Mchiela (second right) hands over the water treatment plant
Petroleum Importers Limited (PIL) has restored access to potable water to Kunenekude Health Centre in Mwanza by donating a solar powered water pump valued at K4.5 million.
The facility has stayed for over a year without water, thereby forcing health personnel to be fetching water from nearby sources for their day-to-day activities.
Presenting the donation on Friday, PIL Finance and Administration Manager, Kambani Mchiela said they decided to intervene and help Kunenekude Health Centre as part of supporting government efforts in the delivery of quality health services especially in remote areas.
Mchiela said clean water is an essential part of any health care facility, and therefore it was necessary to support Kunenekude which also helps patients from the borders with neighouring Mozambique.
“In our Corporate Social Responsibility Plan, PIL placed special emphasis on supporting health facilities in Malawi, particularly those in hard-to-reach areas as they continue to be disproportionately affected by inadequate or scarcity of medical resources and in some even basic utilities such as clean water which is an essential part in healthcare facilities”.
Mchiela (second right) hands over the water treatment plant
“With the current risk of cholera outbreaks and isolated cases of Covid-19 we believe the clean water supply will improve hygiene at this health centre and help reduce re-infections within the premises,” said Mchiela.
Health Services Administrator at Mwanza District Health Office (DHO), Emma Mapuchira commended PIL for the gesture saying the situation was dire.
“Almost 90 percent of hospital services require use of water, but since August 2021 we have had no water at Kunenekude Health Centre, thereby forcing us to be sending drums of water from Mwanza in a pickup. As expected, the drums will reach the destination almost half of it wasted. But now this is just a story,” said Mapuchira.
Mwanza district council chairperson who is also councilor for Khudze ward where the hospital is placed, Emmanuel Kapawe also appreciated the support by PIL, and asked members of the community to take responsibility for providing security to the new pump.
Kunenekude Hospital covers a population of 17, 000 people from 17 villages around Mwanza and part of Neno and Mozambique.
Apart from the water pump, the package also consists of solar panels mounted on the roof of the hospital.
Part of the audience during the Sunday Jazz session
NBS Bank Plc has partnered with Khala, a Lilongwe based SME and event management company to support the popular Sunday afternoon jazz sessions that are held at Four Seasons in Lilongwe.
The partnership will see Khala giving a platform to NBS Bank to showcase its products and services during the Sunday jazz sessions which are proving to be a popular event for Lilongwe residents.
Speaking during the announcement of the partnership in Lilongwe during a jazz session on Sunday, NBS Bank plc Head of Marketing and Customer Experience Tamanda Ng’ombe-Longwe said apart from been given a platform, where, among other things they will encourage customers to use their digital products including use of Point of Sale (POS) devices, the Bank is always looking for ways to invest in their SME customers who are interested in growing their businesses.
Ng’ombe-Longwe (right) with NBS Bank colleagues at Four Seasons
“Khala is one of NBS Bank’s SME customers whose growth the Bank has had the privilege of watching since they began banking with us. As NBS Bank, we strongly believe in investing in such SMEs as this reflects our purpose which is Making Banking Eazy. Our customers create their vision, we make it happen,” said Ng’ombe-Longwe.
She told the jazz audience that NBS Bank is now a new and improved Bank with various digital offerings for both individual and business customers.
Commenting on the partnership, Khala Chief Executive Officer, Thokozani Kaunda hailed the partnership with NBS Bank plc.
The NBS Bank stage
“Most banks do not partner with SMEs such as Khala but NBS Bank has taken a leap of faith because they understand the vision and acknowledge the growth this investment will yield. I encourage other SMEs to bank with NBS Bank due to the endless opportunities they offer,” said Kaunda.
“Through this collaboration, customers can expect to see NBS Bank at Sunday Jazz and look out for an exciting experience,” added Kaunda.
Speaking on the direction the Bank has taken, Pasimalo Security Services Managing Director Patience Kalanzi said as one of the Bank’s stakeholders, the partnership will give more insights into the products and services offered by the Bank.
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) is pressing for an emergency meeting to probe and reach a consensus on the current medicines and drugs crisis that has hit the country’s health facilities.
In a statement signed by CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa, his organisation is asking the leadership of the Parliamentary Committee on Health to meet all relevant stakeholders in the health sector so as to discuss the present life-threatening shortage of drugs, medicines and medical supplies in the face of the forex crisis.
In a letter addressed to committee’s chairperson, Hon. Matthews Ngwale, CDEDI has brought to his attention a snapshot of the dire situation on the ground.
