SUGAR FORTIFIED WITH VITAMIN A, CAMA ADVOCATE CONSUMERS TO PURCHASING FORTIFIED FOODS

Frank Kauteka Tembo

Consumer Association of Malawi (CAMA) has called upon consumers to buy food products that are fortified following the government’s initiative of fortifying sugar with vitamin A to address the malnutrition boom in the country. 

Speaking with Voice of Kanyawazi Northern Region CAMA Coordinator said government’s initiative of fortifying sugar will relieve a lot of economic vulnerable Malawians from malnutrition.

“In the first place let me congratulate government for the idea of fortifying sugar with Vitamin A which was introduced last year with the aim of improving the health of the vulnerable.

“This is just a start because very soon it will be a law that every food products that are consumed at large by people with different economic status should be fortified with various vitamins so that a common man should have access to these nutritious minerals within a single product,” he said. 

Gondwe made an appeal to consumers to purchase food items that are fortified so that they acquire various vitamins in single product that would be accessed in various food items.

“Every food that is fortified has a fortification logo and lists of food contents that are in the food product as such, every consumer should choose whether to purchase food item that is nutritious for his or her body and family or choose food products that will give little nutrients.

“Let me warn all institutions that cheats consumers that their food items are fortified while in actual sense there are no listed food contents in the product as indicated, that it is illegal and CAMA will be a watchdog to ensure that consumers access right products,” he said.

He said the malpractice will attract the fines amounting five hundred thousand kwacha because it is against the law.

CAMA further asks the media and all citizens to protect fortified sugar from being smuggled by neighboring countries arguing that government is pumping in a lot of money so that the health of most economic vulnerable Malawians should be improved.

“Meanwhile, we are negotiating with Illovo Sugar Company to come up with small units of packets of sugar that is fortified so that the vulnerable should access the vitamins in line government’s will.” Gondwe added.

Sugar was chosen by government to be fortified as it is used by many common Malawians who may not afford accessing many food products that have a lot of vitamins.

With this initiative a lot of companies have expressed willingness of fortifying their food products so that they take part in improving the health capacity of the country.

CAMA FRIGHTENS TO HOLD DEMO ON 17th SEPT AGAINST MBC’S DELINQUENCY

By Frank Kauteka Tembo

Consumers Association of Malawi has threatened to hold National wide demonstrations on 17 September this year due to gross misconduct of the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) which is biased towards the rulling People’s Party.

Consumer Association of Malawi Regional Coordinator Isaac Gondwe confirmed the development in an interview with Voice of Kanyawazi during the weekend.

“It is very true that we want to conduct demonstrations on 17^th of September, the reason being we would like all Malawians to realize that MBC is being grossly abused by the state.

“MBC belongs to the people of Malawi we think MBC must change the way it operates it must actually truly be representing Malawians in the way it conducts itself in terms of programming as well as beaming party functions there is too much of ruling party kind of stories as opposed to all other people including  the opposition parties.

“We [CAMA] think being the radio which belongs to the people of Malawi ‘the tax payer’ MBC must change the way it operates so we are asking all Malawians to go on streets and demonstrate that MBC must change the way it conducts,” he said.

Gondwe added that the development may affect the electoral process as the general public have for along time been fed with biased information.

He further said the biasness started way back especially during the one party era and nothing has since been done to address the problem despite many people speaking against the malpractice.

On other hand, Minister of Information and Civic Education Moses Kunkuyu denied commenting on the matter saying he has not received any communication.

MZUNI GRADUATES THREE HUNDRED 64 STUDENTS

By Frank Kauteka Tembo

Mzuzu University (MZUNI) on Saturday graduated three hundred and sixty four students pursuing certificates, diplomas, Bachelors, Masters and Doctorial degrees from various courses despite hardships it went through past two years, Voice of Kanyawazi has established.

some MZUNI graduates

MZUNI for past two years has been in economic and leadership adversity a development that led to numerous students’ demonstrations and staff strikes in a bid to improve the situations.

With the coming of the new Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr. Robert Ridley things have changed to a better in terms of the university’s administration.

Presiding over the graduation ceremony the VC told Voice of Kanyawazi that it has been not easy producing such overwhelming results passing through   such crisis.

“As I said in my speech there are continuing challenges but I think what this graduation shows is that even in those challenges were happening over past two years, a lot of work of education and teaching was going on.

“This graduation shows that if we focus on the basics of what a university is about thus research and teaching then we will lay the foundation possibility and we will be able to grow and develop,” he said.

