Conditional Cash Transfer Beneficiaries Cry Foul over Unpaid Wages

By Luciano Milala

Some people who are working in the Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme in Mchinji have complained that the district council has not yet paid them their money but their names were marked as if they were paid.

The Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme is the government initiative where by people work for twelve days for MK300 daily on different projects ranging from road maintenance and afforastation aimed at eradicating poverty among the rural communities who are ultra poor.

The concerned people in most areas across the district claim that the Mchinji Council official who came to their areas to pay them their twelve-day wages in the only read out few names and others were left out.

Speaking to Mudziwathu on condition of anonymity one of the villagers who took part on maintenance of Chitumbira to Njere earth road in the area of Traditional Authority M’duwa in Mchinji said they were overwhelmed upon being shown the signatures against their names indicating they had received their money despite being sent back on the pay day.

Some of the concerned people stormed to the District Council Offices to claim their money on Monday only to be told the same that there was nothing for them as their names were already marked against.

He said it was unrealistic to steal from them after tirelessly working for twelve days hoping to be relieved saying he wanted to use the money to buy maize.

Mudziwathu investigations show that the anomalies were almost across the district where people are complaining of being cheated. 

Mchinji First Grade Magistrate Court Convicts Four For Illegal Tobacco Trade

By Given Chichitike

Mchinji First Grade Magistrate Court on Monday 18^th March charged four people to pay fines or serve imprisonment with hard labour after being found buying tobacco from farmers without licenses or permits which is contrary to section 10 subsection 1 as read with section 35 of tobacco marketing. 

According to Mchinji Police Spokesperson Sergeant Moses Kajawa Nyirenda, state prosecutors told the court that the four were found on 16^th March buying burley tobacco from farmers in different places around Mchinji.

Sergeant Nyirenda said the four include Mr. Kamange Jailosi, 28, who was found illegally buying tobacco at Matimba village and by 16^th March he had 1800 kilograms of tobacco which is equivalent to 18 bails.

Passing the judgment, First Grade Magistrate Rodwell Major directed Mr. Jailosi to pay a fine of MK18000 or serve nine months imprisonment with hard labour.

On the same day, the Mchinji First Grade Magistrate Court charged Mr. Vincent Salatiele, 29, and Mr. Frank Dismas, 25, for being found buying tobacco illegally at Chipumi Trading Centre. The two were to serve one year imprisonment with hard labour or pay the fine 0f MK20 000.

The court also charged Mr. Joseph Galimoto, 34, who was found with 292 kilograms of tobacco at Chipumi Trading Centre to pay a fine of MK 3000 or serve three months imprisonment with hard labour.

Mr. Kamange Jailosi hails from Jamu village Traditional Authority Simphasi, Mr. Joseph Galimoto hails from Muula village sub traditional Authority Kapondo while Mr. Vincent Salatiele hails from chilinda village Traditional Authority Kayembe and Mr. Frank Disimas is from Chipumisubtraditional Authority kapondo in Mchinji district.

Mchinji District Forestry Office Urge Inhabitants to Nurture Newly Planted Trees

By Wezzie Gausi

The Mchinji District Forestry Office has called on people living in the district to take care of the newly planted trees and the natural resources at large.

Speaking to Mudziwathu Radio, the District Forestry Officer Mr. Harold Kanthenga said it is not only his office’s responsibility to take care of the trees but the community itself since it is the first beneficially.

In his remarks, Mr. Kanthenga said people should take ownership of the forest and natural resources to protect the trees from bush fires and animals damaging it.

On protection of trees he further said the community should put in place rules and regulations to govern their natural resources at village levels.

Mr. Kanthenga also warned those people who are involved in the selling of charcoal to stop it because it is forbidden in the laws of this country saying if anyone is found doing this, he or she will be taken to book. He advised the communities that when using the natural resources they should also think of the future and follow all the procedures.

Mchinji District has this year planted 2.7 million trees across the district the task which was played by tobacco alliance one, total  land care organizations, estates and farmers, just to mention a few.

Mchinji District Animal Health Office Imposes New Ban Over Pock Meat

By Luciano Milala

The District Animal Health Office on 22 March 2013 imposed a ban over selling of pock meat following the outbreak of African swine fever which attack pigs, the District Animal Health Officer, Alexander Phiri, told Mudziwathu on Monday.

Mr. Phiri said the new ban will run from 25th March to 31st June and this ban has come after their office observed another outbreak of African swine fever around Nyamawende area in the area of traditional authority Zulu Mchinji district.

Mr. Phiri also said during the ban, people will not be allowed to sell pock meat and even transfer pigs from one area to another within the district or from outside the district for the period of four months.

Malawi Electoral Commission to Use Old System for Registration

By  Luciano Milala

The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has said it will use the old system for registration of up-coming 2014 tripartite elections in the country.

