11 outstanding environmental journalists honoured

Eleven Malawian print and electronic journalists have been honoured by the Association of Environmental Journalists in Malawi (AEJ) for their exceptional investigative reporting on environmental issues in the country. 

AEJ also honoured posthumously late veteran journalist Grover Mzumara, who died in February 2010, for his passion and devotion to environmental and developmental journalism.

Mzumara was awarded the first ever Green Media Award of Excellence introduced by the association.  .

Nation Publications Limited (NPL) journalist Ephraim Nyondo and freelance environmental journalist Charles Mkoka, won two awards each of the 11 categories of the inaugural Green Media Awards.

Nyondo emerged overall winner in the Fisheries and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) categories while Mkoka was the best journalist in the categories of wildlife and Energy and Mining.

On fisheries, Nyondo did an article on the effects of overfishing on the shallow waters of Lake Malawi while the DRR award winning piece was on the plight of the disabled when disaster struck.

Other great pieces of reporting came from Zodiak Radio’s Grace Khombe (agriculture), Capital FM’s Chinsinsi Moyo (Pollution) while Simeon Shumba of FM 101 Power won the water and sanitation category.

Other winners of the first ever green awards included Mphatso Katona of Matindi Radio (Foresty), Enock Balakasi of Joy FM who made it in technology and environment category with Kenneth Jali of Times Group being the winner in climate change group.

All the 10 journalists received Galaxy Tabs and hampers filled with all types of Candlex Limited products. 

Speaking during the presentation ceremony in Blantyre last Friday, Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining Atupele Muluzi saluted the journalists for exposing the evils of environment.

He said journalists have a central role to make Malawians knowledgeable on environmental issues and transform their mind set towards the environment and natural resources.

“The media has a central role in advocating and informing the public about sustainable practices through investigative and objective reporting,” said the minister.

In his remarks, AEJ President Emmanuel Muwamba said AEJ safeguards the environment through increased reportage, advocates for the protection and sustainable management of natural environment.

“The association members analyse environmental issues as a way of raising critical awareness to the public, at the same time seeking attention and redress from policy makers,” he said.

Malawi online editor granted bail on extortion charge

Justice Mponda

The Blantyre Magistrate Court Tuesday afternoon released on bail an editor for online publication, Malawi Voice, after spending four days in police custody.

The journalist, Justice Mponda, was arrested last Friday evening for allegedly extorting money from a governing Peoples Party (PP) official, Joseph Chikwemba, which is contrary to Section 305 of the Penal Code.

Blantyre Police had earlier charged him with an offence of ‘Intimidating Royal Family’ and ‘Extortion’ but the former charge was dropped for some unexplained reasons.

The case charge-sheet says the journalist reportedly intimidated Chikwemba to pay him K500 000 failing which he would publish stories linking him and his political associates to the massive theft of public funds popularly known as cash gate scandal.

This is the second time for the 26-year-old journalist to be arrested within 12 months. He has since pleaded not guilty to the offence.

Appearing before the presiding Blantyre Senior Resident Magistrate, Viva Nyimba, Mponda, through his lawyer, Chancy Gondwe, applied for bail after State counsel, Jailos Chafunsa asked for adjournment of the case, saying they were not ready to commence prosecution trial.

The lawyer asked the presiding Magistrate to consider bail based on Section 42 (2e) of the Constitution as read together with Section 118 of Criminal Procedure and Evidence Code, which gives a right to any person arrested to be released from detention with or without bail unless interest of justice requires otherwise.

The state did not refuse the request but asked the court to provide strict conditions to ensure that the suspect is always available for trial.

But before granting bail, Nyimba grilled the law-enforcers why they contravened the 48-hour condition that demands release on bail of suspects to which the state conceded having breached.

According to set bail conditions, the court asked Mponda to pay a cash bail bond of K10, 000 and provide two sureties bonded at K10, 000 each. He paid the cash.

Further, the court has asked Mponda to be reporting at the State Advocate Chamber on Wednesdays of every fortnight.

