MIJ Express news

The Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ) wishes to inform the general public that it has successfully secured support from the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) to operate its first-ever campus radio.
To be known as UNENESKO FM, meaning CHILUNGAMO in Chichewa and TRUTH in English; the radio will be operated at MIJ’s Northern Region campus, situated in Mzuzu.
We, therefore, would like to ask you to like and follow the social media pages for this radio that is scheduled to hit the airwaves soon.
Here are our social media pages:
Facebook: Unenesko FM
X: https://twitter.com/UneneskofmMw
https://news.mijmw.com/here-comes-unenesko-fm-a-mij-campus-radio-in-mzuzu/

Here comes Unenesko Fm!! A MIJ Campus Radio in Mzuzu The Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ) wishes to inform the general public that it has successfully secured support from the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) to operate its first-ever campus radio.

MIJ was at Bandawe in Nkhatabay district on Saturday

Malawi Institute of Journalism in Mzuzu on Wednesday 27 March 2024, joined Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority (MACRA) and other broadcasting media houses in commemorating World Radio Day.

The theme for this year’s Radio Day was- Radio, true companion for years ; Informing, Entertaining and Educating

The commemoration took place at Zgangendawa House which is MACRA’s offices in northern region. In Malawi there are 90 radio stations
By Dumisani Dhumalo.

Not every news gets reported in media. Some events go unnoticed. Share with us what we don't know today.

Have you heard about this. Some of you have but many have not.

Malawi Institute of Journalism to have Campus radio station

According to a letter Macra has written, the institution has been told to identify where this radio is to be planted.

When the place has been spotted, Macra is ready with all radio set equipment to be planted.

With this development students studying at MIJ have many platforms to practice and acquire journalism skills.

By

Fatsani Chisale, widely known as DJ Bwidy, has left a lasting mark in the hearts of many through his deejaying skills showcased in various shows, weddings, and other events. Tragically, fate took an unexpected turn as he met his untimely demise on his birthday in a road accident while returning from Nkhatabay.

DJ Bwidy, a promising graduate of the Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ) at Mzuzu campus travelled to South Africa to study a diploma in DJ Mix Club Dj Course, adding other skills to his multi-skilled life. Alongside his comprehensive journalism-related work, he found his position in the world of fashion, owning a fashion shop that became a hub for distinctive fashion trends.

His life was a canvas painted with passion and hard work, impacting those fortunate enough to have known him. The news of his passing sent shocks through the community, leaving behind a space that could never be filled.

As friends, family, and fans are celebrating his life, they remember a soul who not only pursued his dreams to benefit himself but also touched the lives of others, including to inspire them so that they can make it in life through working hard.

The legacy of Fatsani Chisale, lives on through the text he developed, events he spiced with his versatile mixing styles and memories he created.

Rest in Piece Bwidy

Vision 2063, for few teens of today
By ANDREA KALINGA

It is in the morning hours of everyday at Ekwendeni in Mzuzu. There is famous place called Chikompulazi to the west of township.

Boys in teens stay put at the place from morning to dusk. They booze and smoke as if evil spirits have attacked them. Many look older than their birth dates.

They say, they usually drink all the day because they make money at night. ‘We help women to brew kachaso all night; they pay us for helping them. Sometimes they just thank us with beer,” said Mavuto (not real name)

Just after narrating, he passes a bottle of ‘kachaso’ to his buddy Mateyu who is puffing cigarette .

The situation at Chikompulazi at Ekwendeni is just example of what is happening in parts of the city. Many teen boys are seen killing hours in verandas of shops selling cheap small bottled beer.

At these place, they drink and smoke. The smell of what they smoke is strange. Those who have ever smoked ‘weed’, they say what is much smoked is ‘weed’.

A resident of Ekwendeni identified as Mrs Joyce Mbewe says she lost one of her sons because of such teens risk behaviour that has become common.

