By Kondwani Magombo- Mana
First Deputy Speaker of the Malawi National Assembly and Mangochi Mkungulu legislator, Aisha Mambo Adams, has declared herself Clean-up Initiative Ambassador for Mangochi effective Friday, November 13, 2020.
Adams volunteered herself for the role during the joint official launch of the Mangochi district council and Mangochi municipal council Clean-up Initiative that was held at the main roundabout on the Mangochi-Monkey Bay Road.
She said the Clean-up Initiative that President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera launched in Lilongwe on Wednesday should be taken seriously and that it should cascade to community and household levels.
“I am an Ambassador for Girl Education, the role I was given by Plan Malawi, but today I am giving myself the role of Ambassador for the Clean-up Initiative in Mangochi,” said Adams, who was guest of honour for the municipal council event.
She added: “But this is not a task I can do alone, let’s work collectively to have a new and clean Mangochi in this new Malawi.”
The Mangochi Mkungulu Parliamentarian also bemoaned continued use of thin plastics despite the existing ban and she urged the police to help in enforcing the ban.
Member of Parliament for Mangochi South, Lilian Patel, who was co-guest of honor for the district council, also expressed concern over littering and use of thin plastics and she called for mindset change.
Patel appealed for establishment and implementation of special by-laws on littering and that those found in the wrong should be punished accordingly.
“In our days we used to carry baskets whenever we went shopping but nowadays people go shopping empty-handed knowing they’ll get a plastic bag right at the shop or at the market,” said Patel, and she continued: “This has to stop because we are destroying the environment with the plastics.”
Earlier speakers included Mayor of the Mangochi Municipal Council, Clr. Edina Yusuf Jossi; Mangochi District Council Chair, Clr. Allan Sam Mmadi; and Senior Chief Chowe.
The three emphasized in their separate speeches on the need for people in Mangochi to embrace the culture of cleanliness right from their homes to workplace and other places.
The joint Clean-up Initiative launch was highly patronized by public and civil society sectors, business people and local residents around town, among others.
The Clean-up exercise commenced from Mankhwala area near main roundabout and from there the group split into two: one cleaning towards Mangochi CCAP and another towards Soko area and they all met at Mangochi Bus Depot.
