The Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) has asked government to work on improving the business environment in the 2018/19 National Budget in the wake of dwindling investment projections.

In his presentation at the 2018/19 pre-budget meeting in Blantyre on Tuesday, MCCCI private-public dialogue manager Hope Chavula said projections for the 2018 indicate that   Malawi’s economic forecasts for expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) is not encouraging.

Chavula said with a gross capital investment at 3.1 percent and 1.6 percent, investment is not forthcoming.

“Forecast shows that investment is not forthcoming. These are key statistics we must take into account which this budget must do to reverse the thinking of the private sector,” he said.

Chavula said that as a way of making investments into the country more attractive, there is need to consider further investment allowance on newly built warehouses and other storage structures with capital investments of not less than K200 million.

In the past two years, Malawi has been on the overdrive to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) largely through Malawi Investment Forum (MIF) organised by the Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (Mitc).

Through the Mitc, Malawi has also established a one-stop service centre where all crucial institutions in the investment registration process are operating under one roof.

Ironically, Mitc is failing to sell most of its projects listed in the 2014 and 2016 investment compendium with only about 15 projects out of a total of 193 projects being fully taken up so far ahead of the June investment forum.

According to the 2017 Malawi Government Economic Report, Malawi remains one of the countries in Africa with the lowest levels of foreign investments.

“This can be explained by several challenges the country is facing which can be discouraging foreign investors notably, high transportation costs, unreliable supply of water and electricity, high import duties, high corruption and unpredictable factor and product prices. These partly explain why Malawi is not seen as a relatively attractive destination for investing”.

According to Mitc figures, between 2011 and mid 2016, Malawi attracted foreign and domestic investments worth $6.5 billion (about K4.7 trillion).

A strategic plan by Mitc project the country’s investments to rise to $15 billion and increased export earnings to $4.9 billion by 2019 as well as the creation of 650 000 direct and indirect jobs.

Under the tax investments provided in the Taxation Act, investment allowance is given to a taxpayer who is also a manufacturer equal to 100 percent of the cost of new and unused (industrial buildings) plant or machinery and equal to 40 percent of the cost of used industrial buildings and plant machinery.

The post ‘Gloomy outlook for FDI’ appeared first on The Nation Online.

At last check, Malawi was rated among the countries with the highest levels of corruption. Now, it might have taken a whole three day conference for some sectors in society to discuss what constitutes corruption, but the matter of fact is the vice exists.

The rampant looting that occurred in 2013 where it later transpired that it was deeply entrenched from as far back as 2009 has resulted in the country’s corruption rating becoming even worse.

Just imagine that in 2017, the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) rating as measured by Transparency International (TI) had plummeted to 122 from 110 in 2014.

Not that the rating was any better before Cashgate, but whatever efforts if any have been there to fight corruption in this country have come to nought.

It would take more than three days just to dissect what it is that has been going wrong, it is too much to count. But for sure, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) biting off more than it can chew comes to mind.

Just this week, ACB disclosed that it had received 67 files in connection to the K236 billion forensic audit covering the period 2009 to 2014. All this before the corruption cases following the K23 billion forensic audit are concluded.

Added to this, ACB is embarking on investigations into how the government planned to corruptly share K4 billion among some 86 members of Parliament (MPs) for voting favourably on the electoral reforms bills.

Apart from the 67 files and looking into the K4 billion mysterious deal, the same ACB is grappling with thwarting attempts by the former president Bakili Muluzi to escape prosecution, or at the very least delay the inevitable until kingdom come.

This is the same ACB that should be investigating the billions that former president the late Bingu wa Mutharika held in local and international banks amounting to K34.9 billion but also real estates which according to ACB investigations and information sourced from estate valuers is worth K37.2 billion.

It is this case that the Director of Public Officers Declarations is banking on to investigate unexplainable accumulation of wealth by public servants and possibly prosecute those who might have corruptly obtained money and property.

Much as many would like ACB to effectively fight corruption, investigate and prosecute those suspected to have fraudulently acquired money and property, this is not possible when the more work piles up on the ACB desk, the less investigators and prosecutors the office seems to have to tackle the work.

ACB is being too modest to claim that it tries its best to work to the maximum capacity with the limited number of staff, it’s just not possible.

The donors, the government and even ACB itself would like to ‘try its best’ but without investment and deliberate mechanisms to increase personnel, this remains a wish.

There is no point on embarking on investigations when years will go by before arrests and prosecution can be effected.

It should be unacceptable that corruption investigations involving ‘fat cats’ in the country get special attention and not those where a few millions were looted from the government purse.

The result of ignoring low level corruption is there for all to see: Cashgate. Government officials had the audacity to introduce recipients of government resources into the public finance system when they had delivered zero services.

The problem of turning a blind eye to corrupt activities eight years ago millions went into the accounts of mere clerks was the 2013 Cashgate when ordinary citizens would cash cheques worth billions knowing well ACB had no capacity to catch them.

If ACB had the capacity, the civil servants embroiled in the payroll fraud and the officials at Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development who shared allowances for over 1 000 days in a year would be in jail right now and the extent of Cashgate would not have been so shocking.

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The Malawi Stock Exchange (MSE) has in the month of January recorded a decline in both volume and value of shares traded due to relatively low valued shares which exchanged hands during the period.

According to a published January 2018 monthly economic review, a total of 36.5 million shares earning K1 318.0 million were traded compared with 122.3 million shares which earned K2 047.3 million during the previous month, representing a 70.2 percent and 35.6 percent decline, respectively.

“The decline in turnover was due to relatively low valued shares which exchanged hands during the period compared to more but low valued shares which exchanged hands in the previous review period,” the report reads in part.

During the period under review, Nico Holdings plc counter (trading at K34.0 per share) accounted for 62.7 percent of shares traded while in the previous period, Telekom Networks Malawi (TNM) plc counter (trading at K16.2 per share) accounted for 90.7 percent of shares traded.

In the corresponding month of the previous year, 9.5 million shares changed hands at a total consideration of K299.5 million.

On the other hand, the Malawi All Share Index (Masi) gained 625.4 points and closed off at 22 223.4 points from 21 598.1 points recorded in December 2017, resulting in a monthly return on index of 2.9 percent.

Total market capitalisation closed slightly higher at K10 661.8 billion compared with K10 609.5 billion recorded in the previous month while domestic market capitalisation closed higher at K811.6 billion from K791.1 billion in the previous month.

In an earlier interview, MSE operations manager Esnat Chilije was upbeat that the market will continue to register positive results should the macroeconomic environment continue to stablise.

“Inflation and interest rates have declined while the exchange rate has been largely stable creating conducive environment for business operation and also attracting investors to the capital market.

The post MSE share volume, value drops in Jan appeared first on The Nation Online.

As long as government maintains the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp), we should forget that farmers will ever take maize farming as a business.

This is the message President Peter Mutharika did not tell Malawians this week when he presided over the second congregation of the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar) on March 21 2018.

Mutharika, speaking as Chancellor of Luanar, among many other things, called for a mindset change. He urged Luanar graduates to go into farming. He said in some countries educated people do not regard farming as a job or profession for the less educated.

I found Mutharika’s statement misplaced. But I am not blaming him for this. He cannot be expected to know everything that he needs to tell the nation at a function like a congregation. That is the job of his advisors. These start with his Cabinet Ministers, down to the technocrats, who draft his speeches. These are the people who ought to advise the President about what to say during such functions—unless the President completely diverted from his prepared speech.

That is why I was very happy when I read the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) manifesto in 2014 which promised to scrap off Fisp. But I knew it was just fiction. Fisp is one government programme which has made commercial farming especially for maize, unattractive. Of course, there are other crops that people can grow such as groundnuts, soya beans and beans, to mention but a few, which are not on Fisp. But in Malawi, one of the easiest crops one can grow and expect to get good returns from as a commercial crop, all things being equal, is maize. This is because it is the country’s staple. But when the crop is highly subsidized by government and its market highly regulated, no-one expects it to attract huge investments. There is just too much uncertainty about it. Those with the resources would rather go into agro-trading and leave maize farming to the subsistence farmer.

