Chris Sukasuka, General Manager for Mpamba Ltd, subsidiary of TNM Plc
TNM Mpamba Limited, wholly owned subsidiary by TNM Plc, has unveiled Mudzi Wathu Village Bank wallet to provide convenience and security to savings or lending groups in the country.
The group wallet will allow members of registered and formal savings/lending groups to migrate from the traditional way of processing their loan transactions digitally using Mpamba platform.
Announcing the group wallet in Lilongwe during the 1st Generation Equality Conference, Mpamba General Manager said the wallet has been designed to respond to the needs of savings groups such as village banks in the provision of safety for their money.
“Group savings is a novel but proven approach to uplifting millions of people out of poverty. The challenge is that cash is risky, and the group’s success can be tempting for thieves and individuals who can run away with their savings funds. We have established the wallet to enhance safety,” he said.
The innovation enables savings groups to create digital identity and enhance formal financial inclusion while improving transparency, he said.
“The digital savings wallet will help groups to provide statement of transactional activities thereby improving accuracy of records. Furthermore, it is more controlled as two individuals are required to initiate wallet transactions,” said Sukasuka.
TNM chief operating officer Phyllis Manguluti
Mudzi Wathu Village Bank is available to all Malawians who are in groups and have active TNM lines registered on Mpamba.
“Technology is challenging us to come up with effective features around the mobile money ecosystem. This wallet which is available to all Mpamba customers, reaffirms our commitment towards providing seamless services through the platform,” added Sukasuka.
The news savings wallet is available 24/7 and can be accessed on Mpamba USSD code *444#.
“Mpamba customers will use the service on either Mpamba USSD short codes or on organization web portal. The service can be accessed at any time of the day and from anywhere without having to visit any physical TNM branch shops,” he said.
Acknowledging the role of TNM in supporting government’s efforts in women empowerment, former president, Joyce Banda called for haste initiatives to redeem rural women from abject poverty.
“Here in Malawi 85 percent of women are living in abject poverty, while government is doing its part, some of us must go around and make sure that we empower rural communities. The good news is that we have organizations like TNM who are partnering with us to uplift women,” said Banda.
Banda hailed TNM for coming up with products and services that aim at enhancing financial inclusion among women.
“TNM is doing a recommendable job in coming up with services on the grassroots that are assisting women to access services like e-banking and credit,” she said.
The embattled Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Martha Chizuma is expected to leave Malawi on Sunday, April 10, 2022 to meet and convince her financiers about her allegiance.
We can reveal that Chizuma want to prove to her financier that the job she has been doing is on track while the case is different.
The embattled ACB boss trip is mainly aimed at resetting her system and gadgets as well to try to convince her financiers that she is indeed the person they can trust if they are to deal with their targets in Malawi.
While there she is also going to meet with her media people including Onjezani Kenani whom together will further meet with their financiers of her mission.
Inside sources within ACB say, Chizuma is expected to meet British officials who have been funding her work against the office’s mandate.
Britain and USA governments have also been bankrolling Platform for Investigative Journalism (PIJ), the grouping which has been also getting classified government legal documents for its publication.
The trip comes after Chizuma has been exposed for her incompetency on her work following leaked audios.
Following leaked audios that compromised ACB’s oath of secrecy, Chizuma has lost Malawians trust including President Lazarus Chakwera in corruption fight.
Chihana and Chikumayembe pose for a photo after the meeting
A day after publicly lying to the Tumbuka people and indeed to the whole nation that President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera sent him to affirm the approval of Bongololo as Paramount Chief Chikulamayembe, it has been established that Enock Chihana forced himself to meet acting Paramount Chief Chikulamayembe Mtima Gondwe in order to persuade him to accept a diplomatic/embassy position and put to an end to the chieftainship wrangle of which the acting Chief Mtima Gondwe openly mentioned that it was laughable and uncalled for.
This confirms the rumors that politics has taken centre stage on the chieftainship wrangles with the Bongololo camp buying and using politicians to help them illegitimately get the chieftainship which they do not belong or deserve.
Chiwalo (left) poses with students and teachers in Monkey Bay
First Discount House (FDH) Managing Director Mike Chiwalo Thursday took time off his busy schedule to mentor students at Monkey Bay Community Day Secondary school in Mangochi.
Chiwalo took time to encourage the students on the fruits of working hard and excelling in their studies saying the world now is looking for people with good qualifications.
“There are good things that are attached to your achievements especially when you have the required qualifications, companies will remunerate you properly, so do not lose focus in your studies so that you achieve your goals,” said Chiwalo.