Namiwa has since asked the committee to use its powers to engage President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, Minister of Health Hon. Khumbizie Kandodo-Chiponda and the Principal Secretary for Health Dr. Charles Mwansambo to cut short their trip to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York and come back home to attend to the crisis at hand.
“Today, evidence is there for every Malawian to see that the public health system has collapsed. This is clearly mirrored through, among others, the acute shortage of essential drugs and medicines largely due to the forex shortage, dysfunctional machines such as X-rays, Blood pressure monitors; scarcity of Dialysis consumables; lack of ambulance services due to budgetary constraints and the fuel crisis; no food rations to patients; poor disease surveillance on the current outbreaks of cholera and the Covid-19 pandemic,” he highlights the gravity of the problem in the statement.
Adding that the situation is a clear sign that Malawians should brace for worsening levels of malnutrition due to the impending hunger if the Malawi Vulnerability assessment (MVAC) report is anything to go by.
“This will, surely, erode the gains made in the fight against HIV/Aids, TB, Malaria and other diseases. It is strange, therefore, that given all these challenges, the President has decided to abandon Malawians for a lavish lifestyle with both the Minister of Health and the PS. In times of _crises like these, one would have expected our self acclaimed servant leader to be at home to steer the sinking ship to safety,” says Namiwa.
There is no immediate comment from Parliamentary Health Committee Chairperson Ngwale but our traces indicates that the letter from CDEDI has reached his office.
Malawians are passing through numerous economic challenges which commentators says is due to poor leadership style.
Corruption is topping the list that has caused the development partners including the international monetary fund (IMF) to abandon the country.
The prices of goods and services have also skyrocketed due indecisiveness of government to have the local currency devalued by 25 percent in May this year.
LONGWE:We are moving towards a digital world where systems, processes and general operations are becoming more digital in nature
Listed NBS Bank has launched a new digitized personal loan called Kachangu targeting its retail customers.
Kachangu Personal Loan comes barely two months after a similar one called Kachangu Payday was launched to provide easy loan access to the customers within 10 minutes.
NBS plc’s Head of Marketing and Customer Experience, Tamanda Ng’ombe-Longwe, the introduction of the digitized loan, which is accessible on the Bank’s website, reflects the growing digital world.
“We are moving towards a digital world where systems, processes and general operations are becoming more digital in nature. NBS Bank wants to move with the changing times by offering a quicker and convenient way of applying for and accessing loans through our digital banking platforms.”
“Kachangu has now gone personal and with time, we intend to add more products to create a full bouquet of facilities under the Kachangu umbrella,” said Ng’ombe-Longwe.
According to Ng’ombe-Longwe, apart from applying online, the loan also provides convenience to customers since the process to access it does not require paperwork or need to visit the banking halls and is approved instantly.
The loan, which targets civil servants receiving salary through the bank, and workplace banking customers, offers a minimum K100, 000 and K6 million cash limit.
Mwamondwe (centre) being welcomed by HS Winehouse members
Blantyre’s trendy and upmarket pub, the HS Winehouse on Saturday trekked down to Lilongwe to give a ‘heroes welcome’ to two of its members who were part of a contingent of 19 hikers who hiked Africa’s highest peak on the Kilimanjaro Mountain in Tanzania.
About 10 patrons and directors of HS Winehouse travelled to Lilongwe on Saturday morning to welcome Emmanuel Maliro, an avid traveler, hiker and environmental enthusiast and Tumpale Mwamondwe, a financial consultant and a patron of HS Winehouse.
Both Maliro and Mwamondwe reached the highest peak on Kilimanjaro Mountain.
HS Winehouse team at KIA
The Blantyre crew was joined by their Lilongwe HS Winehouse counterparts who recently relocated to Lilongwe who included Edna Sewani, Towera Mpando, Yamikani ‘Ziggy’ Chinguwo, Golden Banda, Manganaye Kambauwa and Nkhwachi ‘Baghaya’ Mhango.
One of the patrons for HS Winehouse Alije Nyemera said they decided to give the heroes welcome to their colleagues for their achievements.
“These two colleagues have achieved a great milestone in hiking and we thought we should celebrate their home-coming in style, that is why we organized ourselves and travelled to Lilongwe to accord them a ‘thunderous’ welcome,” said Nyemera.
The two heroes..Maliro (right) and Mwamondwe
HS Winehouse made special T-shirts bearing the faces of Maliro and Mwamondwe of their exploits on Kilimanjaro Mountain.
After giving them a heroes welcome at Kamuzu International Airport on Saturday morning, the group went to Sewani’s house in the Area 47 suburbs where they had lunch and braai to celebrate their homecoming.
