Wazilinda FM

23/02/2026

The debate on whether Mzimba should be divided into two or four districts has intensified, with arguments centered on population size and geographical coverage. One clear advantage of creating smaller districts in Malawi is improved access to development resources. Many government funds, such as the District Development Fund (DDF) and Constituency Development Fund (CDF), are allocated per district. When a district is very large, these resources are stretched across vast areas and populations. Smaller districts would each qualify for separate allocations, potentially increasing the overall pool of resources and ensuring development projects are more evenly distributed.

Secondly, smaller districts can improve administrative efficiency and service delivery. Mzimba’s vast size makes it difficult for communities in far-flung areas to access services and for authorities to effectively monitor projects. With reduced geographical coverage, district offices can operate closer to the people, improving accountability, supervision, and response to local needs. However, any division must be carefully planned to ensure economic sustainability and avoid simply increasing administrative costs without meaningful development impact. What are your views?

Samuel Christy Lwara and the entire movement awaits to hear from you.

22/02/2026

Woman, 34, Drowns While Crossing Phwazi River in Mzimba

By Patrick J Mwale

A 34-year-old woman has died after drowning in the Phwazi River at Khosolo in Mzimba District.

The deceased has been identified as Chrissy Mwale, from Bisa Phiri Village under Traditional Authority Khosolo in Mzimba.

According to reports from Jenda Police Station, the incident occurred on February 21, 2026, at around 13:00 hours. Mwale was on her way to Khosolo Health Centre, accompanied by her three children. Upon reaching Phwazi River, she reportedly helped her children cross safely to the other side.

However, as she attempted to cross the river herself, she lost her footing, fell into the water, and was swept away by the current.

Well-wishers who were nearby rushed to her rescue and managed to retrieve her from the river before taking her to Khosolo Health Centre. Unfortunately, medical personnel pronounced her dead upon arrival.

A postmortem examination later established that the cause of death was suffocation secondary to drowning.

Police have since urged members of the public to exercise extreme caution, particularly during the rainy season when rivers are swollen and currents become unpredictable.

According to available police and disaster management reports, Malawi records dozens of drowning incidents each year, particularly during the rainy months between December and March. As of January 2026, authorities had already documented multiple drowning cases across the country linked to flooded rivers, unsafe crossings, and heavy rains. Most of the incidents occur in rural areas where communities rely on natural river crossings due to lack of bridges and proper infrastructure.

Jenda Police Station has therefore advised citizens to avoid crossing flooded rivers and to seek safer alternatives whenever possible in order to prevent further loss of life.

Constable Godknows Malema, Assistant Public Relations Officer for Jenda Police Station, reiterated the importance of prioritizing safety when traveling during periods of heavy rainfall.

Police say investigations into the matter are complete, and no foul play is suspected.

Wazilinda FM

22/02/2026

Dust Refuses to Settle at M’mbelwa Council Over Missing CDF Millions

By Patrick J Mwale

Pressure is mounting on M’mbelwa District Council as communities under Inkosi ya Makhosi M’mbelwa demand answers over alleged mismanagement of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) resources meant for school infrastructure development.

The projects all located within the jurisdiction of Inkosi ya Makhosi M’mbelwa involve millions of kwacha reportedly allocated for classroom construction, yet little tangible progress is visible on the ground.

Makusu School Project Raises Eyebrows

At Makusu School, community members allege that bricks moulded for classroom construction were allegedly grabbed and sold by a former minister. The project is said to have received MK16 million under the CDF, but no completed structure stands to justify the allocation.

Residents say the disappearance of the moulded bricks and the lack of accountability have left them frustrated.

Kaziwa School: Community Effort, No Structure

At Kaziwa School, another MK16 million CDF allocation was reportedly released. The local community contributed sand and other materials in support of the project. However, only the foundation has been laid, and construction has stalled.

Community members now question how funds were utilized when the visible progress remains minimal.

Mhana School: Questions Over Procurement

At Mhana School, MK16 million was reportedly disbursed under the CDF. The contractor handling the project is identified as Joel, who currently serves as Council Chairperson at M’mbelwa District Council. This has sparked debate among residents about possible conflict of interest and whether proper procurement procedures were followed.

