Missing in Mt Mulanje

(This article appeared in the Sunday Times of 10 September, 2006)

Three years missing in the mountain

by Hastings Maloya

“Three years gone, yes but I still have a feeling like it is only a dream,” says Emie Suliwa almost shading tears in disbelief. She raises her head and through my office window she looks at the magnificent Mulanje Mountain. Shakes her head again and says, “in that mountain, my friend Linda Pronk went missing three years ago.”

Emie works as an office assistant for InfoMulanje, the information centre that offers all tourism information about Mulanje Mountain. When I normally call her to my office, her expectation is that there is some information that she needs to collect or has to clarify on the number of tourists that have visited the mountain in a given period. Wednesday, September 13, could not have been a good day to call Emie to my office.

It was far from what she had expected. She was shocked when I mentioned to her that I wanted to have a brief interview with her as I was writing an article on the missing of Linda in Mulanje Mountain. She recalled, it was on September 13, and this was exactly three years after the demise. For a while, I had to change the subject a bit to let her take a breath before continuing with the interview.

Linda Pronk, a 22-year-old Dutch citizen, served as a development worker with the Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) working in the laboratory of the CCAP Mulanje Mission Hospital. On Saturday 13th September, 2003, Linda set off, alone, to climb Sapitwa peak, the highest point of Mount Mulanje. She has not been seen since.

Linda was no stranger to Mulanje, she worked at the CCAP Mission Hospital and had enjoyed climbing the mountain many times, explains Emie.

“We went up the mountain on Friday and we were a group of more than seven. We camped at the newly constructed Chisepo hut and we had all the fun that is associated with mountain climbing,” recalls Emie. “I left the mountain early on Saturday because I had some assignments to sort out down here. We agreed with Linda to meet the following day as she still remained with other friends. I never knew; it was the last time that I had seen her”.

On this particular day, while they were still at Chisepo hut, basically the base of Sapitwa, it is said that Linda expressed an interest to climb the peak and was advised by the rest of the group not too attempt it on her own. Later, it was noticed that she was not on the vicinity of the camp and apparently she might have started off to the peak. That was all about the young Dutch girl.

The alarm was raised early on the Sunday morning and a message was sent down speedily to Likhubula Forest Office. The request for assistance was communicated to the Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust and Mulanje Mission Hospital, and soon after, the police were also informed.

I was in office that Sunday but I could not know what to do let alone where to start from, if indeed I was to do anything. There was no rescue plan at hand, no specified leadership, no trained personnel, little equipment and no radio communication! However, there was a rapid reaction from concerned organisations and institutions immediately, a base was established at Kambenje Village, and a search had started.

According to Carl Bruessow, Executive Director of MMCT, the main achievement that day was the climb that was made in very difficult rains by some porters to reach Chisepo with radio and other basic supplies so that there was at least communication between top and bottom. Police, porters, friends, forestry staff and colleagues all rallied to join the effort but lo! there had been no sign of Linda during the searches made in the vicinity of the Sapitwa path. The stormy, wet cold weather atop made life even more difficult.

First thing Monday morning, I got a call from the Daily Times, I stammered before confirming that indeed we were in a situation as a young lady is missing in the mountain. “We are trying all we can and I am hopeful that we may succeed by the end of the day.” I said and could not take more questions. Just as I thought that was enough, it was another call from the Nation, then Power 101fm, before MBC came in. I could tell indeed how serious this issue is. What with the BBC getting wind of the news and their correspondent was already on line for clarification.

Then came a game capture helicopter from Majete Wildlife Reserve to assist in a sky search, if only to raise the morale of Linda, should she be stuck somewhere in that bad weather. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday saw very difficult weather conditions with strong cold winds, heavy cloud and rain prevailing for most of the days.

The area above Chisepo towards Sapitwa is very rugged with many steep slopes interspersed by boulder-strewn stream valleys. According to Bruessow, the helicopter flew at least ten hours of aerial searches over these days negotiating the difficult winds around the peaks. Seven days later, the search effort was beginning to lose momentum as people had to leave the mountain to attend their normal commitments. Hope was beginning to be lost.

In the October - December, 2006 edition of Sapitwa newsletter, Bruessow wrote, “the improved weather over the next four days through to Saturday enabled a full search to be launched and coordinated. At full capacity between 60 and 75 searchers worked the rugged mountain-top carrying out group line searches, often covering priority areas several times.”

All efforts by the army and police bore no fruits. Another effort ten days later was made by a number of dog-sniffer teams who flew out from the Netherlands and gave of their time over five days, again turning up with nothing. And as Bruessow puts it, ordinarily, in any usual situation Linda should have been found but it was not to be and the reason for this failure will elude us for some time.

Thirty-one local traditional healers and medicine men came with different skills and different approaches. Others went through the office of the District Commissioner while others came through village heads and recognised local leaders. They raised the hopes that one of them would succeed in finding the missing lady. It could not work.

