Neno District Council

11/07/2026

Neno Volleyball star, Mkolokosa earns Wolves move

Lilongwe-based Central Region Volleyball League (CRVL) giants Wolves have signed Mwai Mkolokosa from Neno Black Walkers, making her the first female volleyball player from Neno District to earn a place at one of the country's top clubs.

Mkolokosa, 20, who hails from Nkhukuzalila Village in Traditional Authority Chekucheku, described the move as a dream come true, saying the opportunity marks a major milestone in her sporting career.

Speaking in an interview, Mkolokosa said she was overwhelmed with joy after joining the Lilongwe outfit and was proud to represent Neno District at a higher level of competition.

"I am very happy because I am the first person from Neno, on the volleyball side, to come to Lilongwe to play volleyball," she said.

Mkolokosa said volleyball brought her happiness and eventually became her passion, despite many girls in her home district preferring to play netball.

Neno Black Walkers Team Manager McDonald Chagomerana described Mkolokosa's move to Wolves as a historic achievement for the club.

"This is one of the greatest milestones the club has ever had. For the first time, Neno has produced a volleyball player who has moved to a bigger club. This will greatly contribute to the player's growth and future career, as well as strengthen the relationship between the two clubs," said Chagomerana.

He added that Mkolokosa's success was the result of her discipline, hard work, and commitment to the sport.

"Her skills and passion for the sport have contributed greatly to this achievement," he said.

Wolves Volleyball Club Technical Director Simbani Banda said the club identified Mkolokosa through photographs and signed her under its player development programme.

"We realised she was still at a beginner's level. Wolves is a highly competitive team and has been national champion for the past five to six years, so she was not yet ready for the senior team," he said.

Banda said the club placed her in its development side to sharpen her skills ahead of a possible promotion to the senior team.

"She is developing at a very good rate, just as we expected, and we believe that by the end of the year she will be ready for promotion to the senior team," he said.

Banda added that, beyond developing players on the court, Wolves also supports its athletes academically through scholarship opportunities.

"The biggest benefit our players receive is access to education. We encourage all our athletes to remain in school and offer academic scholarships. Those who perform well in their Malawi School Certificate of Education examinations have the opportunity to receive university sponsorship," he said.

Neno District Council Sports Officer Memory Baluwa said Mkolokosa's move would encourage more women to participate in sports and create more opportunities for girls in the district.

"This achievement will open doors for many girls. Most of the girls at her age in the district drop out of school, so we will be using sports to support our girls' education. We will also be making sure that the girls we find will be supported, and we are looking forward to more teams coming to Neno," said Baluwa.

Wolves finished as champions in the Ladies Junior category of the Central Region Volleyball League in the 2025 season.

22/06/2026

NENO POLICE ENGAGE COMMUNITY IN FIGHTING AGAINST CRIME

Neno Police Station has intensified its community policing approach by bringing together government officials, traditional leaders, and residents to develop joint strategies for combating crime in the district.

The engagement event, held at Ligowe football ground on Sunday and sponsored by UNICEF, featured speeches, departmental inspections, and a friendly football match to attract residents and disseminate the crime prevention message to a broader audience.

Neno Police Station Officer in Charge Goodwin Chigalu Sambo highlighted the critical need for community partnership, citing severe staffing constraints in the district. He emphasized child protection as a primary concern, pointing to disturbing trends of sexual exploitation and child abandonment. He called on the community to report such cases immediately rather than handle them privately.

Sambo also raised alarm over what he described as an unusually high number of homicides in Neno compared to other police stations in the region.

"The community policing is there to help us because we are not in large number. The police population ratio in Neno is 1:1672 which is too high. The main aim of this event is for us police and community policing to find a way to deal with the problems that children are facing such as forced to sleep with older adults in schools, fathers failing to provide for their children and children even become street kids yet they have parents.

"We want children to be protected and grow up well because they are our future leaders. Such people cannot get away from us, we will react on it. Such matters should not be discussed in our communities, let's report the matters to police because children are the ones who suffer from the consequences. If someone is punished, others learn from it,” he said.

The police have established meetings with Traditional Authorities (TAs) and Area Development Committees (ADCs) to address the issue and plan to involve religious leaders in the peace-building process and dangers of mob justice, warning that innocent people often become victims of community violence.

