Malawi Agriculture Minister asks Mike Tyson to become cannabis ambassador
November 25, 2021, 1:23 am

Malawi Agriculture Minister asks Mike Tyson to become cannabis ambassador

Mike Tyson/Official Facebook page

The BBC reported, Malawi has asked boxing star Mike Tyson to become the official ambassador for the country's cannabis crop.

Agriculture Minister Lobin Low sent a letter to Tyson inviting him to take up the role, and said legalisation in Malawi had created new opportunities.

Tyson, a former world heavyweight champion, is an entrepreneur and has invested in a cannabis farm in the US.

But the move has been criticised by some as the former boxer was imprisoned for sex offences in the 1990s.

Mr Lowe wrote: "Malawi may not go it alone as the industry is complex collaboration. I would therefore like to appoint you, Mr Mike Tyson, as Malawi's Cannabis Branch ambassador."

Cannabis leaves/Pixabay

The United States Cannabis Association was facilitating the deal with Tyson, the agriculture ministry said.

The head of its Malawi branch, Wezi Ngalamila, told the BBC the former boxer had accepted the invitation and plans were under way for him to visit the country.

She said: "Tyson will be working with us."

Malawi legalised the growing and processing of cannabis for medicinal use last year, but stopped short of legalising it for personal use.

The country's agriculture ministry has encouraged farmers to grow cannabis for medicinal purposes as well as hemp for industrial use.

The government hopes Mr Tyson's backing will "rope in some investors and even potential buyers", ministry spokesman Gracian Lungu told the AFP news agency.

A locally grown variety of cannabis - Malawi gold - is renowned by recreational users across the world.

Tyson has said smoking cannabis helped improve his mental health and turn his life around. Some studies, however, have suggested smoking potent cannabis can increase your risk of serious mental illness.

The Centre for Public Accountability, a Malawian civil society group, criticised the latest move due to Tyson's previous crimes.

The former boxer was jailed in 1992 after being convicted of rape in Indiana. He was released in 1995 after serving less than three years of his sentence.

Kondwani Munthali, said in a statement, 'the CPA is failing to comprehend why Malawi would want to have a convicted rapist as its brand ambassador, more especially, at this time, when efforts to curb violence against women are part of the government agenda," the group's acting director.

Source: BBC

Sweden's first female PM tenders resignation hours after appointment 25 out of 98 candidates disqualified for Libya's presidential election

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”