Preachers and leaders of different religious beliefs and sectors also participated in the search. They used different approaches and methodologies, still it is three years this week, no success registered.

As for the local people living around the mountain, ancestral spirits played a role in the missing of Linda. They say there are spirits in the Mulanje Mountain Forest Reserve and can react in case they are not happy with a particular situation.

“My advice is that we should visit the mountain with respect. This is a treasurer for the people of Mulanje and Phalombe. It must be respected,” says a chief from Phalombe without elaborating.

To date, there is nothing conclusive as to what exactly happened. Someone is yet to come up with a possible assumption. And Emie concludes our interview saying, “sometimes you can not tell about this mountain. Some things you just can not understand them, maybe thus what makes it more important.”

All in all, this tragic incident on the mountain should serve to remind us all to strongly adhere to the well-established safety principles that guide mountain climbing.

No-one can really tell what exactly happened to Linda. However, notwithstanding this unfortunate event, Mount Mulanje remains one unique resource for Malawi as it continues to attract tourist from all over the world. According to the laws of Malawi, Linda shall only be declared dead after seven years. Practically, we have four more years to concretely say the final word about her. But then, where is she? Living in the mountain?

Hastings Maloya is Programme Officer for environmental education
and communications for the Mulanje Mountain
Conservation Trust (MMCT)

On Minister Kaliati

Kaliati was to apologise to who and why?
by Hastings Maloya

The just-ended sitting of parliament will definitely go down the memory lane. It was long, tough and a heated one. For the first time, we were about to witness a rejection of a national budget. What an unfortunate thing that could have been!

Personally I have never enjoyed commenting on issues to do with parliament let alone about conduct of parliamentarians. Because I aspire to becoming a legislature at some point, I always believe that our parliamentarians know what they are supposed to do in the August house for the best of the nation.

However the issue about demand for an apology from the Minister of Information and Tourism Honourable Patricia Kaliyati before passing the budget allocation for her ministry has made me go against my norm of not commenting about parliament. Much as thoughts of the honourable members need to be respected, it is not easy to imagine people with the welfare of the nation at heart, to refuse passing a budget vote, not because of its contents, but because of an individual.

When it was reported that parliament has finally approved the 2006/07 budget and that the impasse on the Ministry of Information vote was resolved by an arrangement that the Minister responsible should miss the session, which she duly obliged, I laughed and asked, so what have they achieved?

Just like most Malawians, I am still not convinced as to why Madame Kaliyati was supposed to apologise and apologise to who? Unless it is clearly stated that with effect from this sitting of parliament, anyone who utters statements that are not palatable will be asked to apologise. Otherwise there are tens and tens of examples of acts that needed a demand for an apology than forcing Malawians to comprehend the unfair demand on one Mrs. Kaliyati.

Some Mps dwelt much on the use of tax payer's money in the form of resources that maybe the minister uses in her infamous routine distribution of bad political language. However, there has not been a case or an example given of those that used public resources to a bad use and came out apologising, or asked to apologise.

Think of the former president Dr Bakili Muluzi’s public comments and pronouncements at political rallies. With peace he could call his opponents zimphonongolo, mutu ngati screw driver, mphuno biii – forsake! He even had an audacity to ridicule his on Vice, Hon. Justine Malewezi that he takes 32 tablets daily calling him munthu opusa uja! Kumbwambwana! How I wish our Parliament could at some point demand an apology for such utterances.

Who among us does not remember the acts of the young democrats? Think of our own Emie Chanika being beaten at the COMESA Hall in the full view of the police officers. Come to think of journalists being beaten on the streets of Blantyre. Examples are numerous and the list is endless yet to-date none of the culprits, despite some of them being known, has been asked to apologise. Worse still, they are yet to be brought to book despite the fact is that they inflicted pain on innocent Malawians. Its sad that our parliamentarians can not see that or maybe the poor souls do not deserve an apology.

It is said, and it has never been denied, that at some point, when Malawi was in dire need of food, some government officials thought it wise to sell to Kenya the only grain that we had. Malawians were left to starve to death when a few selfish individuals were swimming in money through such an inhuman act. And up to this very day our good law makers do not see anything to demand an apology for this.

Our parliamentarians, in their competence as law makers, need to elucidate as to what sort of issues that would lead to a demand for an apology. Should the whole house really demand an apology for political statements? And if indeed thus what it should be, then there are more politicians than Mrs. Kaliyati that need to apologise. For those that have followed political comments from Dr. Hetherwick Ntaba, for example, one would think that he would have been the first one to be asked for an apology. At times it is very difficult to tell whether he is speaking for the government or for his party, but whichever between the two that he speaks for, he causes much more damage than good.

How about Minister George Chaponda who could not see the importance of councillors in local assemblies and indicated that government was not interested in local government elections despite each one of us knowing the importance of these elections. Wait a minute, did I hear our vocal opposition MPs asking Minister Chaponda to apologise? And I hear a deputy minister had to insult a police officer on duty, and todate no apology made? Ah! No. Surely our knowledgeable MPs demanded an apology!