Her son was killed last year during a fight that erupted at the boozing joint where he went with his associates during the night.
‘This place is not safe to live and to raise your children,’ she said referring to chikompulazi at Ekwendeni

Centers for disease control and prevention reports that teen-drinking is responsible for than 4,300 deaths.

Many youths who drink engaged in unprotected s*x which expose them to many fatal diseases. Some commit su***de even look ugly because of injuries they sustain after being knocked. Vision 2063, is for the few teens of today.

NB: MIJ OFFERS PRATCICAL BASED MEDIA TRAINING.
IT IS KNOWN BY EMPLOYERS AS THE BEST & OLDEST MEDIA TRAINING INSTUTION IN MALAWI.
SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION FORM TO STUDY AT MIJ THIS JANUARY NOW

This was on November 3. Our guest lecturer was the Public Relations Manager for Northern Region Waterboard (NRWB). He is Mr. Edward Nyirenda.

Mr Nyirenda shared with us on Trends in Intergrated Marketing Communications.

NB: For those interested to study at MIJ, last day for submission of application forms is November 18.

@ MIJ WE OFFER 80 % PRACTICAL TRAINING AND 20% THEORY.
YOU DO INTERNSHIP TO GOVERNMENT OR PRIVATE ORGANISATION, 90% GET CONNECTED OR EXPOSED FOR EMPLOYMENT

Submit your application form now

MIJ is ever good foundation to Journalism career in Malawi. The Institution started training journalists since 1995.

GMO IS GAME CHANGER IN FOOD SECURITY, ECONOMY
By Our reporter

Food insecurity , foundation to poverty among many Malawians could be history if the country starts using genetically modified products (GMO/P) in agriculture.

The GMO products are developed to produce crops or animals that are more yielding, pests and disease resistant , survive harsh weather-related effects among others.

Dr Abel sifasi of Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar) says with the growing population, lack of forex and other problems Malawi faces, using GMO amongst farmers would be game changer. The country would have enough to eat and even to export.

Sifasi was making a presentation during training workshop organized by Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), through National Commission for Science and Technological (NACST) for Journalists in Mzuzu on Friday.

Sifasi explained that genetically modified products have been there for long time and have been used for long time too.

“Many people think GMO are new and are skeptical about them. But all the crop varieties and animal breeds that we know, and use are products of Genetically modified products.

"They were developed using traditional ways of cross pollination or cross breeding,” Said Sifasi

These methods have not led to development of much improved crop varieties and animal breeds. Undesirable elements from the cross-pollinated crops or cross breeding animals are also passed on to the newly developed product.

Dr Sifasi says the modern methods of developing genetically modified products which is called modern biotechnology, are safe and efficient.

In the modern GMO development process, GMO go under various tests in lab and in fields to ascertain its effectiveness and safety for human consumption.

“ Only good characters of products for instance disease resistant from one crop or animal and more yielding from another crop is combined to develop another product that is both disease resistant and matures early,” Explained Sifasi.

If well supported by all policy makers, accessed and adopted by farmers, the country can have crop varieties and animal breeds that are high yielding ,disease resistant, nutritious, matures early, among others.

Theft at wedding celebration preparation spoils celebration mood

By Tamanda Kachapira

As women were busy making final touches on the preparations for the wedding day celebrations to take place this Saturday May 6 in Area 49 in Lilongwe, bizarre development happened as one woman entrusted to take part in the preparations was caught to have stolen a cellphone and money amounting to K10,000 belonging to another lady who is also among the preparation crew.

Jonita Kambale told MIJ Express that when she wanted to get her phone, which was left in her hustle bag, to make a call to her home, she discovered that her phone was not there in her bag and she got confused. She further said that she asked some ladies around who expressed surprise as well and when she searched for her money, she discovered that all her K10,000 in the hustle bag was also gone.

“At the time the items were announced missing most of the women were outside brewing ‘thobwa’ and most of their bags were in one room that was spared for the guests who were invited to take part in the wedding day celebrations preparations.

