robust growth.

The report Macroeconomic Developments and Prospects in Low-Income Developing Countries: 2015, analyses recent events and looks at the near-term prospects for this group of countries, almost all of which are eligible for concessional IMF financing.

“While the global economic environment has weakened, especially in regard to commodity prices, the effects on low-income countries has varied with differences in country-specific exposures and domestic policy conditions,” said Seán Nolan, deputy director of the IMF’s Strategy, Policy, and Review Department who oversaw the production of the report.

“Policy responses need to be tailored to country circumstances,” Nolan emphasised.

Hardest hit by low commodity prices are commodity exporters, particularly oil exporters, with growth, on average, set to decline from 5.7 percent in 2014 to three percent in 2015.

By contrast, countries less dependent on commodities for export revenues, and that have benefited from lower fuel bills, for example, are expected to see growth as high as six percent in 2014/15.

The study shows a diverse picture when looking at the net impact of commodity price movements, even within country subgroups. While countries like Cambodia, Nicaragua, and Senegal have benefited, terms-of-trade losses are disproportionally high for some large oil exporters like Nigeria.

The report says economic vulnerabilities in low-income developing countries have increased steadily over the past two years, with some 40 percent of countries now deemed to be highly vulnerable to growth shocks, up from 25-30 percent in recent years and the highest level recorded since the global financial crisis.

Key drivers are the drop in commodity prices, which has led to weaker fiscal and external balances, along with the gradual erosion of policy buffers over time.

Diversified exporters have fared better than commodity exporters, but vulnerabilities are still rising in some cases.

The report emphasises the need for commodity exporters to adjust to what is expected to be an extended period of relatively low commodity prices and to strengthen fiscal and external positions over time.

Pointing to the tightening of financing conditions, the report sounds a cautionary message on tapping portfolio inflows.

“Countries that are increasing their reliance on access to external funding thus face an additional risk—shifts in the external environment—and need to place a high premium on maintaining solid economic fundamentals, including strong public debt management capacity,” the study says.—Imf

The National Construction Industry Council (NCIC) has stopped the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) from proceeding with the construction of a K1 billion (about $1.5million) five-kilometre road in Lilongwe’s up-market Area 43 because it is not registered to undertake civil construction works.

NCIC’s decision comes barely one week after Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Atupele Muluzi unveiled MDF as the contractor at the site.

NCIC chief executive officer Linda Phiri confirmed in an interview on Wednesday that her institution was investigating the justification for awarding the contract to MDF when it is not a registered civil contractor.

She said: “By stopping MDF, it is a normal procedure. MDF are not a contractor registered with NCIC. Section 20 [1] which established NCIC states that no one should operate in the construction sector without being registered. It is not like we have any grudge against the Ministry of Lands or MDF.”

Phiri said NCIC was discussing with government to resolve the differences. With the public service festive holiday starting yesterday, she said, the discussions would resume next year.

She expressed optimism the issue would be addressed.

Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, Muluzi confirmed the works were stopped last week following concerns that MDF did not have a licence to carry out road works.

He said: “The ministry has formally written NCIC asking for the understanding that MDF be allowed to resume works. It came as a surprise that they were stopped because all processes had been exhausted and I was assured works could begin.”

Muluzi said MDF was selected to encourage government ministries to work with them because they have qualified engineers and good equipment. He said MDF was also relatively cheaper than other civil contractors.

MDF spokesperson Captain Paul Chiphwanya said the ministry was better placed to sort out the problems as the client not MDF.

MDF was due to work with consultants Infracon Engineers and Roads Authority to construct the road in the new sectors Four and Five of the affluent residential area over the next six months.

Over the years, MDF has been involved in construction of Bailey bridges nationwide to facilitate movement of people and cargo after conventional bridges have been washed away. n

Forum for African Women Educationalists in Malawi (Fawema) has said teen mothers have the potential to turn into agents of the country’s socio-economic transformation if innovative and sustainable measures are set to readmit and retain them in school.

Fawema project officer for reducing teenage pregnancies (RTP) Thokozani Phiri was speaking this week in Zomba at the end of a five-day RTP girls’ camp.

The camp attracted about 100 teen mothers as well as other vulnerable girls from Phalombe, Machinga, Balaka and Mangochi that Fawema, with technical support from Save the Children and Norad, hosted at Mulunguzi and Malosa secondary schools in the district.

One of the girls at the camp, Asiyeni Khando, commended Fawema and its partners for supporting them to return to school as it gives them hope that they can live successful lives after pregnancy if they return and work hard in school. n

Massive siltation of Lilongwe River, the main water source for Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) has led to a dive percent reduction of water volume treated per day from 35 cubic metres to 20 cubic metres.

The drop, according to LWB chief executive officer Alfonso Chikuni, will result in some areas in the capital city having no water over Christmas and New Year celebrations.

He said: “We can’t pump enough water into our treatment plant, in fact, about 50% of what we are pumping in is silt. Separating the silt from water is taking up a lot of time, hence the reduction in the volume treated.”

He said the situation has been aggravated by the deforestation of Dzalanyama Forest reserve which has led to soil erosion in surrounding areas.

He said another blow hit the board on Tuesday night when a fault which he described as serious developed at the main power plant putting water treatment completely at a halt for over 18 hours.

Chikuni also said another danger looms as electricity poles leading to the main power plant are on the verge of collapsing as the soil supporting them continues accumulating water.

“While we are waiting for the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) to rectify the problem, we have noted that two poles leading to the affected power plant have tilted and may collapse anytime soon,” he said.

Chairperson of the Network of Lilongwe Water Users Associations Bentry Nkhata said the news is sad, especially considering that people need more water during festive season being the time of cerebrations.

Chikuni said the board has already organised to supply water to people through water bowsers but hinted that the exercise will only commence when a significant volume of water has been treated from the time Escom finalises maintenance of the affected plant.

The Board has advised people to store enough water and use it sparingly. n