Category: Government

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Malawi Electoral Commission developing new strategic plan

The Malawi Electoral Commission has embarked on an exercise of developing new strategic plan that will guide the electoral body’s activities from January 2023 to 2027.

The Commission held an inhouse session from 6th to 9th September, 2022 which was attended by representatives of staff from all the regions. During this session the staff reviewed the previous strategic plan which is coming to an end in December 2022 and developed a new mission, vision and core values as part of development of news strategy. 

Of unique noting is that the strategic plan is being developed using inhouse expertise through the Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Department.

Speaking during the workshop, MEC Chief Elections Officer, Mr Andrew Mpesi said he was confident that the staff would come up with a good product to direct the Commission for the next five years.

“Personally, I’m for use of internal expertise when developing the strategic plan. You people have been managing elections for long, you know the issues and you will come up with the best unlike engaging a consultant from outside to facilitate the process,” he said.

The period of the strategic plan will cover the Tripartite Elections in scheduled for September 2025.

Source: Malawi Electoral Commission

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British Royal Family’s passion for Malawi

LILONGWE, (CAJ News) – FROM the Queen Mother, through the just-departed Queen Elizabeth II, to the latter’s youngest grandson, Prince Harry, generations of the British Royal Family have developed a fondness for Malawi.

Malawi Tourism has looked back on the late Queen Elizabeth II’s connection to the country and how her reign encompassed historical moments for other royals.

She passed away last Thursday, aged 96, after 70 years at the helm.

Malawi, the Warm Heart of Africa, noted besides the abovementioned, her only daughter, Anne, the Princess Royal, also visited.

In 1979, Queen Elizabeth II visited Malawi for the first time.

Her 17-day tour of Southeast Africa took her to the Malawian capital city of Lilongwe.

Welcomed by the first president, Hastings Banda, Queen Elizabeth II visited various parts of that country.

These include the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, officially opened in 1959 by the Queen Mother (also named Queen Elizabeth).

Anne first visited in 1982 to undertake charitable work as President of Save the Children Fund.

She embarked on a four-day tour in 1999. The Princess Royal still supports many charitable projects in Malawi.

Harry is determined conservation work in Malawi.

Working with African Parks in 2016, the prince assisted on the ground with the translocation of 500 elephants from Majete Wildlife Reserve and Liwonde National Park to Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve.

Following this successful mission, and his regular returns to the country, he was named the President of African Parks, for whom Malawi is something of a flagship country.

“Alongside the rest of the world, Malawi mourns a highly valued, life-long friend and supporter and offers sincere thanks for her life of service,” Malawi Tourism concluded.

Source: CAJ News Agency

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Malawi receives climate risk insurance pay-out to help drought-affected households

  • Malawi Government chose cluster policies to cover different regions from drought
  • WFP Malawi receives US$14.2m pay-out following driest season since 1981

JOHANNESBURG, 08 JUNE 2022 — Drought-affected households in Malawi will receive swift relief with an upcoming climate insurance pay-out by African Risk Capacity (ARC) Limited to the Malawian government in June.

Malawi is a signatory of the ARC Treaty established by African Risk Capacity, a specialised agency of the African Union, aimed at helping AU member states improve their capacities to plan, prepare and respond to extreme weather events and natural disasters.

The objective of the ARC is to assist AU member states in reducing the risk of loss and damage caused by extreme weather events and natural disasters affecting Africa’s populations by providing targeted responses to disasters in a more timely, cost-effective, objective and transparent manner.

ARC Limited’s parametric insurance covers against weather-related perils which are occurring in increasing frequency and severity as the impact of climate change increases.

The Malawi Government had selected sub-national triggering risk transfer to address localised drought spells and insured a total of four cluster policies which covered different regions in the country, explains Lesley Ndlovu, ARC Limited CEO.

“We expect the pay-out amount in June to be over US$14.2 million which will be used to provide food assistance (in kind or cash) to vulnerable households, as well as scaling up an existing social cash transfer programme,” he adds.

The pay-out is but one component of the support provided by ARC, however. ARC is aligned with national policies and strategies — e.g. the Malawi National Disaster Risk Financing Strategy — so that whatever cash is made available can benefit the local people to best effect. To that end, an ARC delegation met with government and civil society last year to share insights about weather insurance for climate resilience and help authorities plan, prepare and respond to extreme weather events.

The US$14.2 million will be disbursed to the World Food Programme, which remains a crucial cog in advocating for better risk-management systems and funding related to climate-change effects.

In November last year, after drought and pests destroyed significant volumes of crops, up to 65,000 Malawian farming households received cash pay-outs — amounting to US$2.4 million in total — from a UN WFP agricultural insurance programme.

“With the changing climate, farming can be an uncertain business in Malawi, especially for smallholder farmers,” said Paul Turnbull, WFP Malawi country director and representative at the time. “The pay-outs are a springboard for farmers to continue their efforts in adapting to increased weather-related shocks, and in fighting both food insecurity and poverty.”

Source: African Risk Capacity

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Malawi bishops slam president Chakwera

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TDPel Media

Catholic bishops in Malawi have slammed what they describe as “political bickering” in the government led by President Lazarus Chakwera. In a pastoral letter, signed by seven bishops and read out Sunday in celebration of Lent, the bishops urged the Tonse Alliance parties to draw up joint programmes of action for the remainder of the government term. In the letter, the bishops were particularly critical of the slow decision-making of President Chakwera while also appealing for concrete action in the fight against corruption. According to the bishops, “Malawi lacks a legal framework for coalitio… Continue reading “Malawi bishops slam president Chakwera”

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Humanitarian Partners Seek $29.4 Million to Assist People Hardest Hit by Tropical Storm Ana in Malawi in Support of the Government-led Response

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TDPel Media

Humanitarian partners in Malawi have launched a Flash Appeal that urgently seeks US$29.4 million to provide vital assistance to 542,000 people who have been hardest hit by Tropical Storm Ana for the next three months, in support of the Government-led relief efforts. Tropical Storm Ana passed through many districts in southern Malawi in late January 2022, leaving behind devastation and destruction. Over 990,000 people were affected by the storm, according to Government figures. The Flash Appeal focuses on the six hardest-hit districts of Chikwawa, Nsanje, Phalombe, Mulanje, Chiradzulu and Balak… Continue reading “Humanitarian Partners Seek $29.4 Million to Assist People Hardest Hit by Tropical Storm Ana in Malawi in Support of the Government-led Response”