The case has been adjourned to November 25, 2013 when trial is expected to commence with the state indicating that it would parade three witnesses to testify against the suspect.

Cervical cancer killing more than 1600 Malawian women yearly

By LUCKY MKANDAWIRE

Malawi’s Ministry of Health has issued disturbing statistics of women developing and dying from cervical cancer in the country.

The disease causes death and according to the ministry it is the commonest and serious cancer in women accounting to about 45 percent of all cancers but if diagnosed and treated early it can easily controlled.

The ministry, in a media statement, discloses that over 2,300 women in the country develop cervical cancer and over 1,600 get killed from the disease and if nothing is done, the numbers may increase by over 60 percent by 2025 to 3,800 developing cases and approximately 2,600 deaths per year.

Cervical cancer is caused by different sub-types of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus.

And the ministry says it will start giving out HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer to adolescent girls aged between nine and 13 in Zomba and Rumphi districts.

Ministry of Health Spokesperson, Henry Chimbali, said the initiative, which is on pilot phase, started Monday, September 23, and will target approximately 4,450 girls in Rumphi and 2,500 in Zomba urban district before rolling it out nationwide.

Financed by Global Alliance on Vaccine Initiative (GAVI), which assists developing countries introduce new and underutilized vaccines, and other partners, if the pilot phase of the project succeeds, the country would be able to scale up the vaccine nationally by 2015.

The introduction of HPV vaccination among adolescent girls follows World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation and currently there are two vaccines that can prevent diseases caused by the HPV.

According to Chimbali, vaccination against HPV to adolescent girls is an effective approach in preventing cervical cancer the country experiences with the introduction of new vaccines which include Pentavalent, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), and rotavirus vaccines.

The vaccine, which is given on the upper arm of a girl, is to be given in three doses at zero months (Sept), second month (November) then sixth month (March).

Most HPV infections go away on their own within one to two years and do not cause cancer. However, about five to 10 percent of women infected with high-risk HPV types develop persistent HPV infections.

Cancer is a disease in which a group of cells in an organ display uncontrolled growth, and can sometimes spread to other locations in the body.

Health experts discuss improving lives of terminally ill African patients

By LUCKY MKANDAWIRE

ABOUT 50 high-level representatives from African ministries of health ended their first-ever palliative care conference in South Africa on Friday, 20 September, with a call to African nations to provide people suffering from long-term chronic illnesses with adequate care.

The delegates bemoaned lack of proper access to care for people suffering from incurable and chronic diseases in the African region.

Dr Gwen Malegwala Ramokgopa, Deputy Minister of Health for South Africa, who led the adoption process for a consensus statement for palliative care integration into health systems in Africa, said it was high time African countries developed local models that would ensure swift roll out of palliative care services in their respective countries.

Malawi was represented at the weeklong conference, convened under the theme; the net effect: Spanning diseases, crossing boarders,  by Deputy Minister of Health, Agnes Mandevu-Chatipwa, who expressed Malawi Government’s commitment to accelerate access to palliative care services in the country.

The session was aimed at increasing awareness on the progress being made and the innovative approaches being used to strengthen health systems in Africa using palliative care and also increase awareness of the needs and challenges of people affected by life-threatening and life-limiting illnesses and the role that palliative care plays in alleviating related pain and human suffering.

The delegates discussed and shared their insights into palliative care development within the framework that was agreed at the UN High Level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases in September 2011, and consequently the African Union’s (AU) common position on palliative care and access to pain medications.

They also discussed essential elements of a regional strategy for integrating palliative care into African health systems, reflected in a consensus statement that was adopted by the ministers and delegates attending the session.

The conference also facilitated decision making on priority actions to fully address the needs of those living with, and dying from, life-threatening and life-limiting illnesses in Africa, and the needs of their families.

And through a consensus statement, the conference articulated the essential elements of a regional strategy for increasing access to palliative care, by both adults and children living with, and dying from, life-threatening and life-limiting illnesses.