"We should also not take laws in our hands, mob justice. Sometimes the suspected perpetrators are innocent, there is no person who is mandated to deal with someone before court finds him or her guilty. As police we will deal with those criminals who are involved in mob justice," Sambo cautioned.

The police officer also addressed the growing problem of su***des, particularly among men, encouraging people to seek help rather than resort to self-harm.

Neno District Council Chairperson Joseph Chiphaliwali commended the police for their comprehensive approach to community safety.

"We should praise police for what they have done because they have touched important matters in their teachings. For example, mob justice," Chiphaliwali said.
pledging the council's support in awareness campaigns against mob justice, child abuse, and su***de prevention.

"For someone suspected of crimes, he should be taken to police, then court judges him or her. We are losing many men also because of su***de on matters that they would have opened up to their friends," the Chairperson noted.

Senior Chief Mlauli also expressed gratitude for the police initiative and called for continued community support for law enforcement.

"We are thanking the police for this event because we are learning something. We should respect police because they are our heroes for security. They are not our enemies, they are the foundation of development," Senior Chief Mlauli said.

He urged parents to keep children in school and support education as a pathway to a better future.

"Parents, let's encourage our children to go to school, let's have a good generation of educated people," the chief emphasized.

To maximize community participation, organizers included recreational activities alongside the formal proceedings. A football match between Neno Young Soccer and Chididi Select served as a key attraction, drawing crowds to hear the crime prevention message.

The match ended 1-1 in regular time, with Neno Young Select ultimately prevailing 8-7 on penalty kicks.

The event began with a marching parade from Ligowe trading center to the ground, followed by police departmental inspections and speeches from various stakeholders before the football match concluded the day's activities.

20/06/2026

Farmers in Neno advised to boost irrigation use as El Nino looms

Neno District Council Director of Economic Planning and Development, Lonia Mwiyeriwa, has urged farmers in Matope Village to maximise the use of irrigation schemes as the likelihood of El Nino conditions increases.

Mwiyeriwa made the call on Thursday when she, together with agricultural officers, visited Chifide and Namachete irrigation schemes to sensitise farmers on expected dry spells and rainfall patterns.

She said farmers should prioritise irrigation farming to support production during the season.

“The incoming El Nino will bring dry spells and little rainfall which will cause hunger and poor harvest. As such, we are warning you to use irrigation schemes to your advantage.

“Plant crops that yield early and store food for the coming months,” she said.

Mwiyeriwa said the irrigation schemes can support production due to water availability from Shire and Mkulumadzi rivers.

“With these schemes it is so possible to utilise the rivers so that you harvest more and even sell the surplus to neighbouring districts,” she said.

Farmers said they welcome the advice but raised concerns over limited irrigation equipment.

The schemes executive member, Paul Benjamin, said more than 250 farmers share four water pumps and other equipment at the schemes.

“We grow crops like eggplants, pepper, okra and maize on over 10 hectares of land. A farmer can make up to K5 million yearly after selling the produce but we need more pumps,” Benjamin said.

Neno District Irrigation Engineer, Sophret Tsogolani, said farmers require an additional eight solar pumps to improve water supply and production.

A farmer at the scheme, Isaiah Likongwe, said he has planted maize and plans to switch to hot pepper after harvesting.

He said irrigation has supported his farming activities and yields.

04/06/2026

PIH announces security, drainage improvements for Lisungwi Community Hospital

Partners in Health (PIH) has revealed plans to construct a perimeter fence around Lisungwi Community Hospital in Neno, along with improvements to the hospital's drainage system in a move to enhance healthcare services and ensure safety of patients and staff at the facility.

The announcement was made Wednesday during the District Executive Committee meeting held at Neno District Health Office.

PIH Operations Director, Joe Khalani, explained that the initiative was born out of a comprehensive assessment they conducted.

The assessment identified several pressing issues faced by the hospital, notably security concerns and the frequent invasion of livestock onto hospital grounds.

“The challenges not only threatened the safety of patients and staff but also posed significant risks to the hospital’s operations,” he said.

Neno District Director of Health Services, Dr Enoch Ndarama, commended PIH for their continued support and commitment to the community’s healthcare needs.

He highlighted that Lisungwi Community Hospital has been without a perimeter fence for over 12 years, leaving it vulnerable to theft, vandalism and unauthorised access which compromised security for both staff and patients.