Now, someone please tell Malawians why Honourable Kaliyati was asked to apologise for purely making a political statement and outside the house. It is also very important for the MPS to tell us why the demand for this apology was tied to a budget vote for the Ministry of Information and Tourism.

It would be a little bit unfair for lay people like us to think that maybe the so-called lawmakers had forgotten that ministers can be moved from one ministry to another at any time. Poor them if indeed they could not know that Kaliyati’s salary and benefits is already taken care of by the office of the president and cabinet. Very unfortunate if indeed our ‘honourables’ could not know that employees of the ministry, some of whom their own relations, would suffer simply by demanding an apology and tying it to a budget. This act can be described as the worst from our MPs.

The parliamentarians could have known that it is under Kaliyati’s leadership as Minister of Information that for the first time ever, Malawians were able to follow parliamentary deliberations live on MBC. Malawians were able to hear their MPs, others speaking geography instead of English. Under her leadership, Malawians could stay awake to watch parliamentary proceedings on Television Malawi. Our MPs could have known that for the first time we have a Minister of information who does not keep information to herself. My colleagues in the media will agree that for the first time we have a minister who would pick up a phone any time and will not give hassles for an interview.

What else does Malawi need? Before demanding an apology parliament was supposed to applaud the good job she has done and advise her to improve on areas that are not doing well.

From me, Thumbs up to Kaliyati. She never apologised! She has impressed me. Standing on her principles.

Street Vending & Environment

(this article appeared in the Sunday Times)

Of vending and effects on our environment
by Hastings Maloya

In the just-ended week, the government started flushing vendors out of the streets in urban centers. The move has received mixed reactions from different people with others supporting the it while others condemning it depending on one’s belief and understanding. Environmental journalist HASTINGS MALOYA ponders on how street vending in our cities and towns damaged the environment and the anticipation for an improvement when vendors shall no longer be on the streets.

About twelve years ago, when one lived in the rural areas, visiting cities like Blantyre and Lilongwe was a marvel. On the eve of a trip to the city, one would spend a sleepless night, not out of fear but eagerness to get into a different environment. It could be because of the nice buildings that one would see or the number of vehicles that the eyes would feast on, which were purely a dream in the village.

But apart from the infrastructures, simply Malawian cities were a beauty, so clean that walking along the streets was really a good thing. There were designated places where one would litter and refuse collection was order of the day. With wonderful vegetation in the city’s river banks that made the towns look green and beautiful, it was everybody’s wish to stay in town.

As years went by, the situation slowly changed, the beauty dramatically lost and the cleanliness completely gone. Today, litter is everywhere, and surely an eyesore. The available rivers in our cities that people used to be proud of, now have no water and are a source of pungent smells following piles of waste, which is quite hazardous to the health of humans as well as plants and animals.

There could be many causes to this change and different people would give different reasons.

One reason had been the coming in of street vending. Though it would be difficult to tell how vending slowly became part of our living in cities, it must be acknowledged that this trend led to unplanned expanded settlements. Many people trekked from the rural areas to settle in towns and cities with a belief that an available occupation was on the street.

The streets were therefore full of people and activities, which resulted in lack of proper sanitation facilities and overcrowded conditions. This also posed a high risk of communicable diseases and caused additional pressure on management of waste. Our towns and cities today are no longer a pleasant sight – yes they are full of waste. This is not only bad to our health but to our environment too. We have noted people turning walls of buildings and tree trunks into toilets.

Nature of business and places of operation of such businesses has always been a very big problem. For example how could we allow the sell of alcohol at a hospital premises? Packaging of the products sold by most vendors has also been another cause of the pathetic situation that our cities are in today. We have noticed garbage piling up on road sides, footpaths and vacant land, especially along river banks. Sometimes we have only complained within ourselves while the situation continued to deteriorate.

However, all is not lost yet.

The move by the government to remove vendors from the streets should be applauded and looked at as stock taking. This should not be apolitical issue but a developmental one. Let us accept that by accepting vending in the streets of our cities, we did much damage to our environment and in the process we lost the pride of having beautiful towns and cities. We irresponsibly turned our towns and cities into dumping grounds.

As observed by the Minister of Rural Development, George Chaponda, the removal of the vendors must be seen as good for Malawi. It is now high time for people in responsible positions in our cities and towns to measure their performance against the environmental situation of their responsible towns and cities. Waste collection must be intensified. Without vendors in the streets, it should now be a shame for responsible officers in our town and city assemblies if the situation is not reversed. Meanwhile it is the hope of every Malawian that our cities and towns will once again look beautiful and that we will avoid communicable diseases.

It only takes us to acknowledge that we are the custodians of places that we live in and it is our responsibility to care for our environment.

