Chakwera promises completion of Mombera ‘Varsity and call it Inkosi Mbelwa University: New airport in Mzuzu

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) presidential flag bearer Lazarus Chakwera has said the government of triple alliance of MCP, People’s Party (PP) and Freedom Party (FP) will take on the establishment of Mombera University in Mzimba which has stalled and call it Inkosi Mbelwa University.

Speaking at a political campaign rally held at Chibavi Primary School ground in Mzuzu on Saturday, Chakwera accused the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)  for neglecting the project while the plaque President Peter Mutharika unveiled in 2015.

Chakwera, who accused Mutharika that he has failed the North, said he is committed to ensure that the Northern Region’s second public university is established immediately he wins the elections.

He said the university will be called Inkosi Mbelwa University now that the Mombela name is cursed.

“I promise to complete the university which will now call it Inkosi Mbelwa University,” said Chakwera.

According to Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe government has set aside K5 billion for the construction of Mombera University.

Chakwera, apart from promising completion of Mombera University,   pledged many development projects in the North, including upgrade and expand Mzuzu Airport to international status, moving it from its current site in the middle of Mzuzu City towards the area between lakeshore district of Nkhatabay and Mzuzu so it serves allowing space for expansion.

He also promised construction of a railway line where the cost of national distribution will be minimal.

Chakwera also promised to establish an economic processing zone in Mzuzu for import substitution industry

The MCP presidential hopeful also   said he will upgrade and declare Karonga as a Municipal City “in order to harness the near border trade potential, provide tax incentives for warehousing industry in Karonga and Mzuzu for all goods that enter Malawi through the Northern Corridor on foreign trucks to allow shared business with local transporters, except for petroleum products.”

Chakwera also said the MCP administration will ensure establishment of a major technical college in Mzuzu to run short and long courses to prepare and equip the workforce there with the skills and artisanship to enable them fill up jobs his government will create in the north as part of the 4 million jobs that he plans to create nationally.

He said such technical colleges should be contracted to deliver attitude and mindset changing courses to productivity.

Meanwhile, FP’s Khumbo Kachali speaking at the rally, asked Chakwera to end the quota system of selecting students into public universities, construct the Mzuzu Youth Centre and also ensures that the face of Mzuzu changes with construction of modern buildings.