National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc on Wednesday visited and cheered War Veterans at their Home in Zomba as part of the poppy memorial and festive cheer programme.
NBM plc Service Centre Manager for Zomba Maureen Gwembere led staff members in cheering and giving various gifts to the War Veterans.
Gwembere said NBM plc appreciates the role that the soldiers took in fighting for the country during the World Wars.
Infectious smile-Gwembere (left) presents a gift to a War Veteran
“We are enjoying the peace now because of your sacrifices and as a Bank we are able to do our business in peace because of what you did to this country. We do not take that for granted that is why every year we make sure that we celebrate with you hence our coming today,” said Gwembere.
One of the War Veterans Staff Sergeant James Matupa,88, hailed NBM plc for ‘not forgetting us’ every year with presents which help them address some of their challenges like food as they can now not fend for themselves because of advanced age.
Lieutenant Ulunji Mkandawire from Malawi Defence Forces (MDF) also thanked NBM plc for the donation saying the items will make the life of the War veterans easy and bearable.
Some of the items that were donated included maize seeds, bags of fertilizers, sugar, rice, cooking oil, salt, maize flour and others worth K2.5 million.
Limbe Leaf official Duke Mbale (second left) presents the keys for the teachers house to Banda
Limbe Leaf Tobacco Company Limited (Limbe Leaf) Wednesday handed over a teachers house, office and a playground worth K20 million at Chikazimasika Primary School in rural Kasungu district.
Speaking at the ceremony, Limbe Leaf Corporate Affairs Manager Leah Hez said the company is passionate about education in general and primary school education in particular.
“A lot of effort is put into improving the learning conditions of students and the living conditions of teachers to ensure that both teachers and students operate at their full potential. As a company, we do not condone the use of children under 18 in tobacco fields or any tobacco related work. We want children to be in school, to learn and become productive members of society.” said Hez.
“It is our hope that this new teachers’ house goes a long way in improving the living conditions of teachers here and the playground will provide something for the children to do after school so that they don’t wander into fields. The office will provide space for the teachers to adequately plan for lessons so that the pupils have focused lessons. We hope the community will take care of the items,” added Hez.
Hez (left) presents the keys for the office block to Banda
Receiving the donation, Primary Education Adviser (PEA) for Wimbe zone Patronella Banda hailed Limbe Leaf for the donation saying the primary school only has four classes from Standard one to four and there is need to make the school a full primary school.
“We want to upgrade this school into a full primary school like it used to be in the past but we need support of parents, the community and companies like Limbe Leaf. We are thankful to what Limbe Leaf has done today because this will realize our dream of upgrading this primary school into a full primary school with all the eight classes,” said Banda.
Head teacher for the school Peter Linde also thanked Limbe Leaf for the donation saying the company is transforming the school citing the earlier donation of desks, a classroom block and rehabilitation of another classroom block by Limbe Leaf.
The school has an enrolment of a total of 126 pupils, 74 girls and 52 boys against three male teachers.
“We would appreciate it if they send us a female teacher to be a role model to our girls,” said Linde.
Limbe Leaf officials watch pupils on the playground
Vice President Saulos Chilima has appealed to women in the country to speak with one voice on matters affecting them as opposed to pulling each other or succumbing to the divide and rule traps set on them.
Chilima was speaking in Lilongwe Saturday when he attended an inaugural networking meeting for the Women Lawyers Association held under the theme; Women Lawyers in the evolving legal landscape.
“Form a block and speak with one voice. Do not be the first pull fellow women. Do not succumb to the divide and rule traps that are meant to divide you. Always speak with one voice on issues affecting you,” said Chilima.
Specifically, commenting on the rising cases of rape and other gender based violence, Chilima urged the association to advance calls to have laws that spell out stiffer punishment for rapists.
“A strong legislation with stiff punishment for rapists is what we need if this nonsense has to stop. We must all work towards that direction,” he said.
Earlier, the Vice President declared his support for the association and described WLA as a the beginning of a new era for women lawyers in the country.
“A new era in which people realise that equality, equal justice and equality of opportunity are complex ideas, difficult to implement but achievable through sustained efforts of those committed like it is the case with the women lawyers. On a lighter note, the Vice President the only time he has been closest to being a lawyer was when he stood in the witness box for days during the election nullification case.
To that effect, Chilima also paid tribute to the women lawyers for the critical role they played to the case as friends of the court as well as other cases.
“Topping the list is the Constitutional Electoral Case, then we have the Judicial Independence Case, the COVID 19 (Lockdown) case, and the Msundwe case pertaining to 18 women and girls where the court found that their rights were violated,” he said.
