UTM running mate barnstorms Mangochi: Usi decries under-develpoment
UTM Party vice-president Micheal Usi, who is also running-mate to UTM presidential candidate Dr Saulos Chilima in the May 21 tripartite elections, has decried the state of under-development in the lakeshore district of Mangochi despite the fact that the district has massive promise and potential to become a beautiful city and bustling commercial hub.
Speaking when he addressed a massively patronized political rally at Makawa Trading centre after conducting successful Imbizos of Mangochi City Central Constituency, Usi said it is sad that Mangochi is still very poor and suffering under the weight of poverty when it has the right combination of elements to be a rich district given the right investment.
“I have been to a lot of countries around the world and most of the development takes place along large bodies of water such as oceans, rivers and lakes.
“In fact many of the largest airports in the world are constructed close to oceans and lakes. I was recently in Jordan and seen the development that is bustling along river Jordan. It is therefore frustrating to note that Mangochi seems to be stuck somewhere in the middle, without a proper plan for development,” said Usi, attracting applause.
He added that the combination of flat land; fresh waters from Lake Malawi and a beautiful people with beaming smiles should have spurred government into action to create a conductive environment for investment in areas such as tourism, farming and food processing in Mangochi.
“This is the reason why the UTM government will prioritize investment in agriculture through concepts like mega-farms and fish processing as well as tourism to spur economic development and generate wealth not only for the people of Mangochi but for Malawi as a country through foreign exchange earnings,” added Usi
He told the people that with the UTM government, the people of Mangochi will have a true friend who does not lie like the way the current government is lying to the people of the district and to all Malawians.
He said since President Peter Mutharika took the mantle of running government in 2014, there has been a litany of broken promises around issues of subsidy fertilizer that benefits all farmers.
Usi said the current government has failed in the field of delivery of critical services such as drugs in hospitals construction of quality public infrastructure and the delivery of quality education.
“As a result people of Mangochi are suffering like they do not have a government,” said Usi.
Speaking earlier when Usi made a stopover at his compound, Senior Group Village Headman Nsini said people in his area have been attracted by UTM because of its good policies.
He said people now know that UTM is the only political party that will bail them out of poverty.
“Some of us know you Dr Usi and we know the type of development that you have been able to initiate in other areas through ADRA.
“We therefore expect to benefit from that type of development here in Mangochi after May 21 when you take over government,” said the chief.
Other stops were made at Group Village Chisambanope and Nthundu in the area of Group Village Headman Chipalamawanga.
All the chiefs urged UTM to ensure that it should walk its talk when it takes over government after the tripartite elections.
Other speakers during the tour were UTM Patron, Noel Masangwi; Chairman of the UTM presidential campaign, Felix Njawala, Chairperson of Mangochi business community, Al-Haji Kambulile and Regional Governor for the Eastern region Al-Haji Sande.
In his speech at Makawa main rally, Masangwi said UTM under the leadership of Dr Saulos Chilima has the best interest of Malawians at heart, and urged the people not to make a mistake of voting the same failed political parties but to vote for Chilima as President plus a UTM Member of Parliament as well as Ward Councilor.
He deplored the tendency of voting for the same people although they are not doing anything to develop the area.
“This should be the year of transformation; this should be the year of change. We cannot expect development to come to Mangochi if we keep doing the same things and expecting things to change. This time my brothers and sisters let us embrace change through the UTM so that social economic development should be fast-tracked here in Mangochi,” said Masangwi.
Taking his turn, Njawala said the UTM plan to develop this country is comprehensive and unrelenting, and it is the reason why so many Malawians are turning to the party to rescue them from the doldrums of poverty and shame.
He welcomed scores of defectors from People’s Party (PP), led by their District Governor, Alick Adam Alllay who have joined UTM following the decision by the party’s President, Joyce Banda, to endorse MCP’s Lazarus Chakwera as presidential candidate in the forthcoming elections.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :