The Bishops under the umbrella body, Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), launched the relief response targeting 573 households in the area with each one of them receiving two 10 kilogrammes of flour, one bucket, a packet of sugar, salt, blanket, two cups and one bottle of cooking oil.

Speaking during the launch, President of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi, Arch Bishop, George Desmond Tambala who was also the guest of honour to the event, said the development showed oneness as Malawians.

He said the catholic church advocates for togetherness without looking at one’s religious affiliations in all circumstances.

“What we present here are a few items representing more support that is coming in. It is my plea to the leadership of the two camps to apply honesty as you distribute the relief items,” said Arch Bishop Tambala

On his part, Bishop Peter Musikuwa of Mangochi Diocese hailed fellow bishops for the kind and rare gesture.

Bishop Musikuwa said the development expressed as to what extent the bishops were concerned with the development which has left many people hopeless.

“We have lost a lot of belongings following moderate tropical effects. Houses have collapsed, farms destroyed and many more items. Our support today demonstrate that we are with you and do not lose any hope.

“Let me take this opportunity to thank everyone who rendered a helping hand in this. This support will assist many to start new life. Let’s take care of it,” stated Bishop Musikuwa

He further said, due to other global effects like Covid-19, many institutions have also been affected and is becoming more difficult to get support.

“It is not that people do not wish to help but the circumstances we have gone through. Let’s all come together in finding lasting solution to all these,” he added

The bishop singled out pregnant, lactating mothers and the aged as most hit calling on other well wishers to also not give a blind eye to learners who also lost school related materials when moderate tropical Ana had hit.

Taking his turn, Paramount Chief Lundu of Mangochi district appreciated the bishops for their coming to witness the devastating effects of moderate tropical

He said more people were greatly affected and that the situation needed more support from all corners of the country and beyond.

The paramount chief then called for seeds and other farming inputs saying people needed to replant.

Mangochi district council, Principal Administrative Officer, Allan Kazembe, echoed Paramount Chief Lundu sentiments saying as government they were grateful at support by the bishops.

He said government alone cannot do everything looking at how things are at the moment.

He assured the flood survivors of continued support saying the council was doing all it could that no one is left behind.

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According to a narrative by Fr Alfeo Boloma, who is the secretary to the Bishop, thugs, who were armed with pangas and other dangerous weapons, made way into the premises through the eastern side of the entrance, and stationed themselves at different locations within.

When they made way into the fence, some thugs came to them main door of the house and tried to open it forcefully.

“It was around twenty past one that these thugs entered our premises. First to alert me, were footsteps that I heard, and thought it was one of the guards making their usual security rounds. No sooner had I thought about this, than did I heard them whisper to each other. They then came to the main door which they began forcing it to open. At this point, I was sure that we were under attack” Narrated Fr Boloma.

Having successfully opened the door, they went up the second floor of the house, and began checking and looking for the room where the Bishop sleeps.

At this time, Fr Boloma had hid himself behind an open door for one of the toilets in the house, while the bishop was still in his room.

Finding no one, they went into the dining room and made way to the sisters who are being housed at the guest wing of the residence. The thugs broke broke into bedrooms of three sisters and demanded for money from them. “We know you are sisters from India and we do not want to harm you; just give us the money you have brought and we will go”. One sister recalled.

The thugs then searched in all the rooms and went away with some items.

Meanwhile, as Fr Boloma hid, he managed to call the Officer in Charge for Mangochi police who assured him that officers were on the way, having already received a call from the Bishop. The officers arrived at the bishops place an hour later after the thieves had gone, and stayed around for as little as 15 minutes.

The Officer In Charge came in the morning to appreciate the situation. Later on officers from the regional headquarters of police arrived and assured that two officers will be deployed every night to offer security to the place.

The thugs went away with a travelling bag and some clothes, 2 laptops from the sisters, three mobile phones and other small gadgets plus cash amounting to twenty thousand kwacha.

This is not the first time that the Bishop’s residence in Mangochi has been attacked by robbers.

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The district CSO network made the remarks during a press briefing which they organized in the lower Shire district which is perhaps the most affected area. Speaking on the sidelines of the briefing, Chairperson of the Network, Lewis Msiyadungu, said the CSO network is duty bound to ensure that every disaster donation meets its intended purpose, which is to alleviate the discomforts brought forth by the tropical storm.

“In times like these, some people would mobilize disaster funds and resources but, in the end, divert them to their homes and pockets. There are also some bad practices which tend to occur at community level including deliberate unfair and inequitable distribution of relief items. The CSO network is quite vigilant and will put to task all individuals involved in such malpractices”

Msiyadungu further appealed to both national and International organization to consult local structures and stakeholders in providing aid to affected households. He argues that the tendency of bypassing district stakeholders has further aggravated unfair and imbalanced distribution of relief items.

