By Vincent Gunde
A citizen representative in Ntchisi Gracium Stambuli, says Ntchisi district has had no better roads infrastructure since 1964 observing that if the people had seen a tarmac road for the first time was during the reign of the late Professor Bingu wa Mutharika and his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) between 2009 to 2013 from Mponela to connect the old 10 Kilometer road from Kalema LEA School to Buzi LEA School in the district..
Stambuli said six governments and six presidents have ruled the country, saying these governments do come and go, Ntchisi has remained the same, poor with no better roads as in 1964 under the colonial government.
He said it was no wonder that the late Ngwazi Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda used to describe the people of Ntchisi as ‘Visanza’ saying Kamuzu gone to the eternal peace without developing the Visanza district.
Speaking to journalists in a mass media campaign tour organized by the Malawi Human Rights Resource Center (MHRRC), Stambuli accused governments of depriving the people of Ntchisi to access the rightful development projects one being better road networks.
He said the DPP led government of President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika constructed the road from Mponela to Ntchisi and a 5 Kilometer road from Malomo and this did not reach Ntchisi, it was booted out of government in 2019, the road construction project was abandoned.
The citizen said the election of President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera brought renewed hope and trust that he being coming from the central region, the abandoned 67 Kilometer road stretch from Malomo – Ntchisi – Dzaleka will commence but this too, was abandoned, rainfall season was attributed as a contributing factor.
Stambuli urged government that since the rainy season is over, it has to come and restart the road construction project saying this road is a short – cut going to Dowa, Salima and Lilongwe as compared to the current road via Mponela which is very expensive.
” There’s very high poverty level in the district due to no better roads, Ntchisi is a food basket district, we have irish potatoes, tomatoes, onions, all these are lacking better road infrastructures,” he said.
The citizen said the road construction project was hampered by high political interference by Richard Chimwendo Banda and Sam Dalitso Kawale who wanted the contractor to start constructing the road from Dzaleka to Ntchisi saying this too, contributed to the abandonment of the M7 road project.
MHRRCs Capacity Building Development Associate Noel Msiska, said the media tour was supported to bridge the gap between community – level realities and policy implementation by providing evidence – based documentation such as through photojournalism, interviews with Community leaders and testimonies on service delivery gaps including projects identified by the communities.
Msiska said the media tour will help journalists to influence local decision – makers raise awareness and mobilize community support by highlighting specific needs through various media outlets.
” The media tour anticipates turning the community concerns into public issues, creating urgency and providing evidence to support advocacy efforts which can be a key component in a broader campaign to improve services at national and district budget allocations,” he said.
The MHRRC is implementing ” Enhancing Citizen Participation in Local Governance and Development Processes project in Dowa, Ntchisi and Nsanje districts aimed at combating extreme inequality and promoting an inclusive society where all individuals can live healthy, dignified lives and claim their rights.
The MHRRC supported the media tour with funds from NCA DCA under the Joint Country Programme – Malawi.
