Several developments have happened since I wrote an article on Malawi media and the internet a few months ago. One notable thing is the improvement of the two popular media houses’ websites.
Zodiak Broadcasting Radio has improved their website and this year Malawians had a rare opportunity of finding the examination results on the internet. The country’s examining body, Malawi National Examinations Board (MANEB), does not have a website (or is it that I don’t know about it?) so Zodiak published the results on their site. It was the same with the 2010 University of Malawi Entrance Exams.
The award winning publishing house, Blantyre Newspapers Limited, is now operating a new website which covers all of its publications, The Daily Times, Sunday Times and Malawi News. Even though at times it is updated a bit late; the BNL Times website is becoming popular among people who need to know what is happening in Malawi. The site is well designed and is interactive and easy to navigate.
Another Malawi online news site was launched recently. The Maravi Post is an improvement of blog called Malawi Politics. It now focuses on a broader picture of what is happening in Malawi than concentrating on politics alone. A seasoned journalist and blogger, Kondwani Bell Munthali is one of the people behind this site which promises to be a trusted source of Malawi News.
The popularity of Facebook, Twitter, Mocospace and other social networking sites among Malawians has contributed to the birth of a Malawian owned social site, ifeyo.com. The brain child of Justin Malewezi Jnr and Hetherwick Ntaba Jnr (sons of well known politicians), ifeyo.com is a platform for young Malawians to network, share pictures, videos and music. It also acts as a discussion forum for young people on various issues concerning them.
With the more and more sites turning to the mobile platform, Malawian developers are not to be left out. Two young Malawians recently launched a site to upload, download and promote music from the mobile phone. Mwtunes.com is giving chance to upcoming musicians to expose their music to the world.
Things are really moving in the Malawian cyberspace even though accessing the internet remains a challenge to an average Malawian. It is still very expensive for one to use the internet especially in the rural areas.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
CONGRATULATIONS VICTOR KAONGA
News that Victor Kaonga, a reknowned Broadcaster, Blogger and Christian has been asked to act as a National Director of Transworld Radio Malawi did not come as a surprise to me. I have always believed that Victor is destined for great things. His humility, hardworking, passion for the work of Christ and his interest in learning new things positioned him for success.
I first heard of Victor on Transworld Radio a few years back. In fact it was him and Cryton Chikoko that inspired me everytime I listened to Transworld. I later learnt that they both have blogs and I have followed, Ndagha, ever since. This is what inspired me to start maintaining blogs. I still have time to listen to Transworld radio and my favourite program is Climbing Higher ( a program that addresses biblical issues affecting young people).
I personally met Victor on 29th December 2007 at Lilongwe Girls Secondary School when he came with Dr. Dixie Maluwa who was preaching at our (St James CCAP) youth camp. Though he was not on the program, he took time to answer a few questions from the young people aspiring to be journalists. I was one of them!!!! He later posted about the youth camp on his blog.
Come February 22, 2010, Victor takes over from Rev. Patrick Semphere as Acting National Director of Transworld Radio Malawi. Congratulations!!!! I also like the way Victor manages to use the new media without losing touch of the traditional media. I wish him a successful stay at the helm of a radio that inspires young people…….
I first heard of Victor on Transworld Radio a few years back. In fact it was him and Cryton Chikoko that inspired me everytime I listened to Transworld. I later learnt that they both have blogs and I have followed, Ndagha, ever since. This is what inspired me to start maintaining blogs. I still have time to listen to Transworld radio and my favourite program is Climbing Higher ( a program that addresses biblical issues affecting young people).
I personally met Victor on 29th December 2007 at Lilongwe Girls Secondary School when he came with Dr. Dixie Maluwa who was preaching at our (St James CCAP) youth camp. Though he was not on the program, he took time to answer a few questions from the young people aspiring to be journalists. I was one of them!!!! He later posted about the youth camp on his blog.
Come February 22, 2010, Victor takes over from Rev. Patrick Semphere as Acting National Director of Transworld Radio Malawi. Congratulations!!!! I also like the way Victor manages to use the new media without losing touch of the traditional media. I wish him a successful stay at the helm of a radio that inspires young people…….
Monday, February 22, 2010
ACCIDENTS
For the past two weeks over 3 people have died on the Robert Mugabe Highway (popularly called Midima) which starts from Limbe to Mulanje. These are just a few victims of road accidents which are most common in this part of Malawi. I have come to observe that accidents are common in these areas because of two things:
1. The most common means of transport in this area is the bicycle (just as it is the case with most rural areas of Malawi). There is a popular joke that they are more bicycles in Mulanje than people. Unfortunately most of these cyclists are ignorant of the rules of the road or choose to ignore the rules. You will find a cyclist riding on the very centre of a road when he sees that no vehicle is around. Most of the accidents involve motorists and cyclists and in most cases the cyclists are the victims.