He said the FDH Group started the mentorship programme with an aim of mentoring secondary students for them to become productive citizens.
“FDH, being a Malawian owned company, wants to help secondary school learners in the country to grow with entrepreneurship skills which can help them become huge players in the national economy. FDH Financial Holdings has put in place about K150 million to support the education sector in the country.”
“Apart from our general mentorship program, FDH also encourages its employees to adopt a secondary school learner and mentor him or her through career guidance and other aspects so that the learners might have a role model when pursuing education,” said Chiwalo.
During the mentorship event, First Discount House also donated K2 million to the school to be used for purchasing classroom desks.
Chiwalo mentoring the students
“We discussed with the Monkey Bay CDSS officials to get their views on how we can assist them under our mentorship program and they asked for classroom desks. As a company we have a program called FDH Cares which is one of the key projects which we are implementing to help the government achieve sustainable development goals hence our donation today,” said Chiwalo.
He said through the FDH Cares program, FDH is sponsoring needy university students in the country as well as supporting some graduate youths with start-up capital for those with brilliant business ideas.
In his remarks, Head Teacher for Monkey Bay CDSS Mike Malasa described the donation as timely because it has managed to fill the gap which existed at the school.
Malasa said about 50 percent of the learners had no desks which was demotivating to them, hence the coming in of the desk will greatly improve performance for the learners.
“We are very grateful for this donation by FDH Financial Holdings. At the moment we are facing another shortage of classroom blocks such that we can appreciate if other partners come in to assist,” said Malasa.
Apart from Monkey Bay CDSS, FDH Holdings conducted similar mentorship sessions at Lunzu, St. Patrick’s and Ntcheu Secondary Schools.
Nyirongo (right) receives a tree from Kumpumula as some pupils look on
FDH Bank plc on Thursday partnered with the Association of Environmental Journalists (AEJ) and three schools in Blantyre in tree planting activities to promote a green environment.
Speaking in Blantyre, FDH Bank plc Senior Manager for Internal audit Potamira Kumpumula said under the Bank’s sustainability program FDH Cares, FDH Group committed to plant 1 million trees by 2024 and since 2021 they have championed the planting of 250 000 trees so far through their staff members, partners, customers and various stakeholders and initiatives in alignment with the Malawi 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
“FDH Group recognizes the importance of a green environment and as a responsible corporate citizen it has reinforced its commitment to champion a sustainable green environment that will foster the development of the country and nurture a resilient country against various environmental and economic forces.”
“FDH Bank Plc would like to commend the Association of Environmental Journalists, Wildlife Association of Malawi, students of Chitawira and Mlambala Primary Schools and Manja Secondary School for being champions and advancing a truly sustainable community and environment that will benefit Malawi and beyond,” said Kumpumula.
In her remarks, AEJ vice president Wezi Nyirongo said as journalists, they want to show the world that they are passionate about environmental conservation through various activities such as tree planting exercises.
“So, we will ensure total survival of the 20, 000 trees provided by our partner FDH here in the southern region by empowering the learners in schools to water them as the rainy season comes to an end. We value the green partnership we have with FDH and the survival of these trees will be another big milestone in sustaining this relationship,” said Nyirongo.
Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi (Wesm) Environmental Education Manager Ausward Bonongwe commended FDH Bank plc for its commitment to protecting and sustaining the environment despite operating in a difficult economic environment as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
….Capital Hill to brace for endless vigils if no action taken within 14 days against the perceived corrupt AG
By Iommie Chiwalo
Namiwa addressing the media
The consortium of Human Rights Activists and Concerned Citizens, have warned against persistent futile attempts by President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera’s administration through State agencies and some citizens to literally hunt down the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General Martha Chizuma.
In a joint statement signed by Activists Sylvester Namiwa of Centre for Democracy and Development Initiatives (CDEDI), Phunziro Mvula of Social Revolution Movement (SRM), Gomezgyani Nkhoma representing Mzuzu Youth Caucus- (MYC) and concerned citizens in the name of Mundango Nyirenda and Zainab Hassan, says the conduct demonstrated by Tonse Alliance administration is a bid to frustrate and eventually abandon investigations involving business person Zuneth Sattar’s suspected corruption scandals.
The activists have cited the recent detention and harassment of Platform for Investigative Journalism (PIJ) Gregory Gondwe as a classic example of such desperate and shameful attempts.
“While we condemn in strongest terms Gondwe’s detention and harassment, we would like to remind President Chakwera that Malawi is not a police State and that freedom of the press and freedom of expression is non-negotiable,” reads the statement.
