Guest Writer: Dr Benedicto Wokomaatani Malunga (Malawian author, Poet and Academician) He knocked on the Kanjedza house door leading into the living room of his girlfriend's elder sister. He knew her as a cheerful lady. She was also very good at cultivating rapport with all those she met. In conversation, she was deliciously engaging. Needless to say that as Pangaliindu knocked her door, an air of calmness and self- assurance prevailed around him. Before coming here, he had called at the house where the retired parents of his girlfriend resided. There, he was told that Zitha his girlfriend had gone out to visit her elder sister a couple of hours ago. Since Pangaliindu was not in a hurry to go home, he decided to follow his girlfriend where she had gone although he had not alerted her that he would meet her. After all, it was purely by chance, that he was in the same town as where his lover was. Otherwise he should have been 60 kilometers away in the town where he lived and worked.

                            GUEST WRITER  CHIKUMBUTSO BILLY THAWALE Chikumbutso is a Malawian young writer who writes poems, short stories and novels. He is currently a University student at Chancellor College in Zomba, Malawi.  I tried, I cried, but no one was there To hear me out, to wipe away my tears Hope was lost, I screamed through the night A lonely, desperate plea, with no one in sight It felt like a nightmare, a dark cloud that shrouded me My parents, my friends, weren't there to set me free Their absence stabbed at my patience, slowly draining my hope I tried to fight back, but couldn't cope My eyes were blackmailed, my future unclear Nothing about me seemed to matter, no one was near But then I remembered, the Son of the Almighty God Didn't leave me alone, when I was struggling to carry on Even when I felt like water, flowing away My hand was held tightly, by a love that wouldn't stray It wasn't slightly, it was a mighty grip That helped me through the da

Chikondi, a college graduate who had recently earned her degree, found herself in the throes of an unrelenting job search. The joy and anticipation that accompanied her graduation had gradually given way to frustration and despair. Each day, she scoured the newspapers and online job portals, sending out applications to countless employers, hoping for that elusive opportunity. As if her struggle to secure a job wasn't enough, she was burdened by a far more pressing concern - her ailing mother. Chikondi's mother, Mary, was a warm-hearted woman who had raised Chikondi and her younger sister, Tawonga, single-handedly. But now, Mary was bedridden, battling a severe illness that required costly medical attention. The local hospital had minimal resources and was often plagued by shortages of medicine, leaving Chikondi helpless and overwhelmed. Chikondi visited the hospital daily, watching her mother's health deteriorate while the hospital staff offered little more than apologies a

In the heart of a bustling city, where the neon lights reflected off the rain-slicked streets, there lived a young woman named Emily. With her fiery red hair and infectious laughter, she had always been the life of the party, the one everyone wanted to be around. But despite her outgoing nature, Emily harbored a secret fear that she kept hidden from the world: she had a rare condition called synesthesia. To Emily, the world was a symphony of colors, each sound and sensation accompanied by a kaleidoscope of hues that danced before her eyes. For years, Emily had struggled to find someone who could understand her unique perspective, someone who could look beyond the surface and see the world as she did. But time and time again, her condition had driven potential suitors away, leaving her feeling more alone than ever before. One rainy evening, as Emily sat alone in her favorite café, nursing a cup of steaming hot chocolate, she caught sight of a familiar face across the room. It was Daniel

John, who lived in a village called Chenjera, was once sent by his father to buy fertilizer in town. His father gave him K10, 000-00. When he arrived in the town, he came across a very beautiful lady whom he had never seen before, shining like a diamond. She was as bright as the sun, as dazzling as fire. Everything seemed to revolve around her as if she were the chosen one, a special person destined for him. When John saw all this, confusion spun in his head, and he couldn't believe his eyes. He touched her shoulder and said, "Hello, Barbie. Where do you live?" The girl responded by teasing him and staring at him with eyes that never blinked. She then followed him closely without saying a word. The girl seemed curious about why this shabby-looking village boy was approaching her. She wanted to find out what he wanted from her. Surprisingly, she asked him, "What do you want from me?"  "I want you to be my girlfriend, kiss, kiss, love to love," he said.

