· As family disowns Steven
BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR
The supposed family of Steven Monjeza and residents of Machinjiri Township in Blantyre are in a celebratory mood following the arrest of a gay couple on Monday.
Police in Blantyre arrested Tiwonge Chimbalanga [whose real name is Stoneck Kachepa] and Steven Monjeza [whose real name is Steven Soko] a day after the two held their engagement at Mankhoma Lodge.
The engagement has since attracted mixed reactions from the public.
An aunt to Steven, Zione Monjeza, disclosed in an interview from her home at Kameza that Steven’s real surname is Soko and that his father was from Molipa in Machinga.
She disclosed that the family was embarrassed and that it would not want to see Steven again because apart from being gay, which has brought the family into disrepute and shame; the nephew is a thief that has been giving Machinjiri residents sleepless nights.
Monjeza explained that the arrest of Monjeza has brought more joy to Machinjiri residents than sorrow because Steven “is one of the criminals terrorising the township with theft of crop produce”.
“People can now be assured of harvesting their crops without interference. Steven has been a source of worry to residents around this area because of his criminal acts,” said Monjeza.
His uncle, N’chiteni Monjeza, said Steven has been a trouble-maker right from his childhood.
He explained that Steven have been in and out of police cells several times for various crimes.
“We are suspecting that he took after his father who was also a dangerous criminal. He eventually died in prison,” said N’chiteni.
Asked why they did not attend their nephew’s engagement ceremony, both the uncle and aunt said they could not allow to discredit themselves by gracing a gay marriage.
N’chiteni and Zione Monjeza confirmed that Steven wrote them letters inviting to attend his engagement ceremony, which was initially slated for December 16, but was shifted to 26 because Monjeza’s mother died on this day.
Apart from inviting them to grace the occasion, the groom asked N’chiteni to appoint marriage counsellors, which the Monjeza family did not do because some people had told them the bride was a man.
“When we turned his invitation down, Steven came drunk and shouted profanities at us names. He challenged that he would find some people to be his counsellors if we’re not willing to support.
“But we did not bow down because we had information that the bride was a man,” said N’chiteni Monjeza further explaining that prior to their big day, the bride and the groom, had been visiting Monjeza family where Soko introduced Kachepa as his prospective wife.
According to the Monjezas, the gay couple had been living together as husband and wife for the past six months and that the engagement was meant to regularize their marriage.
Steven, the groom, is said to have introduced Stoneck to his family, but family members failed to suspect ‘Tiwonge’s’ gender because he used to cover his head with a piece of cloth (chilundu) thereby preventing family members seeing his bald-head.
This is contrary to what the suspect told this reporter earlier. Steven said since he dated he never lived with Tiwonge let alone having his carnal knowledge.
“What surprised us was that the bride was looking exactly like a man; no breasts and bearded. Only thing left wondering though; the bride behaves like a woman and carries out all female duties,” they said.
When the Monjezas lost their mother [a grandmother to Steven] on December 16 last year, the couple went to attend the funeral where ‘Tiwonge’ helped women in preparing food. He even slept with women at night when it started raining.
“She has no match when it comes to cooking,” said Zione Monjeza a complement shared by ‘Tiwonge’s’ former employer, Mrs. Vaida Kalua.
The following day, the Steven’s ‘wife’ accompanied women to a mortuary to collect the dead body of the late granny.
The Monjezas said they feel embarrassed with what their nephew had done [declaring his interest to marry fellow man].
“People look at us as irresponsible and disorganized lot following this scandal. We are very embarrassed,” said N’chiteni.
But in an interview at Blantyre Police where the two are being kept while awaiting court trial, the groom claimed ‘Tiwonge’ cheated him into engagement by not telling him he was a man.
“He never told me he’s a fellow man. Actually, I have learnt that Tiwonge is not even his real name; ali ndi dzina lina ada awa,” he said.
Asked why he still went ahead with the engagement after realizing that he dated a man, Steven said he did not want to disappoint his sweetheart because “she had already bought everything for the ceremony including bridal wears”.
