Malawi Queens have finished third at the four-nation Taini Jamison Trophy in New Zealand after beating Fiji Pearls 78-46.
Jamaica are the champions after they inflicted a painful 59-53 loss on the hosts New Zealand in the final.
After losing to the hosts in the opening match and Jamaica in their third match, the Queens’ face-saver was a victory over 12th ranked Fiji in the third-place play-offs.
The Queens had no trouble repeating the feat in their second match against the islanders.
Mwawi being interviewed by SkySports after winning the Player of the Match Award
As usual, shooter Mwawi Kumwenda was on top of her game scoring the majority of the baskets for the Queens.
She was rewarded with a Player of the Match Award, the second at the tournament after she also won the same accolade when Malawi beat Fiji in the second game.
The Australia-based Vixens shooter was over the moon after receiving the award.
Despite Malawi failing to reach the final, Kumwenda said the tournament had given them great motivation ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Australia.
She said: Thanks netball New Zealand for great experience during Taini Jamison Trophy. Above all, thanks once again to my team mates, the Malawi Queens, and technical panel for supporting me to win two consecutive Player of Match awards. It’s a great honour. Let’s bring it on during Commonwealth Games.”
Assistant coach Griffin Saenda Jnr said the tournament had given the technical panel a chance to notice and rectify the team’s shortfalls.
He said: “Of course winning the tournament would have been better. But the main aim of this trip to New Zealand was to prepare for the Common wealth Games. After this tournament, we are ready for the Games.” n
Be Forward Wanderers acting chairperson Gift Mkandawire is set to go unopposed as the Nomads go to the polls this afternoon.
Mkandawire, ascended to the position in acting capacity following the death of chairperson George Chamangwana last year.
Vote of confidence: Mkandawire has no opponent
According to a list of nominations released yesterday by board of trustees, Mkandawire has no opponent just like first vice-chairperson Allan Chuma.
Commenting on the development, Mkandawire, who steered the Nomads to their first TNM Super League championship in 10 years, said the nomination was a vote of confidence.
The Nomads also returned to Confederation of African Football (CAF ) club competitions after 17 years.
However, they were knocked out by AS Vita of Democratic Republic of Congo in the preliminary round.
“The supporters have seen what the executive has managed to achieve despite the challenges that we have faced,” said Mkandawire.
Apart from the two positions, the others will be contested for.
Andrew Mwadala and Hubert Mfune will battle out for second vice-chairperson position.
Incumbent general secretary Mike Butao will face Mlenga Mvula.
Davis Msadala and Robert Mbedza are vying for the post of treasurer while Davie Pemba and Innocent Chikoko will contest for the club’s vice-treasurer.
Victor Maunde, John Gawani, Marriot Phambana, Hopeson Wawanya, Tango Ngalawa, Hendrix Chabwera, Samuel Chikampana, Wendy Kavalo, Lumbani Mtonyo, Kamu Bwanali, Dan Pemphero Nkumba are vying for five ordinary members’ positions.
Former general secretary David Kanyenda is conspicuously missing on the nominations despite showing strong interest to contest for one of the top positions.
Only registered Wanderers supporters are eligible to vote . n
Promising golfers, who were restricted to amateur status because of lack of opportunities to compete against the best on the continent, can afford a smile as for the first time they will be able to do so.
This follows the establishment of Professional Golfers Association (PGA) which will regulate the professional aspects of the game.
Currently, Golf Union of Malawi (GUoM) is restricted to development of junior golfers and amateur golfers from six handicap above as per Ancient and Royal Golf of Scotland to which GUoM is affiliated to.
Malawi’s only professional golfer: Chidale
In this setup golfers are not allowed to get monetary prizes but medals and other complimentary items not exceeding K500 000 in monetary value.
However, the establishment of the PGA which is affiliated to the European PGA means golfers with a five handicap and below can now have accreditation and start playing the game to earn money.
PGM interim president Partridge Shycall said the formation of the association will go a long way in improving golf in the country.
He said for over 50 years there has not been a graduate school for golfers in the country, but with the coming of PGA golfers will be able to develop into professionals.
Shycall said: “Our mandate is to ensure that we take graduates from GUoM and help them ply their trade as professional golfers. We haven’t had a graduate school of golfers for a long time. As such, we have killed so many professional golfers in Malawi.
“We have had golfers like Chapson Ngwanda, Colleen Chimbadza and Frank Mphamba who died before playing professional golf because there was no professional body. We don’t want something like. We shall ensure that all the capable golfers are given a chance to pursue their golf career.
“We thought the coming of the PGA will help in creating an environment that shall help in the development of professional players. Help a golfer to graduate and attain a professional card so that he can participate of compete on professional tours. Currently, we have one professional golfer in Paul Chidale but we need more of that. Paul had to go through South Africa to attain that but with the set of the PGA, golfers will be accredited from right here.”.
He said the launch of PGA will take place at Blantyre Sports Club from March, 28 and 29 where the first tour will see prize money in excess of K1 million.
Eight players have since signed up for PGA and quit amateur golf.
The golfers include Adam Sailesi, Adak Sailesi, Victor Kachepatsonga, Dingani Chirwa, Paul Chidale, Kondwani Mphula, and Partridge Shycall.
National team golf player Victor Kachepatsonga hailed the formation of PGA, saying it will herald new things for golfers.
“The formation of the PGA will see young people taking golf seriously knowing that there is a future. There are young promising good golfers out there such as Chris Nzokomera, who now will have an opportunity to turn into professionals. Golfers now will know that they can earn a living through golf. This is the right direction and it is only Malawi which had no PGA,” he said. n
Professional boxers spend years training as they work their way up into high paying ranks. While this is reality elsewhere, here it remains a dream to local boxers.
The recent evidence of poor earnings for Malawi boxers is African Boxing Union (ABU) champion Anisha Bashiri who got $1 000 (K750 000) as match prize.
Another example is Ruth Chisale, who received a meagre $1 000 (K750 000) in her World Boxing Council (WBC) elimination fight against Zambian Loreta Muzeya.
For the same elimination fight in Europe and Asia, boxers earn not less than $10 000.
Boxers get peanuts after fighting
The highest pay earned by a boxer is $2 000 (about K1.5 million) which which Chisale received for a non-title fight that took place in Kosovo last year.
This is in contrast to same fights organised in the UK, Europe, Asia or the US where the minimum is $22 000.
This discrepancy is not limited to boxers alone but has trickled down to boxing officials who in Malawi continue to get a raw deal.
In other Sadc countries such as Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe or South Africa, a judge gets not less than $250 (about K200 000), referees ($300) and match commissioners $400 (K350 000).