“After announcing for a couple of times about the missing items to find out if anyone had seen or taken them accidentally, there was no response indicating that no one had knowledge of the missing items which prompted me and my friend Anita Kapito to start searching everyone and every bag that was in the room,” she said.

As they continued searching, the phone could not be found and Kapito suggested that they dial the missing phone’s number. No sooner had they made this decision than some ladies intended to leave the room which brough further suspicion and they were ordered not to go away until the search process was over.

“When we dialed the missing phone number, the phone rang in the hands of a certain lady only identified as mayi Fatima who was very close to the door among the women who intended to leave the room at the time we announced of dialing the missing phone number. It is inevitable that she never thought of switching off the phone after stealing as maybe she thought she would get away with it,” Kapito said.

Kambale further said that mayi Fatima shamefully handed over the phone after being caught and she was at pains justifying as to why she was in the possession of a missing phone and she timidly said, ‘it might have been by mistake and not by intention’.

When mayi Fatima was asked about the missing K10,000 which was in the same bag with the phone she was found in possession, she also feigned ignorance further prompting threats from the victim of taking the matter further to have the culprit arrested. When she heard of an intention to sue the suspect, mayi Fatima, while fidgeting, returned the money to the owner to the disbelief of the onlookers.

Community demands an arrest of in**st, defilement suspect

By Daud Chimatiro

People around Area 23 in Lilongwe have expressed displeasure over what they say is the failure by the police to arrest a man who is suspected of in**st and defilement by impregnating his 16-year-old biological daughter in November 2021.

The outcry was raised during an interface meeting organized by National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust with the community members in the area.

Yusufu Naison, a community member who is also Area 23 Victim Support Unit chairperson, said it is unfortunate that the suspect who allegedly impregnated his 16- year- old daughter in November 2021 is walking scot-free which is setting a wrong precedence to the community.

“It is a shock to all well-meaning members of the society to see this man scot-free. We all expected that the suspect would have been arrested and tried by the competent court of law by now as we suspect him to have committed in**st and defilement.

“Instead of protecting his daughters from predators, he became the predator himself to the extent of impregnating his own daughter and currently the daughter’s child- who is suspected to have been a product of in**st- is seven months old,” said Naison.

Triphonia Zambezi who is also a member of the Area 23 community said as residents, they reported the matter of in**st and defilement to Area 23 police, but the suspect has never been arrested nor called for questioning by the police.

“We understand that in**st is a crime under the laws of Malawi especially the penal code. In addition, it is a serious crime to defile a child under the age of 18. We thought the police would rise above the occasion to set the right precedence by apprehending the suspect but to the surprise of us all, nothing has happened to date,” she said.

Speaking in an interview with MIJ Express, Area 23 Community Policing Coordinator Kingsley Chanza said the police will investigate the concerns raised by the community members and will get to the bottom of the matter soonest.

“I cannot deny that the community lodged a complaint as raised during this interface meeting, because the complaint is coming from the community members themselves, but we will investigate and I must emphasize that, as police, we are committed to apprehending all people suspected to have committed crimes in the society,” he said.

During the interface meeting, it was also noted that a 13-year-old girl was also allegedly defiled by a married man and the police is yet to act on the complaint that was lodged to the office by the community members.

The Police have since been implored by the community members and Nice Trust that they should be investigating and acting on the reported crime suspects in time to sustain the trust of the community members as delaying on such complaints erodes public trust.

Chinsapo woman placed behind bars

…for meting out mob justice on a minor by causing grievous body harm

By Samantha Ngoma

With increasing calls by various stakeholders to join hands in safeguarding and promoting the rights and welfare of children in the country, a 35-year-old woman in Chinsapo is in the police custody for allegedly assaulting and burning a 15-year-old child.

Police say the 35-year-old woman, identified as Mary Likagwa, is waiting for the court process to answer charges of causing grievous bodily harm to child that have been levelled against her.

In an interview with MIJ Express, the Officer in Charge for Chinsapo Police, Yamikani Msasa, said the police was tipped off by well-wishers from the suspected crime scene and the police acted swiftly by arresting the suspect.