On Street Vending

(Appeared in the Sunday Times)

Flushing out of street vendors – unfinished business

….. charcoal still being sold on the streets of Malawi

By Hastings Maloya

Finally the government has flushed vendors out of the streets in both urban and rural centers. This can be described as a success story, of course with respect to different people’s beliefs and understanding. But the fact remains that our towns and cities are slowly but steadily regaining the lost beauty and walking in the streets, is no longer a hassle.

Not long ago, our streets were full of people and activities, which resulted in lack of proper sanitation facilities and overcrowded conditions. This also posed a high risk of communicable diseases and caused additional pressure on management of waste. Our towns and cities were no longer a pleasant sight – yes they were full of waste. Cases of theft were numerous.

It is a changed situation now. Much as we are still looking forward to designated littering places and anticipating that refuse collection become order of the day, it is still a situation worth applause.

However, when the whole exercise was starting not many people believed it would succeed. Prophets of doom indicated that the government was starting a battle that it was ready to lose. The vendors themselves had indicated that come rain or sunshine, they wont move from the streets. The government used available legal instruments and finally everybody has acknowledged that street vending is illegal. So, no more street vending! This is government.

But now, wait a minute. Why is charcoal still being sold on the streets of Malawi? Is this not street vending?

Driving along the newly christened Robert Mugabe Highway, it is a terrible sight of the hundreds of charcoal bags that are seeing their way into the city. The state of affairs on the Zalewa road is not worth mentioning. It has been said enough. And along the Salima road the situation is the same. How about what seems to be a proper charcoal marketplace at the Machinjiri Turn–off on the Chileka road in Blantyre? Area 23 in Lilongwe. It is all over Malawi and it seems no-body cares. One wonders again if there has been a thought of the source for the charcoal.

But do we need to stress that charcoal production and sell is illegal in Malawi? As, it has been said before Malawi has viable legislation that lacks enforcement. Section 81 of Malawi’s Forest Act of 1987 reads: “No person shall make or sell charcoal from indigenous timber or tree except pursuant to a licence issued under this section.” And Malawians are yet to know whether any of the charcoal producers in Malawi has a licence and whether the licences are checked as is the case with driving licences by our traffic police.

And section 82 of the same Act reads “No person shall engage in commercial processing of any wood or forest produce without a permit. Again, Malawians need to be told whether any of the charcoal business people have permit to carry out their businesses. It is very unfortunate that illegal indigenous timber from forest reserves and customary areas are too common on our streets and the trend is going on without control.

The major reason for the worsening environmental damage in Malawi is therefore not the absence of legislation but laxity in the implementation and enforcement of policies, legislation and strategies by responsible Ministries and Departments.

In December 2005, a Coalition of Environmental NGOs in Malawi, cried through its press release that the country lost 2,501,571 ha. of both indigenous and plantation forests between 1972-1992 and much higher values after this period resulting in Malawi having a deforestation rate of 3.5%, the highest in the SADC Region.

The Coalition observed that between 1992 - 2005, charcoal production and trade was intensified in Malawi; where 140,000 ton/year of charcoal and about so many tons of firewood is was traded informally with Government deriving no revenue from this big trade.

“It requires no emphasis that enforcement and implementation of legislation, policies and regulations is primarily a responsibility of Government. There is need therefore, to enforce the Forestry Act and regulate charcoal production and selling. Courts should also be asked to impose heavy penalties on cases of encroachment, and illegal charcoal trade, as provided for in the law”, said the Coalition in the release.

While everybody agrees that street vending is illegal, why cant the government come in at this moment and save our trees by flushing charcoal sellers from the streets? We may lose an opportunity here. Actually production of charcoal in Malawi is far beyond demand and that is why we have piles and piles of charcoal on the streets. This is totally an illegal business.

Government MUST treat and view the environment and its associated natural resources and wildlife as economic goods; and come up with proper valuation of these assets including introduction of taxes, licenses and charges for the use. It would also be imperative to encourage farmers, the private sector and institutions of higher learning to take natural resource management as a business

Or should we suggest that all those that lost out on street vending should venture into charcoal business? Seems its acceptable.

…..ends

On Forest Fires - SADC EE

(Appeared in SADC EE News Flash Dec 2005)

Malawian Trust intensifies EE on forest fires
By Hastings Maloya

As we get to the festive season and getting into the New Year, environmentalists and concerned Malawians will remember the just ending year as the worst in relation to harmful bushfires that led to devastation of over 2000 hectares of pristine forests across the country. This included the damage to Malawi’s national tree - the Mulanje Cedar in the Mulanje Mountain Forest Reserve.

Fires, the worst seen in recent years, caused heavy damage on plants and animals in almost all protected natural forest reserves and plantations in Malawi. Among several causes, mostly the fires were caused by unsustainable means of resource utilisation like hunting where fire is used to drive animals from their hiding places. Honey harvesting has also been another cause when some harvesters use fire in their operations and carelessly leave flames that lead to uncontrolled fires. Other fires have been caused by misguided individuals whose intention is to cause damage and panic among people.

