The year is 2008. It is on the crack of afternoon in the bustling commercial city of Blantyre. With crisp and fresh air breezing, setting up a mood of time with wits end when people will break loose from closed up life and rub shoulders with rookies from the noisy populous townships of Bangwe, Misesa, Chigumula, Ndirande, Chilobwe and Machinjiri.
The place is Country Club Limbe (CCL). A small place with robust reputation of hosting great exposition.
The place where international artists of repute have once ever had their turn churning out the worst best of their performance.
This time, it is no other occasion than Ethel Mutharika Memorial Show where Malawi artists will correct their wrong lessons right after watching how their international counterparts best handle a microphone in front of a crowd difficult to satisfy elsewhere in Ibadan in Nigeria or Midland in South Africa.
When the first lady Ethel Mutharika died it was a moment of tears, across the nation.It was time to mourn her death. But this time, it is not time to commemorate her death as it is a by gone. It is time to commemorate her life, her love her charisma.
It is time to reflect with a ray of hope that here was a great woman who lived great life in her great world with full great inspiration. Her death only seperated the body from a strong soul. Her spirit is back in Malawi's echelons to instil spirit of oneness and equalness when every jim patronizes the memorial show and see who the popular Nigerian Two Face is. The kind of equalness which would make Malawi community live healthier together.
Nigerian Two face is not coming to Malawi as a tourist but rather as an entertainer and Blantyre enthusiastic fans are aware of this fact. 2face is breezing to prove that he is not popular even in Europe and America in vain, he has the character.
With the show pegged only at K500 not even enough to purchase Thomas Chibade's
music CD, or Jozi DVD, it promises to sweep the corners of the city famished of meaningful family a well as public entertainment.
Blantyre is such a place where it is difficult to draw out between the upper class, middle, working and lower classes when it comes to entertainment. When fun overdozes them they find fun to be equal.
With the mood already getting fiercely electric, Ethel Mutharika promises to be similar.
The mood is already signalling that both the lower class and upper middle class would yet again have a serious intermingling while having their fun watching local and international music geniuses getting busy.
The line up of artists itself is enough to explain the size of the occasion smacks of exclusive variety. K'millan of Zambia of the man of Nikukonda fame, Nameless, South Africa's Jozi, DJ Ready D, G-Force, Heartbits, Nigerian 2Face, Malawi's Dan Lufani and Taygrin are no small fishes.
In an exclusive interview inBlantyre Dan Lufani who has just launched his album where he has featured comedian Winiko in Wazimenya double kick song he said he loves standing shoulders with international artists.
He said what EMF through its Executive Director Tapiwa Mutharika have done to organize the show is amazing because it satisfies his desires.
"We are nothing if we play our music amongst ourselves as locals, I discovered long ago that it is a great idea to hold shows in the presence of fellow musicians of international repute, you learn one or two tricks," he said.
"I have performed alongside several Zambian musicians including the popular The Third guys and it is my character to represent Malawians when the atmosphere becomes international," he said.
One DJ from Blantyre George Adams who is currently attached to CFC radio and resides in Nkolokosa said he was happy that there are also international DJ's at the event.
"I think, the special think is that, the show is affordable, and the presence of international DJ's makes it sophisticated, we are interested to see them," he said.
Tuesday, 29 April 2008
Irish Red Cross staff in Malawi call on Irish women to run for water in the Mini Marathon
Mr David Andrews, Chairman of the Irish Red Cross, who is leading a fact-finding delegation to Malawi this week, said that while much had been achieved in this country, there was still an urgent need to get water and sanitation in place in order to prevent infections and disease.
\x93I am delighted to report that the work done by the Irish Red Cross over the last three and a half years as well as many other organisations has assisted in producing a relatively good harvest for the first time in many years.
However we need to make sure that the men, women and children living in Malawi are given opportunities that will lead to rates of disease, illness and starvation reducing. So the Irish Red Cross is continuing to work hard to get proper water and sanitation systems in place immediately,\x94 he explained.