“We would love if there was more coordination in the provision of disaster response in which case every organization or individuals of good make proper consultations of where to take their donations to. Failure to do this will land us into a situation where some affected communities have been immensely assisted while others have gotten minimal if not none of the donations”

Indeed, as the remarks were being made, there were concerns from some evacuation camps which, purportedly, had not been reached with assistance despite many organizations and individuals posting of providing relief items in evacuation camps.

The statement dated 10^th February has overly called for concerted efforts in responding to the disaster, with consideration to both short term and long-term impact of the disaster. It also offered a foresight over issues of human rights as well as women and child protection. It, in this regard, called upon all CSOs to be vigilant in safeguarding the welfare of women and children.

On a different note, Anderson Biliati, the CSOs Network vice chairperson bemoaned a tragic accident which had occurred at. The accident claimed three lives. There are reports that there were no road signs placed at the place after flooding waters slid apart the road. It is hence the position of the network that responsible departments should have inserted warnings signs at the place.

“We may understand that the storm came with unprecedented damage such that governments departments and everyone else were overwhelmed. We nevertheless, expect responsible entities to act with speed on specific areas like in this case putting road signs where roads were cut by the flooding waters”

The cyclone Ana hailstorm has displaced over 25 thousand households in Mangochi and damaged over a thousand hectares of crop fields. To this date, 26 people are confirmed dead while 19 are still missing.

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Dated 5^th February 2022, and signed by the secretary general for Episcopal conference, the letter is a show of obedience and adherence to catholic social teaching which among other things advocate for a deliberate choice of action for the suffering. The church teaches that Christian have to take a preferential option for the afflicted in order to show them Gods love and care.

The bishops have therefore decided that, Sunday 13^th February 2022, should be set aside as a day when all churches must have special collection which will be used to assist the affected families.

“It is against this background that the Catholic Bishops are kindly requesting you to inform all Parish priests to announce their resolution about this special Sunday collection on Sunday, 6th February 2022 in all parishes in order to prepare the faithful to contribute generously in cash and kind.” Reads part of the communique.

 Among the most critical items required are the following: Maize flour, tinned fish, cooking oil, rice, soya pieces, drinking water, plastic buckets, ORS, plastic plates, clothes, cash etc.

The southern part of Malawi recently experienced heavy rains that caused flooding in other parts, mainly the lower shire valley districts of Nsanje and Mangochi, claiming lives and property, but also destroyed houses in the upland areas of Thyolo and Phalombe among others.

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National Director of social services under the episcopal conference of Malawi, Fr Chigamba, has appealed for more concerted efforts in responding to the impact of the Cyclone Ana that ravaged several districts in the Southern Part of Malawi. He made the call during a visit to some of the hard-hit areas of Mangochi district.

According to Fr Chigamba, the storm has drifted many communities into states of ruins; compromising almost each and every aspect of life. This in his view demands for more collaboration amongst various stakeholders in addressing both short-term and long-term impact of the disaster.

“The recent heavy downpour has indeed wreaked havoc and rendered many people destitute. The tales of the affected people in the two camps we visited are quite paralyzing. urgently, we have to attend to the immediate needs of the people and these include food and clothes. At the same time, we also have to address the long-term adversities within sectors of education and social welfare, just to mention”

“Looking at this precarious situation we, the non-state actors, need to collaborate in order to address all these afflictions”

Fr Chigamba said

The visit was organized by ECM through CADECOM to appreciate the damage caused by the disaster for possible interventions. It certainly conjured images of despair with many houses tossed to the ground and fields of crops swept away. A visit to Bereu police camp which accommodates about 230 people revealed that the victims do not even have food for the next day.

It also appears that the storm had a heavy blow on education with many schools in the affected areas yet to reopen for classes. Headteacher for Nasanja primary school, Gerald Malunga, has cast doubt over immediate resumption of classes.

“We are trying our best to resume normal classes, but many of our learning materials including text books and chalk were washed away. The walls of the classrooms also pose risks of collapsing. Even the learners lost their exercise books in their homes”

CADECOM National Coordinator, Chimwemwe Sekunda has hence called on government to expedite its post disaster recovery programs in order to achieve a quick restoration of normalcy. She has also appealed to all people of good will to make donations through the commission.

Echoing the need for concerted efforts, CCJP National Coordinal Coordinator, Boniface Chibwana added that issues of human Rights also ought to be given a birds’ eye attention.

