Lilongwe — Legislation to establish the first University of Science and Technology in Malawi is expected to be presented to parliament this year, in the hope that the project will start in 2010.
Documents justifying the need for the university, as well as outlining costs and details of the project have been finalised and a draft bill submitted to the cabinet, according to Zachary Mark Kasomekera, chair of the Lilongwe University of Science and Technology (LUSTECH) working committee.
Kasomekera said the work had been done jointly with the Malawi Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.
The idea for LUSTECH was proposed by President Bingu wa Mutharika in 2004, in a bid to accelerate his vision of changing Malawi from a consuming and importing economy to a producing and exporting one.
The estimated cost of implementing the LUSTECH project stands at 19.2 billion kwacha (US$136.6 million) over ten years. Whether the institution will be housed on a new campus or on the site of the Bunda College of Agriculture has not been decided yet.
Kasomekera told SciDev.Net that the committee was aware that "starting a new university at an old campus may create risks and problems of identity, which could affect the status and quality of the new university", particularly if Bunda College staff were also part of LUSTECH.
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He said that the University of Malawi had offered to facilitate an arrangement by which 30 LUSTECH undergraduates would study at Bunda College for two years, though "it may be necessary to offer the 30 students remedial science and technology courses at the end of the two years".
Another option under consideration is for the LUSTECH working committee to recruit and train potential LUSTECH lecturers at Masters and PhD levels at regional and overseas institutions.
LUSTECH has been allocated 151 million kwacha (US$1 million) for in the 2009/10 financial year, which will cover the costs of recruiting key academic staff and consultants to draw up the university's Infrastructure Master Plan. Scholarships are being solicited to cover training for senior lecturers.
The LUSTECH working committee has also submitted a selection of logos and mottos for the Malawi cabinet to consider and approve.
Monday, 17 August 2009
Landlocked African countries study connectivity issues Looking to link to the TEAMS undersea cable
The Southern Africa Telecommunications Association (SATA) is carrying out a feasibility study that is aimed at getting landlocked countries in the region connected to the East Africa Submarine Cable System (TEAMS) under the Indian Ocean through backhaul links.
The cable system runs along the east coast of Africa, creating a digital super highway that links South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique with Europe and Asia.
[ Stay ahead of the key tech business news with InfoWorld's Today's Headlines: First Look newsletter and InfoWorld Daily podcast. ]
However, there have been fears that many landlocked countries in Southern Africa may not be able to connect to the cable due to lack of funds and the long distance to landing stations. But countries have agreed to the setting up of backhaul links that will provide interconnectivity in the Southern African region, through which landlocked countries will connect to the undersea cable systems.
Through the backhaul system, landlocked countries will be able to connect to the submarine cables via landing stations in Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania.
The feasibility study would also determine the amount of money required to link the landlocked countries with landing points through the backhaul links.
SATA is an association of regional telecommunications companies and operators that aim to coordinate the development of networks and services responsible for the region's socioeconomic programs.
Set up almost 30 yeas ago, SATA brings together members for joint action, sharing of experiences and best practices and contribution toward telecommunications development in the region.
SATA Executive Secretary Jacob Munodawafa said last week that most countries in Southern Africa, especially the landlocked countries, are heavily relying on the use of microwave radio system and satellite connectivity for national, regional and long distance communication.
In order to provide broadband services, Munodawafa said operators require high bandwidth for national, regional and international connectivity.
That is why, he added, a modern fiber-optic digital telecommunication network, comprising domestic or cross-border terrestrial links and an international undersea highway, is recognized worldwide as the main catalyst of ICT development.
"It is in this regard that SATA members agreed to form a backhaul working group coordinated by SATA to spearhead the implementation of the backhaul links interconnecting the countries in Southern Africa and to the submarine cables," Munodawafa said in an e-mail.
The Zambia Telecommunications Company (Zamtel), a TEAMS member, has said it will connect to the cable in Tanzania through Tunduma in 2010. SATA members include Mauritius Telecom, Telecom Malagasy, Tanzania Telecommunication, TeOne, Malawi Telecommunication and Telecom South Africa.
The feasibility study for the backhaul transmission links that will be completed next month is a continuation of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Regional Information Infrastructure (SRII) project aimed at interconnecting SADC member countries with fiber-optic technology.
In addition to the issues of connectivity and the cost of the interconnectivity, the study is also covering equipment capacities, routing, traffic volumes and an environmental impact assessment. The study is being funded by the African Development Bank and is being carried out by Pricewaterhouse Coopers of the U.K.