In Malawi the rates for a referee and a judge is K10 000 each whereas the match commissioner gets K15 000.
Malawi Professional Boxing Control Board (MPBCB) president Lonzoe Zimba confirmed the figures.
“Promoters in Asia, Europe the UK and even Zambia and South Africa are into partnerships with the corporate world. Promoters enter into segmented sportsmanship deals with several companies and that is why the purse is big. This is because of good marketing and advertising skills,” he said.
Last year the highest earner in a non-title fight was Mussa Ajibu who got $3 000 for his fight in Russia.
For a title fight, it was Crispin Moliati, who fought on a World Boxing Council (WBC) Africa lightweight title in Windhoek, Namibia last year where he got $3 500.
In contrast, such fights in Europe and Asia earn boxers not less that $100 000.
“The economy is much better in those countries and boxing is big business. I believe Malawi has potential, too, if you look at the huge patronage during boxing tournaments. The secret is just to convince the corporate world on how they can benefit from sponsoring boxing. But that is the responsibility of boxing promoters,” said Zimba.
He mentioned Gunde Boxing Promotions management of a non title fight between Chimwemwe Chiotcha and Simeon Tcheta as an example of good direction.
“The promoters managed to have corporate support from various companies who in turn took responsibility of all expenses. That is the way to go and my advice is for promoters to learn basics of boxing promotion so as to convince companies and earn their trust,” said Zimba.
In an interview, Chisale said she is aware of the contrast in match prizes among countries, but believes with global success that will be solved.
“The thing is because of poverty, boxers just accept anything and have no strength to negotiate a better deal and promoters exploit that. As for me all I am working on is to better myself and break on the international stage and the rest will sort it out. When promoters get to recognise your talent that is good marketing in itself. But, yes sometimes we get demoralised with low perks. It is hard and very involving to prepare for a boxing match. You have to train every day and your diet has to be good too,” she said.
Malawi Defence Force Boxer Chrispin Moliati said the low perks are a result of promoters relying on gate takings to pay boxers.
“Because as a boxer you want to be visible and raise your profile; you sometimes accept to fight even when the pay is on the lower side. It is a tough world but for the love of the sport we endure hoping for a breakthrough,” said Moliati. n
Koma ngati zikupitirira, mukhonza kumatchinga makutu anu ndi zinthu zina monga thonje. Ngati nyumba yanu ndi ya zipinda zingapo, mukhonza kumakagona chipinda china. Machitidwe a m’banja muziona nokha.
Khalidwe ili ndi lachikale. Zoti ntchito zonse zapakhomo azigwira ndi mayi zidapita. Mukuyenera kulankhula naye mwamuna wanuyo chifukwa izi sizikuthandizani.
Komanso mopempha, zothawira kwa makolo anu sizikuthandizani. Kumeneko sikuthana ndi vuto koma kungolikankhira kaye pambali.
Adakwatiwa ndi ndale?
Anatchereza,
Ndimanyadira ndi malangizo anu. Kale, ndinkaona ngati sindingakhale ndi vuto mpaka kukuuzani. Koma izi zandikulira.
Mkazi wanga koma ndale. Chingasinthe chipani cholamula, iye amapezeka nsalu ya chipanicho ali nacho. Ndipo kukangoti kuli msonkhano, timayembekezera kuti tidya mochedwa.
Ndikamufunsa, amayankha kuti akukonza kapansi, tilemera chifukwa anzake ena apita patsogolo poimbira ndi kuvinira andale. Ndimusiye?
Dennis M,
Zomba.
Bambo Dennis,
Kuimbira andale kumayenera kutha kalekale. N’zomvetsa chisoni kuti amayi, asungwana komanso abambo ndi achinyamata ena akusiya ntchito zawo kukaimbira andale. Ili si vuto la amayi okha, mwaonapo inu achinyamata akudzipenta makaka a chipani.
Sindikudziwa kuti amapindula chiyani. Koma chomwe ndikudziwa uku n’kutaya nthawi.
The Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) has expressed concern about the socio-economic and political climate in the country, citing increasing levels of poverty due to corruption and theft of government resources, Nation on Sunday has learnt.
The dwindling state of affairs was discussed during the plenary session attended by all bishops in Malawi and the Apostolic Nuncio to Malawi and Zambia, Most Reverend Julio Murat. The session run from January 29 to February 2 2018 at the Catholic Secretariat in Lilongwe.
In an e-mail response to a Nation on Sunday questionnaire, ECM secretary general Father Henry Saindi confirmed the meeting, saying it tackled several challenges facing the country.
President Peter Mutharika greets Archbishop Msusa at a church function
“Let me point out that having received the reports from CCJP [the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace], Cadecom [Catholic Development Commission in Malawi] and PAC [Public Affairs Committee], the bishops, as pastors were very concerned and worried about the socio-political and economic climate in the country. For example, they were concerned that Electoral Reforms Bills were frustrated and defeated not on the basis of their merit or demerit but simply because the people’s representatives chose to give way to the advancement of their personal and selfish interests at the expense of the national and common good.
“They were worried about the increasing levels of poverty and the growing gap between the rich and the poor because of corruption and stealing of government resources. They were also concerned about the prospects of hunger due to unpredictable rainfall pattern. These have been and remain the concerns of every well-meaning Malawian, including the bishops, the pastors of souls,” said Saindi.
On the current contentious K4 billion which the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led government proposed to be given to members of Parliament for rural development, Saindi said the bishops do not have a position yet, since the issue happened after their meeting.
“I can, therefore, confirm with you that the bishops do not have any official position on the K4 billion scandal. They have only come to appreciate the matter through the information which is available in public domain,” he said.
Going forward, Saindi said, Catholics and people of goodwill should “seriously assess the conduct and behaviour of the current crop of leaders so that they vote wisely.
According to sources, during the meeting CCJP appraised the conference on the socio-political and economic situation; Cadecom on the prospects of hunger while PAC tackled the failed electoral reforms and deep-rooted corruption, among other issues.
Sources further said the bishops were particularly concerned that there seem to be little or no effort to improve the governance situation in the country.
In an interview, Lilongwe -based governance commentator Makhumbo Munthali agreed with the bishops’ position on the state of governance, saying a number of local and international reports have pointed to increased levels of corruption.
He apportioned blame on both the Executive and the opposition, citing how Parliament handled electoral reforms and the recent K4 billion issue.
Said Munthali: “For the first time in recent years we have seen government and the opposition being an accomplice —uniting to either frustrate policy or legal reforms that would benefit the people or in some cases suspending oversight roles to some suspicious dealings involving the Executive arm of government. The Lilongwe -Salima water project, the K4 billion scandal and electoral reforms are examples. These are signs of deteriorating governance”.
