SUCCESFUL MEETING: Group photograph after the meeting
Mangochi District Council has taken an extra gear in resolving border issues with their counterparts from Mandimba, Ngauma and Macanyela districts in Mozambique bordering Mangochi following a meeting held on 11- 12 November in Mangochi.
On Saturday, December 19, the District Commissioner for Mangochi Dr. Raphael Piringu accompanied by some officers from the Malawi Defence Force (MDF), Malawi Police Services, Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), department of Immigration and council officials visited Mandimba district for an official meeting with the DCs.–
During the meeting, the DCs agreed to have joint boarder patrols, settle boarder issues in Makanjira and Katuli. They also resolved to start offering boarder pass between two countries for easy crossing of local people.
During the meeting, the Malawi team also negotiated the release of four Malawian nationals from Bwananyambi who were arrested based on boarder issues. They later established that they had no crime. The four will therefore be released on January 7.
“We also agreed on sharing health information outbreaks including Covid- 19, cross boarder management and cross boarder theft. We also seized the opportunity to market the beautiful shores of Mangochi and invite them to visit as part of boasting tourism,” said Piringu adding that the next meeting will be held in April 2021.
This vital trip was supported by Malawi Red Cross Society, World Vision International (WVI) and Emmanuel International under Titukulane Project.
Former RBM Governor, Dr. Dalitso Kabambe should be arrested.
He has a lot of explaining to do. While the K40 million [ of which K28m was salary] he used to get in cash & non-cash benefits monthly is mind boggling, the rot was deeper than that. Kabambe’s Central Bank issued a Letter of Credit to [their] local company associated with the tribal cabal.
No intention of getting into merits and demerits of the Central Bank involving itself in LCs in this manner, moreso with a private company.
The said local company [ name will be revealed in due course] defaulted & RBM settled the billion K2 billion on behalf of the company.
Just like that! Now, RBM has resolved to retain Mbendera, Nkono Associates to pursue the said company to pay up.
Deloitte Zimbabwe & Malawi are very busy, working overtime & on holidays.
FDH Bank plc has named its Lilongwe Old Town Branch Account Relationship Manager Pempho Khomba as the Best employee for the year 2020 christened ‘Machawi employee of the year’.
Presenting the award in Blantyre Monday, FDH Financial Holdings Limited Chief Executive Officer William Mpinganjira applauded Khomba saying he has demonstrated excellence behaviour which is encouraged by all employees across the Group under the FDH Excellence Culture.
“Pempho (Khomba) has been consistent in his performance throughout the year 2020 and won Spot Award of June 2020, Employee of the Second Quarter and Employee of the Fourth Quarter. FDH Group will send Pempho and his wife on an all-expenses paid trip to Dubai with $1000 shopping money to celebrate his achievement and to encourage and motivate him as well as others,” said Mpinganjira.
He said some of the notable achievements that made Khomba scoop the ward include the acquiring of a MK2 billion deposit from a customer through persistent and good customer engagement and that he recruited the highest number of new Small and Medium Enterprises clients in the last three months.
“You will all agree with me that this young man has earned the Employee of the Year 2020 award, beating other strong contenders in Damiano Chimwala from CIB and Charles Mtambo from FDH Money Bureau Limited. I am proud to be handing over the award to him today.”
“FDH Group remains committed to staff development and welfare with the aim to facilitate the growth of our staff and the growth of our customers as we serve them better every day,” said Mpinganjira.
Mpinganjira said they rebranded their employee award programme last year under the name Machawi Employee Awards and the first to win Employee of the Year Mercy Mchacha enjoyed an all paid for trip to Cape Town with her spouse after successfully designing and implementing the FDH House and Blantyre Service Centre refurbishment project.
He said many employees have also won the other Machawi Employee Awards; Innovation Award, Spot Award, Employee of the Month, Service Centre of the Month and Employee of the Quarter and added that the Bank also award its long serving employees.
Khomba was all smiles after being named employee of the year and thanked the bank for the recognition.
“I would like to thank FDH Bank plc and the entire management for recognizing my contribution to the Bank. It has been a tough year mainly due to Covid-19 which affected most Small and Medium Enterprises but with God’s grace we have sailed through. I look forward to going on this trip with my wife and I will surely come back motivated. Last but not least, to my clients!!!! This award has only been possible because of them. Thank you for supporting a truly Malawian bank,” said Khomba.
Malawi’s premier mobile network and ICT services provider, TNM plc on Tuesday delivered computers to Yamba Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Chitipa District.