Dubliner, Ms Anne Cunningham, who is working as a Red Cross delegate, based in the capital Lilongwe said that many women are left with no option but to carry large containers of water from unsanitary ponds and rivers located up to ten miles away from their village and we need women in Ireland to help these women by running for water in the Mini Marathon.
\x93Memories of the Mini Marathon have been with me since I was a child and I know that so many women across the country run for charity. I really believe that running for Red Cross water projects in Malawi is not only a really worthwhile cause, but is also a great way to help the women of Malawi,\x94 she said.
Call the Irish Red Cross on (01) 642 4600 for your Irish Red Cross Mini-Marathon pack.
\x93I am delighted to report that the work done by the Irish Red Cross over the last three and a half years as well as many other organisations has assisted in producing a relatively good harvest for the first time in many years.
However we need to make sure that the men, women and children living in Malawi are given opportunities that will lead to rates of disease, illness and starvation reducing. So the Irish Red Cross is continuing to work hard to get proper water and sanitation systems in place immediately,\x94 he explained.
Dubliner, Ms Anne Cunningham, who is working as a Red Cross delegate, based in the capital Lilongwe said that many women are left with no option but to carry large containers of water from unsanitary ponds and rivers located up to ten miles away from their village and we need women in Ireland to help these women by running for water in the Mini Marathon.
\x93Memories of the Mini Marathon have been with me since I was a child and I know that so many women across the country run for charity. I really believe that running for Red Cross water projects in Malawi is not only a really worthwhile cause, but is also a great way to help the women of Malawi,\x94 she said.
Call the Irish Red Cross on (01) 642 4600 for your Irish Red Cross Mini-Marathon pack.
Malawi social budget pushed up
Malawi's local government budget has been growing by the day, and local authorities say the trend is a direct trickle-down effect of women marginalisation, according to District Commissioners (DCs) interviewed by Africa News. .
Traditionally, Malawian women are deemed as 'goalkeepers" for the home, often doing nothing to prop up their own income as they have long been used to the dependant tag. Analysts say this is mainly to blame for the lack of a saving culture, even among the country's males, as the little they earn is fast swallowed up by domestic demands.
DC for the Southern Malawi district of Balaka, Cliffton Thyangathyanga, said in Balaka in an interview marginalisation of women in the district has has deep-surface repurcasions on the social development budget.
"Imagine, during the 2007/08 local government budget for our district we have spend over MK2.8 million paying school fees for children who are pursuing studies at secondary school level. This is because most women in Balaka are illiterate due to prevalent cultural misconceptions that women are for the home. If they were educated, they would have been empowered and we would not have the scenario where people depend on government to pay school fees for their children," said Thyangathyanga.
Thyangathyanga said Malawian society was beggining to reap the fruits of disefranchisement and warned that without deliberate policies to reverse the trend, the country would soon begin to spend hugely only the already over-crowded social budget instead of shifting focus towards the development budget.
The country's budget is already overstretched by a fertiliser subsidy programme targeting 2 million people. Finance Minister Goodal Gongwe has already indicated that the 2008/09 budget could include about K16 million for the programme.
This is despite the fact that the World Bank and International Monetary Fund initiated the phase-out of subsidy programmes in the early 1980s. Malawi's has, however, been a success story as- from almost perenial hunger and poor harvests-the country has rose above the tide, importing 400 000 metric tones to Zimbabwe (though delivery is yet to be finalised) and Soth Africa eying Malawian beans, according to officials at the National Food Reserve Agency.
Nsanje DC Tobby Solomon said the best way to begin empowering women was through government projects' recruitment. He cited the multi-billion Kwacha Shire/Zambezi Waterway one one of the projects that will help improve the economic status of women in the district and, thus, help them move out of poverty.
"They will be able to pay school fees for their children, even widows. But more importantly, women will be able to invest part of the money in entrepreneurship training and thus empower themselves and their families. We are beggining to see a change of mindset but, otherwise, social spending bacause of women disefranchisement is really there," said Solomon.
Jean Mkwanda, Family Development Services Executive Director, said most women venture into prostitutiton due to lack of alternative means of income. She said increased social spending budgets on women will continue to increase if entrepreneurship trainings were not initiated.
