Former president and People’s Party (PP) leader Joyce Banda has asked political parties to desist from hate speech  as it may work against them when pursuing alliances ahead of the September 16 2025 General Elections. Speaking during a rally on Saturday at Kanjuchi in Mzimba South East Constituency, she said hate speech also breeds confusion among the electorate. Banda: Let us practice civilised politics Said Banda: “The reason I am telling you this is because of the law which says a winner at the presidential polls should amass 50-plus-one-percent of the votes cast. “It could be possible ..read more

Ministry of Agriculture has pledged to work with the new leadership of Fertiliser Association of Malawi to strategise on how they can work together to bring in the soil-enriching ingredient. Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale said this in a written response last week following the ushering in of the association’s new executive committee. “We are looking forward to meeting the new team and forge the way forward,” he said. The minister’s assurance comes against a background of a cat and mouse relationship between government and the association in the past few years with the latter often attribut ..read more

Minister of Gender, Community Welfare and Development Jean Sendeza has asked political parties to clear the path for women, youth and other marginalised people aspiring for political positions. She made the call on Thursday in Lilongwe during a workshop for political parties organised by Oxfam in Malawi and the Women’s Legal Resource Centre (Wolrec). The minister said women, youths and other marginalised groups face setbacks, including name calling, sabotage and lack of resources for campaign when vying for political office. Said Sendeza: “The major challenge is that during the primaries women ..read more

Disbursement and utilisation of funds in the country’s education sector is fraught with significant discrepancies with little of the approved funds trickling down, according to a Civil Society Education Coalition (Csec) 2023/24 education budget analysis. The analysis shows that by the end of February 2024, almost a month to the close of the financial year on March 31, disbursement of K662 billion budgeted funds to the sector stood at 66 percent or K459 billion. The report further shows that about 18 percent or K3 billion of the allocated K16.3 billion for government-funded projects had been di ..read more

United States (US) Embassy charge d’affaires Amy Diaz has deplored continued cases of attacks on journalists in the country, saying it poses a threat to media freedom and violates Section 36 of the Constitution. In her address during the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) Malawi Chapter 2024 World Press Freedom Day Media Gala and Awards in Mangochi on Saturday night, she said the media plays a critical role in the promotion of democracy, as such, should not be exposed to harassment or attacks. Said Diaz: “While we acknowledge the freedom that journalists enjoy in Malawi, it is concernin ..read more

Despite the 72-kilometre Marka-Bangula railway project missing its April 26 2024 deadline, Minister of Transport Jacob Hara has expressed optimism that by the end of 2024, the railway line will have reached Nsanje from Villa Nova dar Fronteira. Hara made the sentiments in an interview on the sidelines of an inspection tour of various public projects under his ministry in the Lower Shire on Friday. The railway line project which is currently at less than 20 percent, has faced numerous challenges leading to the initial deadline of November 2023 being changed to April 2024. But Hara said the gove ..read more

Cecelia Banda, a displaced woman based at a camp for the internally displaced in Nkhotakota District, should be basking in the joy of giving birth to her first child. But she is not. Her life and that of the baby, she laments, is clouded in pain. “The pain comes from my displacement and my husband’s disappearance,” the 18-year-old opened up in an interview on Thursday. “And there’s also uncertainty around my baby’s future due to my destitution,” Banda added. Banda fled her flood-ravaged home on Chauma Island, heavy with an eight-month-old pregnancy to become one of  hundreds at Ngala Camp ..read more

The State is expected to discontinue a corruption case against Vice-President Saulos Chilima, according to sources familiar with the matter. While both Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Masautso Chamkakala and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) director general Martha Chizuma refused to comment yesterday, our sources said the DPP was scheduled to submit a certificate of discontinuance to the High Court Financial Crimes division last Friday. “This was filed last Friday in the evening. I guess even the Judge (Redson Kapindu) is yet to see it. But what is important to note is that the case has been ..read more

Challenges the Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services (DRTSS) is facing to issue new driver’s licences has pushed the government to look for a new supplier, Nation on Sunday has established. Minister of Transport and Public Works Jacob Hara confirmed the search in an interview on Friday, that the new supplier will supplement the current contractor, Data Net Limited, up until when its contract expires. DRTSS and Data Net Limited signed a K1 billion contract in 2023 to supply polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cards to print the driver’s licence cards. A temporary licence DRTSS is currently issui ..read more

Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) says they expect the Malawi Queens coach Joana Kachilika to name a mostly youthful squad. The association’s general secretary Isaac Chimwala in an interview said it is time to have an energetic Queens squad. Chimwala said this as they wait for Kachilika to assemble a squad to start preparations for test series matches against South Africa in August before going to prestigious competitions such as the 2026 Commonwealth Games and the 2027 Netball World Cup. Chimwala: This will help in having energetic squad The coach is expected to come up with a relatively ne ..read more