By Wanangwa Tembo
KASUNGU-(MANA)-President Lazarus Chakwera has assured people in Kasungu that his administration is committed to ensuring food security in the district by constructing irrigation infrastructure.
Speaking on Tuesday during whistle-stops at Chamama and Mtunthama trading centres in the district, Chakwera said to win the war against hunger, the country must end its reliance on rain-fed agriculture and adopt irrigation farming.
“We are putting up mechanisms to stop relying on rain-fed agriculture by reviving dams so that we go full throttle with irrigation,” he said. “We must revive our agriculture so that we remain food secure as was the case in the past. We have something to rely on and thats modern agriculture.”
Chakwera said despite the natural disasters such as droughts that have affected the countrys agricultural production, his administration has managed to deliver quality projects across the country.
He said while some unpatriotic elements have tried to sabotage the smooth running of some sectors through hoarding of commodities such as sugar, cement and fuel, his running mate, Vitumbiko Mumba, who is also Minister of Trade has managed to deal with the rot.
“This time, prices of some commodities like cement have started going down because government, through the minister, intervened,” he said, emphasising that government will not tolerate such practices to hurt the people.
Malawi Congress Party (MCP) parliamentary candidate for Kasungu North East, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima, hailed the government for planning to construct the 80-kilometre Mtunthama-Kapichira Road.
The road is budgeted in the 2025/26 Financial Plan and is expected to open the eastern part of the district to more trade and economic activities.
In his remarks, Senior Chief Wimbe asked government to improve the road network in the area and upgrade more rural clinics to decongest Kasungu District Hospital.
President Chakwera is in Kasungu District to sell his re-election bid and rally support for MCPs candidates in the run up to the September 16 General Elections.