Meanwhile, Malawi Telecommunications has announced that it has almost completed the US$55 million fiber-optic network that will be linked to networks in Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania and South Africa.
The cable will open the landlocked country to the international superhighway through interconnection with other regional countries.
MTL CEO Peter Zimmer said by December this year, the company's cable should be connected to the rest of the World through TEAMS and the newly launched SEACOM cable.
The high speed link to be installed between Malawi and Zambia will be extended to other telecommunication hubs by 2011. The national fiber-optic backbone will facilitate high-speed voice and data transmission at lower prices compared to satellite communication.
The cable system runs along the east coast of Africa, creating a digital super highway that links South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique with Europe and Asia.
[ Stay ahead of the key tech business news with InfoWorld's Today's Headlines: First Look newsletter and InfoWorld Daily podcast. ]
However, there have been fears that many landlocked countries in Southern Africa may not be able to connect to the cable due to lack of funds and the long distance to landing stations. But countries have agreed to the setting up of backhaul links that will provide interconnectivity in the Southern African region, through which landlocked countries will connect to the undersea cable systems.
Through the backhaul system, landlocked countries will be able to connect to the submarine cables via landing stations in Mozambique, South Africa and Tanzania.
The feasibility study would also determine the amount of money required to link the landlocked countries with landing points through the backhaul links.
SATA is an association of regional telecommunications companies and operators that aim to coordinate the development of networks and services responsible for the region's socioeconomic programs.
Set up almost 30 yeas ago, SATA brings together members for joint action, sharing of experiences and best practices and contribution toward telecommunications development in the region.
SATA Executive Secretary Jacob Munodawafa said last week that most countries in Southern Africa, especially the landlocked countries, are heavily relying on the use of microwave radio system and satellite connectivity for national, regional and long distance communication.
In order to provide broadband services, Munodawafa said operators require high bandwidth for national, regional and international connectivity.
That is why, he added, a modern fiber-optic digital telecommunication network, comprising domestic or cross-border terrestrial links and an international undersea highway, is recognized worldwide as the main catalyst of ICT development.
"It is in this regard that SATA members agreed to form a backhaul working group coordinated by SATA to spearhead the implementation of the backhaul links interconnecting the countries in Southern Africa and to the submarine cables," Munodawafa said in an e-mail.
The Zambia Telecommunications Company (Zamtel), a TEAMS member, has said it will connect to the cable in Tanzania through Tunduma in 2010. SATA members include Mauritius Telecom, Telecom Malagasy, Tanzania Telecommunication, TeOne, Malawi Telecommunication and Telecom South Africa.
The feasibility study for the backhaul transmission links that will be completed next month is a continuation of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Regional Information Infrastructure (SRII) project aimed at interconnecting SADC member countries with fiber-optic technology.
In addition to the issues of connectivity and the cost of the interconnectivity, the study is also covering equipment capacities, routing, traffic volumes and an environmental impact assessment. The study is being funded by the African Development Bank and is being carried out by Pricewaterhouse Coopers of the U.K.
Meanwhile, Malawi Telecommunications has announced that it has almost completed the US$55 million fiber-optic network that will be linked to networks in Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania and South Africa.
The cable will open the landlocked country to the international superhighway through interconnection with other regional countries.
MTL CEO Peter Zimmer said by December this year, the company's cable should be connected to the rest of the World through TEAMS and the newly launched SEACOM cable.
The high speed link to be installed between Malawi and Zambia will be extended to other telecommunication hubs by 2011. The national fiber-optic backbone will facilitate high-speed voice and data transmission at lower prices compared to satellite communication.
Paladin Energy Ltd: Kayelekera Uranium Project, Malawi US$167M Project Finance Completed-First Drawdown
PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA -- (Marketwire) -- 08/17/09 -- Paladin Energy Ltd ("Paladin" or "the Company") (TSX: PDN)(ASX: PDN) is pleased to announce the first drawdown of US$84.5M under the Kayelekera Project Financing Loan (Facility).
The Kayelekera Uranium Mine is currently in its production ramp-up phase. The first drawdown will be reimbursed to Paladin Energy Ltd for funds spent on completing the project, with the remainder of the Facility to be applied to the Project and working capital expenditure.
The Facility is provided by a syndicate of banks made up of Societe Generale, Standard Bank and Nedbank Capital and is the same syndicate of banks that provided project finance for Langer Heinrich Stage I.