“Where we have a disaster of this magnitude, issues of rights violations can be very common. For example, in the camps we have visited there are young girls who are currently not attending classes and lacking basic needs. Our worry is that some people may want to take advantage of their situation and entice them.  Eventually issues of early marriages and pregnancies may crop in in these camps”

Chibwana has hence challenged other non-state actors to visit the affected camps and appreciate the situation and eventually collaborate after setting right priorities.

The cyclone Ana hailstorm has displaced over 25 thousand households and damaged over a thousand hectares of crop fields in Mangochi. To this date, 13 people are confirmed dead while 19 are still missing.

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The catholic diocese of Mangochi has called on organizations and people of good will to join hands in its efforts of bettering the living conditions of people who have been affected by flooding due to Cyclone Anna. The call was made through a press statement cosigned by Bishop Musikuwa of the diocese and Father Mathews Semba who is the director of the Social Services.

In its opening statement, the diocese recalls its duty to respond to social issues and problems that affect people in the territory, through the social services directorate. In the present scenario, the diocese is looking for ways it can help in its relief efforts that will alleviate the suffering of the people in the Shire Valley region, due to flooding which has claimed lives of ten people and many other lives are yet to be accounted for. Therefore, the diocese is calling on well-wishers to assist in these efforts by donating both in monetary form or otherwise.

“The Diocese has established that well over 20,000 households are in dire need urgent help with basic life necessities. Most of their possessions have been washed away with the flooding waters leaving thousands helpless. Those that have managed to get to camps find themselves sleeping in the cold and  without enough to eat.” Reads part of the statement.

The diocese is looking for items like tents, kitchen utensils, tarpaulins, chlorine, mosquito nets, soap, dignity kits, money, sanitary pads, maize flour, cooking oil fish, beans, water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, lighting, solar, cooking materials, fuel, energy saving stoves, beddings and clothes among others.  

The diocese has set aside a special account through which donations can be made. Donations in form of money can be sent through the following: Bank name: Diocese of Mangochi, FDH Bank, Mangochi Branch, number 11 00000 223 148. TNM Mpamba 0885 70 36 25 and Airtel Money 0999 95 08 39.

The lower shire districts of Nsanje and Mangochi have been the most hit by effects of cyclone Anna with most of the streams and big rivers flooding the surrounding land surface.

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Sunday evening, 23^rd January,2022, saw the genesis of relentless down pour of rains that lasted almost 36 hours. As predicted by weather experts, this rainfall pattern was experienced over the southern part of Malawi, filling every stream as they flowed down south into the Shire river in the low lying districts of Nsanje and Mangochi.

This exposed many areas that lie on low and flat land to excess waters from the rivers washing away their property and destroying their homes. In the areas of Traditional Authority Katunga, Kasisi, Lundu, Ngabu, Maseya, Chapananga, Makhuwira, Mloro, Mbenje and Tengani among others, a vast ocean of flooding waters has been the sight to prove the damage for almost a week.

Preliminary findings by DODMA on the damage of the flooding estimate that as many as hundreds of thousands of families have been displaced and losing their valuable property in the process. Businesses in the lower shire have been heavily affected as the main M1 road has been cut off at different points of its stretch from the base of the escarpment at Thabwa to Nsanje; businesses are operating at a local level only. The whole of this part lost power and its now getting to six days ever since Escom supplied electricity to the inhabitants.

Currently, there are 41 camps that are set to be established and others are already in operation throughout Nsanje and Mangochi.

All these point to the fact that this area has seen flooding that many say has never been experienced before. A few lives have been lost, homes have been swept away leaving thousands in desperate need for shelter, property has been lost and a windfall of pandemics close on the horizon.

These people need urgent help. The dignity of human life has been greatly degraded and man no longer seems to be the image that tells of the beauty that is God.

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The Episcopal conference of Malawi, a body of Catholic bishops, has called on all Malawians and in particular the leadership of the country to fight corruption in an honest and untiring way. Through a statement released on 19^th January 2022, which all bishops in the country have signed, the bishops start by quoting pope Francis who bemoans that “corruption undermines the dignity of the person and shatters all good and beautiful ideals” (9^th Dec 2019, International Day against corruption).

Filled with emotion, the statement states that the cancer of corruption is now embedded in Malawi and has contributed to keeping the country poor and underdeveloped. “Corruption is a very difficult vice to fight because it has taken deep roots everywhere in our country. And sadly, even many of those tasked to fight and eliminate corruption are too often sucked into it.” Reads part of the statement.

