MALAWI: Labor Day & more – 2nd May 2024

Muli bwanji from BA! This is the Rorshok Malawi Update from the 2nd of May twenty twenty-four. A quick summary of what's going down in Malawi.

Locals spent Wednesday at home as the 1st of May marked Labor Day.

President Lazarus Chakwera arrived in Blantyre on Tuesday the 30th ahead of Labor Day. This year, the government celebrated the recruitment of teachers, police officers, and the thousands of youths currently in Israel under the Israeli-Malawi export deal.

Still on celebrations, the government is excited about their tobacco sales, which are currently over sixty-four billion Kwacha or over thirty-six million dollars, just two weeks since the opening of this year’s tobacco market. These sales are exceptional, since during this same period last year, tobacco sales had only stood at a little over sixteen million dollars.

Terephorus Chigwenembe, the Spokesperson for the Tobacco Commission, talked about the revenue jump, saying the market is registering higher than average prices compared to twenty twenty-three.

It seems government entities are on a roll. According to the latest survey by the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (or MACRA), the state-owned Malawi Broadcasting Corporation television (or MBC TV 1) is the most-watched television channel and MBC Radio 1 is the most listened-to radio station in the country. Statistics indicate that nearly forty-seven percent of Malawians watch MBC TV 1, while thirty-six percent listen to MBC Radio 1.

Mibawa Television, a private-owned station, was rated the second most-watched TV with a viewership of 44.5 percent. They have since made the most of their win, branding themselves as the best private-owned TV in Malawi.

In more state news, on Wednesday the 1st, the government-owned Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (or ESCOM) announced plans to start an internet services company.

Kamkwamba Kumwenda, ESCOM’s CEO, said the corporation already has the largest optic fiber network in the country. This means that once customers connect electricity in their homes, it will be much easier for them to use those same electricity cables for internet connectivity.

He didn’t say when they would launch the company, but he mentioned that it would offer the cheapest internet services due to the competitive advantage of having fiber cables, which can also be used for internet connection.

Private-owned First Discount House (or FDH) Bank is also introducing a new service. They’re calling it the Islamic Banking Services, which are the first of its kind in Malawi.

Charity Mseka, the Board Chairperson for the FDH, said the Islamic Banking system follows the Sharia Islamic Law on financial services, which operate without interest. She said it would become operational on Thursday the 2nd. But people were not talking about the bank’s new service on that day, although FDH’s social media pages indicated that it was operational.

Nonetheless, Sheik Ibrahim Lethome, the Chairman of the Sharia Advisory Board, applauded the FDH Bank and said it is high time people learn about how Islamic Banking operates.

The country is also experiencing a surge in new political parties and aspiring politicians because of Malawi’s upcoming twenty twenty-five presidential elections.

On Sunday the 26th, Kondwani Nankhumwa announced the introduction of the People’s Development Party (or PDP). Nankhumwa is a former member of the Democratic Progressive Party (or DPP), which ruled the country in two different terms.

Nankhumwa’s PDP comes barely three months after he was expelled from the DPP for causing trouble within the party and breaking rules.

According to the party’s statement, the PDP is a beacon of progress and inclusivity in the political landscape, and a vehicle for positive change and collective prosperity.

Another political aspirant who has people talking is Jane Ansah, the former Chairperson for the Malawi Electoral Commission (or MEC). She is notorious for her role during the twenty nineteen Tripartite Elections - where people voted for a president, members of parliament and local government councilors. During this period, a fresh presidential election was held amidst corruptive practices. The whole debacle led to her resignation. She left for the UK a few weeks after stepping down from her position.

Now, Ansah has expressed her interest in contesting to be a member of Parliament for Ntcheu North West in the twenty twenty-five General Elections. She said she’ll run independently. She told local media that she feels she can make a difference now that she is retired.

Political analysts, including Ernest Thindwa and Wonderful Mkhutche, said Ansah’s move shouldn’t raise eyebrows as she is just exercising her constitutional right.

Other political aspirants had been flocking to the ruling Malawi Congress Party (or MCP), in the hope of securing positions in the National Executive Committee (or NEC) during the party’s convention in August. The NEC plays a huge role in the decisions that the MCP makes.

However, the new party members got a rude awakening after the MCP released this year’s eligibility criteria for members aspiring to join the NEC. One of the requirements is that contestants have to be a party member for a minimum of two years to qualify.

Ezekiel Ching’oma, the MCP Spokesperson, stressed that contestants should have demonstrated their commitment and dedication to the party’s values and goals.

In other news, locals who like traveling from Zomba to Lilongwe can now board a bus to do so. Prior to this, people had to rely on unofficial transport like lifts or taxis. On Saturday the 27th, Smart Coaches announced their new bus routes from Zomba to Lilongwe and back, at 8AM and 2PM.

However, Smart Coaches said these buses will only depart from Simama Hotel in Lilongwe, and not at their usual bus terminal located within the heart of Lilongwe city.

A seventy-one-year-old woman has decided to spend the rest of her days through music. This has taken the nation by storm, especially because her choice of music is Amapiano - a type of house music that originated in South Africa. She is also popular for her hairstyles, which are usually tinted bright colors, and her dance moves.

Christina Kholiyo, popularly known as Jetu, released a new song titled Chakwaza last week. The song amassed over 300 thousand views on YouTube in three days. After seeing her video, locals on social media said Jetu has the potential to go international.

Check out the song with the link in our show notes.

Another local, Stanley Chirwa, is also trending, but it's for alleged criminal activity. Chirwa is a lawyer who was arrested on suspicion of owning a stolen car that thugs in South Africa stole in twenty eighteen.

Peter Kalaya, the Malawi Police Spokesperson, said Chirwa went to get his car registered at the Road Traffic Offices on the 8th of April. However, they found that the car matched the particulars of the one stolen in South Africa. Kalaya said Chirwa is failing to explain how or where he bought his car, and that's why they have arrested him, so they can carry out their investigations.

Kalaya said Chirwa is also being investigated for other issues, including fraudulent delivery, and being found in possession of goods that were allegedly stolen.

And that’s it for this week! Thanks your joining us!

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Pitani bwino!