One of the directors of HS Winehouse, Gerald Tasaukadala said the joint felt ‘honoured’ that two of its patrons were part of making history as the first from HS Winehouse to conquer Kilimanjaro Mountain.
Heroes welcome
“We all followed the updates that our friends were giving us as they were hiking and to be honest it was not easy but through their determination, courage and faith, they made it to the top on Kilimanjaro Mountain. As HS Winehouse we thank all our patrons who contributed to support these two embark on this journey and also those who went to welcome them,” said Tasaukadala.
Maliro, who is also a director at HS Winehouse thanked patrons of the joint for welcoming them in a special way.
“I am elated! We did not expect that we were going to be given this huge welcome by our colleagues who travelled all the way from Blantyre despite some fuel challenges to be with us, we feel so special, I am at a loss of words,” said Maliro.
HS Winehouse members kuyipatsa moto
Mwamondwe also thanked HS Winehouse patrons for welcoming them in a special way.
“We are one big family at HS Winehouse and I am very happy with what they have done to give us this huge welcome, it feels so special,” said Mwamondwe.
Apart from being a drinking joint, HS Winehouse is proving a good venue for the development of arts in the country as some of the artists like musicians and cultural groups have been holding events at the venue.
The latest to hold an acoustic concert at the venue was the new music sensation Driemo early this month.
Mwamondwe (left) is welcomed by Manganaye Kambauwa
By Lucky Mkandawire, Weekend Nation 17th September 2022
Some of the concerned community members in Chileka
Over 500 households close to Chileka International Airport in Blantyre are tussling with government over its intention to forcefully acquire their land, demolish their houses, and flatten their land and farms for a multibillion dollar hospital project and pharmaceutical company project in Chileka.
The people say although they are delighted with the proposed development in their area, they have “serious reservations” with the manner government is undertaking the process which they allege contravenes the Land Acquisition Act as well as the country’s Constitution.
“The people told Government that they are not interested in their land being taken away and would want government ot find alternative land but in case that is not possible have sought fairness as their lives will be turned upside down” said the Committee representing the people.
Government plans to acquire the land for Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (Kuhes) who are working with some Americans to construct a university teaching hospital plus ancillary infrastructure at Chilangoma in Traditional Authority (T/A) Kuntaja. It also plans to build a Pharmaceutical corporation to manufacture drugs.
The compulsory acquisition process begun in June this year when valuers accompanied by officers from Ministry of Lands and Blantyre district commissioner’s office embarked on an assessment exercise to collect data for compensations.
However, the people claim government officers violated their constitutional right during the exercise and have since formed a task force against the acquisition and engaged lawyer Kuleza Phokoso to represent them as “we stand up for fairness in the dealings.”
Chairperson of the task force Ricky Kamtema confirmed the development in an interview saying government wants to grab almost 387 hectares of land “and almost 500 households are affected and will be resettled.”
“We are not against the project but the manner in which officers from the Ministry of Lands, district commissioner’s officer and T/A Kuntaja have undertaken the process all the way from the consultations,” he stated.
Kamtema also said the families have engaged an independent valuer to conduct a separate valuation exercise and produce a report by the end of September.
Kuleza confirmed on Thursday being given instructions to represent the people on the matter saying they are seeking transparency and accountability from government.
The genesis
“About 500 ordinary villagers and families that have lived in the area for years and call it home will have to leave their land, their graveyards where their ancestors are buried and relocate to be strangers elsewhere and start from scratch.
Said said Phokoso in an interview: “Land is not easy to find and relocation is not easy to do. We are there to make sure the rule of law is respected; their constitutional right to property and not to be arbitrarily deprived of the same is respected as well as the dictates of the Land Acquisition Act are respected.”
The land targeted by government will affect 12 chiefs which include group village head Kammata, chiefs Denga, Mbedza, Kumanda, Tamvekenji, Dzineso, Lemu, Gomeza, Lipugama, Temani, Magombo and Chuma.
The concerns from the people are also contained in a letter dated August 12 2022 which Phokoso wrote to Commissioner of Lands at Ministry of Lands Kwame Ngwira who is currently the ministry’s acting principal secretary (PS).
In his six-page letter, titled “Compulsory Land Acquisition in Chilangoma Area of T/A Kuntaja-Chileka-Blantyre for Hospital City Project by Kamuzu University of Health Sciences”, Phokoso claims the officers tasked with the assessments and data collection “flagrantly disregarded the law eroding the trust of the land owners in the acquisition process.”
