Malawi News Network - MNN

15/10/2026

Mother's Day: Veep Ansah Donates Food Items to Cancer Patients at KCH

Vice President Jane Mayemu Ansah has donated food items worth K15 million to about 250 cancer patients and their guardians at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe as part of her Mother’s Day visit.

The donation, made through the Jane Ansah Foundation on Thursday, included maize flour, soya pieces and sausages for patients at the National Cancer Centre and guardians staying at the hospital’s shelter.

Ansah, a cancer survivor, visited patients in the lymphoma ward, where she encouraged them to remain hopeful as they undergo treatment.

“I just came to visit you on Mother’s Day, and the government is also there to support you to get tested and get better,” she told the patients.

She reminded them that they were not alone in their fight against cancer, stressing the importance of early testing and access to treatment.

The Vice President also praised health workers for caring for patients with love and dedication, saying their work was important in helping them recover.

She further acknowledged the role of guardians, noting that caring for sick relatives was not only the responsibility of women, as men were also looking after their loved ones in hospital.

Ansah encouraged young people to work hard in school so that they could become doctors and other health professionals to serve the country.

She added that President Peter Mutharika’s administration was committed to ensuring that patients received proper care and that human rights were respected.

Meanwhile, KCH director Amos Msekandiana said the hospital was equipped to provide treatment to cancer patients.

He also revealed that the hospital planned to construct a guardians’ shelter at an estimated cost of US$1 million.

The visit came as mothers across the country marked Mother’s Day, with Ansah spending part of the occasion with patients and guardians at the hospital.

15/10/2026

14/10/2026

HFI Targets Maseko Ngoni Communities with K25 Billion Agricultural Development Programme

Hope Field Initiative (HFI), the development arm of Salvation for All Ministries International (SFAMI), has engaged Maseko Ngoni traditional leaders on its Farmers’ Club policies and membership requirements.

HFI President Apostle Clifford Kawinga said the organisation has established 40 farmers’ clubs in six districts and plans to establish 20 more in Maseko Ngoni communities under a five-year, K25 billion development programme.

His Royal Majesty Ngwenyama Inkosi Ya Makhosi Gomani V welcomed the initiative and pledged the support of traditional leaders in promoting its implementation.

14/10/2026

KEN MSONDA RULES OUT IMMEDIATE POLITICAL RETIREMENT

LILONGWE — Malawi Congress Party (MCP) deputy spokesperson Ken Msonda has dismissed reports suggesting that he has abandoned politics, insisting that he remains active in the political arena.

Speaking to TWR Malawi, Msonda clarified that although he is thinking about retirement, he has no plans to leave politics immediately and could consider stepping aside in approximately five years.

He criticised those circulating claims about his political departure, accusing them of spreading false information to attract likes, followers and attention on social media.

The clarification follows reports that emerged earlier in the morning claiming that Msonda had quit politics, prompting him to publicly set the record straight about his political future.

13/10/2026

Msaka Delivers on APM’s Education Vision: First-Year Assessment Highlights Exceptional Progress

As President Arthur Peter Mutharika marks the first anniversary of his return to State House, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, under the leadership of Honourable Bright Msaka SC, is drawing attention to progress in expanding access to education, strengthening the teaching workforce and improving school infrastructure in line with the administration’s education agenda.

An assessment by Nation Publications Limited (NPL), cited in recent media coverage of the administration’s first year, awarded the government an overall performance score of 62.2 percent. The assessment also reported a score of 72.5 percent for social services, placing education and other social-sector interventions within the broader discussion of the government’s performance.

Separately, the National Advocacy Platform (NAP) acknowledged progress in several areas, including the expansion of free secondary education. These assessments provide a wider context for examining the Ministry’s contribution to the administration’s development priorities.

One of the major policy interventions associated with Msaka’s tenure is the implementation and expansion of free secondary education, a key commitment of President Mutharika’s administration,the policy seeks to reduce financial barriers that prevent learners from progressing to secondary school, particularly those from low income households ,its significance extends beyond school enrolment, as improving access to education can help widen opportunities for young people and strengthen the country’s human capital base.

Teacher recruitment and deployment have also featured among the Ministry’s reported priorities, the Ministry has overseen the recruitment and deployment of more than 1,100 teachers to help address staffing shortages and overcrowded classrooms, particularly in rural areas.

The effective deployment of teachers is essential to improving the availability of classroom instruction, supporting learners and creating more favourable conditions for teaching and learning.

Infrastructure development forms another important pillar of the education agenda the expansion of secondary school infrastructure, including decentralised construction initiatives supported by programmes such as Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD). Expanding school infrastructure is critical to accommodating growing demand for secondary education and bringing learning opportunities closer to communities.

