Wazilinda FM

22/07/2026

From MK120,000 to MK90,000: Farmers Have Every Reason to Smile

Patrick J Mwale

Mzimba, Malawi: Malawian farmers have every reason to smile following a communication, signed by the Minister of Agriculture, Roza Fath Mbilizi, indicating that fertilizer prices are expected to be reduced from around MK120,000 to below MK90,000 per 50kg bag for the 2026/27 farming season.

According to the communication seen by Wazilinda FM, the Government has approved the reduction in fertilizer prices as part of efforts to address the growing threat to national food security. The statement says the decision follows concerns that many farmers have been abandoning or reducing maize production because of the high cost of farm inputs and low returns from crop sales.

The communication further states that the now-operational Napoleon Dzombe Fertilizer Manufacturing Plant is expected to play a key role in ensuring an adequate and affordable supply of quality fertilizer across the country.

The anticipated price reduction is expected to bring relief to thousands of smallholder farmers who have struggled with escalating input costs in recent years. Many farmers are now expected to expand cultivation, increase crop production, and contribute to improved national food security.

If implemented as communicated, the development will mark a significant step towards making farming more affordable and productive, while strengthening Malawi's efforts to achieve sustainable food security.

From MK120,000 to MK90,000, Malawian farmers have every reason to smile.

Wazilinda FM

17/07/2026

20/06/2026

Patrick J Mwale

Rights People Claim Links Farmer Deaths to Poor To***co Earnings

A local civil society organization, Rights People Claim (RPC), has expressed concern over the increasing number of to***co farmers reportedly dying from stress and depression associated with poor returns from to***co sales during the 2026 marketing season.

Speaking in an interview with Wazilinda FM, RPC Executive Director Edward Nkhata said the organization has recorded reports of at least five to***co farmers who have died since the onset of the selling season in the area of Group Village Head Bella Saka under Senior Traditional Authority Mabilabo in Mzimba District.

Nkhata believes the deaths are a reflection of the emotional and financial distress many farmers are facing after investing heavily in to***co production only to receive disappointing earnings at the auction floors.

"Most farmers borrowed money, sold household assets, or used family savings to purchase farm inputs. The low prices being offered for to***co this year have left many farmers devastated and without hope of recovering their investments," said Nkhata.

According to RPC, to***co production costs have risen significantly over the past year. During the 2025/2026 growing season, a farmer producing two bales of burley to***co typically spent money on fertilizer, seed, pesticides, labour for nursery preparation, transplanting, weeding and harvesting, as well as transport and handling costs to auction floors. In many cases, total production expenses ranged between K1.2 million and K1.8 million before a single bale was sold.

The situation is best illustrated by the experience of Village Headman Gwaba Nkhana of Nkhana Village in Traditional Authority M'Mbelwa. Nkhana, who has grown to***co for several years, described the 2025/2026 season as the most disappointing venture he has ever undertaken.

"I invested heavily hoping for a good return, but what I received after sales cannot compensate for the money, labour and time that my family committed to the crop," he said.

Nkhana explained that producing ten bales of burley to***co required substantial expenditure. He spent money on fertilizer, chemicals, seed, hired labour, curing and grading materials, transport and auction-related expenses. His total investment exceeded K6 million. However, after selling the ten bales at the Mzuzu Auction Floors and settling various deductions, he realized proceeds that left him with a significant financial loss. Rather than making a profit, he estimates that he lost more than K2 million, leaving him struggling to repay debts and prepare for the next farming season.

Rights People Claim has since appealed to government and relevant stakeholders to closely examine the challenges affecting to***co farmers and put in place measures that guarantee fair prices and protect growers from exploitation.

Nkhata says government must do its homework ahead of the 2026/2027 growing season if it genuinely has the welfare of farmers at heart.

"Our farmers are the backbone of the country's economy. If they continue making losses year after year, poverty levels will worsen and more families will be pushed into desperation," he said.

To***co remains Malawi's leading foreign exchange earner, with thousands of smallholder farmers depending on the crop for their livelihoods.

Wazilinda FM

17/06/2026

Wazilinda FM

BOMBSHELL QUESTIONS EMERGE IN VP CHILIMA PLANE CRASH: Justice Minister Points to Unanswered Timeline Gaps and Potential Security Lapses

Minister of Justice Charles Mhango has raised fresh and startling questions surrounding the military plane crash that claimed the life of former Vice President Saulos Chilima and eight others, suggesting that critical aspects of the tragedy may not have been adequately investigated.

Appearing before the Parliamentary Ad-hoc Committee, Mhango criticized the interim findings by German aviation experts, arguing that the report failed to conclusively establish the actual cause of the accident. He further highlighted what he described as significant inconsistencies in the timeline of events leading up to the crash.

According to Mhango, former President Lazarus Chakwera had officially delegated Chilima to represent him at the funeral of the late Ralph Kasambala in Nkhata Bay on June 10. Flight records showed that Chilima's aircraft was expected to land at Mzuzu Airport at 10:02 a.m., after which he would have needed approximately 30 to 35 minutes to travel by road to Nkhata Bay, placing his expected arrival at around 10:45 a.m.