The US$167M project finance package consists of:-
- US$145M Project Financing Facility - currently drawn to US$84.5M
- US$12M Cost overrun Facility - currently funded with US$8M cash
- US$10M Performance Bond Facility
US$110M of the US$145M project finance facility is backed by the Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South Africa ("ECIC").
"The successful drawdown on this Facility in the face of the current credit markets stands testament to the robust economics of the Kayelekera Uranium Mine and the ongoing support from the lenders. With the support of ECIC and Paladin's commitment to source materials from South Africa during construction, Paladin has been able achieve a very competitive cost of funding when compared to other projects of this nature." said John Borshoff, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
"I congratulate the Malawian government, the lending syndicate, ECIC and our team for completing the first ever mining project finance facility in Malawi. This again highlights Paladin's ability to secure favourable bank debt finance for its development projects".
The Kayelekera Uranium Mine is currently in its production ramp-up phase. The first drawdown will be reimbursed to Paladin Energy Ltd for funds spent on completing the project, with the remainder of the Facility to be applied to the Project and working capital expenditure.
The Facility is provided by a syndicate of banks made up of Societe Generale, Standard Bank and Nedbank Capital and is the same syndicate of banks that provided project finance for Langer Heinrich Stage I.
The US$167M project finance package consists of:-
- US$145M Project Financing Facility - currently drawn to US$84.5M
- US$12M Cost overrun Facility - currently funded with US$8M cash
- US$10M Performance Bond Facility
US$110M of the US$145M project finance facility is backed by the Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South Africa ("ECIC").
"The successful drawdown on this Facility in the face of the current credit markets stands testament to the robust economics of the Kayelekera Uranium Mine and the ongoing support from the lenders. With the support of ECIC and Paladin's commitment to source materials from South Africa during construction, Paladin has been able achieve a very competitive cost of funding when compared to other projects of this nature." said John Borshoff, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
"I congratulate the Malawian government, the lending syndicate, ECIC and our team for completing the first ever mining project finance facility in Malawi. This again highlights Paladin's ability to secure favourable bank debt finance for its development projects".
Malawi: President pleads for time
Malawi's President Bingu wa Mutharika is pleading with citizens to be patient on his plan to economically empower youths with small scale loans to start businesses.
mutharika
“Please be patient as we are to implement the Youth Development Fund because it can not just be done overnight as it’s just few weeks since the national budget was passed by Parliament,” said Mutharika at a press briefing.
The Lilongwe District Youth Officer Allida Mazungwi said it was her prayer that the fund will be implemented to economically empower youths in Malawi. She disclosed that statistics from her office reveals that though more youths and women vote in Malawi, those in authority do not promote their interests after being voted into power.
“Youths and women especially in age bracket 18 to 35 make the largest number of voters in this country. Further, 80 percent of people who attend political rallies during general elections political campaigns are the youths,” said Mazungwi.
She added that before, during and after elections, instead of empowering youths to be fruitful citizens, Malawian politicians use them as violent tools against political opponents. “During general elections prominent politicians exploit youths through giving them some money including beer as baits for inciting violence against their political rivals,” said Mazungwi adding that politicians abuse the youths taking advantage of their poverty.
“But when the youths are apprehended in political violence the same politicians quickly rush to claim that the youths involved don’t belong to their parties and their parties are advocates of peace. They distance themselves from the youths even after the youngsters are caught in violence while in their political colors,” said Mazungwi.
The National Rainbow Coalition (Narc) president Loveness Gondwe who stood as the first female presidential candidate in the May 19 general elections said Malawian politicians cannot use youths for their selfish gains including political violence if the state create employment for them.
“Most youths in this country are living a frustrated life because there is no one to find something for them to do. More often political gurus claim that youths are future leaders yet do nothing to uplift their lives to the extent that some youths are suffering from abject poverty. Some are even ruining their lives by smoking Indian hemp,” said Gondwe.
mutharika
“Please be patient as we are to implement the Youth Development Fund because it can not just be done overnight as it’s just few weeks since the national budget was passed by Parliament,” said Mutharika at a press briefing.
The Lilongwe District Youth Officer Allida Mazungwi said it was her prayer that the fund will be implemented to economically empower youths in Malawi. She disclosed that statistics from her office reveals that though more youths and women vote in Malawi, those in authority do not promote their interests after being voted into power.
“Youths and women especially in age bracket 18 to 35 make the largest number of voters in this country. Further, 80 percent of people who attend political rallies during general elections political campaigns are the youths,” said Mazungwi.