Chilima assured the women lawyers and other human rights defenders the Tonse Alliance administration will remain steadfast in ensuring that they are protected in the course of doing their work. The Women Lawyers Association was formed to advance the rights of women and children in Malawi.
Insurance giant, United General Insurance (UGI) on Thursday rewarded drivers from MyBucks Banking Corporation who are on AutoPrice insurance policy with free fuel for good driving behaviour.
The AutoPrice policy is a new insurance policy with an approach to discourage risky driver behavior and it relies on the use of telematics devices placed in a vehicle that rate driver behaviour according to a given set of risk proxies.
UGI Chief Operating Officer MacDonald Chibwe said they decided to reward 10 drivers from MyBucks Banking Corporation who are on AutoPrice policy after the system showed good driving behavior.
“This product has proved to be effective in monitoring driving behaviour and in reducing the risk of accidents on the vehicles. Apart from the monthly scores that the system generates on the drivers, there is also another incentive attached to this product where it calculates discount when renewing the insurance policy at the end of the year,” said Chibwe.
The drivers got free fuel ranging from 50 to 55 litres depending on the points scored by the system.
Principal Officer responsible for Bancassurance at MyBucks Banking Corporation James Msiska hailed the AutoPrice product saying it has reduced motor insurance risk for the company’s staff members.
“We are very happy with this product, those who have benefited are our members of staff but we are planning to extend it to our clients as well,” said Msiska.
According to Chibwe, the drivers’ rating on the AutoPrice product is tied to their premium payment where high risk drivers pay more while low risk drivers get rewards for their good driving behaviour.
“AutoPrice promotes and builds a safe driving culture amongst UGI clients and this reduces the claims payouts,” said Chibwe.
Kambala: A sacrifice on altar of wars that do not concern him
Minister of Energy Newton Kambala is being hanged in political wars that do not concern him. Or at least, he is being so pilloried simply because he is a member of UTM, one of the apparent targets in this fight.
And those executioners of his, and therefore of UTM, have found NOCMA Deputy CEO, Hellen Buluma, a very good ally.
To begin with, those that think that Buluma is in that position running DPP business are making a huge mistake. Buluma has used political patronage to survive in the job. Yes, she was appointed into that non-existent job by the DPP government just as was the case with her boss Gift Dulla who the new administration kicked out apparently because he was a political appointee of the DPP administration.
How Buluma could survive in the job when she was equally another appointee of the same authority that appointed Dulla is the question. But it should not be lost on anyone that she bought her stay. Here how she did it: As results of the July 2020 elections trickled in and signs pointed at an incoming Chakwera administration, Buluma was the first parastatal top official to publicly congratulate Chakwera for his victory through her Facebook page.
This was to the dismay of many Malawians who had known her to be DPP member where she had tried and lost when she contested for the position of Director of International Relations at the party’s convention in 2018 and where she had tried and lost as MP candidate in Nsanje in the May 2019 elections. This was her public action.
Buluma: Used to be DPP die-hard
Her secret dealings with MCP may not be known by rank outsiders but there is no questions she must have been determined to secure her stay in an office into which she was politically appointed. However, the avalanche of WhatsApp text messages she or her accomplices have leaked these past two days do tell us about her connections to some powers that be in MCP.
The name of an MCP cabinet minister she is claimed to have a secret liaison with is being flown around. But for all that is known, Buluma is a married woman, reportedly to a lawyer. How she could “dear” and “hun” with a cabinet minister when she asked him for a number of a UN resident representative betrays where her biases lie. But why would she be aligned to MCP. In any case, in this ruling alliance, MCP calls the shots. And anyone who wants favour will align to it.
Simply put, Buluma is an agent of an MCP faction or authority, lover even, whose battle front is two-fold: first, a struggle with fellow MCP top dog over NOCMA oil contracts largesse; second a hit at UTM, in this case represented by its official Kambala, to prevent it from sticking its finger in the NOCMA oil contacts jar.
The saddest part of this is that President Lazarus Chakwera has been dragged in, apparently ill-advisedly by his aides including the advisor on strategy Chris Chaima who is on the opposite side fighting the authority that is working with Buluma.
Quite frankly, it does not look like the President had correct information when he, uncharacteristically accompanied by the Inspector General and Defence Force Commander just for a national address, laid into Buluma and recommended her sacking as acting CEO.
In his own words, he had made the directive because Malawians had told him that Buluma is involved in DPP activities. Buluma is not in that job doing DPP work. She ‘joined’ MCP so that she does not get sacked from her non-existent position.
