MCP queries government on Hewe Road

Tom Sangala February 26, 2018

638 1 minute read

The main opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has queried the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration over its pledge to rehabilitate a road that connects Hewe and Rumphi Boma.

Speaking during a rally which MCP President Lazarus Chakwera conducted soon after attending a groundbreaking ceremony of a new Catholic Church of St. Joseph Mukasa Parish at Hewe on Saturday, MCP member, Sidik Mia, accused the DPP administration of taking Malawians for granted following its failure to construct or upgrade the road, four years since it was voted into power.

Mia said it is not proper for Transport Minister Jappie Mhango to tell the Catholic faithful that work on the road will start soon.

But Mhango has hit back at Mia, alleging that Mia failed to perform when he was Transport minister in previous regimes.

“It is shameful and questionable for the minister to promise that he will send officials from his ministry for feasibility study on this road. Where were they all this time? Should we say they were waiting for the Catholic Church to open its parish first before constructing the road?

“This country is rotten. Nothing good is happening. People are suffering in silence. But their time is over. They should pack because they are moving out come 2019 elections. Malawians are tired and their hope is in MCP with Lazarus Chakwera,” Mia said.

But, speaking in an interview, Mhango challenged Mia to point at any project that he presided over as Cabinet minister.

“Moreover, he has been moving from one political party to another. People are asking what he is looking for?” he said.

Mhango said the road he was promising was meant to connect to the parish construction site.

The minister said the Rumphi- Hewe Road is in the pipeline and contractors have started bidding.

But speaking at the ground breaking ceremony, Mzuzu Diocese Bishop, John Ryan, said Malawians should always preach peace if the country is to develop.

Ryan’s sentiments were echoed by Chakwera who stressed the need for unity among Malawians and expressed regret over what he called politicisation of contributions by MCP spokesperson on Finance, Kusamba Dzonzi, in Parliament.

“Unity is the only tool to make this nation great. As MCP, we always advocate unity and peace. That is the reason we asked the Speaker that we have withdrawn the paragraph that talked something against the North. We believe other people did not understand us well. We think the issue is sensitive and that is the reason we have taken that move. Otherwise, our MPs’ response to the mid-year budget was wonderful,” Chakwera said.