Only last year, we were excited that for the first time in many years, the Mulanje Mountain and its unique forest reserve was spared from the effects of devastating forest fires. Very few fires had occurred and we believed that this indicated peoples’ increased understanding of the importance of the reserve.

While we were about to start the success story of retaining lost biodiversity, the situation this year is not encouraging. The forest reserve, just as many parts of Malawi, has suffered serious damage.

It could be that many people have not been reached yet with messages though the continuous awareness campaigns or the targeted community was limited.

This is what has led to the Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust (MMCT) to intensify environmental education programmes among school-going children around the Mulanje Mountain Forest Reserve, Malawi’s biggest and oldest reserve.

The Trust’s environmental education programme has been facilitating the formation and strengthening of environmental clubs in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions and coordinating out-of-class lessons in the reserve. Using a handbook “Why Forest Fires – or Do We Need Them? the programme has included teachers in the exercise. In participatory format, the school children and teachers are given an opportunity to evaluate causes and the effects of uncontrolled fires. The handbook was developed recently during an EE training programme at the SADC EE Centre in Howick and it has since proven a very powerful tool.

Serious awareness campaigns on the dangers of forest fires had mainly targeted on village-based communities. The focus now is on school-going children and out-of-school youths. It is anticipated that when the youths are made aware of the dangers of fire while in school, they will ably pass on the message to the community that they live in and the will to fight for their environment shall remain in them.

The youths, full of zeal and energy, have since set up monitoring programmes and will soon be trained in basic fire-fighting techniques ready to take part in putting of fire in case it starts.

Malawi, just as many countries in the world, is today facing a lot of environmental problems and challenges, which include water and air pollution, soil erosion, deforestation and loss of biological diversity. Fire has been noted, to a certain extent as being the main source and cause to these problems. This has also led to loss of some plant species that could not stand the heat caused by fires. This leads to environmental degradation where the links and relationships between natural resources and people are affected in one way or another.

Mulanje Mountain, central Africa's highest mountain, is home to rare species of trees and animals. The Mulanje cedar, Malawi's national tree, is found nowhere else in the world, making the mountain one of the country's famous tourist destinations. Mulanje Cedar was declared Malawi's national tree by the country's founding president Hastings Kamuzu Banda in 1984 but Mulanje Mountain has been a protected area since 1927, making it the country's oldest forest reserve.

On Charcoal

This article was published in the Sunday Times of - June 5, 2006

If only Charcoal was banned!

By Hastings Maloya

While we are all watching, our indigenous forests are steadily diminishing. The once beautiful hills and mountains are gradually becoming bare and our good land becoming unproductive due to continuous soil erosion. Siltation in our rivers is becoming an order of the day. Electricity power failures are no longer news.

Malawi is currently facing serious environmental problems with deforestation as the main challenge. It is sad that everyone accepts that the state of affairs is bad but ironically we are aware of the main cause to the situation that we are in. Charcoal production! It is estimated that 140,000 ton of charcoal are produced per year in Malawi.

It is very unfortunate that the presence of illegal indigenous timber from forest reserves and customary areas is too common on our streets and the development is going on without control. Malawi has allowed wanton cutting down of its trees by its own people in the name of livelihood survival for people. Another excuse has been lack of alternative source of energy. Malawians have been made to believe that there is no any other better source of fuel energy but charcoal. We have watched this trend for years and maybe we will wake up for an action when we get to the last tree!

In December 2005, a Coalition of Environmental NGOs in Malawi, cried through its press release that the country lost 2,501,571 ha. of both indigenous and plantation forests between 1972-1992 and much higher values after this period resulting in Malawi having a deforestation rate of 3.5%, the highest in the SADC Region.

In all circles there seem to be nothing happening to tackle the problem, if there has been any effort then it has been painfully very slow. Actually production of charcoal in Malawi is far beyond demand and that is why we have piles and piles of charcoal on the streets. To a certain extent those that are producing charcoal are doing it just for the sake of it, not that they have a ready market.

Driving along the newly christened Robert Mugabe Highway, from Mulanje to Blantyre it is a terrible sight of the hundreds of charcoal bags that are seeing their way into the city. The state of affairs on the Zalewa road is not worth mentioning. It has been said enough. And along the Salima road the situation is the same. How about what seems to be a proper charcoal marketplace at the Machinjiri Turn–off on the Chileka road in Blantyre? Area 23 in Lilongwe. It is all over Malawi and it seems no-body cares.

But by law, charcoal production and sell is illegal in Malawi as stipulated by Section 81 of Malawi’s Forest Act of 1987 which reads: “No person shall make or sell charcoal from indigenous timber or tree except pursuant to a licence issued under this section.” And charcoal producers in Malawi have no licences. Charcoal production in Malawi can only be legal when there is recognised sustainable forest with a management plan as a source of the charcoal.