However, Mhango noted that the Commission of Inquiry report indicated that the funeral proceedings commenced at 10:00 a.m. after an announcement was made informing mourners that the Vice President had been delayed.

The minister questioned how such an announcement could have been made at 10:00 a.m. when the aircraft carrying Chilima was not even scheduled to land until two minutes later.

Adding to the mystery, Mhango pointed out that the aircraft's crew maintained contact with Mzuzu Air Traffic officials until approximately 10:12 a.m., while the crash itself reportedly occurred around 10:16 a.m.

"At 10:12, the pilots or crew were still communicating with Mzuzu. Yet at 10:00, a decision had already been made at the funeral that the Vice President had been delayed and the ceremony should proceed. The Commission of Inquiry did not adequately investigate who authorized that decision or who made that announcement," Mhango told the committee.

What Mhango's Observations Could Mean for Security Agencies

While Mhango did not directly accuse any individual or institution of wrongdoing, his observations raise several issues that security and intelligence agencies may need to examine further:

1. Advance Knowledge Questions

Investigators may need to establish whether anyone at the funeral venue had information suggesting the Vice President would not arrive as scheduled.

The timing of the announcement raises questions about the basis on which organizers concluded he was delayed.

2. Communication Chain Review

Security agencies may be required to reconstruct all communications between the flight crew, military command, presidential security personnel, funeral organizers, and government officials on the day of the crash.

3. Protection Protocol Assessment

As the Vice President was traveling on official duty, there may be renewed scrutiny of aviation security procedures, risk assessments, and contingency planning for high-ranking state officials.

4. Potential Intelligence Gaps

Mhango's concerns could prompt investigators to determine whether any intelligence warnings, operational concerns, or unusual developments were overlooked before the flight.

5. Reopening Unanswered Questions

His submission may strengthen calls for a deeper investigation into aspects of the tragedy that some believe were not fully addressed by the Commission of Inquiry or the German technical report.

A Call for Greater Accountability

At the heart of Mhango's presentation is the argument that the Commission of Inquiry should have gone beyond the technical circumstances of the crash and examined the sequence of decisions and communications surrounding the Vice President's intended attendance at the funeral.

His remarks are likely to intensify public debate over whether all relevant questions about the crash have been answered and whether further investigations are necessary to provide closure to the nation and the families affected by the tragedy.

It is important to note that Mhango's observations raise questions and concerns but do not, on their own, constitute evidence of wrongdoing by any individual or institution. Further investigations would be required to establish any factual conclusions.

Editorial Team

15/06/2026

05/06/2026

Court in Lilongwe has directed that

MEC remains in Lilongwe for now.

The Government cannot continue with the relocation process.

The court has not yet ruled whether the relocation is legal or illegal.

The order is temporary and remains in force until the court hears the full case or issues a new order.

Warning from the court: Any person who disobeys this court order may be found in contempt of court and can be fined or imprisoned.

31/05/2026

Wazilinda FM

Many people may not know that the late Oliver Reginald Tambo, popularly known as OR Tambo and leader of South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) from 1967 to 1991, once travelled using a Malawian passport under the name Rex Mtembu.

This remarkable chapter of history unfolded in 1972 when OR Tambo and the ANC were at the forefront of the struggle against apartheid, fighting for the freedom of Black South Africans and the establishment of a democratic nation where all citizens would enjoy equal rights regardless of race.

At a time when apartheid authorities were relentlessly pursuing liberation leaders, freedom fighters often relied on the support, friendship and solidarity of fellow Africans across the continent. The fact that OR Tambo carried a Malawian passport is a powerful reminder that the bonds between Malawi and South Africa stretch far deeper than modern political and economic relations. They are rooted in a shared history of sacrifice, resilience and the common African quest for freedom and human dignity.

For generations, thousands of Malawians travelled to South Africa to work in the mines and other industries, contributing to the development of the South African economy while supporting families back home. Likewise, South Africa’s liberation struggle inspired countless Africans beyond its borders who believed that the oppression of one African people was a challenge to the entire continent.

Today, as occasional incidents of xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals, including Malawians, continue to raise concern in South Africa, the story of OR Tambo and his Malawian passport offers an important lesson. It reminds us that the relationship between our two nations was built not on division, but on solidarity. It was built on the understanding that Africans share a common destiny and that progress can only be achieved through mutual respect and cooperation.

The story of OR Tambo’s Malawian passport is therefore more than a historical footnote. It stands as a symbol of African unity, a testament to the enduring friendship between Malawi and South Africa, and a reminder that the values which helped defeat apartheid—solidarity, justice and human dignity—remain just as relevant today as they were more than five decades ago.

History reminds us that while borders may separate nations, shared struggles and shared aspirations unite people forever.

Patrick J Mwale