SOLUTION: Intensive civic education. I know that the relevant authorities have been carrying out campaigns to train educate the cyclists but its effects are yet to bear fruits. Come to Nkando, Bvumbwe, Muloza, Chinakanaka and see how cyclists control traffic. There is a popular program on the state controlled radio, Malangizo a Pansewu which gives advice to road users. Do the cyclists listen to this program?
2. Most of the markets in this part of Malawi are in the road side. When its market day in Bvumbwe or Nkando its very difficult to travel using a vehicle. And these are the days when lots of accidents happen. People sell their various wares along the road because the places that the markets were assigned are close to the roads.
SOLUTION: The relevant athourities should move the markets to better areas instead of the roads.
As am writing this some familes are grieving for the lives of their dear ones who have died in these accidents. I believe that we could have prevented these accidents.
1. The most common means of transport in this area is the bicycle (just as it is the case with most rural areas of Malawi). There is a popular joke that they are more bicycles in Mulanje than people. Unfortunately most of these cyclists are ignorant of the rules of the road or choose to ignore the rules. You will find a cyclist riding on the very centre of a road when he sees that no vehicle is around. Most of the accidents involve motorists and cyclists and in most cases the cyclists are the victims.
SOLUTION: Intensive civic education. I know that the relevant authorities have been carrying out campaigns to train educate the cyclists but its effects are yet to bear fruits. Come to Nkando, Bvumbwe, Muloza, Chinakanaka and see how cyclists control traffic. There is a popular program on the state controlled radio, Malangizo a Pansewu which gives advice to road users. Do the cyclists listen to this program?
2. Most of the markets in this part of Malawi are in the road side. When its market day in Bvumbwe or Nkando its very difficult to travel using a vehicle. And these are the days when lots of accidents happen. People sell their various wares along the road because the places that the markets were assigned are close to the roads.
SOLUTION: The relevant athourities should move the markets to better areas instead of the roads.
As am writing this some familes are grieving for the lives of their dear ones who have died in these accidents. I believe that we could have prevented these accidents.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
PRESIDENT FOR A DAY
Throughout the month of February, BBC World Service is giving a chance to its African listeners a chance to present a presidential inaugural address. These addresses are aired daily on their Network Africa programmes. As an avid listener of this program i sent out my speech and i thought of publishing it on this blog. Read it below:
PRESIDENT FOR A DAY
REBUILDING MALAWI
Let me start by thanking all the people who voted for me to this position of President of the Republic of Malawi. It was not an easy thing to compete with all the candidates who gave out a spirited challenge. In the same breath I would like to extend my invitation to all the losing candidates to join me in leading Malawi for the next five years. I have read all the manifestos you presented during campaign and there are several things which when added to our manifesto will help the people of Malawi. I have delayed in choosing my cabinet waiting for the response from the other presidential aspirants and their parties. It is for our benefit as Malawians. United we stand divided we fall!!
I have titled my speech”Rebuilding Malawi” simply because that is the only thing that we can do to make it a better place to live. Our country is in ruins because of the type of leadership we have had in the past years. There is a problem with our economy. Yes, we are making strides on paper but people are still suffering in the villages. Our education system is in tatters and needs to be attended if we are to build a better Malawi. I know that most of the people gracing this inaugural ceremony are unemployed; I will work to create more jobs.
As a country we have a lot of resources which, if shared properly, can be enough for everyone. The first step to make this a reality is to limit the amount of allowances given to public servants. Imagine a President is at liberty to have millions and millions of Kwachas in bank accounts at the expense of a farmer in Nsanje. Ministers, Members of Parliament and Principal Secretaries are driving posh vehicles disregarding the people they are supposed to serve. I seek to end this!! I know there some who are hard working and deserve to have riches but there are others who are just abusing taxpayer’s money. They are where they are because of your votes and taxes while you are still suffering!!
When a person has basic needs in life and is happy that’s when we can involve him in developmental activities. We will only talk of infrastructure development when we share the national cake equally. When every home is able to feed itself, send children to school and have a good house. You all pay tax in one way or another so you should enjoy being a Malawian and using Malawian resources. When choosing my cabinet, I will look for people who are selfless, who are prepared to lead and not to be worshipped. I need people who will be on the ground to understand people’s problems and find a way to sort them.