Relatives to the gay couple said their sons had no record of having fallen in love affair with a girl let alone being speculated about by rumourmongers. But Steven told this reporter that he ever fell in love with a girl who he dumped to marry Tiwonge.
END
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Tiwonge's behaviour has always amazed us—Uncle
· He’s been bewitched—Sister
BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR
The gay couple currently in police custody made history last Saturday when they held an engagement ceremony preceding the actual wedding of their ‘holy’ marriage.
The ceremony, which took place at Mankhoma Lodge in Blantyre, attracted a considerable number of patrons who could neither believe what was happening nor make out what Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steve Monjeza were up to.
According to Sections 153 and 156 of the penal code, homosexuality is illegal in Malawi and anyone convicted of the offence may be jailed for five or 14 years, respectively, with or without corporal punishment.
As such, Malawians could not understand where Chimbalanga, the bride, and Monjeza [the groom] got the courage to declare in public their orientation towards fellow men. Actually, other rumourmongers hinted that the two had
been sent to “test the waters”.
Some people went as far as insinuating that Tiwonge is hermaphrodite (a condition where a person has both sexual organs).
But investigations by Maranatha Mzungu on Thursday revealed that the bride whose real name is Stoneck Kachepa and hails from Chimbalanga Village, Traditional Authority Thomas in Thyolo has a male sexual organ only.
In an exclusive interview, Village Headman Chimbalanga who is also an uncle said Stoneck was born a man, but with some female features such as voice and movements.
Chimbalanga explained that his nephew has been behaving like a woman right from his tender age.
“His behaviour has always amazed us. He never felt comfortable among fellow men and he used to wear wrappers (zitenje) as if he is a woman,” said the traditional leader.
Stoneck, a fourth born son in a family of six, lived with the uncle from childhood after the death of his both parents. Chimbalanga said he knew his nephew to be a village entertainer.
“He likes joking. But he does not want to be among men,” Chimbalanga added.
When he reached 14, Stoneck started menstruating as a woman, a development that surprised family members. This was soon after returning from circumcision.
People accused the chief of bewitching his nephew. This annoyed Chimbalanga who later threw Stoneck out of his family.
“Later, I was told Stoneck had gone to Blantyre where Mrs. Vaida Kalua employed him as a houseboy,” said Chimbalanga.
Stoneck’s grief-stricken blood sister, Mai Kamoto explained that their relation has been menstruating and he has been in that condition since then.
Although Kamoto has been sick for three weeks and was bedridden when Maranatha Mzungu crew visited her home Thursday, she spared some minutes to narrate the ‘horrors that their relation has gone through’.
“I just don’t know what is happening in our family. He is the only educated person in our family, but what can we expect from him now? Prison is not a place to live; that is graveyard,” said Kamoto as she broke into tears.
“Maybe it is a curse from God. How can a man be menstruating every month as if he is a woman. He has never proposed love to girls. He has always lived as a woman. Our brother is really bewitched,” she added.
Kamoto disclosed that Stoneck had been to a number of traditional doctors across the country, the last being a witchdoctor from Rumphi because the family believed he had been bewitched.
But one of the country’s gynaecologist and a lecturer at College Of Medicine Dr. Joyce Munthali said it is possible for a man to menstruate like a man and that the condition has nothing to do with witchcraft.
In a telephone interview on Friday, Dr. Munthali said such incidents occur when “female hormones are higher than the male ones”.
“It can happen, but it’s unusual,” said Dr. Munthali.
“What you need to know is that every man is a woman and vice versa. However, what matters is the levels of female or male hormones in a person,” she added.
But Dr. Munthali refused to be conclusive on what could be the cause of the condition in which Stoneck is stressing that that can only be done if the affected person sought medical help.
“I can only say that after checking his hormone levels. We’ve to do some tests to determine female hormones in him because he [Stoneck] could be functioning as a man, but high female hormones,” she said further advising such men to seek medical help and not traditional herbs.
Asked if such men can date and be able to bear children, Dr. Munthali explained that sexual urge for such people remains intact although sometimes they may experience some disorders.