“We experienced situations where members of the community were found in possession of hospital equipment without authorisation. This is largely due to lack of security measures, which allows individuals from the community to move around the hospital premises without restrictions,” he stated.

Ndalama said the installation of the fence, combined with the drainage system improvements, is anticipated to significantly reduce flooding which disrupted hospital operations, delayed patient care and created unsanitary conditions within the facility.

The project, which is internally funded by PIH, is scheduled for completion by December 2026.

25/05/2026

Agriculture Office Challenges Neno Farmers to Increase Productivity for Regional Trade

The Agriculture Office in Neno District has challenged it's farmers to increase their productivity and add value to their crops in order to have more chances of selling their produce through the Nacala corridor under the Southern Africa Trade Connectivity Project (SATCP).

Speaking over the weekend during an agricultural fair that took place in Manyenje Village in Traditional Authority Symon, Chief Agriculture Officer, Chimwemwe Bomba assured the farmers of already existing markets among Southern African countries and a need for the farmers to increase their productivity and embark on value-added crops in order to easily pe*****te such markets.

In her remarks, Bomba emphasized the need for farmers to farm together in groups in order to produce more yields and reach the regional market targets, whilst also mentioning that Malawi, as a country, is reliant on agriculture in terms of health, food security, and the economy.

"Apart from increasing productivity and adding value to crops, farmers also need to practice crop rotation to break disease cycles that reduce crop yields' quality, which may affect their chances of accessing regional markets," Bomba stated.

"Farming is a business, not just a way of life. Utilise the knowledge you've gained from the demonstration plots in your fields and take advantage of the readily available markets," she continued.

Grace Chinkhata, one of the farmers in Manyenje Farmer Field School, hailed the project for changing their ordinary way of farming and, at the same time, exposing them to regional markets.

"Previously, we used to do our farming occupying a lot of space, whilst now we can have more yields in a small plot because of modern ways of farming, not to mention the readily available markets that will also improve our lives economically," Chinkhata said.

Realizing that farming is almost impossible without agricultural extension officers, Group Village Head Manyenje took time to appreciate the workers for their continued support and advisory services to the farmers.

As such, she encouraged her fellow chiefs to mobilize people in their communities to join farmer clubs in order to easily pe*****te the regional market with the required yields.

Neno is among the 15 districts in Malawi implementing the Southern Africa Trade Connectivity Project and will be working on cowpeas, wheat, sesame, sweet potatoes, and pigeon peas, among other value chains.

21/05/2026

NOTICE OF VACANCIES

Please refer to the attached screenshots for details regarding requirements and application procedures.

18/05/2026

Neno District Commissioner Launches 2026 Red Cross Flag Week

Neno District Commissioner Alfred Hauya has today on Monday officially launched the 2026 Red Cross Flag Week, calling on citizens to demonstrate compassion and solidarity with vulnerable community members.

In his speech, Hauya highlighted Neno's challenges, including difficult terrain and climate-induced weather hazards, but emphasized the Red Cross's steadfast support to the district. He then urged everyone to support the noble cause.

"no contribution is too small and humanity is not measured by the size of your pocket, but by the willingness of your heart." Hauya said.

Leading by example, Commissioner Hauya donated K50,000 to kickstart the fundraising efforts. The Red Cross flag, a symbol of hope and safety, will be a focal point throughout the week, with locals encouraged to donate and volunteer.

The launch kicks off a week of activities aimed at promoting humanitarian work and supporting vulnerable communities in Neno.

15/05/2026

Neno District Launches Cleanup Exercise at Zalewa Market

Neno District Council has today on Friday launched a cleanup exercise at Zalewa market, following the Presidential order No. 2 of 2026 issued by Malawi President, Professor Peter Muntharika on improved sanitation and hygiene in all public places.

Speaking during the launch, Member of Parliament for Neno North East Constituency, Mary Khembo, hailed the exercise, citing that sanitation is a core foundation of good health.

"As you are aware that Zalewa town is expanding day by day in terms of trade, it is also essential to make sure that the place is kept clean by observing cleanliness," Honourable Khembo said.

In his remarks, Neno District Commissioner Alfred Hauya expressed optimism that the people in Zalewa market will continue observing hygiene in the market as well as in their communities after the launch.

"As a Council, we will make sure that every person at this trading centre keeps their surrounding clean as well as ensuring that all other public places are also observing cleanliness," Hauya said.

