ICT: Good or bad for road safety?

To most of travellers on Malawi’s roads, gone are the days they could throw their hands in the air and look up to the sky in search of an answer in times of accidents, breakdowns and other unforeseen setbacks. Nowadays, common sights of such scenes are never short of people tapping their phones, sending the message to their beloved family friends or asking for a way out.

Power for economic rise

Mining can be offered all the political will it requires—but unless electricity supply improves, it won’t be worth much. JAMES CHAVULA tracks the power blights in commemoration of the International Energy Day today (Friday).

Putting subsidy future in mobile phone

The United States Agency for International Development (USaid) Malawi office is working on enhancing the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp) by using mobile phone technology.

Is a cash-free Malawi viable?

Along Chipembere Highway in Blantyre, there are bus stops that invite passersby to stop relying on coins and banknotes.

"Let’s make Malawi cash-free," proclaim the establishments branded by National Bank of Malawi (NBM) to market its mobile banking technologies—the internet-based Banknet, phone-aided MO626Ice and card-and-swipe visa point of sale (POS).

Detained in the line of duty

When journalists went marching on May 3, World Press Freedom Day (WPFD), they were a poster short of last year’s haul—one calling on government to "open advertising in all print media". Its absence was a testimony to the commendable step Malawi President Joyce Banda took by scraping off the ban his predecessor, the late Bingu wa Mutharika, imposed on some media institutions. Also abolished with the flags of Mutharika’ draconian rule is value added tax (VAT) which government imposed on newsprints as well as a law giving the Minister of Information powers to ban any publication deemed offensive and undesirable by government.

Malawi tourism in need of infrastructure

A zigzag ride through Khwekhwerere Road in the mountainous part of Dedza leads to a place known for its natural scenic beauty—Cape Maclear. Located on the southern tip of Lake Malawi, Cape Maclear is home to Lake Malawi National Park, the first fresh water national park in the world, and also a World Heritage Site.

Behind artificial fertilisers

Through the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp), government is promoting use of artificial fertilisers in crop production. ALBERT SHARRA explores the challenges such fertilisers pose to the nation.

Reducing prison congestion with informal courts

In the past, village head Makolosa of Traditional Authority Kapeni in Blantyre would not hesitate to send criminal cases to Lunzu and Blantyre police stations. Most of the suspects ended up in prison.

Labour gaps: System error?

March 31 2013 was meant to end a long wait for better pay, but April 1 turned out to be the fools day that it was for Hamilton Viyaje and his colleagues—they did not get their pay.

Banking outside brick walls

During a payday visit to Sankhulani Health Centre in Nsanje North, Melenia Mukongwa was not sure whether she had been paid what she had been working for all month long—her salary.