Senior Reporter @NewsPlus
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Penn State faced four-year 'death penalty'
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Praesent ut nisi sed elit volutpat posuere. Pellentesque nec ipsum et nibh sagittis malesuada eget quis ipsum. Nam dui risus, fringilla a bibendum nec, sagittis eget nisi. Aliquam risus urna, ullamcorper vitae ultricies eu, adipiscing nec dolor. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Duis rutrum tortor et ante lacinia a interdum metus aliquet. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. In in diam id justo faucibus vestibulum non eget mauris. Vivamus et elit risus. Cras euismod leo ut massa adipiscing aliquet eget vel justo.
Vestibulum eget tincidunt quam. Nulla et tellus id velit gravida volutpat id a urna. Nullam felis eros, adipiscing vitae fermentum ut, pretium at odio. In quam justo, molestie at ultrices vitae, ornare in lacus. Etiam felis tortor, tristique vitae ultrices a, ornare vitae leo. Nulla vel sapien dolor, vitae mattis erat. Nulla facilisi. Donec mi lorem, fermentum ut egestas aliquam, tincidunt vitae magna. Phasellus nec commodo elit. Nulla aliquam risus in ligula feugiat vel dapibus libero placerat. Nulla non volutpat mi. Vivamus sapien augue, tincidunt vitae vestibulum id, convallis quis orci.
Curabitur erat ligula, mollis ut euismod non, congue at ante. Duis elementum nisl ac sapien vehicula iaculis. Ut adipiscing justo eget eros congue sit amet pharetra est eleifend. Proin vehicula tincidunt arcu ac semper. Curabitur aliquam quam vel risus fringilla sed porta nisi pulvinar. Quisque sed odio quis odio lacinia volutpat. Vestibulum bibendum condimentum malesuada. Sed sit amet gravida urna. Fusce id massa dui. Pellentesque pretium erat ut odio pretium adipiscing. Donec nec leo sapien. Cras gravida eleifend mollis. Fusce nibh justo, malesuada nec interdum id, luctus id lectus. Nunc consectetur eros eget diam porta consectetur. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nunc ut turpis eget arcu consectetur tincidunt id eget nisi. Suspendisse potenti.
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Obama urges tighter gun checks after Aurora
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Vestibulum eget tincidunt quam. Nulla et tellus id velit gravida volutpat id a urna. Nullam felis eros, adipiscing vitae fermentum ut, pretium at odio. In quam justo, molestie at ultrices vitae, ornare in lacus. Etiam felis tortor, tristique vitae ultrices a, ornare vitae leo. Nulla vel sapien dolor, vitae mattis erat. Nulla facilisi. Donec mi lorem, fermentum ut egestas aliquam, tincidunt vitae magna. Phasellus nec commodo elit. Nulla aliquam risus in ligula feugiat vel dapibus libero placerat. Nulla non volutpat mi. Vivamus sapien augue, tincidunt vitae vestibulum id, convallis quis orci.
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No breaks on tomato & legume sales
Balaka, 2019: Thirty year old Chimwemwe Matope, a mother of three, is a tomato, bean and onion prosperous seller at Mthandizi market at Balaka boma. She ventures into the business to make sure her family has food on the table and manages to support her children’s education.
“I started this business six years ago when we sold our tomatoes and beans in the open grounds or poorly constructed shelters where we stood the scorching heat from the sun, chilly days.
Heavy rains could soak our merchandise and forced us to give ourselves a sales’ breaks we never planned but I and some colleagues could not still abandon our business,” Matope recalls her difficult beginning.
A turn of events occurred in 2016 when Balaka district council with support from National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) constructed the market shelter where business runs without any interruption.
From the proceeds I support my three children, one, my first born daughter is in form 3 at St. Louis Secondary school, second born sat for standard 8 exams at Balaka primary school and the last born is in standard 2 at Ngwangwa primary school.
Above all, we constructed a 3 bedroomed house where we live with our children. My husband has a hardware shop where he sells bicycle spare parts and house construction materials.
Matope hails from Mpezeni village, Traditional Authority Sawali in Balaka District.
According to chairperson for Mthandizi, John Banda the market serves vendors ranging from 370 to 400 and says the space in the new shelter is still not enough because vegetable sellers still lack shelters and when rains come they stop selling.
Banda recalls Malawi Local Government Accountability and Performance (LGAP) wanted to build a vegetable shelter but only drilled a borehole to enhance hygiene in the market.
