MALAWI: Pinkeye & more – 4th Apr 2024

Muli bwanji from BA! This is the Rorshok Malawi Update from the 4th of April twenty twenty-four. A quick summary of what's going down in Malawi.

On Saturday the 30th, the Public Health Institute revealed that the country registered over 6,500 cases of pinkeye in the last two weeks, totaling around 13,500 cases this year in twenty-six districts. The first case of pinkeye was recorded on the 1st of February in Karonga District, showing that the disease is spreading rapidly.

Despite these statistics, Adrian Chikumbe, the Spokesperson at the Ministry of Health, admitted that they have not done much to raise awareness of pinkeye, since the ministry is struggling with other interventions for diseases like cholera.

Save Kumwenda, the President of the Malawi Environmental Health Association, said people should observe hygiene, such as washing hands with soap.

Pinkeye is an infectious disease in the eyes transmitted through contact with contaminated objects or infected people. Signs and symptoms include pink or red color in the white part of the eye, itching, and eye discharge.

Recent statistics also show that cervical cancer is among one of the country’s deadliest diseases. Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, the Minister of Health, revealed that out of 100 thousand women, over 51 percent lost their lives to cervical cancer in twenty twenty-three alone. She said Malawi has one of the highest cervical cancer mortality rates worldwide, ranging between 51 and 70 percent per 100 thousand women.

Chiponda made the revelation during the opening of the twenty twenty-four National Cervical Cancer Symposium last Thursday the 28th in Lilongwe. Among others, the symposium aimed to secure government, donor and private sector support to help eliminate cervical cancer in Malawi.

Still on statistics, Malawi didn’t do well in the twenty twenty-four World Happiness Report by the International Monetary Fund (or IMF), which measures people’s quality of life. The nation got 136th place out of 143 countries. According to the report, Malawians’ quality of life is decreasing due to socio-economic challenges.

However, the statistics indicate a slight increase from last year, which placed Malawi at 138.

While commenting on the issue, Derrick Thomo, an economist, urged the government to promote sustainable economic growth by creating jobs, investing in agriculture, and supporting small and medium enterprises.

Perhaps shareholders of the NBS Bank will be slightly well-off, considering that they will receive their third interim dividend of 4.37 billion Kwacha or 2.5 million dollars on Friday the 26th of April. However, the only beneficiaries will be those who are recorded in the members’ register of NBS by Friday the 19th. According to the bank’s statement, the register will be closed from Saturday the 20th to Monday the 22nd and no transfers will be registered during that time.

The statement also says the ex-dividend date has been set for Wednesday the 17th. The ex-dividend date is the day that shares begin trading without the subsequent dividend value.

The rest of the country may benefit from the directive the Ministry of Energy gave last December to stop the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (or ESCOM) from increasing its electricity tariffs by nearly forty-one percent.

Last year, the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (or MERA) approved ESCOM’s proposed increase in electricity tariffs. But in December, the Ministry suspended the tariffs until this Monday, the 1st of April.

But Austin Theu, the Energy Officer at the Ministry, told ESCOM that the directive is still in force and that the government will provide official communication in due course.

Kitty Chingota, the ESCOM Chief Public Relations Officer, said the delay is affecting their operations, and could impact their service delivery.

In other news, during the twenty twenty-three fuel scarcity, MERA banned gas stations from selling fuel to customers who were using jerry cans to avoid consumer fuel hoarding.

On Sunday the 31st, Henry Kachaje, the Chief Executive Officer for MERA, lifted the ban. Now, consumers can buy twenty liters of fuel in jerry cans. In his statement, Kachaje said the move will provide convenience to customers, especially those who use their fuel for their machinery, including generators.

However, he emphasized that consumers adhere to fuel storage guidelines to avoid potential hazards like fire accidents.

Speaking of MERA, on Wednesday the 3rd, the Authority announced that they are taking applications from electrical and renewable installers and suppliers who would like to receive or upgrade their permits. The permits, handed out by the Electrical Installation Permits Committee, legitimize electrical engineers and other individuals or entities offering similar skills. This helps them win high-profit contracts and grants, especially if they are looking to work with the government.

To apply for a permit, you need to submit copies of your company’s registration certificate, national identity card, relevant electrical or renewable energy academic and professional qualifications, among others. Applications close on Friday the 12th.

For more details, follow the link in our show notes.

A few weeks ago, the Reserve Bank devalued the Kwacha by three percent. Now, some companies have adjusted the prices of their offerings. For instance, on Saturday the 30th, Castel Malawi Limited—the country’s biggest alcohol manufacturer—announced that all the prices in their beer category had undergone a price increase. The new prices became effective on the Monday the 1st.

Most of their beverages have gone up by 200 Kwacha or twelve US cents. For example, one crate of Carlsberg Green and Carlsberg Special will now sell at 2,600 Kwacha or a dollar and fifty cents, up from 2,400 Kwacha or about a dollar and forty cents — which was already quite expensive.

The prices of their spirit beverages, such as Malawi Gin and Premier Brandy, haven’t changed.

Up next, the Eid holiday.

Muslims have been fasting under their holy month of Ramadhan. On Wednesday the 3rd, the Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture said that, according to the Muslim Association of Malawi (or MAM), Eid Ul Fitr prayers may be held on Wednesday the 10th or Thursday the 11th, depending on the sighting of the new moon.

The new moon marks the end of Ramadhan. If MAM sights the moon on Wednesday the 10th, then the Eid Ul Fitr public holiday will be observed on Thursday the 11th.

MAM has advised the public to look out for the announcement concerning the new moon sighting, as it dictates whether people show up to work or school the following day. You can follow MAM’s updates on their Facebook page.

In trending news, on Wednesday the 3rd, Paul Mpheluka, a police officer based in Dedza district, shot and killed his girlfriend, Sabina Bwanali, and then she fatally shot himself too. The incident happened at the Bwanali’s house in an area called Mabush.

Local authorities are yet to reveal the reasons behind Mpheluka’s actions, but some rumors on social media say he was angry with Bwanali because she had gone out the night before with her friends without his consent. The two got into a fight the following morning, leading to their deaths.

Meanwhile in Lilongwe, some unknown criminals raided the girls’ hostels at DMI St’ John’s Baptist University around 3 AM on Thursday the 4th. According to reports, the thieves had panga knives. They tied up the guards on the campus and went on to steal several students’ phones and laptops.

The police and school authorities are yet to comment on the matter, but social media trends show pictures from some of the affected students a few minutes after the theft occurred. A lot of them had gathered outside, fearful to return to their rooms after the incident.

In our last bit of news, two footballers playing for the women’s national football team have made the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations, or COSAFA nominees list for the Women's Promising Player Award.

The two—Rose Kabzere and Leticia Chinyamula—are both midfielders for the Scorchers.

COSAFA will host the prestigious awards on the 19th of April in Durban, South Africa.

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

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