 The Principal Secretary for Higher Education Patrick Kabambe responding to the university’s concerns said government has increased the funds with 20% for the public universities.

He further applauded the African Development Bank and World Bank for coming in to assisting with resources aiming at higher education.

Joyce and Moses Mlenga (a couple) marked the first doctorial graduates from MZUNI who pursued degrees of Doctor of Philosophy in Theology and Religious Studies.

HOTELS IN MZUZU BLAME GOVT FOR INSTIGATING POOR SERVICES

By Frank Kauteka Tembo

Some hotel owners in Mzuzu calls on authorities to seriously take their welfare at heart in addressing the various challenges faced in the tourism industry.

Speaking in an interview with Voice of Kanyawazi Managing Director for Lubinga Lodge Robert Mkandawire alleged government among other concerns, has done very little in marketing the tourism units across the country.

He said that an aggressive marketing tourism sector is vital for the social economic development of this country as Malawi have potential tourism sites that can drive foreign currency.

“Malawi tourism sector really has a lot of potential but it hasn’t been exploited and marketed well enough to attract the potential tourist.

“The government through its tourism sector should do enough to get where we should be, we should aim at making Malawi a preferred tourists destination and for us to get there we need to make sure that we have developed our industry, we have marketed what we have and then we are ready to receive these tourist,” he said.

Mkandawire said the industry has mushroomed in various sectors such accommodation, travel, food it offers and the infrastructures in general are not of standards they are supposed to be.

Mkandawire added that various sector of the industry in the country are not in standards that they are supposed to be to attract more tourists in the country that need to be upgraded.

He said various sectors have no standards to define that this is a hotel, motel, guest house, and lodge among others a development that deter tourism development in the country.

In another interview with Mphatso motel Manager Aaron Makwakwa said the standards that govern the tourism sector in the process of setting up hotels are not implemented.

“As Mphatso Motel we share the same as outlined by our colleagues, the only thing that I can add on top is that government should uplift the standards of workers in the sector because the standards that it set are not yet implemented,” he said.

On his part, Northern Region Tourism Officer Fixon Mkanda blushed aside the allegations arguing that marketing is not government’s responsibility but the owners need to set up strategies to address the syndrome.

“The issue to do with promotion of tourism industry in the North is possible if marketing is done on concerted efforts where they do their part and we [government] do our part.

“In terms of central government what happens is that when people go out there and market tourism they do generally that come to Malawi there are these services in the North, Central and Southern region and not specifically mentioning the certain units so they need to market much themselves for them to receive more tourists,” he said.

Commenting on government’s financial support for tourism industry he said government has no pocket to give tourism industry business operators saying they should get loans from financial lending institutions.

Finally Mkanda also crushed tourism industry business operators’ allegations that there are no standards to govern tourism industry arguing that government has all standards for various sectors in the tourism industry that defines each sector.

Tukumphire guest house, Moni Lodge, Chatonda lodge and Ndagha lodge among others share the same feelings.

EKWENDENI MARKET COLLAPSE WITH FIRE, MP CALLS FOR SUPPORT

By Frank Kauteka Tembo

Member of Parliament for Mzimba East Constituency Catherine Gotani Hara has called on well wishers to assist Ekwendeni Market business operators who have lost their businesses due to fire accident that hit the market on Monday’s night.

Speaking with Voice of Kanyawazi yesterday when she visited the collapsed market, she expressed sadness saying the accident is a heavy blow to the lives of people as the business is their source of survival.

“I would like to share my sadness to the people of Ekwendeni which is my constituency, as you know this was their source of livelihood and as am talking, these people are in despair because they have lost everything.

“Now you set back and think of a family that has been relying sorely on making little something from the produce they have been selling here some of them had taken loans, for me as MP that makes me so sad,” she said.

Hara promised that shortly business operators will move into the new market which government is about to finish its construction. 

She appealed to all well wishers to assist with a little something they have and urged all financial providers to assist with loans so that these people may have a little to start with.

According to one of the eye witness Deliwe Chirwa the fire started around 10pm on Monday 19^th at Ziba’s shop at the market.

She said people tried to stop the fire but to no avail as the fire was so fierce and there was luck of accord because others started robbing the materials instead of assisting in putting the fire off.

When the fire department was called at the start of the fire, the department did not respond timely till late mid night whilst fire had destroyed everything, a development that angered the people and they were chased away. 

During the incident a watchman for the market lost life few hours after the fire started. According to medical report from Ekwendeni hospital the watchman died due to high blood pressure.