The bishops therefore appeal to the head of state Dr Chakwera, his vice Dr Chilima and all stake holders to help in the fight against corruption each taking their respective roles. “We appeal to the Head of State, Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, the Vice President, Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima and all relevant State institutions and their Heads to ensure the security of the ACB staff; especially the Director General. No one should be pressurized, intimidated or influenced by threats or any other means in the carrying out of their work for the good of the country.” Reads the statement.

The bishops did not shy from taking aim at their own Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace, and of course other Civil Society Organizations to help the public end the practice of corruption which they describe as a destructive cancer for the country.

The statement further calls on the donor community to ensure that the Anti-Corruption Bureau is sufficiently funded so as to enable it to continue with the fight against corruption. It also calls for security agencies to protect the ACB director Martha Chizuma as she continues her impressive fight against the vice.

The bishops implore the courts to make sure that cases to do with corruption are treated with urgency and that all are treated fairly and similarly before the law.

The call by the bishop has been made barely a day after the Public Affairs Committee (PAC) a grouping of religious leaders in the country took swipe that the country’s leadership for failing to combat corruption and treating it with kid gloves. PAC has condemned in strongest terms the selective justice that the Tonse Administration has portrayed in dealing with corruption suspects within its ranks. It has gone further to call for cabinet reshuffle, firing of the Secretary to the president and cabinet and the minister of foreign affairs among other demands.

Of late, there have been massive revelations of corruption in the country involving government officials and ministers all connected to famous business man Zenith Sattar. The ACB and the British government have been collaborating in investigation all the cases.

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People of Jombo village, Sekeni village and Kanthema villages in Mangochi were caught unware after flooding waters brought down walls of their homes and washed away livestock and crops.

The waters flooded after heavy rains continued in the area with Friday as the culmination of it all, leaving thousands homeless and losing some of their valuable possessions in the process.

A survey in the area showed that many people’s homes were halfway submersed in the water putting their survival as well as their health at risk.

In the Kanthema villages in T/A Kasisi, many households were flooded with water such that people will have to drain their homes to find a place to sleep. Some houses have fallen off; their livestock washed away.

Bereu has experienced a similar fate as Mwanza river was filled to the brim and surplus waters flooded to the nearby homes, prayers houses and other business places. This water went on to destroy peoples crops on the banks of the river.

In Nchalo, Sekeni village and the nearby location of Jombo have been affected by flooding caused by Nkombezi river. A nearby dike was washed away by the water, exposing Sekeni village which was all in water. People were seen crossing deep waters to get to the road and others sat desperately on the verandas of their half-submerged homes. Fast waters were seen flowing in Jombo village, destroying homes and rendering many shelterless.

Speaking from one of the areas, Lawrence Kamoto, who is ward councilor for Ndalanda Ward, expressed shock at the state in which the people of his area are.

“Today is a sad day for us. This area has experienced flash floods caused by heavy rains that we had this morning. Many homes have been destroyed and livestock have been swept away. People are hopeless and we only hope that well-wishers come and assist.” Said Kamoto.

Lower shire valley districts of Nsanje and Mangochi are some of the disaster prone areas in Malawi. The area experiences droughts and flooding almost every year impoverishing many families. This year, Nsanje district has been affected as well leaving many people homeless. A report from the Department of Disaster Management affairs in the district shows that as many as 750 households have been affected. Many of these households have had their homes destroyed and livestock washed away.

The area has been experiencing persistent rainfall over the last week. This was indicated by the department of climate and metrological survey who warned of flooding in the area as a result of heavy rains in the country.

Mangochi diocese, through Cadecom an arm of the Social Services Directorate issued the same warning all indications leading to flooding.

The diocese is calling on government, Non-governmental organizations and well-meaning individuals to assist the people in this area with food items, tarpaulins, construction kits, plastic sheets, tents and housing units.

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Mzimu Woyera Minor Seminary is looking for a well-qualified male individual to fill the vacant position of science teacher. It is a private non-profit making institution of the Diocese of Mangochi. It was established with an aim of training boys who feel called to priesthood.  

Post  

Science Teacher 

Area of specialisation  

The teacher should have combination of chemistry and physics. 

Qualifications

-He must hold a relevant Diploma or Bachelors’ degree of education  -He must be exemplary in all respects.

-He must be a practicing Catholic.

 -He must be married. 

Duties 

-Teaching and assessing learners. 

-Preparing scheme and records of work. 

-Promoting integral growth of learners. 

-Inspiring and motivating students. 

-Performing any other duty as assigned from time to time. 

Mode of application 

Application letters, copies of certificate, up to date curriculum vitae and names of three traceable referees must be submitted to the Rector by hand, post office or Email. 

Closing date for receiving application letters is 20^th January, 2022. 

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