Secretary General of the ruling Malawi Congress Party- MCP Richard Chimwendo Banda says regardless of the socioeconomic challenges Malawi is facing due to natural disasters, the country is showing the World- path to sustainable development.
Chimwendo was speaking on Sunday, September 22, 2024 at Baka Primary school ground in Karonga district.
Chimwendo touted developments galore that include road and railway infrastructure, women and youth empowerments, technology, innovation and agriculture as some of county’s greatest strength on its development journey.
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT
Government is committed to address massive inequality in income and jobs positions between men and women hence there is need to create more economic opportunities for women so they are less vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.
“We are committed to gender diversity with close to 40 percent of party membership are in senior positions including two women elected in party’s Presidency. It is only under MCP that the country has a woman Speaker of Parliament. Even in cabinet and other senior government positions we have women at the top levels of government. Go to MANEB, MUBAS, MUST, MIM and others you will find that heads of the institutions are women regardless of where they come from. We are a party that respects women.
ENDING QUOTA SYSTEM
President Chakwera promised to abolish the stupid policy that was ‘enacted into law’ by the previous regimes that students must go university and secondary not based on merit and meritocracy but on tribal lines which was an insult not only to those who work hard in class but to the rights of the parents who work tooth and nail secure the future of their children. MCP banned that so that all deserving students find their way to university corridors where government has allocated huge sums of money to cater for their needs.
ON INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
Chimwendo said government considers infrastructure development as driving force of the economy and this will help the country to be middle class economy.
“Better infrastructure has put remote and villages on tourists map and that there is a need to increase the pace of this development so that every part of the economy thrusts as Chakwera is working around the clock to create modern infrastructure in all sectors such roads, railway, ports among others. It helps in enhancing competitiveness of businesses and reduce logistical costs. And be assured that the Chiweta to Karonga road will be constructed.
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Chimwendo highlighted a host of clinical measures taken by government to assert that it has empowered the youth to fulfill their dreams.
“Youths are architect of development. A worthy government takes decisions in the present, keeping in mind that future possibilities and has its priorities clear. We want our youths to creative and innovative as the world economy is becoming digital and Malawi must find its strength and identity in the young power”.
DISTRIBUTION OF RELIEF FOOD
Chimwendo announced that government through DoDMA in collaboration with other local and international partners will distribute relief food to all families that have been ravaged by hunger due to climatic shocks that continues to worsen vicious cycle of food insecurity.
“We are going to be grateful to all those who will support our vulnerable people who risk slipping further into poverty due to hunger. We, therefore ask for humanitarian assistance from our development partners and others,” he urged.
On her party, the Speaker Catherine Gotani Hara lauded president Chakwera and the party for honouring women in the country with big positions in government and several development projects that are aimed to uplift the lives of poor Malawians and for this reason, ‘boma tikuchinja yayi’ (boma ndi lomweli).
“Am the first woman to be Speaker and First Vice President of the party hence the people of north will give Chakwera another term. By the way prices of tobacco at the auction floors have gone up to 4 dollars unlike in the past,” she said.
In his remarks, Senior Traditional Authority, Kalonga urged government to provide relief food to his people as hunger continues to hit the district.
At the rally several senior members of the party graced the rally.