It has been argued by some quarters that production of charcoal is a source of livelihood and that it should not be banned unless alternatives are found for the people. This is a very poor excuse. Why is it not accepted that all people involved in charcoal are doing an illegal business? And one wonders why there should be alternatives for law breakers. In actual sense, we can hardly found a charcoal producer whose livelihood has improved because of this type of destructive business.
Charcoal suppliers to town remain hanging about dirty through-out the year. Very few of them seem to have taken a shower for a week or so. As a country we should be ashamed of ourselves to clap hands on such poor fellars who are failing to make ends meet and keep on cheating them that they are surviving on charcoal – what type of survival? How many of them will come forward to show us children that are going to school, or some type of beautiful houses that have been built out the charcoal business?

Perhaps because it mainly affects marginalized and poor people, even politicians have taken advantage of the porous situation for political gains. We have heard of politicians shielding the charcoal business people simply to get votes during an election. Some politicians and big business people have actually been seen involved in this illegal trade and are in the forefront saying charcoal can not be banned unless alternative sources of livelihood are found. And yet the longer this problem is ignored, the worse it gets, putting all our futures at risk. It is a tall order to reverse the trend of tens of years, but it has to be done – and done now.

We used to have minibus toots on the streets of Malawi. We used to have street vendors in our towns and cities. They are no longer there. They were operating illegally and had to be shown the exit. And nobody proposed an alternative source of livelihood. What is so special with people that are destructing our environment? If indeed we love mother Malawi, there should be a total ban on charcoal. And this requires a radical approach.

Then there is a question of alternative source of energy. For who? The people that already have the alternative source of energy i.e. electricity are the ones that are buying a lot of charcoal. The literates are the ones in the fore front of the damage. New fuel saving stoves are coming on the market but how many people are buying them? Recently there has been an introduction of a locally made Rocket Stove that has already shown what wonders it can do in saving our forests but how many among the elites have gone for it?

People in the villages have traditional means of using fuel wood and do not talk of charcoal. This tells us that the excuse about alternative source of fuel wood is only a scapegoat in the process of making Malawi bare and unproductive.

Now, Malawi tomorrow joins the international community in commemorating the World Environment Day and this year's theme is Deserts and Desertification with a slogan -Don't Desert Drylands! This follows the designation by the United Nations General Assembly for the year 2006 as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. In keeping with tradition, United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) has chosen the theme for World Environment Day to coincide with the International Year in order to highlight this pressing environmental issue.

Desertification is about land degradation: the loss of the land’s biological productivity, caused by human-induced factors and has potentially devastating consequences in terms of social and economic costs. Malawi is in this situation at the moment.

Surely each one of us would want to know whether it is necessary for Malawi to participate in the commemoration. Time to check if as a nation we are worried that in anyway we are almost deserting our country.

Why not a total ban on charcoal and no excuses about alternatives!
It is said that forests precede civilization, and, deserts follow. It has been so since humanity first settled down from a nomadic life. Written history indicates that some 3,000 years ago Mesopotamia had wonderful cedar forests and excitement in cutting down the wood by its own people led it to becoming a desert today. History will give us a lot of examples but we do not need to go that far when our own Ndirande Mountain can give a good example.

The major reason for the worsening environmental damage in Malawi is therefore not the absence of legislation but laxity in the implementation and enforcement of policies, legislation and strategies by responsible Ministries and Departments

Info on Mt Mulanje

Get to know more about Mount MULANJE

by Hastings Maloya

Introduction

Mt. Mulanje is located 65 km east of Blantyre, Malawi’s commercial city. The view of Mt. Mulanje when driving from Blantyre is superb provided the weather is clear. Mulanje is a vast, isolated granite massif rising sharply and dramatically above the Phalombe Plain southeast of Blantyre. The massif covers an area of 650km2, and largely comprises a plateau of rolling grassland averaging around 2,000m in altitude. This plateau is incised by several thickly wooded ravines, while rising above it are 20 peaks that reach an altitude of over 2,500m. One of these, Sapitwa Peak, is at 3,002m the highest point in Central Africa.

Several different vegetation types cover Mulanje. The lower slopes of the massif, where they have not been planted with exotic pines and eucalyptus, are covered in closed-canopy woodland. The main vegetation type of the plateau is not dissimilar in appearance to the alpine moorland found on East Africa’s larger mountains: a combination of heathers, heaths and grasses. There are supporting a wide array of wild flowers, including various helichrysums, irises, lobelias and aloes, a large number of which are endemic to the mountain.

Evergreen woodland and forest is largely restricted to ravines and watercourses. The most notable forest tree on Mulanje is the endemic Mulanje cedar (Widdringtonia whytei), a magnificent timber tree which can reach a height of over 40m. Mulanje’s cedars have been depleted in the last century due to timber felling, but several impressive stands remain, the most accessible of which lies in the saddle southeast of the Chambe Basin and includes many trees that are thought to be over 300 years old.

