Nankhumwa unveils  Mutharika’s ‘vision’ for Shire Valley

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Kondwani Nankhumwa, who is also  Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice-president for southern region,  on Friday, September 21, toured Nsanje Lalanje, south west, central and south constituencies where serving MPs, aspirant MPs and chiefs affirmed their support to the governing party and President Peter Mutharika ahead of the 2019 tripartite elections.

The whistle-stop tour started at Bangula. Then he stopped over at Tengani, Nsanje Boma and finally at Marka on the border with Mozambique.

MP for Nsanje north constituency, Esther Mcheka Chilenje advised the people of Nsanje to firmly hold on to DPP and “its visionary” leadership because the opposition political parties do not have any clear social and economic development agenda.

Chilenje said time had come for Malawians not to be misled by opposition leaders who have nothing new to offer.

“Most of them have been tried and tested and we would be dangerously cursed to allow them to rule this country,” said Mcheka Chilenje, who is also First Deputy Speaker of Parliament and former Malawi diplomat to UN in New York.

Chief Mbenje told the gathering at Bangula that his subjects made a grave mistake when they voted for an opposition MP during the October 17, 2017 parliamentary elections held in Nsanje Lalanje, claiming he is not development conscious.

“We made a mistake but we’re going to make amends soon. Please inform President Mutharika that we, the people of Nsanje Lalanje, hold the answers,” he said.

One of DPP parliamentary aspirants for Nsanje Lalanje is Gladys Ganda who lost the by-elections to Lawrence Sitolo of  Malawi Congresss Party (MCP) told supporters to vote “wisely” in 2019 to ensure that government brings social and economic development to the area.

Others that spoke during the tour included a representative of chief Tengani, senior chief Ndamera, MP for Chikwawa central Zaheer Gaffar Issa, Chikwawa Nkombezi MP Lloyd Malola, and Nsanje south MP, Thom Kamangamira and Blantyre City deputy mayor and DPP southern region campaign director Joseph Makwinja, among others.

They all expressed optimism that if DPP’s social and economic development performance in the past four years is anything to go by, the party and President Mutharika are destined for a resounding victory in 2019.

Speaking in an interview with Nyasa Times at Marka at the end of the tour, Nankhumwa was clearly overwhelmed by the massive support for DPP and its leadership as exhibited by the people of Nsanje south at the Marka rally.

“I am sincerely grateful to the people of this area, traditional leaders and all DPP leaders at all levels for keeping the party afloat here. There is no doubt the party and its leadership shall earn massive vote here in 2019,” said Nankhumwa.

The minister said the people of Shire Valley have every reason to rally behind President Mutharika because he has demonstrated that he has a clear vision for the two districts. He has put special emphasis on developing this part of the country.

“We are talking of improving the roads to ease the movement of goods and people; the east bank road that stretches from Thabwa through Fatima to Makhanga, the unprecedented magnificent and longest Chapananga Bridge and a tarmac road from there to connect with the M1 road, Chapananga Rural Growth Centre and Nsanje-Marka road, which is in the pipeline, among others.

“President Mutharika has directed government immediately commences implementing the Shire Valley Irrigation Project that involves 142 hectares of irrigation land to be used by cooperative farmers to deal with perennial food shortages in Nsanje and Chikwawa,” said Nankhumwa.