The rationale for regulating the crop—such as banning its exports—is that it is subsidized by government. This makes sense. The solution, therefore, is to phase out Fisp completely. But this would not be politically correct—in the short term. So, we will continue to be saddled with policies that harm our agricultural productivity but buffet our political egos.

The other problem for the country’s maize farming is that it is highly dependent on rain. We are yet to harness the huge water bodies like Lake Malawi to improve commercial farming. Only 200 000 hectares (ha) or 0.53 percent of the country’s agricultural arable land (3.8million ha) is irrigated. This is a serious misnomer.

So, on the basis of being politically correct, I can guarantee that Fisp will be upon us until kingdom come. No political party that aspires to remain in or go into government will ever meddle with Fisp. Of course, at the peril of our other objectives.

So the message that APM should have told the nation at this week’s congregation at Luanar is that his next government will scrap off Fisp to make maize farming profitable. But this is a political statement which not even his technocrats (those that draft his speeches or talking notes, will advise the President to make at a political podium). But they should be able to tell him off record. It is up to the President to cherry pick. And with elections only 13 months away, the President or any presidential candidate will not publicly make such unpopular statements.

It is the same as the chancellor of a public university presiding over a congregation and announcing to the students that the college will raise fees to improve their welfare and teaching staff. It would be politically suicidal. Yet this is the reason the infrastructure in most of our public universities—save for the College of Medicine—is pathetic.

The post Will any political party phase out Fisp? appeared first on The Nation Online.

Kuchionetsero cha zaulimi cha National Agriculture Fair ku Trade Fair Grounds mumzinda wa Blantyre, Peacewell Edward Mlanga, wochokera kwa Senior Chief Somba m’boma la Blantyre adachita mphumi ndi kupeza chikho atapambana alimi anzake onse omwe adabwera kuchionetserochi. Ulimi wake udapatsa chidwi ngakhale mtsogoleri wa dziko lino Peter Mutharika yemwe adatsegulira chionetserochi. Kodi chinsinsi cha mlimiyu n’chotani? Esmie Komwa adacheza naye motere:

Chidakopa anthu paulimi wanu kuchionetserochi n’chiyani?

Choyambirira ng’ombe yomwe ndidapita nayo kuchionetseroku imaoneka ya thanzi komanso ndi yoti imatulutsa mkaka wochuluka ndipo anthu adadzionera okha.

Ng’ombe zanu zimatulutsa mkaka wochuluka bwanji?

Imodzi imatulutsa mkaka wosachepera malita 35 pa tsiku.

Chinsinsi chanu kuti muzipeza mkaka wochuluka chagona pati?

Zakudya zokwanira komanso za kasakaniza ndi madzi wokwanira tsiku lililonse.

Mumadyetsera zakudya zanji?

Kuonjezera pa udzu omwe ndimadyetsera nthawi zonse, m’zaka za mmbuyomu ndimadyetsera chakudya chogula cha ng’ombe chotchedwa dairy marsh koma nditaona kuti chakwera  mtengo kwambiri, ndidasiya mmalo mwake ndidayamba kugula zotsalira popanga mowa ku kampani ya Carlsberg, zotchedwa spent green. Ndichotsikirapo mtengo kusiyana ndi chakudya cha kusitolo chifukwa pamwezi ndimagula cha K135 000 pomwe chogulacho kuti chikwane pamafunika ndalama yosachepera K200 000. Kuonjezera apa, ndimadyetseranso madeya a nandolo ndi a chimanga.

Mutasiya kugwiritsa ntchito dairy marsh, mkaka sunatsike?

Ayi ndithu udakali chimodzimodzi.

Mumazipatsa chakudya chochuluka bwanji pa tsiku?

Alangizi adatiuza kuti ng’ombe iliyonse tiziyipatsa chakudya chokwana makilogalamu 200 koma mukudziwanso kuti sizocheza kuti munthu ufike pamenepa kotero nthawi zambiri ndimabwerera pa makilogalamu 170 pa ng’ombe iliyonse.

Nanga madzi amakhala wochuluka bwanji?

Madzi ndiye sindinganene, ndimaonetsetsa kuti azikhalamo nthawi zonse. Adandilumikizira mapaipi a madzi ku makola kotero momwera muli mipopi yomwe ndimangotsegula ndikaona kuti atsika.

Munayamba liti kuweta ng’ombe za mkaka?

Ndidayamba mu 2000 ndi ng’ombe imodzi kenako m’chaka chotsatiracho ndidagulanso ina basi kuchokera pamenepo zinadzichulukitsa zokha chifukwa nthawi zina zimaswa mapasa.

M’maweta ng’ombe za mtundu wanji?

Zija zimadziwika ndi dzina loti Friesian.

Pano zilipo zingati?

Zilipo 16 koma zomwe tikukama 7. Bwenzi zitapotsera pamenepa chifukwa zina zimatha kuswa mapasa koma ndimapatitsakonso ena.

Muli ndi za mphongonso?

Ayi, kuti zitenge bere timaitana alangizi kuti adzadzipatsire umuna wa mtundu wa ng’ombezi kuti tisasakanize mtundu.

Chidakupangitsani kuti muyambe ulimiwu n’chiyani?

Mayi anga adadwala ndipo kuchipatala adawauza kuti azimwa mkaka tsiku lililonse kotero ndidailowa ntchito yogula mkaka wa m’mapaketi. Kenako ndidaganiza zongogula ng’ombe ya mkaka kuti ndizingokama n’kumawapatsa ndipo tsiku lomwelo ndidayamba kukama. Ng’ombeyi imatulutsa mkaka wodzadza ndowa pa tsiku ndipo umandichulukira choncho wina ndinkangogawa kwa anthu ena a m’mudzimu. Posakhalitsa mnzanga wina adanditsina khutu kuti anthu akupanga ndalama pogulitsa ku kampani ya Lilongwe Dairy yomwe imabwera ku Blantyre konkuno n’kumagula kotero ndidayamba kuperekera kumeneko ndipo chaka chachiwiri ndidaonjezera ina. Phindu lomwe ndimapeza lidandipangitsa kuti ndilimbikire kwambiri mpomweno ndidakhazikika.

Ndi phindu lanji lomwe mwakhala mukupeza kuchokera ku mkaka?

Ndidagula malo ndikumangapo nyumba ziwiri zopangitsa lendi, ndagula malo ena wokwana nyumba zitatu zomwe malata ake ndagula kale komanso ndikuphunzitsa ana anga awiri ku poly. Ndidagawirakonso abale anga ena ng’ombezi omwenso akuthandizikira mu njira zosiyanasiyana mmakomo mwawo, kunena pakhomo panga ndiye sitisowa kanthu.

Mumakagulitsa kuti mkaka wanu?

Kuyambira Lamulungu mpaka Lachisanu ndimakagulitsa kwa amwenye m’tauni pa mtengo wa K180 pa lita wotsalawo ndimakagulitsa ku bulking group pamtengo wa K160 pa lita ndipo Loweruka, ndimakagulitsa kwa mzungu wina wake ku Nyambadwe pa mtengo wa K400 pa lita.

Mawu kwa alimi anzanu ndi wotani?

Ulimi wa ng’ombe za mkaka ndi waphindu koma kuti upindule umafuna kulimbikira. n

The post Khama ndiye yankho poweta ng’ombe zamkaka appeared first on The Nation Online.

Hon Folks, it may look as if the business captains are pushing it by asking for a tax reduction to stimulate business growth, more so when the budget itself has been drastically chopped to K1 trillion.

It was at nearly K1.3 trillion in 2017/2018 fiscal year then reduced to K1.1 trillion by midyear when it became apparent the ailing economy couldn’t yield K1.3 trillion in domestic revenue.

