Nkhata Bay
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Nkhata Bay
The town sits on the flat between the hills and Lake Malawi
Nkhata Bay Location in Malawi
Coordinates: 11°36′S 34°18′E / -11.6, 34.3
Country	Malawi
Region	Northern Region
District	Nkhata Bay District
Elevation [1]	1,548 ft (471 m)
Population (2008)[2]
- Total	14,722
Time zone	+2 (UTC)

Nkhata Bay is the capital of the Nkhata Bay District in Malawi. It is on the shore of Lake Malawi (formerly Lake Nyasa), east of Mzuzu, and is one of the main ports on Lake Malawi.^[3] The population of Nkhata Bay is estimated to be 14,722 as of 2008.^[2] Nkhata Bay is 413 kilometres (257 mi) from Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital city, and 576 kilometres (358 mi) from Blantyre, Malawi’s largest city.^[4] Nkhata Bay is the second "busiest resort" on Lake Malawi.^[5]

History

The ancestors of Nkhata Bay residents were the Tonga (Lakeside Tonga). In the early 19th century the area suffered frequent attacks from the Ngoni people, who fled north in the early 19th century to escape the rule of the Zulu king Shaka, in South Africa.^[6]

Demographics

Language

Chichewa is the preferred language in hospitals, churches, radio and newspapers in Nkhata Bay. Tonga is the main language spoken in Nkhata Bay’s schools; Tonga is used approximately 92% of the time.^[7]

Economy

Nkhata Bay is dependent on fish.^[8] Farming, especially cassava, is the main occupation in the area.^[9] Rubber plantations also exist at Nkhata Bay.^[10] In May 2008, the Lweya irrigation scheme in Nkhata Bay was "rehabilitated".^[11]

Damage to crops

In April 2002, over 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) of "corn, rice, nuts and cassava" were washed away at Nkhata Bay after heavy rain, causing a worsening of food shortages.^[12] In March 2006, Nkhata Bay received over 300 bags of maize from the Feed the Nation Fund, because the area was suffering from food shortages.^[13] There were heavy rains in April 2006, causing further damage to Nkhata Bay.^[14] Malawi’s former minister of agriculture, Uladi Mussa Monday, stated in May 2008 that due to heavy rain and flooding, crops in Nkhata Bay had washed away; he said this would cause an "acute food shortage".^[15]

Transport

Nkhata Bay is a port visited by the Ilala steamship, a boat which travels up Lake Malawi from Monkey Bay in southern Malawi, to Chilumba in the north. There is only road in Nkhata going in and out of Nkhata.^[16] There are buses that travel from Nkhata Bay to Mzuzu, Nkhotakota and Chintheche.^[17] In July 2006, plans were announced to "rehabilitate" Nkhata Bay port, and to re-establish a ferry service between Nkhata Bay and Mbamba Bay.^[18] In June 2008, it was announced that the African Development Bank (ADB) would fund the reconstruction of the road from Nkhata Bay to Mzuzu.^[19] As of 20 June 2008, it is expected that the ADB will partly fund the reconstruction.^[20]

Nkhata Bay port

Sport

Nkhata Bay’s local football team were the Nkhata Bay Police; the team were renamed to Eagle Strikers and now play in Mzuzu. The team play in the TNM Super League.^[21] There is a ladies’ football team in Nkhata Bay, and are called the Nkhata Bay United Sisters of Malawi. The club was founded in 2003.^[22] Netball is also played in Nkhata Bay. In June 2008, the champions of Nkhata Bay were Kawalazi, and received a prize of 30,000 Malawian Kwacha.^[23] Each summer there is a multi-day yacht race which starts at Cape Maclear in the south, and ends at Nkhata Bay.^[24]

Politics

The Member of the Malawian Parliament for Nkhata Bay North is Pisho Nkhwazi.^[25] The MP for Nkhata Bay Central is Symon Vuwa Kaunda.^[26] The MP for Nkhata Bay South West is Silvester Kasambara, a member of the opposition.^[27] Kasambara caused a storm in Parliament in June 2008 when he pledged 10,000 Malawian kwacha to the Malawi national football team, after their 1-0 victory against Egypt, the African champions, in a FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifier.^[28]

Facilities

Amenities

There are bars, restaurants, two grocery stores, a bus station, tailor shops, a taxi rank and a market in Nkhata Bay. There is no bank, automated teller machine or internet access, although there are telephones.^[16]

Law and order

Nkhata Bay has a police station.^[29] Robberies of tourists have occurred at Nkhata Bay, but are rare.^[30]

Medical

There is a hospital in Nkhata Bay, and in October 2006 it received a donation from the National Bank of Malawi.^[31] AllAfrica have reported that parts of the Nkhata Bay area are not receiving appropriate AIDS treatment.^[32] Nkhata Bay does not suffer from Bilharzia.^[33]

Tourism

Nkhata Bay is described by Lonely Planet as "Caribbeanesque" and a "lush tropical indent".^[34] There are several guesthouses and lodges for tourists in Nkhata Bay.^[35] In February 2005, the Malawian government announced plans to build ecolodges as a way of increasing ecotourism in the Nkhata Bay area.^[36] The diving school in Nkhata Bay offers the "cheapest diving course in the world" according to The Daily Telegraph.^[37]

Notable events

Marriage

In March 2000, 73-year-old man from Nkhata and a 22 year-old woman married, in what BBC News reported as "Malawi's surprise wedding of the year"^[38]

Crocodile attack

In December 2002, a businessman, Mac Bosco Chawinga, was dragged in to Lake Malawi at Nkhata Bay by a crocodile; Chawinga managed to escape by biting the crocodile on the nose. The crocodile then released him, and Chawinga managed to return to the shore, although he had received severe injuries to his legs and arms. The Times reported that, according to "wildlife experts", Chawinga is the first person to survive after "using such an audacious tactic".^[39][40][41]

Capsized boat

On 9 May 2004, the then-Tourism, Parks and Wildlife Minister Wallace Chiume survived when a boat capsized in Nkhata Bay. At least six other people drowned in the accident.^[29] One of the dead passengers was a child. The boat was being used for campaigning in the Malawian election. Strong winds were blamed for the accident which happened 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from the shore of Lake Malawi.^[42] 40 people were on the boat at the time.^[43]

References

Coordinates: 11°36′S, 34°18′E