"That is why FDS empowers women through training. We have been training Balaka women in business management and pig realing, for example, and the result is that most women are now able to fend for their families and even pay school fees for their children, unlike in the past where they depended on their male counterparts for everything.
"The other problem we have found was that most women were doing crossborder trade and were being abused. The best thing for them to do is to start animal rearing because there are good returns. A piglet goes at K8 000, which is far too much for some civil servants who receive less than that a month to carter for their families, house rent, and other basic necessities," lamented Mkwanda, herself one of Malawi's most successful farmers.
Traditionally, Malawian women are deemed as 'goalkeepers" for the home, often doing nothing to prop up their own income as they have long been used to the dependant tag. Analysts say this is mainly to blame for the lack of a saving culture, even among the country's males, as the little they earn is fast swallowed up by domestic demands.
DC for the Southern Malawi district of Balaka, Cliffton Thyangathyanga, said in Balaka in an interview marginalisation of women in the district has has deep-surface repurcasions on the social development budget.
"Imagine, during the 2007/08 local government budget for our district we have spend over MK2.8 million paying school fees for children who are pursuing studies at secondary school level. This is because most women in Balaka are illiterate due to prevalent cultural misconceptions that women are for the home. If they were educated, they would have been empowered and we would not have the scenario where people depend on government to pay school fees for their children," said Thyangathyanga.
Thyangathyanga said Malawian society was beggining to reap the fruits of disefranchisement and warned that without deliberate policies to reverse the trend, the country would soon begin to spend hugely only the already over-crowded social budget instead of shifting focus towards the development budget.
The country's budget is already overstretched by a fertiliser subsidy programme targeting 2 million people. Finance Minister Goodal Gongwe has already indicated that the 2008/09 budget could include about K16 million for the programme.
This is despite the fact that the World Bank and International Monetary Fund initiated the phase-out of subsidy programmes in the early 1980s. Malawi's has, however, been a success story as- from almost perenial hunger and poor harvests-the country has rose above the tide, importing 400 000 metric tones to Zimbabwe (though delivery is yet to be finalised) and Soth Africa eying Malawian beans, according to officials at the National Food Reserve Agency.
Nsanje DC Tobby Solomon said the best way to begin empowering women was through government projects' recruitment. He cited the multi-billion Kwacha Shire/Zambezi Waterway one one of the projects that will help improve the economic status of women in the district and, thus, help them move out of poverty.
"They will be able to pay school fees for their children, even widows. But more importantly, women will be able to invest part of the money in entrepreneurship training and thus empower themselves and their families. We are beggining to see a change of mindset but, otherwise, social spending bacause of women disefranchisement is really there," said Solomon.
Jean Mkwanda, Family Development Services Executive Director, said most women venture into prostitutiton due to lack of alternative means of income. She said increased social spending budgets on women will continue to increase if entrepreneurship trainings were not initiated.
"That is why FDS empowers women through training. We have been training Balaka women in business management and pig realing, for example, and the result is that most women are now able to fend for their families and even pay school fees for their children, unlike in the past where they depended on their male counterparts for everything.
"The other problem we have found was that most women were doing crossborder trade and were being abused. The best thing for them to do is to start animal rearing because there are good returns. A piglet goes at K8 000, which is far too much for some civil servants who receive less than that a month to carter for their families, house rent, and other basic necessities," lamented Mkwanda, herself one of Malawi's most successful farmers.
Malawi trains more clinicians on clubfoot
Clinicians and rehabilitation assistants are being trained in Malawi's commercial city of Blantyre in an effort to decentralise the treatment of clubfoot.
About 1,200 children are born with the deformity every year and there is an urgent need to decentralise treatment as only 200 cases received treatment every year.
Project coordinator Harris Sakala said that treatment of clubfoot started in the country only in the year 2000 and that Beit Cure International Hospital has been the only facility offering such treatment.
He added that research was going on to establish the cause of clubfoot with arguments that it is caused by genetic problems and malnutrition.
Clubfoot, a birth defect where the foot is twisted in and the affected walk almost on their ankles, is treated by repositioning the foot.
After two to four months when the foot is in good position, the child is given special shoes to wear for sometime to make sure the feet stay corrected.