She is doing the work of an MCP faction which is fighting another faction in MCP on the one hand and UTM on the other.
In that fight, Kambala is the sacrificial lamb, by virtue of his being the political head of NOCMA.
Erotic! A married cabinet minister Eisenhower Mkaka has addressed a beleaguered National Oil Company (Nocma) Deputy Chief Executive Officer Hellen Buluma ‘hun’ confirming the feared liaisons with the former aspiring MP for Nsanje South West.
In leaked messages Buluma is asking for a phone number of UN Resident Representative by calling him “hey Dear” and the Foreign Affairs Minister responded by saying ‘hey Hun.
Later the cabinet minister gives her the number but cautioned that he should not be named because ‘we are not allowed to share numbers, so don’t mention me’.
Social media has been awash with stories that Buluma is bonking the married cabinet minister for protection from being sacked at Nocma following irregular employment by the former DPP government.
Buluma is a well known and confessed DPP cadet and President Lazarus Chakwera recently ordered the Nocma board to review her work status.
But because of her sexual liaisons with the powerful cabinet minister, Buluma is not moving an inch.
Some people will never change! Beleaguered DPP Spokesman Brown Mpinganjira aka BJ has been caught pants down lying to DPP President Peter Mutharika on the status of Mpumulo wa Bata, the resting place for former President the late Bingu Mutharika.
The late Bingu Mutharika’s widow Callista Mutharika wants to hold a memorial service for her late husband on December 5,2020 at the Mosoleaum but this did not go down well with BJ.
Callista fell off with his brother in law APM politically. BJ then wrote APM on the issue of Callista using Mpumulo wa Bata with so many lies. “Your Excellency, I need to speak to you Sir about Mpumulo wa Bata at Ndata.
“The social media was yesterday awash with lies that the place is derelict, that the family and the party are not looking after the place.Some of our regional officials: Mr Yona Mlotha, Mr Rudo Chimbalawala, Mr Charles Kadziwe and Mr Blessings Nangowa went to investigate at Ndata.”
“The place is not that unkempt but Callista has asked the Catholic church kwa Goliati to have mass in memory of Late Bingu on Saturday 5 Dec and so they are creating all this hype on the social media for them to be seen to be concerned about Late Bingu’s resting place. This effectively will be a function for utm and chilima will be there,” reads BJ message to APM in part.
“We are therefore planning as a party to preempt them by holding our own clean up function this Saturday 28 Nov.The team who went there have also discovered that the place is in darkness in the night because of an electrical fault. We need to have this rectified.” “This is what I want to talk to Your Excellency about. Respectfully, BJ,” reads the message.
But insiders said BJ is always known of lies and this too is a lie because the memorial mass was not going to happen at Mpumulo wa Bata considering the tense relationship between Callista and APM. “BJ will never stop lying, will he? If we are failing to take care of the late Bingu Mutharika’s resting place then we should not blame other people,” said a DPP guru who refused to be named.
Three Illovo wholesalers are now proud owners of brand new Nissan NP200 pick-ups after emerging as lucky winners in the on-going ‘Iponyereni kwakuya ndi Illovo’ promotion.
During the first grand prize draw on Monday, three lucky winners namely Dorothy Dickson of Nalifase Shop in Balaka, Henry Moyo of Mbamoyo Traders in Kasungu and Kondwani Mkonongo of Shileke Investments at Songwe in Karonga became the first three wholesalers to win the brand new vehicles each.
Speaking during the draw, Illovo Sugar Malawi Managing Director Lekani Katandula said the promotion aims at exciting their customers and consumers during this lean season when agricultural activities take over.
“This is why we are giving out prizes to support them throughout this period. I would like to emphasis to those who may not have participated or have participated but have not yet been lucky, to say that the promotion is still on-going. There are 5 more weeks to go and we have 3 more brand new Nissan NP200 pickups, 132 more bicycles, 216 more bags of fertilizer and various branded items left up for grabs. Therefore it’s not too late to participate,” said Katandula.
Illovo Sugar Malawi Managing Director Lekani Katandula speaks at the launch
He said so far since launching the promotion on 9th October 2020, they have, through weekly draws, in store activations and mystery shopper activations managed to give away a number of exciting prizes which include 84 Bicycles, 144 Bags of fertilizer as well as 1,093 Lucky winners walking away with various branded items.
The promotion which started in October and is expected to finish in December 2020, has been categorized in four namely stockists, grocers and table tops, mystery shopper activation and supermarket promotion.
Another grand prize draw is expected to be conducted in December where three more lucky winners will win three more brand new Nissan NP200 pick-ups.