But Dr. Lumbani Munthali of Karonga Prevention Study said ‘Tiwonge’s’ menstruation could be a symptom of cancer in urinary bladder, genital areas or trauma resulting from injury in his genital parts.
Both doctors recommended that the patient needs to seek medical attention to determine the cause of his problems.
Although Stoneck’s brother Jairos Kachepa looked equally concerned and could be seen wiping tears from his eyes during the whole interview time, he had no kind words for him relation.
“How could he spend K18,000 on engagement to a fellow man when we
desperately need such money to buy farm inputs? We are orphans and since he is the only educated in our family, we thought he could be a source of solace for us now,” said Kachepa in utter-disappointment.
While Kamoto expressed desire to visit Stoneck in prison, Kachepa and Chimbalanga said they would not do.
Kachepa said their brother was an embarrassment to the roayal family while the uncle excused himself saying “as a village headman, I am very busy attending to tree planting exercise and family disputes”.
END
BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR
The gay couple currently in police custody made history last Saturday when they held an engagement ceremony preceding the actual wedding of their ‘holy’ marriage.
The ceremony, which took place at Mankhoma Lodge in Blantyre, attracted a considerable number of patrons who could neither believe what was happening nor make out what Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steve Monjeza were up to.
According to Sections 153 and 156 of the penal code, homosexuality is illegal in Malawi and anyone convicted of the offence may be jailed for five or 14 years, respectively, with or without corporal punishment.
As such, Malawians could not understand where Chimbalanga, the bride, and Monjeza [the groom] got the courage to declare in public their orientation towards fellow men. Actually, other rumourmongers hinted that the two had
been sent to “test the waters”.
Some people went as far as insinuating that Tiwonge is hermaphrodite (a condition where a person has both sexual organs).
But investigations by Maranatha Mzungu on Thursday revealed that the bride whose real name is Stoneck Kachepa and hails from Chimbalanga Village, Traditional Authority Thomas in Thyolo has a male sexual organ only.
In an exclusive interview, Village Headman Chimbalanga who is also an uncle said Stoneck was born a man, but with some female features such as voice and movements.
Chimbalanga explained that his nephew has been behaving like a woman right from his tender age.
“His behaviour has always amazed us. He never felt comfortable among fellow men and he used to wear wrappers (zitenje) as if he is a woman,” said the traditional leader.
Stoneck, a fourth born son in a family of six, lived with the uncle from childhood after the death of his both parents. Chimbalanga said he knew his nephew to be a village entertainer.
“He likes joking. But he does not want to be among men,” Chimbalanga added.
When he reached 14, Stoneck started menstruating as a woman, a development that surprised family members. This was soon after returning from circumcision.
People accused the chief of bewitching his nephew. This annoyed Chimbalanga who later threw Stoneck out of his family.
“Later, I was told Stoneck had gone to Blantyre where Mrs. Vaida Kalua employed him as a houseboy,” said Chimbalanga.
Stoneck’s grief-stricken blood sister, Mai Kamoto explained that their relation has been menstruating and he has been in that condition since then.
Although Kamoto has been sick for three weeks and was bedridden when Maranatha Mzungu crew visited her home Thursday, she spared some minutes to narrate the ‘horrors that their relation has gone through’.
“I just don’t know what is happening in our family. He is the only educated person in our family, but what can we expect from him now? Prison is not a place to live; that is graveyard,” said Kamoto as she broke into tears.
“Maybe it is a curse from God. How can a man be menstruating every month as if he is a woman. He has never proposed love to girls. He has always lived as a woman. Our brother is really bewitched,” she added.
Kamoto disclosed that Stoneck had been to a number of traditional doctors across the country, the last being a witchdoctor from Rumphi because the family believed he had been bewitched.
But one of the country’s gynaecologist and a lecturer at College Of Medicine Dr. Joyce Munthali said it is possible for a man to menstruate like a man and that the condition has nothing to do with witchcraft.
In a telephone interview on Friday, Dr. Munthali said such incidents occur when “female hormones are higher than the male ones”.
