Netball experts have tipped newly appointed Malawi national netball team Coach, Peace Chawinga-Kaluwa, to phase out the Queens squad gradually to avoid a free-fall.
Chawinga-Kaluwa is expected to name a squad ahead of next month’s Africa Netball Championship set for Cape Town, South Africa.
Former Queens skipper, Emmie Waya-Chongwe, has since advised the coach not to discard senior players at once.
Malawi Queens
“Building a team is a process so the senior players must be maintained to provide transition. You can’t go to a tournament with just a squad of youngsters. So, there is need to blend young and experienced players,” she said.
Former Queens coach, Edith Kaliati, said Chawinga- Kaluwa must start fusing in players that can play for the Queens for more years.
“My piece of advice is that she should not go for names but talent. Experienced players that are still fit and performing should be in the team while youngsters who can play for the Queens for over five years should be introduced in the system,” she said.
Waya-Chongwe and Kaliati have commended Netball Association of Malawi (Nam) for replacing Griffin Saenda Senior with Chawinga-Kaluwa.
“Let us be honest; Nam has done the right thing. This has shown that they listen and take necessary action. We must commend Nam because this is what most people expected,” Waya-Chongwe said.
Meanwhile, the First Choice Tigresses mentor has called for support to enable her deliver during her three-year deal.
Mdzukulu, ethnicity, world over, is one of the most frequently cited sources of instability and conflict within States.
Little wonder, intra- State conflicts between different ethnic groups or between ethnic minorities and the State are much more common than inter- State conflicts today.
It is, therefore, crucial for States around the world to find institutional devices which can ensure democratic participation from the whole spectrum of ethnic groups within a State while and at the same time managing ethnic tension to prevent violent conflict, instability or State disintegration.
MP: Yeremiah Chihana
Mdzukulu, in Malawi, since the aftermath of May 20 2014 Tripartite Elections that ushered in power President Peter Mutharika and his Democratic Progressive Party, in search of such devices, federalism has become a popular formula for some sections of society.
And Mzimba North Member of Parliament Yeremia Chihana is set to move a motion, which was previously defeated in the same House, proposing the introduction of a federal system of government in the country.
Mdzukulu, theoretically, the hallmark of a federation is that it explicitly recognises the territorial sharing of State authority.
It is government at several tiers of jurisdiction.
Through its written constitution, a federation clearly outlines the division of power between the central government and the two or more other levels of government.
There are some federations whose level of government has its own range of activities under its exclusive jurisdiction.
In others, mdzukulu, on the other hand, each level may exercise concurrent authority with another level of government.
However, in most federations the central government is predominantly concerned with matters of common or national import such as defence and foreign policy while the lower levels of government – regions, cantons, provinces, states or republics – are predominantly concerned with matters of particular or regional interest.
So, mdzukulu, federalism promises to be a practical compromise which represents the middle course between confederation – in which the sovereign States have the ultimate power – and a unitary system in which the centre has ultimate authority.
Mdzukulu, ethnic-based federalism, however, proposed by Chihana and his disciples as the panacea for holding multi-ethnic Malawi together is decried by others as a dangerous concept that will eventually dismember the country.
Those supporting federalism argue that it would strengthen decentralisation and improve accountability and transparency.
Federalism fanatics, however, mdzukulu, need to recollect that, in 1994, prior to the general elections, information flew around on bankruptcy and thievery records of some key party leaders.
Unfortunately, the general battle cry at public rallies and in small conversations was: “Bola wakuba yemweyo [better a thief]!”
Then, mdzukulu, a convict was duly installed through the ballot in the name of democracy, thus simultaneously planting a culture of corruption and embezzlement.
That political seed quickly sprouted and took root.
Mdzukulu, since that fateful day, official corruption, the erosion of the values of professional integrity and the spirit of hard work are widespread in Malawi.
Touching on that, the country – from across all political regions and ethnic divisions – is infested with business people, civil servants, technocrats, religious leaders, traditional leaders, civil society, academics, media practitioners, scientists, politicians and other species without character.
Given this scenario, therefore, if Malawi is to improve accountability and transparency in its operations, it is imperative that its citizenry – the true midwives and eyes of democracy – should undergo a mindset transplant and mature in integrity to attune to the requirements of the common good.
Otherwise, mdzukulu, Malawi can be subdivided into any imaginable units of government such as village or perhaps the most viable subset of family but without reaching much of accountability and transparency.
It would be subdividing the same thievery characters into their regional or ethnic groups.
Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Kondwani Nankhumwa has warned intermediaries against buying farm produce from local farmers at cheaper price, noting that the practice affects the growth of the agriculture sector.
Nankhumwa issued the warning on Wednesday during the official opening of the 16th National Agricultural Fair at Chichiri International Trade Fair grounds in Blantyre.
In an interview , Nankhumwa said the malpractice has negatively affected the sector, including farmers.