When contacted government spokesperson Nicholas Dausi refused to comment, saying they will not engage the church through the media.
“We respect the view of the church and we know they are partners in development. You are not going to argue with the church in the media. I have no comment on the issue,” he said. n
Huge volumes of expired pesticides have been uncovered during an adhoc operation the Environmental Affairs Department and Pesticides Control Board conducted in Lilongwe and Blantyre.
The pesticides, some with falsified expiry dates, raise fears of possible environmental hazards and loss of ‘money’ for many customers.
According to a report we have seen, an inspection team involving environmental officers, officials from Pesticides Control Board and the police visited a company, Farmers Organisation Limited (FOL) in Blantyre on March 18 where it allegedly uncovered the expired chemicals.
But the company attributed the presence of expired pesticides to human error and their supplier, adding that they have sent a query to their supplier on the expiry dates.
The findings allege that the company had huge volumes of expired pesticides on shelf for sale and in warehouses as well as another volume with alleged falsified labels and expiry dates, according to a report prepared by the Environmental Affairs Department dated March 20 2018.
Phiri: Matter has been referred to DPP
Reads the report: “Some pesticides such as Stellar Star in 0.08 L bottles had expired in 2017 yet the company pasted a new sticker indicating that the product is still viable. The product was even placed on display counter; some products such as Mancozeb 800 WP in 250g sachets; Belt in 12 X 1litre cartons; Carbaryl 850 WP; Silwet; Steam-S1 in 25 kg jerry cans, among others, had expired, but were found in the warehouse awaiting sales.
“The proper practice is that expired products should be put in quarantine awaiting disposal; the team also discovered a 20 foot container outside the warehouse containing a few expired products, unused containers and other unwanted items; and most of the products did not have labels in local languages for easy use by customers who do not understand English.”
The team also launched a raid on a company, Osho Chemicals, in Lilongwe earlier on March 9 where it also found alleged expired chemicals according to the report.
In an interview, spokesperson for the Ministry responsible for Environmental Affairs, Sangwani Phiri, confirmed the raids, saying the matter has now been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
He also said the two companies have been asked to facilitate the shipment of the condemned consignments to either Zambia or Kenya because Malawi does not have the capacity to dispose of such chemicals. Phiri said their investigations showed that the chemicals have been on the market for over three years after the expiry dates.
For the Blantyre-based company, the report we have seen quotes the company’s operations manager to have admitted that there were some human errors on their part in terms of quarantining expired products which could easily lead to selling to the general public expired products. The report further indicates that on the labelled products on display at their shop, the manager “feigned ignorance and could not provide a valid reason why the products have new labels yet they are expired”.
In an interview with Nation on Sunday, FOL operations manager Ronald Chilumpha said they have referred the matter to their suppliers for explanation.
He admitted to have been storing expired products which he said were quarantined in the same warehouse with other viable products to the dissatisfaction of the authority. On labelling expired items, Chilumpha said it was not of their own making but their supplier.
“The issue was that the labels had two expiry dates. We have sent a query to the supplier…on disposal of expired items you and me know that Malawi has no capacity so we are looking at possible ways. We have identified an incinerator at St. Gabriel in Namitete so we are talking to them,” he said.
On the Lilongwe company, the report reads: “Upon investigations, the officers discovered that the company had two full 20-foot containers and a store room containing expired products [chemicals and pesticides] with some of the bottles stripped off of their labels, and almost a quarter full 20 foot container containing pesticide labels”
The report further quotes the company’s technical manager Duncan Kathinji, who is said to have informed the team that since its opening in 2015, the company had been quarantining expired products in the containers as well as store room, awaiting instructions and directions from their headquarters in Kenya, as the products have only a two-year shelf life.
According to the report, Kathinji also informed the team that Osho Chemicals Kenya had sent the Malawi office pesticide labels with the hope that the expired products could be re-labelled but upon learning that relabelling was prohibited in Malawi, the project was abandoned.
When contacted for comment in a telephone interview on Friday, Kathinji said negotiations with government agencies were in progress to resolve the matter.
He refused taking more questions, saying “I will come back to you after we solve the issue. I will not comment much on that for now please. We can talk later”.
Registrar for Pesticides Control Board Mischeck Soko claimed that Osho had a huge quantity of the condemned chemicals as compared to FOL.
Asked why this seem to have been happening in the presence of the board mandated to control such anomalies, Soko blamed low staffing levels as an issue.
“Of course we have some challenges, human capacity but each time we are taking steps to improve. It is my expectation that the Pesticides Bill which has just passed will enable us to manage such situations well as it has additional mandate to the board to manage the situation,” he said.
The Bill in question was approved by Parliament during the budget meeting last year and, among other important areas, it comprehensively empowers the board on how to deal with issues of stockpiling and importation of pesticides. But the Bill is yet to be accented to by the State President according to Soko.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has confirmed receiving a report for beginning of prosecution proceedings, according to Senior State Advocate Pirirani Masanjala who speaks for the office.
Storage, selling and re-labelling of expired chemical products is an offence under the laws of Malawi under the Pesticides Act and the Environmental Act.
According to a Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment, expired pesticides have far reaching consequences on the environment as they contaminate water and possibly affect aquatic life and the ecosystem in general. n
Vice-President Saulos Chilima has expressed optimism that the 13th Confederation for Indian Industry (CII) Exim Bank Conclave on India/Africa Project Partnership will help Malawi to attract investors and source markets for local products.
He made the remarks yesterday in New Delhi, India, when he held bilateral talks with that country’s Vice-President, Venkaiah Naidu.
Chilima is in India leading a Malawi delegation to a conclave expected to start today and end on Wednesday.
The CII Exim Bank conclave is India’s largest Africa focused business event promoting entrepreneurship and enhancing Africa-India investment opportunities, attracting a participation of over 30 African countries over the years.
Chilima (L) and Naidu share notes
Chilima said: “The government of Malawi and India signed several agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) in 2010 in areas of diplomatic and political consultations, trade, agriculture, health, mineral resources development and rural development, among others.
“I would, therefore, like to urge our senior officials to meet most often to review the implementation of these agreements/MoUs to ensure that the intended objectives are achieved. Implementation is more important than just signing the papers.”
During the talks, the Veep also disclosed that the government of Malawi has submitted a $400 million credit request to India for various projects.
Added Chilima: “The Government of Malawi has submitted to the Government of India a request to access a line of credit amounting to $400 million to help us implement some important projects that include the construction of convention centres in our major cities, Lower Fufu Hydro Power Station, Lambilambi Dam in Mzuzu City and water projects for four regional water boards in Malawi.”
