Chilima decries slow progress of development in northern region

By Jordan Simeon-Phiri, MEC Stringer

The UTM Party President who is also the Tonse Alliance running mate in the forth coming fresh Presidential polls Saulos Chilima has taken a swipe at the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for failing to develop the northern region to uplift the infrastructural face of the regions six districts and peoples socio economic growth.

Chilima said this at Baka ground in Karonga on Tuesday after a marathon of whistle stop tours at Uliwa, Nyungwe, Songwe, Mwenitete and Lupaso, saying the DPP has been using the construction of Mombera University, new Mzuzu and Karonga airports as campaign tools ahead of every elections without implementing the same.

Said Chilima: The reason why nine political parties have joined forces is to bail out Malawians from the jaws of abject poverty, hunger, high unemployment rate.

That is why we will reduce fertilizer to K4,995 per 50kg bag, create 1- million jobs and disburse K75 billion to every deserving person regardless of their political party colours.

Chilima further decried why Karonga as a border and lakeshore district does not get the deserved development to turn it into a lakeshore city to attract tourists that will in turn be a source of employment.

“Once beaten, twice shy. You have had enough of the tribalistic and nepotistic DPP government that promotes quota system. Therefore, vote for Dr. Lazarus Chakwera if you want to have three meals a day and register meaningful development,” he said.

Chilima ended by urging all Malawians to be vigilant on the polling day to avoid possible rigging of votes, saying there is no logic in ferrying results from district tally centres to the main tally centre tallying.

Let us all be vigilant and guard jealously our votes on June 23. The distance from respective districts to the main tally centre is long and along the way, anything can happen, Chilima said.

Taking his turn, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Madalitso Kazombo advised the gathering to vote for Tonse Alliance if the jobless youth are to find employment, rice farmers are to enjoy better prices for what he said is the best aromatic rice, Mzuzu-Chiweta road to be rehabilitated and if civil servants are to have better salaries.

UTM Party regional secretary Jane Mbale advised women to vote in large numbers to benefit from the K75 billion loan fund for various businesses to uplift their wellbeing.

The meeting which was graced by president of PETRA, Kamuzu Chibambo, UMODZI party Peter Chisi, AFORD Presidential Council chair Frank Mwenifumbo and Peoples Party treasurer general James Munthali.