I’m sorry for my careless remarks, MCP’s Kusamba Dzonzi tells North Malawi

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) financial spokesperson in Parliament, Alexander Kusamba Dzonzi has apologised for his controversial remarks he made towards people of the Northern Region.

While responding to the Mid-Term Budget Statement, Kusamba Dzonzi accused Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe of allocating more water projects in the North, where he said there are ‘just few people’ than  Lilongwe, Kasungu or Thyolo.

The remarks irked members of Parliament from the region and former vice president Khumbo Kachali who is Mzimva South West MP addressed  a news conference to condemn Dzonzi’s remarks as nepotism.

Kachali  said: “ I would like to condemn in strongest terms portions of the  response by MCP through Kusamba Dzonzi.”

Transport Minister Jappie Mhango earlier also condemned  Dzonzi’s remarks,  saying they were a confirmation that MCP has not changed.

Mhango, who is also national campaign director for ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), said the remarks remind people of the North the atrocities that MCP committed during its 31-year rule.

He further claimed that MCP does not want to see any development in the North, which he said was sad.

Kusamba Dzonzi’s pronouncements forced MCP president Lazarus Chakwera to ask the Speaker to exclude the remarks from the Hansard and not form part of the the parliamentary record, saying they were not views of MCP.

Meanwhile, Dzonzi told the House that he is sorry for his carelees remarks and asked for forgiveness.

“I would like to extend my apologies to all in the  North for the sentiment I made when I was responding to the Mid-Year Budget Review Statement,” said Dzonzi.

“My statement was careless and please receive my sincere apologies,” he added.

He elaborated that he was only trying to plead with Gondwe to consider all regions equally, arguing that what mattered was interpretation.

The controversial statement was duly taken out of the Hansard.