Government establishes comprehensive national preparedness measures to address potential El Niño impacts

* Anchored on two key pillars, Preparedness and Resilience, the Plan spans 14 priority clusters * Including agriculture, food security, nutrition, health, water and sanitation, energy, protection, and logistics * It focuses on strengthening early-warning systems, safeguarding food and water security, pre-positioning supplies, and ensuring rapid response capacity By Duncan Mlanjira Following the forecast from the Department of Climate Change & Meteorological Services (DCCMS) — that indicates that a high likelihood of El Niño conditions during the 2026/27 agricultural…

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When oversight comes from within: Why Speaker Suleman’s governance concerns should strengthen, not weaken, the DPP government

* TO THE DPP, the respectful advice is,  therefore, this: Do not necessarily see parliamentary scrutiny as an attempt to weaken your Government — use it as an opportunity to strengthen it * TO THE SPEAKER: continue defending Parliament’s oversight mandate, but do so through evidence, constitutional procedure, institutional restraint and respect for the Executive’s distinct responsibilities By Chifi Mhango, Chief Economist & Executive Director-Don Consultancy Group, South Africa Malawi’s current political debate surrounding the Speaker of Parliament, Right…

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‘Malawi needs the kind of courage displayed by Speaker of Parliament Sameer Suleman’

* Malawi has waited far too long for Parliament to exercise meaningful oversight and now that someone is doing it, let us not discourage him * Malawi does not need politicians who simply defend their own side — we need leaders who are prepared to challenge their own side when the national interest demands it By Duncan Mlanjira Canada-based accountable governance advocate, James Kadyampakeni has written to Speaker of Parliament Sameer Suleman, applauding him for his “bold and courageous…

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Speaker Suleman’s decision to constitute Parliamentary joint committees to investigate a range of public concerns ruffles feathers within DPP

* Censures him that as a member of the DPP Central Executive Committee, he must also remain conscious of the political organisation whose confidence and parliamentary support contributed to his elevation to that office * The DPP, therefore, expects the Speaker, like every other senior DPP official, to respect the President, respect the constitutional authority of the Executive, respect the collective decisions of the Party, and observe the boundaries of the office he occupies By Duncan Mlanjira The announcement…

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UK Met Office scientists sharing expertise with Malawian weather forecasters

* With El Niño conditions forecast this year, the partnership matters more than ever to help turn weather forecasts into early, practical action * As Ministry of Natural Resources & Climate Change urges all stakeholders to use the 2026/2027 Seasonal Rainfall Forecast to strengthen preparedness and reduce the impact of climate related shocks * “A strong El Niño should not be met with despair but should be a call to readiness”—Minister Patricia Wiskes By Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express &…

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Speaker launches 12 joint Parliamentary committee inquiries in a range of public concerns

* Part of Parliament’s constitutional oversight mandate that are intended to establish facts, identify weaknesses and recommend practical solutions * These are concerns have been received from members of the public By Duncan Mlanjira Speaker of Parliament, Sameer Suleman has constituted 12 joint committees to investigate a range of public concerns as part of the National Assembly’s constitutional oversight mandate — that are intended to establish facts, identify weaknesses and recommend practical solutions. Parliament Media reports that at a…

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‘For many rural families, firewood and charcoal are not abstract environmental issues — they are part of everyday survival’

* But when thousands of people depend on the same woodland, tree by tree and year by year, the cumulative loss can be devastating * Maintains environmental conservation advocate Ian Bartlett as he joins others who advocate for alternative sources of energy while addressing rural people’s economic livelihoods Analysis by Duncan Mlanjira Over the years, environmental conservation stakeholders have always maintained that the advocacy against forest degradation — through firewood and charcoal production — should be amplified by offering…

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The 2026/2027 rainfall outlook indicates high chance of below-normal rainfall over most areas of Southern and Central Regions

* While normal to above-normal rainfall is expected over much of Northern Region — Department of Climate Change & Meteorological Services Climate By Duncan Mlanjira The Department of Climate Change & Meteorological Services Climate (DCCMS) forecasts that the 2026/2027 rainfall outlook for October-November-December (OND), indicates high chance of below-normal rainfall over most areas of Southern and Central Regions — while normal to above-normal rainfall is expected over much of North (Map 1 above). In its 2026/2027 Climate Outlook for…

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‘Witchcraft is promoted by lazy people who are envious of those who are doing better than them’—IG Luhanga

* If you want to live better lives, work hard; if you fall ill, go to the hospital and get treated * Stop accusing others of such practices because if you do, the law will not spare you By Manasse Nyirenda, Malawi News Agency (MANA) Inspector General of Malawi Police Service, Richard Luhanga warn against witchcraft accusations and called on traditional leaders not to promote such beliefs by, among others, inviting witchdoctors to cleanse their villages of witchcraft. He…

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Tobacco’s forex earnings trail 2025 season by US$218 million

* The average price also fell to US$1.98 per kilogramme from US$2.54 per kilogramme during the comparable period last year * 142.4 million kilogrammes of tobacco had been sold, down from 197.2 million kilogrammes sold at the same stage of the 2025 marketing season By Khumbo Msambala Salanje & Roy Howa, Malawi News Agency (MANA) Malawi’s tobacco industry has earned US$282.5 million after 19 weeks of trading in the 2026 marketing season,  which is US$217.9 million below the US$500.4…

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