Nationa News

Lilongwe, Malawi
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June 8, 2025
Ministry Orders Monday, 9th June Public Holiday
Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture has ordered that Monday, 9th June, 2025 iw Eid Ul Adha Public Holiday. According to a statement which the ministry has released and signed by Richard C. Z. Hara, secretary for Local Government, Unity and Culture, Monday, 9th June shall be a observed as a Public Holiday in Malawi on the occasion of Eid UL ADHA inorder to allow Muslims to offer special EID prayers and fulfill their religious obligations. The ministry, therefore wishes all the Muslims in Malawi and the general public a happy EID UL ADHA public holiday, it concludes.
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Mwanza
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June 8, 2025
Tributes Pour in as Former Deputy Minister Joyce Chitsulo Laid to Rest Tomorrow
The nation mourns the loss of Hon. Joyce Chitsulo, former Deputy Minister of Local Government and Member of Parliament for Mwanza West. Her send-off ceremony is currently underway at Dzedza Secondary School grounds in Lilongwe, with fellow parliamentarians, government officials, and SDA church members paying their last respects. After the ceremony, her body will be transported to Mwanza district, where she will be laid to rest tomorrow. Hon. Chitsulo passed away on Friday at Kamuzu Central Hospital after collapsing at her residence in Area 25, Dzedza, Lilongwe.
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Lilongwe, Malawi
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June 6, 2025
MEC Snubs Opposition Parties on Independent Audit Petition of EMS
The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has rejected a joint proposal from five opposition parties — AFORD, DPP, UDF, PP, and UTM — who had demanded an independent audit of the country’s Election Management System (EMS). In a letter dated 6 June 2025 signed by Chairperson Justice Annabel Mtalimanja, MEC says the proposed audit was based on wrong assumptions, cited technologies that are not even used in Malawi’s elections and posed a threat to the security and integrity of the Commission’s systems. MEC also argues that it had already flagged and shared all anomalies in the voters’ register including duplicate entries and photo mismatches, with political parties during consultations. It adds that no party submitted any formal complaint or petition after being given the full register in May. The Commission insists it has a constitutional duty to operate independently and says allowing an external audit without legal grounds would set a dangerous precedent. It has since resolved not to approve the audit, but says it will continue to carry out internal checks through its own mechanisms. “We take the MEC’s rejection of the independent audit as a confirmation of our fears and concerns. This is the missed opportunity on the MEC’s part to demonstrate that they are transparent and that they are ready to deliver a fair and credible elections. Our presented scope for the Independent IT Auditors was to review and validate the security, integrity, and transparency of electoral technology systems, such as voter registration databases, and result transmission processes.” Mukhito said. Mukhito further said that the Independent IT auditors would have helped to enforce transparency, build public confidence, and ensure that the register is clean, election management devices are functioning properly and free from tampering or errors. Now that MEC has refused the audit, he says NO to any Electronic Management Device, period.
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Blantyre, Malawi
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June 6, 2025
MCP Government Sued over Alleged Employment Empty Promises
The Industrial Relations Court (IRC) in Blantyre heard a case on Thursday, June 5, 2025 in which Bengo Matalala and 15 others are challenging the government over an alleged employment promise made in 2010, which they claim remains unfulfilled. The applicants, who worked as support staff at Maryview School for the Deaf in Chiradzulu, argue that the Ministry of Education issued a letter promising them permanent employment. Despite this alleged assurance, they have yet to be formally employed. As a result, they are demanding salary arrears calculated based on the grades they would have been placed in since 2010. During today’s session, both sides presented their arguments. Representing the government, Counsel Macduff Shumba from the Attorney General’s Chambers defended the state against the claims. Meanwhile, the complainants maintained that the government’s failure to honour its commitment has caused them significant financial and professional hardship. The court has directed both parties to submit written submissions by 16th June 2025. A ruling on the matter is expected on 20th June 2025. The AG Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda has decided to defend the matter
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Blantyre, Malawi
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June 6, 2025
APM Mourns Former Zambian President Edgar Chagwa Lungu
Former President of the Republic of Malawi His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has expressed sadness over the death of former Zambian president Edgar Lungu, who died earlier today at a hospital in Pretoria, South Africa. Writing on his official Facebook Page, Mutharika says the fallen former Zambian president was a man of great dignity and was committed to public service. “During our time as presidents of our respective nations, I had the honour of working closely with him on issues of bilateral and multilateral relations. He was full of wise counsel, steady leadership, and had utmost dedication to the people of Zambia. “As a fellow legal luminary, I admired his respect for the rule of law and the depth of his understanding of justice and governance. As a friend, I valued his warmth, his humour, and his unwavering loyalty,” says Mutharika. Lungu, who has died at the age of 68, led Zambia for six years from 2015. He lost the 2021 elections to incumbent President Hakainde Hichilema.
