Lockdown may be extended beyond May 9 if circumstances warrant — President Mutharika

  By Duncan Mlanjira The 21-day nationwide Lockdown Minister of Health & Population, Jappie Mhango announced on Tuesday, April 14, that the country will undergo effective Saturday April 18 may be extended beyond May 9 if circumstances warrant. This was announced by President Peter Mutharika as response to the statement that Minister Mhango, who is chairperson of the Special Cabinet Committee on COVID-19, as new and stricter measures to contain the further spread of the deadly Coronavirus pandemic. “I…

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Malawi on 21-day national lockdown from Saturday, April 18

  By Duncan Mlanjira President Peter Mutharika on Tuesday, April 14, through Minister of Health & Population, Jappie Mhango announced that the country will go on a 21-day nationwide lockdown — effective Saturday April 18 as new and stricter measures to contain the further spread of the deadly Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Mhango, who is chairperson of the Special Cabinet Committee on COVID-19, says this is in pursuant to Disaster Preparedness and Relief Act (Cap 33:05 of the Laws of…

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MEC suspends voter registration exercise in Blantyre City

  By Duncan Mlanjira Following attacks by armed and angry mobs at various voter registration centres in Blantyre, especially in Ndirande where registration equipment was vandalized and destroyed, Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has suspended the voter registration exercise in Blantyre City with immediate effect. A statement from MEC chairperson Justice Jane Ansah, SC issued Tuesday evening, says the “decision has been made to protect the lives of registrants, voter registration staff and MEC property following sporadic attacks by unknown…

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Owner of Nu-Tread threatens legal action for alleged defamation by one of key MCP witnesses in Constitutional Court case

  Maravi Express Owner and managing director of Nu-Tread Limited, Michael Antoine has threatened to seek legal redress unless Anthony Bendulo, one of key Malawi Congress Party (MCP) witnesses in Constitutional Court case retracts and unconditionally apologize to the allegation he made against the complainant and his company, which are deemed as defamatory. And if the demands stated by the complainant are not addressed, Antoine’s lawyers, Naphambo & Company, have been instructed to go ahead and institute civil proceedings…

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Drogba offers hospital in Abidjan for Covid-19 screening

  By Muambo Edward & Angu Lesley, kick442.com African football great Didier Drogba has offered his hospital in his native Côte d’Ivoire to serve as a Coronavirus treatment facility. Drogba opened the doors of the Abidjan based hospital in 2016 and he named it after after former Côte d’Ivoire forward Laurent Pokou. The hospital is part of Drogba’s Foundation that was launched by the former Marseille and Chelsea forward to provide support in education and health across the continent by…

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MACRA warns general public from spreading personal information related to COVID-19

By Duncan Mlanjira Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA), through the Malawi Computer Emergency Response Team (MwCERT), says is has noted with concern the rapid spread and distribution of fake news and information related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) being posted on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. MwCERT notes that personal details of COVID-19 victims are being shared and distributed without the authorization of the people affected, saying this is a violation of the right to privacy under Section…

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Malawi amongst 25 countries set for immediate IMF debt relief

  Maravi Express Malawi is amongst 25 countries that have been earmarked by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for immediate debt relief. A statement from the IMF posted on www.imf.org on Monday, April 13 from Washington, DC quotes IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva as saying the Executive Board approved the immediate debt service relief to the 25 of the its member countries under the IMF’s revamped Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust (CCRT) as part of the Fund’s response to…

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Asian Business Community to provide fully functioning isolation and quarantine solutions in Blantyre and Zomba

By Duncan Mlanjira  In response to pressing and urgent need to assist the Government in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) response, the Asian Business Community (ABC) COVID-19 Task Force is set to provide fully functioning isolation and quarantine solutions in Blantyre and Zomba.  A statement from ABC COVID-19 Task Force chairperson Faizal Aboo and his deputy, Dr. Parth Patel said the isolation and quarantine facilities will be fully equipped by ABC and will be handed over to the Ministry of Health to operate….

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COVID-19 response: What can developing countries do differently?

  By Farai Chigaru The prevalent responses to the COVID-19 pandemic across different countries seem to be similar. A lot of countries, both developed and developing, are copying from the developed countries’ reaction towards the pandemic. As second movers, this is commendable. It is, however, not sufficient.  It is commendable in a sense that developing countries do not need to ‘re-invent the wheel’ in trying to identify what works against the fight against COVID-19. It is not sufficient because…

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Total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Malawi now at 16

  By Duncan Mlanjira Addressing a press on Monday, Minister of Health & Population, Jappie Mhango, reported that Malawi have recorded 3 new cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) as confirmed by College of Medicine Laboratory in Blantyre. Mhango, who is chairperson of the Special Cabinet Committee on COVID-19, said one case is a 22-year-old female who arrived in Malawi from Dubai on March 17, 2020 and that the other lives in the same compound with a case that was confirmed…

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