MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera has assured people in the North that his Tonse Alliance administration will never forsaken them.
Chakwera however denied paying a blind eye to development projects in the region, saying the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is accessed by all legislators to ensure even distribution of projects nationwide.
Through his press secretary Anthony Kasunda during an interaction with journalists at Mzuzu State Lodge, the President said the CDF, expected to rise to MK200 million in the new financial year rolling out on April 1, was one way of evenly distributing development projects across the country.
The remarks come amid assertions that the current administration was paying a blind eye on development projects, especially roads which are in bad shape, with no hope of rehabilitation any time soon due to lack of funding.
“During the tour, the President stressed his commitment to develop every corner of Malawi, and in Rumphi, for instance, he mentioned the increase in CDF which ensures equitable development across constituencies.
“So, you cannot say the President is paying a blind eye to the Northern Region when each MP receives an equal amount of CDF. If anybody says the Chakwera administration is ignoring the North, ask them where CDF is going because every MP has access to that funding window, ” Kasunda said.
During the two weeks he was in the Northern Region, the President undertook several trips to monitor projects in Karonga, Chitipa, Rumphi and Mzimba. He also attended this year’s Martyr’s Day commemoration in Nkhata Bay on March 3.
In Karonga, the President also visited people affected by floods, the Nthola-Illola rice scheme and processing plant, Wovwe Rice Irrigation scheme and Karonga Town Water Supply Project.
But while MPs are celebrating the doubling of CDF allocations in the 2024/25 National Budget, the gesture has come at the expense of cuts in allocations to healthcare, education and roads.
In a letter dated January 24 2024 to councils that The Nation has seen, National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) chief executive officer Kondwani Santhe detailed how the CDF was prioritised over other services.
Chakwera has become the first head of state operating from Mzuzu State House for long time in the Northern Region.
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera on Saturday afternoon, March 16, 2024 arrived back in Lilongwe after a fruitful tour of the northern region.
The President and the First Lady, Madam Monica Chakwera arrived at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) having departed from Mzuzu Airport, where the First Couple was seen off by joyful crowd that gathered to bid them farewell.
Chakwera was in the north for two weeks where he carried out numerous activities and inspected a significant number of development initiatives in every district in the region all in the spirit of ensuring that the country’s Vision 2063 agenda is attained.
Chakwera is one of the most unpopular politicians and living president, and his top team members are also most unpopular leaders in their constituencies.
Only two of current Cabinet Ministers are projected to win again in their constituencies.
Malawi Inflation Rate
Corruption, hunger, negligence in Cyclone Freddy areas, lack of leadership direction, poor economy and nepotism rank higher in the Investigator Magazine monthly poll which asks the same question to party supporters in targeted constituencies and likely voters on individuals and party performance.
With the MCP campaign likely to heavily revolve around Chakwera, to the point where it is not obvious if there is a plan B if he calls it quits as the economy heads towards a total crash.
President Chakwera is very unpopular among all presidents that have ruled Malawi and are alive, with Peter Mutharika, Joyce Banda and Bakili Muluzi performance in office ranking higher than the incumbent. We will release the national poll results in the print magazine on who leads in opinion polls for 2025 elections.
Deputy Speaker Madalitso Kazombo (Kasungu East) and MCP Director of Youth Richard Chimwendo Banda (Dowa East) are seen as performing officials within the MCP both at government and constituency level. They score average of 40 percent and are likely to be returned with a margin of 42 percent for Kazombo and 41 percent for Chimwendo Banda if elections were held in April 2023.
Secretary General Eisenhower Mkaka (Lilongwe Mpenu) and Treasurer General Albert Mbawala (Ntcheu Central) will loose their parliamentary and party seats. Their popularity ranking is 7 and 8 percent respectively within the party members in their constituencies.
Agriculture Minister Sam Kawale who is a first timer in Dowa North East will need to work hard as only 29 percent of his constituency voters believe he is performing.
Other likely loosers in their constituencies include Finance Minister Sosten Gwengwe (Lilongwe Msozi North) with 26 percent, Lilongwe South West MP Jean Sendeza who has 25 percent of her constituents confidence.
Minister of Lands and Mchinji South West MP Deus Gumba popularity is tank’s at 22 percent while Health Minister Khumbize Kandodo (Kasungu South East), her deputy Halima Daudi Dowa South East) and Foreign Affairs Minister Nancy Tembo (Lilongwe City South West) will only manage 20 percent of their voting base.