The reduction to K1 trillion in nominal terms implies having much less buying power in real terms in a year of elections when we have seen signs of desperation to win at any cost.

Already trending in the public domain is the Machiavellian move the executive made in November 2017 to exploit the gullibility of MPs by enticing them with K40 million each windfall to vote against changes to electoral reforms bills.

Now pressure is mounting on Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe to go and, for the first time, he is not even attending the budget consultations, leaving the task to his PS Ben Botolo.

Goodall is accused of juggling approved allocations in the 2017/18 development budget so government could realise K4 billion for the appeasement, initially targeted at 86 MPs only. What a way to rig the elections!

But next year people don’t just want free and fair elections. They also want investment in irrigation farming to ensure food security, which also helps stabilise the economy by containing inflation, is sustainable in these days of climatic changes and environmental degradation.

Malawians also want improved quality of education so we have the human capital that can drive our beautiful country out of the poverty web. Students want to be empowered with business acumen so they don’t have to move from office to office, looking for jobs that are not there.

All these good ideas will require money but so too the business captains. They need cash to generate the wealth from which government squeezes its revenue.

Heavy taxes from healthy and growing businesses makes sense but heavy taxes from ailing businesses  is a sure way of starving the goose that lay the egg. Government may end up losing both the bird and its egg.

Which is why even in hard times, it is important for political leaders to balance their insatiable appetite for sweet public revenue with the equally compelling demand for investment in wealth generation, a task largely in the domain of the private sector.

Failure to strike a balance results in having a State that is larger than the economy characterised by soaring a national budget against declining economy. From the voter’s pedestal, the sign of this unhealthy imbalance is opulence in the upper echelons of power against growing poverty and deprivation among ordinary citizens.

Is there anything government can do to strike the balance and ensure the prevailing economic stability is sustained?  My take is a big YES. All it takes is allowing sanity to prevail and doing things differently.

When sanity prevails, government will take drastic and decisive measures to seal leakages in the public finance management system. Isn’t it amazing that government is adamant and indifferent even when donors have opted for off-budget financing of developmental projects, afraid of using Account Number 1 which someone described as a “leaking bucket?”

Transparency International (TI), Afrobarometer and other experts have measured and found corruption to be getting worse by the day in Malawi. High and low level corruption has spread from the Capital Hill to the districts, gnawing at Local Development Fund (LDF) and Constituency Development Fund (CDF) like fall armyworms.

It is estimated that the loss through corruption and fraud is up to 30 percent of the revenue government collects annually.  Some say the loss is equal to 5 percent of the GDP. What’s difficult to measure is what, if any, government is doing about it.  APM is on record as having blamed the media for exaggerating the prevalence of corruption in Malawi, really?

If government stitches its coffers, ensuring every tambala of its revenue is used for the intended purpose, and seriously cut on wasteful spending, it’ll pay for its commitments with 30 percent less than what it needs now.

That will ease its hunger for more revenue and allow the business captains to plough back more of the wealth they generate into their businesses.

The post Government at the crossroads appeared first on The Nation Online.

Anthony Malisawa is an awkwardly unfamiliar name in the entertainment circles. But the mention of the name VJ Ice immediately draws a flurry of reactions, from those who know him as a Video Jockey (VJ), DJ, musician, music producer and videographer.

The music video of Gwetsa by DJ Nathan Tunes and Hazel Mak which he directed was voted as the Best Malawian Video at last year’s Urban Music Party (UMP) Awards.

And, Jaiva by Hazel Mak featuring Roberto and Tay Grin, another of his production is on rotation on Trace Africa channel on the Digital Satellite Television (DStv).

Yet, despite all these many faces, the slender jack-of-all-trades wears his hats with both pride and humility.

“I am a creative person. To be honest, I am a lot of things. I am a video producer who directs and shoots music videos, a radio personality, a professional DJ/VJ, music producer and graphic designer.

“As a producer, I have worked with actors, animators, celebrities, composers, directors, musicians, non-profits, singers and writers. I have shot projects on location, in studios and in many places countrywide. I have been a DJ for most big festivals in Malawi such as the Lake of Stars, Ovation Food Festival apart from club DJing,” he shares his brief.

VJ Ice explains that he fell in love with videography through famed videographer Chipiliro Khonje.

He cites the shooting of the Zokoma video with meagre resources that made it on Channel O as the highlight of his career.

But he has since achieved more since that milestone.

“To manage to break through to international channels with little resources we have is amazing. We shot the Zokoma music video with few resources, a Canon 550D stock lens and a zoom lens. But it managed to make it on the Channel O playlist in 2013.

“In 2014, I produced a break through music video for Janta’s Divorce that won him video of the year at the UMP Awards that year. In 2015, I produced a video for Dali’s Angelina which was my first production accepted on Trace Africa and then 2017 I followed up that with the most loved video of the year Gwetsa for DJ Nathan Tunes and Hazel Mak that received a lot of airplay on Trace Africa.

“Now we have a new video currently enjoying airplay on Trace Africa by Hazel Mak featuring Rorberto and Tay Grin titled Jaiva. So, to be able to showcase Malawian talents outside Malawi is the best part of my career,” he says.

But how does he balance being a DJ/VJ and a videographer?

“It is hectic to maintain both careers, I can’t lie, but I enjoy both of them. If asked to choose one, I will still choose both. Mostly, my weekends are my DJying days as I am a king of the night. We make the nightlife happen for people. While I mostly do my videography work during the week. So, right now, both are essential to my life as they complement each other,” he says.

VJ Ice notes that despite the high standard of videos that are being produced locally, Malawi still has a long way to go before the country produces a continental superstar.

“I admit the video game is on point, but it’s high time our artists started producing songs that have good content, with good production and mostly club bangers too. I am not saying our artists are not doing all that, but it’s rare, we do not have the consistency.

“Also, what is making us not reach the levels that our neighbours have reached is because as Malawians, we do not promote our own music. Go on social media, you see less talk about our own music. Local music producers are doing well and have produced professional records and we have a wide range of music video producers around now, so all I can say is that let us all hold hands and support one another and press so that we make it out together,” he says.

The Lilongwe resident also challenges musicians to pull up their socks.

“I feel like the producers are putting a lot of energy to change the scene but the artists are the ones slacking behind. Imagine, when I was starting in 2012 as a video director, we had little resources compared to what we have now.

“Now we have drones, gimbals, 4K cameras—making it easy for the producer execute good work. Times have changed, but the artist has stayed on the same level,” he contends.

What next for VJ Ice? What should we look forward to?

“I am writing a film called F.A.M.E [Fashion, Arts, Music, Entertainment] which will showcase the good and the bad side of the industry,” he says.

The post Icing it like a Don appeared first on The Nation Online.

For three quarters, the gallant Queens yesterday morning matched the Sunshine Girls of Jamaica pound-for-pound, but lost the plot in the final frantic moments to lose by 11 baskets at the four-nations Taini Jamison Netball Trophy.

Malawi, who finished third in group matches with two points from three matches,  are hoping for a third-place finish when they face table-anchors Fiji’s Pearls this morning while Jamaica who finished top after winning all their three matches, take on hosts and second-placed New Zealand’s Ferns in the finals.

The Queens punched above their weight to come from three baskets down to draw level 33-33 with barely three minutes to the end of the third quarter as the North Show Events Centre in Auckland, New Zealand, danced to their tune.

Their deft touches and exquisite passing had the crowd rising to give them a standing ovation they thoroughly deserved.

A typically assured touch inside Jamaica’s goal area gave Mvula control of the ball, then a drop of the shoulder confused her marker. In turn, Mvula found shooter Mwawi Kumwenda with a pass that oozed class and even though her balance appeared to fail Mwawi, her technique didn’t as a swing of her right arm produced the sweetest of connections—slotting the equaliser which was as soft as the cheeks of a newly-born baby.