However, “We are very appreciative to the district council and NLGFC for putting up the facility (tomato, onion and legume shelter),” says the chairperson.
Director of Public Works (DPW) Mr. Chifuniro Katengeza says “It is true, there is really need to construct shelter for vegetable sellers but due to financial constraints we have not been able to construct that facility. We will put this into our plans and will be considered later.”
Romney donor bashed by Obama campaign
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Vestibulum eget tincidunt quam. Nulla et tellus id velit gravida volutpat id a urna. Nullam felis eros, adipiscing vitae fermentum ut, pretium at odio. In quam justo, molestie at ultrices vitae, ornare in lacus. Etiam felis tortor, tristique vitae ultrices a, ornare vitae leo. Nulla vel sapien dolor, vitae mattis erat. Nulla facilisi. Donec mi lorem, fermentum ut egestas aliquam, tincidunt vitae magna. Phasellus nec commodo elit. Nulla aliquam risus in ligula feugiat vel dapibus libero placerat. Nulla non volutpat mi. Vivamus sapien augue, tincidunt vitae vestibulum id, convallis quis orci.
Curabitur erat ligula, mollis ut euismod non, congue at ante. Duis elementum nisl ac sapien vehicula iaculis. Ut adipiscing justo eget eros congue sit amet pharetra est eleifend. Proin vehicula tincidunt arcu ac semper. Curabitur aliquam quam vel risus fringilla sed porta nisi pulvinar. Quisque sed odio quis odio lacinia volutpat. Vestibulum bibendum condimentum malesuada. Sed sit amet gravida urna. Fusce id massa dui. Pellentesque pretium erat ut odio pretium adipiscing. Donec nec leo sapien. Cras gravida eleifend mollis. Fusce nibh justo, malesuada nec interdum id, luctus id lectus. Nunc consectetur eros eget diam porta consectetur. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nunc ut turpis eget arcu consectetur tincidunt id eget nisi. Suspendisse potenti.
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Obama has diminished American leadership around the world
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Vestibulum eget tincidunt quam. Nulla et tellus id velit gravida volutpat id a urna. Nullam felis eros, adipiscing vitae fermentum ut, pretium at odio. In quam justo, molestie at ultrices vitae, ornare in lacus. Etiam felis tortor, tristique vitae ultrices a, ornare vitae leo. Nulla vel sapien dolor, vitae mattis erat. Nulla facilisi. Donec mi lorem, fermentum ut egestas aliquam, tincidunt vitae magna. Phasellus nec commodo elit. Nulla aliquam risus in ligula feugiat vel dapibus libero placerat. Nulla non volutpat mi. Vivamus sapien augue, tincidunt vitae vestibulum id, convallis quis orci.
Curabitur erat ligula, mollis ut euismod non, congue at ante. Duis elementum nisl ac sapien vehicula iaculis. Ut adipiscing justo eget eros congue sit amet pharetra est eleifend. Proin vehicula tincidunt arcu ac semper. Curabitur aliquam quam vel risus fringilla sed porta nisi pulvinar. Quisque sed odio quis odio lacinia volutpat. Vestibulum bibendum condimentum malesuada. Sed sit amet gravida urna. Fusce id massa dui. Pellentesque pretium erat ut odio pretium adipiscing. Donec nec leo sapien. Cras gravida eleifend mollis. Fusce nibh justo, malesuada nec interdum id, luctus id lectus. Nunc consectetur eros eget diam porta consectetur. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nunc ut turpis eget arcu consectetur tincidunt id eget nisi. Suspendisse potenti.
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Why the country doesn’t need a nail-biter election
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Praesent ut nisi sed elit volutpat posuere. Pellentesque nec ipsum et nibh sagittis malesuada eget quis ipsum. Nam dui risus, fringilla a bibendum nec, sagittis eget nisi. Aliquam risus urna, ullamcorper vitae ultricies eu, adipiscing nec dolor. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Duis rutrum tortor et ante lacinia a interdum metus aliquet. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. In in diam id justo faucibus vestibulum non eget mauris. Vivamus et elit risus. Cras euismod leo ut massa adipiscing aliquet eget vel justo.