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Lilongwe, Malawi
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June 5, 2025
Chizuma, to be One of the Key Witnesses in Sattar’s Corruption Case in UK
Former Director General of Anti Corruption Bureau, Martha Chizuma will be paraded in Westminster Magistrates’ Court in UK as one of the key witnesses in bribery case involving Zuneth Sattar, case number 00NS5051220. A good number of officials in Chakwera’s Administration are implicated in this case such as Prince Harvey Kampondamgaga, the Chief of Staff to President Lazarus Chakwera whose name appears four times on the charge sheets laid before a British foreign courtroom. There are recorded voices to be played by the jury in court that will send shivers into the nervous Chakwera’s inner circle where it is believed that even family members will be exposed. In 2022, Martha Chizuma was arrested in the wee hours of Tuesday, 6 December 2022 after submitting a report to President Chakwera containing a list of names of people who were expected to answer charges of corruption in connection with Zeneth Sattar. One of the high profile people mentioned in the report was the deceased Vice President Saulos Chilima who was accused of receiving payments amounting to $280,000 and other items from British businessman Zuneth Sattar in return for awarding Malawian government contracts. Shockingly the late Vice President Dr Saulos Chilima was one of the few who were charged in Malawi in this bribery case but the case was dropped under very strange circumstances days before his death. Currently, it is ironic that instead of arresting those that have been mentioned in the UK court, MCP government is busy arresting members of the opposition DPP such as Hon. Jappie Mhango, MP in order to draw public attention away from the case underway in UK. Three years down the line, President Chakwera is still sitting on a report submitted to him by Former Anti-corruption Bureau Director General Martha Chizuma in connection to Zuneth Sattar bribery case involving many MCP government officials. Zuneth Sattar has appeared in the UK court but did not speak. He is yet to take a plea probably after 3 months from now. Meanwhile, the former Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Director General, Martha Chizuma is now working at the World Bank in Washington D.C.
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Washington DC,
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June 5, 2025
Update on USA Border Security and Immigration Activities
The Malawi Embassy in Washington DC USA has issued a press statement indicating to all Malawians that it has received new guideline policies regarding boarder security and immigration from the US government. In the statement that has been issued by Malawi’s ambassador to the USA, Justice (retired) Esme Chombo, indicates that USA under President Donald J Trump is committed to welcome only legitimate and legal abiding citizens. However, it has warned that there is no valid entitlement to remain in USA without proper documents as this may trigger deportation. And that all illegal immigrants that engage in heinous activities may be prosecuted and jailed. Chombo has since reminded Malawians that all boarder security checks are conducted by USA boarder patrol without Malawi’s involvement. She has therefore, urged all those living in USA illegally to leave the country before the security agents descend on them.
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Biwi Health
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June 4, 2025
Quality Health Service Delivery Registered at Biwi Health Centre in Lilongwe
Minister of Health, Khumbidze Kandodo Chiponda has expressed satisfaction with the commitment and quality health service delivery that Biwi Health Centre in Lilongwe is providing to the general community. Chiponda made the remarks on Tuesday, when she made a surprise visit to the health facility and found that they have already successfully vaccinated over 6,000 children against measles, against their initial target of 9,500 children. The Minister stated that for a country to succeed in delivering healthcare services, it needs dedicated and goal-oriented workers. ”The measles campaign was launched last month, and within two days, this center managed to vaccinate 6, 000 children. This only demonstrates commitment, good planning, and strong relationship with the community that this center has and a testament to the hard work of these healthcare workers,” she said. Chiponda urged mothers and guardians to bring their children for vaccination, as the government aims to eliminate the disease from the country. Biwi Health Centre Clinical Officer In-Charge, Ella Khaiya Lungu, thanked the Minister for visiting the facility saying they have succeeded in the campaign because of good planning. “We informed the community about the importance of the vaccine before it arrived, so the people were ready to bring their children for vaccination since they already knew how important the vaccine was for their children’s health,” she said. Malawi has since reported 683 measles cases since October 2024 and is conducting a five day vaccination campaign in six districts, namely: Nkhotakota, Salima, Ntcheu, Mangochi, Blantyre and Lilongwe.
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Dedza Police
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June 3, 2025
Police Officer Commits Suicide in Dedza; Cases on the Rise in Malawi
Constable Eric Chasweka of Dedza police station has committed suicide by hanging himself to the roof of his house. He was discovered by his colleagues after noting that had been missing for some time. He has left 3 suicide notes, one for his boss, OC, another going to his mother and the last one going to his girlfriend. The reasons for taking his own life is not yet known. Meanwhile, 153 people, mostly men, have killed themselves from January to March 2025 alone. This is attributed to a volatile economic environment. Malawi Police Service statistics have indicated that suicide cases continue to rise in Malawi with figures from the first quarter of 2025 surpassing those of the corresponding period in 2024. Reports indicate that according to the World Health Organization (WHO) suicide is attributed to a public health problem that requires a public health response. Police statistics show that out of 153 suicide cases reported this year, 125 were males while 28 only involved females while during the same period last year, 126 suicide cases were reported with 109 involving males while 17 involved females. Overall suicide cases continue to rise with more males largely committing the vice as compared to females. National Police spokesperson Harry Namwaza observed that most affected age group is between 20 and 39 years, with 61 males and 15 females in this age bracket committing suicide in this year’s first quarter.
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