He then thanked the Indian government for offering $1 million to Malawi for the establishment of a business incubator.
On his part, Naidu committed to continue cooperating with the Government of Malawi for mutual benefit.
He also committed to working with Malawi in the areas of skills development, entrepreneurship, modernisation of agriculture, and community technical colleges.
Naidu then announced that he will pay a working visit to Malawi in October 2018.
On financial support, he thanked Malawi for signing and ratifying the Agreement on the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
Consequently, the Indian Vice-President said his government has set aside $ 2billion for solar energy projects.
At this year’s 13th conclave, Chilima will deliver the opening statement as co-guest of honour, apart from other official engagements that will include an audience with Indian leader, Ram Nath Kovind.
The Malawi delegation includes Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism Henry Mussa and Minister of Foreign Affairs Emmanuel Fabiano, government officials as well as private business sector delegates. n
A community in Traditional Authority Msakambewa in Dowa is demanding an explanation from managers of a classroom block project at Chigudu Primary School.
The community through their radio listening club and area development committee (ADC) members met authorities to explain how the project resources, said to have been worth K7.7 million were being used on the building.
Mayani: We had to follow up on it
ADC chairperson Blackson Mayani, said they decided to inspect the project in 2015 soon after his election.
He said: “In March 2015, we came to inspect the project. That’s when we learned that all the materials worth K7.7 million were delivered to the school and the head teacher was in charge of materials such as cement to be used on site.”
According to Mayani, at the time of the inspection, cement had run out, although the project was yet to be completed.
He said members were, however, surprised that the head teacher got transferred to another school within a month of the inquiry.
Group village head Gwireni, who worked with the radio listening club and the ADC members on the investigations, said they have since summoned the said head teacher to explain to the community how he managed the materials.
The community members got their drive to follow on the project through Public Expenditure Tracking Project being implemented by Oxfam and Development Communications Trust (DCT) with funding from Tilitonse.
Oxfam programme manager, Anthony Masamba, said they are happy because the community’s actions are a proof of how much empowered they are.
He said the people get training in how they can follow up on public developments using data collection forms.
Said Masamba: “We are happy that these community members are able to demand explanation on how some developments are being implemented. This is exactly what we wanted them to be able to do.”
When Nation on Sunday visited the block on Thursday the plaster was falling off while the floor was cracked, exposing pure soil. n
Next month is April. The month former president Bingu wa Mutharika, literally, died in office, while working—serving his country, his people.
In came Joyce Banda, until then, an ostracised deputy on fringes of power; maligned and banished from the ruling party. Against the advice and scheming of Bingu loyalists, she became the country’s first female president.
Detractors termed her the accidental president. But the Constitution is not prone to such pity arguments.
Once in office, she went about reversing a number of Bingu’s contentious economic and political policies; devalued the kwacha, mended frosty relations with neighbours and donors broken by her more combative predecessor.
She relaxed the civil space; repelled draconian laws and sort other ways to pacify the international community and local players rattled by what the ex-British High Commissioner Fergus Cochraine-Dyet described as Bingu’s increasingly autocratic and intolerant leadership.
She changed the dial on the country’s other demons. She ensured availability of fuel and forex whose scarcity created a crisis that threatened to ground the economy and paralysed social service delivery.
Rural folks appreciated her down-to-earth character and philanthropy although the media questioned the wisdom of her daily travels across the country to personally distribute handouts such as, cattle, goats and chickens.
Professor Chijere Chirwa captured the exasperation over her economic policies; famously quipped about her lack of sophistication as policy observers pointed out that her administration was obsessed with quick-fix measures likely to win her elections than bring long-term reprieve to the stagnant economy.
Pragmatists pointed out she was in some catch 22. She had to win the elections to safeguard her long term vision hence the prominence of her campaign-tailored projects.
Generally, there was a good about Banda, if not about getting behind the last difficult years of Bingu.
…Well until Cashgate happened and changed the whole ball game.
Cashgate transfixed Banda’s legacy into that of scandal and nothing else. Think of Banda, and the words that will quickly come to mind are either naivety or careless. When voters took to the polls in 2014,
Cashgate was what many remembered and not many of her good interventions during her period as president.
Years on, I think we need to revisit Banda’s legacy. And that is the beauty of time, it allows you to get over emotional considerations and appreciate both sides of the coin.
In wake of recent Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) declaring that it has found no direct evidence implicating Banda in the scandal, her successor in office demonstrates none of her zeal to combat corruption in a transparent way, let’s not harangue Banda anymore for perceived weakness in fighting corruption when evidence suggests otherwise.
On Cashgate, she allowed the country unfettered access to those who had robbed the nation and allowed the long arm of the law to take its course, something the DPP administration has resisted constantly over the bigger K236 billion Cashgate or when scandals erupt at Admarc,
Macra, Admarc or any other government body. The sheer amounts of money involved make the 2013 Cashgate amateurish.
While as president she remains responsible for what happened under her watch, perhaps, as a country we need to accept that Banda is being judged either harshly or with a different yardstick although she hasn’t helped her own course by continuing to stay in self-imposed exile.
Her absence naturally invites suspicions on what is she running away from and points to, as this column has indicated previously, a hypocrisy as she once declared in office to always be here at home to serve people of Malawi.
So, let JB come back home. If she is harassed by her nemeses in government, Malawians and their strong democratic institutions will quickly come to her rescue.
But chances that she’ll win any elections are little. She has squandered her political capital by opting for self-imposed exile, for this long.
But it wouldn’t bode ill for our democracy to have one former president roving around the country in freedom or our daughters to have a vivid pointer that they can become whatever they want and that their gender is not a limitation.
Yet conversation was not possible in the aftermath of Cashgate or her defeat in 2014.
But neither did we say any kinder things when Kamuzu Banda left office; Bakili Muluzi failed in his failed term bid or Bingu left us queuing long hours for fuel. n
The overwhelming feedback to last week’s column—from both women and men—is greatly appreciated. The feedback came from e-mails, Social Media and phone calls.
One woman who sent an e-mail, and didn’t want her name to be mentioned, spoke of how she could relate to the stigma that women who do not give birth through natural birth get from society, especially from fellow women. She, however, spoke of another stigma that women experience; the stigma that comes due to failure to have children.
I have heard stories of how women who have no biological children of their own are ridiculed. Even if they decide to adopt, they are still ridiculed to the extent that some nosey people go behind the parents’ back to tell the adopted child that he or she was adopted, and that the people they call mum and dad are not their ‘real’ parents.
I have also heard stories of how some newly-wedded couples are constantly harassed by friends and in-laws to get pregnant. I have heard a story of a woman who was confronted by her in-laws, who told her: “Achimwne sanakwatireni kuti muzizangodzadzitsa chimbuzi, Tikufuna mwana” (Our brother didn’t marry you so that you fill up the toilet. We want a child).