“It can happen, but it’s unusual,” said Dr. Munthali.
“What you need to know is that every man is a woman and vice versa. However, what matters is the levels of female or male hormones in a person,” she added.
But Dr. Munthali refused to be conclusive on what could be the cause of the condition in which Stoneck is stressing that that can only be done if the affected person sought medical help.
“I can only say that after checking his hormone levels. We’ve to do some tests to determine female hormones in him because he [Stoneck] could be functioning as a man, but high female hormones,” she said further advising such men to seek medical help and not traditional herbs.
Asked if such men can date and be able to bear children, Dr. Munthali explained that sexual urge for such people remains intact although sometimes they may experience some disorders.
But Dr. Lumbani Munthali of Karonga Prevention Study said ‘Tiwonge’s’ menstruation could be a symptom of cancer in urinary bladder, genital areas or trauma resulting from injury in his genital parts.
Both doctors recommended that the patient needs to seek medical attention to determine the cause of his problems.
Although Stoneck’s brother Jairos Kachepa looked equally concerned and could be seen wiping tears from his eyes during the whole interview time, he had no kind words for him relation.
“How could he spend K18,000 on engagement to a fellow man when we
desperately need such money to buy farm inputs? We are orphans and since he is the only educated in our family, we thought he could be a source of solace for us now,” said Kachepa in utter-disappointment.
While Kamoto expressed desire to visit Stoneck in prison, Kachepa and Chimbalanga said they would not do.
Kachepa said their brother was an embarrassment to the roayal family while the uncle excused himself saying “as a village headman, I am very busy attending to tree planting exercise and family disputes”.
END
Venturing into non-capital business
BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR
Money-lending institutions will usually put up mouth-watering adverts in the media purporting to portray that they are the best, most affordable and accessible lenders in the society.
What is disheartening, though, is that they rarely live up to their preaching.
For Matthias Chikoko, money-lenders are becoming stingier with their money each passing day that it would sound miraculous when your application for a bank loan gets approval.
Chikoko, 35, now operations manager for Tumphale Security Guard Services in Blantyre, tried several times, but never got an approval because he did not have collateral.
Job scarcity continues to hound many people both in rural and urban areas. The problem is grinding more on young people who are just graduating from different colleges across the country. And lately, entrepreneurship has been found to be an alternative to the hopeless citizenry.
But collateral security remains one of the major setbacks to potential entrepreneurs to secure bank loans. Poor access to credit, such as bank loans, is one reason why development is slow to occur. Without start-up finance, it is difficult for people to set up businesses.
Agriculture is fast becoming business and many farmers want to think of investing in inputs or equipment which could boost their farm productivity.
But banks have not made enough strides, if any at all, to provide financial services, such as loans, to poor people such as farmers. They cite a number of reasons among them lack of collateral, lack of physical infrastructure, such as banks or post offices, in remote areas as some of the reasons why they are failing to reach out to the people.
These plus many more restrictions found Chikoko short of qualifying for a loan, which would have helped him venture into business of some sort.
But this did not stop him from dreaming big. Chikoko hoped against hope and it seems his colour dream of owning a company is fast becoming a reality.
Today, he co-owns Tumphale Security Guard Services located near Limbe Police Station in Blantyre. But the problem with security guarding business is that it depends on the security breakdown in a society.
Malawi enjoys a certain degree of public secure such that services of a security guard for a residential house become unnecessary, if not outright waste of resources, to many. But Chikoko thinks this is a wrong assumption.
“People should now look at services of a security guard as a priority in one’s day-to-day living. Even without criminals terrorizing your home, a security guard could be helpful in times of emergencies,” he states.
Chikoko says just like the Malawi Police Service, security companies are there to provide maximum security to the people as well as their property.
“Our aim is to contribute to the societal as well as national security. We work hand in hand with police in achieving this. I should state here that we’re helping government in reducing the number of unemployed citizens,” he said.