About 1,200 children are born with the deformity every year and there is an urgent need to decentralise treatment as only 200 cases received treatment every year.
Project coordinator Harris Sakala said that treatment of clubfoot started in the country only in the year 2000 and that Beit Cure International Hospital has been the only facility offering such treatment.
He added that research was going on to establish the cause of clubfoot with arguments that it is caused by genetic problems and malnutrition.
Clubfoot, a birth defect where the foot is twisted in and the affected walk almost on their ankles, is treated by repositioning the foot.
After two to four months when the foot is in good position, the child is given special shoes to wear for sometime to make sure the feet stay corrected.
Church makes Malawi district a missionary conference
FORT WORTH, Texas (UMNS)-A United Methodist district in the African country of Malawi was elevated to the standing of a "missionary conference" by the denomination's 2008 General Conference. Some 990 delegates to the assembly supported the measure by a vote of 92 percent.
"It opens up Malawi for church agencies to empower the local people," said Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa, leader of the Zimbabwe Episcopal Area and the now missionary conference in Malawi. With 18,329 members and 17 pastors, there is a "tremendous level of ministry," he said.
The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries endorsed the petition to create the missionary conference. A missionary conference functions similarly to an annual (regional) conference, with some difference, especially with regard to ministerial membership as outlined in Paragraph 586 of the 2004 Book of Discipline. The Discipline states the Board of Global Ministries provides "administrative guidance and major financial assistance" to missionary conferences. The board oversees the missionary aspects of the denomination.
Bishop Nhiwatiwa's excitement was evident as he discussed the new missionary conference, and he extends his gratitude to the General Conference for its decision supporting the church in Malawi.
The vision for this new missionary conference, Nhiwatiwa said, "is really to push the boundaries of what the church is doing in a very positive way." He connects the act of creating the new conference with the 2008 General Conference's theme, "A Future with Hope," adding, "You really have that theme being put into effect by that decision."
*Schleicher is a member of the General Conference communications team for the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.
"It opens up Malawi for church agencies to empower the local people," said Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa, leader of the Zimbabwe Episcopal Area and the now missionary conference in Malawi. With 18,329 members and 17 pastors, there is a "tremendous level of ministry," he said.
The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries endorsed the petition to create the missionary conference. A missionary conference functions similarly to an annual (regional) conference, with some difference, especially with regard to ministerial membership as outlined in Paragraph 586 of the 2004 Book of Discipline. The Discipline states the Board of Global Ministries provides "administrative guidance and major financial assistance" to missionary conferences. The board oversees the missionary aspects of the denomination.
Bishop Nhiwatiwa's excitement was evident as he discussed the new missionary conference, and he extends his gratitude to the General Conference for its decision supporting the church in Malawi.
The vision for this new missionary conference, Nhiwatiwa said, "is really to push the boundaries of what the church is doing in a very positive way." He connects the act of creating the new conference with the 2008 General Conference's theme, "A Future with Hope," adding, "You really have that theme being put into effect by that decision."
*Schleicher is a member of the General Conference communications team for the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.
Malawi teachers in visit
Teachers from Malawi will tell ministers how they have benefited from links between the two countries.
The two teachers are visiting from Thyolo Secondary School which has forged a partnership with Penicuik High School in Midlothian.
The teachers will help MSPs on the European and external relations committee form an international development programme.
The two teachers are visiting from Thyolo Secondary School which has forged a partnership with Penicuik High School in Midlothian.
The teachers will help MSPs on the European and external relations committee form an international development programme.
Malawi opposition MPs boycott opening Of Parliamen
Blantyre, Malawi - Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika was Monday forced to address a half-empty National Assembly as opposition members of parliament boycotted his State-of- the-Nation address.
There has been bad blood between Mutharika's minority government and opposition parties, who dominate the 193- member Parliament.
The opposition wanted Speaker Louis Chimango to expel over 70 MPs who defected from opposition parties to join President Mutharika's newly-found Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
The 73-year-old economist-turned-politician dumped the former ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) to found the DPP after falling out with former president Bakili Muluzi who ironically anointed him as his successor.
