New Office Bearers for Episcopal Conference of Malawi

THE EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE OF MALAWI

Chimutu Road P.O. Box 30384 Capital City Lilongwe 3 – Malawi

Phone: Lilongwe Office : 01 772 066/079                   

Fathers Residence : 01 772 075                       

Fax : 01 772 019                                  

Email : ecm@ecmmw.org                       

Website : www.ecmmw.org

 OUR REF:                            

 YOUR  REF:

Preamble

The Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) wishes to inform the Catholic Community in Malawi and beyond, all partner organizations and groupings, and all people of good will, that in line with the Statutes governing the operations and internal organization of the assembly of Catholic Bishops in Malawi, the ECM has, as of Friday, 30^th January, 2015, new office bearers.

The New Office Bearers

Chairman (President) of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM)	His Grace Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa
Vice Chairman of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM)	His Lordship Bishop Martin Mtumbuka
Episcopal Conference of Malawi Executive Committee	·      His Grace Archbishop Thomas  Luke Msusa (Chairman) ·      His Lordship Bishop Martin Mtumbuka  (Member) ·      His Lordship Bishop Peter Musikuwa (Member) ·      His Lordship Bishop Montfort Stima (Member)
Bishop-Chairman for the Catholic Secretariat	His Grace Archbishop Tarcisius G. Ziyaye
Bishop-Chairman for Finance	His Grace Archbishop Tarcisius Ziyaye
Delegate to Synods of Bishops	His Grace Archbishop Thomas  Luke Msusa
Substitute-Delegate to Synods of Bishops	His Lordship Bishop Emmanuel Kanyama
Bishop-Chairman for Seminaries	His Lordship Bishop Martin Mtumbuka
Seminary Board of Governors	·      His Lordship Bishop Martin Mtumbuka (Chairman) ·      His Grace Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa Member) ·      His Grace Archbishop Tarcisius Ziyaye (Member) ·
Bishop-Chairman for the Association of Men Religious in Malawi (AMRIM), the Association of Religious Women in Malawi (ARIMA) and the Association of Diocesan Catholic Clergy of Malawi (ADCCOM)	His Lordship Montfort Stima
Bishop-Chairman for Mixed Commission (AMRIM and ARIMA)	His Lordship Bishop Montfort Stima
Bishop-Delegate for the Executive Board of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA)	His Grace Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa
Bishop Delegate for the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA)	His Lordship Bishop Martin Mtumbuka
Bishop-Chairman for the Pastoral Commission	His Lordship Bishop Peter Musikuwa
Bishop-Chairman for Evangelization and Catechesis	His Lordship Bishop Peter Musikuwa
Bishop-Chairman for Ecumenism and Interfaith Dialogue	His Lordship Bishop Emmanuel Kanyama
Bishop-Chairman for the  Catholic Education Commission	His Lordship Bishop Martin Mtumbuka
Bishop-Chairman for the Communications Commission	His Lordship Bishop Martin Mtumbuka
Bishop-Chairman for the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP)	His Lordship Bishop Montfort Stima
Bishop-Chairman for the Catholic Development Commission (CADECOM)	His Grace Archbishop Tarcisius Ziyaye
Bishop-Chairman for the Health  Commission	His Lordship Bishop Peter Musikuwa
Bishop Chairman for Liturgical Commission	His Lordship Bishop Peter Musikuwa
Bishop Chairman for Theological Commission	His Grace Archbishop Tarcisius G. Ziyaye
Bishop Chairman for Child Protection	His Lordship Bishop Montfort Stima
Bishop Chairman for Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS)	His Lordship Bishop Peter Musikuwa

Singed:                             Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Chimombo

     Acting Secretary General – Episcopal Conference of Malawi

Malawi flooding: urgent assistance needed to confront massive and complex challenges, say UN experts