But just when it appeared the Queens would give the sporting world a feel-good tale of the biblical David bringing down the giant that is Golliath, there was to be a sting in the tail as a lapse in concentration saw them losing 47-44 at the end of the third quarter.

And as fatigue took its toll, the Queens tumbled further in the last quarter allowing the Jamaicans to take full control and extend their lead by 11 baskets to lose 66-55.

Despite the loss, the Queens dominated shooting accuracy in all the four quarters and overall they had 90 percent against Jamaica’s 81.

However, Mwawi and captain Joana Kachilika drew positives from the loss, saying they are not far off.

Said Mwawi: “We played with hunger and we were inspired, but as fatigue caught up, we lost concentration. If we can work on our fitness levels which appears to be our weakest link, then I am confident that we can do well at the Commonwealth Games. Otherwise we are getting better with each game and I hope after 10 days of training together, we will be in shape.

“But we also need to work more on keeping possession.”

The Queens trailed the Jamaicans 15-13 in the first quarter and were down 30-26 at half time.

The starting line-up had Kumwenda, Sindi Simtowe-Msowoya, Bridget Kumwenda-Chalera, Thandi Galeta, Kachilika, Towera Vinkhumbo-Nyirenda and Loreen Ngwira.

In the second quarter, Takondwa Lwazi went in for Chalera-Kumwenda. In the third quarter Joyce Mvula substituted Simtowe-Msowoya while in last quarter, Mvula paved the way for Simtowe-Msowoya.

Jamaica’s Vanjelee Williams was named player of the match.

The Queens lost their first match to New Zealand 55-42 on Wednesday and went on to win their second match against Fiji 67-52 on Thursday.

The tournament is part of preparations for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Queensland, Australia from April 4-15. n

The post Queens out of contention appeared first on The Nation Online.

Super League clubs are struggling to implement commercialisation initiatives because they lack workable strategies, Weekend Nation has established.

Backed by Fifa spearheaded club licensing system (CLS) which encourages clubs to run professionally, clubs in the country have over the years been solidifying their gospel of becoming thoroughly commercial.

From selling merchandise to SMS promotions, membership drives and dinner and dances, outfits such as Silver Strikers, Nyasa Big Bullets and Be Forward Wanderers, have invested in them all. But failure has essentially been all they were left with.

Separate interviews with some clubs and business experts have revealed that the clubs lack commercialisation strategies stemming from failure to hire marketing or business development experts or consultants to lead the drive.

While Malawi top clubs operate without marketing departments, other teams in southern Africa are well ahead. For instance, South Africa side Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns have created key marketing positions such as brands manager, retail manager and marketing manager.

Wanderers have been the latest club to suffer from commercialisation shock. Recently it organised an SMS campaign to raise around K30 million to supplement  their budget for the CAF Champions League campaign. But the Nomads only realised less than K500 000.

About two years ago, the Nomads also organised a dinner and dance to raise funds for construction of a stadium but only few people turned up.

Wanderers chairperson Gift Mkandawire in an interview said they hired marketing analysts before launching the fundraising initiatives.

“After doing their research they gave us flowery findings which showed that we will generate much funds. However, it has always been shocking that the results were totally different,” he said.

Mkandawire acknowledged that if they had a permanent marketing team things could have turned out to be different.

“We understand the importance of having fully employed marketers to steer the commercialisation drive. However, it is expensive to employ marketers as full timers. But it has always been our hope to have fully employed business development experts,” he said.

Silver Strikers have also struggled to go fully commercial as projects such as sale of replica jerseys—when they signed a deal with United States-based sports gear manufacturer Nsejjere—could not materialise.

In an interview, the Bankers general secretary (GS) Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda also confessed that they do not have a fully employed marketing team and rely on a team of volunteers to strategise the club’s businesses.

“The challenge is that those that are helping us on the marketing front have other personal commitments, so it is difficult to get their full support,” he said. “But we are moving towards mobilising resources to set up a fully employed marketing team.”

Chakaka-Nyirenda further disclosed that as part of their commercialisation they are wooing the corporate world to be advertising at their stadium and their newly-introduced website.

“We have a lot of projects and that is just one of them. But we know that if we were to succeed, without undermining those that are volunteering to help market our products, we really need full time workers,” he said.

Blue Eagles GS Ulemu Kalua stated that the club also runs fundraising initiatives to supplement the sponsorship they receive from Malawi Police Service (MPS).

“We may not rely on our sponsor fully, so we also fundraise mostly through football matches. But let me say that we don’t generate much from the initiatives because we don’t organise them regularly,” he said.

Kalua admitted that their fundraising partly suffers because of lack of a marketing department.

“But then our club is owned by the MPS so it is difficult for us to operate as a hard-core business entity,” he said.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) commercial and marketing director Limbani Matola noted that most clubs are failing to commercialise because their leaderships do not have long-term plans.

“Most clubs’ executive committees’ members are politicians. They only think about short-term plans because they rarely hold office for more than three years. It is difficult in this sense to think about commercialisation strategies that can in the long run generate revenue for the clubs,” he said.

Matola also said the key element in any commercialisation drive is establishing a marketing team and urged clubs to ensure they adopt this line of thought.

“The club’s fundraising programmes fail because they do not have time to strategise. When you have a marketing team, it takes a lot of strategising and planning before execution. This is why they must have marketers,” he said. n

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The Malawi national netball team, the Queens, heavy  loss to New Zealand in a warm up match for the Commonwealth Games was the 11th consecutive defeat, the longest run of losses for the nation’s  beloved international soap-opera sports team.

But if I said I was surprised with the run of bad results, I would be cheating myself and you dear readers. The truth is that it’s been long time coming. Perhaps the best way to put it is that this is the beginning of the end of a golden era.

This squad has outlived its lifespan and usefulness. Age has caught up with most of the squad players. Majority have married and are now mothers with one or more children. Now don’t misconstrue my statement to mean it is wrong for our netballers to get married and have children. No!

All am saying is that these developments are taking a toll on a squad that is already advanced in years. We should not expect them to do well. Serena Williams who has returned to the sport after giving birth, was knocked out of the Miami Open in the first round early this week because she is not the same.

So, my point is that it is time for Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) to start grooming a new crop of players to take over from the old generation. The Presidential Sports Initiative for netball is run in all districts. Why not make a deliberate move to scout for players. And look for players with good height and stamina. We need new blood in the netball otherwise Malawi will lose its sixth ranking and slip down into oblivion.

Transition is not an easy thing. In football we have seen how difficult it has been to build another tangible team after the golden generation of Manfred Hoenor’s dream Under 20 squad. But it’s always good to accept the truth earlier and start rebuilding so that there is a good mixture of youth and experience in the good that the youth can learn something from the old players. But we can’t be relying on the same pair of defenders Towera Vinkhumbo and Carol Mtukule 15 years later and expect to win matches. Impossible.

Meanwhile I would like to wish the Flames good luck in Uganda for their friendly match. Ugandan Cranes are on the rise and will give RVG’s team a good test of their mettle as they prepare for the Cosafa tournament in May.

To European football now. Being a Fifa week, some mouth-watering clashes already took place yesterday on Friday. But on Tuesday fans can watch Germany v Brazil, England v Italy, Spain v Argentina, Nigeria v Serbia among some of the best fixtures.

Locally I will be in Lilongwe at Silver Stadium to watch Bullets versus Silver Strikers. Of course, I am a Nomads fan although they changed my beloved blue colours. But the match has been organised by Media Institute of Southern Africa  (Misa), Malawi chapter, to fundraise for the body’s permanent premises. It is for this cause that I will be there in solidarity with other scribes.

I am also wishing all the best to the Southern Region chapter of Sports Adiministrators and Journalists (SAJ) who are participating in this year’s national football tournament in Mangochi. n

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Has the decree that President Peter Mutharika issued in 2015, that city councils should demolish substandard structures flopped?

Mutharika ordered the demolition in 2015, saying the structures were a threat to lives, and an eyesore.