Beyond access and infrastructure, the Ministry’s recent initiatives have addressed inclusion, teacher development and higher education,on World Teachers’ Day, Msaka emphasised the role of teachers in achieving Malawi 2063, with attention to professionalisation, teacher training and continuing professional development. The Ministry has also reported the launch of a gender transformative education manual aimed at supporting a more inclusive learning environment.

In higher education, Msaka has called for institutions to combine expanded access with quality teaching, research, innovation and skills development that respond to national priorities.

The Ministry’s achievements is gainst the challenges that remain, including overcrowded classrooms, inequalities in access between rural and urban communities, pressure on education financing and the need to sustain quality as enrolment expands.

As the Mutharika administration enters its second year, the education sector’s contribution to the national development agenda will remain an important measure of progress. The expansion of free secondary education, reported teacher deployments, infrastructure development and reforms aimed at improving inclusion and teaching quality provide a basis for evaluating Msaka’s stewardship of the portfolio.

13/10/2026

Iwe Ayuba, a MCP akuti uyu ndi Levi Ziliro Kabwila Chimwendo.

Chinthichi chaku Lilongwe Rural not ku mpoto, watelo Jessie Kabwila

13/10/2026

HOPE LOGA USES GOSPEL TO INSPIRE HOPE

LILONGWE — Emerging gospel musician Hope Loga, from Area 25 in Lilongwe, is using music to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and encourage people facing illness and difficult life circumstances.

Loga performed at Sunbird Capital Hotel on Saturday, October 10, 2026, during the Diaries of a Young Lady Breast Cancer Fundraising Brunch, where he shared his message of faith and compassion through music.

He said cancer patients particularly need love and encouragement as they navigate the physical and emotional challenges of the disease.

“Cancer patients are among the people who need hope and love because they can easily lose hope due to what they are going through,” Loga said.

The musician hopes to reach more Malawians with gospel songs that strengthen faith, inspire perseverance and offer spiritual comfort.

His music is available on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Spotify under Hope Loga. He can be contacted on 0981382558 for musical engagements and enquiries.

11/10/2026

EXPOSED: DPP secretly drafts bill to strip vice-president of powers

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has drafted a proposal to amend the Constitution and give President Peter Mutharika powers to appoint and fire Vice-President Jane Ansah, the publication has established.

Sources within the party say the proposed changes are aimed at reducing the powers of the Vice-President, who under the current Constitution is elected alongside the President and can automatically succeed him if the presidency becomes vacant.

The proposal comes amid a reported strained relationship between Mutharika and Ansah, with questions emerging over the Vice-President's role in government.

A draft Constitutional Amendment Bill dated September 14, 2026, addressed to Speaker of the National Assembly Sameer Suleiman, proposes replacing the current system with one in which the President appoints a Vice-President after assuming office.

The document, submitted by Boldwin Bickiel Dzuwalatsoka, who describes himself as a concerned citizen from Mphande Constituency in Lilongwe, says the Vice-President should serve at the pleasure of the President and may be removed at any time without reasons or impeachment proceedings.

It further proposes making the office ceremonial, with the Vice-President exercising only powers delegated by the President.

The proposed changes contrast with the current Constitution, which requires presidential candidates to name their First Vice-President before an election, with both elected on the same ballot paper.

The bill also seeks to change presidential succession.

Under the proposal, the Vice-President would leave office if the President dies or becomes permanently incapacitated, while the Speaker of the National Assembly would take over as interim President.

A presidential election would then be held within 90 days of the burial of the deceased President.

The proposal comes after Justice Minister Charles Mhango dismissed reports that government was planning to change how the Vice-President is elected.

Responding to a WhatsApp query from Mibawa Television, Mhango said: “This is not true.”

However, the draft document outlines changes that would fundamentally alter the Vice-President's position in government.

It remains unclear whether the Speaker has formally received it.

The strained relationship between Mutharika and Ansah has also attracted attention, with media reports pointing to disagreements over the Vice-President's responsibilities and her participation in Cabinet meetings.

The bill argues that the current system creates tension because the Vice-President is also the automatic successor to the President.

Its author says this arrangement encourages political rivalry at the expense of development.

The document proposes two options for implementing the changes: immediately after parliamentary approval and presidential assent, or after the next general election.

It also proposes that former Vice-Presidents retain financial, security, transport and accommodation benefits after leaving office.

The draft asks the Speaker to refer it to the relevant parliamentary committee and facilitate its presentation before the National Assembly.

Meanwhile President Mutharika has once again left for South Africa on what the Office of the President and Cabinet calls "Private" trips.

Several stakeholders have made claims that Mutharika is not well heath-wise hence his frequent trips to South Africanl from medical check-ups ..the OPC has repeatedly denied these allegations while failing to explain why President Mutharika is frequentky visiting South Africa, often at short notice.

During his latest trip to South Africa, Mutharika left abruptly; the OPC issued notice of his departure after he had left.

At the time we went to Press, President Mutharika had not returned from the latest of private trips to South Africa and there were no indications as to when he is returning.