The company donated 12 sets of computers replete with internet connectivity tools (Wi-Fi)as part of the company’s ‘ICT for Schools’ initiative, which will see selected public education institutions benefitting from TNM’s digital literacy agenda.
Presenting the computers, TNM’s Brand and Communication Manager, Limbani Nsapato said the donation is a continuation of TNM’s quest of increasing access to information technology education in schools adding that the delivery of the computers underscores the company’s commitment towards improving education through exposure to information technology.
“TNM as a Malawian company understands various technological trends in the developed world, where education is being delivered through the use of technology. We acknowledge the gap in Malawi as most school do not have access to ICT facilities hence the donations in secondary schools to align them with the world trends,” said Nsapato.
TNM through the initiative is empowering schools to access ICT infrastructure which is in tandem with government’s efforts to enhance learning.
“Some years ago, government incorporated ICT/Computer Studies in the Malawi national education curriculum and it is examinable at Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE). As a Malawian ICT company, TNM plc is demonstrating its passion as a promoter of digital literacy in secondary schools through provision of ICT infrastructure,” he said.
Nsapato said TNM believes that the ICT infrastructure at Yamba CDSS will enable learners to do more in their education.
Students at Yamba CDSS with the new Computers donated by TNM
“Just as many community schools in Malawi, Yamba CDSS lacks ICT equipment to support the delivery of fully-fledged ICT education. This donation will equip students with requisite technological knowledge to support their education and skill development,” added Nsapato.
‘ICT for Schools’ is TNM’s brainchild initiative which seeks to equip community secondary schools with modern technology to adapt to the changes in the education sector.
Speaking on behalf of fellow students at Yamba CDSS, Anna Mazunda thanked TNM plc for the gesture but said the computers may not be enough for all the learners at the school.
Chitipa District Education Manager Votie Mboweni advised and cautioned teachers at the school to guide the students properly to avoid abusing the facilities by accessing harmful sites not related to their education like pornography.
“I am sure that with these computers teachers here will do more research and we should expect increase in pass rate at this school,” said Mboweni.
The Yamba CDSS donation was the third one under the initiative after its inception, first to benefit was Januwale CDSS in Thyolo followed by Chayamba CDSS in Kasungu.
Nsapato (left) presents a computer to one of the learners at Yamba CDSS
PCL and hospital staff wheel the Christmas parcels for delivery to patients
Press Corporation plc staff members on Friday took time off their duties to cheer and donate presents to patients at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre as part of festive season.
Staff members presented assorted humpers worth K2 million to patients in various wards including children oncology wards.
PCL plc Group Administration Executive and General Counsel Benard Ndau said they decided to cheer and donate the items to the patients at QECH and wish them well during Christmas as part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy.
“We wanted to have an early Christmas with the patients as some of them will still be in hospital on Christmas day and as you know this festive time is time for giving and compassion hence our visit to QECH,” said Ndau.
“Although the year 2020 was challenging because of the Covid-19 pandemic, we thought we should share the little that we have with the patients,” added Ndau.
Ndau(left) presents a Christmas gift to a patient guardian
He said it was satisfying that all members of staff, including executive management took part in the visit and distributed he items personally to patients in various wards.
Most of the patients were surprised to see PCL staff members giving them the Christmas gifts.
“Thank you very much for this, we did not expect this gesture and God should bless you and your company, thank you,” said one emotional guardian in Ward 3 B.
PCL which is listed on the Malawi Stock Exchange (MSE) the largest holding company in the country with interests in different sectors of the Malawi economy including financial services, telecommunications, food and beverage, energy and consumer goods.
PCL staff members with Christmas humpers ready for distribution to patients at QECHPCL employees gives a Christmas parcel to a patient at QECHPCL Operations Manager Rosemary Chitera (left) presents a Christmas parcel to a patient guardian at QECH
Levie Nkunika: FDH Head of Marketing and Communications
FDH Bank plc has committed another K30 million sponsorship towards Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) Top of the Class in 2021 which will mark six years of ongoing sponsorship from the bank.
The bank’s Head of Marketing and Communication Levie Nkunika made the announcement during the 2020 MBC Top of the Class Finals that were held at Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST).
MBC Top of the Class is an educational quiz program which sees secondary schools competing against each other in several knockout rounds all the way to national level finals annually.
Nkunika said FDH Bank plc as a homegrown institution is committed to advancing education in the country.
“FDH Bank plc as a development partner of the Ministry of Education and the Government, commits to continue sponsoring the Top of the Class next year with K30 million,” he said
Nkunika further said that the bank believes that education is key to development and constantly supports initiatives in the education sector is well as fund various scholarships at MUST, at UNIMA and under a partnership with Hope for the Blind.