“It is alleged that Likagwa on the material day of April 6, 2023, allegedly assaulted the minor in addition to burning his fingers by forcefully placing the child’s fingers on fire to burn them because she suspected him to have stolen some cobs of green maize from her maize garden.

“When the police got tipped, we swiftly acted by apprehending the suspect and she will soon appear before court to answer charges levelled against her. I must take this opportunity to tell Malawians that whenever they suspect someone to have wronged them, they must report to the police as the ordinary citizen have no mandate to police or mete out jungle or mob justice,” Msasa said.

Likagwa comes from the area of Traditional Authority Maliri in Lilongwe.

Yankho Solomon, a resident of Chinsapo- the suspected crime scene- has bemoaned that there is growing tendency in the area where he stays for people to take justice in their hands whenever they suspect someone of wrongdoing.

“It is unfortunate that such a harsh and brutal punishment was meted out on a minor who needs constant counselling and guidance for him to become a productive citizen. Despite several interventions on child protection, someone decides to mete out mob justice on the child instead of reporting the matter to relevant authorities for proper action.

“The arrest of this cruel woman should be a wake-up call to all people who take justice into their own hands. We need to protect children and we must understand how to deal with children suspected of wrongdoing,” he said.

Small-scale business operators in Lilongwe cry foul over poor hygiene

By Patricia Chunga

As the country continues fighting the ravaging impact of Cholera pandemic which has killed hundreds of people countrywide, it has emerged that some markets within the vicinity of Lilongwe City continue operating under unhygienic conditions- a development that runs counter to the anti-cholera fight campaign.

The visit by MIJ Express to Lilongwe Area 25 Nsungwi market has established that vendors plying their trade within Nsungwi market, compromise on maintaining hygienic standards for the markets. The development has affected the businesses of other vendors, especially in the eatery business as some customers shun the places due to lack of sanitation.

One of the small-scale business operators at Nsungwi market who owns a restaurant, James Bilikani, has complained that the unhygienic conditions prevalent at the market has had a far-reaching negative impact on his business as the people coming to eat at his restaurant continue declining.

He has lamented that his kind of business relies much on cleanliness to attract more customers, so it is difficult to have customers while the surrounding is dirty with so much refuse around.

“Due to poor sanitation prevalent at this marketplace and exacerbated by other vendors, l have been affected negatively as few people come to eat at the restaurant, this is coming at the backdrop of the marauding cholera pandemic which has killed many Malawians the past year.

“It is unfortunate that the business is going down simply because fellow traders do not want to maintain good sanitation and hygiene within the market. My family relies on what l earn from this restaurant; currently, it has become harder to fend for my family due to the dwindling sales from the business,” he said.

Another small-scale business operator selling fresh fruits at the same Nsungwi market, Chikondi Chiyenda, has told MIJ Express that he is also experiencing reduced volumes of sales due to the worsening sanitation and hygiene at the market which led many people shunning his business.

“My business is affected in such a way that few people buy fresh fruits as you know most Malawians buy and eat the fruits at the place they buy, so when they see piles of wastes around, they do not buy the fresh fruits in fear of the cholera pandemic which has wreaked havoc in the country.

“It is unfortunate that some of the vendors are very uncooperative when it comes to the issues of maintaining sanitation within the market. If each one of us plying our trade within the market took personal initiative to maintain hygiene, we would not be complaining but some of our businesses have been dealt a heavy blow simply because some vendors are irresponsible,” he said.

Njolinjo Chibwato who is resident in Area 25 C has blamed council officials for not being serious in enforcing hygiene and sanitation standards within the markets. He has said they take ages to come and empty rubbish bins-a development that contributes to stinking smells within the markets.

Tingathe on tithetse cholera campaign drive

By Samantha Ngoma

As Tingathe Youth club continues with its initiative to fight the spread of cholera and intensify preventive measures, the residents of Area 36 in Lilongwe-one of the communities benefitting from the initiative- have commended the youth led organization for the gesture.