Such stories break my heart. I fail to comprehend why any sane person would talk like that to a fellow human being. Where is the love?
One thing, I understand, is that children are a gift from God, and at His own time, God delivers the gift to the one He chooses to give. But that doesn’t make those who have not yet received this gift less human or less loved by God, neither does it make them less mothers or fathers. It also doesn’t give anyone the right to start judging and ridiculing other women.
Motherhood comes in various forms. Whether it involves giving birth, adopting a child, or mothering a friend or family member, all of them matter. All of them are valid.
It is lack of knowledge that makes people that a woman is always the reason a couple doesn’t have a biological child. For starters, it takes two to tango. However, whether the problem is with the woman or the man, it is clearly none of anybody’s business. Stay away from their life. The two of them are the only people who can decide how they want to live their life.
Some of the things we Malawians oftentimes spend our energies on do not add any value to one’s life, except make other people’s lives hard. Women have been made to shoulder the blame for failing to have a child, which in many cases has led some women to resort to drastic measures.
A couple of weeks ago there were media reports of a woman who had exhumed the body of a baby and then claimed that she had a miscarriage. When some medical personnel examined her, it was found that she did not miscarry and that she was never pregnant. When I read the reports, my immediate reaction was that the woman was pushed to do this because of the ridicule and stigma from her community. This woman must have been the laughing stock of her community and the only way out, she thought, was to feign pregnancy and a miscarriage.
She wanted her community to start ‘respecting’ her that she is able to conceive. She must have been at her wit’s end. This is not alright.
I honour the different forms of motherhood. It doesn’t matter what society calls you, keep on raising your children. If you decide you cannot adopt, so be it. Live your life. You don’t owe anybody any explanation about your life. n
The 2018 United Nations world happiness report has shown that Malawi is one of the countries with the least happy people. This is mostly due to having visionless leaders. Hence it is very rare that one can come across a positive rating, which puts Malawi ahead of other African countries. With all the negative ratings supported by the real situation on the ground proves that there is no way Malawians can be a happy people.
As it were, the Minister of Information who is also a government spokesperson Nicholas Dausi, has rejected the UN report on happiness. This might be the opinion of the Peter Mutharika government. But what is obvious in this country is that nothing much comes out to make one happy. Probably, the Minister rejected the UN happiness report because as a Cabinet minister, and others in the corridors of power and influence, are always in the comfort zone. They have money and properties.
Their children go to good schools and colleges abroad. After graduating, they go into lucrative jobs in the country. At the moment, the country is grappling with the problem of electricity loadshedding. This has negatively affected businesses, some of which are now history. People have lost jobs and joined the already flooded streets of job-seekers. Those in power and the elite can afford personal generators. To such people, load shedding is not a problem at all. This is likely the reason the President and his government do not bother to come up with permanent solution by connecting Malawi to power grids which are reliable such as DRC, Zambia and others.
What is stated above are some of the luxuries enjoyed by the leadership and other influential people who account for 10 percent, or so, of the Malawi population. These are the people who are perpetually happy. The rest of Malawians are loaded up with problems and have no reason to show any happiness. How can they be happy when their children learn under trees, where it is a foregone conclusion that when it rains there are no classes. University and college graduates can hardly get jobs, instead the Head of State advises them to be self-employed. With such a statement from the leadership, it is a clear admission that the Mutharika government has failed to create jobs. With no starting capital, it makes no sense to advise one to be self-employed.
The other sad things in Malawi are the health services. Some government hospitals perpetually have no medicines. If one needs treatment abroad, they can remain on the waiting list till death, before government provides help and give a go-ahead. One other problem in this country is lack of security. The security system is so porous that tricksters are roaming the streets that even Cabinet ministers and other leaders have been duped in broadday light, and losing lots of money. The problems stated above are a tip of the iceberg.
Experience has shown that the Mutharika government might take all the suffering that Malawians are going through as an exaggeration. This can be naturally so because all the leaders are in a comfort zone and, therefore, they find it difficult to have empathy for the poor majority.
With due respect, and honestly speaking, Malawians have never before suffered as they are doing at the moment.
In conclusion, there is no reason for people of Malawi to be happy with all the hardships narrated in this article and many more out there. Therefore the UN report which says that Malawi is the least happy country has hit the nail on the head. n
Our children are daily bombarded with foreign methodologies of achieving basic literacy and numeracy. A popular alphabet chart has ‘A for Apple’ and similar phrases.
While this may make sense to the children that grow up in town, it remains double Dutch to the rural pupils, many of who have never heard of, much less seen, an apple. An apple is an exotic fruit. Although we buy apples in our supermarkets or from street vendors, they are imported from outside the country and therefore are not part our culture.
Learners grasp new material fast if they can relate to the subject matter. Those who have studied education know that the best approach to teaching new things is to work from the known to the unknown. It is, therefore, a big challenger to the rural learner to be confronted with two unknowns in ‘A for Apple’. A is not known, and neither is apple. Why not ‘A for Aunt’?
The Bible was translated into Chichewa in the 1920s, the work reaching its finality in 1923. The translation work was championed by a South African missionary called William Murray. The translation team that Murray assembled had the sense to use images of things that locals could understand. “Your sins will become as white as snow” was translated into “Machimo anu adzayera ngati matalala.” We do not get snow in this part of the world so the nearest word the translators used was matalala which is hailstorm. The locals could relate to hailstorm because they saw it every year but had never seen snow in their lives.
The Bible translators, however, goofed a little in their translation of the commandment that forbade the coveting of a neghbour’s “cow or donkey”. The Chichewa translation was “usasalilire ng’ombe yamnzako kapena bulu wake”. When the commandment was first read at Mvera, some people shook their heads and said “uchita usililira bulu? Ndiponi ng’ombeyo” (There is no senses in coveting a donkey, but a cow is okay).
The commandments were first received by the Israelites who had developed a civilisation that valued donkeys as beasts of burden. To own a donkey was equivalent to owning an articulated truck in today’s terms. This value was lost on the Mvera peasants beause many of them never used donkeys for that or any other purpose. In fact donkeys were a nuisance to those who practised Gulewamkulu because they (the donkeys) would graze on the Gulewamkulu regalia whenever an opportunity arose.
Using foreign symbols or analogies does not always convey the intended lesson(s). Learning foreign history will widen pupils’ horizons but it should not be done at the expense of local history.
