Jungle jex to drop “Nena” with Moshu records

Jungle jex

Renowned urban artist Jungle Jex will on the 16^th January 2018 drop one of his new singles titled “Nena”.
 

Speaking in an interview with Malawi News Agency on Wednesday, the artist whose real name is Ezra Williams said the single is a welcoming of the New Year.

“It is one of my best song singles that I have released so far and I hope that my fans will also enjoy it when it is out. It is also like welcoming the New Year so I thought it wise to give something to my fans for the support they give me,” said jungle.

The song has been produced by Moshu records in Lilongwe. The hit is trying to appreciate the love that a girl gives to his boyfriend.

“People should expect more music from me as I am also working on an album and by the end of this year I will drop it,” added Jungle. (By Rahim Kamwana-Lilongwe, 11 January. Mana)

Heavy rains destroy school block

 

A roof toilet blown off at Kaphala Primary School. Pic courtesy of Mariette Kadewere-Disaster Desk Officer

Iron sheets thrown metres away from school block. Pic courtesy of Mariette Kadewere-Disaster Desk Officer

The affected school block at Kaphula Primary School. Pic courtesy of Mariette Kadewere-Disaster Desk Officer.

Stormy rains have blown off roofs of a school block at Kaphala Primary School in Traditional Authority Mazengera in Lilongwe, leaving pupils desperate for shelter. 

 

In an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana), Disaster Management Desk Officer for Lilongwe, Mariette Kadewere, confirmed the incident saying the incident occurred Wednesday following the rain storm that hit the area.

 

“Lilongwe received heavy rains on Wednesday accompanied by strong winds which blew off the roof of a school block and toilets at Kaphala Primary School and other schools yet to be assessed,” said Kadewere.

 

She said the heavy rains have also affected other surrounding villages and a classroom block at Machite Primary School which is 10 kilometers away from Kaphala.

 

Kadewere indicated that houses too were not spared but the council is yet to establish how many have been affected.

 

”Apart from destroying the classroom blocks, the heavy rains have also affected several villages in the same area destroying property and crops,” she said.

 

“The reports that we got indicate that the rain storm has destroyed a lot of property and that those that were not in their homes had to lie down up until it was calm as they couldn’t run to their homes or nearby buildings,” said Kadewere.

 

Some villages in Traditional Authority Kabudula have also been affected including group village heads Kaphiri and Kalumba. Kadewere said the council had arranged to pay a visit on Thursday morning to assess the damage.( By Chimwemwe Njoloma-Lilongwe, January 11, Mana)

Malawi's population problem

By Bryson Jumbe

Malawi's population has increased drastically over the past years.

As of 1990, the country's population was estimated to be around 9 million.

In the year 2000 the population reached 11.3 million.

Now the population is over 18 million, growing at a rate of 2.7 percent.

As a result [holding all other contributing factors such as plunder of public resources aside], we are left to scramble for infrastructure facilities and other meagre resources.

With every rise in population, land continues to diminish per hectare hence giving rise to cases of encroachment on uninhabitable areas.

The electricity supply entity finds a worthy excuse on the high demand population-driven mismatch to supply.

Primary schools are flooded, some are learning in the comfort of shaded trees.

Public university intake is limited.

Hospitals are crowded with some patients sleeping on floors.

Our correctional facilities too haven't been spared.

The list is endless.

China had (or has) a similar problem. They had to institute a one-child policy per family though it was later reversed.

But the policy resulted in China's population growth rate falling to 0.7 percent as recorded in 2014.

This piece is not advocating for a similar policy, but it's time to approach the matter with the seriousness it deserves.

The increase in population is continuously becoming a burden too huge on Government to bear.

[Population figures are based on UN data]

Ministry of Health ready to protect pupils in School feeding program from Cholera

 

pupils from Mafutsa Primary school receives porridge courtesy of School feeding Program-pic by Lisa Kadango Vintulla

Lilongwe, January 8, Mana: The Ministry of Health says it is prepared to contain any diarrhoea infection caused by water and food contamination, following the opening of schools across the country where school feeding program is being implemented.

Spokesperson in the Ministry Of Health, Joshua Malango said this during an interview with MANA on Monday in Lilongwe.

He said government is aware of how cholera could easily spread to school children as some parts of the country are experiencing the outbreak.

“We have intensified the prevention of cholera through campaign messages to all schools across the country and our health surveillance assistants are all over working where there is feeding program to ensure that hygiene is not compromised,” stressed Malango.

Malango said, “Teachers and guardians must ensure that pupils are using clean cups and plates when getting the porridge from schools under this program at all times.”

He said the major challenge in the fight against cholera outbreak in schools where the school feeding program is running is that children still use water from unprotected sources like rivers to wash their cups and plates.

“Government is appealing to school authorities as well as the community leaders surrounding the schools to take a big role to ensure that children served with porridge are well protected and use of treated water should be observed at all times,” he appealed.        

The Ministry of Health, with support from World Food Program started the school feeding program in 24 selected primary schools in 1994 and was extended to other schools in the three cities namely Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu.

The program reduces absenteeism caused by lack of food and that parents are encouraged to send their children to schools, which has resulted in high enrolment in schools benefiting from the program.

Speaking in an interview with a member for Mafutsa Primary School PTA, Lameck Tsumba in Dedza, said the school management is aware of the cholera outbreak and that prevention measures have been intensified.

“We have volunteers from Malawi Red Cross Society who help us to prepare the porridge for the pupils as well as making sure that the plates used are clean at all times,” said Tsumba.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health together with Ministry of Education are working hand in hand to spread messages in schools on the dangers of cholera which started in Karonga a month ago that has resulted into four deaths.

According to the Ministry of Health, current statistics indicate that Karonga has now recorded 155 cases, Lilongwe has recorded 18, Nkhata Bay 18, Salima 5, Dowa has registered two cases while Kasungu has recorded one case.

The mainstream media and 'fake news'

By Bryson Jumbe

Trump

APM

Bushiri

There have been reports of 'fake news' or false stories against prominent figures the world over.

Social media platforms have often been criticised for propagating such news, but the mainstream media has come under scrutiny too.

US President Donald Trump is one of the main critics of the mainstream media.

At one point Trump singled out media outlets such as CNN, ABC and NBC as 'fake news.'

The president points to among other things the economic resurgence his administration has achieved so far, but not given enough media attention.

Instead, he says the media is focused on the alleged Russia's involvement in the US election.

In his latest attack on "fake news media" Trump says he will award the 'most dishonest and corrupt media' this Monday (tomorrow).

Here at home, President Arthur Peter Mutharika (APM) has taken over three years of his presidency to loosen his perspective on the media, particularly the private.

APM has often accused the media of negative reporting, which is slightly off the mark of 'fake news.'

But the President was made to clarify on an alleged case of distorted reporting regarding zicheche (yams) and zitete (grasshoppers).

The president is said to have advised people [during the food crisis period last year] to eat 'zicheche' but some media houses quoted him as saying the latter.

Recently, the president had a rare one-on-one interview with Zodiak Broadcasting Corporation's Gospel Kazako.

It is, however, highly unlikely that he will extend such an opportunity to other private media houses.

Another high-profile person on the receiving end of 'fake news' is Prophet Shepherd Bushiri.

Late last year, a certain local media outlet carried a story alleging that Bushiri said he can end the country's power problems in 48 hours.

However, the video of the conference on which the said remark was made proved otherwise.

It is from this background that there have been calls for responsible reporting amongst media operators.

The media is bound by the duty to ethical journalism.