Speaker and Deputy Secretary General Catherine Gotani Hara comes third among MCP gurus but can only muster 31 percent in her Mzimba North East constituency, and she is likely to loose the seat if voting was done now.
Newly appointed Minister of Homeland Security who is the partys Director of Stratehy Ken Zikhale Ng’oma is unlikely to return to parliament with only 19 percent voters in his Nkhata bay South saying they would vote for him. He has been largely absent from the constituency according to MCP voters in the area.
Jacob Hara, Mzimba Solora MP and Chiza Mkandawire for Karonga South are all going to loose their seats. Their popularity tied with the party’s poor record now stands at 14 percent each.
In the North, the least popular politician in the party is vice president Harry Mkandawire who can garner only 11 percent should he decide to retry his former Mzimba West constituency.
In the Northen Region, President Chakwera will only get 14 percent of the vote if elections were held in May 2023. Corruption, fertiliser subsidy programme, tribalism, economy and faliure to initiate development projects in the region are among key reasons.
In the Southern and Eastern regions the Presidents popularity is only around 9 percent.
The poll conducted in constituencies including Nsanje Lalanje, Nsanje North, Nsanje Central and Chikwawa South and Chikwawa Nkombezi the MCP parliamentarians will loose their seats and President Chakwera will only get 10 percent of votes for presidency. A total of 120 voters who identify themselves as MCP were asked.
Hunger, corruption and lack of direction to economic situation topped the issues driving away votes.
In Blantyre Kabula, City Centre and Mabalada the MCP popularity is only around 5 percent and no identifiable candidate that could win for the party as an MP. Fuel shortage, economy and nepotism rank high among reasons of not voting for Chakwera and MCP.
In the East, Zomba Thondwe, Zomba Chingale, Zomba Malosa and Chisi constituencies Chakwera will only get a share of 6 percent while in Mangochi Malombe, South, Central and Monkey Bay the MCP can only get around 11 percent of the vote.
In Mangochi fuel and passport shortages add up to hunger, corruption and tribalism concerns.
MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-Residents and businesspeople from the Northern Region have hailed President Lazarus Chakwera’s two-week stay in the region, saying it has given a huge boost to their various businesses.
Chakwera is the first Head of State to operate from Mzuzu for such a long period of time as previous presidents preferred operating from Sanjika Palace in Blantyre and Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.
During his stay in the Northern Region, different government officials, non-government officials, development partners, traditional leaders and various business captains flood the region and created business for various people in the service sector. From hospitality sector, recreational centers, transport sector and you name it benefitted enormously from the President two week stay in the region.
During this stay, the Malawi leader visited flood survivors in Karonga where he also inspected the rehabilitated Wovwe Irrigation Scheme.
Chakwera also officiated the opening of three Teacher Training Colleges (TTC) of Chikwawa, Mchinji and Rumphi at a function held at Rumphi TTC.
From Rumphi, President Chakwera went to Mzimba where he inspected M’mbelwa Stadium before going to Edingeni where he assured the people of Mzimba that his administration will complete Jenda-Edingeni-Mzimba Road.
On Friday evening, the President hosted a dinner for business captains in the Northern Region.
Residents in Mzuzu have told this publication that President Chakwera’s stay in the Northern Region has helped in boosting every sector of the economy, including tourism.
Food and accommodation businesses are among the businesses that have benefitted from the stay, according to the residents.
MZUZU-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera has ended his 17-day tour of duty in the Northern Region.
The development that has made him become the first head of state to have worked that long operating from Mzuzu State House after former President Hastings Kamuzu Banda.
During his official engagements in the region, Chakwera inspected various government flagship projects in the districts of Chitipa, Karonga, Rumphi and Mzimba, including officially launching 3 Teacher Training Colleges.
He also presided over Marty’s day commemoration in Nkhatabay and also visited flood victims in Nkhotakota, setting his feet in all but one districts of the northern region.
Presidential Press Secretary Anthony Kasunda says, “It should never be a strange occurrence for the President to stay such long in a region, because he has an obligation to follow up how development projects are progressing”.
Malawi breaking news and World News. News about Malawi, Malawi Business, Malawi Tourism, Malawi Politics, Malawi News, World and Africa Top News.