Area 36 Village Development Committee (VDC) chairperson, Extra Chabuka, said the initiative by Tingathe Youth Club to fight cholera is worthy appreciating as it will go a long way in saving lives of many residents of the area.

Chabuka has, however, said that his area has problems with access to clean and portable water as some members still use untreated water from wells. He has implored government and other development partners to come to the rescue of Area 36 residents through provision of clean and portable water to all households.

“It is unfortunate that to date, there are many households in this area that do not have access to clean and portable water, yet they are within the city. It is this situation of lacking portable water that aggravates the spread of cholera in this area,” said Chabuka.

Tingathe Youth Club Executive Director, Leonard Gongwe, said in an interview with MIJ Express that as an organization, they decided to embark on the initiative of bringing awareness on the preventive measures of cholera to the community of Area 36 after noticing that the community has been registering increasing numbers of cholera cases since the first cases were recorded in Lilongwe last year.

Gondwe added that apart from distributing ORS and Water guard, the group is also working in partnership with the Malawi government in administering oral cholera vaccine in addition to offering awareness campaign about the disease.

“We are hoping that this initiative will help in reducing the spread of the disease as we have witnessed a decrease in the active cases and that people are adhering to the hygienic practices- a thing worth cerebrating as an achievement to our organization,” said Gondwe.

MIJ Express established, at the time of publishing the story, that the number of active cases for the area has been reduced from 150 to around 18 cases.

Since Tingathe Youth Club embarked on the project in response to the call by President Lazarus Chakwera in February for concerted efforts to end cholera through ‘tithetse cholera’ campaign, over 1800 households around Area 36 in Lilongwe have been provided with ORS and water guard by the organization.

MISA Malawi brings ‘the newsroom’ to MIJ Lilongwe campus

By Madalitso Kafantenganji

In its quest to equip up and coming journalists in a project dubbed newsroom in the classroom, Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Malawi chapter has implored students to cultivate passion for the profession.

MISA Malawi chairperson, Teleza Ndanga said in an interview on the sidelines of the public lecture that, as MISA Malawi chapter, they decided to engage Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ) students as a way of motivating and inspiring them so that they remain informed of the industrial demands before they are absorbed into the industry.

She further said that they reminded students to live their dreams that brought them to the journalism training school. Ndanga added that journalism is a calling and not an alternative to wealth creation drive.

“One should not join journalism simply because they failed in another career nor should one join journalism because they are in search of fame and popularity. Journalism is a calling to stand for the voiceless and safeguard their rights.

“We were here to bring industrial knowledge to the classroom by engaging with journalism students to provide them with necessary practical examples that will enlighten them of what lies ahead of their career,” she said.

Ndanga has also assured up and coming journalists that there are so many opportunities for them if they are passionate about what they intend to do.

“Journalism is a very fulfilling job because, through journalism, you provide a platform for those who do not have one. You fight for the rights of the underprivileged- this is very fulfilling- as we become representatives of those underprivileged people.

“It is true that when one ventures into investigative journalism, there are so many threats that are issued to such reporters, and I am a living example who received so many threats as I were pursuing investigative stories. The good thing is that no reporter is recorded to have been killed in Malawi because they were pursuing investigative stories,” Nganga said.

One of the students who attended the session, Deborah Msiska said the interaction with MISA has been an eye opener for her career and that she is now motivated to embark on investigative journalism.

Msiska said her classroom knowledge coupled with the practical experience Ndanga explained on investigative journalism is good for her career progression.

“I am impressed when she said that no story is worth dying for hence a need to take precautionary measures when doing an investigative story. This is exactly what our lecturer of IJ has been emphasizing on and almost everything that we learnt in class is what Ndanga emphasized on.

“This clearly shows that we learn what the industry demands, and, in this regard, I am more than confident of what we learn here at MIJ,” Msiska said.