Dr Emmanuel Luyirika, Executive Director of APCA, said being the first-ever palliative care session for health ministers in Africa, it was a strategic turning point in the effort to reduce suffering among patients with life-limiting illnesses as Africa moves towards entrenching palliative care into health systems.

“Its theme reflects our drive to constantly consider the “net effect”, the ultimate impact of our work with patients in Africa. With this in mind, our conference serves as a celebratory opportunity to consider the inclusive nature of palliative care, spanning the disease spectrum – from infectious diseases to non-communicable diseases and the interplay between the two.

“We are pleased to host internationally renowned experts in global health and public policy through our plenary sessions and workshops. The conference will represent a unique opportunity not only to meet the world’s leading experts in the field of global health, but also to present cutting-edge innovative research and best practice in palliative care applicable to your work.

“We know it is only by “crossing borders” between disciplines, in global sharing of best practice that we can ultimately achieve the aim of making palliative care a human right for all. Our conference serves as a lynchpin for palliative care provision and development in Africa. Bringing together the continent’s clinical practitioners and national associations; people who make decisions that affect palliative care funding, availability and teaching; supporters and donors from beyond Africa, and technical experts in fields such as advocacy, research, organisational development, humanitarian work, communications and fundraising,” said Dr Luyirika, conference co-chairperson.

The conference, attended by ministers of health or their representatives, senior policy and technical officials from ministries of health from about 40 African countries, was organised by the African Palliative Care Association (APCA) and the Hospice Palliative Care Association of South Africa.

The conference also drew chief executive officers of palliative care organisations from within and outside Africa, international development organisations and donors, and national palliative care associations and academic institutions from across Africa. Representatives from regional networks such as the African Union (AU), and the World Health Organisation’s Africa Office were also in attendance.

The African Palliative Care Association (APCA) works collaboratively with existing and potential stakeholders of palliative care services across Africa to help expand service provision and strengthen health systems by driving palliative care policy and education integration throughout Africa. APCA also works with governments and policymakers to ensure that the optimum policy and regulatory framework exists for the development of palliative care across Africa. 

Malawian journalist to head climate change regional body

By LUCKY MKANDAWIRE

A seasoned Malawian female journalist has been elected to lead a climate change continental media body in Southern Africa.

Malawian journalist Sellina Sheena Nkowani

Sellina Sheena Nkowani, Online Sub-editor for Nation Publications Limited was elected as regional coordinator responsible for Southern Africa for the newly launched Pan African Media Alliance for Climate Change (PAMACC).

The media alliance was created at the end of a two-day capacity building training workshop for 41 journalists, who report on climate change issues from across the continent that converged in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi this week.

PAMACC is a continental network of journalists across Africa whose objective is to promote media coverage and reporting of climate change stories.

Nkowani was unanimously elected by delegates from Southern African nations of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Swaziland and Malawi who were part of the workshop.

Reacting to her election, Nkowani told Nyasa Times she was excited that her colleagues entrusted her with such a big and challenging position.

“I accept it with honour and pledge to work with media professionals who are passionate about tackling issues of climate change. It's challenging but I also believe that together, as media professionals, we can and we will make it happen,” she told Nyasa Times in an email interview.

Nkowani also pledged to encourage more women participation in climate change reporting considering that women and children were the most hit by effects of climate change.

“It is only right and proper that more women tell stories about fellow women. Apart from that, it is high time that African journalists start telling stories of climate change from the African perspective and share experiences and information with journalists from other countries," explained Nkowani, a former section editor for Blantyre Newspapers Limited.

The Malawian journalist is one of the five regional coordinators elected to head the body in each African region- North, Central, East, West and Southern Africa.

All the five will be reporting to the continental coordinator, a prominent Kenyan environmental journalist, Isaiah Esipisu, who is based in Nairobi.

Nkowani said one of her responsibilities as regional coordinator is to champion formation of vibrant national media networks in Southern African countries.

At the end of the training, the journalists were treated to a magnificent gala night where some deserving African journalists were honoured.