Vestibulum eget tincidunt quam. Nulla et tellus id velit gravida volutpat id a urna. Nullam felis eros, adipiscing vitae fermentum ut, pretium at odio. In quam justo, molestie at ultrices vitae, ornare in lacus. Etiam felis tortor, tristique vitae ultrices a, ornare vitae leo. Nulla vel sapien dolor, vitae mattis erat. Nulla facilisi. Donec mi lorem, fermentum ut egestas aliquam, tincidunt vitae magna. Phasellus nec commodo elit. Nulla aliquam risus in ligula feugiat vel dapibus libero placerat. Nulla non volutpat mi. Vivamus sapien augue, tincidunt vitae vestibulum id, convallis quis orci.
Curabitur erat ligula, mollis ut euismod non, congue at ante. Duis elementum nisl ac sapien vehicula iaculis. Ut adipiscing justo eget eros congue sit amet pharetra est eleifend. Proin vehicula tincidunt arcu ac semper. Curabitur aliquam quam vel risus fringilla sed porta nisi pulvinar. Quisque sed odio quis odio lacinia volutpat. Vestibulum bibendum condimentum malesuada. Sed sit amet gravida urna. Fusce id massa dui. Pellentesque pretium erat ut odio pretium adipiscing. Donec nec leo sapien. Cras gravida eleifend mollis. Fusce nibh justo, malesuada nec interdum id, luctus id lectus. Nunc consectetur eros eget diam porta consectetur. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nunc ut turpis eget arcu consectetur tincidunt id eget nisi. Suspendisse potenti.
Sed pellentesque felis id quam pretium aliquet. Morbi tincidunt accumsan nisi id rutrum. Donec at eros mi, id lacinia massa. Curabitur lectus neque, scelerisque vitae auctor non, consequat et mauris. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus et massa eu enim pellentesque rutrum. Pellentesque a velit sem. Nulla ac eros tellus. Fusce semper suscipit massa lacinia eleifend. Praesent pharetra bibendum augue, volutpat pretium odio sodales non. Nunc semper blandit purus, non dictum odio consectetur quis. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas.
Ntcheu stadium a source of smile and safety to communities
Ntcheu, 2019: As a solution to low space at the old Ntcheu Community Center Ground, the district council identified construction of a magnificent stadium a priority issue to save lives and change the face of the district.
“The community centre ground was too small and close to the M1 road and was not safe for users. The capacity of the new stadium is close to 20,000 people,” says District Commissioner Smart Gwedemula.
Ideally, the project initiated in November 2017, was to be completed within a year, 2017-2018, however, there were some contributing factors that led to the delay of project completion.
Acting Director of public works at Ntcheu district council, Godfrey Njoka says directorate of buildings (DoB), the project’s key supervisors, failed to timely produce and provide a benchmark for VIP drawings to the contractor, Plem Construction Limited.
Nevertheless, at the rate the construction was going, Plem Construction Limited, Ntcheu Stadium Site Agent, Mustafa Ravda says, all things being equal, the project could be finished in the following 11 months (from 29th July, 2019).
The DC expresses disappointment after observing that technicians kept the challenge to themselves but was quick to say that he would take the necessary action to ensure the drawings were provided to the contractor.
He commends Ntcheu residents who previously lived on land the stadium was being constructed for being cooperative during discussions on compensations which gave room for stadium construction.
“The council compensated people who occupied land where stadium is being constructed. Each was paid over MK1million on average to relocate to other places,” recalls Njoka.
The stadium construction would cost close to MK 5 billion.
Once operational, the facility would help generate revenue for the council by super league games that would use it as a backyard, conducting some events like rallies or meetings, wedding ceremonies, musical shows, school football competitions which would prevent the youth from indulging in immoral behaviors.
Balaka & Chiradzulu, 2019: Fast learning Community Technical coll
Students provide relief to contractors as they construct technical colleges which are designed to develop the youth in seven trades so as to reduce unemployment and poverty in the country.
Before the technical college commences enrolling students, suitable structures, equipment and other requirements are first put in place so that students have a conducive environment for skills development.
Among such requirements are equipped classrooms for teaching, workshops and work benches, space for exhibits in workshops, warehouses, fire extinguishers, lavatories, first aid and library facilities, college fence for security including proper drainage system.
Administration block cannot be ruled out as it provides office accommodation for the college principal, the deputy principal, instructors and all other personnel recruited for smooth running of the college.
Principal of Khwisa Community technical college in Balaka, Steven Romoliwa says, “Two classroom blocks and college fence you see were constructed by graduates from here. The drain too was constructed by students with help of a contractor.
The colleges of Khwisa and Aida in Chiradzulu offer students seven trades namely renewable energy, fabrication and welding, plumbing, tailoring and fashion design, information and communication technology, carpentry and joinery and bricklaying.