Adding that since a lot has been said and done by other concerned parties within and beyond our borders about the arrest and seizure of Gondwe’s electronic gadgets by the State agencies, we would like to draw the public’s attention to a recent published story under the headline ‘The Attorney General Publicly terminated all Zuneth Sattar contracts’ and the fact that ACB also publicly restricted any government payments to some Sattar-connected contracts pending investigations,”
Under fire Chakaka
The activists expressed worry about revelations that despite the restrictions, government with the approval of the Attorney General funded the police and MDF to pay Sattar behind the scenes.
The article published by Gondwe’s PIJ quoted a letter purported to be a legal opinion from the Attorney General (AG) Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda to ACB Director Martha Chizuma, regarding payments that are to be made to Sattar’s company, whose contract with government was publicly terminated pending investigations.
Just a few days after the publication of the PIJ article, Weekend Nation dated Saturday, 2 April 2022 carried a story under the banner ‘AG warns of legal action against leaked legal opinion’. In the article, the AG Nyirenda openly said he believes his opinion was leaked by ACB and he went on to threaten legal action against those behind the leakage.
“This, in our view, as expected, was a direct attack on Martha Chizuma whose office the AG accused of leaking his confidential documents. We, the civil rights activists and concerned citizens group, have critically analysed the events surrounding the arrest of journalist Gondwe and the publication of the PIJ article on the AG Nyirenda’s purported legal opinion, and have concluded among others that Tonse Alliance administration is spending sleepless nights scheming to get rid of Martha Chizuma,” reads the joint statement.
It further hints that state agencies and some public officers are combing through Chizuma’s operational space to build a case against her and eventually have her arrested thereby clearing the way for government to do as it pleases with corruption cases that are tarnishing its image.
The activists seriously oobserves that the cash-strapped government has made available taxpayers’ money that was purportedly paid to Sattar through the Malawi Police Service (MPS) at a time the entities are under a restriction order from both the AG and the ACB.
“The rights activists have, therefore, resolved to remain standing up in defence of Martha Chizuma, and that it will be an on-going battle until they see victory.
The briefing in progress
According to the Activists, the resolution has been reached after observing that the AG is playing double standards by making public declarations indicating that government has terminated its contractual obligations with Sattar pending investigations, while he is activating the same contracts from behind the scenes.
“The AG, therefore, has lost moral ground to continue serving in such a high office,” reads the strong joint statement.
It has since asked President Chakwera to explain to Malawians how easy it is to find money to pay Sattar but seemingly very difficult for his government to find money to buy essential drugs and medicines for public hospitals where people are dying needlessly,” queries the Activists in a statement.
The have also revealed that the initial plan by the State agencies was to use journalist Gondwe as a witness against ACB director Chizuma but the attempt was miscalculated.
They have since promised that will see to it that Gondwe is not victimised in any way, and that his right to protect sources of information is respected.
Following the recent unfolding trends, the activists have concluded that the AG, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and the MPS are bent on doing nothing but to punish anyone who may dare touch ‘the anointed’ Sattar.
“That said, the public may wish to recall that we recently demanded President Chakwera to fire the Director of Public Prosecutions Dr. Steven Kayuni on grounds that he is putting spanners into ACB’s works. Today, we add on President Chakwera’s chopping list AG Nyirenda and MPS Inspector General Dr George Kainja,” reads the statement.
Concluding that “if these public officers do not resign, or are not fired in the next fourteen days (14), we will be forced to launch never ending vigils at the Capital Hill and other designated places to be announced in due course,”.
Following the general outcry against the arrest of Journalist Gondwe, AG Nyirenda apologised for the action taken by the police. He made the apology in the face of Media Institute of Southern Africa gurus who stormed his office a day after the incident…
DStv Premium, Compact Plus, DStv Compact, DStv Family and DStv Access customers are in for a treat this April, as DStv Launches a brand-new pop-up channel Kwibuka 28. This inspirational and informative channel is set to launch on Thursday, 7 April to Wednesday, 13 April 2022.
KWIBUKA 28 is a special commemoration Pop-Up Channel that highlights the impact of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, and the subsequent process of reconciliation and healing. During this 28th Commemoration, the channel will broadcast a series of exclusive LIVE events and talks-shows, with a daily Kids block, inspiring testimonials, as well as curated youth programming and special reports.
The channel will spotlight Rwanda’s resolute spirit to Remember-Unite-Renew.
