By Duncan Mlanjira
Global winning Malawian engineer Dr. Chomora Mikeka was on Thursday recognised with award for Life Time Achiever by Information & Communication Technology Association of Malawi (ICTAM) Innovations Award Gala held at Amalyliss Hotel in Blantyre.
Other awardees included Malawi’s information and communications and technology (ICT) company, SPARC Systems Limited who had two accolades, Hardware & Networking and Best ICT firm for 2019.
SPARC Systems Wisely Phiri
The award for Banking and Finance went to National Bank of Malawi Plc; for Insurance to United General Insurance and for Internet Service Provider to Skyband Limited.
Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) were voted as best Public Service Delivery while Angle Dimension received Startup of the Year.
Mikeka, who is an Associate Professor in Physics and Electronics at Chancellor College and University of Rwanda (College of Science and Technology), is exploring the best strategies to organize an action potential stakeholder consultative meeting for all public universities in Malawi, to investigate the possibility of developing a national-wide Joint BSc Degree (Honours) in Nuclear Education, Science and Technology (NEST).
He holds a PhD from the Division of Physics, Electrical and Computer Engineering at Yokohama National University, Japan.
The two awards
Mikeka, who has received several international awards, is the founder and trustee of the “to be” Registered Trustees of the Inventors’ Association of Malawi.
He is a visiting professor and external examiner at the University of Johannesburg, University of Rwanda, Moi University, Malawi University of Science and Technology and Mzuzu University as of July 2019.
He is an elected member, until 2024, of the Kenjin-Tatsujin (KT) International Advisory Council for the “Ashinaga Africa Initiative” headquartered in Tokyo, Japan to support Japanese scholarship for the gifted but disadvantaged African youth, particularly those orphaned in one or both parents.
Unveiling Sparc’s services in Kigali
His biography is included in the 27th edition of Marquis Who’s Who in the World; he is the Laureate of IBC TOP 100 ENGINEERS in 2010, he is a Senior Fellow of the 1930 Physics Nobel Laureate (CV Raman).
SPARC Systems Limited operates offices in Malawi, Zambia and Rwanda and its group managing director and founder, Wisely Phiri applauded his staff for their high integrity in doing business.
“We have always worked to give the best services to our customers across Africa. With SPARC, customers can be assured of getting global-level services from engineers that are locally available.
Botomani consults with ICTAM president Bram
Fudzulani at another ICT function
“The awards means a lot to us and motivates us to work even more to bring more innovations in the years. Our customers should expect more innovations.”
The gala was graced by Minister of Information, Civic Education and Information Technology Mark Botomani, who applauded ICTAM for the initiative of awarding and recognizing players in the (ICT) industry.
“We are living in the digital age where citizens can study degree programmes, even postgraduate degrees, online.
“A good example is Chancellor College, where universities in India run online programmes. A professor teaching in India reaches out to hundreds of students in several countries via online video links.
Botomani during ICT EXPO in Lilongwe
“Farmers can access markets for their produce online. Expectant women can get health advisory services without going in person to various hospitals. We all get weather updates on our mobile stations and we plan our days accordingly,” Botomani said.
He added that the government has put in place appropriate framework to support ICT and accelerate various national and sector initiatives and interventions at all levels of society.
He said his Ministry is committed to ensure that Malawi realizes its digital economy potential as enshrined in the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy III.
“Government is implementing the national ICT policy as a tool to facilitate an efficient, effective, and sustainable utilization, exploitation, and development of ICTs in all sectors of the economy in order to attain an information-rich and knowledge-based society and economy.
“It is therefore pleasing to note that players in the industry are taking advantage of the national ICT policy to enhance service delivery in various sectors of insurance, banking, technology and public service players to celebrate the strides in technology and innovation,” he said.