“We started with five, but as of today we’ve employed over 20 security guards who provide security services to companies, families and individuals in Blantyre. But we aim at growing big and establish regional offices in Lilongwe and Mzuzu as well,” Chikoko explained
Maybe money is not all that people need to venture into businesses. As Chikoko prides, his business brings enough for his family that no longer needs to be employed.
He is optimistic that, instead of him joining unemployed Malawians in scrambling for the few job vacancies existing in very few companies, his company is creating job opportunities to others thereby reducing the unemployment rates.
END
Chief tips ministry on cholera outbreak
BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR
 |
| I've never tasted clean water: GVH Samson |
Group Village Headman Samson of T/A Thomas in Thyolo have pleaded with government to consider drilling boreholes in primary schools around the area to save pupils from cholera outbreaks during the imminent rainy season.
Taking advantage of the recent visit Deputy Minister of Irrigation and Water Development Grenenger Msulira-Banda undertook to Manthimba Irrigation Scheme, Samson tipped government of the cholera outbreaks in his area rainy season is drawing closer.
“Every year, this area registers cholera outbreaks owing to the fact that we draw water for domestic use from unprotected sources. We just hear our friends are drinking water from boreholes elsewhere. Why can’t we have one here?” asked the chief.
“I’ve never drunk water from a borehole and my body is acclimatized to unsafe water. But I’m pleading with you, sir, to consider drilling a borehole at Manthimba Primary School just to save our pupils from cholera because their bodies are still tender,” Samson added.
In his remarks, Msulira-Banda assured the villagers that his ministry would look into the issue.
“I’ll take up the issue with the minister and see how best we can help. It’s government wish that every Malawian should be drinking protected water,” he said.
The deputy minister then applauded the villagers for intensifying irrigation farming at Manthimba Irrigation Scheme.
Earlier, chairperson for the scheme Charles Mkwapatira told the deputy minister and officials from Blantyre Irrigation Services Division under which Manthimba falls that the scheme needs financial assistance for maintenance and redesigning of the canals.
Mkwapatira said as the membership of irrigation farmers is increasing, it was apparent that the schemes need to redesign so that they can accommodate more farmers.
END
Irrigation farmers to train in market skills
BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR
 |
| Msulira-Banda making a speech after touring Manthimba in Thyolo |
Ministry of Irrigation and Water Development Grenenger Msulira-Banda said Sunday that his ministry plans to start training irrigation farmers in business and marketing research skills to help crop producers find competitive markets for their products.
The development comes after irrigation farmers under Blantyre Irrigation Services Division (Bisd) had raised concern over poor prices for their produce, lack of transport to potential markets and high post-harvest losses to which they are often poorly equipped to identify potential solutions.
Speaking after touring Chileka, Chimwavi and Manthimba Irrigation Schemes, Msulira-Banda noted that “irrigation farmers badly need marketing skills, especially now that they are turning their energies towards economic empowerment after achieving food security at household level”.
“Elsewhere I go to visit irrigation schemes; farmers have complained that marketing of their products is their major problem. We can’t agree more since most farmers grow maize on their irrigation farms. Maize is no longer marketable nowadays since Malawi has achieved food security,” Banda explained.
“Now we think we need to train them in marketing skills, new techniques and new ways of obtaining information on crops that are on demand on the market. This will help them draw calendars depending on ‘supply and demand’ of each crop,” he added.
 |
| Charles Mkwapatira: asked ministry to intervene |
Earlier, in his appeal to the deputy minister, chairperson for Manthimba Irrigation Scheme, Charles Mkwapatira expressed concern over poor prices their products fetch on the market.
Mkwapatira further alleged that businesspersons are duping them by buying their crops at prices below their (farmers) invested capital.
“It’s very unfortunate that we even fail to recover what we invest in irrigation farming. Businesspersons from town are just duping us here. I am pleading with you to intervene,” he asked.
His Chileka counterpart, Edward Chiphala, said despite making strides in ensuring food security at household level, most irrigation farmers are now suffering from financial crises.
But BISD Chief Irrigation Officer Anderson Mbozi urged the farmers to take such matters with his office so that a common ground for solving some of the challenges farmers are facing can be created.
END
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