With programming running for 24 hours a day, the channel will be available on DStv and customers can look forward to programming such as:
Kids: Junior React – a show where the younger generation share their perspective of the impact of the Genocide and give a view of their aspirations for a united, renewed Rwanda
The Then and Now (LIVE) Talkshow – hosted by Eric Utuje, this is a platform for guests to discuss a variety of informative social, economic and political topics related to the Genocide
Features: Testimonies – a show where survivors share their inspirational stories of healing, reconciliation, courage and hope
The LinkUp 28: Blend of talk, music, and interactive segments with Rwanda superstars as special guestswho will share their views and perspectives on Genocide curated daily topics
DStv is always looking for ways to better customer viewing experience, giving them great value, choice and some of the best local and international shows. It is with this in mind that the platform offers great new channels, Pop-Ups and Studio stunts sure to keep viewers glued to their TV screen.
For seven days only DStv Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, Family and Access customers can tune in to KWIBUKA 28 on DStv channel 197to learn, engage and stay informed.
FAM President Walter Nyamilandu and Std Bank’s Head of High Networth and Consumer Segment Charity Mughogho after the signing ceremony
Lilongwe, 7 April, 2022: Standard Bank Plc through the Unayo Platform has announced a K46,125,000 sponsorship for the Division 1 regional football leagues.
This was announced by the Bank’s Head of Consumer and High Net Worth Clients, Charity Mughogho and the President of the Football Association of Malawi (FAM), Walter Nyamilandu during a signing ceremony held at the bank’s headquarters in Lilongwe on Thursday.
The deal comes as the Unayo platform is set to surpass the 100,000 wallets mark in its journey of financial inclusion. The sponsorship gives the Unayo platform a unique channel to engage with its clients spanning across the country.
The Unayo National Regional League is an ideal touch point for the bank and its customers in all the 29 districts of Malawi. The League will be participated by 64 Division 1 Football teams in all the districts of Malawi. With a league played in each of the three regions of the country, namely Southern, Central and Northern regions.
“As you can witness from the rapid growth in users and merchants, the bank has been supporting financial inclusion and provision of financial services in the last mile through Unayo and this league will create an additional touchpoint with all Malawians,” said Mughogho.
Unayo National Regional League will be played by 64 division one teams across the three regions of Malawi with over 700 matches being played in a period of 8 months. Matches will take place within a set-up of peri – urban and rural areas, bringing entertainment and excitement for local football fans in their communities. The league ties in well with what Unayo was set up to achieve, in creating sustainable partnerships that bring solutions to underdeveloped communities. Most financiers of grassroots football are also local business people and Unayo will partner with them to grow its merchant network and further their business growth as small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
The forty-six million Unayo sponsorship will cater to winners prizes for the top 4 teams in each of the 3 regional leagues. With support towards trophies, medals and match balls. Unayo has also pledged support for the administration of the league and match officials. This has all been done to raise the profile of the league. Unayo has also funded a media awards component which will be run at the end of the football season.
Nyamilandu and Mughogho signing the sponsorship deal
Mughogho acknowledged the work that is being done by FAM in bringing structure and professionalism in Malawian football at all levels.
In his remarks the president of FAM, Walter Nyamilandu touted the Unayo sponsorship as an admirable investment.
“Standard Bank is known throughout the region as a major sponsor of football and this partnership will have a major impact on local football, in identifying talent and making the Division more competitive,” he said. The future is about partnerships and Unayo has today shown a commitment to invest in the grassroots to ensure that a brighter future is created for football players and local communities who are passionate about the beautiful game.
“There is vast talent and potential for growth in Division 1, with many of the players who now thrive in the National team having grown through grassroots football. With this in mind, this partnership will support the identification and grooming of the next generation of talent.” said Nyamilandu.
The Unayo Regional League is set to kick off in the next fortnight, with a launch of the new sponsorship.
Unayo is a financial services platform that allows ordinary Malawians to open a personal or business wallet, access their finances anywhere, runs various transactions and be a part of the digital economy. To open a wallet on any phone regardless of mobile network a customer just dials *247# and selects option 2 (Unayo) to register.
THABO NYIRENDA: Ordered the arrest of journalist Gregory Gondwe
There once was a man.. a man of virtue and integrity while working at Malawi’s central bank, the Reserve Bank as a Manager and Legal Counsel. Such a feat at his age of 40 and with all his academic handiness, a Bachelor of Laws Degree from Chancellor College and a Master of Laws Degree in International Financial Law from University of Sussex in the UK, there can never be another man other than Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda.
His experience in the trade is a topic for another day, but the highpoint of his career was on 27th August, 2021 when President Lazarus Chakwera named him as the country’s Attorney General replacing Dr Chikosa Silungwe who was being accused by some section in the Malawi Congress Party that his legal opinions were calculated to expose and frustrate the Chakwera led administration…. So, Thabo was and is still their main man.
