A Mzuzu based poet, Alinafe Kaweche, has announced that she is set to release another collection of poems dubbed ‘In the darkness’ this year.
In an interview, she disclosed that the project name follows a series of suicide cases registered last year amongst the youths in Malawi. “Last year, I observed that there was a rise in suicide cases amongst the youths in the country and this got me thinking so much that I decided to write about how they feel and I titled my project ‘in the darkness’,” she said.
Alinafe Kaweche
Kaweche further said she has more plans about poetry as she expects to release more poems and more books.
When asked on how necessary the project is to the country, Kaweche said she hopes her project will reduce suicide cases. “The contents of my project are craft in such a way that I hope and believe they will help youths learn to handle issues rightly and refrain from committing suicide,” she said. Kaweche has been into poetry since her youthful stage.
Guinea left-back Issiaga Sylla scored a first-half goal to steer his side to a fortunate 1-0 victory over depleted Malawi in an entertaining Africa Cup of Nations Group B clash at the Kouekong Stadium in Bafoussam on Monday.
Malawi, making a third appearance at the finals and first since 2010, had 13 members of their squad unavailable following a COVID-19 outbreak in their camp, which meant they could only name four players on the bench that included two goalkeepers
But they missed numerous chances to claim something from the game and were left to rue their profligacy after 35 minutes when Naby Keita released Jose Kante to slide a perfect pass for Sylla to score from close range.
Guinea move level with Senegal at the top of the group after the latter beat Zimbabwe 1-0 in their opener thanks to a 97th minute Sadio Mane penalty earlier on Monday. The top two will meet in their second pool game at the same venue on Friday
Malawi had the lion’s share of the chances but needed cooler heads in the box, though they also found Guinea goalkeeper Aly Keita in inspired form
Most wasteful for them was striker Yamikani Chester, who twice found himself one-on-one with Keita.
The best of his chances came after 16 minutes when Mohamed Ali Camara’s poor pass in defence was intercepted by Chester, who had a clear run on goal.But he panicked and pulled the trigger too early and without much power, allowing a comfortable save for the keeper.
Malawi’s Peter Banda was also denied when his curling shot seemed destined for the top corner, before Keita clawed it away with a remarkable stop.
Guinea had other chances too, even if it took them a while to get out of first gear. Their first sight of goal came midway through the first half as Ibrahima Sory Conte’s header from a corner crashed against the post.
But Sylla’s gamble to roar into the box when Kante had the ball out wide proved the decisive moment as he was presented with a simple chance to slip his shot past keeper Ernest Kakhobwe from close range to net his third international goal.
Water problems will now be history in Nkhatabay South Constituency following the announcement by Northern Region Water Board to bring piped water in the constituency.
This follows an announcement made by the Malawi government through an advert in which it seeks to engage a successful bidder to upgrade and expand the water system to a 22.5 kilometer stretch from Chintheche treatment area to Kande.
The initiative comes as a positive outcome from the Chakwera led administration after the member of Parliament from the area Dr Kenneth Zikhale Ng’oma relentlessly stood in parliament demanding for the same while decrying inequalities in the potable water distribution which has for decades only benefitted people of Nkhatabay South East Constituency and other areas in the lakeshore district.
Hon Dr Ken Reeves Zikhale Ng’oma
Speaking in an interview , Dr. Zikhale Ng’oma did not mince words but to express his happiness while thanking the Chakwera government for finally responding to the water challenges which people from his area never dreamed of being addressed any time soon.
“I am very grateful to the government under the Chakwera administration that the people of my area will finally have portable water. When you are a member of Parliament standing for your people in that house, when things are not done according to your request even the people whom you are representing lose hope and cast doubt if that government and its member has interest on the citizenry,” said Zikhale.
Zikhale noted with happiness that his intervention on the water crisis through parliamentary deliberations has finally paid dividends.
He further added: ” the coming of this project will now reduce burden of portable water crisis in my area. I will now concentrate on other areas of need such as bringing electricity in all business centers in my constituency among which some of them have already been approved pending the solar electrical installer to commence the project very soon.”
Lack of portable water has been one of the biggest challenges hitting hard Nkhatabay South Constituency. In the past years , water crisis saw the indefinite closure of Kande and Tukombo Health centres as the two life saving facilities could not operate without water.
Once identified the contractor will install a 5.1 kilometer long and DN 250 DI pumping main from existing WTP to a 5000 m³ Malaza elevated tank where pipelines of diameter 63 mm, 110mm and 160mm will extend to a 22.5 kilometer stretch to Kande and surrounding areas who will benefit from the construction of 10 new kiosks.
The project is expected to run for a period of 10 months and will have a liability of 12 months thereafter.
Meanwhile, councilor for Mbamba ward Esau Chinyimba, has hailed government while adding that people of the area voted for a listening government which has finally come to their rescue.
Chinyimba noted that lack of portable water has been negatively impacting lives of the people and major developments in the area observing that access to portable water is a human right!