PRESS RELEASE

GENEVA (30 January 2015) – A group of United Nations human rights experts today urged the international community to rapidly provide all necessary funding and assistance to the Government of Malawi and humanitarian actors in response to some of the worst flooding in the country in living memory. Flooding has also affected Madagascar and Mozambique where international assistance is crucial to scale up responses.
“The flooding has displaced large numbers of people and presents massive and complex challenges for Governments and their humanitarian allies in the short, medium and longer-term,” said UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons Chaloka Beyani. 
“Evacuation of affected populations should be undertaken where necessary to save lives, and an effective humanitarian response is essential to address the needs of internally displaced people and others affected. Helping people to return and reconstruct devastated homes - when circumstances allow - will be just one challenge among many to rebuild lives and livelihoods and should be part of a broader recovery plan,” he said.
An estimated 638,000 people have been affected in 15 districts of Malawi since early January with 79 dead and hundreds more injured or missing. At least 174,000 people have been internally displaced in the three worst hit districts, with the total number likely to be far higher. In Madagascar and Mozambique, more than 240,000 people have been affected by flooding. Rainstorms and floods have ruined vast areas of crops.
A Preliminary Response Plan to the emergency developed by the Government in partnership with aid agencies, estimates that USD 81 million is urgently required to respond to essential shelter, food, healthcare, water and sanitation and other urgent needs. Only around a quarter of this amount has been received to date.
“The impact of flooding on food security poses immediate problems as well as potentially severe food shortages for months to come, as crops have been washed away and livestock lost,” said Hilal Elver, Special Rapporteur on the right to food. “Poor rural communities have lost everything and require early assistance to prevent hunger and malnutrition."
“Safe water, sanitation and hygiene must be provided urgently for the survival of those affected, prioritizing the most vulnerable groups, but also for the prevention of water-related diseases such as cholera and malaria,” said Léo Heller, Special Rapporteur on the human right to water and sanitation. An estimated USD 3.4 million is needed to respond to urgent healthcare needs and to prevent and control outbreaks of disease.
The experts praised the Government leadership for responding quickly to the crisis and welcomed the immediate response by several countries and humanitarian agencies in providing funding and aid. However they called on others within the international community to do everything possible to meet the current serious shortfall in funds and provision of essential aid.   
ENDS
Special Rapporteurs are independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms of the United Nations Human Rights Council that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. As Special Rapporteurs they are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacities .  The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights provides these mechanisms with support for the fulfilment of their mandates. 
Chaloka Beyani, professor of international law at the London School of Economics, was appointed Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons by the Human Rights Council in September 2010. Learn more: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IDPersons/Pages/IDPersonsIndex.aspx 
Hilal Elver (Turkey) is a Research Professor, and co-director of the Project on Global Climate Change, Human Security, and Democracy housed at the Orfalea Center for Global and International Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She was appointed Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food by the Human Rights Council in 2014. Learn more: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Food/Pages/FoodIndex.aspx  
Léo Heller is the Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, appointed in November 2014. He is a researcher in the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil and was previously Professor of the Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil from 1990 to 2014. Learn more: 
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/WaterAndSanitation/SRWater/Pages/SRWaterIndex.aspx   
For further information and media inquiries, please contact Graham Fox (+41 22 917 9640 /gfox@ohchr.org) or write to idp@ohchr.org
UN Human Rights, follow us on social media:
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/unitednationshumanrights   Twitter:   http://twitter.com/UNrightswire  
Google+  gplus.to/unitednationshumanrights   
YouTube:   http://www.youtube.com/UNOHCHR 
Check the Universal Human Rights Index:   http://uhri.ohchr.org/en

Zambia’s exemplary election sets pace for 2015 series of elections in Africa – AU Commission Chairperson

Congratulatory Message

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 25 January 2014: The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma congratulates the people of Zambia for organising an exemplary, successful and peaceful election.  The Chairperson is gratified with this violence-free election in Zambia, which sets the pace for the remaining 17 elections planned to take place on our continent in 2015.

The Chairperson congratulates the Zambian Independent Electoral Commission for conducting this peaceful poll which has resulted in the election of H.E. Edgar Lungu, of the ruling Patriotic Front, and also Minister of Defence and Justice as the new President of Zambia.

The Chairperson of the AU Commission congratulates H.E. Edgar Lungu for his victory, and wishes him a successful tenure in office. H.E. Lungu’s mandate runs until elections in 2016, completing the remainder of Late President Micahel Sata's term following his death in October 2014.

The Chairperson of the AU Commission enjoins the newly elected President to continue to nurture unity and development in the interest of the people of Zambia.

Dr. Dlamini Zuma praised Zambians for responding to her call, and those of other leaders made during late President Sata’s funeral, for a peaceful and smooth transition.

Jacob Enoh Eben

Spokesperson of the Chairperson

African Union Commission

Public Notice: Invitation to a Public Hearing

PUBLIC NOTICE

INVITATION TO A PUBLIC HEARING

Pursuant to Section 10(2) and Section 11 of the Competition and Fair Trading Act, the Competition and Fair Trading Commission will hold a Public Hearing on Friday 30th January, 2015 at Game Haven Lodge in Bvumbwe from 0930 hrs.

During the public hearing, the Commission will receive detailed investigation reports containing provisional findings of the cases that the CFTC Secretariat has been investigating.  The schedule of cases to be considered at the public hearing is as follows:

• Report on the acquisition of ISP Business of Burco Electronic Systems Ltd by Telekom Networks Malawi Limited (TNM)
• Report on the acquisition of Group One Armoured and Armed Security Services by Kenya Kazi Services Limited 
• Report on alleged unfair trading practices by NBS Bank in the disposal of Group Developments Limited to Gillanders 
• Report an alleged supply of products that are likely to cause injury to health or physical harm by Carlsberg Malawi Ltd
• Report on allegations of offering prizes with no intention to supplying them by MBC
• Report on allegations of excluding liability for defective products by Sogecoa Golden Peacock Supermarket
• Report on alleged sale of expired products by Shoprite Trading (Malawi) Ltd
• Report on alleged misleading conduct and misleading advertising by Telekom Networks Malawi Ltd (TNM)
• Report on alleged misleading conduct by Malawi Telecommunications Ltd (MTL).

The CFTC is therefore inviting any person or enterprise, who in their opinion, will be affected or are likely to be affected by the findings of the investigations carried out by the CFTC, to make a written request to be heard during the hearing.

