When Malawi’s Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Dr. Ben Malunga Phiri, stood before an audience at Peking University to reflect on the Communist Party of China’s governance experience, he was doing more than delivering a courtesy speech during a ministerial study tour. He was articulating a sentiment increasingly common among policymakers across the […]
Minister of Local Government Dr Ben Phiri has held up China’s rapid economic transformation as a model for Malawi to draw from, following a presentation delivered during his ongoing study tour at Peking University in Beijing. In a statement on his study tour, Phiri said the programme had offered valuable insight into the development models […]
A Malawian government minister currently on a governance course in China has used the moment to renew his call for the long-awaited Mzuzu–Usisya road, holding up China’s model of blending farming with tourism as proof of what Malawi could achieve at home. In a Facebook post, Ben Phiri pointed to Usisya in Nkhata Bay as […]
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Dr Ben Phiri has revealed he will spend the entire month of September in China, undergoing intensive training in governance and public administration at Peking University, alongside fellow leaders from 48 countries around the world. In a Facebook post, Phiri said he had made the decision to dedicate […]
Government has disbursed K19 billion in Constituency Development Fund (CDF) education bursaries to councils across the country ahead of the reopening of schools this September, in a move authorities say is designed to ensure needy students don’t miss classes because of financial constraints. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Dr Ben Malunga Phiri confirmed […]
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, and Thyolo Central MP, Dr Ben Phiri, has pledged to construct a community sports ground at Nchilamwera, near the unfinished technical college in his constituency. The announcement was made by his constituency aide, Stewart Kunje, during the finals of the Dr Ben Phiri Sports Trophy held on Sunday […]
Creck Hardware and General Supplies has stepped up in a major way, donating two fire engines worth a combined K300 million to Lilongwe City Council and Mangochi Municipality, in a move set to significantly boost emergency response capacity in both areas. The generous handover took place this morning, with the company’s director general, Apostle Clifford […]
Malawi’s Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Dr Ben Malunga Phiri, has issued a stark warning over the dangers of the country’s motorcycle taxi industry, urging kabaza operators to take a leaf out of Rwanda’s book, where strict government regulations have forced riders to adhere to strict safety and order standards. Dr Phiri delivered […]
Malawi’s government has teamed up with the Embassy of Iceland to launch a groundbreaking performance-based education grant scheme worth roughly K520 million, aimed at supercharging the skills of district council staff across the country and improving public services at grassroots level. The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development officially unveiled the initiative — dubbed […]
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Dr Ben Malunga Phiri heaped praise on World Vision Malawi (WVM) for its role in turning vulnerable households into productive, self-reliant families, as the organisation officially handed over its Chigodi and Chilenje Area Programmes to Lilongwe District Council after 19 years of transformative work. Speaking at the closure […]
Malawi’s Ministry of Local Government has confirmed it has set local councils a strict timeframe to develop maintenance policies, aimed at ensuring development projects across the country remain sustainable long after their completion. Minister of Local Government Dr Ben Malunga Phiri revealed the deadline on Tuesday in Lilongwe, during a handover ceremony in which World […]
Malawi’s Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ben Phiri, has issued a rallying call for Malawians to break free from dependency on foreign aid and embrace self-reliance, insisting it is the only path to genuine, sustainable development. Phiri delivered the message in Ntchisi, at an event hosted by World Vision to showcase two decades […]
Malawi’s Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Dr Ben Malunga Phiri, was the subject of warm tributes from across government on Monday as colleagues marked his birthday. The Ministry issued a formal statement honouring Phiri’s “dedicated and purposeful national service,” while a more personal message came from Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, […]
Malawi’s Minister of Local Government Dr Ben Malunga Phiri has issued a stark warning over the country’s swelling youth population, demanding urgent investment in skills development, education and job creation to prevent a generation from being left behind. Speaking at the 2026 National Youth Summit in Lilongwe, Phiri didn’t mince his words, declaring that Malawi […]
A Malawian government minister has issued a stark warning to traditional leaders across the country, declaring that chiefs found engaging in sexual relationships with underage girls will face the full force of the law — with no protection from the State. Dr Ben Malunga Phiri, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, delivered the blunt […]
Malawi’s Minister of Local Government and Rural Development has heaped praise on World Vision Malawi after the organisation officially wound up its 15-year development programme in Chiradzulu, calling its impact on the community “truly commendable.” Dr Ben Phiri presided over the official exit ceremony at PIM School Ground in Traditional Authority Onga on Wednesday, marking […]
Talk of being a workaholic – Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and MP for Thyolo Central, Dr Ben Malunga Phiri, appears to be living up to the reputation, if his relentless work rate in Cabinet is anything to go by. One minute the minister can be found at Capital Hill in Lilongwe, the […]
Government has expressed satisfaction with the rehabilitation of the Magomero turn-off to Namadzi River Road, carried out under Phase Two of the Regional Climate Resilience Programme (RCRP), praising its potential to transform economic activity in the surrounding area. In an interview Nyasa Times monitored on Capital FM after personally touring the newly rehabilitated route, Minister […]