Malawi’s Zodiak Broadcasting Station journalist, Grace Khombe, was among the finalists for the ACCER awards but according to Nkowani her environmental special report piece titled Deforestation compromising school feeding programme in Chiradzulu failed to win and she was only given a certificate of recognition for reaching the finals.

The two-day workshop was organised by the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) a continental coalition of civil society organisations that aims at unifying isolated civil society efforts on climate change advocacy and coordination in Africa.

Malawian government officials in Zambia to “beg” for maize

By LUCKY MKANDAWIRE
A group of senior Malawi Government officials is in the Zambian capital Lusaka to reportedly beg for maize from that government, according to online media reports. 

Quoting unnamed Zambian government sources, the Zambian Watchdog reported that the Malawian officials arrived in that country over the weekend and were accommodated at one of the most expensive Zambian hotels, Pamodzi, where the begging process was being done.

Meanwhile, the popular Zambian online media says President Michael Sata has authorized and directed the sale of more than 50,000 metric tonnes of white maize to Malawi.

However, the online newspaper writes that despite authorising the sale, Zambian government officials and other technocrats vehemently objected to the decision because the country does also not have enough stock for its people.

“Zambian government officials and technocrats objected to the sale because there was not enough maize stock in the country for the Zambian population.

“But what the Zambian government officials did not know is the Mr. Sata had already concluded the deal with Malawian president Joyce Banda.

“When the Zambian government officials refused, the Malawian delegation called their president who also called Mr. Sata to remind him about the deal.

“President Sata then called the Zambian delegation and ordered them to allow the Malawian government to purchase the maize,” writes Zambia Watchdog.

Recently, the Zambian Government through its Food Reserve Agency (FRA) also signed a contract with the Tanzania National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) to supply them 20, 000 metric tonnes of white maize valued at US$7million.

Malawi is currently facing critical shortage of maize, its staple food, which has resulted in escalating prices.
A 50kg bag of maize, which a few months ago was going at about K5000, is now fetching between K10000 and K12000 in urban centres.

Hundreds of hunger-stricken Malawians, particularly women with babies at their backs, have been spending days and nights on queues at state grain marketer, ADMARC selling depots, to purchase the commodity, which has also been rationed to 10kg per individual.

In its position paper on the country’s hunger situation released last week, the Civil Society Agriculture Network (CISANET) called on government to immediately act on the hunger situation in the country.

The network recommended to government to issue a ministerial statement to state the situation of the grain reserves and also outline the gravity of the hunger situation and what it was doing about it.

It also recommended to government to issue instructions to ADMARC to immediately stop rationing maize to only 10kgs and increase the ration to at least 25kgs.

“It is a pity to see that people with meager resources are travelling long distances and even paying more on transport than the food they are buying. This practice is deplorable and should be discouraged. We request government to embark on restocking ADMARC markets that have no maize especially those that are in the rural areas,” said CISANET.

Australian firm acquires more coal mining licenses in Malawi

By LUCKY MKANDAWIRE

An Australian mining and energy company, Intra Energy Corporation (IEC), has acquired further exploration licenses for coal mining in northern Malawi, the firm said Monday.

Already the Australian mining giant holds three other exclusive prospecting licences and one mining licence in the country with its Malawian subsidiary, Malawi Coal Mining (Malcoal).

The three prospecting licences were granted in September 2005 for Mwenewenya which covers an area of 37.5 km2, Livingstonia’s 35 km2 granted in July 2005 and also in June 2007 it was granted a licence for Mwapu which has area of 12.2 km2.

All the licences were renewed on 15th June 2012 by the Joyce Banda administration.

The mining licence for Nkhachira Coal Mine was granted on 30th December 2005 for fifteen years and covers an area of two km2.

Intra Energy Corporation Limited, which also has major thermal coal assets in Tanzania, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Malawian Government for the construction and operation of a coal fired power plant.

IEC Executive Director, Jonathan Warrand said the company was pleased with the acquiring of the two new coal exploration licences in Malawi as it expands its work in Eastern Africa.

The licences were granted to another IEC’s Malawi subsidiary, Intra Energy Trading Limited (IETL) for North Rukuru which covers an area of 318 km2 immediately south of Nkhachira Coal Mine.

