Submitted by Innocencia Chikuse
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) President and Tonse Alliance Presidential candidate Lazarus Chakwera on Tuesday assured the people of Lower States in Chikwawa and Nsanje that the bromance between him and their political godfather, Mbuya Sidik Mia, is still intact despite dropping him as running-mate in the fresh presidential election.
Chakwera said during a whistle-stop rally at Mpatsa community day secondary school premises in Tengani, Nsanje Central constituency yesterday. Nsanje Central is one of the contentious constituency as the MCP parliamentary candidate in the 2019 tripartite elections, Kafa Mandevana, is contesting the victory of Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Francis Kasaila and the issue is still in court.
The mood at Mpatsa was electric largely due to the sympathy the people have over the shortchanged MCP shadow MP. Many people in the area believe he won.
Taking his turn, Chakwera thanked Mbuya Sidik Mia and his UTM counterpart Miachael Usi, for their patriotism in allowing to step-aside as running-mates in support of forging Tonse Alliance—a grouping of nine parties in the country aimed at ousting incumbent President Peter Mutharika.
“We are in this together with Mia. I can’t abandon Mbuya,” said Chakwera much to the excitement of the people.
Taking his turn, Mia requested Chakwera to take care of the people of the shire valley like Kamuzu used to do when hit by hunger or disaster.
“The late President used to distribute a bag of Maize, packets of salts, sugar and other essentials when hunger strikes. Please emulate his example when you take over,” said Mia.
He also urged Chakwera to do his best to bring back the glory of the Shire Valley to regain its status of being breadbasket of the shire highlands by fixing the irrigation schemes in the alluvial rich shire valley soil.
Chakwera’s tour of the shire valley yesterday took him to Chapananga, Tengani and had a main rally at Nsangwe ground in Chikwawa South Constituency whose Member of Parliament is Eriyas Karim.