Thandie Chisi, the reigning Miss Malawi 2025, is proving that the crown is more than beauty—it’s a platform for impact. Originally from Muvwapule Village, under Inkosi Mabulabo in Mzimba, Thandie excelled academically, scoring an impressive 9 points in her MSCE at Likuni Girls Secondary School before earning a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Malawi in 2022.

Beyond academics, Thandie is a dedicated advocate for women’s empowerment. She is the founder and Executive Director of the Sustainable Fashion and Women Empowerment (SFWE) initiative, through which she trained over 59 women in tailoring in 2024 and provided them with machines to launch their own businesses.

Her commitment extends to governance and civic engagement. Thandie has served as Project Management Officer for Politics 4 Her, interned at the Ministry of Gender, and contributed as Creative Lead at the Shift Campaign, promoting youth-driven social change. Currently, she is a Public Service Fellow at the Ministry of Homeland Security, reflecting her growing role in national development.

As Miss Malawi 2025, Thandie received K50 million, with K10 million supporting Miss Malawi initiatives and another K10 million allocated for office rental for her organisation. She has also earned a scholarship to pursue further studies at Manica University in Zambia.

Thandie Chisi represents a new generation of Malawian leadership—one that blends intellect, service, and vision with the power of the crown.

Compiled by Hastings Msosa

McDonald’s in China has apologized after a branch in the industrial city of Guangzhou barred black people from entering.

A video shared on social media showed a notice that read: “We’ve been informed that from now on black people are not allowed to enter the restaurant.”

McDonald’s said that when it found out about the notice it temporarily closed the restaurant.

Tensions have been running high between Africans and local people in the city.

Last week, hundreds of Africans in Guangzhou were evicted from hotels and apartments after online rumours that coronavirus was spreading among African people, community leaders told the BBC.

Guangzhou is a hub for African traders buying and selling goods and is home to one of China’s largest African communities.

The Guangdong provincial government has responded to concerns about discrimination by calling China and Africa good friends, partners and brothers.

It said it attached “great importance to some African countries’ concerns and is working promptly to improve” its way of operating.

McDonald’s also responded, saying the ban on black people was “not representative of our inclusive values”.

“Immediately upon learning of an unauthorized communication to our guests at a restaurant in Guangzhou, we immediately removed the communication and temporarily closed the restaurant.”

The restaurant added that it had conducted “diversity and inclusion” training in the branch.

The High Court of Malawi through Judge Esmie Chombo sitting in Lilongwe has added nine more days to the misery of ex-minister of justice, Ralph Kasambara, who is accused of an attempted murder on Paul Mphwiyo’s life.

After hearing arguments from both sides of the case, that is the state and the defense team for Kasambara, Justice Chombo has indicated that the ruling on whether the PP director of legal affairs has to be granted bail or continue being held by the Police will be made on November 22 at the same court.

The judge made the ruling despite Kasambara’s defense arguing that their client is not feeling well. The judge said that Kasambara will be receiving medical attention while in custody until the 22nd when the judge will make her ruling on the matter.

The other suspects in the case were committed to prison and their bail applications were subsequently denied.

The Tobacco Control Commission-TCC says Malawi risks loosing 60 percent of its foreign exchange if she can ratify the World Health Organisation-WHO anti-tobacco protocol.

TCC Chief Executive Officer Dr Bruce Munthali told the media that in reaction to WHO’s Protocol which is trying to advance the banning of tobacco growing and the use of its products on health grounds.

However Dr Munthali said Malawi as a country needs to tread carefully before signing this protocal which poses a challenge to tobacco producing countries interms of reducing the demand for tobacco.

Meanwhile Malawi and some African countries like Mozambique Ethiopia and Eritrea are yet to sign the protocol while most of the Europeanc countries have already signed.