“After signing the partnership, we also introduced a Financial Literacy segment in the quiz to champion financial inclusion as one of the key catalysts for growth and economic development in the country,’ he added
Responding to the sponsorship announcement, MBC’s Board Chairperson Reverend Vasco Kachipapa said the overarching objectives of the public service broadcaster are ‘to inform, educate and entertain and ‘Top of the Class’ triples as an informative, educative and entertaining programme.’
“As a national broadcaster, we promise to continue from where we have stopped. We are fortunate enough our sponsors have committed to fund the contest, we don’t take this for granted,” he said
In this year’s finals, the third season of MBC Top of the Class, Blantyre Secondary School (BSS) emerged winner after beating Dedza Secondary School with 37 points to 32.
Foreign Affairs Minister Eisenhower Mkaka who chartered a Malawian Airlines plane to Somaliland is in that country to get millions of dollars for himself and a few government officials which will result in Malawi establishing diplomatic relations with the newly created Somaliland.
We can reveal that Mkaka chartered the plane so that he does not have problems with immigration officials in other countries if he were to fly commercial.
A top government official revealed that Mkaka will have no problems bringing contraband into the country because of the charter plane.
“He is going there to get money, lots of it for himself and a few other cronies in government. That’s the truth. In the end we will be told that Malawi has established diplomatic relations with Somaliland,” said the Capital Hill official.
Insiders said this is not the first time Mkaka has been pocketing bribes since becoming Foreign Affairs Minister six months ago.
He is said to have collected US$900,000 from the Indian government to make sure that the statue of former Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi is erected in Lilongwe after it faced resistance from Malawians in Blantyre including a court order stopping the exercise.
Mkaka is also involved in the escape of self styled Prophet Shepherd Bushiri from South Africa a few weeks ago. He was pictured with Bushiri aides at a Hotel in South Africa where he received payment to help Bushiri escape South Africa where he is answering fraud charges.
Hot headed Foreign Affairs Minister Eisenhower Mkaka chartered a Malawian Airlines plane to Somaliland leaving hundreds of customers stranded after the airline canceled flights.
We can reveal that Mkaka who is on an ‘official visit’ to Somaliland demanded that government charters the plane for him and a few officers from Foreign Affairs ministry.
“I am almost always outside the country representing Malawians on foreign policy. I need a plane dedicated to this great task. Find a way to make it happen,” ordered Mkaka.
Then Malawian Airlines canceled all their flights and gave the only plane they have to Mkaka to travel to Somaliland. Malawia Airlines does not fly to Somaliland which has nothing that will significantly benefit Malawi.
This is the first time in the history of the country where a mere cabinet minister would charter a plane leaving commercial passengers stranded.
Pictures from Somaliland show Mkaka disembarking from a Malawian Airlines plane at Hargeisa International Airport in Somaliland Saturday afternoon.
Mkaka is said to be one of the powerful cabinet ministers who has publicly boasted that he cannot be ‘touched’ by President Lazarus Chakwera as he is the one who controls the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) which Chakwera leads but do not have grassroots support
Somaliland is a breakaway, semi-desert territory on the coast of the Gulf of Aden. Somaliland declared independence after the overthrow of Somali military dictator Siad Barre in 1991. Even though not internationally recognised, Somaliland has a working political system, government institutions, a police force and its own.
In 2011, the Government of Tanzania and SADC super power, South Africa through their foreign Affairs ministers said that they would not recognise Somaliland and preferred that Somalia which is very rich with minerals remained a single country. Only 35 countries in the world do recognize Somaliland as a a defacto state but has no de-jure recognition from internationally recognized country. It is also well known for keeping militiamen.
Even United Nations (UN) does not recognise Somaliland as a state.
Dumisani Mfune (left) with NBM plc Head of IT John Mitchell (centre) and Fudzulani
Listed National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc Saturday night awarded innovators in various categories in the ICT Association of Malawi (ICTAM) Innovation Jam awards in Mangochi.
Software systems developer Samson Fiado emerged overall winner in the Fintech category with his ‘Easy Books Accounting’, a simple to use and affordable web-based accounting package developed to manage financial data for small and medium sized institutions.
As one of the overall winners, Fiado will be rewarded with an NBM plc sponsored trip to the Africa Innovations Summit where he will have the opportunity to learn of new technologies and engage with fellow innovators on the global scene.
Kazako (centre) presents the award to winners
Fiado was over the moon after being crowned overall winner and thanked NBM plc for sponsoring the Innovation Jam saying the gesture will unearth various innovations that will help improve the economy and the general welfare of the people in the country.