Presidential spokesperson Mgeme Kalilani said in an interview on Wednesday that it is necessary to take down the buildings, first and foremost to prevent possible loss of lives.

But three years after the President made the order, no council has started implementing it because one property owner obtained an injunction against the order.

Deputy registrar of the High Court Agnes Patemba, in a telephone interview on Wednesday, attributed court’s failure to handle the case to huge workload that the judge assigned the case had.

Said Patemba: “This is one of the delayed cases, I must admit. The judge assigned to this case has had too much work. The case is pending hearing as the judge indicated it might come up this coming April for an inter partes hearing.”

In 2011, an ageing building which previously housed Kips Restaurant along Hannover Street in Blantyre collapsed and killed three people, and injured scores of others.

In the 1980s, former president Kamuzu Banda mounted a similar campaign dubbed ‘Red Star’ to remove structures that were deemed not fit to be in central business districts (CBDs) of Blantyre.

Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development spokesperson Muhlabase Mughogho in an e-mailed response on Monday said the councils’ hands were tied by the court order hence there has been no progress on the matter.

“As ministry, our major role is to continuously provide policy direction and support to the councils. In the mentioned case, we are concerned that nothing is being done. But at this point, we cannot defy court orders as the matter is still in court.” she said.

Malawi Institute of Engineers (MIE) deputy chief executive officer Wilson Chirwa said in an e-mailed response on Thursday the threat that unfit structures pose is still relevant.

He said: “Buildings have a life span. Some of the buildings were constructed a long time ago and have outlived their life-span. In addition, building standards get reviewed to accommodate new requirements such as resistance to earthquakes.

“Accordingly, the concerned buildings do not measure up to the new standards and are a hazard to human life in the event of strong earthquakes or strong winds because they were not engineered to that level.”

But Chirwa blamed the city and town councils for their failure to enforce existing by-laws.

“I am aware that the buildings marked with red stars were of inadequate structural strength as inspected. Secondly, there are finance issues as owners would have to put up multi-storey structures to replace single storey buildings due to new zoning requirements,” he said.

Kalilani, in a WhatsApp response on Wednesday, said as government which has “sufficient interest in the matter tried to have the injunctions vacated, but failed”.

He said the presidential order was necessitated by assessments by individual councils.

“When the injunctions were granted to the property owners against the exercise, government tried to have the court orders vacated, but we have not been successful thus far. Unfortunately, there is not much we can do if the courts feel their orders are justified and should be sustained.”

Some tenants and users of the buildings expressed fears that some of the structures were really a threat to life.

A tenant in one of the buildings, close to some government offices in Blantyre said the building he was renting had developed cracks.

“These buildings have outlived their lifespan. But the problem is that we cannot afford upmarket buildings whose rental fees are too high for us. Otherwise there are cracks in the building that show weaknesses in the structure. The day we experienced an earth tremor in Blantyre we were very afraid that the structure would collapse,” said the tenant who runs a laundry business.

A stamp maker Oswald Maulidi who operates from another building marked with a red star bemoaned the rise in rates as the reason for continuing to use an old building.

“We are aware that the government earmarked these buildings for demolition. However, it is difficult for some small businesses like mine to find space in an upmarket building. That is why I am still operating from this building. But the threat is real,” he said. n

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Malawi needs to set up a Young Graduates’ Fund from where innovative entrepreneurs could get guidance and funding for dynamic projects which can bring household and national food security.

Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Joseph Chidanti Malunga, gave the suggestion in Lilongwe on Thursday, as one innovative way of replacing the national Fertiliser Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp) which is dogged by political and logistical problems.

His remarks came after some stakeholders at pre-budget consultations—hosted by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development— expressed frustration with the subsidy programme.

They said the programme is increasingly missing its goal of promoting household and national food security through government’s provision of quality seeds and subsidised fertiliser to smallholder farmers.

“We can adopt such a fund from Botswana, where it is working very well,” said Malunga. He added that a nationwide tour by his committee members shows that crooked input ‘suppliers’ and other businesspeople have given ordinary Malawians a raw deal in Fisp.

“We would have to use, say, K20 billion from the K44 billion we have spent on Fisp, to set up such a fund. It will be scrutinising business plans and guiding and funding innovative youths to take up agriculture as a business,” enthused Malunga.

He said his committee would present this proposal at a national conference that needs to meet urgently to discuss how to gradually phase out Fisp and use the funds on projects that can transform ordinary people and the nation.

Malunga lamented the fact that the initial intentions of Fisp have been hijacked by some crooked input ‘suppliers’ who trick farmers into selling a K15 000-worth coupon for only K5 000.

In turn, the buyer—who cheats the farmer that he or she will lose out because there are no inputs to go around—makes a K10 000 profit per coupon after claiming payment from government, he noted.

“It is clear that, over the years, Fisp has been losing its usefulness as a tool for helping smallholder farmers. This programme has failed and it has outlived its usefulness,” Malunga charged.

Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) president Alfred Kapichira Banda also agreed that Fisp is a failure and needs to be replaced with dynamic projects that must be scrutinised and approved at a national forum.

“Such a meeting should involve the vulnerable small farmers, too, who have been taken for a ride and have become poorer by the year. Agro-industry organisations, Ministry of Agriculture officials and chiefs should also be part of such a crucial meeting,” he said.

Banda seemed to agree with Malunga’s suggestion but rather than opting for a Trust, he said a bank for farmers would be ideal in boosting food security in the country.

“Only farmers with gardens, or farms, should be given loans from such a bank. I tell you, this country can be food secure in no time,” he declared.

Banda said Fisp has become a scandal because its budget is drained right from the coupon-printing stages to project officers’ expenditure on air tickets and fuel and personal allowances outside and inside the country.

During the first few years, after its introduction 13 years ago, Fisp proved effective to poor farmers who enabled Malawi to retain its earlier status of feeding itself after many years of food insecurity.

Some agriculture experts and some politicians have felt that a universal subsidy programme could best replace the programme, although some commentators also found other faults with even this proposal.n

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Flames coach Ronny van Geneugden (RVG) has said the absence of some key players has forced him to include five uncapped players in the final squad  for Tuesday’s international friendly match against Uganda’s Cranes in Kampala.

The five are Be Forward Wanderers defending midfielder and captain Alfred Manyozo Jnr, winger Felix Zulu, the  Nomads’ reserve side defender Precious Sambani and Nyasa Big Bullets duo of midfielder Righteous Banda and  blossoming forward Patrick Phiri.

They are part of the 29-member squad that flew out of the country yesterday afternoon to Nairobi, Kenya en route to Kampala.

The squad includes 21 players and eight officials.

“We had to find suitable replacements for players such as injured [Frank] ‘Gabadinho’ Mhango, Chikoti Chirwa who is away for Malawi Defence Force [MDF] duties and also Atusaye Nyondo.

“Then we also do not have Robert Ng’ambi and Gerald Phiri Jnr who asked to be excused so that they concentrate on their club which is fighting relegation [in the South African Premier Soccer League],” he said.

Nevertheless, RVG believes the inclusion of the uncapped players could be a blessing in disguise because it provides them a chance to prove their worth.

“We should always be ready for such eventualities when you cannot have all the players you need due to other circumstances.

“The expectations are high from them [rookies] because it is a big challenge for those that could be given a chance to play on Tuesday,” he said.

The Flames mentor said having trained with the senior team for a while, “I am confident that they are ready for the challenge”.

On his part, Manyozo—who was named 2017 TNM Super League best midfielder—said he is hoping to get his debut against the Cranes.

“This is the nearest that I have come to playing for the national team and I am hoping to get a chance. I have waited for such an opportunity and now it is within touching distance,” he said.