Reads the letter: “The officers did not assess correctly loss of occupational rights, loss of land, loss of business, relocation costs, loss of goodwill, cost of professional advice, nuisance, injurious affection, loss of business, loss of reduction of tenure and disturbance in line with Section 10 of the Land Acquisition Act 2022.
“In addition, our clients report incidents of severe intimidation and bullying and threats of expropriation without compensation and the non-inclusion of crucial data regarding their land, property and fixtures thereon.
In an interview yesterday, Nkasala evaded the allegations but confirmed the complaints from the people which he said have affected the mega health project.
“Engagement meetings with the local leadership and community were held and the general consensus was that they welcomed the project. On the basis of this consensus, processes of property assessment for compensation purposes kick started.
“But before a report for the compensations was released by the Ministry of Lands, recently there have been complaints from some sectors of the community who would want the whole exercise of acquiring the land and compensations to stop.”
However, the DC said relevant higher authorities were looking into the matter for an appropriate action and way forward.
But in a separate interview, T/A Kuntaja laughed off the claims of intimidation and challenged the distressed people to officially complain to him and not through the media. He said:” Nobody has come to me or the DC’s office to complain. We have
The Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI) has written Central Medical Stores Trust (CMST) demanding disclosure of companies involved in the latest supply of medical essentials.
In a letter addressed to CMST Chief Executive, Dr Chikaiko Chadzunda, CDEDI wants the organization in question to make it clear on its stand so as to put right what is in public domain.
In the interest of transparency and accountability, CDEDI has since challenged the trust to seize the opportunity to inform Malawians on the state of the medical supplies in public health facilities and how it intends to maintain the supply chain in the face of the forex crisis.
“We are looking forward to hearing from you Sir, within the next seven (7) days,” reads the letter signed by CDEDI Executive Director Sylvester Namiwa.
He said his organisation has reached this extent after an independent investigations, recently revealed that the CMST has not procured essential drugs and medicines, a development that is believed to be the root cause of the acute drug shortages that have hit both referral and the District Hospitals not to mention of Health Centres.
Namiwa don’t discloses that it is within the investigations where it was further revealed that the CMST has run out of IV-fluids (Drips) which are critical in the health delivery services and now in the treatment of Cholera outbreak that has hit some parts of the country.
“It is against this background, that in line with the Access to Information (ATI) law, we write your office demanding records on the last time the CMST floated tenders for bulky supplies,” says Namiwa.
Additionally, he demanded CMST to make public the list of companies that participated in the tender, a list of companies that were awarded the contracts as well as a list of companies that successfully delivered the medicines.
Malawi has been hit by acute foreign currency(forex) crisis that has set millions of its citizens panicking over the unsustained availability of essential medicines and drugs in the public health facilities.
Currently both the mainstream and social media are awash with truths, speculations, half-truths and outright imaginations over the drug, medicines and medical supplies during these tough times.
CMST is yet to confirm receipt of the letter. The organisation has recently been in the limelight due to its negligence when handling procurement processes. It recently disposed expired medicine when at the time before expiry more health facilities were reportedly lacking a number of essential drugs that were enlisted on the disposed roll.
Boby (centre) presents the dummy cheque to Chimwaza (left) and Sam Mwale
National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc has supported the Presidential Charity Golf Tournament scheduled for next month in Lilongwe with K20 million.
President Lazarus Chakwera and Vice President Saulos Chilima are expected to play in all the 18 holes in the tournament on 8 October 2022 at the Lilongwe Golf Club to raise funds for the vulnerable members of society.
Presenting the donation in Blantyre, NBM plc Head of Operations Brian Boby said the bank welcomes the initiative by Chakwera and his government saying the aim resonates well with corporate social responsibility programmes that the bank undertakes to make lives of vulnerable people better.
“We fully agree with the Presidential Charity Golf initiative because it resonates well with what we do as a Bank to make a difference in the lives of the less privileged. This is why today; we are pleased to support this initiative with K20 million. We believe this will go some way in making the Presidential Charity Golf tournament a success in ensuring that enough funds are raised to help vulnerable members of our society,” said Boby.
Among other things, the Presidential Charity golf tournament wants to raise funds to support needy tertiary students and survivors of tropical storm Ana which hit the country early this year.
Chimwemwe Chimwaza a member of the Presidential Charity Golf organizing Committee speaking at the function
Boby said the Bank is aware of the enormous challenges that affect vulnerable people like university students and survivors of natural disasters.
“As the Bank of the Nation, we are cognizant of the fact that one of the key enablers of Malawi’s vision 2063 development agenda is the development of human capital through provision of education and skills development for the youth. This is why we at NBM plc have been running scholarship programs for needy students in our public universities on top of awarding best performing students through our Corporate Social Investment (CSI) program for many years”.