Mutharika recently charged that only government financial bills and the 2008/09 national budget will be discussed during the current session of Parliament.
But the opposition insisted the Speaker should first expel the MPs who 'crossed the floor' before any business was transacted.
Muluzi, who is also the UDF national chairman, instructed his MPs not to transact any other business before the issue of the 'nomadic' MPs was discussed.
"Both the budget and section 65 (of the constitution that restricts movement of MPs in Parliament) are constitutional issues," he said, adding "we don't want to assist Bingu in raping the constitution."
John Tembo, Leader of opposition in Parliament, also said the Speaker should be allowed to expel the DPP MPs before any business was transacted.
"This President is busy disregarding the constitution, which he swore to uphold," said Tembo who is president of the country's main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
But Mutharika suspected the opposition has ulterior motives by prioritising the expulsion from Parliament of MPs who supported his government.
"What they want to do is after expelling my MPs I should not have support in Parliament so that they can move a motion to impeach me," he said.
According to Malawi laws under section 65 of the constitution, MPs who defect from their parties must be expelled from Parliament to allow by-elections in their constituencies.
But Mutharika argued it does not make sense to hold by- elections in over 70 constituencies when the next elections are just a year away.
Malawi is scheduled to go to the polls on 19 May, 2009.
Mutharika founded the DPP in February 2005, only nine months after winning the 2004 election on a UDF ticket, making Malawi have a 'ruling party' that contested no election.
The party only has five MPs it got through by-elections but over 70 MPs defected to opposition parties.
The issue nearly derailed the 2007/2008 budget as opposition MPs wanted the DPP MPs expelled.
Instead of having a national budget by 30 June, since the Malawi financial year begins on 1 July, the Parliament only approved the budget in September after mass protests from university students, chiefs and civil society organisations.
But soon after the passing of the budget, President Mutharika prorogued (curtailed) the sitting of Parliament despite his officials agreeing with opposition leaders that soon after the budget, the issue of MPs 'crossing the floor' will be tackled.
This time around, it seems civil society leaders and students may not back government.
"We held demonstrations in support of the budget not because section 65 was not important, no; but we wanted Parliament to prioritise the budget and tackle the political issues later but the president - by proroguing Parliament - abused our trust," said Undule Mwakasungura, Executive Director of the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), a Lilongwe-based NGO.
"Section 65 is part of the constitution and must be respected," Mwakasungura said.
There has been bad blood between Mutharika's minority government and opposition parties, who dominate the 193- member Parliament.
The opposition wanted Speaker Louis Chimango to expel over 70 MPs who defected from opposition parties to join President Mutharika's newly-found Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
The 73-year-old economist-turned-politician dumped the former ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) to found the DPP after falling out with former president Bakili Muluzi who ironically anointed him as his successor.
Mutharika recently charged that only government financial bills and the 2008/09 national budget will be discussed during the current session of Parliament.
But the opposition insisted the Speaker should first expel the MPs who 'crossed the floor' before any business was transacted.
Muluzi, who is also the UDF national chairman, instructed his MPs not to transact any other business before the issue of the 'nomadic' MPs was discussed.
"Both the budget and section 65 (of the constitution that restricts movement of MPs in Parliament) are constitutional issues," he said, adding "we don't want to assist Bingu in raping the constitution."
John Tembo, Leader of opposition in Parliament, also said the Speaker should be allowed to expel the DPP MPs before any business was transacted.
"This President is busy disregarding the constitution, which he swore to uphold," said Tembo who is president of the country's main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
But Mutharika suspected the opposition has ulterior motives by prioritising the expulsion from Parliament of MPs who supported his government.
"What they want to do is after expelling my MPs I should not have support in Parliament so that they can move a motion to impeach me," he said.
According to Malawi laws under section 65 of the constitution, MPs who defect from their parties must be expelled from Parliament to allow by-elections in their constituencies.
But Mutharika argued it does not make sense to hold by- elections in over 70 constituencies when the next elections are just a year away.
Malawi is scheduled to go to the polls on 19 May, 2009.
