Nankhumwa says Mutharika’s prioritising improvement in Malawians’ livelihoods: Launches Zomba development plan
One of President Peter Mutharika’s overarching priorities is to achieve tangible improvement in Malawians’ livelihoods through rapid infrastructural development and other socio-economic programmes that support development closer to the communities.
Local Government and Rural Development Minister Kondwani Nankhumwa told Nyasa Times in an interview on Friday, March 1, 2019 on the sidelines of the official launch of the Zomba Social Economic Profile and the District Development Plan (DDC).
“The President has set and maintained high standards of roads and other infrastructure development in Malawi. The tarred road network has increased tenfold. In four years, the DPP government, under the visionary leadership of His Excellency President Mutharika, has constructed and rehabilitated many roads in this country more than all previous governments combined. The construction of new bituminized roads in rural and urban areas speaks volumes about the kind of a development-conscious President Malawi has,” said Nankhumwa.
“This kind of development has changed the social and economic status of the people because mobility has been simplified thereby enhancing trade and social interaction and cohesion among the people,” he added.
According to the Minister, Malawi embarked on the National Decentralization Programme in 1998 after adoption of the Decentralization Policy and enactment of the Local Government Act (1998).
The decentralization process aims at enhancing community participation in governance and development by devolving Political and Administrative authority to the district level. This empowers Local Authorities to plan and execute their own development activities, he said.
Addressing the gathering at Gymkhana Ground, Nankhumwa thanked individuals, ministries, departments and organizations “for their invaluable support and dedication in producing these documents”.
“I also wish to convey special thanks to USAID and UK AID through Local Government Accountability and Performance Project(LGAP) for the financial and technical support throughout the processes of coming up with these documents.
“The 2018-2022 District Development Plan is a blue print for guiding development in Zomba District. It is a medium term plan for the district that consolidates prioritized development issues and their corresponding strategies and programmes that take into account the district’s economic and natural endowments,” said Nankhumwa, who is also the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Vice President for the South, MP for Mulanje Central and Leader of Government Business in Parliament.
He said the documents he officially launched on Friday were reviewed through a participatory process involving all stakeholders at community level, district level and national level.
“Most importantly, it involved all Full Council members who finally approved the plan, thus, owned by the people of Zomba District and will surely address the needs of these communities,” said Nankhumwa.
The documents are a framework that sets development priorities for Zomba District for the next five years. It is an ambitious path to transform the communities in Zomba in line with national priorities as articulated in Malawi’s Vision 2020 and Malawi Growth and Strategy III (MGDS III).
In the Zomba DDC, key priority areas that are highlighted include agriculture, water development and climate change; education and skills development; energy, industry and tourism development; transport and information, communication and technology (ICT) infrastructure; and health and population.
Additionally, the plan gives specific attention to other areas of development, including financial services; social welfare; human settlement and physical planning; HIV and AIDS management; nutrition; peace and security; and integrated rural development.
Other speakers at the event included Director of Local Government Services, Sphiwe Mauwa, Zomba District Commissioner, Emmanuel Bambe, Chairperson for Zomba District Council, Evans Namakoka and Zomba District Council Director of Planning and Development, Fred Nankuyu, among others.
Before the substantive event, Nankhumwa inspected various pavilions depicting the key priority areas as contained in the DDC.
The event was also spiced up by traditional Masewe and Gulewamkulu dances, comedies and a live music performance by Alleluya Band of Balaka, among other activities.
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This is not Army Brass Band, It is Prison Brass Band
The roads in the Capital City are really pathetic. Area 25 Nsungwi to Dzenza, Area 25 Sector 8, Area 25 Kaunda road to Nsungwi, Area 49 proper, Area 49 Dubai, Area 49 Gulliver, Area 49 Old Shire, Area 49 New Shire, Area 23, Chiuzira, Kawale,Inside Biwi, Ntandire, etc. Please MCP help us in May 2019. Mbavazi zalephera.
You need to improve on quality of road that is being constructed other wise it not serve its purpose.
kutha ma plan tsopano uku, basi kwangoti cuuuu, kukamwa yasaaaa. akusowa chapter coyamba olo ayyambila capta cotsilizila kuyenda ca futa mbuyo,kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk munya muona,
ben phili anati paja pitala ali ku kichini will bring out a nice platter. tikudikilabetu lija ndikaletu Dr phili ,mwatani? magetsi azima stove yazima? sonkhani mbaula kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk pakamwa ndi paboma paja. kunena kwa ndithe ndithe
NANKHMWA,you are a misguided opportunist serving the most corrupt regime in the history of our motherland MALAWI.Muthalika prioritising improvement in our country two months before national elections,is a foolish joke that the Head of State has fallen into.Right now he has been in power for almost the first TERM,what has he been doing?Busy stealing peoples’ funds for his own self-interests? Nankhumwa,how far have you gone with your education? Aren’t you ashamed to bootlick the fake Malawi leader who along his late brother have destroyed our jewel of Africa. that will take time rebuild.Nankhumwa,with your shallow political and economic minds,you will… Read more »
Foundation stones won’t help
Anybody at all at all !!
UK aid ili mmatumba mwanu agalu inu ife kutipaka nsuzi
Wavala red red? Muzandikumbuka uyu za u running mate sangakhukuluke. Apanga defect Chilima akatenga Boma
Amangwetu! Amangwetu! A Nakhumwa, how many times has DDP come with policy documents that haven’t materialized. Very good at making documents but you can’t tell the people when do you start to implement without cronyism, corruption and nepotism. Ana che Nkhumwawo aliwalile Kala ku Mzuzu, Youth Centre, Mzuzu Airport, Mombera University. Ana Bwana aliwalile Kala, no akuyitanda yine. We wa ku Zomba wangalambusika aja panondi. Tukumanyilila kuti Ayi ikwika ligongo lya ndale, nii ngatwavotelape.