Reading Time: 3 minutesPilirani (not her real name) is a university student who tries to make a bit of extra money by traveling to Tanzania to buy some goods that are sold to her customers in Blantyre. After the most recent trip she stated that the Malawi Kwacha was not buying much in Tanzania as compared to the past, […]
Cry, The Beloved Currency Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesOne of the least known areas in Malawi is the eastern side of the Eastern Region. I first travelled on the Bakili Muluzi Highway some fifteen or so years ago when I was going to a place called Nampinguja, located a few kilometres away from a trading centre called Mselema. What I found intriguing at
The little tigers of the East Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesThe recent report by the National Statistical Office on the state of poverty in Malawi makes bad reading, to say the least. What this column will discuss this week is the reversal of fortunes of some districts, like those that used to be the most “well to do”, in relative terms, are now the poorest.
The Race is not to the Swift Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesAs I was growing up I was told that being a boy, it was not right for me to tamper with the cooking process. If I did, so it was claimed, my chest would swell as my breasts grew large like those of females. It was a message that I heard from several people, as
The danger of relying on oral tradition Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesAs you approached the cathedral at St. Michael and All Angels CCAP church, and before getting in, you could tell that the maestro was on the organ, as the music would be rich in harmony. Wyndham Chechamba had mastered the art of organ playing and was able to bring out all the require details from
The Legend That Was Chechamba Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesI was once deeply saddened to see maize crops weltering by the shores of Lake Malombe. Drought had taken its toll that year, but these crops were not like other crops in the country. They were so close to a huge water body. It only required some innovation to bring the water to the crops
The Whole Truth Should Be Told About Irrigation Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesIn a certain village one man got up at night and, looking through the window, saw flashes of fire in the distance whirling around for some time and later receding further into the black night. He was gripped with such fright that for a moment he froze and began to shake vigorously while sweating profusely
Terror Mongering Rampant Among Us Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesIt is true that as a nation we shy away from anything scientific. Our participation in innovative scientific or technological projects is, to say the least, dismal. I know there are some among us who are deep into science but such people are few and far between. I remember meeting somebody a few years back,
Of Technology And The Grasshopper Anatomy Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesWhen I was a boy living at Nkhoma Mission, I was inquisitive about how a light bulb worked. The house we were living in, like almost all houses at the Mission, had wire gauzes fitted to the windows to prevent mosquitoes getting in. One day, my brother and I became a little mischievous. We removed
Culture Can Aid Or Hinder Technological Progress Read More »
Reading Time: 3 minutesIn Africa we grow up surrounded by others, who become an integral part of our existence. Nobody lives an isolated life. In all that we do the community to which we belong is considered or expected to be considered supreme. As somebody put it, “I am because we are.” This is a philosophy called uMunthu
Umunthu – A Philosophy That Binds Us Together Read More »