Grain Bank JP School: Funds Unaccounted For

At Grain Bank JP School, another MK16 million allocation is reportedly unaccounted for, with little to show on site. Community members say the pattern of similar funding amounts and stalled projects across the area points to a deeper accountability crisis.

Youths Speak Out

Reacting to the developments, Moses Nkhana of Mzimba Youth Organisation expressed concern over what he described as systemic failure in safeguarding public resources.

“These projects are under Inkosi ya Makhosi M’mbelwa, and our children are the ones suffering. We cannot continue to watch MK16 million per project disappear while learners remain in poor conditions. We demand transparency, independent audits, and accountability from those entrusted with these funds,” said Nkhana.

He added that the youth will not remain silent if authorities fail to provide satisfactory explanations.

Call for Investigation

Community leaders and youth groups are now calling for:

A comprehensive audit of all CDF projects within Inkosi ya Makhosi M’mbelwa.

Full disclosure of contracts awarded and payments made.

Intervention from oversight institutions to restore public trust.

As dust continues to swirl around M’mbelwa District Council, residents say the question remains unanswered:

Where are we as a district if development funds meant for our children’s education cannot be traced?

Efforts to obtain official comment from council authorities were ongoing at the time of publishing.

Wazilinda FM

13/02/2026

11/02/2026

Malawi Rolls Out Multi-Sector One Health Plan for 2026; "Authorities seek coordinated response to animal, human and environmental health threats"

By Patrick Jonathan Mwale

Malawi is intensifying efforts to prevent disease outbreaks and strengthen environmental health protection through the One Health approach, a multi-sectoral strategy integrating human, animal and environmental health.

Speaking during the National One Health Stakeholders Planning Meeting held at Sunbird Capital Hotel in Lilongwe, One Health Coordinator Dr Mark Mwalabu said Malawi risks delayed responses to disease outbreaks if sectors continue working in isolation.

The One Health approach recognises that people, animals and the environment are closely connected, requiring joint disease surveillance, shared research and coordinated response systems. Experts say the model has become critical globally as climate change, population growth and environmental degradation increase disease transmission risks.

Dr Mwalabu noted that “nearly 75 percent of emerging infectious diseases originate from animals. If we do not coordinate surveillance and responses, outbreaks can escalate rapidly.”

The meeting brought together government agencies, United Nations partners, academia and civil society organisations to review progress and map out coordinated interventions for 2026. The One Health concept is being implemented in Malawi through joint efforts of the Government of Malawi, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), and the Quantbatant Team of the United Nations under the Africa Phase Two Programme, which focuses on controlling dangerous infectious diseases across the continent.

Dr Daniel L. Banda, a Medical Microbiologist and lecturer at Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHES), said successful implementation of the strategy requires strong collaboration across sectors. He emphasised that “success of One Health depends not only on policy but also on genuine collaboration across sectors. Academia, civil society and communities must be active partners, not passive observers.”

Yusufu Mtila, speaking on behalf of United Nations organisations participating in the programme, presented a harmonised UN proposed 2026 national One Health implementation plan. The plan focuses on strengthening disease surveillance, building cross-sector workforce capacity and enhancing community awareness programmes. Mtila said lessons from previous disease outbreaks exposed coordination gaps, particularly at local levels, observing that “the One Health strategy is not a theoretical framework; it is a practical mechanism to detect and respond to health threats before they escalate.”

Participants from academic institutions called for increased investment in research to generate local evidence to guide policy and programming. Civil society organisations also stressed the importance of community participation, warning that health interventions often fail when local communities are excluded from planning and implementation processes.

Meanwhile, Dr Angeziwe Chunga said the strategy has potential to transform disease response systems but warned that sustainability remains key. She observed that “One Health can transform Malawi’s disease response systems, but without sustained financing and strong institutional backing, it risks remaining aspirational.”

According to Dr Chulu, Director of the Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development (DAHLD), the meeting outcomes are expected to guide national health programming in 2026 and strengthen Malawi’s preparedness against zoonotic outbreaks and climate-driven environmental health threats.