In the open highlands, the only mammal species seen with any regularity are klipspringer, rock hyrax, red rock hare and vole. In the woodlands of the lower slopes and in forested areas, there is a good chance of seeing vervet and samango monkeys. Red duiker, bushbuck, leopard, bushpig and porcupine are also present in wooded habitats.

With easy access from Blantyre, well-organised and inexpensive facilities, and some of the most dramatic scenery in the country, Mulanje is Malawi’s premier hiking and rock-climbing destination, popular with tourists and expatriates alike. There are several routes from the base to the plateau, but the only ones that are used with much regularity are the Skyline Path to the Chambe Basin and the Lichenya Path to the Lichenya Plateau. Both of these routes start at Likhubula Forestry Station, which lies at the eastern base of the mountain about 10km from Mulanje Town.

In addition to there being inexpensive accommodation at Likhubula Forestry Station, there are nine huts on the plateau, connected to each other by well-marked trails ranging from three to six hours’ walking duration. With 20 peaks to explore, Mulanje has enough walking and climbing potential to keep anybody busy for at least a month

Guides and porters

We are very proud that the guides and porters of Mulanje are very organised. At each entrée point to the go up Mt. Mulanje is a guides and porters branch present. The guides have knowledge about the area and some are even specialist in birds and wildlife.

The porters work on a rotation schedule. Therefore is it very important that you collect your porters from the entrance points, especially in Likhubula. The rotation schedule was designed as a countermeasure against hassling from not registered guides and porters. Please take notice of this and use only guides and porters from the designated offices.

Safety

It is important to bear in mind that rescue services are virtually non-existent. If you decide to climb a peak do sign the hut destination book and tell the watchmen, guide, porter of your plans. Remember that days often change on Mulanje from gorgeous clear mornings to misty, cloudy weather when route finding conditions become very different. Dry rocks quickly become very slippery. Flash floods and dangerous river crossings feature the rainy season. This does not mean you cannot hike Mt. Mulanje. When you do take precaution. I advise to take at least one guide or porter with you. Guides and porters all have had medic first aid training.

Interesting sights around the base of Mt. Mulanje

There is a road along the whole of the base of Mt. Mulanje. All the entrance points have their own interesting points to see, if a group does not want to hike the mountain or has half a day to a day left. These include pools near Likhubula and Lujeri, a hydro system near Lujeri, an old graveyard site near Fort Lister, real African villages near all entrance points and many more.

InfoMulanje

InfoMulanje is our local information office. Here you can make bookings for all accommodations and restaurants around Mt. Mulanje. Furthermore they organise tea-tours in one of the nearby tea-estates, which gives you more inside in the tea making process. It even includes a factory visit!

InfoMulanje can give you on the spot information about day trips to other interesting sights around the base of Mt. Mulanje.

InfoMulanje is located in Mulanje Chitakale, where the main Trading centre is and the turnoff to Likhubula. The Turnoff is easily recognisable by Pizzeria Bassilica. On top of the pizzeria is the InfoMulanje office.

Contact details:
InfoMulanje
Manager: Mss. Emmie Suliwa
Tel: (+265) 01 466 466
PO Box 200, Mulanje
Email: infomulanje@mountmulanje.org.mw or infomulanje@sdnp.org.mw

On Aids

(Sunday Times Dec 3, 2006)

Fighting HIV/Aids pandemic

It’s not a question of going public about one’s sero status.

by Hastings Maloya

Sex or sexual intercourse is a funny way of communication. It could be possible that someone in Nsanje has had an indirect sexual contact with someone in Mzuzu simply because one of them might have had sex with another person who, in the course of travel or life exploits, also had sex with another and eventually the latter had sex with the first one. In our communities, we might have had some sort of indirect sexual intercourse even with our closest friends. Funny it could sound but it is real.

The only good thing about this situation is that most of us do not know, neither do we probe as to who might have slept with who nor how we would personally find ourselves in line of the communicated persons. This silence and lack of probing is what has kept us all along. Otherwise if indeed we were to seriously go into the circus of probing or wanting to know, some of us could be very disappointed to note that we have sexually been associated with the people that we have all along thought we have avoided! This, therefore poses as the biggest challenge in the fight against HIV/Aids.

On Friday Malawi joined the international community in commemorating the World Aids Day under the theme stop Aids – keep the promise. Only if indeed we keep the promise, our fight against HIV/Aids will be very difficult to win.

Now this brings me to the subject of discussion today. The Aids pandemic has reached a crisis level and people are being encouraged to go for voluntary HIV testing so that they can make informed choices and be sure of looking after themselves. The question is, will it help if people that have been diagnosed with HIV or those that have Aids come out open to declare their sero status?

I think no.

History tells us that there have been epidemics and catastrophes associated with human development since time in memorial. Most of the catastrophes and calamities that human generations have faced have been natural and in most cases have been controlled or dealt with naturally, nevertheless recognition has gone to some dedicated individuals and institutions that have put in efforts and resources to help eliminate such tricky situations.

