Malawi Update – Malawians in Sudan & more –27 April 2023

th of April: 2023

Since the war broke out in Sudan, some Malawians living there are stranded and in need of repatriation.

International reports say that the war started on the 15th of April and is mainly happening in the capital city Khartoum and the Darfur region, between Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Sudan's de facto Leader and Army Chief, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

On Tuesday the 24th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had recorded one hundred Malawians who were caught in the war, but said chances that the numbers could rise are high. They said plans to repatriate them back to Malawi are in progress.

John Kabaghe, the Spokesperson for the Ministry, assured that the government is doing all it can to repatriate its citizens to either Ethiopia or Egypt.

A local social media entrepreneur and motivational speaker is being sued for “duping” investors.

Kondwani Kachamba Ngwira became popular for conducting free training sessions on how to manufacture basic goods. For instance, he taught people how to make sugar from sugar cane in their own homes. Following his popularity, over three hundred business people invested between 250 thousand and 400 thousand Kwacha – about 240 and 390 dollars – into various projects such as a filling station and a cooking oil plant.

A local media house reported that Kachamba has since been sued by forty of his investors. After receiving court documents, Kachamba called his investors for a meeting – the first time in months – only to tell them their shares had shrunk.

According to an irate investor, Kachamba’s Revolutionary Farming Business, which had 205 members, only had a bank balance of sixty-seven thousand Kwacha – about sixty-five dollars – as of Saturday the 22nd, even though they all contributed an average of 250 thousand Kwacha, which is about 240 dollars. Their share value is currently at a little over seventy-five thousand Kwacha – about seventy-three dollars.

To make matters worse, an insider revealed that there is no paper trail since Kachamba controlled all the finances, and none of his projects have taken off.

Still on trending news, one of the country’s most popular security companies has had its company license revoked following a silly video they made about kidnapping Tonderai Banda, an event organizer and son of prominent lawyer Jai Banda.

On Sunday the 23rd, Yasin Suwedi, the Manager of Ichocho Power Security Company posted a now-deleted video where he jokingly said he had kidnapped Tonderai. He said he was holding him hostage until his father Jai partnered with the security company to petition the government to consider Ichocho as one of the country’s official military bodies.

The video angered some people, while others considered it a joke.

On Monday the 24th, Suwedi and Tonderai shot a video together and apologized. Tonderai assured that he had not been kidnapped and wasn’t in trouble. He said it was a joke.

Suwedi said he would never hurt Tonderai, and that he is on great terms with him and his father. He admitted that he took things too far, and asked for forgiveness.

Unfortunately, the government did not see the humor in this issue.

On Tuesday the 25th, Ken Zikhale N’goma, the Minister of Homeland Security, announced that the government had revoked Ichocho’s company license. He described the video as illegal and also said it is a threat to the citizenry and the country’s security. He warned locals to refrain from dramatizing the country’s security.

Later that day, a local media house revealed that over 250 people are at risk of losing their jobs at Ichocho, following the government’s move.

Some people think the punishment is too harsh, while others think it's okay, and that companies should be held to a high standard.

There is some great news for Pakistanis living in Malawi.

On Wednesday the 26th, Ethiopian Airlines and the Pakistan Oversees Community announced the introduction of a flight from Africa to Pakistan. They said the inaugural flight is scheduled for the 8th of May. To get a direct flight to Pakistan, people traveling from Malawi will have to fly to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and get their flight to Karachi, Pakistan.

This is great news for over nine million Pakistanis staying overseas. For those living in Malawi, this development means they will travel for about twelve hours instead of over forty hours.

Some people are looking forward to the Zomba City Festival.

On Saturday the 22nd, the organizers of the Zomba City Festival announced the line-up of some artists that will perform at the event.

Some of the artists performing include Rapper Nthondwa, Songstress Keturah, Dancehall artist Queen Fyah and Poet Q Malewezi. While talking to local media, Dereck Nyirenda, the Festival Director, said they would also have a fashion show during the festival.

Zomba City Festival is a celebration of the culture, heritage and natural beauty in Malawi’s ex-capital. It will take place from Friday the 28th to Monday the 1st.

Wanna know more? Link in our show notes!

The World Health Organization (or WHO) celebrated its 75th anniversary on the 7th of April, which also marks the global commemoration of World Health Day.

As part of their celebrations, the WHO highlighted public health achievements that have improved the quality of life during the last seven decades.

deaths per one thousand in: 2004

The WHO initially shared the post on World Health Day, but it trended on social media after Kenani shared it. Many people were happy and wished the same for other diseases such as cancer.

Unfortunately, the energy sector isn’t doing so great.

On Tuesday the 25th, local media revealed that all the gas stations in Mangochi district are out of petrol. They said the situation had been going on for two days, while other stations ran out of the commodity at the time of reporting.

Some motorists turned to the black market, where the quality of petrol isn’t always guaranteed.

Motorists in other districts started buying petrol in bulk in fear that this indicates a looming national fuel shortage.

On Thursday the 27th, Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (or MERA) released a statement on their Facebook page admitting that some parts of the country were experiencing sporadic petrol supply. They attributed this to challenges that fuel importers faced at the loading ports in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Beira, Mozambique.

They assured that the challenges had been resolved and that the fuel importers had started loading fuel at both ports and that some local filling stations had already started receiving fuel supply. They expect the fuel supply to be completely restored by this weekend.

They have urged locals to avoid panic buying, as the situation is only temporary.

The Malawi music industry experienced a major loss following the death of music producer Eril. Many artists took to social media to share and confirm the news on Tuesday the 25th, but no one divulged the circumstances surrounding his death.

He was laid to rest on Thursday the 27th.

A lot of artists and locals have been sharing their shock and condolences on social media. They described Eril – whose real name was Emmanuel Chabwera – as one of the country’s greatest producers. Others are revisiting the songs he worked on in hopes of keeping his memory alive.

A lot of locals are applauding Cecelia Bamusi, a local fashion designer, for a wedding dress that she created for a local couple that got married over the weekend. Bamusi owns and operates under her fashion house, Ciar Designs.

The wedding gown started trending on social media on Saturday the 22nd and is still making headlines, nearly a week later. The show-stopping moment of the dress is its front, which is covered in pearls and beads that were put together by hand.

A lot of people have said they are impressed with Bamusi’s work. Wanna see the dress too? Link in our show notes!

Aaaand that’s it for this week. Remember you can buy our 100% unbleached organic cotton, grown and ginned in Texas, spun and knit in the Carolinas, sewn and printed in Missouri t-shirts. The most environmentally friendly new t-shirt you’ll own. To get one, check the link in the show notes!

Pitani bwino!