Neno District Council Chair, Joseph Chiphaliwali, urged everyone to take full responsibility of ensuring that their surroundings are clean.

"My fellow Councillors, Chiefs, Teachers, Hospital staff, and all other stakeholders, I encourage you to be at the forefront in making sure that sanitation and hygiene are being observed," Chiphaliwali said.

According to the Chairperson of Zalewa market, Emmanuel Chikopa, congestion, poor waste disposal in the market, as well as lack of safe water in Zalewa, are some of the major challenges that people around Zalewa encounter, which he attributed to the major cause of the Cholera outbreak that the area has been facing.

The launch brought together chiefs, councillors, traders from Zalewa market, Hospital staff, and other stakeholders.

15/05/2026

PIH Concludes Fourth Round of Food Distribution in Neno, Reaching 3,616 Households

Partners in Health (PIH) has concluded an extended food relief distribution exercise in Neno District, wrapping up the final round on Thursday at Ligowe after expanding both the duration and reach of a programme that originally ran for three months beginning in January 2026.

What started as a three-month initiative targeting 3,000 households was extended to four months and scaled up to cover 3,616 households across all four Traditional Authorities in Neno, as the organisation responded to the persistent food insecurity gripping the district.

PIH Executive Director Basimenye Nhlema said the extension was not a reflection of a change in plan, but of the reality on the ground.

"Our initial plan was to distribute food to 3,000 households for a period of three months, but we ended up extending it by one more month and adding the number of beneficiaries to 3,616 in all four TAs in Neno," said Nhlema.

She explained that the original three-month timeline was never intended to signal the end of food insecurity, but was simply a reflection of what resources could sustain.

"The reason for extension is that though we initially planned to distribute for three months, that doesn't mean that by the end of three months people would have resolved the food insecurity that they have. It basically [came down to] the resources that we had secured."
Nhlema noted that even a recent harvest had not been enough to eliminate the problem.

"Many households here in Neno are not food adequate, meaning that the likelihood that many of them are still experiencing food insecurity is very high," she said.

She cautioned against interpreting the conclusion of the exercise as a resolution of the crisis, while reaffirming PIH's commitment to continue seeking support.

"Even as we are concluding today, it doesn't mean that we have resolved food insecurity. We continue to mobilise resources, and should we be able to find those resources, we will come back and continue to support government in its effort," she said.

Nhlema also acknowledged that PIH is operating within a broader context of constrained funding.
"Another area currently experiencing a lot of financial problems is due to change in donor funding. There is equally a huge gap where partners have to come in and support the ministry. But nonetheless, we should be able to mobilise resources where feasible."

She reminded stakeholders that food security is not PIH's core mandate, but that the organisation sees it as inextricably linked to health outcomes. "Our aim is to accompany the Ministry of Health in strengthening health services in the district."

Neno District Council Disaster Risk Management Officer Amoss Chandilanga praised PIH for going beyond its traditional role in health.
Chandilanga outlined the scale of the hunger crisis that necessitated the intervention. Of approximately 30,000 households affected by hunger in Neno, the government— through the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DODMA)— responded to 15,890 households for six months. PIH stepped in to fill part of the remaining gap, supporting 3,616 households over four rounds of distribution.

“We are so grateful to PIH— they are indeed partners not only in health, but we have seen they have touched base on a number of important issues such as disaster risk management and social welfare.

"This is the fourth round, even though we initially agreed they had to distribute in three months. This is a great development," said Chandilanga, adding that the food distributions had produced measurable benefits beyond simply addressing hunger.

"By distributing food, they are also minimizing issues of malnutrition. We have had issues with reported deaths from hunger and people eating harmful substances. With PIH, we have reduced such incidents. We have also reduced absenteeism in schools— it is something which we cannot take for granted."

On the ground, beneficiaries expressed deep gratitude for the relief. Levison John, a recipient from T/A Mlauli, said the support had transformed daily life for his family.

"PIH has helped us a lot and we are so grateful. In my family we have a child who suffers from a chronic disease, and with this help, we are happy. Before PIH's help, I was leaving my family with an ill child to go and search for piece work to source food for the family. It was a difficult life," John said.

The relief package valued at 1.2 billion includes 50kg of maize, 3kg of beans, 1kg salt, 1 litre cooking oil and K15,000 cash.

14/05/2026