Kondwani Nankhumwa
“Let me take this opportunity to advise all unscrupulous private players against exploiting farmers by offering low prices for agricultural commodities as this demotivates farmers and retards sector growth in this country,” Nankhumwa said.
Nankhumwa said government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, is playing a role in supporting the youth in the agricultural sector.
“We have set up some interventions for supporting the youth in Malawi with the ‘the youth development fund,’ among other initiatives. At the moment, we are rolling out programmes supporting the youth in agriculture,” he added.
Nankhumwa disclosed that the ministry has supported the youth by orienting them in entrepreneurship and that they are ready to utilize the skills and knowledge gained to venture into serious agri-businesses.
In a separate interview, President of Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Prince Kapondamgaga thanked government for supporting the agricultural sector with various programmes.
“We have noted that government has allocated resources for cotton and leguminous crops in the proposed 2019/2020 National Budget to the tune of K1 billion and K1.85 billion respectively,” Kapondamgaga said. “We have also noted with gratitude the extension of special consideration to aquaculture through tax incentives in form of removal of customs duty on imported equipment,” he added.
The National Agricultural Fair is being held under the theme: ‘Agriculture commercialization, basis for agro-based industrialization.’ The fair runs up to Friday, September 27.
The leader of Malawi
Congress Party Diaspora Wing Lucy
Chitembeya has criticized the DPP machinery on its handling
of protests that were taking place in
Blantyre today . The protests which were aimed
at delivering a petition to the ongoing SADC summit at Mount Soche asking for Jane Ansah to
resign as MEC chair were met with
violence . it is reported that some well known DPP cadet started hurling stones
at the protesters.
Among the injured, HRDC official Billy Mayaya sustained deep cuts to the head and had to seek Medical help. The events have prompted angry reactions from a cross section of Malawians .
Diaspora MCP leader :Lucy Chitembeya
Chitembeya speaking
from her base in USA said Malawians In Diaspora and the international
community are shocked to learn of the conduct
of the so called DPP Cadets ”We , Malawians in Diaspora are saddened by
this development. DPP continues to use its thugs to intimidate Malawians and
this is not necessary. Malawi is a democratic state and we will not allow this
sort of behaviour to continue”, Chitembeya went to say what the cadets and DPP leadership are doing
is a threat to democracy and human rights “ everyone has the right to protest
without getting intimidated , harassed or beaten up by anybody.
Chitembeya questioned the motivation for attacking the
protesters arguing that this only legitimizes the assertion that DPP is not the
legitimate government and they don’t have the genuine mandate to be in power. “
why are they at the forefront of protecting Jane Ansah when at the end of the
day , the protesters were having a peaceful protest? Wondered Chitembeya.
Several top opposition party Officials were seen among the protesters today, notably UTM’s Michael Usi , Bon Kalindo and Allan Ngumuya who offered the opening prayer before the protesters started their journey heading to Mount Soche Hotel, where they were scheduled to deliver a petition to SADC leaders in their quest to push for Jane Ansah resignation
Injured Billy Mayaya
It is also alleged the Police fired Teargass at patients at Queens Hospital , a situation described by Chitembeya and pathetic and worthy of international crimes against humanity
Malawi’s stand-up comedian Daliso Chaponda returns on the BBC next month with another season of comedy series, the Citizen of Nowhere.
As in the first series, Chaponda will jest on everything, including diplomacy, a controversial topic that basically touches on politics.
“The new series of Citizen of Nowhere will start in October on the BBC. Malawians will be able to tune in if they download bbcsounds app. Citizen of Nowhere season two has four episodes. One will address diplomacy, one will address cultural relativism, one episode is about apologies and the final one, ownership.
“Malawi is a recurring character in the jokes, but I also talk about my experiences in the UK, Canada, Swaziland and all over the world. I discuss colonialism, dictatorships, divorces and many other subjects,” said Chaponda in an interview.
The first collection of Citizen of Nowhere which aired on BBC’s Radio 4, saw the comedian throwing jokes surrounding the relationship between Africa and Britain on the radio.
Comedian Daliso Chaponda
When the four episodes ended in June 2018, the artist hinted of a return saying: “The producers were impressed and have called for reappearance next year.”
According to a flyer, posted by Chaponda on his Facebook page, he is scheduled to record episodes three and four of series two in Manchester on September 24.
Meanwhile, the 2017 America’s Got Talent finalist has embarked on a tour that will see him performing in 60 cities in UK.
“The show I am touring is called Blah Blah Blacklist and is about what happened to me during the trial of my father [politician George Chaponda] with people threatening me, trying to blackmail me and other things that were scary then but hilarious now,” he said.
Chaponda said at the end of the tour, he will film it.
“I filmed my last show in the UK and it is now on Amazon. I hope to film the new one in an African country,” said the comedian.
According to his website, www.dalisochaponda.com, the Blah Blah Blacklist tour has shows in Manchester, Leicester, London and Aberdeen among others. The tour is scheduled to end on March 15, 2020.