According to the press release by the Malawi electoral commission, Chief Elections Officer, Willy Karonga, the commission has shelved the plans of implementing the solution for the purpose of 2014 tripartite elections.

He further said the commission has taken into consideration the various concerns, risks and logistical challenges that are inherit in the implementation of the system and will resolve the implementation of the biometric voter registration in the 2019 elections.

Commissioner  Willy Karonga further said the commission will for the purpose of the  2014 tripartite elections use the current paper-based solution of capturing voters in the filed.

Police in Mchinji Arrest Two Men for Illegal Business Operations.

By Josephy Zalinga

Police in Mchinji on Friday 22nd of March arrested two men for allegedly attempting to export maize and tobacco from the country without proper documents which is contrary to section 24 sub section A1 of immigration of chapter 1503.

According to Mchinji Police Spokesperson, Sergeant Moses Kajawa Nyirenda, it was around 10 pm when the suspects used a Scania track registration number RU 3755 to carry 250 bags of maize and 6 bells of tobacco ready for exportation through Kapiri-Kamwendo road.

On their way to Kamwendo from kapiri, the business men failed to produce business documents to the police patrol officers where they finally taken to Mchinji police and are expected to appear in court soon to answer charges of operating business within Malawi without a business residence payment

Sergeant Nyirenda identified the suspects as Lenard Samuel 30, and is a Burundian currently based at Mponera trading center, while the other one is Charles Mpondapatali 26 from Matutu village sub traditional authority Nyoka in Mchinji.

Mchinji First Grade Magistrate Court Slaps Three with 4 Years IHL

By Joseph  Zalinga

Mchinji First Grade Magistrate Court has on Friday 22 March 2013 sentenced three people to 4 years imprisonment with hard labour for theft which is contrary to section 278 of the penal code.

The three, who were holding senior positions in Chawama Bank Mnkhonde Club, include Mrs. Diana Daka, 28; Mr. Moses Phiri, 52’ and Mrs Liti Lemani, 36.

According to state prosecutor Sergeant Bertha Kavala, the three were holding positions of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer in the club, respectively.

Sergeant Bertha Kavala also said among the three, one was keeping a box in which money was kept while the other was keeping the keys.

But in due course the one who was keeping the box in which the money was kept handed over the box to the secretary and when the group came to share the money on 24th October last year, members of the group were shocked after noticing that the box had no money.

After investigations the three were arrested following the missing of the money amounting to MK488, 700 in which other members of the club suspected them to have stolen the money who reported the matter to police. 

Passing the judgment, first grade magistrate Rodwell Major sentenced the three to four years imprisonment with hard labour.

Mr. Moses Phiri and Mrs. Diana Daka hail from Maliwane Village, Traditional Authority Mlonyeni while Mrs. Liti lemani hails from Kayora Village, Traditional Authority Mkanda in Mchinji district.

 

Nurses to Stage Strike If Government Does Not Respond To Their Calls

By Luciano Milala

Nurses and midwives at Mchinji District Hospital say will stage a sit-in if the Government will not be accountable to salary increments which they said was unrealistic as some professional employees were receiving low wages comparing to junior employees.

Speaking with Mudziwathu on 26 March 2013 some of the nurses, who pleaded for anonymity, were surprised with their March salary pay slips which they said they were receiving similar with junior staffs. They warned that if Government does not offer plausible explanation, they will start to strike. According to analysts, the development would affect a lot of people as their profession is to save lives of the people.

But Mchinji District Hospital Spokesperson, Damiano Semu, confirmed the incident to Mudziwathu, but ask for more time to look on the matter.

Sunday School Teachers Union Of Malawi Establishes Zone In Mchinji District

By Johny Palichesi

People across Mchinji district were excited on Saturday 23 March 2013 after the establishment of a zone at Kamwendo Trading Centre in the district by the Sunday School Teachers Union of Malawi (SSTUM). The zone was established at Kamwendo Apostolic Faith Church.

According to the National Coordinator of the union Pastor John Msowoya the main objectives of the event were to establish the zone at Kamwendo where he said that will act as a centre of the churches to gather and also have different activities as regards to the dissemination of God’s message to Christians from different churches in the district.

Msowoya further said that the other objective was to show the selected Mchinji District Committee from different churches in the district in terms of Sunday school monitoring and teaching across the district which he said will eventually improve the teaching standards in the district and lay a vibrant foundation in children.

Our reporter talked to one of the members of the district committee Mrs. Magret Bwanali said that the coming of the union in the district is a welcomed development and will assist their children in churches to grow up with a spiritual life which is a God fearing life and also that with the sophiscated growing of technology where children are learning and seeing a lot of things they will have that opportunity to differentiate on their own on what is good or bad to their lives.

Sunday School Teachers Union of Malawi formerly known as Serving in Mission SIM   started in 2012 and is operating in all districts in the country with the support from Jim Young from New Zealand.