Gwalidi grew tired of school and his mother's aspirations for him to become a doctor. He rebelled, turning from a good boy into a bad son. He started stealing from poor villagers - goats, chickens, pigs, and even cows to earn more money. Despite his mother's pleas to abandon this behavior and consider his future, Gwalidi's mind was clouded, like a burning charcoal from Mozambique. His wicked actions made him notorious in the village. In the same village, there lived a woman named Tsapa, who possessed mysterious powers. She owned numerous cows and animals on her farm, but they began disappearing. Wondering who was behind these thefts, Tsapa sought the help of her traditional healer and magician to protect her animals with magical spells. Luckily, she acquired a special charm that would safeguard her possessions and wasted no time in casting the spell upon it. Surprisingly, Gwalidi's behavior started to change after encountering Tsapa's enchanted charm. One night, as

 SHORT STORY BY MATILDA PHIRI MALAWI’S CHITENJE I have always doubted the power of Malawi’s Chitenje.   I never believed that in order, to impress a real Malawian lady you need to buy her a Chitenje. I and most boys of nowadays have stopped respecting our culture. We no longer care or fear breaking cultural rules and its consequences. It has been two years for me since I attended a funeral in my area. I have heard that in the past, this would not have happened because I would be tied with a string to a big tree waiting to be untied after the burial has happened. This was news to me. I laughed and shouted at the same time; “What the hell!? I would definitely sue the chief if he does that to me!’’ That was my straight word. “After all, we are in democracy. I have a right to attend any funeral or not.” But I was very wrong. I’m a University graduate of Political Science and divorced. I am working at a certain organisation as a democracy expert. I live in Blantyre City with my young

                   MAN IN TROUBLE        By Alinafe Livia Gundo (Blosh96) Guest Writer  Name: Alinafe Livia Gundo PenName: blosh96 (liviasbooklet) Genre: ShortStory/Articles/Poems/Proses Profession: Social Worker Location: Malawi  MAN IN TROUBLE   “The world usually tells us that men can’t be victims of abuse. The media tells us men are just the perpetrators of violence, but never the victims. These are just myths. Domestic violence can and does happen to men too. But many men choose to remain silent because they think there’s no point in reporting the abuse and no one will ever believe them or they will be laughed at.’’   I got married to Zanille a year and a half ago; Our wedding was colorful, perfect just as she wanted it. The attire, the deco, the catering were all on point. We spent so much money on it.   5months into our marriage which I perceived to have been a happy home, Zanille started complaining of different things. She constantly said she needed to change

                                                 THE HARE FOOLS HIS FRIENDS                                                          BY MATILDA PHIRI There was once a Hare who organized a competition with other animals to prove to them that he was strong.   He went to the elephant and told him to fight with him. “My dear friend Elephant, do you know that I am very stronger than you? In a tug of war despite being small I would win!” The elephant laughed at the Hare, asking him, why he was so confident.   “I am very big and also am a strong animal. I’d definitely win”, said the Elephant. After sometime while arguing, the elephant agreed to compete with the Hare to see who was very stronger. The Hare told the elephant to stay on one side and that he would go on the other side. When the Hare went on the other side, he found a lion preparing his meat and he greeted him. The Hare told him the same thing he told the Elephant to fight with him. The lion laughed at him. “My friend Har

THE 2020 MEGA MEN’S CONFERENCE BY MATILDA PHIRI “The long awaited men’s conference is finally here,” a loud but husky voice announced on the radio. Immediately, I dropped the mop, rushed to the radio and turned the volume up.   “All Men, young and old, let’s meet at Chichiri Stadium for the mega men’s conference,” continued the message.   As a man who was doing nothing important and with no hopes for a wife, I was curious and I quickly made up my mind that I should avail myself on this big day. My curiosity was on what will this conference bring forth on my life? What kind of men will I meet there and how will they help me with my problems? These were questions that came into my mind and I prayed that this day should really come so that we can share our problems for problems shared are half solved. The year, 2020 has been very hard in history as Covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc across the face of the earth. The virus invaded the world and messages of how to prevent it, were