JB elevates Mangochi, chief Mponda promoted
President Joyce Banda on Wednesday elevated Mangochi district council to town status and promises more infrastructure development to turn the lakeshore municipality which is a hub of Malawi tourism to upgrade into a city.
The President also elevated Chief Mponda of the district to Senior Chief.
Banda was speaking on Wednesday when she opened the newly constructed Mangochi Central Market which has cost government over K150 million from its Capital Development Fund.
“I am happy that the market has been completed finally after the first one was gutted by fire a couple of years ago.I am equally elated to have seen people very busy, selling various goods, which is a sign that the opening of the market was long overdue,” she said.
President Banda appealed to people plying their businesses in the new market to avoid illegal electricity connections to their stalls, noting that basically fire that had gutted other markets in the country, emanated from such mischief.
The Malawi leader said government would also explore the prospects of enhancing tourism activities in the lakeshore district because of its potential to ensure the ambition of attaining the status of a town was realistic.
She called on her cabinet to help develop the new town by among others providing the necessary resources. The immediate resource needed as requested by the Member of Parliament for the area Clement Chiwaya was a vehicle to carry refuse.
The President’s announcement came as a response to Chiwaya’s request that the district be elevated to a town because it was a tourism hub.
“You’ll forgive me if I am asking for too much, but people, I think would appreciate it very much if you could just consider elevating the district to a municipality since most developed cities in the world are on the shores of either an ocean or lake,” the legislator said.
Banda said she saw Mangochi becoming a city one day.
Stern warning
The President took the opportunity to dress down who are involved in corruption when handling government initiatives like social cash transfer and subsidy fertilizer programmes.
“Please, chiefs, do not take me to the test. Do not pull my kindness too much. I will have no option to fire chiefs who are frustrating my government’s efforts,” warned Banda amid clapping and ululation.