“I am very grateful to NBM plc for continuing to support the Innovation Jam. This will motivate more innovators to come forward with their amazing innovations,” said Fiado who runs a software company known as EasyBooks Solutions.
Amanda Phiri of Proxima emerged overall winner in the Open Innovations category which comprised of Education, Agriculture, Artificial Intelligence and E-Health. Phiri’s submission in the Education Category showcased a solar powered laptop innovation to provide affordable laptops to the youth.
Fiado (left) receives the award from Kazako
As an overall winner in the Open Innovations category, Phiri will also go on to attend the Annual Innovations Summit in 2021 courtesy of NBM plc.
Tadala Mtimuni emerged runner up in in the Fintech category with a Banki Mkhonde (Village Bank) innovation while Timothy Kamanga with his Worktech Insight Platform innovation was named runner up in the Open Innovations category.
The two runners up received K1 million each from NBM plc.
Other winners were Noble Agriculture and Smart Farming System by Chiku Walani in the Agriculture category, Gloria Kasambwe’s Landitseni Platform and Innocent Bvalani’s Healthpass in the Health category, Dumisani Mfune and Vocal Hospital in Artificial Intelligence category.
NBM Plc Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Commercial Officer Harold Jiya said NBM Plc fully understands and appreciates the pivotal role that innovations and technology play and will continue to play in Malawi’s developmental agenda.
“NBM Plc has a continuing partnership with ICTAM on ICT innovation and this investment in ICT development is a vehicle for the creation of employment for the youth and by resourcing the ICT sector we are harnessing and leveraging on the energies and determination that is latent in our youth to foster rapid economic growth by fueling the birth and nurturing the growth of businesses that start from scratch and have potential to grow into mega corporations,” said Jiya.
Minister of Information Gospel Kazako who was a guest of honour at the 2020 ICT conference also presented the awards to the winners and commended NBM Plc for supporting the awards.
Youthful Mansoor Karim Chief Executive Officer for K Motors, one of the top panel beating companies in the country has challenged fellow youths that age and gender should not be a limiting factor in engaging in entrepreneurship.
Speaking at a Youth entrepreneurship and gender issues seminar in Blantyre at the weekend, Karim dared the youths to go into entrepreneurship giving an example of himself on how he started K Motors.
“K Motors was registered in February 2020 but started operations in March 2020. It all started with a dream, a vision and a passion I have for love of cars. When you love what you do, time is not a limiting factor. When you do what you love, you never work a day in your life. Age and Gender cannot and should not limit what a person can do and achieve. Only your mindset can,” said Karim.
He said every business and career path comes with challenges which he argued set the course and builds a foundation and frame of resilience of a business or career.
“Some of the challenges we faced included acquiring financial capital, putting together the best team, finding key and central premises, starting up a network of clientele and keeping them and other challenges.”
“When we first started operating, we started with a team of 5 people and 3 vehicles to spray paint and 10 months down the line, our employee head count has reached 51 and at any given point K Motors has at least 70 vehicles being worked on and this has lead us to open a second branch in Blantyre to cater for the increasing workload as space becomes a challenge,” explained Karim.
Karim speaks at the conference
He also spelt out some of the qualities of a good entrepreneur saying they should be persistent, have patience, purpose, should plan properly, create mutually beneficial relationships with people and also know how to manage and use profits from their business.
Karim also noted that gender inequalities are deeply entrenched in our society and cautioned that they will not be any changes unless people start balancing out the pivot at local levels.
“K Motors sets the balance by having female employees in Administration, Marketing and in the workshop. Yes! believe it or not, we have a female mechanic and she is one of the best mechanics K Motors has. We cannot have a mindset that limits what women can and cannot do,” said Karim.
Quoting former United States of America (USA) President Franklin Roosevelt, Karim said; “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.”
Minister of Gender and Social Welfare Patricia Kaliati who was Guest of Honor at the seminar conquered with Karim on building the youth for the future advising the youths not to be scared of their age and gender in ‘building your future’.
“But we need to advise our youths that nothing comes on a silver platter, they need to work hard and be self-independent, it is possible just like the way Karim has showed us,” said Kaliati.
Karim was awarded with a Youth for Change Innovation award in the motor industry.
Other speakers at the seminar included musician Patience Namadingo, Chairperson of Marcus Hall Corporation Michelle Pires Mbilizi, Chief Executive Officer for KIPS Yaseen Shafiq Giga and Youth advocate Pemphero Mphande.