Gilbert Moyo, MIJ Lilongwe campus Centre Cordinator has commended MISA Malawi for engaging MIJ students in their newsroom in the classroom project. Moyo added that the practical knowledge of the industry which MISA brought to the students will be very helpful to the young journalists.

Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ) at Mzuzu campus on Friday had visitors from Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Malawi.

Students Journalists got hinted of positive environment in places where journalists are working.

The delegates told female students journalists that alleged rumors of practicing female journalists sleeping with editors for their stories to be published is false.

The delegates from MISA were Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Aubrey Chitumbwa and Nyika media club chairperson Joseph Mwale.

Maureen Moffat and Forgiveness Nyirongo captured the event.

ZIP YOUR MOUTH WHEN YOU TIP- ACB
By Kennedy Mikitamu Kamenya

The Anticorruption Bureau ( ACB) has urged whistle blowers to resist from telling anybody or doing any actions that can let perpetrators know about complaint logged against them to the Bureau.

Public Relation officer for the bureau, Egrita Ndala is concerned that many whistle blowers are fond of mouthing off tips to other people, a development that is dangerous.

" At the bureau, we keep secret to those who provide information related to corruption to protect them. We know perpetrators can do everything possible to harm them in order to protect themselves from being prosecuted,” Egrita Ndala said.

On delay of rounding up of corruption cases that are in court, Ndala assured the nation that the scenario is becoming history soon.
She said the passing of law that allows them to proceed with the case without seeking consent from Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and the setting up of special corruption court , provide solutions to this problem.

The tendency of people to judge the Bureau based on number of uncompleted cases is also big worry to the bureau. “ citizens should embrace mind set change by not focusing much on cases that are already in court but what the Bureau has done to prevent it to happen,” pointed Ndala.

"People must start looking at how much we have prevented from corruption and not that have already gone as prevention is better than cure." She added.

Ndala was at Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ) on March 19 delivering her lecture to students journalists on corruption matters.
Being journalists in making, Ndala said they are influential in fighting corruption as they have platforms for interacting with audience, making transmission of messages about evils of corruption quickly and to many.

One of the students who attended the lecture, Owen Vitumbiko Mwanyongo feel the lecture was enlightening.

“ACB has told us that the bureau does not deal with all cases happening on the land but according to law that govern them. But it appears many citizens don’t know this information,” Said Mwanyongo.

ACB conducts such lectures at Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ) once every year.

Malawi nation experiencing aftermath of Freddy cyclone in the southern region. Where you are,share your testimonies on this page in still pictures, videos and text.

CY SISTERS CROWNED FAM WOMENS LEAGUE CHAMPIONS NORTH
By Owen Vitumbiko Mwanyongo
On Saturday, 4 February 2023, Cy Sisters walked tall for being recognized as champions of 2022 northern region FAM women’s league at ceremony held at Katoto primary school

The Katoto based team managed to finish the league unbeaten with 38 points from 14 games.

Its rival Moyale sisters got 31 points from same number of games suffering 3 defeats and a draw.

This is the second consecutive time for Cy Sisters to finish the league unbeaten in the region after managing the same in 2021 season.

Cy Sisters pocketed K2 million Malawi kwacha , Moyale Sisters got K1 million, Topic Sisters received K500,00 for the third position and Ekwendeni Sisters were prized K250, 00 for the fourth position.

Golden boot went to Vitumbiko Mkandawire of champion team for netting 30 goals while Mayamiko Mkandawire from Ekwendeni Sisters won player of tournament award.

Anold Mtonga of Bicco Sisters was chosen as a best coach.

The vice chairperson for National Women’s football Association, Annie Mseteka said as an association they are happy to have honored prizes in time than it was the case last year.

"We thank football association of Malawi for releasing the funds in time because it will help teams to have enough time preparing for the national tournament." Mseteka said.

Northern region women football association chairperson, Salakunja Chimanga said there was a great improvement in performance of individuals in 2022 season.

Vice coach for the team, Kondwani Kayamba, said that despite having a good run in the region, they will up their preparation inorder for them to perform better at national tournament which has been a big challenge for years.