Malawi government dismisses Kamlepo Kalua’s regionalism claim

Tom Sangala November 13, 2015

262 1 minute read

Malawi government has hit back at Rumphi East legislator, Kamlepo Kalua, for saying that the Northern Region is being neglected as far as development is concerned.

Kalua made the remarks on Tuesday in Parliament when he contributed to a debate on President Peter Mutharika’s speech.

But government Deputy Chief Whip, Grace Chiumia, stood on point of order to dispute what Kalua was saying.

“It is out of order for the Honourable Member to say that there is no single development in the Northern Region. At the moment, we are building a magnificent youth centre, the first of its kind in Malawi and it is being built in Mzuzu,” Chiumia said.

United Democratic Front (UDF) MP for Balaka Central East, Aufi Mpaweni, was the first to stand on point of order to condemn what Kalua was saying.

“What I am saying, Mr. Speaker Sir, is that we should refrain from regionalism. We are all one in this country. All people from the North, Centre, South or even the Eastern Region, particularly from my constituency, Balaka Central East, we are all one.

“So Mr. Speaker, the Honourable Member is completely out of order by saying this government is not doing anything in the Northern Region,” said Mpaweni, whose party is working with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party in the House.

In his contribution, Kalua wondered whether the Northern Region is part of Malawi.

“If you look at the past two budgets, the people of my constituency did not benefit even a single thing. So, we wonder whether we are part of Malawi or not. We were told during the last two budgets that we would be given money, that each constituency would have a 10-kilometre road graveled. But nothing happened. So, I am asking whether we are part of Malawi, and if we are not part of Malawi, then tell us, we will belong to Tanzania, we don’t care,” Kamlepo said.

He continued: “Mr Deputy Speaker, the President, in his speech again, talked about how Malawi would actually come out of this economic mess. Now we are asking, if the economy improves, would the people of Rumphi East benefit? Would the people of the North benefit? Would the Northern Region be part of that benefit?”