The trades are offered in partnership with Technical Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education Trust (TEVET).
In carpentry and joinery according to acting principal of Aida College, Amos Kasambwe says the colleges produce products like display cabinets, chairs, dining sets and any furniture products. In fabrication and welding, steel beds, steel TV stands, small kitchen ware, steel windows, school desks and chairs.
Khwisa and Aida technical colleges are transforming lives of the surrounding communities and beyond through supply of household products and skilled labour force.
Romoliwa says graduates from the colleges employ themselves and or form their construction companies where they employ others from their localities or other areas.
Additionally, students do industrial attachments with Chiradzulu and Balaka including surrounding districts of Blantyre, Zomba, Phalombe, Mulanje among others.
Government’s idea of setting up community colleges in every district is, mostly, to empower the youth to be productive in their homes and the country at large.
NLGFC tackles Chiradzulu council office congestion
Chiradzulu, 2019: Local Authorities (LAs) implement development projects identified from their five year District Development Plans (DDPs) directly supported by either Central Government, development partners or council self-sponsorship.
Chiradzulu District Council, had over the years been challenged by office accommodation, an issue which was among those featured in the DDP for immediate redress.
It then, took a formerly known as Local Development Fund (LDF) now merged with National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) to sponsor construction of a magnificent Chiradzulu Office Complex which opened on 17th June, 2017.
According to Chiradzulu district council director of planning and development (DPD), Kelvin Harawa the office complex which is housing over 50 senior and junior staff, is a great relief to the council.
“The office complex, all in all accommodates 50 plus officers that is, 13 senior officers, 22 junior officers or registry clerks who share offices and 10 plus Data Centre staff. Data Centre and registry accommodate more staff for timely execution of work,” says Harawa.
“Comparing with the old office complex, the new one is very conducive to work. It is spacious, well-furnished and aerated.
The district was a bit incapacitated in terms of office space instead of being under one roof, as it is now, officers were scattered all over because the old structure could only accommodate up to 20 members of staff,” recalls the DPD.
One of the office complex beneficiaries, director of public works (DPW) Amos Lisimba says apart from offices, the project also included council chamber which was fully furnished. The project also provided office tables and chairs being used by council staff.
He says Nangaunozge Building Contractors implemented the project in one and half years (18 months) with funds worth over Mk200million from Central Government through LDF/NLGFC.
Among key objectives of NLGFC is to ensure adequate, equitable and objective resource distribution to and within local authorities and promote formulation of technically consistent budgets by councils on an annual basis.
300-metre water canal boosts Kayelekera Irrigation
About 150 farmers at Kayelekera Irrigation Scheme have recorded an increase in crop production thanks to an installation of a 300-metre canal under MASAF 1V Programme.
The beneficiaries of the sprawling 18-hectare scheme in Traditional Authority Kyungu in Karonga are enjoying improved food security and income from crop sales. The availability of water canal has prompted the farmers to grow crops under both rain fed and irrigated farming boosting production. The farmers grow rice, maize, tomato, beans, egg plants and leaf vegetables on individual plots on the irrigation scheme.
Crops are grown throughout the year, ensuring constant supply of food to the families and market.
But it was not always like this. The irrigation scheme initially began in 2005 with 25 people on a 1.5-hectare land size. However, the irrigation scheme grew to 18 hectares in 2016 when Malawi Social Action Fund (MASAF) IV Programme supported communities to rehabilitate and expand a water canal facility at the scheme. The improvements led to increased water intake prompting more farmers to join the scheme. MASAF 1V provided pipes and cement for the reinforcement of the canal.
MASAF IV provided cash to community members who took part in the construction of the 300-metre long water canal through Public Works Programme (PWP).
Kayelekera Irrigation Scheme farmers plan to extend farming land by some six hectares to 24 hectares that will include a fish pond.
The members feel that expanding the scheme will help accommodate more farmers who are willing to join but are constrained by inadequate land.
Agriculture Extension Development Officer for Mpata Extension Planning Area (EPA), Peace Kapira, says he monitors the farmers’ activities at the irrigation scheme three times a week.
“We also train the farmers in manure making and encourage them to use manure in vegetable growing,” Kapira says.
Kayelekera Irrigation Scheme continues to be an important source of income and food in Traditional Authority Kyungu, Karonga for farmers themselves and other consumers who cannot produce food of their own.
built houses, have bought livestock like goats and pigs.