The 2020 Super League season will aim to create a platform for the return of life to normalcy in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and open up to a pool of life-changing possibilities, long time sponsor TNM Plc has said ahead of the official kick-off on Saturday in Blantyre.
In a statement released on Tuesday, TNM plc Acting Chief Executive Officer Arnold M’bwana said the theme for the 2020 season is NdiZotheka or ‘It is possible’ saying Malawi’s pioneer mobile technology provider would like to use the Super League as a gateway to unleashing endless possibilities and potentials.
“We realize that football touches many lives, and in different ways. In the 2020 season, we are looking at the league providing a platform for engaging people socially and economically,” he said.
“For example, those in the media can plug into the league for content advertising opportunities, those in retail trade can take advantage of actual games to bring their products closer to fans, and in the social sector, an opportunity will be provided to raise awareness on national causes such as is the case this year whereby we would like to use the opening game and subsequent ones as a medium to spread knowledge on how to stay safe in the wake of the global Coronavirus pandemic,” explained M’bwana.
He said the 2020 Super League season will provide a pedestal on which TNM plc seeks to avail to its customers the greatest affordability and connectivity opportunities in voice and digital services.
“Customers should be able to realize their social, business and professional needs using TNM’s services based on their affordability depths. The continuous growth and customer excitement with TNM’s fastest 4G network has immense possibilities and therefore will continue to increase its footprint to all corners of the country.”
“Our 4G network offers customers the option of plugging into the game to watch highlights, and live games through streaming,” said M’bwana.
The 2020 season marks the 14th year of TNM’s long-term sponsorship of the league.
“Super League action returns to Kamuzu Stadium after a 10-month break due to off-season recess and Covid-19 suspension with 2019 champions Nyasa Big Bullets hosting Blue Eagles in the official opening match. This season fans should expect more buzz and excitement as we will be coming with initiatives to improve the game,” said M’bwana.
The Acting CEO said the 2020 season will strive to enable football stakeholders achieve great things in their daily endeavors, hence the theme ‘NdiZotheka’.
M’bwana welcomed three newly promoted teams, Red Lions, MAFCO and Ekwendeni Hammers to the elite league:
“The brand welcomes them to the elite club. It can really get tough as Red Lions and MAFCO can attest to this but with proper planning survival is possible,” said M’bwana.
TNM plc has called on all Super League stakeholders and Malawians to adhere to health guidelines in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic.
“The Coronavirus pandemic has devastated the world and continues to cause panic among humans. I therefore, urge all soccer fans adhere to the necessary protocols during the matches to prevent further spread of the pandemic,” said M’bwana
Kawawa Msapato: The offer is open to both FDH Bank plc and non-FDH Bank plc customers
Listed FDH Bank plc has entered into a massive K2 billion partnership with Innobuild Private Limited that will foster growth for Malawians by facilitating acquisition of land.
FDH Bank plc Head of Personal and Investment Banking Kawawa Msapato said as a homegrown institution that believes in growth, its partnership with Innobuild will support Malawians to acquire land through credit facilities worth K2 Billion to empower them to acquire land in Lilongwe.
“The partnership will enable a good number of Malawians to own land in a prime location in line with the bank’s mission of facilitating and making growth possible.”
“The offer is open to both FDH Bank plc and non-FDH Bank plc customers and interested customers are required to secure a land allocation with Innobuild who will then recommend them to the bank for a credit facility,” said Msapato.
He said as a key player in the financial sector, listed on the Malawi Stock Exchange, and a partner in the development of the country, FDH Bank plc believes that supporting initiatives such as this will in the long term foster growth and economic empowerment.
Innobuild Private Limited Chief Executive Officer Billy Jonathan Chiwotha said they observed the land access challenges being faced by Malawians in prime locations hence the partnership with FDH Bank plc.
“Some of the challenges that Malawians are being faced is the access to the actual land as most of the prime land is already largely occupied by a few individuals thereby hindering other Malawians from access despite having financial ability to acquire it.”
“There is also lack of financial ability to acquire the land bearing in mind of general levels of income of most Malawians and comparing with the prevailing prices of land in prime locations; most of them cannot afford to amass the needed upfront payments for such land hence denying them a chance to own land,” said Chiwotha.
He said in light of the challenges, Innobuild solicited solutions that will make it easier for Malawians to own land in prime locations in our cities and approached FDH Bank plc to partner it in providing financial backing to Malawians to acquire land.
“Innobuild envisages that through this partnership with FDH Bank plc more Malawians will be able to own land,” said Chiwotha.