Before the pupils are taught Mungo Park or Vasco da Gama or Christopher Columbus they must learn about and appreciate Msyamboza and Zwangendaba Jele and Makewana. In the course of learning local history pupils can, funds permitting go on a tour to Msinja or Kaphirimtiwa or other places of historical interest in the vicinity of a school. Alternatively people from these places can be brought in to address the pupils
A colleague of mine once lamented the learning about grasshoppers by our pupils because it has no bearing on the learners’ ability to earn money. Frankly, I have no problems with grasshoppers being taught in schools.
Our pupils learn basic anatomy from such simple creatures. Some of them go on to appreciate more complex human anatomy. They become health workers and help us when we visit hospitals.
What I would have problems with is if instead of a grasshopper our pupils were expected to learn about prawns. Whereas they can catch grasshoppers in the backyard of their schools it would be a big challenge for them to get hold of prawns because they do not occur here. I remember once learning about a foreign animal called llama. This was before anybody had told me about the ‘big five’ found in our national parks. There is probably nothing wrong bout studying foreign animals but a study of the local setting should precede any study of foreign creatures, in my view. We need to search within first before we venture without.
There is much ignorance about things local in this country. People know more about the ancestors of the English people than they do about their own ancestors. Not many people can explain why some people are called Phiris or Bandas, for example.
We need to develop the interest to know our roots and our environment before we take on foreign things. We will find out, I am sure, that indigenous knowledge is not as flawed as we may have imagined.n
I am 28 and have a boyfriend whom we have been dating for two years. He is now living and working in South Africa.
Everything was going on well until the day he came back home. We had agreed that he would meet my parents and start planning for our wedding, but he changed tune and said we should have a child first. I was left surprised because I thought a child is supposed to be raised in a stable environment of marriage?
My man has gone back to SA angry that I did not like his idea. Lately, he has been sending me pictures of baby clothes he has bought for our baby. BMW, I am being tempted to fall for it as I am getting old and my fecundity is waning.
Should I fall pregnant for him? I ask this question because most of my age-mates are married and have children and I do not want to lose my man. Confused woman,
Ndirande Malabada via WhatsApp.
Hello Confused,
To say that I am confused at your man’s condition for marriage would be a great understatement. I am confounded. It is one of the most preposterous preconditions I have ever heard of getting to marry someone. It leaves me even bewildered is that you seem so desperate for this man that you consider yielding to his demands the best of options at your disposal. And then, knowing that you have to be convinced he is really serious that your marriage to him is tied to a baby, he starts sending you baby clothes! That, my dear, is just a decoy to believe this man is really serious about marrying you.
Say he is really sincere that after you have his baby and he marries you, what will be the next reason he will have for keeping you in his house? That is, assuming he will allow you to go with him to South Africa. Call me a doubting Big Man Wamkulu or Thomas or whatever on earth you may wish to call me, but I can bet the last ounce of my breath that this man is a cheat and he does not want to marry you
Take it from me. This man is already married in South Africa. I would not even be surprised if he is married to a South African. As we are saying, this man already has children with your would-be co-wife but he feels these children are South Africans. So, he wants you as a vessel to bear him ‘Malawian’ children.
Dear Confused, I have lived long enough to know that that we marry because we are in love. It may be misplaced love but that is the primary drive. We do not marry because we think our fertility is waning out.BMW
My wife is too moody for sex
Dear Biggie,
My wife is like a chameleon. It is so difficult to know if she is happy or not; if she wants sex or not. You can’t tell if she wants to eat or not or if what you have bought her is what she likes or not. She is hell to live with!
Does this woman want marriage or I am wasting my time?
Please help!
TK, Mangochi via WhatsApp
TK,
I can’t help but sympathise with you. You are in a problematic marriage. But then, if I may ask, when did you discover her moody swings? Why did you tolerate her temperance in the first place?
Even in a mere relationship, it is easy to detect moody people from the way they talk to you on the phone to how they respond to your WhatsApp messages. I sympathise with you TK. I surely do. I feel for guys like you who are married to women who sleep in a pair of jeans that is zipped up as if there is no tomorrow. My heart goes out to men like you whose wives can stand on the anti-hill and scream: “I could have managed chastity to my death!”
It is given that some men suffer in silence when their women deny them their conjugal rights, which is why I appreciate that TK has come out. Men have been in the closet far too long and it is high time they learnt that speaking out is not a sign of weakness.
I suggest, you and I keep in touch so that someday we can put up a voice versus violence against men. We must fight for equity, not equality.
And, by the way, while we are fighting for gender equality, who is preparing men to withstand the heat when they will realise that, after all, there is no such thing as the weaker sex?
Excuse me TK for going all the way, but my heart bleeds for you. That is all I can do for you. Should I tell you what I could have told you in my heyday? Vanish for a couple of days and come home after her relatives call you to ask of your whereabouts.
(Judge Mbadwa is hearing a case in which defectors a group of defectors are asking the court to recognise the role they play in Nyasaland’s active politics)
Judge Mbadwa: Mr Goal Changer, why should this court listen to you after you changed colour again to blue?
Goal Changer: My Lord, on behalf of progressive people as announced recently, we decided to join the ruling party to help in fostering development of the country. But My Lord, people have been calling us names ranging from gold diggers to political prostitutes.
Others are saying we are opportunists. Our names have been dragged through mud by jealous people, especially from the opposition and the media. They are saying we are defectors without any iota of integrity, but are we? Most of them think we have literally become chameleons at the rate at which we have changed party colours.
My Lord such statements are slanderous or defamatory. With colleagues such as Pitani Kutsatira enacting his customary obeisance for Mapuya as a regional curtsy in-chief, having done so for Amayi, and Baba before, ours is not yet a case of chickens coming home to roost but to develop Nyasaland and ourselves.
Well, different colours have to be embraced. I was once yellow during the reign of Chairman BM and I became blue before I turned orange under Amayi.
You saw how I had outlived my welcome in Amayi’s party, when I was caught openly courting the blue league of People’s Demagogic Party (PDP). I might be a certified chameleon, but I have just returned to where I belong, PDP.
PDP leadership has noted that it needs the likes of Felie Jambo, JB, Uncle Kain, Done Paul Yea, Pasta Gwinya and others as the country heads to the polls. We are talking about strategists here, My Lord.
Above all, it is not a crime to earn a steady income in the course of helping Mapuya realise projects whose foundation stones have just been planted in each and every village.
People who have questioned our noble act of defecting to the ruling party to serve government of the day need to be committed to prison. My Lord, this court should also interpret whether it is a crime under penal statutes to defect to the ruling party? They should not ask us why people don’t defect to the opposition en masse.
I can argue that no one even in the party we have joined can stand on a high moral ground to say that we are defectors because we are in principle joining a party of defectors. We have just come home! For your information, the ruling party is a culmination of the defection process of the highest order. It was born after its founder defected from the yellow party of chairman BM. Should we say those who followed the first leader of PDP from the yellow party are gold diggers?
