Organisers of the Sand Music Festival have revealed the real reason behind the delay in announcing this year’s venue – and it’s down to Mother Nature rather than anything more dramatic. Rising water levels on Lake Malawi have forced bosses to ditch plans to host the beloved festival in Salima, with rising floods swallowing up […] The post Sand Music Festival forced to change venue after Lake Malawi floods wreck original plans appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

There is a particular kind of vindication that comes from watching your successor discover the arithmetic you once had to live with. Sosten Gwengwe, who held Malawi’s finance portfolio under the Chakwera government, now chairs Parliament’s Budget and Finance Committee — and from that vantage point, he has delivered a verdict on the current administration’s […] The post Gwengwe says Mwanamvekha’s budget numbers were never going to add up appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) says mandatory registration fees for data controllers and processors will take effect on 1 September 2026, as the country moves to enforce the Data Protection Act of 2024. The annual fees, ranging from K50,000 for small and medium enterprises to K7 million for larger organisations, will apply to entities […] The post Malawi to enforce mandatory data protection fees from September appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Police in Nkhata Bay have arrested a 31-year-old man, Maxwell Banda, of Chilumba village, Traditional Authority Ngokwe in Machinga district, on suspicion of impersonating a soldier in the Malawi Defence Force (MDF). Police spokesperson Enala Kalua said the incident occurred in March this year at a guesthouse in the district, where Banda had been lodging […] The post Fake soldier arrested in Nkhata Bay over impersonation, impregnating two women appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation Joseph Mwanamvekha has pledged to publicly account for the savings generated through the government’s austerity measures, following mounting pressure from civil society organisations demanding proof that the cost-cutting programme has delivered tangible results. Mwanamvekha said the government will present a comprehensive report during the Mid-Year Budget Review in […] The post Mwanamvekha promises full austerity report after mounting pressure appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Malawi and Tanzania are working to resolve the matter diplomatically, according to the latest update, after a Tanzanian vessel was detained at Monkey Bay jetty on Lake Malawi for allegedly docking without prior clearance from Malawi Lake Services or the relevant security authorities. The incident has prompted a wave of reaction on Malawian social media, […] The post Malawi, Tanzania seek diplomatic fix as unauthorised vessel and doctored images stoke tension appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Authorities in South Africa are hunting for a 28-year-old Malawian woman who is suspected of having stolen R10 million, including old gold jewelry. Media reports in South Africa are identifying her as Fatima Lawerence, who is also believed to use the name Esther on her passport. She is being sought after a reported theft at […] The post Malawian woman wanted in SA on R10m theft from employer appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

The High Court in Blantyre has resumed proceedings in the murder trial of Dr Victoria Bobe, following Friday’s session, which was dominated by the cross-examination of the prosecution’s third witness, Assistant Superintendent of Police Christopher Pangeti, the lead investigating officer. Pangeti told the court that investigators linked the accused persons to the murder through what […] The post Court resumes hearing in Victoria Bobe murder trial appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Barely three months after Finance Minister Joseph Mwanamvekha unveiled what government billed as a recovery budget to revive the economy and ease pressure on ordinary Malawians, the country’s economic trajectory is moving in the opposite direction. The warning signs are no longer coming only from political opponents. They are emerging from Parliament, independent economists and […] The post Mwanamvekha faces reckoning as ‘recovery budget’ forecasts collapse appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Around 1,900 teams from some 75 countries have gathered in this Swedish port city for the Gothia Cup, the largest youth football tournament in the world. Among those following it this week is James Woods, a Malawian strategic adviser and a diplomat who has spent a decade working at the intersection of governance, sport, media, […] The post Malawi’s James Woods: business diplomacy feature at Gothia Cup in Sweden appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Malawi is represented at this year’s Gothia Cup, the world’s largest youth football tournament, with young players competing alongside academies from Europe, Asia and the Americas. Malawian strategic adviser James Woods, who is in Gothenburg on a separate assignment, said their presence at the tournament carries significance well beyond the results on the pitch. Woods, […] The post Malawi’s James Woods: Gothia Cup spotlight draws parallels with mineral wealth drain appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

A group of bidders is considering legal action against the Blantyre Water Board (BWB) over what they describe as a flawed procurement process, after the institution abruptly halted the opening of bids on the scheduled date, leaving companies that had invested time and resources in the process demanding answers. On 12 June 2026, BWB advertised […] The post Bidders threaten legal action against Blantyre Water Board over aborted tender process appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