Disease has been one of the main problems that has troubled human development and continues to be the biggest challenge to date despite all efforts aimed at dealing away with it. Almost each generation has had its share of a particular troubling disease and maybe handed over to the next generation. Some of the diseases have proven to be a crisis and have cost lives of so many people. This is why examples of such diseases remain in our history books. However, life still goes on. Nature, sometimes, cannot easily be understood.

We are currently in the midst of yet another crisis. HIV/Aids is also slowly going into the history annals among the worst pandemics that have befallen man. Worse still, this crisis is in our midst at the time when we are struggling with other continually death-causing diseases like malaria, cholera and tuberculosis. But unlike the other diseases, which of course have caused a lot of deaths, the biggest challenge associated with HIV/Aids is the fact that there is no known cure and treatment.

Records indicate that the first case of HIV/AIDS in Malawi was discovered in 1985 and to date it is said that over 365,000 Malawians have died of the disease. The Joint UN Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) puts the adult infection rate in Malawi at 16%. Other statistics indicate that Malawi has more than one million people estimated to be living with HIV, the virus that causes Aids. It is also scaring to accept reports that Malawi’s HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is almost twice the rate in sub-Saharan Africa. However, we have to accept these painful realities. HIV/AIDS, which is spread primarily through heterosexual sex, is now the leading cause of death in Malawi among people of ages 20-49.

According to available data, women account for more than half of adults estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS in Malawi. In 2003, over 83,000 children in Malawi were estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS and there were an estimated 500,000 Aids orphans. It is also said that HIV prevalence rates are almost twice as high in urban areas of Malawi compared to rural areas. The government acknowledges the daunting challenges that its support has been grossly inadequate and the condition of orphans is made worse by extreme poverty and the erosion of extended families.

The escalating numbers of orphans in the country as a result of HIV/Aids cannot be over emphasized. Malawi has, however, been praised for its humane and exemplary treatment of orphans despite the meagre resources.

But, wait a minute. To a certain extent, the Aids pandemic is not news. It is not news in the sense that today, it would be a very small percentage of Malawians that can stand up to claim that they have never heard anything about HIV/Aids. Over the past twenty years we have had numerous and series of campaigns, workshops and activities that have not only raised awareness and understanding but have also called for action among people.

Awareness initiatives have been done through different avenues including both the electronic and print the media, music, drama, and sports, religious and social gatherings. Controversies have also been noted in the cause of message delivery with different thoughts and agendas put forward. For example disagreements and counter arguments on whether we should promote the use of condoms among religious faithful have helped the cause of raising awareness as such controversies only strengthen debates among people thereby helping in disseminating messages among masses.

Studies have found that general awareness of HIV/AIDS in Malawi is very high. The only unfortunate thing is that statistics that come out of bodies and institutions trusted to handle issues of HIV/Aids do not give any hope. It shows that despite numerous messages and campaigns, there is little progress as the prevalence rate still escalates and deaths related to HIV/Aids are still high. No hope in sight.

The call for people to go for voluntary HIV testing and counseling is meant for us to be aware of our sero status and make an informed decision on how one would look after oneself and how to avoid infecting others in the spirit of keeping the promise. Because of the way the earlier messages about Aids were delivered, it is not easy for one to be told and accept his/her status. This is why the testing is also associated with counseling. In other words the only person that has been tested and counseled will ably accept the situation and indeed make an informed decision.

It is not easy for someone who would only know of the possibility of an infection through the assumption after realizing that a partner or an acquaintance has been diagnosed positive. It has always been said that fear for death is more painful than death itself. The moment people shall come out open about their sero status. We should accept that we shall create an environment of fear and disbelief. It will not help but rather create another catastrophe. Actually most people will not be encouraged to go for testing as they will have already made concluding assumptions following the disclosure by other people, especially if their status in society matter.

For those that made the wise decision to go for testing and are aware of their status surely, with good counseling, can indeed make wise decision about their lives. But please lets not put others in panic through wild assumptions. No need to announce during funerals – it wont help in the fight rather it will create fear and stigma. We cannot develop!

* Hastings Maloya works for Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust but is writing in his personal capacity

About Me

Hastings Maloya
Experienced Journalist, writer, specialist in Communications, Public Relations, Desktop Publishing, Environmental Education, and Rural Development

The Person
A 34-year-old Malawian young man, hard worker, very dynamic, self-motivated journalist, trainer, environmentalist and rural development worker with eight years professional experience in both electronic and print media, communications, publications, writing for the mass media, press releases, public relations, natural resources and environmental management and rural development with excellent writing and verbal communication and desktop publishing skills.

Contact Address:

P.O. Box 3,
Mulanje
MALAWI
Central Africa
Tel. (265) 1 466282;
Cell: (265) 8 864241
E-mail: hastings11@gmail.com