We want this court to stop people describing us as toxic assets because parties that keep us crumble. No! no! no! We have all been in opposition at one time and in ruling party at the other. Therefore, the question of who is responsible for the downward spiral of the party cannot be attributed to the presence of two or three defectors. I rest my case.
Mbadwa: This court cannot commit to prison people for describing you defectors as opportunists or gold diggers because we might end up jailing everybody. This court encourages freedom of expression as a constitutional right and people are entitled to their opinions. If you have specific examples of people who have called you names, then bring your specific matter forward. After listening to your submission, this court has, however, decided to change the meaning of a defector to represent any member of a ruling party, or anyone who joins the ruling party to foster development (personal or State one) while a traitor is anyone who fails to join the ruling party or remains in opposition or works for the independent media.n
We are told that peace is the indispensable foundation of economic development. We have enjoyed peace since 1959 when the governors of Nyasaland declared a State of emergency and went about arresting about 2 000 people to restore law and order.
We are told a country that has plenty of natural resources such as good soils and wholesome climate is deplorable provided its people have the energy, intelligence, education and motivation to work.
Apparently both natural and human resources are available in Malawi. So, why is our country chronically one of the poorest in the world? And how do we cure that chronic poverty?
When a patient is suffering from a chronic disease, a doctor prescribes the most effective remedy that he knows such as surgical operation and amputation of the diseased organ. These are drastic remedies. The economic disease of Malawi can only be removed if the most effective remedy is identified and applied. To identify the remedy, it may require consultation with a specialist, a more experienced expert.
The key to accelerated development is overhauling the national and political structure. We must undertake epoch-making reforms. Economic histories of Asian countries give us valuable clues.
The first Asian country to catch up industrially with the West, Europeans and North Americas was Japan. This happened after the Meiji Reslovation in 1867 and resignation of the last shogun. The new regime while continuing to keep at bay European imperialists, decided to learn from the West those things which had made it powerful.
The emperor brought in French teachers and sent Japanese students abroad to study Western science and technology.
A century later, Japan’s prosperity had overtaken most European countries; its economy was the second largest in the world.
Japan ceded that status about 10 years ago or so to the People’s Republic of China. This was because China also underwent drastic reforms. Chairman Mao Xedong had viewed the capitalist world as evil, to be kept at arm’s length in case they contaminated his communist regime. The policies he pursued kept China an underdeveloped country despite its many centuries of civilisation and inventiveness.
In 1976, Mao died. The leader who took over decided to make a drastic break with the chairman’s economic philosophy. Leader Deng Xiaoping was heard saying: “It does not matter if a cat is white or black so long as it catches the mice.”
He was understood to mean he would embrace any economic system provided it led to the prosperity and development of China.
The reformed communist system now started borrowing from the capitalists system, joining its organisation such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO). China opened its market to foreign traders and investors in exchange for similar gesture by Western countries. Now China has the biggest foreign reserves and is said to have overtaken the United States by becoming the largest economy in the world.
South Korea and Taiwan undertook drastic reforms before they industrialised. Those who have listened to advisers from Japan have benefited. On the Opinion and Analysis page of the Weekend Nation dated March 17 2018, Japanese ambassador and plenipotentiary Okumura Yoshifumi is quoted as saying that African countries must start thinking seriously about how to get rid of the obstacles of development they encounter and that good leadership is necessary.
People, who personally benefit from a political and economic system, cannot think seriously about reforming its defects. This is the reason why the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leadership which initiated civil service reforms has resisted tooth and nail electoral reforms; they see themselves as losing their privileges if the reforms go through. But so long as such drastic reforms are resisted, the privileged few will continue reaping what the current set-up gives them while the people at large live under grinding poverty. Is this good?
It is said that people get the kind of leadership they deserve. At the beginning of the restored multi-party era we used to read placards, “I would rather vote for a thief (from my own tribe or region) than a leader from tribe.
Have you people who advocated electoral reforms accepted defeat? The country needs the leadership that can identify the obstacles in Malawi’s development. This leadership cannot be put in place where the electoral systems allows tribalism and regionalism to hold away. n
Community Savings and Investment Promotion (Comsip) has given a boost to two cooperatives with honey production equipment valued at K13.5 million to enhance value addition.
The two cooperatives are Chikondi Comsip Cooperative from group village head Samale, Traditional Authority Masumbankhunda in Lilongwe and Chombe Comsip Cooperative from Nkhata Bay. They are both involved in honey production.
Muwamba: Income will improve
Comsip information, education and communications officer Emmanuel Muwamba said beneficiaries of the grants will improve quality and quantity of the honey to increase their income.
“The income will consequently improve the group members’ capacity to produce more honey and add value to their product. The improved income will transform livelihoods of the individual members,” he said.
Patricia Nkhoma, who heads the nutrition department of Chikondi Comsip Cooperative, said the grant will help them to maximise their gains.
“As a group, we have been seeking ways to grow our business and to find ways of increasing the quality of our products.
“This grant of working equipment will help us to add quality to our honey which in return will increase the value of our products on the market,” she said.
Chombe Comsip Cooperative chairperson Leftan Kamanga said they lacked protective gear when harvesting honey which put lives of its members at risk.
Some of the working tools that were part of the grant included beehives, plastic filling buckets, mouth masks, dust coats, gloves, and honey pressing machines.
Comsip is coordinating the Livelihood and Skills Development component of the Masaf 4 project. n
Investors expected to construct hostels with a bed capacity of 24 980 in the country’s public universities plan to invest $450 million (K330 billion) for the project, The Nation has learnt.
The investors—Old Mutual Investment Group (Omig) and M&M Developments and Infrastructure—have atleast two and six years, respectively to complete construction of the hostels, which has been framed on a Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) arrangement for 35 years.
Omig, which is expected to build hostels at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar) Bunda Campus and College of Medicine under the University of Malawi (Unima), is expected to invest $25 million (K18.3 billion) for the hostels with a bed capacity of 4 700.
Must vice-chancellor Professor Address Malata (R) signs the agreement
M&M Developments and Infrastructure, on the other hand, plans to invest $425 million (K311.5 billion) for the construction of 20 280-bed capacity hostels at The Polytechnic, Luanar-Natural Resources College (NRC) Campus, Unima’s Chancellor College in Zomba, Malawi University of Science and Technology (Must) in Thyolo and Mzuzu University (Mzuni).
Speaking on the sidelines of the Public Private Partnership Commission (PPPC) student accommodation agreement signing ceremony in Blantyre on Friday, M&M Developments and Infrastructure chairperson Isaac Nkosi said the firm, which hopes to start construction by July, will be finalising deals with its project financiers by next month.