She added that before, during and after elections, instead of empowering youths to be fruitful citizens, Malawian politicians use them as violent tools against political opponents. “During general elections prominent politicians exploit youths through giving them some money including beer as baits for inciting violence against their political rivals,” said Mazungwi adding that politicians abuse the youths taking advantage of their poverty.
“But when the youths are apprehended in political violence the same politicians quickly rush to claim that the youths involved don’t belong to their parties and their parties are advocates of peace. They distance themselves from the youths even after the youngsters are caught in violence while in their political colors,” said Mazungwi.
The National Rainbow Coalition (Narc) president Loveness Gondwe who stood as the first female presidential candidate in the May 19 general elections said Malawian politicians cannot use youths for their selfish gains including political violence if the state create employment for them.
“Most youths in this country are living a frustrated life because there is no one to find something for them to do. More often political gurus claim that youths are future leaders yet do nothing to uplift their lives to the extent that some youths are suffering from abject poverty. Some are even ruining their lives by smoking Indian hemp,” said Gondwe.
Malawi: Minister wants TV and Internet sources censored
Malawi's minister of tourism, wildlife and culture, Anna Kachikho says there is need to censor electronic sources of information such as Digital Satellite Television (DSTV) and the Internet since it is negatively influencing children.
She made the remarks on Wednesday, 12 August 2009 after visiting offices for the country's Censorship Board where she pledged to ensure that a piece of legislation be passed to empower the board to take charge.
“[The] Censorship Act does not make provision for the board to act on the surfing of pornographic material on the internet,” said acting chief censorship officer Humphrey Mpondaminga.
He bemoaned obsolete laws contained in the Censorship Act of 1968 which he described as very archaic and asked the minister to push for better legislation and allow the board to carry out its mandate properly.
The Malawi Law Commission finished drafting a Classification Bill in 2001 which is to replace the Censorship Act but parliament is yet to deliberate and pass it into law.
She made the remarks on Wednesday, 12 August 2009 after visiting offices for the country's Censorship Board where she pledged to ensure that a piece of legislation be passed to empower the board to take charge.
“[The] Censorship Act does not make provision for the board to act on the surfing of pornographic material on the internet,” said acting chief censorship officer Humphrey Mpondaminga.
He bemoaned obsolete laws contained in the Censorship Act of 1968 which he described as very archaic and asked the minister to push for better legislation and allow the board to carry out its mandate properly.
The Malawi Law Commission finished drafting a Classification Bill in 2001 which is to replace the Censorship Act but parliament is yet to deliberate and pass it into law.
Mystery disease strikes Mozambican province
MAPUTO: An outbreak of a strange disease in the district of Tsangano, in the central Mozambican province of Tete, has killed at least 20 people since it was first reported last May, Mozambian news agency (AIM) said quoting a local media report.
At present there some 142 infected, reported Mozambique’s state television TVM on Saturday.
The health authorities in Tete are concerned with the outbreak of this disease, since it is still unclear its real source.
According to the health authorities, they are still waiting for laboratory results of the samples sent to the neighbouring South Africa.
The disease attacks the central nervous system. In the early the stages its symptoms are similar to malaria, including abdominal pain, and loss of voice in its advanced stages.
As the origin of the disease is still unknown, the team of doctors both national and foreign working in the region are just prescribing antibiotics to the patients.
Meanwhile, the health authorities, in partnership with other relevant entities, including community leaders, have already launched a sanitation campaign in the affected communities.
There is a suspicion that the disease may have its origin in the region of Maujete, district of Tsangano, in the province of Tete, which still lacks a health centre.
Some of the patients have been taken to a district hospital in Neno, in neighbouring Malawi, for treatment.
The province of Tete shares the same border with Malawi.
At present there some 142 infected, reported Mozambique’s state television TVM on Saturday.
The health authorities in Tete are concerned with the outbreak of this disease, since it is still unclear its real source.
According to the health authorities, they are still waiting for laboratory results of the samples sent to the neighbouring South Africa.
The disease attacks the central nervous system. In the early the stages its symptoms are similar to malaria, including abdominal pain, and loss of voice in its advanced stages.
As the origin of the disease is still unknown, the team of doctors both national and foreign working in the region are just prescribing antibiotics to the patients.
Meanwhile, the health authorities, in partnership with other relevant entities, including community leaders, have already launched a sanitation campaign in the affected communities.
There is a suspicion that the disease may have its origin in the region of Maujete, district of Tsangano, in the province of Tete, which still lacks a health centre.
Some of the patients have been taken to a district hospital in Neno, in neighbouring Malawi, for treatment.
The province of Tete shares the same border with Malawi.
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