Lilongwe District Council

30/05/2026

Challenges Persist in Malawi’s Early Childhood Development Sector

Early Childhood Development (ECD) advocates have called on government, community leaders and development partners to prioritise and adequately finance ECD initiatives to strengthen human capital development in Malawi.

National Chairperson for the ECD Task Force on Financing and Advocacy, Rev. Nase Chunga, made the remarks on Friday during an engagement meeting with council members in Lilongwe aimed at discussing the council’s vision and plans for ECD implementation through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

Chunga said Malawi cannot achieve the aspirations of Malawi 2063, particularly the goal of ensuring that every child attains 12 years of quality education, without prioritising ECD at both national and local levels.

He stressed that ECD remains critically underfunded, noting that the sector currently receives only 0.06 percent of the national budget against the minimum international benchmark of two percent, equivalent to about K90 billion annually as envisaged under Malawi 2063.

“Currently, only K1,971 is being spent on each child compared to the recommended K76,471. This huge financing gap is negatively affecting the quality of ECD services in the country,” said Chunga.

According to Chunga, inadequate funding has resulted in several challenges, including poor learning outcomes, untrained and demotivated caregivers, inadequate infrastructure and a severe service delivery crisis.

He therefore urged local councils to prioritise the construction of quality ECD infrastructure and provide incentives and honoraria to caregivers, many of whom work on a voluntary basis.

Lilongwe District Council Social Welfare Officer Derrick Mwenda, described the meeting as timely and impactful, saying it highlighted the need for a mindset change among key duty bearers at district level, including Traditional Authorities (TAs), councillors and Members of Parliament.

29/05/2026

GVH Malembo Leads Clean-Up Exercise at Malembo Market

Group Village Head (GVH) Malembo, together with fellow traditional leaders and Ward Councillor Gideon Masache, on Friday organized a clean-up exercise at Malembo Market in response to Presidential Executive Order Number 2 of 2026 on sanitation and hygiene issued by President Peter Mutharika.

The Executive Order mandates strict sanitation and hygiene standards in public places across the country as part of efforts to promote cleanliness and prevent the spread of waterborne diseases.

Speaking after the exercise, GVH Malembo urged vendors and other people doing business at the market to maintain cleanliness by avoiding indiscriminate littering, saying poor sanitation could lead to outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as cholera.

She emphasized that keeping the market clean is a shared responsibility that requires collective efforts from both traders and community members.

The clean-up exercise attracted the participation of men and women in uniform, government officials from various departments, market committee members, and business people operating at the market.

25/05/2026

Nduna yoona zama boma ang'ono ndi chitukuko chammadera akumidzi a Dr. Ben Malunga Phiri asimikizila anthu ochita malonda omwe asamukila ku msika wa By-pass mzinda wa Lilongwe kuti boma lichita chotheka chili chonse kuti msika-wu ukhale wapamwamba.

A Phiri ayankhula izi atayendela msikawu Lolemba kuti akaziwonele okha momwe anthu akuchitira malonda mu msika-wo.

Yiwo ati ndiwokhutila ndimomwe msikawu wayambira ndipo apempha khonsolo ya boma la Lilongwe kuti lichilimike ponkoza zinthu zina zomwe zasalira mu msikawu.
Poyankhulapo-so Wapampando wa Khonsolo ya boma la Lilongwe a Sekelani Kansikili athokoza boma kamba ka chidwi chomwe awonesa kuti msika-wu ukhale wapamwamba.
A Kansikili apempha boma kuti lifulumizise kupeleka ndalama zamu ndondomeko ya CDF ndi cholinga choti khonsolo-yi tikhoze zinthu zina ndi zina zofunikila mu msikawu.

M'mawu ake Wapampando wa msika-wu a Leonard Kuchombo wati msika-wu wayamba bwino kwambiri ndipo anthu oposa 1,500 alowa kale msikawu.

:Andrew Mkonda

23/05/2026

-passmarket

Pamene msika wa Wakawaka watsekedwa, anthu onse amene amachita malonda mu msika-wo tsopano asamukila ku msika wa By-pass.

Ngakhale chakumamawa-ku kunali kusagwilizana ndi ochita malonda a njinga za kabaza koma akulu-akulu aku khonsolo ya Lilongwe, motsongozedwa ndi Mkulu oona za chuma ku khonsolo-yi Dr. Edson Zaniko, apolisi ndi a komiti yo yang'anila msikawu anakambirana mwa bata ndi mtendere ndipo zonse zili mchimake tsopano.

Umu ndimene ziliri ku msika wa By-pass pano:

15/05/2026

08/05/2026

Wapampando wa Khonsolo ya boma la Lilongwe a Sekelani Kansikili athokoza boma payambisa pologilamu ya BEFIT yomwe akuti yikuthandiza kwambiri ophunzila kuziwa kuwelenga.

A Kansikili ayankhula izi pa sukulu ya primary ya Mpingwi m'boma-li pa mwambo wachiwoneselo Cha pologilamu-yi.

Iwo ati kudzela ku pologilamu-yi ana ambiri ali ndi chidwi pamaphunziro awo zomwe zathandizaso kuti asiye zojomba-jomba ku sukulu.

M'mawu ake, Mkulu woona zamaphunziro m'boma la Lilongwe a Sophie Mthiko apempha makolo, mafumu ndi adindo onse kuti athandizile pa ntchito yopitisa patsogolo maphunziro komaso pologilamu ya BEFIT.

