#kasungu

By Alfred Mthandizi

It is not a secret that Malawi tenants are facing social and economic challenges. The Malawi Government in Ntchisi recently rescued over 600 children from the jaws of child labor.

International Labor Organization defines child labor as work that deprives children of their childhood, their potential and their dignity, and that is harmful to physical and mental development. It refers to work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally dangerous and harmful to children.

Mayenje said the problem in Notches is that most parents do not appreciate importance of education that is why the he said it was not easy for Government to undertake the exercise.

Research by the International Labor Organizations (ILO) indicates that there are more children in the tobacco growing districts of Rumphi, Mzimba, Kasungu, Mchinji and Lilongwe. He said “most children here are mostly sent by parents themselves to work in the fields.” said Mayenje.

Mayenje has since commended other stakeholders for the job well done in enforcing the laws regarding the child labor. Rumphi Senior Labor Assistant officer, Antony Kalagho, confirmed to Nyasa Times that Rumphi alone has 6,000 children working in the Tobacco fields.

Kalagho said Rumphi District Labor office has set a district Taskforce aimed at dealing with child labor. “We are aware of child labor in tobacco estates. We have set up a District labor committee from various stakeholders and shortly we will start up efforts to rescue them, as you are aware this is not a small job,”

Wyson Chisale of Fundoimodzi Estate, a manager from Traditional Authority Katumbi, Rumphi said who is also a victim of child labor said he came to the estate in 2009 when he was only 16 years old but now he is a grown-up person married with three kids.

Raphael Sandram is General Secretary for Tobacco and Allied Union of Malawi. Sandram said there is need for government to put in stringent measures in dealing with issues of child labor. He said there is need for our Members of Parliament and others stakeholders to take delibarate measures in dealing with the problem.

Lucky Mfungwe, Economic Governance Program Officer at Centre for Social Concern. Mfungwe start the interview by Commending Media Network on Tobacco fir touring the Tobacco estates which has exposed the gray areas.

“The issue of tenancy and child labor is what we have been fighting. The tenant’s conditions are pathetic. As a Union, we see that there is a need to find solutions to deal with poor housing, food shortage and lack of schools including medication. As center we have advocated for the improvement of economic well-being of our tenants and explored ways on how to deal with child labor. We collaborated with Ministry of Labor to lobby and address the tenancy problem which harbors child labor. We are currently lobbying for an amendment to the employment act so that tenants should be able to receive money without necessarily waiting for 12 months.” said Mfungwe

By Alfred Mthandizi

Police in Kasungu are keeping in custody Saizi Banda, 50, Mike Banda, 23, and Anjelo Banda, 20 for allegedly murdering Lloyd Banda, 47 over land disputes. The incident occurred at Jeke village, in the area of Traditional Authority Simlemba in Kasungu District.

Brief facts according to Kasungu Police Publicist Edna Mzingwitsa, are that the deceased and Saizi Banda, the suspects are relatives and that in November, 2017 they had a dispute over a piece of farm land. According to Mzingwitsa, the matter was taken before Simlemba Second Grade Magistrate Court where judgement favored Saizi Banda but despite losing the case, the deceased continued living on the land which he was supposed to vacate.

“On the material day, Saizi Banda wanted the deceased to vacate the land and in the course, disagreement erupted which led into fierce fighting. Mike Banda and Anjelo Banda ganged up to help Saizi Banda fighting Lloyd Banda who was also supported by other few relatives. Its alleged that, during the fighting the suspects used weapons such as axes, hoe handles and panga knives to beat up Lloyd Banda severely who died on the spot.” said Mzingwitsa.

Postmortem examination results revealed that death was due to severe head injuries Police told Malawi Star. The three suspects will appear before court soon to answer the charges of Murder when police investigations are completed. Lloyd Banda hailed from Jeke village, Traditional Authority Simlemba in Kasungu district where the three suspects also come from.

MEETING DOUG MILLER AND HIS WIFE AT THEIR HOME

Doug Miller married a Malawian woman from Kasungu district, her name is Nellie Saka. He stayed in Malawi long time back and he has been visiting it many times. The family has many achievements in Kasungu district. Some of them include Makupo development group which focuses on small scale support for infrastructure, water, health, education, income generation, and environment that help break the cycle of poverty by working with the surrounding educational institutions (3 schools) and the local health clinic.