There is something almost admirable about the audacity of Billy Malata’s counter-attack. Rather than defending the First Lady’s BEAM Trust on the merits — its accounts, its governance, its record of disbursing donations — Malata has instead turned the question back on its chief accuser, demanding that Sylvester Namiwa’s Centre for Democracy and Economic Development […] The post Malata, Namiwa and the First Lady: deflection settles nothing appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the Eastern Region has called for closer coordination between MPs and government, stronger internal discipline and more sustainable fundraising, as the party positions itself ahead of the next elections. Speaking at the Eastern Region Policy Meeting in Liwonde, regional vice-president and Education Minister Bright Msaka urged party officials to […] The post DPP Eastern Region holds strategy meeting: Calls for tighter coordination, discipline appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Malawi is reported to have been among several African countries represented at Russia’s 14th International Meeting of High Representatives on Security Issues, a high-level security forum held outside Moscow from May 26 to 29, even as concerns mount over the recruitment of young Africans into Russia’s war effort in Ukraine. The summit, organised by the […] The post Malawi and African delegations join spy summit in Russia. appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Gift Nafere is ten years into a prison sentence for stealing K47m from NBS Bank, in a case that once dominated headlines. Last week, in a plain meeting room at the bank’s Limbe branch, he sat across from his former employers and said sorry. The encounter came about through the Malawi Prisons Service’s Restorative Justice […] The post A convicted banker, a K47m theft, and an uneasy reckoning appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Creck Sporting head coach Ernest Mtawali praised his side’s performance despite crashing out of the Airtel Top 8 at the quarter-final stage, going down 3-1 on aggregate to Mighty Wanderers. Creck went into the break leading 1-0 on the night, sparking hopes of an unlikely comeback after Ramadan Ntafu’s header put them ahead following a […] The post Mtawali sees positives for Creck despite Top 8 exit appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Chief Presidential Adviser on Religious Affairs, Apostle Timothy Khoviwa, has called on churches, traditional leaders and government to work together in driving development at community level. Khoviwa was speaking in Chitipa on Thursday during the official opening of a new K800m church building for Ebenezer Evangelistic Assemblies of God Malawi (EAGM). He said the church […] The post Khoviwa urges church-state cooperation as new church opens in Chitipa appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Mighty Wanderers survived an almighty scare on Sunday, riding out a spirited fightback from Creck Hardware Stars to advance to the semi-finals of the Airtel Top 8 tournament, despite going down 1-1 in Mchinji. Wanderers had built a healthy cushion with a 2-0 win in the first leg back in Blantyre, but found themselves rattled […] The post Wanderers survive Creck scare to reach Airtel Top 8 semis appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Humanitarian organisations in South Africa have accused Malawi’s High Commission in Pretoria of abandoning Malawians fleeing anti-immigrant attacks by forcing them to shelter in a cold basement without adequate food, bedding or sanitation. In a petition dated July 4, 2026, addressed to Malawi’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Stella Ndau, the organisations allege that the […] The post ‘Abandoned in Pretoria’: Aid Groups Accuse Malawi Mission of Leaving Xenophobia Victims in Basement appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Controversial Blantyre businessman Mahmood Azhar Chaudhrey could face further legal trouble after Attorney General (AG) Frank Mbeta referred the disputed Malawi Rural Electrification Programme (MAREP) Phase 9 contracts to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for criminal investigations. The referral comes as government intensifies efforts to recover more than K1.4 billion allegedly paid in advance to contractors […] The post Chaudhrey Faces Fresh Scrutiny as ACB Probes MAREP Phase 9 Contracts appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Karonga United have pulled off a stunning giant-killing act, overturning a two-goal first-leg deficit to knock Silver Strikers out of the Airtel Top 8 on a 3-2 aggregate scoreline. Karonga went into Sunday’s second leg at their Karonga Stadium fortress needing a big response, and delivered exactly that – firing home three goals on home […] The post Karonga stun Silver Strikers to reach Airtel Top 8 semis appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

A South African business mogul embroiled in a growing scandal over millions allegedly funnelled to Malawi’s first lady has been rewarded with a plum diplomatic appointment, according to explosive leaked documents. Zunaid Moti — the tycoon accused of bankrolling First Lady Gertrude Mutharika’s Beautify Malawi (BEAM) Trust, sparking demands from governance watchdogs for a forensic […] The post Businessman in first lady funding row named Malawi envoy, leak shows appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