“We are ready to go and finalise our agreements with our financiers in Europe and India and we are looking at finishing off the agreement with the funders by May end.
“Come June-July, we should be starting with work on site. The construction will be done in phases and once we finish the student’s accommodation with that phase, we will start accommodating them while we are constructing on the other side,” he said.
Old Mutual Malawi plc chief executive officer Edith Jiya said they plan to complete the project in the next two years using pension fund as well as other development partners, once they sign their agreement with PPPC.
“We are finalising our mandates to be able to put pen to paper. For us as an investor, the sooner the construction is finished the better because we will also realise the benefits of investment faster,” she said.
Unima pro vice-chancellor of the Professor Al Mtenje said the project will end accommodation woes the university faces.
PPPC chief executive officer Jimmy Lipunga said they expect the project to start after the three months window the inventors have been given.
Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Principal Secretary Justin Saidi said with more students enrolled into the public universities, the country is assured of increased human capital and improved social-economic development. n
The Surveyors Institute of Malawi (SIM) has joined calls for the country to have a development bank to promote infrastructure development and grow the economy.
For some time now, government has indicated that it wants to establish the Malawi Development Bank to provide a cheaper source of capital for infrastructure development.
Speaking during the third leg of the Pre-Budget Consultation Meetings in Mzuzu on Friday, SIM president Ellen Nyasulu said the country is failing to develop because most locals lack the financial muscle that can only come with the introduction of a development bank.
Nyasulu: Malawi is failing to develop
“Interest rates from commercial banks bar Malawians from developing. Bring in the development bank for the real estate to grow,” she said.
According to Nyasulu, foreigners own more structures in the country than the locals as they have a source of capital.
She said the profession has been left out in the country and faulted government for not involving surveyors in projects from the beginning.
Nyasulu told the gathering that the country has less than 20 land surveyors, less than 50 quantity surveyors, 35 land economy surveyors and less than 30 urban planners, licensed to sign certificates.
In his response, Secretary to the Treasury Ben Botolo said Cabinet already decided on development bank project.
He said as the bank requires huge capital from within, other quarters are advocating for the use of the pension funds and source funds from other institutions such as African Development Bank (AfDB) and World Bank and other institutions that have idle funds.
“We are working on that principal at the moment. Although it might not be established this year, but something might come up towards the end of this year as we are making some necessary steps to come up with the bank,” said Botolo.
In July last year, Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) Governor Dalitso Kabambe said government was planning to establish a development bank to fill up the gap in the financial market.
The country’s financial market is largely made up of commercial banks that offer short-term loans at interest rates considered to be prohibitive.
Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development officials were last week engaged in pre-budget consultations with the first held in Blantyre last Tuesday and the second one in Lilongwe on Thursday.
Every year, fiscal authorities consult stakeholders that include Economic Association of Malawi, Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Institute of Chartered Accountants (Icam) and Malawi Economic Justice Network (Mejn) to solicit their input before the budget is formulated. n
Call her Joyce Chirwa to protect the identity of her granddaughter who is living with HIV. It takes the 59-year-old about 20 minutes to walk to Liuzi Health Centre where the girl , aged15, can get antiretroviral treatment.
The Standard Seven girl, diagnosed with HIV three years ago, suspects she was infected by her mother at birth.
Chirwa was born and raised in this community. She has known the health centre from the start.
“Since Kasakaniza started, this health facility has transformed when it comes to accessing health services,” she says.
Mwafulirwa: It has improved health workers’ relationship
Previously, Chirwa had to move from one room to another to get different health services.
Now, she gets everything she wants in one room—from one service provider.
Kasakaniza, a Chichewa term describing integration of HIV and Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) services, helps her granddaughter get ART services without stigma and discrimination.
“No one knows what she is getting when both of us get into the room to meet the health worker. This is a complete transformation compared to what we knew before at this facility” she explains.
Chirwa earns her living through sewing and selling clothes in her community. This is how she supports her grandchildren.
Integration unpacked
The integration of health services at Liuzi started in 2011.
UNFPA Malawi supported Nkhata Bay District Health Office which selected five health centres—Liuzi, Maula, Mzenga, Mpamba and Kachere—to start providing integrated SRH/HIV services.
Some health workers, who were trained in integration of services at Liuzi, have been transferred to other facilities.
However, those remaining still provide the services in an integrated manner.
This has ensured continuity of the practice which has improved access to health services associated with stigma.
Thokozani Steven Chaguza, a nurse-midwife technician, has been working at Liuzi for the past seven years.
He says a lot has changed since 2012 when he was trained in providing SRH/HIV integrated services.
Now patients have more opportunities and a friendly environment to access different services at a single point of contact with a service provider.
“This wasn’t happening before,” he says “The initiative has narrowed the gap between clinicians and nurses as both of them can offer similar services; save for a few cases that might require specialised nursing or clinical care and referral.”
At the start, health workers constantly briefed patients that the facility now offers integrated services.
This also happened in the community. Soon patients started to see the benefits.
“This has lessened the time we spend to get services at the facility. We can get any services on any day, in the past, health workers allocated a specific day for a service, especially ART” says Chirwa.
The benefits of integration have spilled over as people who live over 50 kilometres from Liuzi travel to the health centre, attracted by integrated services which their nearest health facilities do not offer.
Eight health centres in Nkhata Bay offer integrated services—the new ones being Chisala, Bula and Usisya.
This means more than 50 percent of health facilities in the lakeshore district provide SRH/HIV integrated services.
“We have seen an improved relationship among health workers as they share tasks equally through an integrated daily roster, thereby reducing their workload,” says Austin Mwafulirwa, who coordinates the project in Nkhata Bay.
He also says most facilities that offer integrated services do not have many patients to attend to in the afternoon.
There are no lengthy queues because most clients are assisted in good time in the morning.
The national picture
UNFPA has coordinated the SRH/HIV integration project since 2011.
The European Union bankrolled the project until 2014 and Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) started supporting the project in 2013.
The initiative targeted Mangochi, Dedza and Nkhata Bay with five facilities in each district.
“We have seen significant progress. Some districts like Mangochi and Nkhata Bay have scaled up the services from the initial five to eight,” says Thandiwe Mijoya, the national coordinator for SRH/HIV linkages project at UNFPA Malawi.
To strengthen the scope of the project, adolescents and the youth, including key populations, have become the primary beneficiaries of the SRH/HIV integrated services.
UNFPA also supported the development of the National Strategy for SRH/HIV Integration to ensure further institutionalisation, scale up and sustainability of this life-changing approach.n
