Protesters brought Mchinji to standstill , against council abuse of funds: Malawi bus to Zambia caught in fracas
Business came to a standstill at Mchinji Boma in the early hours of today when hundreds of protesters led by Mchinji businessmen marched and delivered a petition to the council’s secretariat on what they claim is abuse of funds by council secretariat.
The protest which started with a peaceful march from the business center turned violent after some protesters closed the main road and burned tyres rendering the Lilongwe-Mchinji M12 road impassable.
Some protesters pelted stones at vehicles while most shops remained closed as police fired teargas at the protesters.
Chairperson of Mchinji Market Wilson Maluwa told Mana they decided to march against the council for not involving the community in some of the development projects the council is undertaking.
“We feel there is abuse of resources at the council. Many projects which started such as the stadium, the street lights, the slaughter house, council rest house and the taxi port have all stalled and we want the council secretariat to tell us what happened to the development funds,” Maluwa said.
Maluwa said his committee has been trying to involve the secretariat but they have not been provided with information.
The protesters want some of the council heads removed from the office especially from accounts office, public works, lands office and the agriculture division within seven days.
One of the councilors who joined the march Nathan Dhlamini said he decided to join the march to show solidarity and show the secretariat that Mchinji residents are tired of being taken for granted.
Mchinji Officer In-charge Maximas Bakali said his office has managed to calm the situation.
“We have managed to arrest some people who we think are just criminals who wanted to take advantage of the situation and loot the shops,” he said.
Efforts to talk to the council’s officials proved futile as the District Commissioner Richard Hara was not available and the District Administration Officer Pickford Manyungwa who received the petition on behalf of the council refused to be interviewed.
Mchinji received K107 million ($146 575) for development fund and council planned to renovate the council’s guest house, street lights and rehabilitation of the Mchinji Market among other projects.
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Davis, you say this is a serious warning to this govt. To govt or to Mchinji council? Why is it that every time a bunch of people do something in anger you say they stand for all Malawians? This is why you flopped in the 2014 elections because you believed that whatever Joyce Banda was saying against the DPP meant all Malawians are for it. This time again you think its easy to shake the DPP whose strength is almost everywhere in the rural areas and urban as well. The only way to change govt is through ballot box not… Read more »
Satana, oops! Santana, I sense nonsense in your common sense. 1. It’s true that come rain or sun shine DPP will never be out; why? Southerners are plenty like locusts. Had it been we use common sense during elections, Northerners would have one day ruled the country, but alas! we go by majority. The rural areas you are talking are in the south minus North and Central region. I 100% agree with you. 2. It’s a lie that only elections can remove the president out of the seat. Who voted Gadaffi, Egyptian president and Tunisian president out? People got tired… Read more »
The amount is too little to finish the stated projects. Sometimes We have to use common sense. With the continued depreciation of the kwacha which We are all aware of, these projects need a lot of money. The afoerstated amount would work with a single project, perhaps. Anyway, you are forgiven for your dumbness the people of Mchinji.
Salim, you are failing to see the rare sense in these people. They don’t even know how much the Council received because the Council does not update them. The amount mention could be channeled at least to one or two projects and let people see. The problem is government officials are rotten from head to toe
This is the strong reason why government district’s development have been stalled because of these egocentric and selfish people. DPP government has failed us, worse still its leader stays mum on this issues. He will neither nor take any action against them. Shameeeeeee
This is a serious warning to the ruling government (DPP) chaponda was chased in mulanje, wandale and group and today mchinji on fire. believe you me, nation strike(fracas) is around the corner. take it or leave it.
Malawians are very stupid! I don’t agree with you Davis. They wait until the wound aggravate and stink and wait to die. We have educated fools and can’t even reason a minute. Ma Businessmen a Four 4 azikapanga protest, expressing their grievances in solidarity, koma mbuli zophunzila like Secondary and primary school teachers a TUM akuziuza kuti 5 Sept kuli strike, ukazipeza izo zilinkalasi zilimbu ndi choko. Zowona a TUM azichita kuchondelela mavuto aliawo. This is not only teachers but other fool graduates in different departments. Kuwawuza tiyeni pa nsewu, akuwopa shoot to kill. Koma Malawi waleloyu yidakakhala nthawi ya… Read more »