Kachale says Minister Dausi as ex-MYP cadre ‘should know better’ of training bases

Former Vice President and incumbent  Mzimba South West legislator Khumbo Kachali (People’s Party-PP) has said Minister of Information and Technology Nicholas Dausi is among people who served under the notorious Malawi Young Pioneers (MYP), a paramilitary wing of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) during the one party state and should know better how vital it would be turning (MYP) bases into youth centres or community colleges.

Kachali was speaking in Parliament on Thursday when he stood  to supplement a question by Zomba Changalume member of Parliament (MP) John Chikalimba, saying something needs to be done to help the youth.

MYP was known for various atrocities to the Malawi nation during the reign of MCP and their training  bases  across the country have been lying idle since the disarmament.

Dausi, who was disengaged in 1994, served as a senior MCP member soon after his disengagement before joining the ruling DPP under the late President Bingu Mutharika.

He has since been given his terminal benefits as former ex-MYP cadre.

In stressing his point thatit would be good if the Ministry of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development made use of the ex-MYP structures which he observed are strong and need minor renovations to be utilised than keeping them unused, Kachali said Dausi “as former MYP cadre” would know better about the structures.

“There are many structures that were left by the MYP that can be revamped into youth centres or community colleges. A bit of touch to them can bring transformation. I have in mind Kamwanjiwa base, the structures are strong and solid but they are just lying idle,” said Kachali.

In response, Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism Henry Mussa, who was responding on collective responsibility because the Minister of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development Francis Kasaila was not in the House, said government will look into that and inform the House on the next step.

“We really have structures that belonged to MYP and can be used for our youth development programmes. In the case of Kamwanjiwa, we will look into that,” he said.

Mzuzu City MP Leornard Njikho (Independent) lamented that in his constituency the groundbreaking ceremony for the college was done twice and nothing has happened.

In response,  Mussa said he would follow up with the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development.

“I know for sure that the money for the college in Mzuzu was allocated, it’s a matter of following up,” he said.

Mchinji North East MP Alex Chitete (Malawi Congress Party-MCP) also said he was promised a community college in his constituency and the groundbreaking ceremony took place but nothing has been done.