Ndipo poyankhula m'malo mwa ophunzila apa sukulu ya Mpingwi, Focus Filisa wa standard 4 wati waphunzila zambiri kudzela pa makina omwe bungwe la BEFIT linapeleka pa sukulu-yo.

Dela la zamaphunziro kolowela dzuwa m'boma-li lili ndi sukulu zokwana 51 komwe ana akuphunzila kudzela pa makina a komputa.

:Andrew Mkonda

01/05/2026

Building Education Foundation Through Innovation and Technology (BEFIT) program has transformed education in Lilongwe by improving literacy and numeracy skills among learners.
Head teacher for Nasala Primary School, Emmanuel Magrao told journalists on Thursday during a media tour that BEFIT’s interactive and technology-driven approach has made a significant impact, particularly on learners in Standards 1 to 4.

"We have seen a remarkable improvement in reading and numeracy skills, especially among Standard 3 and 4 learners. This progress is also reflected in standardized examinations, where performance has significantly improved," he said.

Magrao further said that the program [Befit] has not only enhanced academic performance but also encouraged better school attendance and reduced dropout rate among learners.

And speaking on behalf of other leaners at Nasala primary school Getrude Kamoto, a standard 3 learner said the program has transformed her academic journey.

"When I came at this school, I struggled with reading. But with the tablet lessons, I can now read fluently, manipulate numbers, and confidently answer comprehension questions," she said.

Similarly, a standard 4 learner at Mpatsankhondo Primary School, Kennedy Kosamu said he had no any motivation of going to school, but since the introduction of Befit programme he has found attending classes as more beneficial than staying at home.

Speaking in a separate interview, Ministry of Education Spokesperson Lilly Kampani said it is interesting that the programme is making strides in improving foundational skills from standard one to four.

However, Kampani said the Ministry is making every effort in making sure that leaners are learning in a conducive environment and increasing number of teachers in schools.

Lilongwe district is currently having a total of 117 schools under BEFIT as follows: Lilongwe Rural West 51 schools, while Lilongwe Rural East has 40 and Lilongwe Urban has 26 schools.

: Andrew Mkonda

Mana/amb

28/04/2026

of Justice

Ministry of Justice Kicks Off Review of National Intellectual Property Policy

Ministry of Justice, in partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), has launched a National Stakeholders Consultation Workshop in Lilongwe to review Malawi’s National Intellectual Property Policy (NIPPS).

Speaking Monday during the event, Solicitor General and Secretary for Justice, Getrude Lynn Hiwa, said intellectual property is central to driving innovation and economic growth.

“IP catalyses innovators, researchers, and entrepreneurs to transform ideas into tangible economic value,” Hiwa said

She added that aligning IP with Malawi’s development priorities including agriculture, mining, tourism, health, manufacturing, and the creative industries will help add value to local resources and promote entrepreneurship and SMEs.

In his remarks, Registrar General Chikumbutso Namelo urged companies to increase investment in university research and innovation to ensure products reach the market.

WIPO international consultant McLean Sibanda noted Malawi’s growing potential.

“A number of universities are producing intellectual properties which have now become innovations. There is also potential in agriculture, manufacturing, industrialization, and emerging technologies like AI,” he said.

The National Intellectual Property Policy is a government framework that protects ideas, inventions, and creative works by granting legal ownership rights, allowing creators to benefit economically from their innovations.

by:Martha Simchimba

24/04/2026

Go Jet investments, a one stop agribusiness company aimed at improving access to quality farm inputs by small holder farmers has introduced a flexible pre-payment model allowing farmers to pay for their farm inputs in instalments.

Go Jet Investments projects officer, Brenda Chitete, disclosed this during the District Agriculture Executive Coordinating Committee (DAECC) meeting, on Thursday in Lilongwe.

Chitete further said farmers will be allowed to pay for a one acre package that comprises seed, NPK and Urea fertilizer to the tune of half a million kwacha for the period of six months.

“We have introduced this initiative after noting that many farmers were failing to acquire farm inputs more especially fertilizer due its exorbitant prices, but with this development we hope farmers will be able to acquire their farm inputs on time.” She said.

Chitete then assured farmers that with this new development, their company will work hand in hand with Seed-co and other stake holders to ensure that quality is guaranteed to their farmers as well as have a bumper harvest and deal with uncertified seed, fertilizers, agrochemicals and poor farm practices.

In his remarks, Lilongwe District Principal Officer Joseph Mtengezo commended Go Jet Investment Company for the initiative saying it will go a long way in assisting farmers to have bumper harvest and thereby reduce their poverty levels.

Mtengezo then urged farmers to utilize the Go Jet Investment initiative in order for them to grow their crops with first rains.

“As DAECC we are so grateful to the Go Jet Investments company initiative that is aimed at improving farm input supply to our small holder farmers and at the same time making sure that farmers are able to carry out agricultural activities on time.” Said Mtengezo.

Go Jet Investments Company has three outlets in Lilongwe but is also currently operating in 16 districts across the country namely, Lilongwe, Chitipa, Karonga, Rumphi, Mchinji, Dedza, Ntcheu, Dowa, Kasungu, and Mzimba just to mention a few.

: Memory Msatilomo