“It is for this reason that we also supported the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) with K60 million for their Endowment Fund as a way of weaning the University from dependency on government subvention and establishing diversified revenue streams for the University which will also help needy students on top of research and infrastructure development activities.”
“We are all aware that as the Bank of the Nation, we did our part in helping those who were affected by the effects of the tropical cyclone Anna in the Lower Shire early this year,” said Boby.
A member of the Presidential Charity Golf Committee Chimwemwe Chimwaza thanked NBM plc for the donation saying it will go a long way in making the tournament a success.
“The bank today has really shown us that it is indeed ‘The Bank of the Nation’. We are humbled by this donation and we are hopeful that this tournament will be a success and we will achieve our goals of raising funds for the less privileged in our society,” said Chimwaza who was accompanied by fellow committee member Sam Mwale.
Boby (left) presents the cheque to Chimwaza (middle) and Sam Mwale another member of the Presidential Charity Golf Committee
Power Herbs, herbal products produced by a local company Warm Heart Herbs, are selling like hot cakes on the market as many clients are praising it for its magic and healing powers.
Trading under the slogan ‘Malawi’s number one trusted source of herbs’, the products include; Mthubulo, Chiswa B, Mauka Cure, Manhood Enlarger, Tseketseke, Thubulo and Gondolosi.
The Herbal products, according to the Warm Heart Herbs Founder Joseph Kunjirima, among others are helpful in bedtime as it boosts sexual desire (Libido) and cures High Blood pressure.
“I have been receiving positive feedback from clients from across the country; everyone whom i have given my products is being sorted according to the needs” said Kunjirima
He added: “I’ m based in Blantyre and l send {the products} anywhere in Malawi through courier services. My Contact is +265881721040 for both whatsapp and direct calls.”
Warm Heart Herbs, which is one of the fastest growing and leading herbal companies in the country, started operating in 2013.
Petroleum Importers Limited (PIL), a consortium of four oil marketing companies has secured $13 million for fuel importation amid the escalating fuel crisis the country is facing.
However, this is $9 million short of the required amount to bring into the country about 22 million litres of fuel which the country consumes in a month.
PIL General Manager Martin Msimuko said in an interview yesterday that they have managed to secure the $13 million from local banks and urged the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) to help them with the remaining $9 million to get the required amount of fuel into the country.
“PIL has been bringing enough fuel for the companies that we import for amidst the foreign exchange challenges in the country. In terms of the numbers, I can confirm that in the eight months to August 2022, we as PIL have imported 140m litres for our customers Puma, Total Energies, Petroda and Vivo and this is representing 56% of total imports which is 6% more than our 50% share. This indicates that we are covering up for others in this regard. This is in accordance with the SFR regulations for 2018,” added Msimuko.
Msimuko (centre) appreciates the ofloading of the fuel from a Cargo Train
National Oil Company of Malawi (Nocma) is also mandated by law to import another 50% of fuel and the company’s deputy chief executive officer Hellen Buluma told members of the Parliamentary committee on Industry, trade and Tourism that they have secured $10 million from National Bank of Malawi (NBM), $18 million from Standard Bank, 17.5 million Euros from FDH Bank and $8 million from NBS Bank for fuel importation.
Msimuko said they have noted the imbalance of the allocation of the forex and that they have raised the concern and are following up with the banks for the same type of assistance so that PIL can adequately import fuel for the country.
“Due to rising world oil prices Letters of Credit (LC) facilities are getting utilized quickly, we are having to wait for room in the facilities to issue more LCs. We currently have secured $13m for September supplies which is $9m short of our monthly needs. We currently need $22m to import monthly requirements for our four customers. Clearly, we also need support from RBM for us to bring the required volumes,” said Msimuko.
Asked what PIL is doing to sort out the current fuel crisis in the country, Msimuko said they are working around the clock to source adequate forex to sort out the situation.
“We are working around the clock to find adequate foreign exchange and we have engaged our local banks, the central bank and other international banks to avail the foreign exchange required and we are hopeful that we will succeed.”
“With the amount already sourced, we are bringing in over 8 million litres of fuel, which has already started arriving in the country and we are confident that the situation will normalize as soon as we get the facilities we are pursuing. We would like to thank the Reserve Bank of Malawi for the support they rendered to enable us access funds with one of the banks and would seek their continued support to unlock the extra $20 million . This facility is very crucial to unlock more volumes for us,” explained Msimuko.
Msimuko (right) witnessing the offloading of fuel from Cargo train