The following is the full squad: Players: Charles Swini, Brightone Munthali, John Lanjesi, Chembezi Dennis, Limbikani Mzava (C), Gomezgani Chirwa, Sambani, Yamikani Fodya, John and Frank Banda, Dalitso Sailesi,  Manyozo, Rafiq Namwera,  Zulu, Righteous Banda,  Robin Ngalande, Richard Mbulu, Chawanangwa Kawonga, Chiukepo Msowoya and Phiri; Officials: Othaniel Hara (team leader); RVG (head coach); Peter Mponda (assistant coach); Franco Ndawa (assistant coach); Swadick Sanudi (goalkeeper trainer); James Sangala (team manager); Chikondi Mandalasi (physiotherapist); Gift Ligomeka (doctor). n

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As cases of cholera continue to rise, commentators are heaping the blame on government for failing to empower communities with right information regarding the waterborne disease—a situation they fear may worsen.

More than once, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has blamed poor hygiene practices and superstition for fuelling the spread of cholera, which has claimed 26 people since November last year.

Experts also fault what they term “poor communication strategies”, saying Capital Hill ought to be more strategic in reaching out to communities.

In an interview, Water and Environmental Sanitation Network national coordinator Chris Bokho said government has failed to allocate enough resources for community engagement which would have helped cut down costs incurred when the outbreak strikes.

He said engaging communities regularly would lead to better understanding than what government does “to intensify awareness when there is an outbreak”.

“We have not done enough to raise awareness continuously to make people understand the benefits of good hygiene practices as well as the need for safe water.

“The cases recorded so far are an indication that we have not done enough. The awareness campaign that government has embarked on now is likely to achieve nothing because it is reactive and only to fulfil the word. We need to engage communities beyond the outbreak,” said Bokho.

Hit-and-run approach failing

Social and behaviour change communication specialist Mike Nazombe, who is also a lecturer at the Polytechnic, said behaviour change is a process which demands a strategy and not ‘the-hit-and-run’ approach  government engages most of the times.

He said the country has been hit hard by cholera this time around because policy makers have not prioritised the issue of awareness as regard waterborne diseases such as cholera.

Nazombe said the focus has been so much on HIV and Aids at the expense of more deadly diseases such as cholera.

“We have underrated the impact of cholera. Because a few past years we have not experienced it has made everyone [government] to forget about the seriousness of cholera. We are paying for our laxity. We need to raise awareness systematically not just fulfilling our plans as is the case in government,” he added.

The lack of information on the part of communities remains an issue. When Weekend Nation crew visited one of the affected areas in Lilongwe-Mitengo Village in Area 36, the randomly interviewed affected households could hardly connect cholera to poor hygiene or the use of unsafe water from streams and wells.

We visited a neighbourhood where three people, two children and a man survived from cholera.

The houses are closely built and share a toilet which stands just about a meter away.

By the time of our visit flies could be seen hovering between the open toilet and the kitchen where a woman appeared to be preparing a meal.

The surrounding did not generally look clean but when asked if they had learnt a lesson from the cholera infection which hit one of the family members—the mother to a child who survived the outbreak said: “I do not think it is because of poor hygiene.

“We have lived like this for so many years, why have we not suffered from cholera? It is just one of the diseases due to bad whether maybe.”

A man sitting next to the woman who we had been speaking to was also in agreement.

“In fact we were surprised when we were told at the hospital that we had been infected by cholera due to unsafe water. We have been drinking this water for a long time without any problem. Why now and why only us?” he asked.

The MoH has blamed communities for negligence and superstition as a cause for the rising numbers, but Nazombe thinks government is largely to blame for perpetuating misconceptions.

Rising death toll

So far, cholera outbreak cases continue to rise in the country with the death toll now at 26.

According to MoH spokesperson Joshua Malango, the number of cumulative cases, as of Thursday, is at 830.

Three new cholera cases were reported with 10 people in cholera treatment camps.

Lilongwe still remains the district with the highest number of fatalities with 12 and 294 cumulative cases since the onset of this rainy season.

Chancellor College lecturer in sociology Charles Chilimampunga says the outbreak cannot be contained easily as it has to do with mindset change.

He said there is much to be done to change the mindset of communities who do not believe that the outbreak is caused by poor sanitation.

Chilimampunga observed that government alone cannot successfully contain the outbreak because it requires a lot of effort and time to change the mindset of the community.

He emphasised the need for government to engage developmental partners to contain the outbreak.

“The main problem is that we have few health workers in the country. To contain the outbreak requires a lot of resources which I think as a country we don’t have the financial muscle because we need to recruit more health surveillance assistants to sensitise communities on how to prevent cholera.

“We need developmental partners to come in because the issue is to do with behaviour change which you cannot change in hours but it needs time and money,” he said.

Malawi Health Equity Network (Mhen) executive director George Jobe expressed worry over the increase of cases.

He suggested that government finds new strategies of dealing with the outbreak by suspending the use of water from wells and rivers for domestic purposes.

“Though government is saying it is containing the outbreak, at district level it is appalling. Government should focus on the hotspot areas and suspend the use of water from wells and rivers as the disease is to do with hygiene,” said Jobe. n

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Is there any connection between one’s name and character?

Surely there must be some collation, especially in the hectic and yawn-inspiring routines of directing traffic on the busy roads of Lilongwe City.

This feeling best describes what many motorists and passengers make of sub-inspector Kondwani Katunga, who dances his mornings and evenings away in the thick of traffic.

The traffic police officer truly lives up to his first name—Kondwani—which literally means ‘be happy’.

When he goes through his traffic directing paces on capital city’s congested roads, Katunga’s dance moves easily force smiles to break out on the faces of many drivers and pedestrians frowning at the delays traffic jams often entail.

Classically, the white-gloved hands of the traffic officer go into a mesmerising flurry like a connoisseur directing an orchestra to breathe in and out as he orders vehicles in front to a stop, with a rigid raised arm.

Using his other hand, initially as a prod, he then nudges cars on a frozen lane to start moving.

And as he dares the drivers who have just received the green light from his magical gloves, Katunga will not just want them to move; they will also need to move fast, as his hands will demand through quick-set whipping actions or tell-tale motions of the instruction-happy hand.

It will not only be Katunga’s hands that will be attracting attention and action on these busy roads. It will also be his subtle footwork—as he boldly steps forward or sideways to cut traffic flow in one lane and trigger the flow in the next lane—that sets this professional apart.

For the one hour, or so, that Katunga will be at work on any heavy-traffic spot in Lilongwe, rest assured he will clear the traffic congestion quickly and almost stylishly.

Such is the unique choreography that makes motorists smile and look forward to another ride on the crammed road which are not getting less congested tomorrow.

All the while, some pedestrians spend a long time watching this traffic officer at it. Some of these, and a few motorists, cannot help secretly taking video clips of the passionate worker as he struts about.

It is little wonder that people fondly refer to Katunga as a ‘break-dancer’, ‘choir master’ or ‘dolo’ (the latter being a vernacular name for ‘expert’).

When we chatted with the traffic officer, away from his exacting road work, Katunga humbly feigned surprise that people shower him with many names.

“I don’t know how I can be referred to as a ‘break-dancer’,” he says, smiling broadly.

Nonetheless, he promptly, apparently, addresses the reason for such a name.

“I must confess that I have a great passion for my work,” he says.

“When I am on the road, directing traffic, my hand and leg actions need to be authoritative and clear, reflecting the need for motorists to respond to my body-language instructions speedily.”

The man, from Zam’mimba Village in Senior Chief Nsamala in Balaka joined Malawi Police Service (MPS) in 2006, after passing Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations at St Louis Montfort Secondary School in the Eastern Region district the previous year.

After completing his six-month course at the Police Training School (PTS) in Limbe, he worked as a general duties officer at Kawale Police Post in Lilongwe before he was sent to a traffic officers’ intake course at Mlangeni PTS in Dedza.

“The course was a tough one, but I worked hard until I passed out as a traffic officer,” Katunga recalls.

He briefly returned to Kawale Police Post before he also worked at the Sanctuary Police Post and at the Lilongwe Police Station.

As he settled down over the past few years, passion for his work started showing when he emerged as a people’s darling in traffic control on the roads in Lilongwe.