Wazilinda FM

11/02/2026

11/02/2026

Wazilinda FM

M’mbelwa District Council Presents K146 Billion 2025/2026 Budget to NLGFC Amid Accountability Questions

District Commissioner for M’mbelwa District Council, Emmanuel Bulukutu, has announced that the council has proposed a K146 billion budget for the 2025/2026 financial year.

Bulukutu disclosed this on Wednesday in Salima during a Budget Review Session organised by the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC).

He said the proposed K146 billion budget represents a significant increase from the K68 billion allocated in the 2024/2025 financial year, marking a 114 percent rise.

According to Bulukutu, the increase has largely been driven by reforms to the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and the growing resource requirements for the implementation of free primary education.

“This is a people-centred budget developed after thorough consultations with the communities themselves,” said Bulukutu, adding that the budget aims to address key development priorities identified at grassroots level and ensure alignment of resources with community needs.

However, the proposed increase raises critical questions about what tangible improvements such a massive budget expansion will bring to service delivery on the ground.

In recent years, several national budget lines have experienced increases without necessarily translating into improved livelihoods for communities. For instance, the education sector allocation was increased in the previous national budget to support free primary education initiatives, yet many schools in rural parts of M’mbelwa continue to struggle with inadequate classrooms, teacher shortages, and insufficient learning materials.

Similarly, concerns remain over delayed and incomplete infrastructure projects being implemented by the council. Some projects that began as far back as 2022 remain unfinished, limiting their intended impact on community development.

Notable examples include the Kamwe Health Centre staff house, Vibangalala Maternal Waiting Shelter, and the Chitokoto Irrigation Scheme, all of which remain incomplete years after construction began. Further concerns have been raised over projects under the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) initiative, where over 40 percent of the projects have reportedly not been put to use to date due to non-completion.

Governance and accountability concerns are also being raised following the council’s 2023 audit performance. While the council reportedly performed well in the financial audit component, its operational audit performance painted a less favourable picture, highlighting weaknesses in project implementation, monitoring, and service delivery efficiency.

Commenting on the budget review process, Financial Analyst at the National Local Government Finance Committee, James Namame, said the sessions are meant to scrutinise submissions from local councils and help address potential gaps before implementation begins.

“There are issues such as budget variances that councils may encounter in the first quarter of implementation due to some budget oversights. This meeting is meant to help councils avoid that,” said Namame.

He added that the committee’s role is to ensure that council budgets remain realistic, compliant with financial management guidelines, and responsive to priority development needs.

While the budget increase has been welcomed by some stakeholders as a sign of growing investment in district development, governance rights advocates are urging caution.

Edward Nkhata of Rights People Claim says although the increased allocation offers hope for development in the district, it is premature for the district to celebrate.

“So, yes indeed, while the increase brings a lot of hope to the district, it is too early for M’mbelwa to celebrate until communities begin to see tangible improvements in service delivery,” said Nkhata.

By Cynthia Mbeba

10/02/2026

Exciting News!!

With great happiness, we announce the return of our pages after they were compromised by hackers. We sincerely apologise to all our followers for the abrupt interruption you experienced. Please be assured that Wazilinda FM is back and back with a bang!

Meanwhile, our team is working tirelessly to restore all functional links and services across our pages.

Wazilinda FM — “Let’s Talk.”

01/10/2025

Aphungu amene akupita kunyumba ya malamulo kuchokera m’boma la Mzimba:

1. Mzimba North: Catherine Mzumara; UTM
2. Mzimba West: Ackim Kumwenda; Independent
3. Mzimba Kafukule: Madalitso Baloyi; Independent
4. Mzimba North East: Gotani Hara; MCP
5. Mzimba Central: Vitumbiko Mumba; Independent
6. Mzimba East: Mines Ng’oma; Independent
7. Mzimba Hora: Martha Munthali; DPP
8. Mzimba South West: Khumbo Kachali; FP
9. Mzimba Solola: Rightwell Mahowe; DPP
10. Mzimba Perekezi: Ulunji Nyirenda; AFORD
11. Mzimba South: Emmanuel Chambulanyina
12. Mzimba South East: Pending
13. Mzimba Luwerezi: Fisher Nkhwazi; Independent