Mutharika founded the DPP in February 2005, only nine months after winning the 2004 election on a UDF ticket, making Malawi have a 'ruling party' that contested no election.
The party only has five MPs it got through by-elections but over 70 MPs defected to opposition parties.
The issue nearly derailed the 2007/2008 budget as opposition MPs wanted the DPP MPs expelled.
Instead of having a national budget by 30 June, since the Malawi financial year begins on 1 July, the Parliament only approved the budget in September after mass protests from university students, chiefs and civil society organisations.
But soon after the passing of the budget, President Mutharika prorogued (curtailed) the sitting of Parliament despite his officials agreeing with opposition leaders that soon after the budget, the issue of MPs 'crossing the floor' will be tackled.
This time around, it seems civil society leaders and students may not back government.
"We held demonstrations in support of the budget not because section 65 was not important, no; but we wanted Parliament to prioritise the budget and tackle the political issues later but the president - by proroguing Parliament - abused our trust," said Undule Mwakasungura, Executive Director of the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR), a Lilongwe-based NGO.
"Section 65 is part of the constitution and must be respected," Mwakasungura said.
13 days and counting!
As Marathon weekend draws closer, we want to take this opportunity again to THANK everyone that has contacted us about donating shoes, starting local collections, and volunteering their time to help out at the Runner’s Expo, on the morning of the race, or driving vanloads of shoes. THANK YOU!
Just a couple more gentle reminders that we are only accepting GOOD CONDITION RUNNING SHOES, HEAVY DUTY SANDALS, AND NEW SHIRTS AND HATS - flip flops, high heels, slippers, and shoes other than running shoes are largely not helpful to our friends in Malawi since they face walking conditions different from us here in Canada. Also, we are only equipped to collect shoes on the weekend of the Marathon at either the Runner’s Expo or the start/finish lines of the Marathon, Half-Marathon, and Relay Race on Sunday May 11th.
Thanks again for your support!
Just a couple more gentle reminders that we are only accepting GOOD CONDITION RUNNING SHOES, HEAVY DUTY SANDALS, AND NEW SHIRTS AND HATS - flip flops, high heels, slippers, and shoes other than running shoes are largely not helpful to our friends in Malawi since they face walking conditions different from us here in Canada. Also, we are only equipped to collect shoes on the weekend of the Marathon at either the Runner’s Expo or the start/finish lines of the Marathon, Half-Marathon, and Relay Race on Sunday May 11th.
Thanks again for your support!
Clubfoot high in Malawi
About 1,200 children are born with Clubfoot every year in Malawi and that there was need to decentralise treatment to eradicate the problem, the country’s national clubfoot official said Thursday.
Project coordinator Harris Sakala speaking in the Southern African country’s commercial city of Blantyre on the sidelines of a three day training workshop for clinicians and rehabilitation assistants among others said out of 1,200 children born with the deformity, only 200 cases received treatment every year.
Sakala told the local daily of the Daily Times that treatment of Clubfoot started in the country only in the year 2000 and that Beit Cure International Hospital has been the only facility offering such treatment.
The coordinator said research was going on to establish the cause of Clubfoot with arguments life that it is caused by genetic problems and malnutrition.
Clubfoot, a birth defect where the foot is twisted in and the affected walk almost on their ankles, is treated by repositioning the foot.
After two to four months when the foot is in good position, the child is given special shoes to wear for sometime to make sure the feet stay corrected.
Project coordinator Harris Sakala speaking in the Southern African country’s commercial city of Blantyre on the sidelines of a three day training workshop for clinicians and rehabilitation assistants among others said out of 1,200 children born with the deformity, only 200 cases received treatment every year.
Sakala told the local daily of the Daily Times that treatment of Clubfoot started in the country only in the year 2000 and that Beit Cure International Hospital has been the only facility offering such treatment.
The coordinator said research was going on to establish the cause of Clubfoot with arguments life that it is caused by genetic problems and malnutrition.
Clubfoot, a birth defect where the foot is twisted in and the affected walk almost on their ankles, is treated by repositioning the foot.
After two to four months when the foot is in good position, the child is given special shoes to wear for sometime to make sure the feet stay corrected.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