“This is a very great news and my people and I are very happy and grateful. This truly manifests that they voted for a listening government which has considered to address the water crisis” he said.
But Chinyimba pleaded for the full realization of the project as it has been the case with previous government where such projects could be only launched and suffer from natural death.
Nkhatabay south constituency has never had a Malawi Congress Party (MCP) legislator after Kamuzu lost power to Dr Bakili Muluzi and Dr Kenneth Zikhale Ng’oma being the first legislator under the MCP has championed all his predecessors who were elected on United Democratic Front (UDF), Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Alliance for Democracy (Afford) but failed to defeat the persisting portable water problem in Nkhatabay south constituency.
Since the birth of Malawi the then Nyasaland, people from this area have never had access to piped water
As Malawi’s attorney general has issued a statement today declaring that he will be offering a 60 day amnesty to those who had corrupt dealings with Busineman Spammer Sattar, South African based professional, Danwood has faulted the Attorney General.
Writing on his Facebook wall , chirwa wrote “
“The weekend is private time. Plus I said we’ve lost the game already. This is my last post on this ‘regime’. The answers to the questions are:
The Attorney General has no authority to terminate government contracts. The office can advise, but it’s a party to the contract that can terminate.
There’s no amnesty law in Malawi and as such the Attorney General has no legal authority to issue amnesty from criminal prosecution. There is no precedence for it and such a practice won’t start now. There can be no justification for such a law, in any case. It would empower the Attorney General to act like God in a democratic state where equality before the law is sacrosanct.
The Attorney General has no legal authority in criminal matters, both investigations and prosecutions. The office can issue general directions to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Director of the ACB, but it cannot usurp the powers of the DPP or the ACB Director. So the press statement is simply unlawful.
Lastly, the press statement amounts to unlawful interference by the Attorney General with the independence of the DPP and the ACB Director. The DPP and the ACB must continue with their work free from influence.
Proffessor Danwood Chirwa
However, another legal commentator Negracious commonly known as Lord Denning-, answered the proffesor by defending Attorney General position . Writing on his Facebook , Lord Denning wrote
“From the acre of literature that the Cape Town – based professor cultivated with shrubs of insults spread over it, his main crop appeared to be his conviction that a rich private person cannot be a friend to a public officer, particularly a head of State. He intimately purported to highlight that when one becomes head of State, he has to severe all personal relationships or friendships with rich individuals, otherwise it would mean State Capture [sic].
It goes without any difficulties to understand that the professor’s point of view is nothing beyond laboratory – based sentiments of a clueless scientist who, in the first place, doesn’t know how to pass his time really. For a mere sake of insulting someone, his sentiments came about. If in doubt, remove the insults directed at the musicians, the host and the chief guest from his post and tell me if there is anything left out to be communicated with any sense. You see? None!
The sole motivation that pushed him to proceed with his innuendos, I have no doubt, was his anticipation to receive echoes from those in the business of throwing, or longing to throw, insults at the regime. Nothing else.
We talk of State Capture when private entities corruptly and significantly influence a state’s decision making process to the advantage of such private entities. The lab-based professor could not find any such incidences by Simbi Phiri on the state of Malawi hence could not highlight how he has captured the state. Instead, he went ahead with hollow claims and simply filled those empty spaces with insults.
We talk of State Capture when private entities, through the government system, manipulate laws and government policies to secure particular benefits to such private entities. A mere casual interaction between a rich individual and a head of state is not even closer to the definition of the concept. The sensational professor could not demonstrate how Simbi has, or is suspected to have, done that. It’s all because it was an empty allegation whose main aim was to simply insult the targeted characters.
That is how low this professor has always been. Nothing strange.
The Minister of Transport and Public Works Hon Jacob Hara MP has bemoaned obsolete laboratory equipment and dilapidated structures . He made the call on friday afternoon when he visited Central Materials Laboratory (CML) and PVHES regional and headquarters offices.
During these visits the Minister appreciated what these departments are doing. In his remarks at CML, Hara said there can never be a sound road or high rise structure without a functioning Central Materials Laboratory. The Minister bemoaned obsolete laboratory equipment and dilapidated structures. He emphasized on the State presidents’ desire to deliver quality work.
Hon Jacob Hara visiting Central Materials Laboratory (CML) and PVHES regional and headquarters offices
The minister, thus, directed that hence forth, all road construction will be undergoing rigorous testing procedures and no stage will be skipped. He also inspired the staff on the need for commitment and a hard working spirit despite the challenges they can face in their working environment.
In his remarks Eng Kamndaya said the lab needs state of the art equipment. At PVHES, the Minister challenged management to come up with innovative Engineering Services backed by bankable business plans that will make the department commercially viable. He said President Chakwera is keen to seeing PVHES back on its feet and pioneering industrialisation in the country. Director for PVHES, Dr Gibson Ngwira in his remarks said the department is working on recapitalization which will see the department wearing a new face.