The other licence was granted to Malcoal for Ngana situated in Karonga north along the Malawi-Tanzania border and covers an area of 231 km2.

There was no comment from government on the matter as both ministers responsible for mining and energy John Bande and Ibrahim Matola respectively were reportedly away to the United Kingdom with President Joyce Banda on her official tour.

IEC holds a 100 percent interest in IETL and 90 percent in Malcoal with partner Consolidated Mining Limited holding a 10 percent free carried interest.

The company also has all management and operating rights under the joint venture agreement.

And according to Warrand, North Rukuru contains Karoo sediments that overlie Precambrian basement rocks in a series of half-grabens.

“The main coal bearing sediments occur within the Karoo K2-K3 formation and yield sub-bituminous to bituminous coals with a Calorific Value of 5,500 to 6,500 kcals/kg, an Ash content between 18 and 26 percent and a low Sulphur content of 0.3 percent,” explained Warrand.

He said the extent of the Karoo formation in the area is controlled by the gneissic basement in the west and a major fault in the east with regional dips ranging between 10° and 18° to the east.

The executive director also revealed that its recent geological mapping within the lease confirms the presence of numerous coal seams with good quality thermal properties.

Coal at Ngana lease, covering a significant part of the Ngana Coalfield which is a southern extension of the Songwe-Kiwira Coalfield, is hosted within a 12m to 20m thick sedimentary sequence.

The coal there, according to Warrand, is typically sub-bituminous to bituminous with a Calorific Value of 5,500 to 5,950 kcals/kg and an Ash content between 23 and 27 percent.

Urban poverty on the rise in Malawi, says CSC report

A latest report by the Center for Social Concern (CSC) indicates that poverty levels continue worsening among Malawi’s urban dwellers with most of them failing to access basic necessities despite government’s claims that its economic recovery plan has started bearing fruits.

CSC is a faith-based organization registered in Malawi which seeks to ensure that every person has equitable access to resources and opportunities to lead a life of dignity, in solidarity with others, while preserving the environment.

Finance Minister Ken Lipenga said in a media statement last week that the government is doing all it can to mitigate some of the adverse impacts of economic challenges facing Malawians.

Without giving practical examples, Lipenga said the recent approval of the first review of implementation of the recovery programme by the IMF Board clearly demonstrates the successful implementation of the recovery programme.

But the CSC study carried out last December says low income earners in urban areas are finding it difficult to access to necessities such as electricity due to expensive tariffs charged by the country’s sole electricity provider, Electricity Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM).

According to the study, even access to safe water is becoming a problem to most families in these residential areas.

It says on average, the total cost of basic food items and non basic food items for all cities for December was at K84, 463 signifying a nominal increase of K4, 949 compared to the November average which was at K79, 514.

“In Lilongwe an average low income earning family of six saw its expenditure on basic food items and non essential food items going up from K88, 737 in November  to K91, 632 in December last year,” reads the report in part.

It also says the price of country’s staple food; maize went up by 20% in Lilongwe, 14% in   Zomba, 12 % in Blantyre while in Mzuzu was raised by 47%.

The report is urging the current government authorities to build and sustain a healthy economy that provides employment opportunities to many Malawians as a way of arresting the problem.

Prices of various goods and services became unstable on the local market following the introduction of the automatic system of regulating fuel prices and the floatation of Malawi Kwacha by the President Joyce Banda government.

The problem has not spared those in rural areas either as they are now being forced to cough more in order to buy basic commodities such as soap, salt, sugar and Paraffin.

Meanwhile, economists are blaming the rising cost of living on what they call poor economic policies pursued by the current government which are believed to have aggravated the suffering of many Malawians.

However, the CSC report is projecting that the trend will only be reversed once the country’s much touted economic recovery plan starts bearing real fruits.

The vindicates plans by the Consumers Association of Malawi to hold a nation-wide demonstrations on January 17 against the souring cost of living which has been exacerbated by the floatation of Malawi kwacha.