Malawi writer Sambalikagwa Mvona vows to contest for MP in Phoya’s constituency
Malawi Writers Union (Mawu) president Sambalikagwa Mvona has expressed interest to contest as parliamentarian for Blantyre Rural East, a constituency which belongs to the current Minister of Lands Henry Phoya on People’s Party (PP) ticket in the 2014 tripartite elections.
Random interviews with the constituents showed that the current government leader in the National Assembly has has little to show in as far as developing the constituency is concerned since he became the legislator in 2001.
Sources have told Nyasa Times that Phoya is planning to contest in another constituency in the country’s commercial capital, Blantyre City South East, which belongs to veteran businessman and contractor, Jeffrey Mtelemuka.
Mvona, who has led the country’s major writers block Mawu for about a decade now, said he has heard of Phoya’s ambitions to switch constituencies but was quick to add that whatever the reasons for his decision are personal.
“What I can tell you is that I’ve a good working relationship with Hon. Phoya, the constituents and the PP administration at regional level.
“As a son coming from the area, I feel duty bound to bring developments to my area, a constituency that has all along been represented by ‘strangers’ who have no interest to develop the area. Now is the time for these strangers to face the song,” said Mvona.
He has twice been losing to Phoya- in 2004 and 2009 both under the UDF ticket.
A lot of drama is likely to punctuate the country’s first tripartite elections as most parliamentarians have announced that they will switch constituencies.
Apart from Phoya, Minister of Information Kunkuyu recently announced through local media that he will leave his Blantyre consitituency to battle with leader of opposition John Tembo in Dedza South Consituency in next year’s elections.