Being Chakwera’s “main man”, Thabo never shillyshallied to get things working. He was all over making pronouncements about working to protect public money from dubious payments. He spoke about questionable contracts that needed to be sent to trashcans, the fight against corruption and instilling discipline in the public service and its financial systems.
Thabo was indeed our man of the moment… We all needed a Thabo to change things around, and true to that, Thabo spoke and represented change.
His name was also on the tongues of many praise singers, the “bola DPP inachoka” type of handclappers after the AG, new in the game, managed to whip DPP off their political maneuverings as they sought for nullification of the fresh presidential poll following the firing of some MEC Commissioners who were found “incompetent” by the Constitution Court hearing the 2019 presidential election case.
Thabo kept on pitching his work high, he picked on the Techno Brain’s passport contract with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services by questioning the procurement process. He went for the contract and it was cancelled accordingly and Thabo Chakaka became the “Chakalaka” flavor in our national pudding.
But then, satana amati akati akusake, Thabo never saw what was instore for him on 10th January, 2022. He went on to give a 60-day amnesty to all alleged crooks accused of defrauding government in their business dealings or illegally acquired wealth, to voluntarily pay back the said wealth or face the law.
This was the beginning of his low moments, especially coming munyengo ya Mr Zuneith Sattar, Batawalala and other “Pangolins” around. Many governance stakeholders never took this lightly, they throbbed Chakaka, describing this as a move deemed to shield Sattar and his business associates from prosecution.
It didn’t end there…… Thabo kept on starring in the Sattar episodes and the latest was where the Platform of Investigative Journalism took their meat from. This is where the AG is alleged to have authorized payment to Sattar on some government business, while in public Thabo sounded all holly making a stance against dealing with Sattar’s owned companies and barred him from public procurement.
To “Sattar” his “Sattar-ing” he called Dr Kainja and his boys to action, reminding us once again that we still have some black cock traits within some so-called agents of change who would go miles clinching their fists against everything that seems to promote freedom of the press.
Like his many green jackets legionnaires, Chakaka went ahead abusing his power and authority pouncing on PIJ’s Gregory Gondwe, his gadgets and I don’t know what else…
Chakaka forgot that he is one of the custodians of the country’s laws. He is the face of our country’s justice system the last man to tow towards attempts that explore otherwise… All his accomplishments, gone; all the respects, gone.
Chakaka must be told in bold that Freedom of the press, if it means anything at all, means the freedom to criticize and oppose and that’s what it means to be in a democracy.
As the country’s AG, he wouldn’t wake up today and decide to pick and chose which types of freedom he would want to defend, its either he defends all of it or be against all of it…
The best for him now is simply to resign for he is in the wrong office. He should try full time politics maybe and battle with journalists all he wants and see if he would make himself a political goon anyway.
People like Chakaka must be reminded that no government ought to be without censors; unless its being led by people that are not sane. Everyone deserves their legal rights in full, even when they disagree with us. Protecting their rights protects ours.
Atolankhani mukuwamanga lerowa, muzawafuna pa mmawa…. Amanyozeka lero poti mudakali nazo mphamvu, pammawa nthenga zizathothoka muzawafuna… Besides, at 40 you are still young Mr Chakaka to make things right and leave a legacy. Your fall though has fallen too soon…
Blantyre, April 7, Mana: One of the country’s Gender Activists, Barbra Banda has hailed government departments and non-governmental organizations for appointing women into higher positions.
Recently, Malawi has witnessed appointments of women in different departments such as Lucy Mtilatila appointed as Director of Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (Met), Pamela Kuwali as Executive Director for Action Aid Malawi, Madalo Samati as Executive Director for Creative Centre for Community Mobilization (CRECOM) and Madalitso Magagula as the Deputy Director of Inclusive Education in the Ministry of Education.
In an interview with Malawi News Agency on Wednesday, Banda described the development as a milestone in the attainment of 50: 50 women and men representation in higher positions.
“This clearly shows that women are capable of holding positions that were previously considered for men,” she said.
In an interview with The Nation, the newly appointed Director of the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, Mtilatila said she was grateful to the authorities for entrusting her with such a responsibility.
She pledged to do her best in enhancing the department’s agendas such as early warning systems and engaging more with the public.
Meanwhile, Malawi is to host the first-ever high-level intergenerational dialogue on generation equality and women’s leadership in Africa, themed, “Growing and Glowing Against All Odds”, from April 7to 9 2022, which shows that indeed as a country we are making progress.
Last year, President Dr Lazarus Chakwera appointed 12 High Court judges of which six of them were females in the Judicial Service Commission.