Asked whether he had seen and copied actions of other traffic officers in the country, or abroad, who had exhibited the near-melodramatic touch to their work on the roads, Katunga denies such a development.

He explains: “I developed this working style on my own, mainly because I needed to convey a sense of urgency to motorists as they take my instructions. In fact, my work flow came to the surface rather late because I, initially, thought my supervisors would admonish me for my rather unorthodox or eccentric, style.

“But my supervisors, who accompanied me on the road beats, were supportive of my own style of working. Actually, they complimented me for showing a creative way of doing my work.”

Before long, members of the public flooded the MPS leadership with compliments on how Katunga was an effective and outstanding traffic officer.

Some people even shared video clips of the traffic officer in action, on social media platforms, where more complimentary remarks were generated.

The MPS headquarters at Area 30 in Lilongwe, then summoned Katunga twice, in quick succession.

First, it was to give him a letter of commendation over his work.

Second, the bosses gave him a K100 000 prize for being a star performer in his work.

In March, last year, Katunga received a rare promotion—jumping the rank of Sergeant to become sub-inspector.

“I was humbled and motivated at the same time,” he says, thanking his superiors for the support they give him and other traffic officers as they execute the challenging work on the roads.

Last year, became a special one for Katunga, when he obtained a diploma in business management under the UK-based Association of Business Executives (ABE) Board.

Always motivated, he says: “Resources permitting, I intend to go on to earn a degree in management sometime soon.

As for my work on the roads, my resolve to making our busy roads safer seems to be growing by the day.”

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Bernadettar Kwimbira-Mzika is a youthful woman who has achieved a lot as an international referee. She was recently named personality and referee of the year at the inaugural Sports Gala Awards in the country.

“I am so happy and thankful to God for being the first person to win the Sports Personality of the Year Award for the first ever Sports Gala Awards in Malawi and of course the best Referee Award. And the fact that this is only March of 2018, the two awards I got at the National Sports Awards were my second and third for this year, [the first one being the Referee of the year award for 2017 TNM Super League season], I give Glory and Honour to God for making it happen again and again,” she says.

It keeps coming for her because the referee has many accolades and successes to her name dating back to a number of years.

Bernadettar officiated at African Women Cup of Nations four times in a row; from South Africa in 2010 to Equatorial Guinea in 2012; and then Namibia and Cameroon in 2014 and 2016 respectively.

In 2013 she was best referee at the Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) Elite A course, beating both men and women.

She was one of the only three match officials from Africa for the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China in August 2014 and made history in both CAF and Fédération Internationale de Football Association (Fifa) books as the first trio from Africa to officiate a final match at a FIFA tournament.

As the only Malawian Referee in both CAF Elite A and FIFA Elite A band of referees, Bernadettar has attended eight CAF Elite A Referees Course from 2010 to date.

Between June and July 2015, she was in Canada for the Fifa Women’s World Cup where just like in China, history was made when they were the first trio from Africa to officiate in the knockout stages at a World Cup.

“By the grace of God we were appointed for a third place match that Africa now has a World Cup Medal not from a team, but from women referees [Gladys Lengwe and Bernadettar Kwimbira-Mzika from Zambia and Malawi respectively],” she says.

Back home, she has officiated more than 70 matches in the super league, including 12 Blantyre derbies. She has also officiated a lot of cup matches, including a semi-final match of 2014 Presidential Cup; 2015 Carlsberg Cup Final; 2017 semi-final matches; the Airtel top eight final; and the 2017 Carlsberg Cup Final.

Given the exploits in her line of work, there must be a secret behind all of it.

“I would say the secret behind my success is hard work and determination. Even if somebody could tell me that I am lazy, I would not buy it because I know I work hard. Fifa wants me to train six times a week and I do. And not just training because they want me to do so, No! It is for a purpose. I have achieved a lot for the past three years and repeating the same path for the next two years, God willing. That is what I am working for,” she explains.

Her passion for football can be traced back to her secondary school days doing athletics. She was an athlete for the then famous Sobo Athletics Club competing in 100 and 200 metre races. She also played in the school’s netball team.

In the year 2000 Bernadettar joined the Malawi Defense Force (MDF) as one of the very first female soldiers and continued with athletics. While in the army she also had a passion for football.

“During weekends, if not at Civo Stadium, then I was either at Silver Stadium or Nankhaka to watch a football match.  In 2002, I approached Youngson Chilinda who was then a Fifa referee and expressed my ambitions. The same year, the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) organised a basic referee’s course in Kasungu. I passed and was awarded a Grade three certificate, and that is how it all started for me,” explains the mother of two boys.

She emphasises that nothing comes easy and that success is not just about being lucky, but hard work, commitment, humility and self-control.

Bernadettar always ensures that she has up to date knowledge of the laws of the game and she interprets and applies them accordingly on the field of play.

To maintain her fitness and be able to pass FIFA fitness test, Bernadettar trains six times a week which is also a requirement for Fifa Elite A Referees Worldwide.

“I also feel that you certainly need to have interests outside of the game, where you have the chance to relax and to mentally switch off. So, after every three months, I take a break from football just to relax and refresh,” she says.

She encourages young girls to have a passion for what they would want to do in life; put all their effort on it and work extra hard to achieve it.

“There is nothing like male-dominated field. What men can do, we women can do it equally and surpass them,” she points out.

To the up and coming women referees she says: “No one officiates for life. Bernadettar Kwimbira-Mzika will not be there for Malawi forever. Soon, I will hang my boots and join the Referees’ Assessors wagon. Work hard girls, nothing is impossible. I am just like anybody else, so why not you? You can also do it”.

She continues: “Read your laws of the game regularly, interpret, apply them accordingly on the field of play and always keep fit. Look at male referees as fellow women, colleagues in arms and concentrate on what you are in refereeing field for. Only hard work, dedication, humility and discipline can take you to the top and nothing else.  And always remember to put God first in everything. I will be the happiest person to see another Malawian referee [male or female] in Fifa Elite A or CAF Elite A”.

Bernadettar was born on September 11, 1981 in Blantyre. The third born in a family of four children, she comes from Fundi Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Kilupula in Karonga. Her father passed away in 1989 when she was seven and she has grown up with a single parent.

The youthful woman referee holds an advanced diploma in secretarial and administration from the Staff Development Institute. In 2013, she enrolled for a Bachelor of Business Administration with University of South Africa (Unisa), but later withdrew.

“In my second year of study, I had a lot of engagements with Fifa due to my 2015 Canada Fifa Women’s World Cup appointment. I absolutely had no time for my books and assignments. When I weighed the two, I sacrificed my school for the World Cup,” says the referee who is married to Derick Mzika since 2005.

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Masiku ano ukatsegula wailesi kapena nyuzipepala ngakhalenso poyenda mphepepete mwa msewu ngakhalenso m’malo modikirira mabasi, uthenga omwe watenga malo ndi wa mankhwala okuza ziwalo.

Uthengawu umafotokoza kuti asing’anga ali ndi mankhwala okuza zida za abambo, mbina za amayi komanso kuonjezera mphamvu kuchipinda koma boma ngakhalenso bungwe loona za mankhwala sadabwere poyera kunena maganizo awo pankhaniyo.

Pomwe ena ali ndi nkhawa kuti mwina mankhwala oterewa angayambitse mavuto ena m’thupi, unduna wa zaumoyo wati palibe munthu yemwe adadandaulapo kuti wavulala ndi mankhwalawa koma wanenetsa kuti izi sizikutanthauza kuti mankhwalawa alibe vuto.

Mneneri wa unduna wa zaumoyo Joshua Malango wati undunawu ukukonza ndondomeko zoyendetsera mankhwala a zitsamba chifukwa lamulo lomwe lilipo la 1988 ndime 15 limangokamba za kayendetsedwe ka mankhwala achizungu basi.