A whistleblower has reported businessman Azhar Mahmood Chaudhry to the Malawi Police Service’s Fiscal and Fraud Section, alleging that materials meant for the Ministry of Energy were diverted and stored at a warehouse in Blantyre. In a statement dated June 8, 2026, the whistleblower, whose identity has been withheld for security reasons, said Chaudhry approached […] The post Chaudhry reported to fiscal Police over alleged diversion of MAREP aaterials appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Human rights activist Redson Munlo has warned Members of Parliament against what he claims is a plan to extend their term of office from five to seven years. In an audio message released on Sunday, Munlo alleged that some MPs are holding secret meetings and working “day and night” to draft a bill that would […] The post MPs exposed over alleged plot to extend term of office appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Malawi’s Mining and Minerals Regulatory Authority (MMRA) has taken what officials describe as a key step towards strengthening ethical governance within the institution, following the induction of its Institutional Integrity Committee (IIC) by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). Speaking in Salima at the induction ceremony, MMRA’s Human Resources and Administration Manager, Bright Kazembe, said the committee […] The post ACB inducts integrity committee at Malawi mining regulator appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

The Taekwondo Association of Malawi (TAM) on Saturday launched a charity outreach programme in Salima, combining sport with community service in support of vulnerable members of society, particularly the elderly. The initiative, the first of its kind by TAM, began with a charity walk from TotalEnergies Filling Station to Malimba Ground, led by the association’s […] The post TAM launches taekwondo charity drive in Salima appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Disgraced Senior Chief Malemia is facing the very real prospect of rotting in a prison cell  after being convicted of defiling a teenage girl — and then helping her get rid of the baby. The once-respected traditional leader was found guilty at the Magistrates’ Court in Zomba, in a case that has left the community […] The post Chief’s shame: Malemia faces lengthy jail term after defiling teen appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Ekhaya FC pulled off one of the results of the season, knocking out mighty FCB Nyasa Big Bullets on penalties to book a famous place in the semi-finals of the Airtel Top 8 Trophy. The underdogs held their nerve at Mpira Stadium in Blantyre, prevailing 7-6 on spot-kicks after a pulsating 1-1 draw in normal […] The post Giant-killers Ekhaya stun Big Bullets to reach Airtel Top 8 semis appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Introduction: The Changing Nature of Malawi’s Politics The era in which a single political party could comfortably dominate the political landscape is gradually coming to an end. Today’s electorate is increasingly fragmented along lines of geography, demographics, economic interest, political priority, and ethnic or regional identity. Political competition has therefore become more complex, requiring broader […] The post Beyond ‘It’s our time to eat’: Rethinking political alliances in Malawi appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Malawi’s Revenue Authority (MRA) has been commended by a governance analyst after exceeding its first-quarter tax collection target, in a result seen as an early sign that a broader digital overhaul of the country’s tax system is beginning to pay off. The authority collected K1.398tn in the three months to June, against a target of […] The post Analyst Bamusi credits e-invoicing reform for MRA’s revenue gains appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Sparc Systems (Africa) Limited has picked up two platinum awards at the Southern Africa Brand Quality Awards (Sabqa), held in Lusaka, Zambia, in recognition of its regional operations and leadership. The company was named ICT Solutions Provider of the Year, while its founder and chief executive, Wisely Phiri, was honoured as Leading Male Entrepreneur of […] The post Malawian ICT firm Sparc Systems wins top honours at regional brand awards appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Malawi’s First Vice-President, Dr Jane Ansah, has delivered a keynote address at a conference hosted by Raised For Purpose (RFP) Ministries, thanking Pastor Aubrey Mwasinga and the church for organising an event she said was contributing to spiritual renewal and national transformation. Ansah singled out for praise the ministry’s decision to invite Apostle Michael Orokpo […] The post Malawi VP Ansah praises church conference, cites Vision 2063 appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Karonga Central MP Frank Mwenifumbo has posted photographs on social media showing him sharing warm, light-hearted moments with the country’s second vice-president, Enock Chihana, in what appears to be a public thawing of relations between the two long-standing political rivals. The pair had previously fallen out over the leadership of the Alliance for Democracy (Aford), […] The post Chihana, Mwenifumbo signal truce after years of Aford leadership rift appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.

Malawi’s Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Dr Ben Malunga Phiri, has said the country must invest in value addition if farmers are to fully benefit from their produce, as government broke ground on a modern market facility in Lilongwe’s Area 1. Phiri presided over the ceremony on Thursday, part of a nationwide initiative […] The post Ben Phiri: Malawi needs value addition as new markets break ground appeared first on Malawi News | Breaking News, Politics, Business & Sports | Nyasa Times.