All written requests should be submitted to the following address by 28^th January 2015.

The Executive Director

Competition and Fair Trading Commission

Off Mandala Road

1^st Floor Mpikisano House, Area 3

P/Bag 332

Lilongwe.

Email: competitioncommission@cftc.mw

For more information, contact Ms Goldameir Marobe on 01 759 506/507 or email consumer@cftc.mw

CHARLOTTE WEZI MALONDA

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

CFTC – PROMOTING A CULTURE OF FAIR COMPETITION AND CONSUMER PROTECTION IN MALAWI

Lake Malawi

DONATIONS TO THE FLOOD VICTIMS IN THE CITY OF BLANTYRE

BLANTYRE CITY COUNCIL

18th January 2015

For immediate release

DONATIONS TO THE FLOOD VICTIMS IN THE CITY OF BLANTYRE

The Mayor of the City of Blantyre Councillor Noel Chalamanda on Wednesday toured areas affected by heavy downpour and visited the flood victims that are now temporarily housed at Chimwankhunda Primary School, Mayamiko Orphanage Centre at Kachere, Makhetha Primary School, Makhetha Seventh Day Adventist Church and Makalanga Primary School in Machinjiri.

Due to the devastating effects of the floods that left families homeless and led to property loss, the Council would like to appeal to the nation for support to the affected families. The people have lost everything and donations in any form that can ease the pain and suffering of these victims is welcome.

The Council further wishes to appeal to all the organisations and individuals that would wish to make any kind of donation to the flood victims in the City of Blantyre to notify it for proper coordination and guidance. This procedure has to be followed since the Council has the database on the number of victims, the kind of immediate support they need and areas they can be found. This would ensure that all deserving flood victims have been assisted based on the resources available.

Those wishing to make donations are, therefore, kindly requested to liaise with the Chairperson for the Blantyre City Council Civil Protection Committee, Chief Fire Officer Mr Stanford Namfuko on 0881789366

Blantyre City Council would like to thank all organisations and individual who heed the appeal for relief items and came forward to help the victims. It is in times like these that you know who your true friend is.

Signed

Anthony Kasunda

PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER

UPDATE ON FLOOD DISASTER RESPONSES AS AT 17th JANUARY 2015

1. An estimated 27,000 households (approx 135,000 people) have now been displaced since the floods hit the areas. The most affected districts are Nsanje, Chikwawa and Phalombe. Since 16th January 2015, government has noted that some Mozambican Nationals affected by floods have crossed over into Nsanje District.

2. Search and rescue operations are ongoing in Nsanje and Chikwawa. Additional 100 people were evacuated to camps in Nsanje on 16th January 2015. More households are arriving at the camps that have been established to accommodate people that have been evacuated from the affected areas in Chikwawa and Nsanje as water in some parts is subsiding.

3. Additional helicopters are being arranged with the Republic of South Africa.

4. The Department of Disaster Management Affairs and other organizations are continuing to distribute food and non food items to the affected. More dispatches are being made now as some of the areas are becoming accessible with relief items. Airlifting of relief items to Mlolo area in Nsanje is ongoing and also the evacuation of vulnerable groups from the area to Bangula Camps to medical and other services.

5. Following the declaration of a state of disaster by the State President, a number of organizations are coming forward to donate assistance to the affected population.

• Kamponji Estates have donated 150 metric tons of maize flour. The flour will be collected daily on average of 50 metric tons and will be distributed on need basis across the affected areas. 14 metric tons are now being loaded on the MDF trucks to be delivered to Nsanje District.
• Kamponji Estates have also donated 2000 blankets and will provide eggs to meet nutritional needs of the affected people.
• Nyasa Manufacturing has donated 20 maize flour and 1000 blankets;
• First Merchant Bank has made a cash donation of MK20 million;
• CDH Bank has donated MK1 million;
• Mr Milward Nyangulu  from Mchinji has donated 350- 25 kg bags of maize; and
• Motal Engil has offered for free use its road construction and maintenance equipment for maintenance of roads in all affected areas across the country.

6. The consolidation of a comprehensive response plan is underway. The plan will highlight the needs of the different sectors and resource requirements. A number of Development Partners have pledged support once the response plan has been finalized.

7. A team from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has arrived in the country to assist in the response coordination efforts. The United Nations (UN) team and DoDMA officials undertook a flyover today over   flood affected areas in Mangochi, Phalombe, Chikwawa, Nsanje, Machinga, Zomba and Mulanje to appreciate the damage caused by the floods. The report will be released.

8. The Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services has indicated that a moderate tropical storm in the Mozambique Channel continues to shift further eastwards towards Madagascar thereby reducing moisture inflow into southern Malawi. Congo air mass is however expected to remain dominant over central and northern areas of Malawi. Therefore, less rains over southern Malawi over the weekend hence the chance to enhance the ongoing response operations.

9. Since the rains are expected to continue, I would like to continue urging all people living in low lying areas in flood disaster prone districts to move upland and avoid crossing fast flowing streams and rivers in order to avoid losing lives as a result of the floods.

 

 

Office of the Vice President

Lilongwe

17th January, 2015