In rebuilding Malawi we need good roads, railways and a thriving water transport. We don’t have time to waste and every minute, every person (ruling or opposition) counts. As long as you are a Malawian we need you, your ideas and any type of contribution you can make. You have been ignored for too long and now time has come to take part in rebuilding Malawi to your satisfaction. We have wise people in the villages that have been sidelined simply because they had no resources to compete with the rich in elections. We need you now!!
I also want to find an alternative to our economy’s reliance on agriculture. As much as we are proud of being farmers, little progress is made to our economy. Our forefathers used to farm on the same land we are using now but only a few things developed. We are going the same route that the previous regimes had stumbled. They had to rely on the rain pattern and prices of our farm produce. Do we have to make the same mistake? NO!! There is a lot we can do to earn foreign currency, technology for instance. My fellow Malawians things are changing; people are making a lot of money out of technology. If we embrace technology we can make a lot of money for the country. We need to teach our children right from the nursery school through to the colleges. Only then will we be able to find foreign currency using others means apart from agriculture.
In closing I would like to remind you that together we can build a better Malawi. My presidency is your presidency, be proud of it. At the end of the day it is all of us (Malawians) who will be winners and we will retire happily knowing that we have secured a future for the coming generations.…..VIVA MALAWI
PRESIDENT FOR A DAY
REBUILDING MALAWI
Let me start by thanking all the people who voted for me to this position of President of the Republic of Malawi. It was not an easy thing to compete with all the candidates who gave out a spirited challenge. In the same breath I would like to extend my invitation to all the losing candidates to join me in leading Malawi for the next five years. I have read all the manifestos you presented during campaign and there are several things which when added to our manifesto will help the people of Malawi. I have delayed in choosing my cabinet waiting for the response from the other presidential aspirants and their parties. It is for our benefit as Malawians. United we stand divided we fall!!
I have titled my speech”Rebuilding Malawi” simply because that is the only thing that we can do to make it a better place to live. Our country is in ruins because of the type of leadership we have had in the past years. There is a problem with our economy. Yes, we are making strides on paper but people are still suffering in the villages. Our education system is in tatters and needs to be attended if we are to build a better Malawi. I know that most of the people gracing this inaugural ceremony are unemployed; I will work to create more jobs.
As a country we have a lot of resources which, if shared properly, can be enough for everyone. The first step to make this a reality is to limit the amount of allowances given to public servants. Imagine a President is at liberty to have millions and millions of Kwachas in bank accounts at the expense of a farmer in Nsanje. Ministers, Members of Parliament and Principal Secretaries are driving posh vehicles disregarding the people they are supposed to serve. I seek to end this!! I know there some who are hard working and deserve to have riches but there are others who are just abusing taxpayer’s money. They are where they are because of your votes and taxes while you are still suffering!!
When a person has basic needs in life and is happy that’s when we can involve him in developmental activities. We will only talk of infrastructure development when we share the national cake equally. When every home is able to feed itself, send children to school and have a good house. You all pay tax in one way or another so you should enjoy being a Malawian and using Malawian resources. When choosing my cabinet, I will look for people who are selfless, who are prepared to lead and not to be worshipped. I need people who will be on the ground to understand people’s problems and find a way to sort them.
In rebuilding Malawi we need good roads, railways and a thriving water transport. We don’t have time to waste and every minute, every person (ruling or opposition) counts. As long as you are a Malawian we need you, your ideas and any type of contribution you can make. You have been ignored for too long and now time has come to take part in rebuilding Malawi to your satisfaction. We have wise people in the villages that have been sidelined simply because they had no resources to compete with the rich in elections. We need you now!!
I also want to find an alternative to our economy’s reliance on agriculture. As much as we are proud of being farmers, little progress is made to our economy. Our forefathers used to farm on the same land we are using now but only a few things developed. We are going the same route that the previous regimes had stumbled. They had to rely on the rain pattern and prices of our farm produce. Do we have to make the same mistake? NO!! There is a lot we can do to earn foreign currency, technology for instance. My fellow Malawians things are changing; people are making a lot of money out of technology. If we embrace technology we can make a lot of money for the country. We need to teach our children right from the nursery school through to the colleges. Only then will we be able to find foreign currency using others means apart from agriculture.
In closing I would like to remind you that together we can build a better Malawi. My presidency is your presidency, be proud of it. At the end of the day it is all of us (Malawians) who will be winners and we will retire happily knowing that we have secured a future for the coming generations.…..VIVA MALAWI
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