“Mankhwala azitsamba sadayezedwe kuti tidziwe ubwino kapena kuipa kwake koma pozindikira kuti akhozanso kukhala oopsa ngati mankhwala ena onse, tapanga ndondomeko zomwe zikudikira kuti nduna ivomereze basi,” adatero Malango.

Iye adati nduna ikadzangovomereza ndondomekoyi, unduna udzakhala ndi mphamvu zokakamiza onse ochita za zitsamba kuti azikalembetsa mankhwala awo ndi kufotokoza kagwiridwe ntchito kake.

Mmodzi mwa akadaulo

pa nkhani za zitsamba Mustafu Mbewe akuti mankhwalawa alibe vuto lililonse pokhapokha munthu akalakwitsa machitidwe ake mpomwe zimatembenuka ndipo zotsatira zake zimakhala zoopsa.

Mbewe wati pokuza mbina, munthu amayenera kukhalira mafuwa ofunda komanso ofanana kuopa kuti mbinayo ingapotoke pokula ndipo mankhwala ake amachita akumwa, kutema mphini ndi kusina.

Pa chida cha abambo, Mbewe adati nsinjiro yaikulu ndi mvunguti chifukwa munthu amasankha yekha kakulidwe potengera milingo ya mbvunguti yomwe opanga mankhwalayo ali nayo.

Iye adati ngozi yaikulu yagona pogwiritsa ntchito mvunguti omwe udagona pakugwa kapena tsinde lake silidadulidwe bwino atatengako gawo lofunikalo.

“Podula mvunguti, umayenera ulase pansi ndi nsonga chifukwa ukangogwa chogona, chida chimakula koma chimakhala chopanda ntchito ndipo munthu amakhala osabereka chifukwa kuchipinda nako sapanga kanthu.

“Vuto lina, ngati tsinde la mvunguti omwe mwagwiritsa ntchito silidadulidwe, likamakula chidanso chimangokulirakulira mpaka munthu kuyamba kusowa mtendere. Nkhani yaikulu yagona pa ukadaulo wa opanga mankhwalayo,” adatero Mbewe.

Iye adati mankhwalawo akakonzedwa, amasakanizidwa ndi mtengo wina otchedwa mkhazika omwe umapangitsa kuti chidacho chikakula chikhazikike pamlingo omwewo osabwereranso.

Kusiyana ndi mankhwala okuza mbina, iye adati mankhwala okuza chida ali ndi mtsilikulo wake omwe munthu amatha kukatenga akatopa ndi katundu olemetsayo ndipo amabwerera mchilengedwe.

“A amunawa aliko bwino chifukwa munthu akatopa, yekha amatha kubwera ndiye pali mankhwala omwe timasakaniza limodzi ndi mtenthanyerere nkumupatsa. Akatero, chida chake chimabwerera bwinobwino,” adatero Mbewe.

Iye adati abambo ena amakhala opanda mphamvu kuchipinda ndipo izi zikhonza kusokoneza banja kotero palinso mankhwala ena omwe amamupangira munthu otere kuti awonjezere mphamvu zachilengedwe zomwe zikufookazo. n

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Matters of the heart are self-governing, or at least that’s what many assume. Two people meet, fall in love and decide how to operate their newly found emotions. They decide how to conduct themselves in public, in private and it may include whether to elope or live together as a demonstration of their commitment to each other. Third parties may protest or try to break the two lovebirds. But it may all fall on deaf ears. Time may pass and the love may stand the test of time or collapse. The rest becomes history.

Our Brains story on page 3 speaks of differing views about cohabitation and although it lacks the views of those in love, it raises debate on the matter. Why do couples cohabit? Is it to begin a path of marriage, share expenses, experiment, ‘use’ each other or a mere sign of unofficiated commitment?

Surely, I cannot speak for those who have decided to take this route. But just to borrow an observation made recently by one of our columnist Inkosi Chimalizeni in his Family Values. It is always important for couples to understand the term of their relationship. I remember him arguing about the need to know why one is getting into a relationship and be able to bargain or voice his/her expectations from the onset to avoid misunderstandings or frustrations.  If adults agree to cohabiting, they there are ready to face both foreseeable and unforeseeable circumstances. It is all a game of chance just like love itself and marriage are. Who are we to judge?

I am neither condemning nor condoning the act. I do not have the moral ground to blame anybody or direct someone towards a particular path. What those quoted in the story are saying reflects their view point based on religion, tradition and indeed experience. It may or may not be regarded, just like any counsel. However, be open-minded to the decision you make and always remember the ring of differing voices before embarking of such a complicate journey called life.

Now, should couples in love marry or cohabit? Again, this debate is vast. Being in love does not translate into marriage. It does not translate to living together either. It all depends on what the two agree on; with all the decision’s pros and cons. Make wise choices to suit your situation.  And because we live in communities, live within the confines and expectations of those communities because every problem or joy requires their involvement.

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Malawi Scotland Partnership (Masp) executive director Vera Kamtukule has said Dr David Livingstone deserves honour because he contributed a lot to the development of the country.

Speaking on Monday, during remembrance of the early missionary’s birth at Henry Henderson Institute (HHI) Primary School in Blantyre, Kamtukule said Livingstone’s birth signifies wonderful relationship between Malawi and Scotland.

Livingstone was born on March 19 1813 in Blantyre, Scotland and died on May 1 1873 in Chief Chitambo’s Village, Zambia.

“About 159 years ago, he advocated abolishment of slave trade and invited British companies to come here. He also brought Christianity and we are at HHI because Blantyre Synod is connected to the Scottish Church,” said Kamtukule.

She said commemorating Livingstone’s birth is a gratitude gesture Malawians can do to honour him.

In an interview, Blantyre Synod deputy general secretary, Reverend Moyenda Kanjerwa, said Livingstone was a freedom fighter who sacrificed his life to set Malawians free from slave trade.

“We should not forget him as he valued the black community, realising that God created people in His image,” he said.

One of the Scots in the country, Ross Jennings, who played bag pipes, a Scottish traditional music instrument during the ceremony, hailed Masp and the Synod for the gesture, saying Livingstone is an iconic figure in Malawi and Africa. n

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This week, parents of the hardworking and chosen few students were celebrating the selection of their children and wards to various public universities and their constituent colleges. I know a lot of students, who despite deserving to get picked, did not because of lack of space.

This period, my fellow parents, is a trying one for our children and we need to handle it with maturity and foresightedness. The fact that students worked hard, but never got picked can be devastating. I have heard stories about children who reacted badly for missing a university selection. Some have attempted suicide!

It is every student’s dream to study at these prestigious institutions. But the question is; what next? In a hasty and consolatory move to comfort children, parents rush to put their children in colleges that are questionable.

Parents also make the mistake of forcing careers down the throats of their children. It is crucial for parents to be rational as they help their children choose meaningful careers.

Take time to understand reasons that might have contributed to the children not to be picked. Top on the list is the number of points scored during examinations. Those with fewer points (those who did extremely well) stand a better chance of getting picked. And if public university is the ultimate dream, then one cannot afford to be comfortable with average results.

Secondly, we need to study our children to see which career path suits them and possible institutions that offer courses in tandem with our children natural faculties.

Then, it is crucial to do a proper research on the available institutions. If not careful, we will send our children to tertiary institutions that are not effective and will only waste our children’s time and our hard-earned resources.

Let us also ensure to befriend our children so that they are free with us. In that way, discussions on career choices and institutions will be smooth and fruitful.

It breaks my heart to see children going to tertiary institutions for years only to end up loafing around either because they chose the wrong career paths and failed or they studied at institutions whose credentials are questionable and employers avoid their graduates.

Between now and June, the media will be awash with adverts of various tertiary institutions looking for students to register. God gave us a responsibility to look after and guide our children. Going to college should not be all about being at par with another child, but setting a path to success.

And yes, we have a lot of successful people who did not make it to universities, but still found their dreams, pursued them to the end and ticked.

I wish all parents and students all the best as they make some crucial decisions in the next few weeks!

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